Category Archives: admissions

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep

5 First Semester Tasks for Seniors

This article was originally written for and published at TeenLife.com

seniors

The first semester of senior year is filled with anticipation. It’s your last year of high school and you have so much to look forward to, such as graduation and college. But in order for seniors to reach those goals, you have some high-priority things in the area of college admissions and creating the best college application that you can.

1. Get recommendation letters.

There’s no time to waste. Teachers and administrators and other mentors are busy people. With multiple students asking for recommendation letters, you want to be first in line. If you’ve done your homework, you have built relationships and now it’s time to ask for that college recommendation. Choose people who know you well and will be able to make the recommendations more personal.

2. Complete the college essays.

It’s time to put the finishing touches on that college essay you began working on over the summer. Remember the essay is your chance to demonstrate who you are. Be yourself and don’t try to write what you think admissions officers want to hear. Once your essay is completed, have someone proofread it before submitting with the application.

3. Finalize your college list.

It’s time to nail down your college choices. Review your notes and anything you learned during college interviews. Look at the entire picture for each college: Is it a fit academically, socially and financially? Are you at the top of the applicant pool and in the best position to receive merit aid? Make sure you have some colleges on your final list that are reach schools, some that are perfect fit schools, and some that are schools where you are pretty much ensured acceptance.

4. Visit the colleges on your list.

Fall is the perfect time for college visits. Not only will those visits help you finalize your list, but visiting a college demonstrates interest. Once the colleges receive your application, they will check to see how interested you are in attending and that will influence admissions officers. While you are on campus, schedule an interview and an appointment with the financial aid office. Ask questions that will help you finalize your college list.

5. Complete the FAFSA.

The FAFSA – the Free Application for Federal Student Aid – is available online. You should make filing it out a priority and the sooner the better. Colleges will be awarding financial aid this year along with their admissions decisions. You want to be first in line for this merit aid, so file now. Students who complete the FAFSA are not only eligible for federal aid, but for college-based aid such as grants and scholarships.

6. One last task: Submit your college application ASAP.

Consider submitting your application early. Applying early decision or early action means you will hear from the colleges sooner and also get information on your financial aid award. If you apply EA (early action) you’re not bound to any one college and you can apply to more than one. If you know the college you want to attend and it’s your absolute first choice, you can apply ED (early decision). You are bound to accept the school’s offer of admission, however, and you cannot apply to other colleges.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep, college visits

Lessons I Learned During the College Search

college search

The college search is easily stressful for both parents and students. The amount of knowledge a parent needs to help their student navigate through college prep can be overwhelming. From choosing the college, to deciding how to pay for it, to making the final decision, it’s hard not to become stressed and frustrated.

Both my children attended college but took different paths. One entered college straight out of high school and the other after four years of military service. Even though the college search for each of them was different, during their individual searches I learned some valuable lessons.

Expand your search beyond the usual perimeters

When you begin the college search, you should cast a wide net. Many students limit themselves to state colleges, colleges with prestigious names and even nearby schools. There are over 4000 institutions of higher learning in the United States and even more if you expand your search beyond our borders—Canada and even internationally. Canadian colleges offer excellent educations and are often a better financial fit than many U.S. colleges.

Moving outside your comfort zone might help you and your student find a better fit. My daughter had her heart set on a large university and while doing a college search, we unearthed a small private college in the same city that was a better academic, social and financial fit for her. Keep an open mind and don’t discount a college simply because of name, location, or lack of notoriety.

Do the leg work

Do your research before narrowing down the final college list. Look at statistics. They will tell you so much about a college. You should compare graduation rates, financial aid award percentages, freshman retention rates, admissions acceptance rates and more. Make your choices based on your research statistics and whether or not the college fits your student’s academic and social needs.

These websites that can help with your research: College Navigator, Cost of Learning, Big Future, and the Department of Education.

College visits can be highly emotional

College visits for you are fact-finding missions. College visits for your teen are highly emotional. You can expect to hear words like “I’m just not feeling it”, “I won’t get out of the car”, “I don’t like the look for the campus/buildings”, and other irrational comments. Just remember that feelings are a part of the final college choice. You can’t expect your student to make their new home at a college they don’t like, for whatever reason.

I experienced this with my daughter. She received an offer of admission and a full-ride scholarship from a college we applied to but never visited. Based on the website, location and academic offerings she felt it would be a good fit. When we arrived on campus in early April for our first visit, she refused to get out of the car. She didn’t like the look or the size of the campus. Of course, I was completely frustrated with her, but she just instinctively knew it was not the college for her. Looking back, even though it seemed emotional, she knew what she wanted and ultimately chose the perfect college she felt was a good fit.

Organization is critical

You will be bombarded with information during your college search. The key to keeping track of it all and staying on top of all the deadlines is to stay organized. Your teen should set up an email purely for college information and correspondence. Make it official by using firstname_lastname @gmail.com. All college correspondence will come to this address and your teen can set up folders to help organize it.

You should also maintain a filing system for organizing paper. This might be anything from college brochures to scholarship materials and applications, to keeping track of accomplishments for the resume. Keep all college-related materials in one place—a college landing zone.

Ask for help if necessary

Some parents like me choose to work alone and guide their student through the college process, while others choose to hire a professional college consultant. Choose what is best for your family and its own financial resources. If you choose to work alone, there is a wealth of information online from blogs and social media. If you have a question, leave a post on a Facebook page, comment on a blog or DM someone on Twitter. Most professionals are happy to help with anything that might stump you.

You can also seek advice from your high school counselor, teachers or even college admissions staff. You don’t have to flounder around hoping you have the right information. Approach the college search with knowledge and determination and your student will succeed!

admissions

What Factors Do Colleges Use When Filling their Freshman Class?

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freshman class

What factors influence colleges when filling their freshman class?

College admissions is definitely a subjective process. Colleges must delicately balance a student’s application along with the goals and priorities set by each individual college. While much is written about admissions criteria for students, it’s normal to wonder how the colleges fill their freshman class.

In 2014, Rachel B. Rubin, a doctoral student in education at Harvard University, researched and authored a study on how and why colleges choose some students over others. In her study, she found that most colleges focus first on academic merit. They base the first cut on grades, rigor of high school courses, test scores and so on. Although each college has an individual formula differentiating the relative weight that is given to these various factors, the result is the same: students who do better than others in this area are more likely to be admitted.

Beyond the academic factors, colleges look to create a well-balanced freshman class. This means they look at demographics (where a student is from), minority factors, special talents such as sports or music and any other attributes that might set the student apart and be a welcome addition to the college student body.

Large public universities tend to follow this admissions pattern and a student with an excellent academic record is likely to be admitted. In Texas, all students in the top 10 percent of their class receive automatic admission to any state university.

How are elite colleges and large public universities different?

Elite institutions and small private colleges are a whole other ball game. Ms. Rubin’s findings revealed that these colleges group applicants into “pools” and applications are compared within these individual pools, but not overall. “Certain pools receive preference, largely as a result of the perceived benefits of a particular applicant’s background, academic characteristics, and exceptional talents, and their relationship with a university’s needs.”

For elite colleges, institutional fit is often more important than a student’s academic merit. These colleges do the initial cut based on other factors: student essays, recommendations, and specific questions related to whether a student will contribute to the college in various ways. Each college has their own unique set of qualifiers based on the type of freshman class they want to achieve.

Although academic merit is considered important, the vast majority of applicants to these elite colleges have the appropriate level of academic merit. This allows the colleges to weigh this later, and focus on other parts of creating a freshman class.

What are the most favored factors used to determine institutional fit?

For these elite colleges, the two most favored factors are underrepresented minority status and exceptional talent, which is, of course, any talent the college feels might add to their freshman class. For those colleges who responded to Ms. Rubin’s survey that started with “fit” as their focus, these four factors were the top contenders:

  • Underrepresented race/ethnicity–42%
  • Exceptional talent–42%
  • Recruited athlete status–7%
  • Likelihood of enrolling–7%
  • Fund-raising potential–2%

These practices may not be considered “fair” among parents and students. A student with a strong academic background that doesn’t fall into any of these categories might not be offered admission. But another student with a lesser academic resume who does fall into one of these categories and helps the college create a diverse freshman class might be.  However, each college is allowed the freedom to create their own ranking system for applicants.

What happens after the initial cut is determined?

After colleges have made the initial cut, whether by academics or institutional fit, most colleges have a more formal system. Two readers review the application and all its corresponding documents, with a third reader or entire team to help make the difficult calls. At this state, the colleges that made the first cut using academics, discuss “fit”, and colleges that made the first cut with “fit”, discuss academics.

How can this information help applicants?

While it’s impossible to “get into the heads” of admission officers, it’s important to take into account the college’s means of choosing applicants. If a student is applying to a public university, it’s important to have a strong academic record. If a student is applying to an elite college, it’s important to remember that most all applicants will have a strong academic record. The student will need more than exceptional grades to receive an offer of admission. He will need to fall into one the other categories these colleges use to determine admission.

As always, the key ingredient to applying to college is fit. If a student does his homework, researches the colleges, is at the top of the applicant pool, and fits well with the current body of students, his chances of being offered admission are extremely good. Without that fit, the chances of being offered admission are slim.

admissions, college planning, college prep

Is Your Student Ready for College?

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college

When you have children, you know that you always have to play the right kind of role in their lives. And that can feel quite overwhelming. You need to keep them safe, you need to ensure that they’re healthy, and until their old enough to make the best decisions for themselves, you also need to guide their futures too.

This is why we’re often so interested and invested in the college process. When it comes to college prep, you’ll often know that you need to be actively involved. But sometimes, you won’t know what that looks like, or what you should be doing in order to help them prepare. So let’s take a look at some of the things that will help.

Grades

To start with, you’re going to want to make sure that the basics are covered – grades. Because your kids will need to have good grades to get into the best colleges. Or, at the very least, you need to know what the grade requirements are, and ensure they can keep up. This needs to be seen as the base.

Extracurriculars

But you do have to remember that college is about more than just grades. So many kids have fantastic grades, so it’s important to standout in other ways. This is where extracurriculars come in. There are lots of impressive extracurriculars that your kid could try. Think about their interests and where their strengths lie, and then sign them up as early as you can to see where they flourish.

Tutoring

Now, it’s also a good idea to think about tutoring. When it comes to getting in, a college prep tutor could be great. Your child many not necessary need tutoring academically, but it can often help to work with someone that knows the process, and can help you get in!

Summer Camp Prep

From here, you’ve then also got camp to be thinking about. Summer camp can be so rewarding for your kids, alongside tutoring. So why not think about enrolling them in a camp that can help? You could look into something specialist, such as CT STEM classes, or just a general camp that covers off a wealth of different areas. Either way, this experience can help them develop for the future.

That Je Ne Sais Quoi

Finally, you may also want to think about the little things that will help your child get into their dream college too. Now, not everyone will want to go Ivy League – but even other top schools can be competitive to get into. And it’s nice for you to think about ways for them to stand out. Do they have special interests? Any experiences that they can press? Having that little special something, or je ne sais quoi, can really help when it comes to applications. So pinpoint their special qualities and run with it.


admissions, college planning, college prep

Attending a Suburban College

suburban college
Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts

When my daughter applied to college, she knew she wanted to make the move from Texas to an eastern college. She wanted to live in or near a large city and she applied and was accepted to colleges in New York City and Boston. Coming from a small city, I feared New York might be overwhelming since she was traveling thousands of miles from home and was barely 18. But Boston offered the next best things—a suburban college near an urban environment.

Bentley College (now Bentley University) was the perfect option. It was nestled in a small community, Waltham, Massachusetts; but it was close enough to Boston to make it feel like she was attending an urban college. The mass transportation available made it easy for her to take advantage of all the culture and entertainment available without feeling swallowed up by the big city.

Suburban colleges offer some qualities of both urban and rural schools, and might be the best choice for your student.

What is a suburban college environment?

Suburban colleges give students more options for activities off campus in the surrounding rural and urban areas. They often give students the freedom to choose between outdoor activities similar to those at rural colleges and urban offerings such as museums, concerts, plays and other cultural events.

Colleges often provide local transportation to and from the local community and the urban areas surrounding the college. Local venues surrounding the college often offer student discounts for access to eating, shopping and entertainment in the area.

What are the benefits of attending a suburban college?

If your student is looking, as mine was, for the benefits of an urban college in a suburban environment, this would be an excellent choice. In a suburban college you can enjoy the benefits of an urban college experience but escape to the comfort of a college that feels more like home, usually surrounded by nature and part of a local community. Essentially, you get the best of both experiences.

For my daughter, her small college in a suburban area was the perfect fit. Coming from a small high school in a midsize city, the large population in New York City and the overwhelming size of the colleges she applied to would have swallowed her up. When homesickness set in, as it always does, her tight knit community rallied around her and helped her through.

If your student needs more support or feels a smaller, suburban environment would suit them better, this type of college might be the perfect fit.

admissions, college prep

Making the Best Admissions impression

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Your student will spend the best part of the college application process trying to impress. Impress teachers. Impress college admissions. Impress scholarship judges. It’s part of the process and it’s something they will do as they enter the job market after graduation.

There is a lesson that we as parents must teach them about self-confidence and being able to present themselves well. There is a point where their approach to their wild streak has to mean something as they must understand not everyone is like them. There is sometimes a convention that we must follow because it gives us a solid and meaningful foundation from which to stand on. So why don’t we teach our kids how to impress others in certain situations in life? They will need to at some point and yet we don’t often take the time to sit them down and show them when and how they could possibly do this. Here are some scenarios and techniques you can show them to getting people on their side and get their admiration.

https://youtu.be/kTNHTc6YZWM

The starting point

Your children will first need to impress someone for real in their lives when they go for a job interview. Hopefully this will be when they are young and in their mid teens. Working as a newspaper boy or in a grocery store is good life experience for them. But they must get the job first and this is when we need to give them life advice on what the employer is going to be looking out for. First off the simple things, they need to stand and sit up straight and not hunch their shoulders. They need to work on maintaining eye contact and speaking in a steady and clear tone. They should also dress the part, take the extra mile. Even if they are applying for a job in their local cafe, dress as if they are applying for an office role with formal clothes. Ask them to put themselves in the employer’s shoes and hopefully these things will begin to make sense to them.

A stand out essay

When they go off to college they will want to be noticed by their lecturers and other teachers. The common things they will get asked to produce are essays and reports. Aside from proper writing form and style they should also make their work stand out. This can be done by making a cover for their work. This is also helpful when compiling the scholarship application essay. They can use embossing folders which can imprint their own name, title of their work and even logo or slogan. This will create a 3D design on their work, which will also be unique to the touch as the gel used will remain semi-hard. This will no doubt make their work stand out from the piles and piles of other students’ work. It will impress the lecturer and make a good first impression. It’s not just words either, you can imprint shapes and sequins as well to give the cover a little more flare and character.

There are times in our lives when we need to impress someone. But the college application process is a perfect time to help your student put their best foot forward.

admissions, college guidance, college majors, college planning, college prep

Attending an Urban College

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urban college
New York Film and Acting School

I just returned from a visit to New York City and am always amazed by the college opportunities available in such a small space. Manhattan is a mere 23 square miles and there are hundreds of colleges for any interest beckoning for the adventurous student. From focused studies in film, acting, music and fashion, to the traditional four-year college, Manhattan offers a wide variety of secondary education choices.

Is your student craving for an urban experience at college? If so, there are a few things to consider.

What is an urban college environment like?

In New York City, the colleges have become part of the city itself. They are mingled within the skyscrapers and citywide neighborhoods. In other cities, the college is more self-contained in in their own little neighborhoods. Since this type of environment can be overwhelming, especially for students who come from small towns or rural areas. Don’t fool yourself into thinking just because you want to escape the small-town mentality, that an urban environment will be easy to navigate.

It takes some tenacity and fortitude to navigate the subway system in New York, along with the millions of people who live on Manhattan. The same is true for colleges in Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago and other large metropolitan areas.

What are the benefits of attending an urban college?

Urban colleges, like those in New York, offer a wide range of cultural off-campus experiences and a variety of entertainment like museums, concerts, plays and more. In addition, urban colleges offer students a larger pool of possible internship opportunities since many companies operate within these large cities. For instance, if your student is studying film, acting, fashion or music, a college on Manhattan will put them in close proximity to many opportunities to hon their craft and get advice from those currently working in these areas.

For example, in New York City, there is a restaurant called Ellen’s Stardust Diner that offers budding Broadway hopefuls the opportunity to perform each day live in front of an audience of diners while earning wages as servers. In addition, the establishment pays for additional acting, singing and dancing classes for its employees. This year alone, 17 of its employees have joined Broadway productions.

Is an urban college the right choice for your student?

Urban colleges are good environments for outgoing students who have a spirit of adventure and who like to interact with people of different cultures and backgrounds. There will always be something going on in the city and it will be easy to access any activity that interests you.  

It’s easy to get around an urban college because you will have access to a large public transportation system. It likely won’t be necessary to have a car while attending college because of the easy accessibility of transportation.

If a certain city is a hot sport for your student’s chosen career field, like Broadway theater is in New York, they might consider attending a college within the city. It will be easier to do networking and make connections while attending school.

Tomorrow, I will explore the advantages of attending a suburban college. Stay tuned!

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep

Busting 5 college myths

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college myths

Have you ever heard someone say, “College is a waste of time and money”? Or, “There’s no way I could afford to go to college”? These are some common college myths that many people believe to be true. But the reality is that neither of these statements is true.

Following are some common myths about college, examining the reality of each of them:

Myth #1: College is a waste of time and money.

College is only a waste of time and money if you waste your time and your money. Choose the right college at the right price and you will recoup your investment ten-fold. Choose the wrong college and incur a tremendous amount of debt and the myth could become a reality. Waste your time drinking and partying without devoting time to academics and that tuition money could fly out the window.

Myth #2: There’s no way I could afford to go to college.

Many students and parents believe that financial aid is only for the extremely poor or highly gifted students. That’s simply not true. Everyone qualifies for some form of financial aid and there is an affordable college solution for everyone. Community college is an affordable option. Winning scholarships can decrease your college costs as well. Working during college can also help defer some of the costs. If college is your dream, there is a way to finance it.

Myth #3: The college with the lowest price is the most affordable.

This is not necessarily true. Colleges with high sticker prices often give the most financial aid based on alumni contributions and generous donors. After taking financial aid into consideration, a seemingly more expensive college may be more affordable than one with a lower sticker price.

Myth #4: The only good degree comes from a 4-year college.

Nothing could be further from the truth. There are many satisfying and good paying jobs that require 2-year or technical degrees. If those type of careers interest you, then you should not discount that type of education. Getting the degree you need for the career you want is more important than graduating from a 4-year college.

Myth #5: Small colleges offer limited opportunities.

The size of a college isn’t enough to make a complete judgment. Small colleges and large universities all offer unique opportunities for the students who are looking for that perfect fit. The philosophy and vision of the college and its leadership is much more important that the size of the student body or campus.

Don’t believe everything people say about college. Do your own research and evaluate using the information you gather. Separate the myths from the realities.

admissions, college planning, college prep

Should Your Student Delay or Skip College?

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skip college

The increase in college costs and fears about the inability to secure employment after graduation causes many students to consider delaying college or even skipping college altogether.

While college costs can be high, consider that the majority who delay college regret not going and a high percentage continue within the workforce without a college degree. In this competitive job market, a college degree is necessary to compete with other degreed applicants and increase your lifetime earning potential.

Instead of choosing to delay or skip college, consider these options:

Take AP or dual-credit courses during high school

If you take AP classes during high school, you can take AP tests and many colleges will give you college credit based on your test score. Dual credit classes allow you to attend college while attending high school, giving you college credit when you graduate. Securing credit before starting to college can reduce your costs dramatically and many times allow you to complete your degree in three years.

Begin your college career at a community college

According to the study, 41 percent of adults and 35 percent of teens said schools like Harvard or Princeton are important, but not necessary to get ahead. Only 17 percent of teens though going to a top tier school would give them a better chance of finding a job. Start your college career at the local community college and save some big bucks. Just make sure that those credits will transfer to a 4-year college after completion.

Pay as you go

The most effective way to offset high college costs is to adopt the “pay-as-you-go” method. Many colleges allow you to break the tuition payments up into affordable monthly installments. If you choose this method, you can work during college and pay the tuition while you attend. Of course, you will need to choose an affordable college option, such as a state university.

Live at home and work during college

While living at home and working might not be your optimum choice, it’s a viable option. It’s possible to arrange your classes around your work schedule. Your income from your job can offset tuition costs. Living at home will save you money on room and board, reducing your college costs significantly and allowing you to apply that money toward tuition.

Take some classes online

Taking classes online can be less expensive and also cost effective. But before you drop some of your hard earned money check with your college and verify that they will accept those courses as credit. Many students take some courses over the summer and/or winter breaks, saving higher credit costs for those classes that are only offered at their respective colleges.

Delaying college might seem like the best choice when faced with the high cost; but if you think creatively and work hard, you should be able to attend college and pursue the degree of your choice.

admissions, orientation

The Next Step After college decision day

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college decision day

Yesterday was National College Decision Day. It’s the day your student made the final college decision and locked in their future. Now it’s time to move forward.

Your student can start by completing these tasks before transitioning to college.

1. Send in your deposit and apply for college housing

First things first—by now you should have sent in your deposit to your final college choice and applied for dorm housing. The national decision deadline is May 1st and there are no exceptions or do-overs. If you are even one day late, you may forfeit your place in their freshman class.

2. If you have chosen to defer, complete the necessary paperwork

If you have already decided to defer, contact the college and make sure that is an option. Most colleges will allow students to defer their admission for a year if they ask. But you must ask. Be sure to ask if you need to sign an agreement or make a deposit to hold your spot for next year.

3. If you are taking a gap year, finalize plans.

Gap years are becoming more popular among students and many colleges are even encouraging them. Take time to plan your gap year and have a clear purpose in mind. Whether you choose to travel abroad, stay home and work, or explore careers, it’s a good idea to finalize those plans before graduation.

4. Attend “Accepted Students Day” and register for orientation.

If at all possible, attend the college’s accepted student day. Colleges encourage students to attend to familiarize themselves with the college, meet other students, and use this event to make their final decision. Later, after you have accepted an offer of admission, you should try to attend college orientation. Don’t forget to register for this important event.

5. Consider a summer college program.

Many colleges offer summer pre-college or community service programs. Investigate the college you will be attending and ask if there are any programs in your area of interest or your intended major. Colleges like Brown University offer a wide variety of programs from academics to adventure.

For tasks 6-10, read the original article at TeenLife.com.