college choice
Tips on Narrowing Your College List
By now perhaps you have completed lots of college research, conducted visits and have a college list that may be too long. Below is a list of things you should consider during your college search and criteria to review that will assist you in narrowing your list
Academic Programs: After you explore the various programs, focus on the ones of most interest. Look at faculty, course offerings, special events and opportunities. Communicate with existing students or graduates. Choose a program that is comfortable for you academically. A challenging curriculum is good but you want to make sure you have a healthy academic and social balance.
Class size, online courses and teachers: Larger universities often have great numbers in lecture courses plus various sections taught by teacher assistants (TA’s) who may be grading you. If you prefer smaller classes where professors are teaching, you may want to select a smaller college. Large and small colleges offer online courses. If you do this, you’ll have to discipline yourself and realize your interaction with others may be limited. Online courses can give a motivated student more flexibility.
The Campus: Know what types of facilities are important to you. Are state of the art computer labs a priority? What about research opportunities, science labs or art studios? If you are a musician, what is the orchestra like and how good is the equipment? Be careful on websites or if visiting as colleges will market their schools and show you the best. Ask lots of questions and explore. Focus on the amenities that really matter to you.
Types of Diversity: Colleges generally list information about their diverse populations on their websites. This would include, ethnicity, geographic, religious, socio-economic, first generation and academic diversities. If these are important factors to you, do the homework and learn about the population at colleges
Paying for College: There are many ways to get money for college whether from the college itself, the government or private corporations. Colleges may offer scholarships where no application is offered. You can check by contacting the financial aid office of the institution or calling them. Do not worry about the money prior to applying. If you are interested in that college, do apply, as you may not know what money you can obtain until after you are admitted.
The Dorms: Learn about the housing at colleges. How many years are you required to live on campus? What kind of facilities do the dorms have? Where are the dorms in relationship to classes? Learn if housing at that college is guaranteed. Some colleges have specialized dorms that focus on culture, special needs or language. If the Greek system is important to you, check out fraternities and sororities.
Counseling & Health Services: It may be important for you to have backup should you incur any difficulties. Is tutoring available? What if you are homesick or having difficulty adjusting? You should have counselors that can assist you. Health programs vary at colleges and the fee may be attached to your tuition. You may need to be your own advocate at larger universities. Smaller colleges may have a more available support staff.
Retention Rate: A good question on visits or at college fairs is to ask what their retention rate is. What percentage of students who begin as freshmen graduate from that college?
Best of luck and get in touch with any additional questions:
info@college-connections.com
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Get Your Faculty to Know You
Our guest blogger today is Lisa Chan, Ph.D, professor and college consultant. You can read more about her here:
http://college-connections.com/counselors.htm
As many of you begin the transition to college or are existing college students, this is valuable advice from a pro!
Students are often told, “Get to know your faculty.” But, I am here to say, “Get your faculty to know you!” Think about it, it’s easy to get to know your faculty. After-all there are probably only a handful of faculty in your department. However, that handful of faculty will come across thousands of students in their career. Soon one student blends into another, and only a few truly stand out. Then again, you may ask “What’s the difference between the two?” It’s a difference in perception, which alone will change the way a conversation is approached.
So, why should you get your faculty to know you? Here are five reasons why and how.
1. How to Use Office hours
“Does my professor really want me to visit during Office Hours? Don’t they want to use that time to grade papers and to work on “other important stuff”? The truth is your professors want you to visit with them! Use this time to further explore a topic related to your course, what you hope to gain from the course or your program of study or to discuss your progress (from the very beginning). This helps your professor gain a better understanding of you outside of your participation in the classroom. Your professors are human, if they feel a connection with you they will go that extra mile to help you succeed in class, and in your overall development.
“What if I can’t make Office Hours?” Set up a mutual-time to meet with your professor. This lets your professor know that you are serious about your education, as you are willing to make time to meet with him/her
2. Active Participation
“I get really nervous speaking out in class. Can’t I just visit during Office Hours and ask all my questions?” No, you should give your voice in class so that other students can benefit from the dialogue. I realize this may be easier said than done. To help you prepare, do your homework ahead of time, think about how you would want your intellect to be stretched: How might a certain concept apply in certain situations, where can you read further on a topic (if your professor makes a recommendation, do the reading and discuss your thoughts on the reading with your professor during office hours or if appropriate, during the next class meeting). In group activities, volunteer to be the leader; this will help in your facilitation skills. The more you are able to express yourself, the more opportunity you will have for feedback (from both your peers and your professor). In turn this will further sharpen your thinking.
Don’t ask questions just to say something. Be genuinely interested in what you are about to bring to the table. Active participation gives your faculty insights into: 1) your thinking and interaction within a group setting, where ideas are vulnerable to the opinion of others, and 2) the character in which you receive and give feedback to your peers.
3. Grants and Scholarships
“How did my classmate get awarded the departmental grant?” Often times there are departmental grants or college scholarships that are not publicized. Usually, faculty will meet and nominate a recipient and/or a candidate for the award. The students that tend to get nominated don’t just have good grades, but are ones that faculty (as a group) know on a deeper level. For example, they may know that you volunteer at the soup kitchen on the weekends, that although you may not be the best on the track team – you never quit, they know you from you ability to give your voice in class, and they know you from your visits to them during Office Hours. That is, your faculty has formed an overall picture of you and can feel confident nominating you, because you will have made a positive impression on each of them.
4. Research
“I know my professors do research, but should I really care?” Read up on your professor’s bio to learn about their research interests. This information can usually be found in your department’s website. If their research sparks an interest in you, approach your professor about being a student researcher on their project. There are many benefits to this, such as 1) You gain valuable research skills, 2) A joint publication can come from this work (this will look really good on your resume should you apply for graduate school), 3) This professor will let other professors know of your quality of work and professionalism. This in turn gets other faculty to recognize your name, and to more likely think of you should another research opportunity arise.
5. Letters of Recommendation
“Can you write me a letter of recommendation? I took a class from you four years ago and really enjoyed it.” If your faculty does not know you, but is kind enough to say yes because you took a class with them, you will likely get a generic letter. A generic letter is a letter that all the same students in your situation get. The only significant difference is a change in name on the letter. Do you want this to be you, when you are about to apply for graduate school or a job? Generic letters have no depth, and are easily spotted by an admissions committee or interviewer.
Don’t let this be you. Get your faculty to know you from day one of your first year. It’s called building your social capital and networking. And your professors can be one of your most valuable resources.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )Commencement Speakers 2010
It’s fun to see who will be speaking where and then decide if you want to hear or read what they have to say.
Here’s a current list of commencement speakers scheduled for graduation ceremonies at some universities around the country:
Amherst: Anthony W. Marx (President of the College)
Barnard: Meryl Streep
Beloit College: David Axelrod
Boston University: Eric Holder, current (and first black) US Attorney General
Bradley: Nancy Brinker
Berkeley (UC/Cal): Tiffany Shlain, Filmmaker, Founder/The Webby Awards & The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences.
Caltech: Charles Bolden (head of NASA)
Carnegie Mellon – Ian Rawson
Case Western: Katie Couric
Colorado College: Wade Davis (Anthropologist/Ethnobotanist)
Cornell: Nancy Pelosi
Dartmouth: Stephen Henry Lewis, former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations
Duke: Muhammad Yunus, economist and Nobel Peace Prize winner
Emory: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Fordham: Ireland’s president Mary Macaleese.
Franklin & Marshall: Judy Woodruff
George Washington University: Michelle Obama (tentatively)
Goucher: Charles F. Bolden Jr., administrator of NASA
Hamilton: Jeffrey Immelt, CEO of General Electric
Harvard: Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter ’61 + Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s chief international correspondent
Johns Hopkins: Michael Bloomberg
Lewis & Clark: Dr. Mark Plotkin, environmental scientist, Pres. of the Amazon Conservation Team.
Lesley University: Arne Duncan
Liberty: Glenn Beck
Loyola University of New Orleans: Drew Brees
Michigan: Obama
Middlebury: married authors Nicholas Kristof (NYT columnist) and Sheryl WuDunn
MIT: Raymond S. Stata, MIT alumnus ’57
Northwestern: Christiane Amanpour
Notre Dame: Brian Williams
NYU: Alec Baldwin
Oberlin: Julie Taymor
Ohio Wesleyan: John McCain
Penn- Huntsman – former Ambassador to China
Pomona: Janet Napolitano
Princeton: Jeff Bezos
Rice: Muhammad Yunus
RIT: Bob Schieffer, Chief Washington Correspondent, CBS News
Scripps: Sue Monk Kidd
Smith: Rachel Maddow
Southern California (USC): Steven B. Sample, USC President
Stanford: Ambassador Susan Rice, Eboo Patel, and Professor Debra Satz
Syracuse: Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase
Tulane: Anderson Cooper
UCLA: Gustavo Arellano, Columnist of ‘¡Ask a Mexican!’
UNC Chapel Hill: John Grisham
Vanderbilt: Khaled Hosseini
Vassar: Lisa Kudrow (Vassar Class of ’85)
Washington University in St. Louis – Steven Chu, US Energy Secretary (1997 Nobel Prize)
WPI: Curt Schilling
Wesleyan: John Hickenlooper, Denver Mayor and Colorado gubernatorial candidate
Wake Forest: Kenneth I. Chenault, Chairman and CEO, American Express Company
Whitman College: Juan Williams, journalist, writer widely known for “Eyes on the Prize” that became a PBS series
William and Mary: Christina Romer, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors
Williams: Jay McInerney (author and Williams alum)
Yale: Bill Clinton
MAKING YOUR COLLEGE CHOICE
There are lots of considerations in making your final college decision. The good news is that you have a choice! There are several variables to think about when determining where you will choose to attend. Here are a few tips that may help you decide:
academic program
- If you are not sure of your eventual major, it would be best to select a college that has many course choices and numerous opportunities. It may suit you to “sample” some different classes to determine where you focus will eventually be
geographic location
- How do you feel about being close to or further away from home? What about climate? What about being near the coast? If you do decide to venture off, resist the temptation to go home for at least the first 3 to 4 months – Give yourself a chance to adapt to your new home
campus opportunities
- What are the recreational facilities like? Is this important to you? What about clubs/organizations? Religious affiliations? Some campuses are filled with constant activity versus others that are quieter – keep this in mind.
social relationships
- Remain open minded about meeting new people. Your high school friends will remain so. You should not decide where to attend college based on where your friends go. College is an opportunity for you to broaden your horizons.
visit
- It is risky to decide where to attend if you have not visited the campus. You need to include the nearby college community along with the campus. Each college and town has a personality that can only be learned with an actual visit
a family decision
- Parents need to be included in discussions about your decision – but you should make the final choice. It is your experience!
cost
- Take cost into consideration. Learn what financial packages are offered by your college choices. Talk to your parents about their financial boundaries.
before the decision
- The hardest place to be is before the decision. Once you make it, muster up school spirit and think positive. If you are confident about your choice and are willing to embrace the changes and education, you will be happy and successful.
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Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )College Connections College Acceptances 2010
Congratulations to our students across the country and world! We are so very proud to say our students have been accepted at over 130 universities with many scholarships, honors, merit awards and grants. Here is a list of the colleges that are fortunate to receive our incredible students.
American University (Scholarship)
Babson College
Ball State
Bard
Barnard
Barry University (Scholarship)
Belmont
Bentley University (Presidential Scholarship)
Berklee College of Music
Boston College (Honors Program)
Boston Conservatory
Boston University
Brandeis (Scholarship)
Brown
Butler (School of Music)
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Cal Tech
Carleton College
Carnegie Mellon (School of Music)
Case Western
Chapman
Claremont McKenna
Colby
Colorado College
Columbia
Columbia College Chicago
Connecticut College
Cornell
Dartmouth
Depaul
Drew
Duke
Elon
Emerson
Emory (Scholars Program)
Florida Atlantic
Fordham
George Washington
Georgetown
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Tech
Hampshire
Hartwick
Harvard
Harvey Mudd
Ithaca
Jacksonville University
John Hopkins and Peabody Conservatory
Kenyon
Lewis and Clark
LMU (Loyola Marymount University)
Macalester
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
McGill
Miami University in Ohio
Northeastern
Northern
Northwestern and Feinberg Medical School
Notre Dame
Nova Southeastern
NYU/Gallatin, Stern and Tisch
Oberlin
Oxford College, Emory
Pitzer
Pomona
Princeton
Puget Sound
Purdue
Reed
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Rice University
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA)
Santa Clara University
Sarah Lawrence
Seattle University
Skidmore
Smith
Stanford
Stetson University
Syracuse
Temple University
Texas A & M
Trinity College
Tufts
Tulane
UC Berkeley
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UC Merced
UC Riverside
UC San Diego (Medical Scholars)
UC Santa Barbara (Honors)
UC Santa Cruz
UCLA (Honors, School of Theater, Film & Television)
UNCSA (North Carolina School of the Arts)
University of Chicago
University of Colorado/Boulder
University of Connecticut
University of Denver
University of Florida (Honors)
University of Georgia
University of Hartford (Scholarship)
University of Illinois Champaign
University of Illinois Chicago
University of Maryland (Scholars Program)
University of Miami (Multiple Scholarships)
University of Michigan (Honors)
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
University of Rochester
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
University of Southern California (USC) (Presidential Scholarship,
Film School, Marshall Business School)
University of Texas, Austin
University of Virginia
University of Washington, Seattle
University of Wisconsin, Madison
University of Richmond (Presidential Scholarship)
University of San Francisco (Merit Award)
Vanderbilt
Vassar
Villanova University
Virginia Tech (Honors Program)
Wagner
Wake Forest
Washington College (Scholarship)
Washington University, St. Louis
Wellesley
Wesleyan
Whitman
Yale
The Benefits of Hiring a Private College Consultant
In today’s college admission landscape it is essential that families remain knowledgeable on up to date trends in higher education. Many families begin the college admissions process early in high school so that they obtain as much information as possible about colleges while providing maximum opportunity for their children. The college admissions process is complex and detailed and in order for students and families to navigate this process correctly, qualified private college consultants are becoming more popular.
It is sensible to hire a qualified independent educator to ensure that the choice for higher education is correct, as the cost to obtain an undergraduate degree at many private colleges is near $200,000. Independent college consultants can also make an otherwise stressful process into a successful and enjoyable experience. The recognition and growth of private consulting is logical based on the demands of the colleges on students and the competitive nature of college admissions.
There are thousands of colleges in the United States and learning about how they vary is a difficult process without appropriate guidance. Qualified private college consultants help students avoid costly mistakes by finding the college that is the best fit for them. Without the proper direction, many students and families ultimately choose colleges without necessary information on what would be the best matches for them. Numerous families have specific requests with regard to academics, athletics and special learning needs. College consultants do lengthy and specific research to assure students that they apply to the most appropriate colleges. Expert college consultants attend conferences, visit campuses regularly and have a wide array of professional resources available. The experience and knowledge of a qualified independent college consultant is invaluable while navigating through high school planning and the admissions process.
The ratio of counselor to student in many high schools is extremely high (500 to 1 in many cases) and the school counselors do not have time to individualize the process for their students. Even the most skilled high school college counselors may have too many students to provide the individualized attention students need and deserve. College counselors in high schools are bound by the rules, requirements and job description of their schools. Often times they are also required to do additional jobs at their high schools with regard to guidance counseling, scheduling and record keeping. Many high school counselors do not attend conferences, tour colleges or develop relationships with admission representatives. As a result, they are not always current on recent college admission news and evolving admissions requirements.
Reputable educational consultants visit hundreds of colleges, whereas a college counselor in a high school spends the majority of his/her time at their specific school. In addition, an independent consultant researches and prepares college lists, assists with college essays, works on activity resumes, advises on campus visits, letters of recommendations, interviews, summer programs, internships and has a better understanding of what the colleges admissions personnel at specific colleges want in their candidates.
Most high school college counselors are grateful for additional insight and assistance with their students from independent consultants. High school counselors know that many families seek outside resources for academic tutors, test preparation and college counseling. There are various options available, however professional educational consultants affiliated with the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) are held in high esteem and an integral part of assisting students in their college process. The additional insight private consultants offer can be a valued asset to hard working high school counselors who must write hundreds of recommendation letters. The relationship families maintain with a private consultant can remain confidential and release of any information is dependent on the family’s decision.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )What our College Connections students say…thank you!
Student 1:
My parents found College Connections for me when I was about to start my senior year. I was attending a public high school and was trying to get into an ivy, so they figured the incredible competition at the schools I was looking at justified hiring a college aid. They looked at multiple services (some of which cost upwards of 7 times what College Connections aid cost) and they determined College Connections seemed to have a lot to offer at an amazingly reasonable price. Hands down the most important service offered was reviewing essays; I like to think of myself as being a pretty good writer, but I had no idea what sort of material colleges were looking for/what they are used to seeing. Jeannie not only was able to help me figure out what made sense to write about, but she also helped me improve my writing to be some of the best I have ever done. I’m not sure to the cent how much it cost to get Jeannie Borin and College Connections to help, but I’m sure it was worth whatever it cost. My dream school had always been the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, but I never really thought I had much of a chance. With Jeannie’s help I wound up getting accepted (I had a stack of about 15 more applications ready to go but I thanks to Jeannie I never needed to send them). I fully recommend Jeannie as a consultant because she helps relieve some of the college stress. I had done a good deal of independent research about how to get into colleges, but I had no idea how to actually go about applying. Jeannie was able to help me best compile my application and essays and was also able to answer some of my highly specific questions I could never find answers to elsewhere.
Student 2:
I applied to 10 schools. I have gotten into 9 so far. For some of those schools, I did not have the GPA or SAT scores that they required. College Connections helped me overcome my deficits and made my applications shine in terms of everything else. I can say without a doubt, and I would say this to any student or parent that College Connections made the difference in me getting accepted into my #1 college. Without Jeannie and her team, I believe I would have gotten a rejection letter, instead of the wonderful acceptance letter I received
Student 3:
Jeannie was amazing. She really took the time to help me get exactly what I wanted. I had no idea what I was getting into, where I wanted to go, or how to go about applying. Jeannie helped me to figure out the types of things that I was looking for, and find a great set of colleges to apply to. She helped me with every part of the application-she was always patient, helpful, and careful, going over absolutely everything to make sure that it was absolutely the best that it could be. As a result, I got into more schools then I ever thought I would, and am so excited to go to college.
Student 4:
Jeannie was fantastic. She discussed all of the colleges that I was thinking about, asked me questions, and helped me to figure out ways to narrow it down, and figure out what was right for me. But the best thing about Jeannie is that she truly cares-I never got the feeling that she was annoyed or that I was just another client-she truly cared where I was going, that I did the best that I could, and that I was happy.
Student 5:
I have never been a student that has been set on a certain college, so College Connections helped me compile a list of schools that I felt passionate about. My consultant made a time line for all essays, applications, and recommendations. Jeannie Borin truly went above and beyond the role I ever expected her to fill. She gave me confidence in my own writing and did everything in her power to make sure that I was accepted to every school that I longed to go to. She helped me brainstorm, edit, and perfect my essays, but made sure that I always did the work and that it was always coming from me. As an insecure individual concerning school, she made me feel brilliant. She responded quickly, and always kept me updated on due dates and with reminders. Jeannie was truly a perfect college counselor because she doesn’t coddle (she expects great work out of her students and returns that with great work herself) but helps students with every concern. Both my parents and I feel it was one of the best investments they have ever made. She took all my stress away, while helping me to achieve the best work I have ever done. I was admitted to all the schools that I applied to except one. Without counseling from College Connections, I truly believe the schools would never know how truly well rounded I am. I don’t think I would be accepted to a large majority of them without the help. Friends with much better grades and test scores were rejected from school I was accepted to
Student 6:
Jeannie made sure I stayed on track with everything and advised and offered me help every step of the way. She came up with what I daresay was the perfect college list (list of colleges to apply to), and helped me with applying to each of them. Jeannie helped and advised me about everything from choosing schools and setting up a schedule to correcting, editing, and brainstorming for essays. Everything Jeannie did helped so much; she responded surprisingly fast to emails, she made a perfect college list for me, and provided amazing counseling and advising every step of the way. I was admitted to almost all of the schools on my college lists, which are too many to name, but I was admitted to my First Choice (NYU) and Second Choice (UC Berkeley). I have been talking with Jeannie about where to attend, and with Jeannie great advice, I have decided to attend UC Berkeley. Jeannie’s counseling played a large role in my admittance to these schools. It is possible that without Jeannie’s advising I would not have gotten into these schools, as well as others on my list.
Student 7:
The most important part of the help I received from College Connections was for my interview at UCSD for their Medical Scholars Program. I had no idea what to expect beyond the usual “Why do you want to be a doctor?” question, and she made an appointment with me at her office in LA so we could speak face-to-face about the questions they would ask. After all that practice, I felt totally at ease during my interview and eventually got accepted into the program! She is considerate and sweet enough to care about what happens to her students even after they hit “submit” on their applications (she also helped me write a letter to the colleges I was waitlisted at, so her advice and help definitely doesn’t stop until after you’re sure you know where you’re going). She was the one who offered to meet with me to help me with this interview, and it ended up making all the difference for me. I honestly believe that though I am qualified to be in this program, the application committee would not have seen my strengths without Jeannie’s help with my essays and interviews. It has meant so much to me.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )What to Expect While Waiting for Admission Decisions
Tips for keeping track of your submitted college applications
You have undoubtedly worked hard to complete your applications and finally they are submitted! Now what? For the next few weeks, you may feel the anxiousness of the notorious college waiting game as nerves build and decision time gets closer.
Have the colleges received my application? An email is generally sent by the colleges confirming that they have received your application. If you do not hear back in about a week, contact the admissions office to confirm that they have received your materials. Every university has their unique admission requirements. So, do check and make sue you have followed all directions. If your application is incomplete, this could delay their review and your decision.
How can I check the status of my application? How often should I check it? There are applications status links on most every college website. Use the same log in information you used for your application and you should be able to access the university websites. Receipts of transcripts, letters of recommendation, and test scores are sometimes on these status pages, so feel free to check back as often as you like.
What should I do while I wait? This is a good time to make universities aware of changes or additions to your files. Have you moved? Changed schools? Improved grades? Won any additional awards not posted on your application? Participated in additional and/or relevant activities? Also, you could do additional research on the colleges on your list so you can make an informed decision when the time comes.
How are admissions decisions made? It’s hard to be certain about why a particular applicant gains acceptance as there are so many variables that enter into the decision making process. Some universities divide up applications based on geographical region and regional representatives review those applications. Other colleges may have several admission committees who make the final choices. In addition to your transcripts, essays, recommendations, completed applications, test scores (where required) and anything else you have toiled over, your high school will send a high school profile. This is information about the curriculum offerings at your high and perhaps its college acceptance history
When will I find out? If you applied for early decision, you should be notified around December 15th. If you applied to colleges where there is rolling admission, it generally can take six to eight weeks to receive a decision. Regular admission deadlines are around the 1st of the year and those decisions are revealed in March and April. You can obtain more specific information by visiting the colleges’ websites.
When should I be concerned if I have not heard from a college? Don’t wait more than three weeks to contact colleges if you have not received a confirmation. If you haven’t received a response, call or email the admissions office to check your status. You can also check the application status link on their websites.
Can I find my admission decision online? Most colleges send decisions electronically through the application status link and follow up with a letter.
What if I am accepted to one of the more likely schools on my list before I hear from one of my top choices? You generally have weeks before you need to respond to a college with your decision whether to attend or not. Don’t respond right away. This is a huge decision! Give yourself and your family time to receive all your acceptances so you can make the best choice. Have faith that you have completed the best applications possible and now it is out of your hands.
Best of luck!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 2 so far )‘Score Choice’ and the Common Application
Could Score Choice implemented by the College Board last January get any more confusing?
Colleges are individually releasing their policies with regard to reporting scores. It’s best to check with each college on your list to see what their unique policies are about reporting scores.
The following was printed yesterday in “Inside Higher Ed”:
The Common Application has had to adopt a temporary policy to deal with the dispute over “score choice,” the controversial rules change by the College Board that allows applicants to college to decide which of their SAT scores they want to report. The change allows students who take the test repeatedly to hide that fact, while the old policy would have required all scores to be reported. Some colleges are going along with the change, but others are insisting that all SAT scores be reported. While colleges’evaluate students based on official scores received from testing agencies, some application forms ask students to self-report, so admissions offices can have that information while awaiting the official scores. Parts of the Common Application allow applicants to send different information to different colleges, but the test score question is part of the completely shared application. The Common Application’s board has adopted a policy for this year that allows applicants to skip the testing question — without penalty — so they can submit some scores to colleges that permit score choice and all scores to those that do not. Rob Killion, executive director of the Common Application, said that its board plans to spend time over the next year developing a long term solution.
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 2 so far )HOW TO ~ Visiting Campuses
Here are some things to look out for while you tour different colleges. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many buildings, programs and informational tours. A preplanned checklist of what you want to see is a good idea.
Here are some bullet points of different things I look for in touring the many colleges I see each year:
– Admission Criteria
- Requirements and What to Include with Application
- When to Apply
- GPA & Test Scores (if required)
- Scholarships Offered
- Student Support/Counseling Center
– Academics
- Professor Availability
- Popular Programs
- Average Size of Class (ratio to student)
- Possible Internships
- Study Abroad Opportunities
- Available Technology
- Library Facilities
– Campus Life
- Greek – Fraternities/Sororities
- Weekend Activities
- Special Campus Events
- How Many Students Live on Campus? Commute?
- Sport Events
- Dining Facilities
- Party Scene
– Campus Setting
- Where is College Located?
- Too Remote? Too Urban? Near a City?
- What is Surrounding Community Like? Campus Town?
– Look of the College
- Dorms and Nearby Housing
- Lecture Halls & Classrooms
- Clean, Easy Access, Transportation
- Libraries
- Security & Safety, Campus Police Availability
- Current Building Projects
- How Well Are Current Facilities Maintained?
- Recreation Center
While you visit, here are some additional suggestions:
Take a campus informational tour
Set up an interview with an admission officer
Audit a course
Speak with a professor or representative at the department in your field of interest
If you are pursuing athletics, talk to a coach in your sport
If possible, stay overnight in a dorm with a friend or relative
Pick up the campus newspaper
Spend time in the Student Union and eat in the cafeteria
Speak to students and ask questions
Find the center of campus and have a seat for 30 minutes
Take a look at the college bookstore
Ask a student what he/she loves and hates about the college
Tour the community surrounding the campus
Ask a student if you can see their dorm room
Ask yourself if you could feel at home at this college
Take lots of notes and pictures
Enjoy yourself!
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( 1 so far )« Previous Entries
Jeannie's FYI College Admission Blog 