Applying to College

Seniors: Keep Calm and Carry On! No Matter What You Read Online or In The Media

Posted on Wed, 02/27/2013 - 12:15

If you pay attention to headlines and news crawls, you may be feeling some anxiety about your college admission and financial aid. When it comes to the subject of college admission, the media work hard to bring home an A+ in sensationalism. You may have been hearing about record numbers of applications, 6% acceptance rates, and financial aid letters leaving students confused and misinformed.

While it's true that more students are applying to more colleges, that competition for seats at some colleges has increased and that the cost of college continues to rise, reality runs counter to most of what you read in the media.  Even when what you read in the media is factual, often its focus is so narrow it doesn't really apply at all. The number of colleges that are highly selective is TINY! The vast majority of colleges accept two-thirds or more of their applicants. In UCLA’s most recent Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) annual survey of first-year students at four-year   colleges and universities, 79 percent reported being accepted to their “first-choice” college. If you've done the proper research and applied to a balanced list of eight to ten colleges, taking into account both selectivity and affordability, you will do well.

Juniors: Create a Testing Plan

Posted on Tue, 02/26/2013 - 13:56

Second semester of junior year in high school means testing. In addition to the SAT (upcoming on March 9 and May 4) and the ACT (on April 13 and June 8), students may be taking AP exams and SAT Subject Tests this spring. There are upcoming SAT Subject Test dates on May 4 and June 1. Students can take Subject Tests at any time during high school. But there is optimal timing: test as close as possible to when you complete the relevant class so the subject matter is fresh in your mind. For example, if you are completing the highest level of Japanese at the end of junior year, take the Subject Test in Japanese at the end of junior year. Or if you’re in AP Chemistry, take the subject test in May or June while you’re prepping for the AP test. With multiple standardized tests and multiple testing dates, it’s important to take the time to map out a testing plan if you haven't already.

 

The Transition from High School to College: Before Students Leave Home

Posted on Wed, 02/20/2013 - 10:00

The transition from high school to college, particularly for students who leave home and live in campus residence halls, is a challenge for nearly all students. However, some students find it more daunting than others.  Experienced counselors, both in high schools and on college campuses, have learned to recognize the stages that most students go through, beginning at the end of senior year, through the summer after graduation, and continuing through freshman year of college.  But most students have only a vague idea of what this transition will be like and are therefore stunned by the challenges they encounter.  First generation students, in particular, are likely to encounter surprises because their parents, having not attended college, haven’t had discussions with them about what to expect.

Today, educational psychologist Jane McClure begins a series that will walk students and parents through what the future may hold.

 

Focusing Freshmen on the "Big Picture"

Posted on Tue, 02/19/2013 - 12:48

In a guest post today, Jennifer Karan, Executive Director of the SAT Program at The College Board, discusses the steps high school freshmen can take to plan ahead for a college education -- a key to success. This article originally appeared on The College Board website.

 

As a former English teacher and high school dean of students, I know that there are few things as daunting, mysterious and exciting to a teenager than freshman year of high school. It’s a whole new world: the hallways are foreign and at larger schools, students sometimes feel as though they need a GPS to get from class to class; the upperclassmen seem so much older and are brimming with a glowing confidence; teacher expectations and homework may require substantial adjustment. And college seems like a distant point on the horizon.

Part of the trepidation may be what adults understand as not being able to see the forest for the trees. However, when students are able to envision how the various academic courses and opportunities in arts, athletics and other programs that develop interests (the school paper, community service or a part-time job) form the "Big Picture," they are able to navigate this terrain successfully, with greater purpose and enjoyment.

University of Virginia's Jeannine Lalonde on "Hearing the Student's Voice" and the New Common App Essay Prompts

Posted on Mon, 02/18/2013 - 12:20

In the final installment of our series on the changes to the writing section of the Common Application, Jeannine Lalonde, Senior Assistant Dean of Admission at the University of Virginia -- and the force behind one of our favorite admission blogs "Notes from Peabody" -- joins us to talk about the new essay prompts and the role that the essay plays in admission decisions.

What are your thoughts about the new essay prompts?

I’m on the Common Application’s Apps Advisory Committee and the Outreach Committee shared the questions with us a few months ago. I was impressed with how the questions were defined, yet give the applicants freedom to go in whatever direction feels right to them.

I can still remember sitting in front of a blank piece of paper and being uncertain about how to start a personal statement for my college applications. These questions would have given me a nice jumping off point.

What impact, if any, do you see the new essay prompts having – on both college admission offices and applicants?

Advice for Students on Topics for the New Common App Essays

Posted on Fri, 02/15/2013 - 07:13

College advisor Alice Kleeman joins us today in our ongoing series on the changes to the Common Application with some excellent guidance for students and how to think about the new essay prompts and an entertaining look back on some of the essays that have been favorites in her twenty years advising students.

 

The five prompts that will appear on the “new” Common Application should allow for nearly any topic you might choose. Below are some suggestions for academic, extracurricular, and personal topics that might fit neatly into a response for each prompt. Of course, these are just suggestions, designed to jumpstart your thinking, provide a gentle nudge if you feel stumped, and to help you decide which prompt might provide the best opportunity for you to show the admission office who you are. Your response to any college-essay prompt should be entirely personal and one that only you could write; these examples are just to get your essay juices flowing!

 

Essay Prompt One:

 

 Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete  without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

 

Key Words:

 

“background,” “story,” “identity,” “incomplete without”

 

Possible topics:

 

ACADEMIC:

 

Juniors: Start your Planning for College Visits

Posted on Wed, 02/13/2013 - 12:01

Juniors, now is the time when you and your family should sit down and plan when and where college trips are going to occur. This is another element of approaching the application process wisely by being organized enough so that you and your parents are not constantly nagged by doubts and concerns.

With some dates in mind for visits, then check the website of each of the colleges you plan to visit to obtain dates and times for tours, information sessions, interview availability, and other opportunities. Make a reservation if required. Do this as far in advance as possible so you can get a spot on a date that works for your family. Some schools may not require you to reserve a space for info sessions or tours but ask you to let them know in advance that you’re attending. Do this.

If the college requires or strongly suggests an applicant interview, arrange an appointment for when you are on campus. There are usually a limited number of time slots for interviews, available on a first- come, first- served basis. We’ll have more advice about interviewing next week.

 

Juniors: Plan Your Senior-Year Coursework

Posted on Wed, 02/06/2013 - 10:37

Meet with your counselor to plan your senior-year coursework. A fourth year of math and a laboratory science as well as a fourth year of science are highly recommended. And if your school does not offer an AP, IB or other advanced curriculum, consider dual enrollment -- enrolling in a course at a local community college or university. You should be challenging yourself to signal to colleges that you are likely to succeed if admitted. "Academic ability is the ante to get into the game," says Katharine Harrington, Vice President of Admissions and Planning at University of Southern California.

For more information about a recommended course of study and the role of the academic record in admissions, see Chapter 5, "The Academic Record," and Appendix II, "A Recommended Course of Study," in College Admission: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step.

Jon Boeckenstedt, DePaul University, Answers Five Questions

Posted on Tue, 02/05/2013 - 10:33

Jon Boeckenstedt, associate vice president for Enrollment Management at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, joins us this month to answer five questions about the largest Roman Catholic university in the country.  

Founded in 1898, with just 70 students, today DePaul has almost 16,500 undergraduates, and is also the largest private university in the state of Illinois. The school has five campuses throughout the Chicago area, with the two main campuses located on 36 acres on Chicago's north side in the Lincoln Park neighborhood and in the downtown Loop.

Seniors: Following Up with the Colleges

Posted on Wed, 01/30/2013 - 09:29

Follow up with each college to which you have applied to make sure all forms and documents have been received. Many colleges have status pages available online. If you can’t check online, send an email or place a phone call to the admission office. Respect that the admission office is busy at this time; don’t call every day. In most cases, the school will inform you if your file is incomplete. But it's your responsibility to confirm all application materials have been received.

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