Before I get into discussing financial aid options, there are two areas that I feel I need to address in this post to help seniors finalize their applications. Yes, "finalize".
When asked on a college application or the Common Application for a chosen major, many students do not know what to answer. The question becomes will choosing "Undecided" as your answer hurt your chances of admission? Some competitive colleges, such as New York University, are reputed to give an edge to applicants who are passionate about their chosen field of study. Declaring "undecided" does not connote passion. However, many students do not actually declare a major until their third or fourth semester sophomore year. Unless your chosen field is highly specialized, waiting may not alter your post declaration study schedule too drastically. For an informative discussion of this topic by professional college counselors and college administration professionals, go to www.unigoexpertnetwork/question9
.
Seniors also are unsure as to whether to apply for Early Decision or Early Action. The College Board states, "Early decision and early action allow you to apply early (usually in November) and get an admission decision from the college well before the usual spring notification date. You know by December or January whether you've been accepted at your first choice college." According to the Princeton Review's, The Best 373 Colleges, "Many selective colleges commit more than half of their admission spots to early decision applicants." Remember, early Decision Does bind. If accepted to the college, you must withdraw your applications to all other colleges. As the Review notes, this may make negotiating a financial aid offer difficult - more on that in a later post. Early action does not bind the applicant and you will still be notified of your status in December or January. Further information can be found at www.collegeboard.org.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Up to Speed - Review of Posts from January-June 2011
This post will also include some of the websites and books referred to.
January 8, 2011
Discussion of how students should use their PSAT results and prepare for the SAT. Websites of interest - www.collegeboard.org, www.grockit.com. SAT study guides are available at www.amazon.com.
January 19, 2011
Discussion of how to use www.collegeboard.org
January 26, 2011
Discussion of whether to choose a two or four year program
February 2, 2011
Information on NJ Boys and Girls State Programs www.boysandgirlsstate.org
February 16, 2011
Discussion of features of www.unigo.com, specifically College Match
March 2, 2011
Choosing a College, continued. The book, The Best 373 Colleges,
is featured.
March 16, 2011
Discussion of "feeder schools", undergraduate schools from which many graduate programs accept students
March 30, 2011
Virtual campus tours, college rep visits and college fairs www.campustour.com
April 13, 2011
College admission and the Naviance guidance delivery system www.naviance.com
April 27, 2011
Suggestions for how to get the most out of a campus visit
College Visit Checklist available at www.unigo.com
May 11, 2011
Campus Safety www.neighborhoodscout.com
May 25, 2011
Intellectual freedom on campus www.theFIRE.org
Closing of the American Mind
June 8, 2011
What juniors should do during summer vacation to prepare for senior year. Good review for those who need to catch up!
June 22, 2011
Writing the college application essay www.commonap.org, www.englishclub.com
January 8, 2011
Discussion of how students should use their PSAT results and prepare for the SAT. Websites of interest - www.collegeboard.org, www.grockit.com. SAT study guides are available at www.amazon.com.
January 19, 2011
Discussion of how to use www.collegeboard.org
January 26, 2011
Discussion of whether to choose a two or four year program
February 2, 2011
Information on NJ Boys and Girls State Programs www.boysandgirlsstate.org
February 16, 2011
Discussion of features of www.unigo.com, specifically College Match
March 2, 2011
Choosing a College, continued. The book, The Best 373 Colleges,
is featured.
March 16, 2011
Discussion of "feeder schools", undergraduate schools from which many graduate programs accept students
March 30, 2011
Virtual campus tours, college rep visits and college fairs www.campustour.com
April 13, 2011
College admission and the Naviance guidance delivery system www.naviance.com
April 27, 2011
Suggestions for how to get the most out of a campus visit
College Visit Checklist available at www.unigo.com
May 11, 2011
Campus Safety www.neighborhoodscout.com
May 25, 2011
Intellectual freedom on campus www.theFIRE.org
Closing of the American Mind
June 8, 2011
What juniors should do during summer vacation to prepare for senior year. Good review for those who need to catch up!
June 22, 2011
Writing the college application essay www.commonap.org, www.englishclub.com
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Welcome Back
It's already September! The school year never seems to pass as quickly as the months of July and August. For those students who are entering senior year, this may be the first school year where this is not the case. There's a lot to do and many decisions to be made. For those who have followed my blog this past year and have acted on the suggestions given, this year will be much less difficult. For those who have not, review the archives and try to get up to speed.
Seniors who are planning to go to college after graduation should be at the point of finishing up their applications. If you would like another shot at the SAT, be aware of the deadlines for registration which can be found at www.collegeboard.org. Juniors should be aware of their school's process to register for the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) which will be given in October. More information about this test can be found at The College Board site as well.
In the 38 posts I've written since August 2010, I have detailed a process by which high school students can make some important decisions for plans after graduation. Therefore, I plan to spend subsequent posts reviewing special programs and sites in addition to refining the process as relevant topics come up.
For those who are new to this blog, I will outline the subjects of the posts since January 2011 on Wednesday, October 5. For descriptions of the websites and posts that preceded that, see the archives and the website review I posted on December 14, 2010.
Seniors: Don't get overwhelmed - JUST GET BUSY!
Seniors who are planning to go to college after graduation should be at the point of finishing up their applications. If you would like another shot at the SAT, be aware of the deadlines for registration which can be found at www.collegeboard.org. Juniors should be aware of their school's process to register for the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) which will be given in October. More information about this test can be found at The College Board site as well.
In the 38 posts I've written since August 2010, I have detailed a process by which high school students can make some important decisions for plans after graduation. Therefore, I plan to spend subsequent posts reviewing special programs and sites in addition to refining the process as relevant topics come up.
For those who are new to this blog, I will outline the subjects of the posts since January 2011 on Wednesday, October 5. For descriptions of the websites and posts that preceded that, see the archives and the website review I posted on December 14, 2010.
Seniors: Don't get overwhelmed - JUST GET BUSY!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
The Last Hurrah!
Labor Day is a little more than two weeks away! Don't despair. There's still time for those of you entering senior year to begin work on your applications - especially, the dreaded essay! Just a reminder - I will resume bi-weekly blogs on September 21. If you plan to take the first SAT of the 2011-2012 school year on October 1, the deadline for registration is September 9. Go to The College Board site to register - www.collegeboard.org . (Users of the site will notice that they have changed from a .com to .org.)
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
If August Is Here, September Can't Be Far Behind
I hate to be a killjoy, but it is now the first week in August and in about a month - yes, just four short weeks - most of you will return to school. I'll be back on September 21. Remember that the first SAT of the 2011-2012 school year will be held on October 1. The deadline for registration is September 9. For more information, go to www.collegeboard.com.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
The College Application Essay
Years ago, it seemed only a handful of colleges used the Common Application. Actually, when I began my career as a counselor, only fifteen schools used the program and it was, as I found out on their website, their Pilot Project year. Now, over 400 programs use the Application and 134 schools use it exclusively. Many of those 134 are quite exclusive as well, e.g., Williams, Brown, Yale, et. al.
On the Common Application home page, www.commonapp.org, under "Additional Resources", you'll find a link to the National Association for College Admission Counselling, www.nacacnet.org, which provides valuable information on parent and student resources. There is also a link to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, www.nasfaa.org.
Those rising juniors who know the schools to which they plan to apply as seniors, can begin their applications now. The Application website provides online and print versions of its first year and transfer applications. The preview of the 2011-2012 application can be accessed online. It provides six topics from which you may choose to write a 250-500 word essay. One of the selections is "Topic of your choice". The LEAST you should do this summer is prepare a rough draft. Even if your senior English teacher plans to cover this in next year's curriculum, this is a head start you will not regret having taken.
I rate essays for a major educational testing program and I can commiserate with application essay readers in admissions offices. Nothing stands out more than a well written, creative essay. Of the hundreds, if not thousands, of essays they must read, I'm sure the majority neither have these qualities nor give the reader a real sense of the writer's voice, of who he is. As a former English teacher, I know that one great tip we have imparted through the years is, "Read your essay aloud". Things that would have been missed in a silent edit of your essay will be picked up and language that is confusing and stilted will not go unnoticed, nor will run-on sentences, which this one has become! All kidding aside, a great website which will help you navigate this process is www.englishclub.com. Just search "College Application Essays Help" and you'll be taken through a series of "lessons" (six in all) that will help you write a good, if not great, application essay. As the saying goes, you've only got one chance to make a good first impression. The college application essay is your chance to do that.
Bi-weekly posts will resume on September 21, 2011.
HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!
On the Common Application home page, www.commonapp.org, under "Additional Resources", you'll find a link to the National Association for College Admission Counselling, www.nacacnet.org, which provides valuable information on parent and student resources. There is also a link to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, www.nasfaa.org.
Those rising juniors who know the schools to which they plan to apply as seniors, can begin their applications now. The Application website provides online and print versions of its first year and transfer applications. The preview of the 2011-2012 application can be accessed online. It provides six topics from which you may choose to write a 250-500 word essay. One of the selections is "Topic of your choice". The LEAST you should do this summer is prepare a rough draft. Even if your senior English teacher plans to cover this in next year's curriculum, this is a head start you will not regret having taken.
I rate essays for a major educational testing program and I can commiserate with application essay readers in admissions offices. Nothing stands out more than a well written, creative essay. Of the hundreds, if not thousands, of essays they must read, I'm sure the majority neither have these qualities nor give the reader a real sense of the writer's voice, of who he is. As a former English teacher, I know that one great tip we have imparted through the years is, "Read your essay aloud". Things that would have been missed in a silent edit of your essay will be picked up and language that is confusing and stilted will not go unnoticed, nor will run-on sentences, which this one has become! All kidding aside, a great website which will help you navigate this process is www.englishclub.com. Just search "College Application Essays Help" and you'll be taken through a series of "lessons" (six in all) that will help you write a good, if not great, application essay. As the saying goes, you've only got one chance to make a good first impression. The college application essay is your chance to do that.
Bi-weekly posts will resume on September 21, 2011.
HAVE A WONDERFUL SUMMER!
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