Archive for the ‘College Admissions’ Category

« Older Entries

Is A College Fair Worth Your Time?

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

There are plenty of college fairs to choose from, but the real question is whether or not you should bother attending.  There are a few pros and cons involved in attending a college fair that we will explore in this article.

You’ve taken SAT practice tests online; you’ve done your test prep tutoring sessions and maybe even investigated at length how to find scholarships and private loans for college. If you haven’t yet even thought about going to a college fair, now is definitely the time to do so!

College fairs present a few advantages.  One advantage is that college fairs allow you to meet representatives from a range of institutions.  It is important that you keep in mind that colleges are big business, and there is more than a little competition.  As a result, you should expect that college and university representatives are most definitely putting their best foot forward.

Since you are able to meet with people from different universities and colleges, you have an opportunity to learn much.  A good deal of the information that these college and university representatives will give you will come in the form of what they choose to emphasize.  For example, are you hearing a good deal about how well respected the institution is?  Or are you hearing about how much fun and what great facilities they have built?

A college fair is a unique opportunity to ask questions and at the top of your list should be, “How do you help your graduates get jobs after they graduate?” and “What is your success rate for placing students who come to you seeking help?”  The odds are excellent that you won’t get a lot of detail in the answers.  Instead you might get an earful about how great the new workout center or stadium is!

While the answers may vary, these are the kind of factors that you will want to keep in mind.  After all, you want to know that a given university or college will support you once you have given them tens of thousands of dollars as student.  Support should be seen as a key part of a university or college’s commitment to its students.  Failure to show this support or to have their representatives well prepped on the question will tell you a great deal.

College fairs in a variety of ways allow you to get some insight into what a college or university will be like.  What representatives choose to emphasize gives you insight into the “soul” of a given institution.  Further, if your questions seem to stump representatives that is also a quite insightful.  After all, shouldn’t a university or college want to impress you?  Shouldn’t they want their representatives to be knowledgeable and informed?

So much information regarding colleges is available online and in books.  Thus the real, tangible value of attending a college fair is to gain insight into the culture of the institution itself.  What kind of representatives did they send out?  Did they send out knowledgeable representatives ready to answer your questions or “cute” and “attractive” eye-candy ready to give you a speech on how fun, fun, fun a university or college is to attend?

If a institution isn’t focused on showing you how your considerable investment will help you with your career and future, move on.  Keep in mind that virtually every university and college has a “party scene” if that is what you are looking for from the college experience.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Career Colleges, Choosing a College, Choosing a Major, College Applications, College Search | No Comments »

How to Make the Most Out of Your College Experience

Saturday, April 14th, 2012

You’ve no doubt heard people state that, “life is short,” and there is, of course, great truth in this statement.  But what does this mean for you as a college student or a high school student that will soon be venturing to college?  Clearly, you want to make the most out of your college experience. After all, no one is going to state, “I hope that I waste my time in college.”  Yet, this is exactly what many people do.  If you are not careful, you can definitely waste away your college years.

You’ve put a great deal of effort into the college process including steps such as taking SAT practice exams and SAT practice tests online and studying the different ways to handle financial aid for college tuition.  Getting into college is, of course, one step and it’s a big one, but it is far from being the end of the road.  Once you are in college, then what?

It would be easy to only focus on grades, grades and grades, and there is a degree of wisdom in doing so.  However, it is vital that you do keep a bigger picture in mind as well.  Most people are obsessed with grades for their ability to (at least in theory) translate into a “good paying job.”

Let’s just stay on the topic of the job for a moment.  Landing a great job, especially in a competitive field, can often come down to more than your grades.  Being able to show that you are a good candidate for a job is just as important.  If you lack social skills and don’t know how to present yourself, then you better have a skill or degree that is very much in demand.  A good deal of attention is given to good grades and their relationship to landing a great job while in college, but little attention is given to the importance of understanding how to interview for jobs.

The interview process isn’t just about knowing what to say or what not to say.  Often when employers make hiring decisions, they choose someone that they will have to spend a good time with.  As a result, if you don’t know how to present yourself and how to “interview well,” you could be in trouble.

Most certainly there are many jerks standing as gatekeepers between you and the job you want; however, you shouldn’t assume that if someone doesn’t give you the job that it is because they were deficient or a horrible person.  It might be true, but there could be other variables as well, such as a more qualified candidate or the fact that you need to improve your interviewing skills.

Grades are extremely important, but developing the skills you need to interview well is also essential.  You might not be a people person or have a magnetic personality, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t work around these factors in your interview process.  Showing on your resume that you have accomplished something beyond going to school helps to distinguish you from the rest of the pack.  It shows planning and initiative on your part, and many employers will be excited to see this!

So much of making the most out of your college experience is to look beyond grades and to your life after college as well.  Building up your resume in ways that will set you apart from your competition should be seen as part of what college is all about.  Fail to do this and you might just struggle to find the right job even if you have the “right degree.”

Tags: , ,
Posted in Career Colleges, Choosing a College, Choosing a Major, College Admissions | No Comments »

The 10 Most Overlooked Way to Boost Your Grades and SAT Score

Wednesday, April 11th, 2012

Would you like to dramatically boost your SAT scores?  The answer for almost everyone reading this article is “yes.”  Now there are countless books that will outline for you all the different ways that you can boost your grades and your SAT scores, but many of those books fail to address some pretty basic points.  And as it turns out, these points are the ones that could impact your tests scores the most.

Factor One-Avoid Exhaustion

Getting enough sleep and not pushing yourself too hard is key to getting a great SAT score and great grades.  Sure it sounds simple, but many students don’t take these obvious tips seriously enough.  You may have invested time researching everything from what to take to college, why study abroad and even college student credit cards, but did you do so when you were exhausted?

Factor Two-Avoid Distractions

It would be easy to go on and on regarding this point.  Let’s just state that if you have distractions, you should eliminate them!

Factor Three-Don’t Expect the Impossible

If you haven’t been a great student for three years or more, don’t expect to suddenly be able to “ace” the SAT.  This is an unhealthy approach, and it will only serve to place you under tremendous strain.  Be realistic about what you can achieve in a short period of time.

Factor Four-Don’t Be Shy About Finding Advice

You should actively be looking for advice and preferably doing so well before its time to apply for college and take the SAT.  This doesn’t mean that you need to do everything that people tell you to do, but having advice from knowledgeable people could just make all the difference.

Factor Five-Invest in Quality Study Aids

Not all study aids are of the same level of quality.  One usually gets a better product by shopping around, and this rule definitely holds true for all study aids.  There are, for example, fantastic books on studying for the SAT and there are some rather poor books as well.  No matter what kind of study aids you need, research them and go with the good ones!

Factor Six-Eat Healthy Foods

Want better grades and a better score on the SAT?  One way to help give yourself a boost is to eliminate fast foods, processed foods and sugar and replace them with whole foods that are free of chemicals and other additives.

Factor Seven-Get Some Exercise!

Is there a relationship between exercise and better grades?  There most definitely is, and here is why.  When you exercise, you reduce stress, you get more blood to your brain, and exercise can even help relax your muscles.

Factor Eight-Take a Break!

You may have people pressuring you to study constantly, and there is no doubt that you have to study to get good test results and score well on the SAT.  But taking breaks is important as well.  By taking a break from studying, you will be able to return with a different perspective on the topic.

Factor Nine-Take Steps to Reduce Eyestrain

Eyestrain can be a serious issue if you are studying a great deal.  If you are spending a good deal of time studying on a computer, be sure that you adjust your settings.  Eyestrain is one of the reasons that it is important to take plenty of breaks!

Factor Ten-Don’t Believe the Hype

There are many “horror stories” regarding how to survive college life, going to college and getting a good score on the SAT.  Ignore as much of this as possible.  Worrying only distracts you from getting good grades and a good SAT score, which, in turn, will get you into one of your top college picks.  Focus on what you are doing right, not what you might be doing wrong.

Tags: , ,
Posted in College Admissions, College Applications, Preparing for College, SAT/ACT Test | No Comments »

How Much Time Should You Invest in Studying for the SAT?

Monday, April 9th, 2012

Ask almost anyone that is knowledgeable regarding the college admissions process, and they will tell you that the SAT is of paramount importance.  For good or ill, the SAT dominates the college admissions process unlike few other tests.  No pressure, right?  Clearly, the SAT is serious business and going into it unprepared isn’t a good idea.  For most students, the test is rigorous and demanding.  Therefore, the sooner your begin studying for it, the better off you will be.  As a result, the issue of time management is also a vitally important one.  In this article, we will explore just how much time you should spend studying for the SAT and how you can find more quality time to study.

Don’t Neglect Your Grades for Your SAT Score

First it needs to be stated that your SAT study time shouldn’t be so intense that you fail to study for your regular classes and allow your grades to drop.  Doing this could have serious consequences and will impact what colleges and universities ultimately accept you.  So remember- focus on your coursework first and then the SAT.

Practice Tests are a Factor

Secondly, how much time you study for the SAT is somewhat dependent on you are performing on multiple practice tests.  If you are doing very well, then you may be able to study a little less than you would if you were doing poorly in every section of the SAT.  So what should you do if you fail to live up to your expectations when taking SAT practice exams?  SAT test prep tutoring might very well be a good idea in this situation.

So How Much Should I Study?

So how much time is enough?  As you might have guessed, that depends largely on how well you are performing on practice tests and what kind of score you wish to receive.  Clearly, you should study as much as possible, as the test is indeed that important.  If you take nothing else away from this article, remember that fact!  Other factors are indeed very important, but admissions officials put an incredible amount of weight on this one test.

The SAT is a Test, Not Your Future

Now that doesn’t mean that you should somehow believe that this test is your destiny.  Some students believe this, and it negatively impacts their futures when they do poorly on the test.  In the end, it is just a test constructed by people.

Don’t Forget to Relax

The bottom line is that you should study as much as you can for the SAT, but that studying has to be balanced with some “downtime” or you will become burned out and your study time may become increasingly ineffective and inefficient.  Studying all the time isn’t the answer, but when you are studying for the SAT, do your best to make every minute count!  The more you study and the more practice tests you take, the greater your chances of success on the SAT will be.

Tags: , ,
Posted in College Admissions, Preparing for College, SAT/ACT Test | No Comments »

Private College Vs. Public College-Factors to Consider

Thursday, April 5th, 2012

Want to find the right college?  If you are like most students, the quest to find the right college is at the top of your list.  After all, you will be spending at least four years at your choice, and you will also be spending a considerable amount of money as well.  This makes taking the time to properly research your college choice time that is very well spent.

One of the single biggest choices you will have to make is the decision between a private college and a public one.  That decision may have been made for you already due to cost factors.  The simple, but highly unfortunate, fact is that college costs are simply soaring and doing so at a rate that is far outstrips the pace of inflation.  Going to college is becoming increasingly expensive and is putting more and more students under increasing levels of debt.  This means that the first choice you will need to make is whether or not you want to take on this new, higher level of college debt.

With some private colleges now demanding in the neighborhood of $50,000 just for tuition alone, it is necessary to ask yourself, “just how much extra benefit will I gain from a far more expensive private college?”  Many students are beginning to ask that question in earnest.  However, there may be direct federal student loans and financial aid and grants available that could dramatically alter the financial picture for you.

Are you planning on attending graduate or professional school?  If so, then realize that you will be attending college for many more years than your undergraduate peers.  This means that you have no choice but to think long term about your student loan debt!  If you are planning on being in college for six, seven or even ten years, then you might want to “go cheap” for your undergraduate education.

Ultimately, you will have to decide as to whether or not you are actually getting your money’s worth.  This answer is, of course, completely dependent on your own situation, what you plan on studying, whether or not you plan on going on to graduate school and your chosen career path. The bottom line is that you shouldn’t necessary select an expensive private college or university just because you got in.  Your pick needs to reflect your needs.

The value for your money and how well the given university or college will help your career goals need to be paramount in your decision.  Other factors such as “X school has a great football team” should mean little to you unless you are playing on the team and are getting a scholarship.

Picking a college or university can be hard, but there are ways to make the process a bit easier.  One of the first steps is to evaluate what factors are truly important and what factors are not.  Once you have accomplished this, you are set to make a great decision that you are far less likely to regret.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Choosing a College, College Admissions, College Campus, College Life, College Search | No Comments »

Three Warning Signs that it is Time to Change Your Major

Saturday, March 31st, 2012

Exactly when are you supposed to know that it is time to change majors?  Every situation is, of course, different, and it can be tricky to determine when is the best time to change your major.  Just as you spent a lot of time in order to find the right college, you likely also spend considerable time thinking about and selecting your major.  However, this fact could be part of the problem.

One of the main points you need take into consideration where your college major is concerned is that you may be emotionally attached to your major.  After all, few of us want to admit that we’ve made a mistake or taken the wrong path.  Yet, sticking with a major that isn’t right for you is an even larger mistake and one that will have consequences that go far beyond your last day in college!  Let’s take a look at some of the warning signs that you might have picked the wrong major.

Warning Sign Number One – You Hate Your Major!

This warning sign couldn’t be much more obvious.  If you hate your major, then you will want to think twice about continuing on your current career path.  A major you hate could lead to more than just hardships in the “here and now.”  Pursuing a major you hate could mean a career that you hate, and that could mean an unhappy life!  For those of you reading this article who truly do hate your major, now is the time to jump ship and find a major that you like!  Don’t wait until it is too late and you’re stuck.

Warning Sign Number Two – You are Considering Dropping Out of College

If at any time you are considering dropping out of college either because you don’t like your major or because your major is too difficult for you, then drop that major!  There is nothing magical about one particular major, despite what you may have heard from older people.  Any kind of college degree in your hand is better than no college degree, so drop your major if you have to do so!

Warning Sign Number Three – Your Grades are Lousy

If you are actually studying hard and your grades are still awful, then you have two choices.  The first is you can try and study even harder and look for outside help, such as tutors.  However, if this doesn’t help, then your second option is to find a new major.  Poor college grades are not exactly going to get doors swinging wide open in the job market.  A dismal GPA isn’t likely to impress anyone.  So if you can’t handle a given major, don’t hang your head in shame.  Instead, invest your time in finding a new major.

You have a long career ahead of you.  The last thing that you want is to be stuck in a career that you simply hate.  Switching majors and career paths isn’t the end of the world.  No one will die!  If your parents or others tell you that they are ashamed or disappointed, that is highly antiquated thinking that should rest firmly on their shoulders and not yours.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Choosing a Major, College Admissions, College Life, College Search | No Comments »

Easy to Understand SAT Prep Books

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012

A key part to a good SAT score is knowing how to study.  Often this means finding books that make your job of studying as painless as possible.  Frequently, this is easier said than done, as there are many inferior books on the market that are littered with problems.  Taking the time out to make sure that you are actually using a quality test prep book is a smart move no matter whether you are taking the SAT or another similar test later in your academic career.  Here are two books that do a fine job of getting to the point and helping readers understand the basics of what the SAT is and how they can improve their scores.

SAT For Dummies by Geraldine Woods

SAT test prep books come in many different styles and take a variety of approaches. On one hand, there are the ones that are very specialized that look to help you boost your math score, for example.  Then there are the all-in-one books like SAT For Dummies.  These all-in-one books vary in quality to a surprisingly degree.  Fortunately, SAT For Dummies by Geraldine Woods stands as one of the good ones.  Each section is loaded with good tips, lots of practice questions and even some insights.

This is not the only test prep book you will need if you are looking to get a great score, but it is a strong book.  There are even tips of how to handle the SAT exam itself.  One of the major problems with test preparation books in general is that they are often too light on the number of exams that they provide; however, this book does a good job in this category.

SAT For Dummies has five full tests and that is a very good thing.  You should plan on taking numerous tests in the prep process, and this big book has plenty of test questions.  If you can only buy one book for SAT prep, you could do far worse than this SAT For Dummies.

Conquering the SAT: How Parents Can Help Teens Overcome the Pressure and Succeed by Ned Johnson and Emily Warner Eskelsen

Want a great book on the SAT for both parents and students?  Then look no further, as Conquering the SAT: How Parents Can Help Teens Overcome the Pressure and Succeed by Ned Johnson and Emily Warner Eskelsen is a top notch pick.  This book is about how to handle the test and covers topics and aspects of the testing that are virtually never explored or touched, such as nutrition.

Conquering the SAT also scores major points in that it should help parents realize the importance of the SAT without loading down their young students with so much pressure that they completely crack.  The book is heavy on strategy.  Often people think that this means that the advice isn’t practical, but this is not the situation with Conquering the SA,T as its strategies are both helpful and easy to understand and implement.

Tags: , ,
Posted in College Admissions, Preparing for College | No Comments »

How to Improve Your Vocabulary for the SAT

Monday, March 12th, 2012

Boosting your vocabulary score on the SAT is a smart move no matter how you look at it.  A larger vocabulary isn’t just something that will serve you well on the SAT exam.  A more impressive and diverse vocabulary will also help you in college as well.  When it comes time to write papers, a diverse vocabulary certainly won’t serve to harm your grades!  Let’s take a look at some of the ways that you can build your vocabulary today so that you will be able to increase your SAT scores.

You may have taken a few SAT practice test online or taken the prep test offered by any number of books.  No doubt this is an excellent step towards boosting your SAT score.  Simply familiarizing yourself with the kinds of words that might appear on the SAT is a smart move and one that is worth your time.

Another step you will want to consider is buying SAT prep books that are specifically focused on building your vocabulary.  It is important to point out that there are many different kinds of vocabulary books, and you can learn something from all of them.  However, for the purposes of studying for the SAT, your best choices are books specifically designed for increasing your knowledge of the kind of words that are likely to appear on the SAT exam.

Let’s take a look at one good option.

Gruber’s SAT Word Master: The Most Effective Way to Learn the Most Important SAT Vocabulary Words by Dr. Gary Gruber

The strategies contained in the book are helpful, as there is a focus on not just hundreds and hundreds of commonly used SAT words, but a look at prefixes and suffixes as well. Gruber’s SAT Word Master also contains many practice tests.  The end result is a woven together book that accomplishes what it sets out to do.

While there are more comprehensive SAT prep books on the market, if you are a student, or the parent of a student that is prepping for the SAT, then this is a smart pick that you should definitely consider.

So you’re armed with a couple of good overall SAT prep books and you have Gruber’s SAT Word Master: The Most Effective Way to Learn the Most Important SAT Vocabulary Words, now what?  That depends on how much time you have.  The more time you have, clearly the more you can do to prepare for the SAT.  Here are some additional ideas that could help you boost your SAT vocabulary.

  • Create a special study group designed specifically for boosting your SAT vocabulary knowledge.
  • Study old SAT exams and practice exams so you know the kind of words that are on the exam.
  • Gruber’s book has a section that focuses on learning common prefixes and suffixes.  Knowing these could give you a serious leg up come test time.
  • Ask friends and family to quiz you on potential test words.
  • Try incorporating your new vocabulary words into papers you are currently writing, as you will likely remember a word that you recently used to write a paper.

It seems like it is a good idea to know the most commonly used SAT words going into the actual test itself.  The people that make the SAT are, of course, aware of this fact as well.  But there is no way around it, knowing these words isn’t likely to hurt your SAT score.  The only thing it can really do is help you!

Tags: , ,
Posted in College Admissions, Preparing for College, SAT/ACT Test | No Comments »

What If You Hate Taking Tests- Can You Overcome Your Fear?

Monday, March 5th, 2012

Yes, there is just no denying the simple fact that tests are a part of life.  We start taking tests at a young age, and they continue right through high school and most definitely on through college.  But what are you to do if you hate taking tests or, even worse, if you are afraid of taking tests?

The first step is to realize that you are not alone.  A large percentage of people feel that tests are stressful.  If you are unsure of the subject matter or have a lot riding on a test, such as the SAT, then its only natural that you are worried about the outcome.  In this article, we are going to examine what you can do to overcome your fear of not just the SAT, but all tests!

Evaluate the True Importance of a Given Test

Many people will treat every single test as though it is the end of the world, but is it really?  One of the biggest single favors you can do yourself is to just stop and ask, “How big of a deal is this test?”  Sometimes the test is a big deal and other times you can still recover your grade even if you do poorly.  Being able to distinguish between the two will help reduce your stress level, and that, in and of itself, can boost your score!

Be Prepared!

Learning how to survive college is partially a matter of learning how to be prepared.  Being prepared for an exam is more than being a great student or having a “big brain.”  A large part of being prepared for an exam is having good study habits, being organized and simply allocating the time to study.

Much of the time people hate taking exams because they are unprepared.  Avoid this horror by taking the time to prepare in advance.  It might sound simple, but it takes discipline.  Yet, the rewards are great.  Just imagine being able to avoid all of that panic!

Practice Taking Tests

By taking practice tests of any kind, you will reduce your anxiety levels regarding tests.  If you are specifically worried about the SAT, then consider taking SAT practice test online as often as possible, as this will help you learn what you don’t know and give you practice with time management issues.  Taking steps to get over the fear associated with tests means tackling that fear head on, and practice tests are a fine way to do it!

No matter how it may feel, your world will not end if you do poorly on a test.  Very, very few people are truly ruined by failing a test.  The overwhelming majority of people who have their lives severely impacted by a test do have a choice.  How you react to what happens to you in life usually has more to do with your ultimate success than the event itself.  Try and keep this point in mind as you find the right college for you and endeavor to learn how to survive college.

Tags: , ,
Posted in College Admissions, PLAN test, SAT/ACT Test | No Comments »

6 Ways to Improve Your Letters of Recommendation

Sunday, February 26th, 2012

The constant discussion of grades and SAT scores and how they relates to getting into college may leave many students feeling as though letters of recommendation are an afterthought.  Yet, this isn’t exactly the case, as recommendations can, in fact, be tremendously important.  Good letters of recommendation, or even one glowing letter of recommendation, can be enough to push you past someone else and earn you a place in a university or college of your choice.  So before you spend too much time trying to determine what to take to college or how to find a college roommate, first focus on the basics.  One of these basics is getting the best letters of recommendation possible!

You want your teachers to be impressed and write great letters of recommendation for you, but there is a catch.  If you’ve spent all of your time in their class and never impressed them in any way, then you will have a tough time getting a glowing recommendation.  They may not even know your name!

The sooner you can begin impressing teachers, the better off you may be.  Sure, spending your time impressing teachers may not make you extremely popular in many schools, but you need to ask yourself, do I really care?  Your present is in high school, but your future is in college.

Here are some ways to impress teachers so that you stand out when it comes time for a letter of recommendation.

1) Do more work that is required of you.  Teachers truly notice it when you do extra work beyond what they assign you.  A good place to put this strategy into action is on a paper or other similar project.

2) Have extracurricular activities and make sure that your teacher knows about those activities.

3) Ask your teachers for their advice on college, the college application process and related issues.  If you can do this a year or more before it’s time to start applying for college, you can be sure that they will realize you are serious about college.  They will remember this when it comes time to write you a glowing letter of recommendation.

4) Get good grades.  Of course, nothing impresses like getting an “A” in a teacher’s class.  More than anything else that you do, they will remember giving you that coveted A.

5) Be on the lookout.  You should always be on the lookout for ways that you can demonstrate to a teacher that you are bright and eager.  This does not mean that you should try and answer every question asked in class.  But being proactive, alert and consistently prepared for class is something that most teachers notice.

6) Ask your teachers how you can improve your performance or what weak points you may have in a given subject.  Don’t be afraid to let them know that you are preparing for college.  Once again, letting your teachers know that you are thinking about college, preferably well before its time to send in applications, will impress them.

In the end, there is no “magic solution” that will help you get an amazing recommendation.  This article isn’t a guide to a guaranteed great letter of recommendation.  Instead our intent is to give you some pointers designed to increase your chances of landing that great letter.  Remember, with some effort and patience, you will likely have success.

Tags: ,
Posted in Choosing a College, College Admissions, College Applications, College Search, Preparing for College | No Comments »

« Older Entries