Archive for the ‘College Applications’ Category

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.

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.

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.

Getting the Acceptance Letter You’ve Always Wanted

Friday, February 24th, 2012

Determining how to get that acceptance letter in the mail isn’t the easiest task in the world, but it isn’t impossible either.  With dedication, hard work and planning, you can likely get into one of your college or university choices, especially if you throw a wide enough net.  The college admissions process can be tricky, and this is one of the reasons there is college counseling services, college admissions assistance and test prep tutoring.  There are also many good resources that you can turn to that will help guide you towards a better understanding of the college admissions process.  In this article, we will look at a couple of the books you may wish to consider.

Pick One-College Admissions: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step by Robin Mamlet

College guidebooks fall into many different categories, but the best usually pull on the expertise of people who have worked in the field and understand how the process works.  It isn’t fair to say that these books give “inside information,” as they usually don’t, but they do give as sizable amount of information on issues that you might glance over or ignore when considering schools.

This book is all about “picking the brains” of admissions officers.  Most students and parents probably feel as though the entire college admissions process is confusing and a little esoteric.  College Admissions: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step by Robin Mamlet does a solid job in demystifying the process.

Unlike many books, the nature of the advice in College Admissions is of such a comprehensive fashion that parents might want to consider reading this one early in their child’s high school career.  There are many tips that can only be used if plotted out years in advance.  If you are a planner and want to get into a great school, you should read this one.

Pick Two-How to Write Your College Application Essay by Kenneth Nourse

How to Write Your College Application Essay by Kenneth Nourse is a good book, but (and yes there is a but), it is very boring, perhaps distractingly so.  Yet, with that stated, author Kenneth Nourse knows his “stuff” and does a great job instructing students in the ins and outs of writing a good college application essay.  Here is the one drawback to choosing this book over other options; How to Write Your College Application Essay doesn’t really adequately cover how to make your essay shine above the rest.  It will be up to you to determine how to make yourself stand out to admissions officers when they are reading different admissions essays.

One of the best tricks for helping you stand out to a college admissions officer is to be memorable in a good way.  This means investing the time to think about how you are distinctive and why you are likely to be a good, or even great, graduate down the road.  If you have big plans, then consider sharing some of those plans in your admissions letter.  More importantly, outline some of the steps that you have taken or will be taking to make those dreams and goals into reality.  Being able to show and point to how you are goal oriented, driven and organized may achieve the goal of assisting you to stand out from the crowd.

How to Deal with Rejection Letters

Sunday, February 19th, 2012

Rejection of any kind isn’t easy or fun, but it sure is memorable!  This is how you may feel if you receive a rejection letter from the college or university of your dreams.  The bad news is that for most students there is a possibility that such an event could occur.  The good news is that there are steps you can take to deal with rejection letters, and that is exactly what we are going to explore in this article.

So let’s say you’ve invested a great deal of time in looking for a college and avoided giving up, turning to your parents and saying, “Find a college for me,” only to receive a rejection letter, now what?  The first thing is to rewind the clock a little bit.

If possible you should apply to many different colleges and universities.  This will give you some protection against being devastated by a given rejection.  You’ve invested considerable time investigating financial aid for college tuition and SAT practice test online, so why not spend the time to find numerous colleges that fit your criteria?  Just because you think you’re a “shoe-in” for a given college or university, doesn’t mean that it’s true.

There are many different reasons why you might get edged out.  The college admissions process is notoriously esoteric and political.  In fact, the process has lead to lawsuits in the past.  Keep in mind that a “sure thing” is likely only a sure thing if you are applying to a college or university that is far below what your grades and SAT score would warrant.  If the schools you are applying to are very competitive, you will want to apply to many backup schools. (Just don’t let these colleges and universities know that they are your “backup schools!”)

Now what do you do if you didn’t apply to enough schools or you are so truly dedicated to your top pick that nothing else will do?  First, keep in mind that there are lots of other universities and colleges out there, and the odds are you can find another one that you’ll enjoy attending.  Second, remember that you can always transfer to a new school.  This happens with considerable frequency, and there is no reason that you can’t do this as well.

If you feel as though you worked very hard on your college applications, did your best on the SAT, and then you didn’t get in, this experience can be pretty devastating.  However, this does happen all the time, and so you have to let it go and focus on the universities or colleges that you did get into.

Transferring to the school you wanted to attend in a couple of years is an option.  Until then, focus on getting the best grades possible and building a fantastic case for why you should be allowed to transfer to the university or college that was your real first choice.  Until that day happens, sit back enjoy the ride and appreciate the fact that you will meet people, make friends and have experiences that you would never have otherwise made or had.  It’s not the end of the world.

How to Keep From Waiting to the Last Minute to Apply to College

Thursday, February 16th, 2012

The process of applying for college is enough to make just about anyone’s head truly spin.  If you decide to wait until the last moment, you will likely regret it.  Tasks that would have seemed easy all of a sudden seem complex, hard and puzzling when you have little time.  Further, the less time you have to prepare, the more stress you will feel, and the poorer your decisions may ultimately be.  The question you need to keep in mind is, “How do I keep from waiting until the last moment to apply to college?”

Organization is a big deal in college admissions process.  This is why some people turn to college counseling services and look for college admissions assistance.  Before you worry about how to survive college, first make sure that you get there!  You can reduce your stress level by thinking ahead.  You might even have to take some drastic steps in order to make sure that you begin prepping early to meet your deadlines.

Motivation is important, and one helpful tip for getting motivated isn’t to focus on the work at hand when it comes to applying to different colleges and universities.  Instead focus on the fact that the more colleges and universities that you apply to the more options you will have.  This could lead to far better results.  By applying to many colleges and universities and doing so early, you may have a better time and more fun than you otherwise would have experienced.  Focus on the potential fun that you might have in the future by investing the time to get your applications in.

If you are still unmotivated, realize that not everyone has the opportunity to go to college.  In the United States, only about half of students apply (and of that half less than twenty percent eventually graduate!).  Going to college and graduating is still a significant accomplishment.  Only a few decades ago, the graduation rate for college was less than ten percent!

Now if all of that isn’t enough to get you properly motivated, then you might have to consider other options, such as having your friends or family, yes, bug you.  If your parents know your deadlines and you tell them that they must help you make sure that you meet those deadlines, then odds are you will meet more of your deadlines than you otherwise would have.  Of course, it is important that you realize that you won’t be able to rely on your parents in this fashion forever.

Considering the importance of getting into college and meeting your deadlines, it is in your best interest to work to stay on target.  It is necessary to understand that you will have no choice but to make temporary sacrifices so that you can get all of your college applications in on time.  Don’t let all the hard work you put into the college admissions process be for nothing simply because you forgot something as basic as a deadline.

How Far In Advance Should You Know Your Major?

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

You may have parents who were kind enough to tell you what your major was going to be before you were born.  Now that is a tricky situation indeed, but for those of you whose college destiny hasn’t be predetermined and prearranged, there are decisions to be made.  In this article, we will explore how far in advance you should be thinking about your major.

The costs of a college education are rising dramatically faster than inflation.  This means that being able to afford a college education is no longer as easy as it once was.  In fact, college graduation rates appear to be going down, not up, for the first time in decades.  While this is a complex topic, it is also tied into the issue of knowing your major.

There is no doubt it can be very difficult to decide what you want your major to be at the age of 17 or 18.  In short, it is actually pretty unfair.  For many students, the cold hard truth is that deciding your major may come down to being a financial decision.

The “financial wrinkle” in deciding your major means that it is worth the time you will invest to closely decide what career path and degree program is right for you.  The odds are excellent that you will have ample advice and perhaps even considerable pressure from your parents and others.  If they are paying for your college, this could prove to be another wrinkle in your equation.  Yet, ultimately it is your life, and you will have to live with the decisions.  So, if you just know you are going to strongly dislike a given career, this is something that you must consider in advance!

Clearly, the sooner you can decide on a major, the better off you will be.  Once you are in college, you may change your mind.  But there are some ways that you can safeguard against this happening and keep from spending a fortune in the process.  Focusing on general requirements while taking one or two classes in your major is a good idea.  The chances are good that if you are destined to truly hate a given major, you will know it or at least have a strong suspicion after a couple of classes.

Picking a major is tricky… and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!  Deciding upon a major can, in many cases, be deciding upon a career.  That is a pretty serious responsibility with a lot of pressure.  Deciding that you are on the wrong path early in college can be just as important as picking the right major to begin with.

Your most important question isn’t how far in advance you should be selecting your major.  Instead, you should be figuring out how to take the steps necessary to make sure that you are selecting a major that will lead to a successful career and long term happiness.  In the end, keep this fact in mind; experts believe that in the future, people will be switching careers numerous times over the course of their lives.  So even if you do make a mistake, there may still be hope.

Can Volunteer Work Help You Get Into College?

Saturday, November 12th, 2011

Volunteering work is a wonderful thing to do regardless of your age.  Admissions counselors and officials will no doubt be impressed to see that you are involved in volunteer work.  However, it is important to realize that volunteer work is something that you should do only if you truly want to do it.  More than likely, there is an issue that you feel strongly about whether its homelessness, pet adoption or the environment.  If you volunteer to help out with a cause that you feel passionately about, the end result will not just be a booster for your college applications, but you will also feel great at the same time.

Volunteering Will Help You Stand Out

College admissions are very competitive because so many students are applying.  The simple fact is that colleges and universities receive thousands and thousands of applications every year.  As you most likely already know, the competition can become very intense.

Colleges and universities eliminate many applicants almost immediately for a variety of criteria, ranging from grades and test scores to more controversial measurements.  Some universities and colleges “set aside” a number of slots of children of alum, athletes and other such practices both stated and unstated.  Yes, the admissions process is highly flawed and problematic.  Knowing this detail is important, but you shouldn’t fixate upon it, as this will not contribute to achieving your goals. Instead you need to take the steps necessary to help your application stand out from the crowd.  One way that you can stand out is through volunteering work.

How Do You Start Volunteering?

First, don’t worry about volunteering being complicated or hard to do.  Most organizations are more than eager to have new people get involved.  The vast majority of organizations that you can volunteer with will have worthwhile and even interesting work.  A quick phone call or email is a good place to begin.  Try to find a local organization that is giving back to your own community.  One reason that this is a good idea is that you will be able to see tangible results from your efforts and work.

Learn on the Job!

If you select the right kind of organization, you will even be able to learn on the job.  This most definitely will help you with your college interviews and applications.  Being able to point to real world experience gives you an edge over many young people also applying to college and that is, of course, something that you want.  This aspect of volunteer work is one that is frequently overlooked, but you can put it to your advantage!

Reflect Your Positive Attitude In Your Interviews and Applications

If you volunteer, you’ve helped people and probably learned something in the process.  Don’t be afraid to reflect this fact in your college interviews and applications.  If you were indeed excited about your volunteer work and can point to the tangible impact that your work had, don’t be shy about pointing out these accomplishments.  Let college admission officials know that you are looking to help your community.

Are Extracurricular Activities Worth It?

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

One key point that must be made about extracurricular activities is that the sooner you begin doing them the better off you will be.  If admissions counselors feel that you got involved at “the last second,” your activities will be seen much differently than they would have been if you’ve been involved for years.  In this article, we will look at why extracurricular activities can be very worthwhile when it comes to getting into college.

College Admissions Can Be Quite Competitive

It can be difficult to truly understand how competitive college admissions can be without first understanding the number of students that are applying right along with you.  For example, in 2010 Harvard received more than 30,000 applications!  This amount is particularly alarming when you take into account that the school only accepts 1,600 freshmen each year.  These statistics can be a bit scary, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on getting into the school of your choice.  Instead you need to focus on finding different ways to help yourself stand out from the crowd and a great way of doing so is to take part in extracurricular activities.

What Kind of Extracurricular Activities are the Best?

Deciding what kind of extracurricular activities are the best for you can be quite tricky.  In part, the answer lies in what you feel the most like doing.  You don’t want your extracurricular activities to feel like a burden and nothing but extra work.  If you take this path, you may not get the results you ultimately want.

It is an easy trap to pick the extracurricular activities that you feel admissions counselors will want to see, but there is a problem with this approach.  For example, if you don’t like the extracurricular activities that you pick and are only becoming involved in them because you think these activities will “look good” on your application, you may not stay involved.  If you don’t stay involved for a substantial amount of time, the end result will be that your extracurricular involvement was of no real help in the long run.

The Three Ways Extracurricular Activities Help

A good aspect of extracurricular activities is that by participating, teachers will have an opportunity to get to know you better.  This factor can translate into a great letter of recommendation.  A second way that extracurricular activities can help your efforts to get into your college of choice is that those activities will give you something additional to discuss during your college interviews and on your applications.  Finally, extracurricular activities will help you demonstrate to admissions counselors that you got involved in your school community and did not just “drift through.”

Three Ways Extracurricular Involvement Scores You Points

1) Teachers get to know you better and that means better letters of recommendation
2) You will have more to discuss in interviews and on applications
3) Extracurricular activities show that you get involved

Are There Times You Should Not Participate in Extracurricular Activities?

Usually participating in extracurricular activities is a good idea, but there are exceptions.  If you think your grades will suffer as a result, you should skip the extracurricular activities.  Additionally, if you are working a part-time job after school, you likely shouldn’t stretch yourself so thin.  Ultimately, extracurricular involvement should boost your chances of getting into one of your top picks.

5 Tips for Creating A Glowing Admissions Letter and Statement

Saturday, November 5th, 2011

The odds are you are concerned about getting into one of the colleges or universities of your choice.  There are many areas to focus your attention upon, ranging from SAT preparation to grades to applications.  Let’s take a look at a few of the factors you need to consider when writing your admissions letter and statement.  As you will see, some of the considerations are less obvious than others, but all of the factors we will cover can have a major impact on your final product.

Tip One – Begin Your Work Well In Advance

Just as you should begin your work on college and university applications early, the same is true for working on your admissions letter and statement.  Rushing rarely yields good results.  Plus, it almost always ensures a sense of panic.  Avoid all of this by starting your work in advance; you will be very glad you did!

Tip Two – Create an Outline

By beginning to work on your admissions letter and statement early, you will have time to do things like create an outline.  In this part of the process, you will be forced to think about what you want to convey in very clear terms.  Take your time to create your outline, and don’t be afraid to revise your outline at a later date after you’ve had time to think about it.

Tip Three – Don’t Be a Mind-Reader

When it comes to your admission letter and statement, don’t try to read the mind of a stranger.  Instead create a letter and statement that is a reflection of you.  If you want to be believable and sincere in your admissions letter and statement, then you shouldn’t try to figure out what others want to hear.  After all, admissions officials see thousands of statements and letters over their careers, and they can sniff out a phony better than you might think. They’re older than you, but not necessarily brain dead!

Tip Four – Have Several Trusted People Read Over Your Work

You may be pretty confident that you have a great letter and statement, and you may be correct in your assessment.  But you should have several different people, preferably of different ages and backgrounds, read your materials.  By getting a wide range of viewpoints, you will gain perspectives and insights that may help you with your final draft.

Tip Five – Rewrite, Rework and Rethink

The time that you spend rewriting, reworking and rethinking your admissions letter and statement is likely to be time very well spent.  Having time to gather input and feedback from other people is a valuable part of the process, as is sitting on your letter and statement aside for a few months, so that you can look at it with fresh eyes later.  Of course, all of the tips that we’ve listed here can be done in a rush, but you will likely not achieve optimal results if you handle them in this fashion.