Posts Tagged ‘admissions’

Great Books Colleges: What It Means and Who It’s For

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

Do you live and breathe books?  Does the thought of a traditional college setting not feel like the right fit for you?  You, my friend, might want to take a look at a Great Books program.  We spoke to Jon Daly, the Director of Admissions at Thomas Aquinas College, in Santa Paula, California, and Cecilia Corrigan, the assistant Director of Admissions at St. John’s College (which has locations in Annapolis, Maryland and Santa Fe New Mexico).

There are no textbooks here; our students read almost exclusively from the seminal works of Western civilization. Through all four years and in every course — from philosophy, theology, math, and science to language, music, literature, and history — they study the greatest written works in those disciplines, both ancient and modern...

ANiceCupofTea / Jan

Great Books, or classic books, replace textbooks, discussion replaces lectures, and all that is required is a love of and respect for the written word.  No majors, no minors, and no electives – nothing gets in between you and the current book, whatever classic that may be.

What kind of student would benefit from a great books program?
Thomas Aquinas: Students who love to read, who want to develop the skills of critical thinking, who want to explore the full range of academic disciplines, and who long to search for truth and real understanding would benefit from our great books program. The program challenges students to a disciplined scholarship in the arts and sciences that is indispensable for critical judgment and genuine wisdom.

Instead of attending lectures, Thomas Aquinas College students gather around tables for careful inquiry in small tutorials, seminars, and laboratories. They engage in conversation with their peers under the guidance of a full-time teaching faculty member, which enables them to become highly engaged in their own learning. The Socratic Method, as this form of learning is called, nurtures habits of independent thought. Students learn to think clearly, analyzing positions in terms of their component parts and underlying assumptions, and they learn to articulate their thoughts in a logical manner, offering support for their conclusions.

St John’s College: Great Books programs are designed for students who are often referred to as Renaissance men and women: students who enjoy making thematic connections between disparate categories of study benefit from a historical approach to math, science, literature, theology and political science. Students who believe that the world has much to offer appreciate seeing it portrayed through many diverse perspectives.

When you re-read a classic you do not see in the book more than you did before. You see more in you than there was before. Clifton Fadiman St John's College Randall Hall

Larry Miller / Larry Miller

What do you think makes the great books program a good choice?
Thomas Aquinas: One mark of our program’s success is the variety of professions and careers graduates enter. Nearly half of our alumni attend graduate and professional schools in a wide array of disciplines; among them, philosophy, theology, law, and the sciences are most often chosen.  This versatility stems not only from the great books, but also from the way in which the great books are taught here.

St John’s College: A great books program is a good choice because, in order to feel like a thoughtful, confident participant in one’s own life, it is essential that one know how to navigate through the bombarding conjunctions of instinct and reason. Through the analysis of great books , students gradually learn when to be flexible and when to be insistent, how to distinguish the essential from the superficial, and how to extend the consequences of a given point of view beyond what has been made explicit by an author or a classmate.

Any advice for students considering attending a Great Books College?
Thomas Aquinas: Any student considering Thomas Aquinas College should come visit the campus and/or attend the College’s Great Books Summer Program. Two weeks long, the Summer Program introduces participants to a selection of the Great Books. They attend classes twice daily, and these are run in just the same fashion as the College’s regular classes.

St John’s College: Try to think about what you want out of a college. What is important to you? How do you want to be different after four years? Visit the colleges you are interested in and try to picture yourself there.

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Posted in Choosing a College, College Campus, College Classes, College Life | No Comments »

Women’s Colleges: Relevant, Rewarding, and Definitely NOT Old Fashioned!

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

Forget the stereotypes: women’s colleges are not man-hating, prissy, stuffy, or old-fashioned!  My College Guide talked to Nancy Peterson, the Assistant Director of Admission from Agnes Scott College (Decatur, GA), Jeffrey Hodges, the Director of Public Relations at Hollins University (Roanoke, VA), Karen McDonald,  the Acting AVP, Integrated Marketing and Communications of Saint Mary’s College (Notre Dame, IN), and the Dean of Admission, Ken Huus, of Sweet Briar College (Sweet Briar, VA) to find out why they believe a women’s college is not to be so easily dismissed!

It’s almost impossible to define an Agnes Scott College student, but a few words do come to mind: feisty, bright, creative, thoughtful, interesting, socially aware, accepting of one another, and lifelong learners.

Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

So – Why a Women’s College?  Why is a women’s college still a relevant choice?
Agnes Scott College: When is seeking an environment that allows you to be engaged in your education and that also fosters your independence irrelevant?  It’s not a matter of keeping up with the times or making women’s colleges relevant, it’s a matter of providing women with the opportunities and experiences they want.

Hollins University: Hollins pursues an uncommon mission to provide women the opportunity to find their own voices and seek their own individual dreams and goals. We help them gain confidence to compete in a still unequal world and give them the tools to make the world a better place for other women, children, and men.

Saint Mary’s College: Why NOT a women’s college?  Everything we do is to educate women, that is our mission and our focus. It’s not a matter of keeping up with the times or making women’s colleges relevant, it’s a matter of providing women with the opportunities and experiences they want. At that point, a young women must determine if a women’s college is the right fit for her.

Sweet Briar College: Women’s colleges are possibly more relevant today than ever before.  Where else can a young woman truly focus on her career preparation and planning than in a place that is completely dedicated to her success.  Recently, we’ve become more overt about helping our students prepare for life after college – jobs, graduate school preparation, etc. – so that they get both a great education and become prepared for the world that will welcome them upon graduation.

Our students really do the best job of describing all that is special about Sweet Briar and their women's college education.

Courtesy of Sweet Briar College

What kind of student should consider a women’s college?
 Agnes Scott College: Every high school girl should consider a women’s college.  Women who want an environment where it’s not only okay to be a smart girl, but the norm to be smart will find a great fit at a women’s college. I think at heart, students who come to women’s colleges are ones who want to put their education and academic experience above all else. That’s not say you won’t have a lot fun while a student, but your classmates are going to be focused on academic excellence — so you should be serious about being a student.

Hollins University: The type of student who should consider a women’s college is one who wants discussion instead of lectures, hard questions instead of pat answers. Instead of being told, they want to see for themselves. Instead of play-by-the-rules learning, they want to discover things for themselves. We seek out women with strong personalities and ambitious goals, and who want to express themselves in their own unique way.

Saint Mary's College: The best way for a young woman today to get a true understanding of single-gender education is to talk to a current student or an alumnae; better yet, visit a women's college, attend a class and stay in a residence hall to see for themselves what life at a women's college is all about and whether it is for them.

Courtesy of Saint Mary's College

Saint Mary’s College: A young woman who wants to be engaged (both inside and outside of the classroom) and is interested in developing her leadership skills. At Saint Mary’s, everything that is done by students is done by women. If there is a student initiative, every facet of it will be planned and executed by women. That alone is fundamental and important — it builds confidence and grows leadership skills.

Sweet Briar: I truly believe every young woman owes it to herself to at least consider a women’s college.  It’s a powerful experience, to live and study in a place that is completely focused on the success of young women.

So, if a student chooses to attend a women’s college — will she never see a man again?
Agnes Scott College: A women’s college is not a convent. Students aren’t locked up at night, never to see a male for the next four years. Here’s what reality looks like: Agnes Scott College is part of a consortium for cross-registration: our students can go to any of the member institutions to take classes, and their students can come here. So there is a chance that in your four years you’ll be in a co-ed class.  We’re located in a metropolitan city with a population of over 5 million people- and about 100,000 of that number is college students. So if you aren’t out and about and having fun, you’re trying really hard not to.

Agnes Scott College offers social events almost every weekend. They might not all be big events all the time, but you can stay on campus and have a good time.

Courtesy of Agnes Scott College

Hollins University: Nine co-ed colleges and universities and one men’s college are located within driving distance of Hollins. And, there are on-campus activities throughout the academic year that coeds from other area schools enthusiastically attend, from the Fall Party and Mayfest outdoor concerts to the Fall Formal and Spring Cotillion dances.

Saint Mary’s College: Yes, you will see men on campus and in the classroom! The exciting atmosphere of a large, comprehensive university – along with its academic, social, and athletic opportunities – is open to Saint Mary’s students through our distinctive relationship with the University of Notre Dame. Saint Mary’s students can take classes and attend sporting events at Notre Dame, as well as participate in a variety of clubs, sports, activities and organizations such as Notre Dame’s marching band, or write for the Observer, the daily newspaper published jointly by both colleges. There is a fluid social life between Saint Mary’s and Notre Dame (as well as Holy Cross College) — students attend dances and campus-wide activities, and join service and social organizations open to students on both campuses.

Sweet Briar: Funny, funny.  Young men from local colleges (and there are 7 within an hour) are here rather regularly for dances, parties, Homecoming, Winter Formal, Spring Fling, and just for a fun weekend.  The academic environment is all-female, but the social environment is virtually coed.

At Saint Mary's College, we utilize small group activities and collaborative teaching and learning techniques we know work for women.

Courtesy of Saint Mary's College

Any advice for a student considering  a women’s college?
Agnes Scott College: Don’t let other people’s stereotypes/pre-conceived notions get in the way of you making the right decision about college. When you tell people that you are thinking about this women’s college or that one, you might get some raised eyebrows and people saying “why would you ever go to a girl’s school?” or worse! But remember — your college years are not about your best friend, your next door neighbor, your grandmother’s friend that you run into at the grocery store — they are about YOU. Turn it around and ask them, “Why wouldn’t I consider a women’s college?”

Hollins University: Visit. Take a campus tour, sit in on classes, chat with students and professors. Websites and printed materials are great for providing an overview of the experience at Hollins and other women’s colleges, but there is no substitute for actually seeing first-hand what life at a women’s college is like. Even a student who doesn’t think she would be particularly interested in attending a women’s college should at least tour one – many young women are pleasantly surprised to find many of their preconceived notions about the single-sex environment to be wrong.

Hollins University students find that they are as much colleagues with their professors as they are pupils, often partnering with them in their research and writing.

Courtesy of Hollins University

Saint Mary’s College: Visit our campus. Attend a class, meet with a professor or talk to a coach. Try on college life by spending the night in a residence hall.  That advice serves a prospective student no matter what institutions they are considering. It’s not about choosing a women’s college, it’s about choosing the right college for the individual, an institution that meets their criteria and provides them with overall experience to succeed.

Sweet Briar: Just consider the possibility with an open mind.  It’s really not possible to fully appreciate any college’s personality without setting foot on campus.  The physical campus is stunningly beautiful and must be seen to appreciate.  And our students really do the best job of describing all that is special about Sweet Briar and their women’s college education.

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Posted in Choosing a College, College Campus, College Classes, College Life, Fun Stuff | 2 Comments »

The SAT Reasoning Test and You

Friday, April 9th, 2010

You are no stranger to tests – you’ve taken all sorts of tests your whole life: tying your shoes, basic addition, shapes – and then the high school stuff like Geometry, Chemistry, and Biology.  Think of the SAT Reasoning Test as just one more, but for this one?  You’ve got to prepare!  So – what is the SAT?

How are you preparing for the SAT Reasoning Test?

herzogbr/Brian Herzog

We know you have plenty of adjectives to describe it – but here are the facts!  What you know as the SAT Reasoning Test has also been called the Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic Assessment Test and is administered by The College Board.  A rose by any other name, right?  We’re only kidding.

The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test which means that the test you take and the conditions you take it in – the timing, the scoring, etc. – will be the same for you as it is for a student taking the test four states away.

Most students take the test in the Spring of their Junior year of high school and then again in the Fall of their Senior year to (hopefully!) improve on the previous score – honestly, just knowing what to expect can give your score a boost.

There are three sections to the almost four hour test – Writing, Math, and Critical Reading, where you can score 200 — 800 points.  You will also see subscores, like the essay, which ranges from 2-12 points, and multiple choice, which is graded on a 20 – 80 point scale.  These subscores contribute to the writing segment of the test.

Your total score will span from 600 – 2400, after your points are combined.  The higher the score – the better you did!  Anything above a 1500 is considered good, though to get accepted at some of the more selective colleges, like Harvard University or Dartmouth College — you need to shoot higher!

Thanks to Score Choice, you may get to pick out which test date score you want your schools of choice to see – though not every college affords that option.  If your college doesn’t — don’t despair!  Many colleges take your better score into consideration, anyway.

The majority of colleges and universities will, however, want to see your SAT score because it is a factor of admittance — but it isn’t the only factor.  Don’t forget: they also have your high school transcripts, personal statement or essay, your involvement in your school and (hopefully!) the community, and perhaps even a couple strong letters of recommendation.

Break out those Number 2's! It's SAT Reasoning Test time!

Krug6

Some of the more competitive colleges and universities also require the SAT Subject Test, once known as the SAT II.  The SAT Subject Test is an hour long test on a specific subject like literature, Latin, Italian, World History – there’s 20 different subjects total!  Colleges may require you to take one specific subject test (or even three) or they may let you choose your own, which gives you a chance to play to your strengths!

No matter what test you have to take – it’s a good idea to prepare ahead of time!  Consider subscribing to My College Guide via RSS or email so you can be sure to see what test prep providers, like Kaplan, Knewton, and The Princeton Review, have to say about the SAT Reasoning Test in an upcoming post – and their secrets for success!

Have more questions about the SAT?  Check out our Guru!  Browse the archives and if that doesn’t help – ask our Admissions Guru a question yourself!  It’s free and anonymous.

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Posted in College Admissions, College Applications, Preparing for College, SAT/ACT Test | 2 Comments »

What To Do If You Are Waitlisted or Is There Hope after Waitlist?

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

The dreaded waitlist.  Is there anything more agonizing?  Instead of a simple yes or a no, your school of choice instead puts you on (insert dramatic music here) “the waitlist.” You may be wondering what to do next and might be asking yourself, “Is there hope after waitlist?”

Are you "in" or are you "out?"

.mushi_king/Marcus Beard

Colleges sometimes use a waitlist because – they just don’t know how many students are going to decide to enroll when offered admission.  Sure, they can guess and they usually have some sort of general idea – but, just in case, they set aside a few students that were oh so close to getting in.

That way, if less than the expected number of accepted students choose to attend college somewhere else – they still have a pool of varied and talented candidates (like you) to choose from and fill in the gap.

Think of it like this: if you hold a spot on the college waitlist, you are the equivalent of a basketball player keeping the bench warm, just waiting to be called into the game.  Sometimes the coach lets you in, sometimes – s/he doesn’t. In the case of the college waitlist, it depends a lot on the college you applied to as to what your actual chance of gaining college acceptance really is – some accept a very large percentage of waitlist students while others – not so much.

It is also possible that college admissions simply wanted to review your application one last time before making the final decision (another reason why you might want to check out our tips to increase your odds of admission after sending in your college application).   At this point, it doesn’t hurt to send in a brief summary of your current achievements, have an updated version of your grades sent in, and be careful regarding your online image.

Where will your college tuition deposit go?

KTVee/Krissy

You should probably start thinking about sending in your (probably non-refundable) tuition deposit to your next college of choice, where you did receive a college acceptance.  If things don’t turn out the way you had hoped, that could be where you end up spending your first year of college but it’s not the end of the world: the first year of classes is usually pretty similar between colleges. That first year at your second choice college doesn’t have to turn into four.

After you have a year of college under your belt, you’ve done well, you’re involved, you can then choose to apply again to your original first choice college and transfer if you are accepted – although you might find that you like the friends you have made and the college so much you don’t want to leave!

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Posted in Choosing a College, College Admissions, College Applications, College Campus | 3 Comments »

7 Tips for Finding the Best Professors at College

Monday, January 18th, 2010

In the classroomWhether or not you’ve decided on a school, one factor is sure to play a big part in your decision: the professors. Sure, they’ve got all the necessary letters after their names, but are they interesting, entertaining, and open to new ideas? No matter what the subject is, the quality of your professor will make or break the class—so you’d better make sure that you’ll be able to find teachers who you can respect and learn from. Here are some ways to discover whose classroom you want to sit in.

Check out ratemyprofessor.com. This site has anonymous student reviews for thousands of college professors across America, rated according to a variety of factors. If there are just a few ratings, take them with a grain of salt, and don’t take the occasional negative rating too seriously—many students who get poor grades will take it out on the professor in their review. But if you see a number of common traits between many reviews, you’ll probably have a good idea of whether or not a particular professor fits your learning style.

Look for online video courses. Many colleges offer free videotaped lectures on YouTube and other video servers. See if a professor you’re interested in has a class online, and find out what you’re in for. Many great resources for video lectures are available here.

Check out the professor’s course website or blog. Many professors have publicly available online syllabi for their courses, which will give you a good idea of their focus, teaching style, and sense of humor (yes, some really do have one). Even better, a number of college professors have online blogs dedicated to both their professional and personal interests—start following your favorites and leave comments on posts that appeal to you. If you end up at that school, it could be an opportunity to forge a bond in advance.

Find past or current students in your prospective major, and ask for their recommendations. Facebook is a great way to find students at a particular college, or you could simply ask the school to put you in touch with a few students or alums to find out more about the courses. The students may not want to bad-mouth any of their professors to a stranger, but they’re likely to recommend certain instructors above others, which will give you a good idea of which courses are worth taking.

Read their work. Most college professors have published a wide range of books, studies, and academic reports. The reading may sometimes be a bit dry, but if you want to get a true sense of your instructor’s intellect, pick one up and dig in. Many scholarly reports are available online through Google’s Scholars search; if you can’t find the one you want, ask your local library for help.

Sit in on some classes. The easiest way to get a sense of which professors you’ll most enjoy is to try out their classes firsthand. Whether you make a campus visit as a prospective student or after you’ve been accepted, you’ll probably have the opportunity to sit in on some of the larger classes. If you’re hoping to check out one course in particular, contact the school’s admissions office in advance to plan your visit so that you’ll make sure to be there at the right time.

Trial and error. When you begin college, you typically have a full week to exchange classes if you decide that a particular course isn’t for you—so if you’ve ended up with a lemon, don’t wait too long to trade it in, or the class you’d rather take is likely to be filled up.

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Posted in Choosing a College, College Campus, College Classes, College Life | 1 Comment »

Early Decision: Is it the Right Decision for You?

Tuesday, January 12th, 2010

Twitter, Facebook, really, the whole internet is buzzing with two words: early decision. Who got in, who didn’t get in, and who is still waiting to hear from their school of choice is all anyone can talk about – even our Admissions Guru has been bombarded with questions. Early decision confusion?  That’s what we’re here for!

It's a LOT to think about!

katrinalopez

You can only choose one school in which to apply for early decision because it is a binding contract (not to be confused with early action which is non-binding).  Apply by the November early decision deadline (which can vary slightly between schools) to receive “the answer” somewhere between December and January.

Even if you don’t receive early decision acceptance, most colleges and universities will defer your application, giving you a chance to gain regular decision admittance.  Simply put, this deferment means that, while you still have a shot at getting into that school, you are no longer bound by the early decision contract.  You should definitely apply to multiple colleges, just know that you will have to withdraw the applications to those schools if you’re accepted early decision

When considering whether or not to send in an early decision college app for a particular school, try to imagine paying for that school without any financial help.  If that thought makes you uncomfortable (or just downright nervous), you should check to make sure that your application is subject to your receiving the minimum amount of financial aid you’ll need. Otherwise, you might end up getting bound to attend that school regardless of the amount of financial aid offered!

Again, this is a binding contract.  Colleges and universities mean business so read that contract carefully!  If you do try to walk away, you will most likely be black-listed not only at that school, but at other schools as well, which can severely hamper your future plans.  Also, if you then decide to attend a different school, that school might just revoke their acceptance of you if they find out that you broke your early decision contract.  Colleges value personal integrity – do you really want to take a chance at severely damaging yours?

But, if you have done the campus visit, taken the college tour, have completely fallen in love with a particular school, and know that it’s your top pick, you might want to consider early decision.  Why draw out the agony of waiting if you can receive your acceptance (or not) early?

Decisions, decisions.

ambrown

Better yet — Class of 2014 Facebook Pages are popping up daily so new students can get acquainted, network, and form friendships with one another before ever setting foot on campus (keep watch for our Class of 2014 Facebook list, coming soon!). That would go a long way in helping to calm first day jitters!

Early decision = fewer applicants.  However, even with a smaller pool of college applications to wade through, the applicants tend to be pretty strong (we’re talking top of their class and super involved) so  it doesn’t mean you’ll have a better chance of getting in.   Early decision is a huge responsibility.  It’s definitely not something to walk into blindly.

So, would you/have you/are you considering applying for early decision?  Why or why not?  Share you thoughts in the comments section below.

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Posted in College Admissions, College Applications | 5 Comments »

5 Big Mistakes That Could Get Your College Acceptance Revoked

Monday, November 16th, 2009

revokedAfter you finally open that long-awaited acceptance letter, you probably think all that’s left to do is pack your bags and pick your classes. But not so fast—even though you’ve received an invitation to attend a school, there’s still a small risk that your admission offer could be revoked. According to the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, more than one-third of schools have taken back offers after students have proved themselves unworthy for one reason or another. These are the top five mistakes that could cost you a chance at the school of your dreams.

  1. Not sending in your deposit. Your parents may worry about how they’ll pay for the full four years of school, but in general, a deposit of only a few hundred dollars is required to secure your spot in class. Be absolutely certain that your family has sent in this payment by the deadline—otherwise, your spot will be offered to a student on the waiting list, and you’ll probably need to wait another year if you still want to attend.
  2. Slacking off in senior year. While it’s true that once you’ve been accepted, a school won’t pay as much attention to your second semester grades, make sure that you don’t slip up too heavily. Your college will receive a report of your grades, and if they see a disturbing downward spiral, they may decide that you’re not cut out for their hallowed halls, after all.
  3. Cheating and other bad behavior. In 2007, Harvard University revoked a student’s admission offer because they discovered she had plagiarized numerous articles. Harvard, and many other schools, include “moral character” as a criteria for acceptance, and academic dishonesty can be grounds for revoking admission. Likewise, criminal behavior often leads to a revocation—so make sure to stay on your best behavior, on and off of school grounds.
  4. Revealing too much online. If you think your friends are the only ones looking at your Facebook page, you’re sorely mistaken. College admissions officers often scour through applicants’ online profiles—and if they see something that turns them off, that can mean the difference between a yes and a no. Likewise, if you’ve already been accepted, an admissions officer could change his mind if he comes across a photo of you binge drinking with your friends. To make sure your social media profiles won’t get in the way of your college dreams, Google yourself and see what you find. If it’s not something you’d want your Grandma to see, you don’t want an admissions officer to see it either. Clean it up before it’s too late.
  5. Double-depositing. If you haven’t made up your mind where you want to attend, it’s fine to send in deposits to multiple schools where you’ve been accepted, so they’ll all hold your spot, right? Wrong. By doing this, you’re keeping a spot from going to a waitlisted student at the school you choose not to attend, and colleges don’t tend to like that at all. If a school you’ve made a deposit to finds out that you’ve also committed to another school, they’re well within their rights to withdraw their admissions offer—which may mean that instead of too many college choices, you’ll end up with none at all.

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