Posts Tagged ‘College Search’

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.

The Importance of Great Organizing

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

As you look to make the transition from high-school to college, you are probably feeling as though there is a never ending and maybe even growing “checklist” of things you need to worry about or check off your list.  Don’t worry if you feel this way, as it is very normal and quite common.

When it comes to getting into one of your top college picks, you might not think much about your level of organization, but it is actually of paramount importance in the process.  The more organized you are, the greater your chances of getting into one of your top college picks.  The odds are higher for ultimate success in college as well.

If you haven’t been “much for organizing” in the past, now is definitely the time to change that.  Studying for the SAT, meeting deadlines, writing essays, taking practice tests, evaluating your different college options, investigating financial aid for college tuition and direct federal student loans takes a lot of time, and that means a lot of organization is essential.

One of the single largest steps towards great organization is being willing to prioritize what is important and what is not important.  Tackle this step first, and getting organized will become a great deal easier.

Sacrificing things that you enjoy doing in order to do something that you don’t like or find unpleasant is easier said than done.  One trick is to start small with small sacrifices of things that you enjoy.  Instead use that “recovered time” for something that relates to getting into the school of your dreams, or at least one of the schools that you like the idea of attending!

You could tackle this issue on a week by week basis.  Here is an example of how you could structure your college prep organizing.  You don’t have to use this exact model, but instead you can adapt this strategy for whatever works for you!

Week One-Spend more time studying for SAT

Week Two-Research colleges

Week Three-Get College applications

Week Four-Research financial aid related issues

Week Five-Make list of relevant deadlines

Week Six-Think about ways you can become more efficient and effective in how you use your time and make a list!

Each week look for ways that you can set time aside so that you can apply that time towards getting into college.  As a result, you will become far more organized and also far calmer!  Being organized has a benefit that few consider; being organized means less panic and that means better decision-making.

Many students “end up” at universities and colleges that were nowhere near their top picks for no other reason that a failure to get organized in advance.  They had all the tools, the necessary grades, good letters of recommendation and maybe even good SAT scores, but they lacked proper preparation.

Think of getting into college like you would think about starting a business.  You wouldn’t just try to open a business without preparing in some fashion, would you?  You instinctively understand and know that a business, at least one with any chance of success, needs work and planning.  If you invest your time in this fashion, you will be surprised by what you can accomplish.

Two Books With Great Titles About Transitioning From High School to College

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

If you’ve ever been tempted to ask tell someone “Find a college for me, so I don’t have to think about it!” you are not alone.  Millions of high-school student apply to college every year, and the process can be bewildering.  Whether its worrying about finding the best SAT practice test online, how to find scholarships or just how to survive college, transitioning from high-school to college can at times be daunting.  Yet, with a little bit of research, you can take some of the sting out of this process.  Let’s take a look at a couple of books that can help make the process of going from high-school to college a bit easier.

Crazy U: One Dad’s Crash Course in Getting His Kid Into College by Andrew Ferguson

Crazy U was a very clever title.  This title immediately makes you think that this book is going to be all about the crazy fun that people have while at college.  Well, that isn’t exactly what this book is all about.  On the contrary, Crazy U is all about a dad working to get his kid into college.  Here is why this is a good book and a worthwhile investment; author Andrew Ferguson does a good job of reminding parents how intense, stressful and, to be blunt, ridiculous the entire transition from high school to college actually is in the modern academic system.  Having a book that takes you by the hand and helps you through this highly irritating and frustrating process is worth the asking price and the time invested in reading it.

Don’t Stalk the Admissions Officer: How to Survive the College Admissions Process Without Losing Your Mind by Risa Lewak

Don’t Stalk the Admissions Officer: How to Survive the College Admissions Process Without Losing Your Mind by Risa Lewak is a good book and it also has a very amusing title.  However, this offering it doesn’t measure up in terms of information or value to Crazy U by Andrew Ferguson.  Both are good books, but Crazy U is better.  Now with that stated, that doesn’t mean that you couldn’t benefit from reading both.

Don’t Stalk the Admissions Officer does a very good job of attempting to dissect the college admissions process.  It should also be stated that this book is more geared towards than Crazy U as well.  Lewak understands the process of getting into college as she was involved in the process “from the other side.”  As a result, she has a wealth of insight and tips in the process.

Overall, there are an abundance of insightful tips and you will definitely feel as though you have a better handle on what to do and expect where applying for college is concerned.  Parents and students looking to understand the process better will like that this book is easy to read, clearly laid out and gives many straightforward answer instead of stating repeatedly, “it depend,” which is so common in books in this genre.

Utah State University: Keep Your Passions, Live the Dream

Friday, October 29th, 2010

Going to college doesn’t mean that you have to trade-in your passions and interests while you are planning for your future. If you take the time to research colleges, make the college campus visit, ask questions, and see what campus clubs and recreational opportunities exist, you can find the college that not only prepares you for your future but encourages your favorite pastimes to help you grow in other ways, too.

This video from Utah State University could be a snow-lovers dream come true. My College Guide loves when colleges show off what makes them unique from other schools – and this video definitely does the trick! Watch Discover a Winter Paradise at Utah State University on YouTube or below.

6 of the Greatest Online College Planning Tools

Monday, November 30th, 2009

computerYou use your computer for just about everything, from taking notes to sending instant messages to friends to buying the latest MP3s. So why hasn’t the college application process gotten with the program?

Filling out paper applications and forms can be tedious and confusing. But the truth is, you can do just about everything online these days if you know where to look. We’ve rounded up some of the best online tools to help you out with the college application process, from finding scholarships to learning what your odds are. If you’re ready to put down the pen and paper for good, click on over to these great sites.

College Planner

Undoubtedly, you’re familiar with Facebook—in fact, you’re probably logged in right now. It’s the perfect way to keep up with friends and relatives, share photos, and play FarmVille and the rest of your favorite online games. Now, thanks to a cool app called College Planner, you can even use Facebook to apply to college.

College Planner lets you research user reviews of schools, discover schools based on your interests, find out what schools your friends are planning to apply to, and discuss school choices with your friends. Best of all, you can apply to any school online without even leaving your Facebook page!

Peterson’s College Search

There are so many decisions that go into choosing the perfect school for you—so how can you narrow it down a little? With Peterson’s detailed search tool, it’s easy to find the perfect selection of schools.  You can view detailed profiles for thousands of colleges, and run searches based on criteria including location, majors, and cost to find the schools that fit your needs.

FastWeb

As your parents have probably told you time and again, college is really, really expensive. Most families can’t afford to pay anywhere near the full tuition prize, so scholarships can really come in handy. You may not realize that there are thousands of available scholarships out there, which can be put towards any college. Is your GPA a bit lackluster because you dedicate so many hours to volunteering at a soup kitchen? You could be the perfect candidate for Cappex.com’s $1,000 “A GPA Isn’t Everything” scholarship, which rewards students who’ve shown valuable skills outside of the classroom. Learn about all the other ways you could be eligible for free money by visiting the site.

FAFSA4caster

It can be tough to know where to set your sights if you don’t know which schools are realistically within your budget. Luckily, in addition the scholarships we just mentioned, many families are also eligible for significant financial aid from the U.S. government. If you’re a senior, you can fill out a FAFSA form to determine your financial aid eligibility, but in the meantime, you can predict your needs by filling out the FAFSA4caster, which will let you know how much aid you’re likely to receive before you start applying for schools. Ask your parents to fill out the form here.

What Are My Chances?

For each college you apply to, you’re likely to be up for an application fee of between $50 and $70. That’s no small change, so when it comes to filling out your applications, you’ll need to choose your schools wisely, and choose a few safe bets along with the long shots. If you’re not sure how your odds stack up for getting into your favorite schools, Campus Compare’s handy “What Are My Chances?” tool will take account of your GPA, test scores, and extracurricular activities to measure your chances at any college you select.