You’ve taken your PSATs, worked hard to get your grades to where you want them to be, and built a strong resume of extracurricular activities. It’s time to get into college! That’s exciting, but a little intimidating too, right? Simply follow these easy steps, and you’ll be well on your way to your dream college:
Photo by jrossl
Contrary to popular belief, constant stress is not a required part of the college admissions process. In fact, it’s quite possible to get into college without it. It may take a little extra effort, but most people will agree it’s worth it – especially when it means you will likely have more time to enjoy your senior year. (more…)
Let’s be clear about this from the start. The majority of universities in the United States are not reserved only for high school valedictorians. There are thousands of universities willing to accept students with lower GPA’s and lower scores (if any). (more…)
Sometimes it seems as if everyone wants to go to an Ivy League school. With such popularity comes increased selectivity, so students often look for some kind of edge that will help them get in. However, when it comes to getting into college, it’s not just about what you’ve done — it’s also about what you haven’t done. If you have your eyes set on the Ivy League, or any college for that matter, make sure to avoid the following five mistakes.
There’s a common misconception that you have no control over college recommendation letters. You ask people to write them for you, and then you tiptoe away and hope for the best, right? No, wrong! You have more control over the process than you think.The first step is to understand that there are three different kinds of recommendation letters, and that they should each accomplish something different for you. Let’s take a closer look.
Photo by Pink Sherbet
Over the last few years there have been a few alarming trends that we in the profession have noticed when working with students and their families through their college search and selection process. What are these trends? Well … Here are a few to get the conversation started.
Photo by jrossol
You’ve done everything you were supposed to do: you have applied; you have been admitted to at least one great college/university; you have always dotted every “i” and crossed every “t”. And now you want your rightful rest. You think you have earned it, right? I’m sure you’re not considering anything unreasonable, miss a few days of school here, a few homework assignments there, sleep a little in class, stop reading the literature . . . I know where you’re coming from. Trust me. I do. This is what I have to say about the dreaded (and all too familiar) “senioritis”:
Senioritis photo by SPCbrass
Does this scenario sound familiar? You get home from school and grab the mail out of the mailbox in front of your home to bring inside. It’s the usual junk mail, catalog or two, bill for your Mom or Dad. But then you notice something different. Something addressed to you!
Let’s be honest. You are probably only used to getting a card from Grandma on your birthday and maybe a cell phone bill (but you probably get that online). Something addressed to you that isn’t one of those two things must demand your attention, right?
The next day you get home … and there are 2 things addressed to you. The next day 5. The day after 10. What are these wonderful pieces of mail I am talking about? Well if you are a high school junior or senior you know … I’m talking about the mounds and mounds of brochures from colleges that you are probably getting on a daily basis.
Photo by gerlos
One of the things I have noticed students admitted to college starting to ask is, “How many students are admitted to my major?” or “How many students do you accept each year?”. While valid questions, these answers need to be placed in the right context.
What many students may or may not realize is that the landscape of applying to colleges have changed. The University of New Haven is not alone in an increase in the number of applicants to the school. While we have seen a tremendous surge in applications over the last 3 years … many universities have seen a steady increase in applications as well.
This is a crazy time of year. Thousands of colleges around the country are reading thousands of applications for students who are putting their hopes and dreams into an envelope (well … nowadays an e-mail account) and hoping for the best.
The unfortunate downside of reviewing so many applications is often times students are either not ready, or not a good fit for some of the colleges they are applying to. This should not deter a you from applying to the school(s) you are interested in attending … in fact, it should encourage you to do your research, and prioritize your schools based on “fit” over “rank”.
Photo by satguru
Today we have a guest post from college admissions insider Gil Rogers, Associate Director of Admissions at the University of New Haven.
So you are getting ready to finalize those college applications. You have visited schools, met with counselors and students, read through every piece of mail sent to you and surfed on all of the best college search websites. You are ready to go, right? Wrong.
Filling out the application form is easy. As long as you know your name and address, chances are, that part is done. But what are you going to do to set yourself apart from all of the names and numbers on the papers going in to the admissions office at your top choice school? That is where the application essay comes in.
Photo by Valeriana Solaris
There’s a belief among some students that senior year is a time to take easy classes. Well, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but if you really want to go to college that’s the last thing you should do. It seems that every year the same erroneous ideas regarding applying to college manage to make their way into students’ conversations. They are part of what I refer to as “Hallway Mythology”.
Photo by Kevin Walter
Every year, more and more students choose to apply online – a trend I’m happy to see as we become more environmentally responsible. However, in some students’ minds, online applications seem to trigger a response that says, “It’s just another online form. How hard can it be?” The truth is, it’s not “just another online form”. It’s your chance to make a great first impression – or not. (more…)
As summer is coming to an end, high school seniors will begin to think about applying to college. Having worked in college admissions for over 10 years, I’ve seen my share of stupid mistakes from students in completing their college applications. While many professionals will give you advice on how to construct the perfect application, few will share the unfortunate errors with you. Today’s blog will cover the top 5 mistakes that I’ve seen. (more…)
I’d like to let you in on a little secret: I am usually assigned topics to cover for this blog and I, naturally, follow my grand-master’s guidelines to the “T”. However, this month, no such luck. I was told to write on anything– ANYTHING that I choose. I’m picturing my high school seniors who come to me saying that they’re choosing to write their college essay using the Common Application’s prompt, “Topic of your choice”. So I guess I will take the advice I often give them and “be specific”. I would like to talk about how important it is for students to become their own advocates in the college application and admission process.
Photo by theparadigmshifter
With another school year down and a new one just lurking around the corner, it is important for high school seniors to begin their college application process now. No, we’re not doing this to fuel the fire of competitive college admissions. And we’re certainly not doing this to pile on more stress and anxiety to the already-hectic life of a teen. What we’re doing is actually trying to alleviate some of that by planning — creating a timetable of sorts to make your life more orderly. Let’s face it, the junior year was tough because that’s what the junior year is supposed to be. Your senior year is equally as difficult in the classroom. Do you really want to add to that by doing nothing the summer before? So let’s figure out what you can do now that will save you time and worry during your last hoorah in high school.
Last week I attended the RMACAC conference in Colorado Springs and attended a presentation given from college admissions insiders from three different selective colleges across the country. Jared Cash, Associate Dean of Admissions, Bates College; Todd Rinehart, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Director of Admission, University of Denver; and Abby Noel, Assistant Director of Admission, Vanderbilt University shared some inside information about how they determine who is accepted or denied admission to their colleges. This is what I found out……..
Photo of the University of Denver by Velotech
While college applications have been submitted and most schools have stopped accepting new applicants (though some still continue to accept applications indefinitely), you are wondering what can be done to alleviate your anxiety, right?
As the application season begins to pick up for the majority of high school seniors, there’s always a few stories that fall directly into the “they did WHAT?” category of failed applications. So as the cold of January rolls on, let me share a few of the more humorous moments our consultants have heard about from admissions offices. Don’t try these yourself, because it’s a guarantee you won’t get in.
‘Day 79 – f o c u s’ courtesy of ‘margolove’
