Experts Weigh In On Common College Application Mistakes

A lot of high school seniors are applying for college right now, and some of them are likely making mistakes on their applications that are sending them straight to the trash.

Most colleges recommend high school students start thinking about the college application process as early as their freshman year.

“The whole college admissions process, the application process, everything has changed dramatically. A lot of people think that it’s just the GPA or it’s just the SAT score, but getting into the college of your choice goes well beyond that,” teacher Deann Scherer said.

New research from the National Honor Society finds that a majority of college admissions officers say participating in extracurricular activities gives students a competitive edge, but that doesn’t mean just sports.

They’re most impressed by students who’ve done long-term volunteer work in their community.

View the whole post: http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/11/19/experts-weigh-in-on-common-college-application-mistakes/

The One Big Danger of Applying to College Early

http://time.com/money/4037378/danger-college-early-decision/

It might make it easier to get in—but harder to pay the bill.

You know the adage about the early bird and the worm. It holds true in college admissions too.

Applying early can boost your odds of acceptance by up to 30 percentage points, roughly the same as scoring 100 points higher on the SAT, according to research by Harvard professor Christopher Avery, co-author of The Early Admissions Game.

But while an early application might make it easier to get into college, it could also make it harder to pay the bill.

There are two main ways to apply early: early decision (ED) and early action (EA). With ED, which is considered a binding contract if you’re accepted, you apply to just one college, usually in November. You’ll get a yes or no sometime in December, a couple of weeks before the regular admissions deadlines.

EA, which isn’t binding, lets you apply to multiple schools. You’ll hear back in January or February but don’t have to commit until later in the spring.

EA won’t have much impact on your acceptance or aid prospects, but it might make sense if you can’t bear the tension of waiting to hear. So the more important question is whether it makes sense to apply ED. Here are some guidelines.

Apply early if …

• You’re pretty sure you’ll qualify for ample financial aid. One problem with early decision is that your aid offer could come months after your acceptance letter. If the aid package doesn’t meet your needs, you can be released from the contract. But that could leave you scrambling to apply to other colleges.

For an estimate, use the net price calculator on the college’s website. Bear in mind that your actual aid could swing a couple of thousand dollars in either direction, says Kathy Ruby, director of financial aid at College Coach, an advising service.

If you know how much you can afford to pay, your dream school’s net price is in that range, and you aren’t concerned that another one might make you a better offer, applying early decision can make sense, says Robert Massa, vice president of enrollment and institutional planning at Drew Universityin New Jersey.

Some colleges will provide more definitive estimates for students considering ED, says Chris Hooker-Harris, dean of admissions and financial aid at Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania. So it’s worth asking. About half of potential ED applicants at Muhlenberg decide to go through with it after getting this “early read” on their aid, Hooker-Harris adds.

• Money is no object. If you can afford your dream school regardless of aid, go for it. Early decision might improve your chances, although probably not by 30 percentage points except at certain elite private colleges. At most schools, the difference is closer to 10 percentage points. To get an idea of the potential advantage, ask about the school’s early acceptance rate and how much of its freshman class is filled that way.

But wait if…

• You’d be happy at any of several schools. Applying ED means you’ll lose the opportunity to compare aid offers from different schools or to use an offer from one as a bargaining chip with the others. “If the primary driver of the decision is ‘Who is going to make me the best deal?’, then early decision may not be the best route,” Hooker-Harris says.

• You want more merit money. If you’re hoping for merit aid, you could be better off waiting. Every school hands out its non-need based aid differently. Some colleges hold back a portion of their merit aid until spring to use as an extra incentive for students who are still undecided.

College Admissions: 5 Majors You Need to Choose Before You Apply

http://www.golocalprov.com/lifestyle/college-admissions-5-majors-you-need-to-choose-before-you-apply

Cristiana Quinn, GoLocalProv College Admissions Expert

If you want to major in the Health Sciences, you would be smart to make that decision before you begin applying to college. Photo: Emory University

While many students will apply to colleges with a major designation of “undecided”, there are pitfalls to doing that. In larger universities, it can be VERY difficult to switch from the colleges of arts and sciences into the business or engineering college. Other times, a major like nursing or physical therapy may be filled and not have openings after freshman year. Occasionally, students will not even think when they are applying to a college that the school does not offer some of the majors that they may want to pursue. For instance, very few colleges have architecture at the undergraduate level. Thinking all of this through is critical before you finalize your college selections and fill out your apps. Here are some of the majors that usually require you to apply as a freshman or you will miss out.

Engineering

Engineering is usually found at full service universities as opposed to liberal arts colleges, so targeting the right schools is important. Most universities have a specific college of engineering to which you must apply as a freshman. Many will allow students to enter as an undecided engineering major and then determine an exact discipline after taking the introduction to engineering class.  So, while you usually don’t need to know if you want to specialize in civil, mechanical, electrical, biomedical or industrial when you  apply, you do need to know that you want to be an engineer. Math SAT scores and GPA are very important in the engineering admissions process. Most programs are also looking for students with calculus and strong biology, chemistry and physics grades. Some programs also require SAT II Subject Tests.

Architecture

Undergraduate architecture programs are few and far between. So, if you think you may want to pursue architecture, your college list needs to be focused on those colleges. Many of the programs require a studio art portfolio and prefer high school calculus and high SAT Math scores. Sitting for the AIA exam does require a Master’s degree today, and some universities offer a 5-year streamlined program.

Health Sciences

If you have aspirations to become a nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech pathologist or pharmacist, you usually need to decide that before you apply to college. While you may be able to pursue these professions later at a Master’s level, most undergraduate programs require that you apply as a freshman. It is usually very hard to transfer into one of these majors once you have matriculated at a large university. Most programs in these areas are highly selective and look for strong math scores on your SAT. Some require a math and/or science SAT II Subject Test. Keep in mind, that many of these professions (with the exception of nursing) require a Master’s degree, and some universities offer combined programs which can shorten the total number of years you spend in school. Check with each college before you apply to understand the duration of the program, the degree you will receive and your total costs.

BFA Programs

If you want to major in studio art, music, theatre or dance, there are two options, a BA or BFA program. A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is considered a terminal degree whereas a Bachelor of Arts degree is often followed by an MFA (Master of Fine Arts). BFA programs are very rigorous and are typically more selective than BA programs. They usually require an audition or portfolio review for acceptance. Students audition or submit portfolios during the admissions process, and the exact requirements vary from college to college. This means that students need to hone their craft for several years before applying, create an artistic resume of their accomplishments, and spend the summer after 11th grade putting together audition or portfolio materials.

Business

Larger universities usually have a college of business. While some allow students to transfer in after freshman year, others have very few spots open sophomore or junior year. That means that your best chance to pursue a business degree is by acceptance to that major as a freshman. Keep in mind that many business colleges within a large university are more selective than the college of liberal arts.  Admission committees are usually looking for a higher GPA, high school calculus and strong SAT scores.

Cristiana Quinn, M.Ed. is the founder of College Admission Advisors, LLC which provides strategic, college counseling and athletic recruiting services for students.www.collegeadvisorsonline.com.

3 Ways U.S. Colleges Evaluate Applications

​"It was confusing." 

That's how Rinat, a third-year gender studies student from Almaty, Kazakhstan, described his experience preparing applications to U.S. universities. "Every university had different applications, different deadlines, different things I had to send to them."

Rinat's impression of the U.S. university application process is not unique to international students. U.S. high schools students can also be confused by the differing requirements and processes involved in a college application. The complexity of applications, and the processes that universities use in reviewing applications, is as varied as the nearly 4,000 institutions of higher education in the U.S. 

[See the 2016 U.S. News Best Colleges rankings.]

It can be helpful to understand why applications can differ so much from one university to the next. Typically, a university admissions office tries to answer a key set of questions when reviewing an application.

​First, they want to know that there's evidence that the student has the academic readiness to undertake studies at that school. Second, they want to know that the student's educational and growth goals are aligned with the missions, goals and ethos of the particular university. Finally, the university tries to determine if the student's presence on campus will provide a positive contribution to the university's learning environment and ​community.

These factors are extremely specific to each institution, and universities in the U.S. have developed several admissions models to help answer them.

There are three common models of admissions employed by U.S. universities: open admissions, threshold admissions and holistic admissions.​

Open Admissions Model

The open admissions model does not require standardized test scores such as the SAT or ACT. Nor does this model ask applicants to submit personal statements or recommendation letters. This admissions model is most commonly used by community colleges in the U.S.

"Open admission exists for those institutions with a mission to provide equal access to a variety of educational backgrounds," says Dawn Wood, director of international programs at Kirkwood Community College in Iowa.

Woods points out that colleges with open admissions models provide higher education opportunities to students who may require additional academic preparation, students who are seeking vocational or technical education, or students interested in reducing the costs of a four-year degree through transfer partnerships with bachelor's-degree-granting universities.

[Watch out for five college admissions mistakes international students make.]

Threshold Admissions Model

Universities which use threshold admissions models are those who publish very clear standards of admission. They tend to provide a minimum required GPA, SAT or ACT score for admission, but will likely not request a personal statement, essay or letters of recommendation. This admissions model is used by many U.S. colleges and universities, and is common among public institutions.

Chuck May, director of admissions at the University of Missouri, believes that transparency in the admissions process is the hallmark of threshold admissions. "We are a selective university, and in making our admission criteria very clear, we're able to be open with students as to their likelihood of admission, from the start of our communication with them."

May says this model allows his admissions team to begin to explore whether or not the university is a good fit for a prospective student at a much earlier point in the college search process, "because we are most likely to receive applications from students who have already researched our academic standards for admission, and know where they fit in relation to those measures." 

[Take this quiz and see if you're ready to apply to U.S. universities.]

Holistic Admissions Model

Selectivity is also a tenet of the holistic admissions model. Where this process is employed, a university is more likely to provide the average academic profile of the previous year's admitted class. This gives some insight into what GPA and standardized test scores may be competitive for admission.

Additionally, holistic admissions will often require that applicants provide an essay and recommendations from teachers, counselors or other community leaders.

Seth Walker, associate director of international admissions at Indiana University—Bloomington, feels that the holistic admissions approach allows the school to consider the broader experiences of an applicant. "When we read an application, we hope to get a sense of what's brought that student to where they are today."

Walker says this model allows their admissions team to compose a class that is both strong in academic ability and diverse in experience.

Students can get a sense for which model of admissions will be used to review their application by visiting the admissions website of a university. It's important to know that many universities will employ some combination of these models.

Rinat offers this wisdom he received from his uncle, who suggested he think of his college applications like going on a date: "You ask questions, they ask questions, in the end you both have to decide if it's a match."

Rinat says that was the best advice he received. 

9 Ways to Find the Best College for You

From: http://time.com/money/4025938/find-the-best-college-for-you/

Build your own personalized college rankings using these important criteria.

Lots of magazines and websites publish lists of the “best colleges.” But those general purpose rankings may not put enough emphasis on the factors that are most important for you.

Finding a college that will be the best value for you is a little like choosing the best-value car. It won’t necessarily be the cheapest. It’s the one that will take you where you want to go in life at the most reasonable price.

MONEY’s annual Best Colleges list ranks schools based on 21 factors in three key categories: educational quality, affordability, and the career success of graduates. You can use many of these same criteria to identify the schools that will provide the best value for your particular student and financial situation. Here’s how and where to find the information you need.

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

1. Check on graduation rates. Research shows that graduation rates are the single best indicator of a college’s quality; students who don’t receive adequate support or don’t think they’re getting their money’s worth are more likely to transfer or drop out. Colleges are required to report their six-year graduation rates. Look for a rate of no less than the median for similar schools: 48% at public colleges and 58% at private ones.

HOW TO FIND IT: Collegeresults.org allows you to compare 4-, 5-, and 6- year graduation rates for your target college and similar schools. If your target college isn’t in the top half of the Collegeresults.org comparison, consider some schools that are above it.

2. Compare class sizes. Research shows that personal attention from professors pays off: Students who are mentored by a professor are 50% more likely to thrive in their careers, according to Gallup research. One good indicator is the percentage of each school’s classes with 20 or fewer students.

HOW TO FIND IT: Look up your colleges on Collegedata.com. Click on the academics tab.

3. Look beyond test scores. The average ACT or SAT scores of incoming freshmen will help you see how you’d stack up academically compared with other students. But even more important than those numbers is how well the college helps its students exceed expectations, given their academic and economic backgrounds.

HOW TO FIND IT: The MONEY College Planner gives each school a “Value Added” grade. A’s or B’s generally indicate better graduation rates and alumni earnings than other schools with similar students.

AFFORDABILITY

4. Maximize your merit aid odds. More than 90% of colleges give some merit aid. Your chances of getting a substantial amount will be best at private colleges where your grades and test scores put you in the top 25% of applicants.

HOW TO FIND IT: Collegedata.com provides information on the number and size of different kinds of aid awards. The premium search filters on theMoney College Planner allow you to build a list of schools that meet your criteria and are generous with need-based and/or merit-based aid.

5. Know your real cost. Don’t pay too much attention to the college’s official cost of attendance. Nearly 60% of students pay less than that. What you want to focus on is net price.

HOW TO FIND IT: Use the net price calculator on each college’s web site for an estimate of what you’ll have to pay based on your family’s income and resources. If you want to compare several colleges’ net prices at once try CollegeAbacus.org.

6. Calculate the full cost of a degree. Look beyond freshman year to calculate what each college would cost you for the four, or possibly more, years it could take to earn a degree. The best colleges graduate students in 4.5 years or less.

HOW TO FIND IT: The MONEY College Planner shows the average net price of a degree at 700+ colleges, based on factors including how long it takes students to graduate.

STUDENT OUTCOMES

7. Expect strong job help. An active, well-staffed career services office can help students write résumés, practice for job interviews, and connect with influential alumni. Colleges should have at least one career services staffer per 1,000 students, and follow industry standard best practices.

HOW TO FIND IT: Call or visit the career services office to ask.

8. Investigate internships. The best colleges help students get internships, which not only provide real-world experience but also increase the odds of landing a good job after graduation. Students who have had paid internships, research shows, are 70% more likely to get a job offer than those who had no internships or who had only unpaid internships.

HOW TO FIND IT: Call or visit the career services office to ask what it does to help place students. Also ask how many internships—especially in your major—are paid.

9. Check up on alumni earnings. The salaries of recent grads are a good indicator of how much employers value a degree from a particular school.

HOW TO FIND IT: Payscale.com lists average early and mid-career earnings for the graduates of most large colleges. Generally, your choice of college has greater impact on early career earnings than on mid-career salary, so that’s the more important number.

Countdown to College: Application options can be confusing

From: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article34100148.html

It would be easy to assume that with the increase in the popularity of online applications (www.commonapp.org and www.universalcollegeapp.com) that a variety of decisions would be streamlined for college applicants. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case.

Colleges appreciate the benefits of the common applications, but many of them want to differentiate themselves. That’s where the variety of application deadlines play a critical role. The college application process is full of acronyms, but none seem more confusing than those associated with application deadlines: EA (Early Action), ED (Early Decision), ED 1 (Early Decision, first deadline), ED 2 (Early Decision, second deadline), SCEA (Single Choice Early Action), REA (Restricted Early Action) and RA (Rolling Admissions).

Early Action is a great gift for the well-prepared student. Students must submit their complete application by an earlier deadline, typically Oct. 15-Nov. 15.

The big perk here is that students receive notification of their acceptance, rejection or deferral much earlier, in many cases by Dec. 15. The best benefit is that EA is not binding, so students may apply to multiple schools EA and can even apply to one school Early Decision (ED), which is binding. Students who apply EA and are accepted are not required to notify the college of their decision until May 1.

Early Decision (ED), Early Decision 1 (ED 1) and Early Decision 2 (ED 2):

ED is straight-forward. You apply early – typically there’s a Nov. 1 deadline – and you’re notified early, typically by Dec. 24. If you’re accepted, it’s binding – you must go. Since it is binding, you are only allowed to apply to one college ED. But now a small number of colleges have added an ED 2, with a January deadline.

ED 2 is frequently used by students who applied ED elsewhere and were either rejected or deferred. Colleges love students who apply ED. It allows them to have a better grasp of their numbers and how many students they’ll need to accept in regular decision. Many colleges have a surprising bump in their ED acceptance rates compared with regular decision.

There are trade-offs with Early Decision. Yes, the numbers can be very appealing, but families need to understand that the applicant pool for ED is typically stronger. ED applicants are frequently athletes, legacy students, development cases (where the family has donated a lot of money), etc.

Since the ED decision is binding, once students are accepted ED, they are asked to withdraw their applications from all the other schools where they applied. Applying ED eliminates any possibility for a family to compare financial aid offers or to even find out about need-based or merit-based aid at other schools.

Early decision is a big decision.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article34100148.html#storylink=cpy

What makes a good college list?

From: http://www.examiner.com/article/what-makes-a-good-college-list

The fall of the senior year is the best time to put the finishing touches on a solid college list. At this point, hopefully students have had the opportunity to visit a few colleges, talk to friends who have moved on to new places and had the important conversation with mom and dad about where they might spend the next few years. Now is the time when counselors will work with students via Naviance or provide other resources to help them track student lists and application progress. With many deadlines falling in December and January, counselors want to make sure students are narrowing down the list and submitting materials before the holiday break.

Seemingly every admissions season, colleges experience record application numbers. The Common Application and general hype around college admissions leads students to apply to ridiculous numbers of colleges. At the end of the process, students may end up with few options or with colleges that simply aren't financially possible for their family. With those considerations in mind, below are a few suggestions for helping your student create a well-rounded college list.

1) Number of Colleges. A solid and well-rounded college list should include between 7- 10 colleges in total. There should be 3-4 "safe" colleges, 2-3 "match" colleges, and 2-3 "reach" colleges. Every counselor has a different definition of what these categories mean, but the standard definitions are as follows:

Safe - The student is in the top 25% of admitted students to this college based on their academic profile.

Match - The student falls within the middle 50% of admitted students.

Reach - The student is in the bottom 25% of admitted students OR this is a highly selective university (fewer than 30% of applicants are admitted).

Ideally, students will feel comfortable and excited about all of the colleges on their final list and should not just include colleges at random. When application fees average $50 and students may have to pay to send test scores or additional documents, the cost of applying can add up.

2) Financial Feasibility. Counselors and parents should help students with this part of the college research and use it as a time to educate students about loans, budgeting and expectations. If students will be expected to take on loans and/or get a job to help finance their education, mom and dad should establish these guidelines. For families who require need-based financial aid, the college list should include colleges that meet a high percentage of this need through grants and scholarships, not just loans. For wealthy families that will not qualify, the college list should include colleges which award merit scholarships to top students. Students should check-in with their counselor to identify appropriate colleges. Families can also seek this information out on their own using sites like Big Future, College Navigator, Common Data Sets for each college and visiting the college's financial aid and scholarship websites.

3) Location. Students should always include at least one college in their home state or within a short drive, if possible. This provides options in case a family situation arises which requires the student to be close to home. Additionally, a local college option may end up being the most affordable if the student is able to live at home or live off-campus with a friend.

These are only a few of the many aspects students and parents should take into account when creating a college list. Cultural and social fit, majors offered, location, size and employment statistics are are few of the other factors that should come into play. These are a bit more difficult to research and pinpoint, of course. However, students do have the opportunity to visit colleges for admitted student events in the spring if they want to experience that college culture first hand before making the big decision.

Ways for Parents, Students to Revise College Application Essays Together

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-playbook/2015/06/08/ways-for-parents-students-to-revise-college-application-essays-together

College application essays are intended to provide insight beyond the impersonal numbers of test scores and academic transcripts. Recommendation letters can provide a third-party perspective, but the essay is a student's best chance to speak directly to the gatekeepers of higher education.

A great essay can lead to a coveted acceptance letter, but a great essay involves careful planning and execution – including substantial editing. This revision process is one area where parents can be of help to their students. If this is your first time applying to colleges with a student, here are several editing tips to keep in mind. 

1. Develop a timeline that includes editing days: A strong essay cannot be written and revised in a single day. It is essential that students begin their essays well ahead of schedule in order to allow ample time for revisions and reconsiderations.

Starting two to three months before the earliest application deadline is not unreasonable, nor is beginning the summer before senior year. Since college applications generally fall outside a high school student's class load, parents are key to ensuring that there is ultimately time for essay editing.

With a due date that is several months away, your student may be tempted to postpone work on his or her essay until the last possible moment. You can avoid this by setting realistic goals together,including a timeline for finishing an outline, a draft, a first round of revisions and a final essay. Students can check in with their parents to provide updates on a weekly or biweekly basis.

2.Flesh out the details: My mother loves telling the story of how, when I was three, she left me unattended for "just a minute." In that minute, I managed to not only find a spectacular mud puddle, but to lead my younger brother in a full-body art project that involved squeezing as much mud as possible through a nearby window screen.

When I was 17 and working on my college applications, I would have never considered using this story in an essay – it was just a way that my mother had a good laugh at my expense – or so teenage me thought.

Consider, though, the plight of the admissions officer who must read thousands of variations on, "I demonstrated leadership by becoming treasurer of the junior class council." 

Imagine, amidst a sea of such essays, a personal statement that opens with an anecdote showing that this person is capable of self-reflection, and that he or she possesses a sense of humor, an early aptitude for leadership​ and a developed sense of self-expression.

The goal during revision is for parents to help ensure that college application essays move beyond the simple recitation of events. Once your student settles on a thesis, think of small stories that illustrate that argument. The "big" narrative – the tournament victories, the scholastic achievements​ and the test scores – will already be in the application.

It is the small moments that make for wonderful stories. These are the same moments that might not occur to a student looking toward adulthood, such as showing kindness to a stranger, offering to share a treasured toy or displaying an unexpected feat of willpower.

3. Focus on audience: College application essays are written by high school students, but they are read and evaluated by adults. Thus, the challenge is not just to write a meaningful essay, but also one that speaks to the intended audience.

A well-crafted essay that avoids slang and other forms of teen speak can demonstrate maturity and superior writing skills. One way parents can help with the revision process is to act as a filter.  In other words, they can highlight expressions that perfectly suit the tone of a college application essay, or identify those sentences where different phrasing could make a far more effective point. 

4. Always remember to strike a balance: Both too little and too much parental involvement can harm a student's final draft. A student's college application essay is his or her opportunity to speak directly to a school, so parental suggestions should be limited to more general observations.

For example, parents can point out places where the purpose of the essay is unclear, or underline paragraphs where the wording is awkward. Be sure to praise the sections that work, and discuss why they work. Do not restructure an entire introduction or conclusion.

Parents need to remember that college application essays are their child's chance to shine. By the end of the revision process, you should have learned something about your student. If you have, this is a great indicator that the complete stranger who will ultimately read this essay will learn something too.

Building a College List: A Free (cheap) Resource

From: http://www.thecollegesolution.com/building-a-college-list-a-free-resource/

Creating a college list can be intimidating.

And it’s no wonder since there is a lot riding on drawing up a solid list of promising colleges and universities.

Getting it wrong can lead to students being miserable at their schools. It also is a reason why so many unhappy undergrads end up transferring to different institutions.

In extreme cases, creating a poor list can also lead to the same fate as an unlucky teenager in San Diego during the most recent admission season.

The teenager applied to some University of California campuses as his “safeties.” Right there that was a mistake. The UC campuses, including Berkeley, UCLA, and lesser known ones like those in Davis, Irvine and Santa Cruz should never be considered safety schools!

This teenager also applied to his “dream schools” that included a lot of prestigious brand-name institutions back East. He didn’t get into a single one.

He is now working with a college consultant to find schools – at this late date – where he could start in the fall. Believe it or not, there are many schools that are still accepting applications because these institutions did not meet their freshmen admission goals. You can find some of them at the college openings list on the website of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, but there are others that are still accepting applications, but they don’t want to be on a public list.

I am mentioning all this because I wanted to share a wonderful free (for a few days anyway) resource to help you as you pull together that all important college list.

Michelle Kretzschmar at DIY College Rankings (an excellent website packed with lots of helpful advice and resources) has created an ebook that can help entitled,Creating College Lists: Your Guide to Using College Websites to Pay Less for a Better Education.

Michelle released the ebook on Amazon today and it will be free to download through May 25. I’d urge you to check it out and also spend some time on her website.

Here is a description of the book that Michelle provided me:

This book does something that no other college search book does, it shows you how to use college websites to create a better college list. After reading the book you’ll know:

• How to start a list of colleges to research when you don’t have any idea of where to go
• How to expand your list of colleges to research when you do have some idea of where to go
• How to quickly find out what is distinctive about a college
• What are the critical elements of a college website that you MUST pay attention to and why
• Where to find a college’s Net Price Calculator and what to look out for
• What kind of tools are available for you to follow colleges

This book is for anyone who wants to start researching colleges but just doesn’t know how to start.

4 reasons to notify colleges you will not be attending

http://www.examiner.com/article/4-reasons-to-notify-colleges-you-will-not-be-attending

Many students hurry to send in their tuition deposit to the college they plan on attending in the fall. Unfortunately, many of these students forget about the other colleges that sent acceptance letters. Here are four reasons why students should let the other colleges know they will not be attending in the fall.

1. Open a spot on the waitlist. If the institution is selective, it probably has a waitlist with a lot of worthy student waiting for an opening. By letting the college know they will not be attending, it could open up a spot for someone who is on the waitlist. The sooner the college hears back from students turning down their offer, the sooner they could offer the spot to another student.
2. Avoid awkward emails and phone calls. The media focuses on the colleges that have strict May 1 deadlines to submit tuition deposits. However, many colleges allow students to submit deposits after May 1. If these colleges do not hear back from students, they may start contacting the students to learn of their plans for college. While admissions officers probably know that students are planning on not attending in the fall, they need to hear from the student before cancelling their application. Sometimes these conversations can make the students feel awkward or uncomfortable. To some students, it feels like a “break-up.” Students can avoid these awkward conversations by letting the colleges know as soon as they know they will not be attending.
3. Keep a good relationship with the admissions officer. There are great admissions officers out there and many form great professional relationships with their prospective students. These admissions officers spend countless hours working with students throughout the year, including traveling to high schools and college fairs, answering questions, and reading applications. They might have done more work for students than students think, including “going to bat” for the student to admit them. It is the nice thing to do for students to let them know they will not be attending. Plus, students never know if they will come into contact with the admission officer in the future. For example, if things do not work out at the college they initially chose, being nice and professional with the admission officer at the college they once turned down could help them if they reapply.
4. Help colleges understand why you chose another college. In addition to telling colleges they are not attending, colleges will also want to know what college the student chose to attend and why. This is important information for them so that they can learn what they can do in the future to attract students. For example, if the financial aid package was lacking compared to the college the student chose, it is important to let them know. This could lead the college to change their financial aid policies and help future students who apply for admission.

Most colleges make it easy to let them know that students will not be attending in the fall. Some include a form that can be mailed back to the admissions office with postage already paid, while others ask students to log into their admission portal to let them know. Even a simple email to the admissions officer letting them know of their plans would be helpful. No matter what, students should let the colleges know they will not be attending in the fall.

12 things to do after submitting your tuition deposit

http://www.examiner.com/article/12-things-to-do-after-submitting-your-tuition-deposit

Congratulations to all of the students who have made their final college choice. While the big choice has been made and the tuition deposit has been sent, there are still some things students need to remember before heading off to college in the fall. Here are 12 easy, but important, things to do after submitting the tuition deposit.

1. Notify other colleges you won’t be attending. The majority of colleges make it very easy for students to let them know that they will not be attending in the fall. By turning down the admission offer, it could open up a spot for someone on the waitlist. It is also professional and nice for students to let the colleges and admissions officers know they will not be attending.
2. Thank everyone who helped. There were probably many people who helped sometime during the college admissions process. Some of the helpers probably include school counselors, teachers, letter of recommendation writers, coaches, parents, and family members, just to name a few. It was a long process and a lot of people helped out. It is a nice gesture to thank them for their help and let them know the college you will be attending. Let the helpers celebrate your success and future plans.
3. Submit the housing application/questionnaire and deposit. Many colleges have deadlines to get the housing application in to guarantee housing for incoming freshman students. Students need to make sure to pay attention to the deadlines and submit all required housing documents by the deadline. Students should also make sure they are honest when filling out the housing questionnaire. It is important for students to answer the questions honest about who they are, not who they think or want to be. For example, if the student is a little messy, they should not say they are neat. The questions on the housing application help the housing office match students with similar habits. When students are polar opposites in regards to habits (i.e. room cleanliness), it could cause some conflicts.
4. Pay attention to email and the mail. The college may contact students to request information. Typically these requests have deadlines and deadlines are sometimes non-negotiable. Therefore, students should make sure they open every piece of mail and every email from the college to ensure they respond to any request from the college. Missing a deadline or not submitting a requested document could jeopardize enrollment in the fall.
5. Update FAFSA and provide required financial aid documents. If students estimated the figures to get the FAFSA in by the deadline, students and parents need to log back in and provide correct information. In addition, if the college is requesting financial aid documents, such as tax forms, students need to make sure the items are submitted. For many students, the financial aid award letter played a large role in the final college decision. Therefore, students need to make sure all documents are submitted to the financial aid office to ensure they do not lose out on a scholarships or grant.
6. Submit final high school transcript. The majority of colleges need and require the final transcript. Many high schools will automatically send transcripts to the colleges. However, it is a good idea to check with the school counselor to make sure the transcript will be sent.
7. Submit the latest college transcript. If students have taken college courses, the college the student will be attending in the fall will need the transcript. Without the official transcript, the college will not be able to award credit for the classes the student already took.
8. Submit AP and/or IB test scores. Many colleges will give college credit for AP or IB test scores. However, the only way to ensure the credit is given to the students is to make sure the official test report is sent to the college.
9. Sign up for placement tests. If colleges require placement tests, it is important to sign up. Placement tests will help academic advisors place student in classes in the fall.
10. Sign up for academic advising and registration. Depending on the college, some courses may fill up quickly. The sooner students sign up for academic advising and registration, the sooner they can register for classes and ensure they get in the classes they need and want in the fall.
11. Sign up for new student orientation. New student orientation is a great way for students to get familiar with the college, as well as meet other new students. Make sure the date is on the calendar and make plans to attend.
12. Continue looking for scholarships. It is never too late to get a scholarship. In addition to my monthly list of scholarships, there are also many great scholarships search site available, such as Fastweb and ScholarshipExperts.

The above list looks long, but the tasks are easy. Students should make sure to take care of all of these items to ensure a smooth transition to college. In addition to the above items, colleges may have additional things to do. Therefore, students should remember to pay attention to their mail and email for anything from their college.