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

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.

Here's What to Do While Waiting for Admission Decisions

From: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeannie-borin/heres-what-to-do-while-waiting-for-admission-decisions_b_6126620.html

Tips for keeping track of your submitted college applications:

You have undoubtedly worked hard to complete your applications and finally they are submitted! Now what? For the next few weeks, you may feel the anxiousness of the notorious college waiting game as nerves build and decision time gets closer.

Have the colleges received my application? An email is generally sent by the colleges confirming that they have received your application. If you do not hear back,contact the admissions office to confirm that they have received your materials. Every university has their unique admission requirements. So, do check and make sure you have followed all directions. If your application is incomplete, this could delay their review and your decision.

How can I check the status of my application? How often should I check it? There are applications status links on most every college website. Use the same log in information you used for your application and you should be able to access the university websites. Receipts of transcripts, letters of recommendation, and test scores are sometimes on these status pages, so feel free to check back as often as you like.

What should I do while I wait? This is a good time to make universities aware of changes or additions to your files. Have you moved? Changed schools? Improved grades? Won any additional awards not posted on your application? Participated in additional and/or relevant activities? Also, you could do additional research on the colleges on your list so you can make an informed decision when the time comes.

How are admissions decisions made? It's hard to be certain about why a particular applicant gains acceptance as there are so many variables that enter into the decision making process. Some universities divide up applications based on geographical region and regional representatives review those applications. Other colleges may have several admission committees who make the final choices. In addition to your transcripts, essays, recommendations, completed applications, test scores (where required) and anything else you have toiled over, your high school will send a high school profile. This is information about the curriculum offerings at your high and perhaps its college acceptance history

When will I find out? If you applied for early decision, you should be notified around December 15th. If you applied to colleges where there is rolling admission, it generally can take six to eight weeks to receive a decision. Regular admission deadlines are around the 1st of the year and those decisions are revealed in March and April. You can obtain more specific information by visiting the colleges' websites.

When should I be concerned if I have not heard from a college? Don't wait more than three weeks to contact colleges if you have not received a confirmation. If you haven't received a response, call or email the admissions office to check your status. You can also check the application status link on their websites.

Can I find my admission decision online? Most colleges send decisions electronically through the application status link and follow up with a letter.
What if I am accepted to one of the more likely schools on my list before I hear from one of my top choices? You generally have weeks before you need to respond to a college with your decision whether to attend or not. Don't respond right away. This is a huge decision! Give yourself and your family time to receive all your acceptances so you can make the best choice. Have faith that you have completed the best applications possible and now it is out of your hands.
Best of luck!

Visit us: http://www.college-connections.com

Final checklist for seniors

While many seniors have completed their college applications, there are still lots of procrastinators out there who will wait until 11:59 on Dec. 31 to hit the submit button.

Here is a final checklist for seniors who may think they’re done:

• Finish your first semester strong. Don’t get complacent, even if you’ve already been accepted. Read your acceptance letters carefully, because colleges are quite clear that your acceptance is contingent on consistent performance. Don’t let yourself be the cautionary tale for juniors by having your offer rescinded. Colleges will request a mid-year report and an end-of-year final transcript.

• Check your application status – colleges will generally inform you via email if some item in your application folder is missing. Be certain to read all emails from your colleges. Once they have notified you that your application is incomplete, it is your responsibility to rectify the situation. This might mean that your letter(s) of recommendation, test scores or transcripts have not arrived.

• Make sure your name is consistent on all college-related documents. One of my students this year was surprised when a college said it had not received her test scores, though they’d been sent months earlier.

After some investigation it was determined that she had used her middle name on her college application but did not use it when she signed up for testing. Consequently, while the test scores were sent to the college, they were never linked to her application due to the inconsistency with the names. She had applied Early Action and was deferred due to an incomplete application folder.

• Thank your teachers, recommenders and school guidance staff. They have a lot on their plates and their roles are often under-appreciated. Send a personal note, and you are sure to stand out.

• Start researching merit-based and need-based scholarship opportunities. Most high schools provide links to scholarships on their websites. Check out the honors college programs and institutional scholarships deadlines at each of the colleges where you’re applying. Those will be the most generous and offer you the best return on investment.

• Re-evaluate your list. Now, with a little distance and hopefully a little less anxiety, review each of the colleges where you’ve applied and prepare a written critique: “What I like best …” and “What I like least …” These lists will be very helpful when you find yourself accepted at multiple colleges and need to make a final decision.

• Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. Create your Plan B. In the unlikely situation that the worst-case scenario occurs, you’ll need to decide if you’ll attend community college, work or create your own gap-year program.

Take comfort in knowing that this will all be over in less than 4 1/2 months. May1 is National Decision Day, when students need to inform colleges of their final decisions. It will be here before you know it.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/12/09/4531556/final-checklist-for-seniors.html#.UqnaeFtDuAh#storylink=cpy

Understanding college application deadline options

As high school seniors begin their college applications for fall 2014 admission, there are sure to be many confusing aspects in the process. One that seems like it should be straightforward – application due dates – can add to the confusion with the number of choices available. Options include regular decision, early decision, restrictive early action (also called early action single-choice), early action (non-restrictive), and rolling admissions.

Why so many options? Will it make a difference when you apply?

The simple answers: because it serves the colleges’ purposes and yes, it can make a difference which application deadline you choose.

Regular decision (RD) and rolling admission are the easiest application deadlines to understand and navigate. There are no restrictions regarding applying to other colleges when choosing either of these two deadline options. Colleges using RD programs have clearly stated deadlines, usually but not always in January or February (for example the University of California system has a November 30 regular decision deadline and University of Washington’s is December 1), and students receive their decisions in the spring. The students have until May 1 (the National Candidates Reply Date for admission) to accept an admissions offer from a college.

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