Free Education

What if education were free? What would it be like if students and families had free access to the best teachers, tutors, curriculum, and pedagogy in the world? Chris Anderson, Editor of Wired magazine, argues in his new book that Free is the future of business, that every business that becomes digital eventually becomes free. Free is not new, but the rise of the Internet Age has created more Free models than ever before. Every two years, bandwidth, storage, and processing have doubled in speed and halved in cost. Lewis Straus, chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission from 1953-1958, saw this coming, and at the dawn of the Nuclear Age intuitively predicted that electricity would some day be "too cheap to meter." He was wrong (we still write checks to PG&E every month), but digital bits - replacing material atoms - have become cheap enough that web-based businesses can round down, effectively offering their content and distribution for free (Andersen lists 50 case studies at the end of his book). Google, his number one example, makes its multi-billion dollar fortune by giving away its products for free (think gmail, google docs, and its new Chrome browser), and collects cash - plenty of it - from advertisers.

Anderson gives two Free models of education: free online textbooks and free online lectures. Flatworld Knowledge offers their content free online (and many colleges and universities participate in their archived catalog). They only have business and economics books now, but math, science, humanities and social science textbooks are coming soon. University of California, Berkeley, and Massachussettes Institute of Technology both provide their lectures free online. MIT's Open Courseware offers entire courses - including lectures, exams, and notes - free online, and Berkeley's free webcasts have allowed professors like Dr. Richard Muller to achieve pseudo-celebrity status with his "Physics for Future Presidents" lectures, also freely available on YouTube.

But what if we could offer more? Tutorpedia is currently providing or is in the process of creating the following 10 services free of charge:

• free tutoring to low-income students (through our Supplemental Educational Services program)
  
• free tutoring donated to local school auctions (we've given away over 100 hours)
  
• free content/workshops online (see this summer's offering)
  
• free college advice online (here on our blog from our local college counseling experts)
  
• free teaching/academic resources (coming soon, but check out Envision Schools Project Exchange)
  
• free training manuals (coming soon)
  
• free SAT curriculum (coming soon, but check out VocabSushi and Grockit for SAT prep)
  
• free college application help (coming soon)
  
• free college essay help (coming soon)
  
• free consultation with Founding Director
  

Free is the future of business, and Tutorpedia is interested in creating a Free model of Education - to close the achievement gap, improve access to college, and teach better life skills and habits of mind. Our hope is to create exciting, alternative, enriching content that parents, teachers, and students will use online (for free). Then, if and when you want that material taught to you by an expert, we're just a phone call or email away. Our tutors will continue to provide the collaborative relationships, innovative expertise, and holistic vision to do just that.

College Roundtable, Part 2

We had a great response to our first College Roundtable, and I'm happy to post answers to our second Roundtable question from four new local college experts:

Research shows that students undergo a sort of "brain drain" over the summer. Most students lose about two months of grade level equivalency in math over the summer months, and low-income students - despite the fact that their middle-class peers make slight gains - also lose more than two months in reading. Given this distressing data, what suggestions do you give students about how to stay engaged and academically active over the summer months? Keeping an eye specifically on college, what should seniors be doing while school is out?

David Montsano, College Match
Based on data showing that students lose two months of learning over the summer in math and in reading, it makes sense to stem the tide of this “brain drain” with a strategy for summer brain maintenance. Many of the students that I coach find that doing an intellectual project during the summer helps stem the tide from brain drain toward a summer spent actively learning.

Rising seniors might use the summer to practice for the SAT in the fall or do a capstone project. These types of activities should help reinforce concepts learned from class work during the previous year as well as provide much needed intellectual spark to avoid the summer doldrums brought by too much tv watching and video games. My advice is for students to find an area of academic passion that they can build a project around. One way to find this is to ask themselves, if I had 30 hours to research something, what would it be? So for example if a student is passionate about food and organics and also likes chemistry, there may be a project around testing organically grown food in different environments—at the grocery store, at an organic food store and at farmers markets. A summer research project while not exactly the same as work done during the school year helps keep the student engaged, provides an opportunity to flex intellectual muscles and sharpens the mind. Colleges like it too.

Kim Glenchur, Choices to College

Summertime for seniors is a busy time. First, academic skills must be at least maintained:

• Savor literature instead of rushing through chapters to complete an English assignment. Entering "summer reading list" into a web browser will draw up numerous suggestions from many reputable organizations. Most books on these lists will be found in public libraries.
• Manipulate math problems. The web browser can also look up "summer math activities high school." Cool Math Sites are among several options at all levels of math proficiency.
• Begin college applications, specifically prep for standardized tests (if not done yet) and write essays. Applications begin to appear around July. Working on them over the summer will reduce stress when classes restart in the fall. For low-income students, federal government TRIO programs were created to address issues of college access. Click on this link for more information: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/index.html. .

Second, identifying college selection criteria begins with self-knowledge. Though maintaining academic skills are vital, for purposes of college, rising seniors should try to participate in a summer activity that tests a favorite interest. Exploring it provides insight into whether to continue that interest to the next level in college. A good activity provides a fair test of that interest or even of related interests. Ideally, active hands-on learning supplements viewing experiences. The exploration process may also identify which colleges offer environments to further develop that interest -- a compelling reason to apply to a particular college. High school teachers, faculty club sponsors, and counselors are excellent information resources.

College applications commonly ask students about their previous summers. Note that an activity need not be costly. For example, one need not travel overseas to engage in a community service project, particularly if numerous local organizations need assistance. Do not discount the experiences gained from employment. Using a web browser to list "high school summer programs" will find over a billion options. Many of these programs will be offered at colleges and universities. Please be aware that attendance during an institution's summer session will not guarantee freshman admission.

Barry Beach, Arts Counselor

For students interested in studying art in college, the summer before their senior year is an important opportunity to take extracurricular art courses. As most students expecting to study art in college will be required to submit a portfolio of their work during the application process, summer is one of the best times to try a new kind of art to expand your portfolio.

Most students have taken drawing/painting courses, but trying more specialized courses in photography, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, etc. are good ideas. Liking a new course can highlight another major to consider. And not liking can be equally important - knowing what not to major in.

Pre-college programs are great for portfolio building, as they give prospective college students a taste of college life and an intense schedule of art-making. However, community colleges and local art centers usually offer numerous choices as well, and tend to be more affordable. One advantage of attending a pre-college program is the ability to select one at the college a prospective student is interested in attending. We artists are usually tactile people, so visiting and experiencing a place is important in the college narrowing process.

Marita Surace, College Applications Advisors

The first thing that comes to mind is preparing for the SAT/ACT (assuming a fall re-take or initial test), as well as keeping the mind in active mode. The best way to do this is to Read - A LOT - with a dictionary close by. Preferably, the reading would be focused on the classics - there are some terrific books that have stood the test of time and they contain many great SAT words and should keep the mind active for reading comprehension on the standardized tests. One could search online for lists of the 100 Greatest Books for High School or College Bound Students, or just walk into a library and ask a librarian for a recommendation at the reference desk. Many libraries have printed lists. Some libraries also have summer reading programs, where a student is rewarded with a free paperback.

An idea for writing would be to journal in any kind of notebook - every day. It keeps the thoughts and words flowing for that ultimate "College Essay" plus the SAT/ACT writing component, and starts the self-reflection process about goals for college. Teenage summers can often be very special and it could also end up as a wonderful longtime keepsake. My other recommendation would be to tutor others in Math. This could be done as a part-time job or on a volunteer basis. We actually learn subjects better when we teach them to others. Older students would benefit by tutoring younger ones in Algebra and Geometry, perhaps younger students who are repeating a class in summer school. This will keep the content fresh for Seniors for the test, and they will be able to list a "meaningful summer activity" on their college application.

I hate to focus so much on the SAT/ACT, but it currently is a reality of the college admission process. However, there will be great knowledge gained by the student, so maybe if they can think of it as self-education for life and not test prep, these activities may seem more interesting. I know that this is such an idealistic answer. If only the video game companies could create games around classic books and geometry, and engage teens educationally like they did with the Wii for exercise! At least that was a good start.

Alternative Education: Raising Global Students

In today's age of standardized assessments and high-stakes testing, we seem to be sending the wrong message. How do we teach kids that learning goes beyond what they can bubble in on a piece of paper? We all know students learn differently, at different paces, come from different educational backgrounds, and have different needs, interests, and passions, and these all affect how well they do in school. So what are alternative was to teach students, to engage them, to instill in them a love of learning, to give them the skills (rather than the content) so they can keep learning after school ends and after their tutor returns home. What else can we put in their tool kit to encourage a deeper understanding, to show them how to ask the right questions, and how to find the answers on their own? In today's globalized society, how can we raise more "global students"?

A family in Oregon had a bold idea. Maya and Tom Frost sold their house, moved to Mexico, and truly engaged their students in a different model of education. USA Today chronicled the story in a fascinating Q&A: "We wanted our kids to develop full-tilt flexibility, so we sold everything and left our suburban lifestyle behind to have a last-blast family adventure abroad. We didn't have a ton of money, so we had to get creative and figure out how to work virtually while ushering four teenage girls through high school and into college in non-traditional ways... None of them ever submitted an SAT score or took an AP or IB class. They are flourishing -- and financially independent." All four daughters graduated college early, saved thousands by enrolling in high school and college concurrently, and had internships, research projects, and mentoring all over Latin America. Maya calls this the "bold school" approach - opting out of the traditional path and blazing your own trail.

Homeschooling is also picking up steam. Parents homeschool for a variety of reasons, from academic to social to being in line with their family values. It allows for more flexibility and more focus on the interests of their children. Sometimes classes aren't challenging enough, and they want to supplement the school work with their own academic activities. Sometimes kids get too caught up in social activities - or are bullied or left out - and having the control over the social environment at home is crucial. Being able to create your own curriculum, test it and engage your child in ways you know are best, winds up being a great solution for many parents.

With the economy transforming the workforce more than any time in 70 years, parents are coming up with creative ways to educate their global students. A tutor just reminded me of a good quote from Thomas Edison: "The teacher has not taught until the learner as learned." We've always thought of the teacher as the person at the front of the class; maybe now it's time to think of the teacher in different ways.

Stay Engaged over the Summer

School is out but that doesn't mean you can't stay engaged and active over the summer. I've been meeting cool people with great ideas about how to do this. The guys at eduFire want to revolutionize the way we learn with online video classes and tutoring for any language and test you can imagine. Shmoop wants to do away with textbooks (who doesn't?!) and create a more vivid, multimedia curriculum for students and teachers. And if you're in the need of fun SAT games, check out Grockit, a more collaborative way to learn online.

Don't succumb to brain drain. Summer is a chance to learn in non-traditional ways. Gone are your teachers and set curriculum for the year; gone is the rigidity of grades, homework, and tests. What the summer presents is a golden opportunity to create your own academic learning - to discover and experience what interests you. Go to a museum, get an internship, work a part-time job, travel, spend time at a non-profit, spend time with a venture capitalist, volunteer at a local hospital, soup kitchen, or summer camp.

Of course there's good ol' fashioned tutoring as well. For students who need to make up classes or get ahead for the fall, there's nothing better than a 1-1 tutor and mentor. Along with Tutorpedia, Meyers Learning Center is creating individual workshops and summer learning plans for students who want to learn in more creative, personal ways. But whatever your summer plans, be sure to mix in a little bit of relaxation with a little bit of learning.

Plenty to do this Summer to prepare for the Fall

The summer is definitely a well-deserved break for students to relax and recharge for the upcoming school year. But it's also a critical time period for parents and students to start game-planning ahead for a number of important admissions-related activities, including: SAT/ACT test preparation, beginning work on writing samples or visiting/research potential colleges. After all, once the school year begins, your son or daughter is going to see virtually all free time disappear under the weight of a full course load and extra-curricular activties. The sooner you can impress it upon your child to begin the heavy lifting now (in balance with leisure time), the more likely that the college admissions process during the academic year will become more manageable and free of stress.

One good place to start in building some potential summer goals as it relates to preparing for college applications this Fall is to review a typical timeline-based checklist. These checklists aren't a great fit for every student, but it covers the general milestones and pace of preparing for college admissions for most students. One list we like that seems pretty comprehensive and is worth checking out is from QuestBridge here.

We definitely recommend utilizing the summer months to begin work on the personal statement. Free of school and other distractions, your child may be better positioned to write a more substantive, unhurried essay. And of course, completing an initial draft early on will allow for plenty of time to edit and rewrite. Check out last week's Times blog post on college essay writing tips for a start.

Finally, take some time to weight the relative benefits of visiting prospective colleges over the summer with your child. The NY Times' Advice for Travel section is a nice place to look for advice on planning and making the most of college visits. Within the Bay Area alone, there are a number of great colleges and universities worth visiting over a weekend including but not limited to:

California Maritime Academy
Dominican University of California
Holy Names University
Mills College
Notre Dame de Namur University
Saint Mary’s College of California
San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco State University
Santa Clara University
Stanford University
University of California, Berkeley
University of California at Davis
University of the Pacific
University of San Francisco

Score Choice is Contentious!

There is a contentious discussion going on about Score Choice, the new decision by the College Board that allows students to report only select scores to colleges (you can view each school's policy on the College Board website, at the bottom of this page).

Score Choice is optional. If students do nothing else, the College Board sends all SAT scores to their colleges of choice, and students get four free score reports. Score Choice became available in March 2009, and interestingly enough, the College Board reports that the same volume of scores sent to schools from March to May. There is a distinction in Score Choice: Reporting all scores - V1 schools look at all scores, V2 schools look at best scores. Reporting only certain sittings - again, V1 schools look at all scores, V2 schools look at best scores. This distinction was created by a special task force of representatives from CSU, ElkGrove, UCSB, Seattle University, and USC.

Some interesting notes about the University of California policy: UC schools still require all scores - same with NCAA - and sticklers like Stanford & Pomona still require all scores (it's not a big list in the west). College board does not send scores without student consent, but the UC system shares scores in central database. The room becomes a bit restless, and college counselors are getting angry. They are justified: Score Choice only helps if you (have the time and resources to) take the SAT more than once.

Alice Kleeman from Menlo-Atherton calms the audience by saying that if we inform students and give the best possible information, it's doable. She noted something interesting that everyone else neglected to mention, and that is the integrity of the college application - what a signature means. At the end of the day, it's just one more policy each school has, and the more transparent and honest we can be about it, the better for our students.

Test Optional Movement Q&A

Another interesting discussion at WACAC about the Test-Optional movement, which has a growing membership of 700 colleges, presented by admissions officers from Pitzer College and Lawrence University. Good answers to a variety of questions:

• What's the history of the Test Optional movement?
• What's the difference in enrollment and outcome between submitters and non-submitters?
• What part(s) of the application takes the place of emphasis on SAT?
• Do you need to require other classes or remediation for non-submitters?
• What broader correlations do you see with Test Optional?
• How have scholarships changed since going Test Optional?

Bates College was the first school to go Test Optional in 1984. Their publication reports, "In a milestone 20-year study of its well-known policy for optional SATs for admission, Bates College has found no differences in academic performance or graduation rates between submitters and non-submitters." A self-serving, if not provocative, finding. In terms of long-term correlation, Bates saw a 0.1% difference in graduation rate, and a 0.01% GPA difference between submitters and non-submitters.

We all claim that test scores correlate to "success in college," but what does that mean? Are we talking about grades, attendance, matriculation, choice of major, or some more intangible measurements like critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, good ol' fashioned reading, writing, and math skills? It is not surprising that math and science students submit their SAT scores more often than humanities students (math and science colleges want more scores, because they need numbers to stay competitive in their field). Interestingly, the one significant correlation between submitters and non-submitters was that there was a higher percentage of submitters who gained admission to graduate school. Perhaps more interestingly, the study does not specify which group had a higher percentage of students who applied to graduate school in the first place.

The admissions officers at Pitzer and Lawrence continued to challenge our preconceptions of the meaning and validity of these tests. And it's worth asking, WHAT DO TESTS PREDICT? What do they add to our understanding of successful or unsuccessful, however we define that? Lawrence claims that tests make colleges too homogeneous, an amusing if not spot on observation.

Pitzer, part of Claremont Colleges, became Test Optional in 2003. The representative notes that if students have a 3.5 GPA or above, they usually don't submit. Since going Test Optional, Pitzer has seen an increase in students of color, their average GPA has gone up, retention rates have increased, and they have the highest per capita acceptance of Fulbright awards. Even the faculty say students are increasingly creative, thoughtful, and curious.

The Lawrence representative says schools back east want to accept a student, but they don't want those test scores, and this presents a conflict of interest (although it's also a conflict of interest this way: As fewer - and higher - scores are reported, a school's ranking goes up). He notes you'll get more students who resonate with the philosophy of the class, and that's interesting. The biggest flak the school got when it went Test Optional was from alumni. Another point worth noting is that these tests don't assess study skills or time management. Lawrence also saw an increase in applications from students of color, women, and non-native English speakers (though just as telling, there was no increase in the percentage of enrollment). We have multiple intelligences, there are other assessments, we must empower students to represent themselves best. We must ask, what are we about in the admissions process? What are we trying to do at school?

At Pitzer, it's not just an admissions decision (faculty have a say too). There are downsides, like more paperwork and upfront costs in school liasons, and the admissions committee works much harder. Pitzer claims about 50% of its students submit scores (but do they all take it?), and a handful of times scores come up in conversation. A school like Pitzer still does PSAT searches, and they require TOEFL (or Bridge program) for non-native English instruction. But more and more, it's a high school transcript (GPA), and letters of recommendation from teachers that take the place of this standardized weight.

Their last note was a meager plea for a school like Harvard to become Test Optional. They have so many other metrics they can use, and to leverage an Ivy League for looking at admissions differently would cause a sea change not just in the field of higher education, but of holistic education.

What To Do With Education Stimulus Money

We've heard President Obama outline his plan for rebuilding the American economy. He passionately declared that investing more in education is key for us to compete in a global economy.

As details of his plan come to light and Congress earmarks the dollars, it is important that we have two specific goals in mind: 1) Close the achievement gap, and 2) Prepare students for higher education. According to the Chronicle, San Francisco Unified School District is poised to receive nearly $42 million over the next two years from the stimulus package, while Oakland is set to receive nearly $60 million. Other funds will also be made available based on need - $13 billion nationally for schools serving low-income students.

What could SFUSD do with a proposed $42 million? I have several ideas:

• repair, upgrade, and create green school facilities in our poorest neighborhoods
• raise teacher pay and incentives, especially for those who work in low-income schools
  
• hire more teachers to reduce class size to 15 students (see today's article in the LA Times)
  
• hire more aides, para-professionals, tutors, and mentors to work closely with students and teachers during class
• improve teacher and tutor professional development, offering language classes (Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin) and math classes
• pay for after school tutors to supplement classroom work and bring students up to grade level
• prepare students for college entrance exams and help with their college application

Last but certainly not least - get parents involved! A great new site referred to me by a friend, Parent Revolution, is paving the way...

College Admissions in the 21st Century: Education as a Commodity

Continuing my live blogging from WACAC, here are some sobering figures from high school and college graduation:

• High school attrition rates have tripled in the last 30 years
• Only 70% of 9th grade students graduate from high school (the figure is closer to 50% for low-income and minority families)
• United States ranks 11th out of 32 similar industrial nations in terms of educational attainment
• Four-year college grads made 54% more on average than those who attended but didn't graduate

The College Board is presenting a new vision for college admissions in the 21st century. They have drafted an open letter to education professionals, which includes both a declaration of values to guide your profession and a re-framed college discussion and call to action. Some interesting research tidbits and advice from a Santa Monica City College rep:

• Academics - Algebra 2 completion has a significant impact on college success
  
• Summer - keep the mind engaged and reduce cerebral shrinkage after graduation
  
• Persistence - complete at least 20 units in your first year of community college (SMCC transfers more students to 4-year colleges than any other city college)

There's big applause as the College Board rep says it's time to do away with college rankings (I agree). Here's some independent sites to replace your perusal of US News & World Report's annual rankings:

• The College Board
• U-CAN
• College Portal
• Educational Conservancy

Who's going where? There are 18 million students in higher education today. Thirty-four percent attend public universities, 33% attend private schools, 14% attend non-profit institutions of higher learning, and 8% attend for-profit colleges. Online education is the fastest-growing sector of them all, with the University of Phoenix at the top.

Financial Aid Tips from WACAC

Knowledge is power. We've all heard that before, but it rings especially true when it comes to financing your college education. Especially in today's market, it's all about knowing the rules of the game, in this case the Financial Aid game. Here's some tips I picked up to lower your effective family contribution (EFC) from Fox College Funding:

1. If you have more than one student in college, note that! This will lower how much you have to pay for your most recent high school graduate.

2. Note the differences between FAFSA and CSS profile forms. They have different rules and apply different percentages to assets, income, and other financial data.

3. Assets should be reported with a 30-day "quick-sale" value - net of selling fees and taxes.

4. Custodial accounts can be reduced by reimbursing parents for expenses paid on the child's behalf.

5. For divorced families, FAFSA does not take non-custodial parent's financial info into account - for these purposes, custody is defined as the parent with whom the child lives (physically, not legally) the majority of the year.

6. If your first letter is denied, be sure to appeal in writing - from the student - and follow up in person (or over the phone). Other special appeal circumstances: change of employment, excessive debt or medical bills, private K-12 tuition, and supporting other family members. Appeal to other schools, and do some more homework: Check out FinAid!

7. If you can save for college, fill out Section 529 Plans. These are tax-advantaged tuition-savings plan sponsored by the state, state agencies, and educational institutions. For 2009-10 school year, it's counted as an asset.

8. PLUS loans are not financial aid gifts - these are awarded through the federal government - don't get fooled by seeing this on your award letter. (Standardized forms & awards letters coming soon!)

9. Federal Loan rates:

• Direct loans:
• Stafford - 6.8% fixed
• Perkins - 5% fixed
• PLUS - 7.9%

• FFELP loans:
• Stafford - 6.8% fixed
• PLUS - 8.5% fixed

• Military:
• 6% interest rate for borrowers in military

10. Apply for local and regional private scholarships: clubs, foundations, service groups, corporations, banks, individuals, etc. Many are merit-based and awarded to specific ethnicity groups and fields of study. Over $100 million in private scholarship money was not given away last year because students didn't know they were out there!

11. American Opportunity Tax Credit - up to $2500 paid on tuition and school costs can be tax-deductible, thanks to the Obama Administration.

12. Tax saving opportunities for high income families: Gifting, shifting income, and shifting assets.

Five (More) Ways to Fix Our Schools

As always, I find a good article in the NY Times from former New York City schools chancellor Harold Levy. Here are some new - and not so new - ideas about how to save our ailing schools:

1. Raise the age of compulsory education to 19. Instead of being done at 18 after 12th grade, the federal government should pay for 1 year of post-secondary education - community college, vocational school, whatever - from the funds that the public school district would get for that student. "The benefits of an extra year of schooling are beyond question: high school graduates can earn more than dropouts, have better health, more stable lives and a longer life expectancy." Great idea, would be even if Obama put this into his federal education plan.

2. Reduce no-shows with high-pressure sales tactics. Making repeated home visits and early morning phone calls, securing written commitments, and eliciting oral commitments in front of witnesses would be valuable ways to compel parents to ensure that their children go to school every day. Great idea - in my former teaching jobs in Oakland and Providence, RI, and now tutoring in San Francisco and East Palo Alto - the best way to secure student involvement is to keep on top of their parent or guardian. And if not them, then give each student an advocate, an ally.

3. Advertise creatively and aggressively to encourage college enrollment. The University of Phoenix is an extraordinary example of an on-line (for-profit) school spending millions of dollars in advertising (on-line) to grow to an enrollment of 350,000. Although I encourage online discussion and believe education is going more and more into cyberspace, I lament the day we eliminate face-to-face discussion, teacher-tutor-student mentoring, and a relationship that can only be created in person. A good idea, but colleges already advertise, and you'll get more ad space for the richer - not necessarily better - schools.

4. Unseal college accreditation reports. Make these public documents and allow the Department of Education to rate and rank more objectively college performance and prestige. These reports are generally kept secret, and US News & World Report captures our attention with its schools self-aggrandizing themselves and marketing themselves to appear more selective or fill-in-the-blank as they can. This is a great idea.

5. Improve parenting skills. This is tough to evaluate, can often be perceived as patronizing, but increasing our collective compassion for one another is a good thing. Reading to your child as opposed to watching TV or playing a video game is also a sure fire way to increase literacy and improve the chances that your child will be a better applicant for higher education. Decent idea - I have a hard time blaming the parents.

Introducing our College Roundtable

When it comes to the ever-evolving, ever-confusing world of college admissions, there are few people more qualified to provide a dose of reality and clarity to the process than our wonderful network of local college admissions counselors and consultants. So we're kicking off a new College Roundtable that we hope to feature regularly. The idea is to lead with a discussion question and let our local experts share their knowledge. Hopefully, you find it useful! And if you have any questions that you would like to submit for future Roundtable consideration, please email info@tutorpedia.com.

The May 1st deadline for high school seniors to commit to their schools of choice has come and gone. What did you notice that was different - if anything - about this year's process in working with your students and families to make that final decision? To what extent did the economy affect these decisions?


Irena Smith, Irena Smith Consulting
Although the fundamentals of the process have not changed, I have noticed that financial considerations played a more prominent role than in previous years. For the majority of my students, making the final decision still came down to which school offered the best fit; at the same time, schools which offered financial aid incentives, particularly in the form of merit scholarships, appeared far more attractive this year than they would have in years past. Just a week ago, one of my students committed to Princeton over UC Irvine, but the decision was a tough one: she had been named a Regents' Scholar at UC Irvine, and the offer of a free four-year college education, not to mention the multiple other incentives, was difficult to give up -- particularly in a year riven by economic upheaval and uncertainty.

Some private universities, such as Stanford, have recently expanded their financial aid programs, and as a result have seen an unprecedented surge in applications (over 30,000 to Stanford this year). Along similar lines, state universities -- which, in spite of increasing fees, are still a better "deal" -- were inundated with applications and turned away thousands of qualified applicants. Although the official notification deadline was May 1st, I suspect that the process is far from over: many students, affected by the anxiety and uncertainty that have spilled from the economic crisis into so many other aspects of everyday life, applied to many more colleges and universities than they would have ordinarly, just in case. As a result, there may be many unclaimed spots as some students ultimately opt for public education over the more expensive private schools, quite possibly leading many private universities to reach deep into their waitlists as they work to balance their expected and actual student yield.

Terry Piazza, College Counseling Associates
Overall, our office did not see too much difference in the most current trends. The most select colleges are admitting 10% or less and the UC’s are getting more and more selective. We did notice that UCSC was more difficult to get into than previous years. Students will not be able to count Santa Cruz as a safety or back-up college. Additionally, UC Davis, Santa Barbara and Irvine cut their numbers of accepted students in order to accommodate the anticipated rise in yield. This trend made the mid range UCs more selective than in previous years. As far as any economic impact, we did see a rise in the number of families asking about financial aid and/or scholarships. Anecdotally, the smaller liberal arts colleges did seem to accept more of our students maybe because of their ability to pay full tuition.

Dewey Wilmot, Admissions Edge Consulting
May 1st brought the usual mix of soul searching, thoughtful deliberation and sometimes gut-wrenching decision making. The single largest affect of the economy on my clients, as well as other students and families whom I know, has been the enrollment limits within the UC and CSU systems. As usual, the top students (in terms or GPA, test scores and activities) got into the schools with the lowest admissions rates - Cal, UCLA, Cal Poly, etc.) But the students who were minimally eligible were denied at unprecedented rates. In many instances, eligible students were turned away from their local public 4-year colleges and are now facing the prospect of spending a year or more at a community college. When I encounter students in this position, I encourage them to look at it as an opportunity to excel in their classes and plan a curriculum that will allow them to transfer to a UC or CSU at the Junior level. In many cases these students may even be able to set the bar much higher than they might otherwise have. For instance, let's say a student had their sights set on UC Santa Cruz, with a 3.0 GPA and test scores slightly below the UCSC average. Because this student was near the lower limits of eligibility, they were denied admission. This student's dream was to attend college near the beach. but UCSD or UCSB are essentially out of reach for minimally eligible students. BUT, this same student could attend his or her local CC, work hard to earn A's and B's and apply to UCSD, SB or SC with a far greater chance of acceptance. Needless-to-say, California's Community Colleges are stretched to their limits right now. The upcoming budget resolution will be critical to next year's class and beyond!

On the flip-side, private colleges, and many out-of-state public colleges seemed to accept CA students at normal or even above normal rates. The main affect I saw the economy have on the process was in the ever-increasing use of waitlists by private (and even a few public) schools. Full paying students seemed to also have unprecedented negotiating ability during the waitlist process and colleges (despite the hits to endowments) didn't seem any less generous with their scholarship money. The well known, obvious example is RPI confirming with potential waitlist candidates that there will be a scholarship grant ($5000+) awaiting them IF they are to be selected off of the waitlist. Granted, this offer was given in prior years, before the current economic downturn, but it is symbolic of the type of thing going on at other schools: aggressive use of the waitlist as a recruiting tool.

Carola Ingram, Independent College Adviser
In Fall as the economy was clearly going haywire, I was working with two students who were obviously good candidates for early decision -- sure there was only one college for them, and good candidates for that college. In both cases, I advised the parents that financial aid this year seemed problematic at best, so they needed to be comfortable with these colleges even if no aid was available. Happily, in both cases the students were admitted, and in one case, the student received some merit money (from a small, very well-endowed liberal arts college), which obviously pleased the parents. I do think that families went into application season with trepidation about the economy, but didn't see very many of them change their college ideas drastically. I advised all my clients to have a "financial safety" college, which in many cases was a Cal State University campus.

In April, as regular admission students were making decisions, I found that it often goes back to their gut feelings, which they sometimes express the first time I meet with them. One client passed up a significant athletic scholarship to attend the "large, urban, diverse school back East" that she described the first time I met her. Another passed up several opportunities and decided to stay closer to home and try an architecture major, saying "if I don't try it now, I may regret it later." In both of these cases, the economy wasn't really a factor in the final decision -- it was more a matter of what spoke to the heart of the student. Remember that these are 17 and 18-year-olds, so they don't make decisions the way we adults might. That said, I know of several families who are very happy their students chose a CSU or a UC campus for financial reasons.

You've got questions, we've got answers

The New York Times college admissions blog "The Choice" has been running a nice series of Q&A sessions called the End Game with two counselors: Ted de Villafranca of the Peddie School in New Jersey and Lolli Lucas Clark of the Brentwood School in California. I posted one of their questions below from a frustrated parent whose child was denied acceptance to top-end colleges despite excellent credentials...a familiar theme this Spring.

We've heard from a number of our readers who find this kind of Q&A interaction between parents and experienced college counselors/consultants helpful in learning more about the admissions process. So in a few weeks here, we hope to launch a similar feature with local Bay Area counselors and admissions consultants. More later, stay tuned!

Q: My daughter is a senior from a public school with a class size of 589. She has a 4.0 GPA with mostly advanced and AP classes, except required classes. She has an SAT of 2,250, ACT 36. So she is a National Merit finalist, President Scholar candidate, and a winner of MI Southeast Conference All Academy Award (only five students in her school win). She is a cellist in symphony orchestra and a varsity crew member on the rowing team.

Yet she was rejected by four Ivy schools and put on the waiting list for the University of Chicago. What went wrong? Her counselor was stunned by her rejection. What should she do to get off the waiting list?

Also, does a parent’s call to the admissions office help or hurt?

A: Your daughter sounds like a terrific scholar, musician, and athlete. The world of selective college admissions is so hyper-competitive that trying to read the tea leaves about why decisions were rendered is almost impossible.

The Ivy League and highly selective schools admit anywhere between 8 and 15 percent (roughly) of their applicant pools. Unfortunately they are unable to admit literally thousands upon thousands of highly qualified applicants. We often think, “What else could these students possibly do?” Thankfully, there are a number of wonderful college options which, in our mind, offer the same type of educational and extracurricular experiences. Gender does play a role and it is simply more competitive for young women at most places these days.

In terms of pursuing her wait-list offer, she should send an e-mail to the regional admissions officer stating her strong and unqualified interest (being straightforward and unequivocal: if admitted I will enroll, etc). We also think it is important to send a letter to the admissions office with any recent accomplishments. In the letter it is helpful for the admissions committee to be able to discern genuine interest by reiterating why you think the school would be such a good match.

In terms of a phone call, I would leave that to your daughter and her guidance counselor. We would certainly address all information to the regional admission officer who oversees your daughter’s school with a “hard copy” to the person who signed her letter offering her a spot on the wait list.

In this situation, it may also help to have an additional letter of recommendation sent. Maintaining and sustaining that interest is important, but being relentless (annoying) gets you nowhere. We wish you both the best.

College Admissions, Twitter and Facebook

The way that we give and receive information today is worlds apart from how we exchanged information 30 years ago. Technology created an even bigger chasm in the past 5-10 years. In 2009, with the advent of micro-feeders like Twitter and Facebook, there are incredible ways to share little bits of information, and I have mixed feelings about it...

When it comes to gaining insight into college admissions, you miss the bigger picture of getting a holistic view of the process - visiting schools, talking with professors, hanging out with students - you can't minimize those aspects and create 140 characters worth of meaning from that. On the other hand, we have so many different outlets of news, so many different thoughts we'd like to express, sometimes snapshots are the best way to do so - or at least to start there.

College admissions officers often look at Facebook and Twitter profiles, not as a make-or-break decision with their prospective students, but just to get an idea of who this student is behind the application papers. What is the contect behind the Facebook photos and the Twitter tweets? Because at the end of the day, as brief as we make our comments, and as we digest the latest news into smaller and smaller bits of information, they will only be as relevant as we make them. If the content in those tweets, facebook updates, emails, and blogs are worth reading about, we will start there, and then continue to peruse libraries and cyberspace for a wide variety of sources.

Battling Senioritis

Jay Mathews of The Washington Post writes an intriguing article on the causes of "Senioritis" - that all-to-familiar spring slump that 12th graders inevitably fall victim to - challenging teachers to keep up the rigor and creative learning process even at the end of school. "The important part of the learning process," Mathews argues, "is not pounding in the material but thinking it over, talking about it, coming up with new and intriguing ways of connecting it to the rest of the world." He writes that an AP environmental science teacher in Delaware has students assign their own field trips, and forces them to be clear about what they have learned by writing their own multiple-choice questions for the next exam. Big Picture schools avert Senioritis by immersing students in real-world projects and internships, allowing students to pursue their own interests and passions, substituting narratives and exhibitions for grades and multiple-choice tests.

It takes good teaching to keep students engaged. Senioritis, just an "admirable urge to do things differently," should not be allowed to become an unchallenged slump. Good teaching in creative environments can triumph over dispassionate learning, even with graduation around the corner.

Plenty of Financial Aid Available, Just Need to Work Hard to Find It

Harry Le Grande, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs at the University of California, Berkeley wrote a letter to the editor on May 7, 2009, that underscored the harsh reality of being denied financial aid this Great Recession. Yet he also offered a bit of hope and advice: "All middle-class students and their parents should know that other avenues of assistance exist, including the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, which ensures that families with total income of less than $60,000 have their systemwide fees covered by grants and scholarships." The UC system follows strict federal formulas for calculating financial aid eligibility, so this is a welcomed relief to those lower- and middle-income families.

One student received a mere $212 in financial aid from Berkeley - more of a token gesture than anything - and so hopes to get accepted to a more selective, smaller liberal arts school, on the chance that the school will pay his tuition in full. As May 1 hit, the day Berkeley's $100 deposit was due, one student netted about $1,500 in outside scholarships, mostly from the California Scholarship Federation, a statewide organization. Other organizations to apply for college assistance: Rotary Club of Los Angeles (up to $2,000 grants), and D.R.E.A.M.S. ($5000 grant for Developing a Responsible, Educated and Moral Society). There's more money for college out there than ever before, it just takes more determination and perseverance to get it.

College Students Make Timely May 1 Decisions

One student favored City University of New York over Harvard and Columbia. Another chose Columbia over Cornell and University of Chicago. One student's first choice is another's safety school. To no surprise, according to this recent article, financial packages made a big impact on student's final choices of college. Students posted their responses on Facebook and bought on-line T-shirts to make the decision more permanent. It's the hardest choice students have made at the time, and many students waited until the last minute, May 1, to do so. If I can speak to any personal experience at Stanford and Brown - and having family, friends and colleagues graduate from city colleges, the UC system, and a wide array of small liberal arts schools - students will make what they want out of their college experience. You can have fun and be challenged at any school, depending on what you choose to do while you're there. Be it CUNY, Columbia, or a University of California school, take pride in your choice of college, and make the most of it. You have a fun and challenging time ahead.

Colleges Make Accommodations for Students with Learning Disabilities

It's hard enough transitioning from high school to college - moving away from home, becoming more independent, getting used to a more challenging academic environment. Factor into this transition a learning disability, and this transition can be downright daunting. Yet many colleges, big and small, have programs specifically designed for incoming students with documented disabilities. Consider the following ways to plan ahead for your child's transition to college:

• Medications may need adjusting
• Plan for a place to get refills
• Factor in additional services:
• student learning centers
• programs that focus on study skills and organizational strategies
• office of disability services
• other specialized services for A.D.H.D, dyslexia, or other LDs

The University of Arizona has a flagship Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques Center, where a learning specialist is matched with a student, providing mentoring, tutoring, and counseling services. Landmark College in Vermont and Beacon College in Florida run exclusively for students with learning disabilities.

Finally, there's no better research than your own. Check out the following guides: “The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students With Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder” (Princeton Review) and “Survival Guide for College Students With A.D.H.D. or L.D.” (American Psychological Association). Kathleen G. Nadeau, author of “Survival Guide,” recommends trying to find out about the college’s general attitude toward providing accommodations, and how difficult it is to get them. One way is talking to students who are using the services.

As a last bit of caution, there was an interesting article in the New Yorker last week about college students abusing their prescription drugs - and a growing number of undiagnosed students taking Ritalin offshoots for "cognitive enhancement." Best advice is just to stay in touch with your kids, make sure they use - not abuse - the tools to thrive in college.

Financing Your College Education (Part 3)

With all the uncertainty about how to afford a private (or public) college education these days, it's refreshing to read a proactive article on financial aid planning. Though quite technical at some points, parents should find solace and good advice from Rob Lieber of the New York Times. One financial planner suggests an approach he calls “20-20-20.” Take the current average cost of attending four years at a public university: roughly $60,000. Save $20,000 before your child begins college by putting aside $50 a month starting at birth and assuming a 6 percent annual return. Pay $20,000 out of current income while the student is in college, and finally, have your child take out $20,000 in federal student loans over four years. The $200 monthly payments afterward are not a horrible burden for 20-somethings to bear, and they’ll be debt free once the 10-year payback period is over.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other forms you may encounter are intimidating, but fill them out anyway, even if you don’t think you’ll win grants from your chosen college - you never know where you might end up or how your financial circumstances may change. If grandparents wish to step in at this late stage, be aware that giving money to parents or making tuition payments directly to the college can have a big impact on aid eligibility. Consider paying off the child’s loans (or the parents’) after college graduation.

In short, there are many ways to plan - and save - for college. For most parents, the best way to save for a child’s college education is still through a 529 savings plan. With 529s, you deposit after-tax money, but any earnings are free of taxes as long as you spend them on tuition, room, board and other postsecondary educational expenses.

College Night Recap (part 2)

More tidbits from Tuesday night's college fair. Part 1 focused more on Q&A from Stanford and Georgetown. Here are some random asides I picked up from listening to the other three schools in attendance.

Harvard
Q: What can my child to do stand out from amongst your applicant pool and improve his chances of being admitted?
A: Students we admit to Harvard we know can do the work and thrive in the academic setting. So in our decision-making process, we often look at the likelihood the student will pursue other interests they have on campus that will enrich not only their experience but the experience of other students at Harvard. We don’t want students to come and study 20 hrs a day and never see the light of day. Getting involved with your classmates is the real experience. The library is closed on Fridays for a reason. Students will often spend 3 hours for every hour they spend in the class doing extra-curricular activities whether it be athletics or various clubs.

The fact of our admissions process is we have to end up not admitting so many excellent kids. I can remember one applicant who had upper 700 level test scores, she was in the upper 5% of her class, an All-American swimmer and she had a great interview. But she wasn't accepted through no fault of her own. There are so many different things that will make a student stand out. Maybe its your overall academic excellence or your research or your singing ability. Maybe it's your leadership ability. Perhas you're not the elected leader but the backbone of the school and people notice it. Not everyone is a leader, but we admit many of them.

Penn
- Make sure you take what’s challenging at your school. AP classes alone are not a counting stat for us, because some schools don’t offer them or don’t have as many of them.
- We reach admissions decisions by consensus, there is not voting. Everyone around the table has to agree so there is no reconsideration of decisions.

Duke
- We read every application twice. Perhaps the most important part of the application is your essay. This is really your chance to lend your voice in the process and tell us what you are passionate about.
- There’s are far more applicants who didn’t get the perfect SAT or ACT score than those that did. There are also those who have had more bumps in the road than others. That is why we try to look at the whole applications to really understand that makes the student tick.

Financial Aid
The 5 private universities in attendance at Tuesday night's college night (Stanford, Duke Penn, Georgetown and Harvard) made it clear through their presentations that they were among 20 private institutions that adhered to a need-blind admissions process. What this means is that admissions officers do not look at an applicant's family income or financial aid need when making admit decisions.

Much of the advice given by the admissions officers this evening revolved around the fact that the financial aid process, while complex and confusing at times, is fluid and "a conversation". They definitely encouraged parents in the crowd to pickup the phone and call their offices. They also pointed out that unlike the admissions process where decisions are final, the financial aid appeals process exists to help families who feel their financial aid award doesn't accurately reflect your family's circumstances.

Transfer Possibilities Increase at Some Schools

There will be tough decisions ahead for high school graduates as they pour over college acceptances this month. Students who did not get into their top college, fear not, there are many schools where it's easier to get into as a transfer than a freshman. While it's true, the Ivies and many competitive institutions make it tougher to get in as transfers - Dartmouth accepts 7% of transfers, Yale 4%, Stanford 1-2%, and Harvard and Princeton shut their doors to transfers - other select colleges have increased their transfer acceptance rate by 50% or more. Cornell, M.I.T, Georgetown, and Notre Dame all admitted more transfers than freshmen, and Vanderbilt admits 55% of transfers as opposed to only 25% of traditional incoming freshmen. Most colleges say it's all about the transfer essay, and many campuses prefer the non-traditional route of a 2-year community college experience before the Ivy Leagues become a reality.

College Night Recap (part 1)

I attended the Exploring College Options panel in Oakland tonight which was held jointly by Stanford, Harvard, Penn, Duke and Georgetown. Lots of families in attendance so much so that there was an overflow room. After each of the schools gave their presentation, there was a broader Q&A session. Here are some tidbits of knowledge provided from the respective admissions officers starting with Stanford and Georgetown.

How can I best prepare my child who is currently a freshman to be competitive in applying for these universities?

Georgetown response:

• Take the most competitive load of coursework that you can possibly handle. Push yourself and it will show through on the transcript.

• Get compelling letters of recommendation especially from your teachers who know you best. You don’t want to have a letter written on your behalf that states you were the kid who sat in the front of the class and got an A. What we love to see are qualities that will transfer well to our incoming admit class, qualities that will enrich the experience of your peers at Georgetown. For example, perhaps your teacher can speak to the fact that you really pushed your peers to work harder or think for themselves or that you were a natural leader.

• Show your passion for something. It can sometimes be asking a lot of an 18 year old particularly those applicants who only show a passion for their grades, but this is what means something to us and can separate you from others. If you have a real passion for something - something that isn't contrived - something that only you believe colleges will care about, it will jump off the page and resonate.
  

Stanford response:

• We already know that 80% of our applicants can handle the academic rigors of Stanford. What we're looking for is something different. We're looking for commitment. And it often shows in extra-curricular activities. Why have you engaged in the extra-curricular activities that you did? How long was your commitment to them? Did you make an impact in the community?

• In your essays, spend just one line explaining what the activity was. But spend the rest of the page explaining how it was significant for you, and how it may have changed your trajectory for high school or college. Because that kind of passion and growth will most likely lead you to engage others in the classroom or the campus community.

How much will SATs and APs factor in?

Stanford response:

• Test scores are part of a holistic academic profile. It’s one component beyond your transcript and a measurement tool. But one bad AP score or lower SAT score will not eliminate you from the applicant pool. We look at it as a 1-day performance but how you did in the class is also something we look at.

Georgetown response:

• Grades will really reflect your academic tenacity. Test scores are just one piece. The strength of your recommendations will tell us whether you're the type of student who will stay up until 2 am to finish your reading or whether you’ll close your book and go to bed at 10.

You've heard from schools, now the real (financial aid) game begins

As the thick envelopes roll in this time of year, many families find themselves declining acceptance offers to their preferred (and often more expensive) schools in favor of the option that makes the most financial sense. Enter the financial aid award and the beginning of an elaborate dance. Parents facing layoff notices and losses in personal income and equity are naturally preparing to go to bat with admissions office to negotiate the more competitive aid packages. What they're often finding is not much wiggle room. In the case of Boston University, profiled in a great Times article from this past weekend, haggling for more dollars may result in an additional $500 to $2,000. While BU is offering the same level of financial aid this year as last, there's perhaps a great emphasis on being strategic with how those dollars are allocated. In other words, the select tier of high-achieving students targeted by BU are more likely to have their family need met or exceeded through need-based and merit-based aid. Other admits will receive need-based aid packages that fall short of expectations, and BU readily admits the student will probably never enroll.

Santa Clara University which runs $46,000 annually for tuition, room and board is having alumni phone every admitted student in an effort to stem the attrition of admits heading to other schools.

Financing Your College Education (Part 2)

About three-quarters of this country’s college lending is carried out through the private program, known as the Federal Family Education Loan Program. Under this arrangement, lenders are paid huge subsidies to make student loans that are virtually risk-free, guaranteed by the government. The direct-lending proposal - which would amount to $94 billion according to the Congressional Budget Office - is in the country’s best interest.

Private fund-raising will always remain a reality, however, yet colleges are having a hard time keeping their endowments up. At the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, for instance, fund-raisers are telling potential donors that some $30 million in requests for aid remain outstanding. On the other hand, Hamilton College’s $6 million annual fund drive is already flat compared with last year. “Flat is the new up,” Mr. Hysell, director of annual giving, said. The college based its pitch on a recent alumni survey in which almost 90 percent said they wanted their donations to support scholarships. “So, rather than talking about how a $100 donation buys 45 compact fluorescent light bulbs, we’re talking about how their gift affects a student in need,” Mr. Hysell said. That's a good way to raise funds.

College Admissions Inequities

The SAT may never completely go away, but trends show a much less prominent feature on future college applications. Many more colleges are taking a less enthusiastic approach to SAT and ACT scores this year; more than 800 colleges have already deemphasized test scores in the admissions process (see a full list here). There is growing concern that an over-reliance on standardized exams -- and the test prep that affluent families can afford to spend on them -- is leading to a wider socioeconomic gap at the college level.

Bob Schaeffer, co-founder and public education director for the nonprofit National Center for Fair and Open Testing, has long urged colleges to reconsider the entrance exam requirement, saying the tests are stacked against kids without financial resources. "Our biggest concern about the SAT is that the SAT, rather than a gateway to opportunity, reinforces the factors that hold kids back from access to college... [SAT scores] march up -- it varies -- by about 30 to 50 points for every $20,000 in family income."

What's more, high school grades -- not SAT scores -- tend to be a better predictor of college grades. Appropriately, high school counselors have been pushing recently to emphasize more academic assessments like AP exams, SAT subject tests, and International Baccalaureates in the college admissions process. There may soon be a day when we can accurately measure and assess a student's potential with a portfolio of work, not just a number out of 2400.

Financing Your College Education

How do families pay for college when investments for college funds have depreciated by 75%? Tally Hart, former head of financial aid at Ohio State University, and Bill Hiss, vice president for external affairs at Bates College, share their thoughts about how to finance today's college experience. One bit of good news is that Pell Grants are being increased, along with a host of other federal and state funding. Grants are usually based on family income and are paid by the federal or states governments and the colleges themselves. Student loans most often come from the fed, and that helps with lower interest. First step, fill out your FAFSA form. Read or listen to one high school senior from Portland, Maine talk about his personal plans to pay for college and the various options he has.

Colleges Eliminate Out-of-State Tuition

Schools across the country are reducing or eliminating out-of-state tuition to attract more students in the depressed economy. "It is about economics, in a sense, but it's also about having a mixture of students from all over the country, from all over the world," says Southern Illinois University President Glenn Poshard. With the economy in a deep slump, however, eliminating non-resident tuition could be a double-edged sword.

California, for example, has a budget deficit of more than $40 billion, and the state's colleges are facing unprecedented cuts. Students in this state are getting bumped not only from four-year schools, but also from overcrowded community colleges. "It's a really strange, perverse kind of policy when you have thousands and thousands of students in state who need the access and who, without the access, are really not going to help the state flourish," Lillian Taiz, president of the California Faculty Association says.

UC Schools Reduce Enrollment for 2009-10

Despite record-level applicants to UC schools this year, the University of California will stick to reducing its admission by 2,300 students. "This was an exceptionally competitive year," said Susan Wilbur, director of the university system's undergraduate admissions. Budget uncertainties and an expected tuition hike of nearly 10 percent in the fall clouded this year's admissions decisions. Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz have all reduced their number of freshman admissions offers, while Berkeley and San Diego wait-listed more than 3,000 students for the spring term of 2010 instead of fall 2009. The good news is that all UC-eligible students - and about 72% of all applicants - were offered admission somewhere in the UC system.

Students More Likely To Be Wait-Listed This Spring

With the uncertain economy driving increasing numbers of applicants toward colleges that offer either prestige or value, families should be prepared for the possibility of being placed on a wait list. Many universities have been purposefully admitting less applicants this Spring in an effort to exercise greater control over their incoming class size. For example, let's say in past years, College A would issue 10,000 acceptance letters knowing that 50% would historically accept and enroll. This year, there's a strong paranoia amongst admissions officials that bargain-seeking students will result in higher enrollment rates which is good only if the university has the capacity to accommodate them. If College A only has enough dorm rooms for 5,000 students but 7,000 students decide to enroll, it's a logistical/planning nightmare.

Naturally, many universities are lowering their acceptance rates this Spring and conversely increasing their waiting lists. A larger wait list doesn't necessarily mean your chances of acceptance have decreased. It does however mean the wait to find will undoubtedly be longer.

How Should We Test Our Students?

E. D. Hirsch, Jr. said that what we bring to the printed page determines how much we get from the printed page. Hirsch believes in a strict content-based curriculum, opposed to a skills-based approach to learning. These opposing philosophies of testing and learning are explored in several Letters to the Editor.

Think about the inordinate amount of time we spend on test preparation, which, in addition to having questionable value, has caused a serious narrowing of the curriculum. We have seen a sharp decline in the number of hours spent in social studies, science, art, music and physical education. Unfortunately, in our attempt to inch up test scores, we have not only forgotten our definition of the educated person, but we have created a school environment where children know less about the world and have difficulties becoming better readers - just better test-takers.

Financial Aid Increases at Top Schools

For decades, in-state tuition was the one advantage big state schools had that even the Ivy League couldn't match, in terms of recruiting the best and the brightest to their campuses. These days, though, that's no longer the case. Starting this September, some students will find a Harvard degree cheaper than one from many public universities. Though Harvard's is the most generous to date, Princeton, Dartmouth, Yale and Stanford have all launched similar plans to cap tuition contributions for students from low- and middle-income families. Students on financial aid at nearly every Ivy stand a good chance of graduating debt-free, thanks to loan-elimination programs introduced over the past five years. Other exclusive schools have followed their lead, as Williams, Amherst, Davidson College, and William & Mary all replaced loans with grants and work-study aid starting last year.

SAT in the Recession

Parents of students who are taking the SAT test in May know that test prep can be an expensive proposition, limited mainly to affluent families who can afford expensive private tutoring sessions. Yet in a deepening recession that has forced families to cut back, the test-prep industry has responded by lowering prices, and business is diversifying. In addition to growing their online presence, test prep programs are expanding into an often subsidized arena: tutoring by public and private schools. Companies like Princeton Review and Kaplan are increasingly pushing their classes to high-end private schools and low-income public schools, while other tutoring companies choose to outsource their tutoring to India, lowering the cost while increasing the distance of student-tutor relationship.

As you decide what - if any - is the best recourse for SAT prep, be sure to consider price, but more importantly, how does your child learn best? In a class setting with a structured curriculum, with an on-line tutor for quick answers, or with a personal, in-home, one-on-one tutor? Answering these questions - while keeping perspective on the significance and relevance of SAT scores - will help prepare you and your child for the hyped-up exam.

Is This The Year For A Gap Year?

With financial aid availability unpredictable, and few jobs awaiting graduating college graduates, the herd mentality of going to college and finishing as quickly as possible is shifting ever so slightly. More and more college-bound seniors are considering a gap year or bridge year before enrolling in college. Many students use a gap year (imagine a one-year sabbatical between high school graduation and freshman year of college) to travel overseas or perform impactful volunteer work. Most agree that a gap year, utilized effectively, can provide for a more purposeful and enriching college experience.

There can even be some financial benefits to delaying college a year if it means adding another sibling in college to the household (read: marginal increase in financial aid eligibility) or more federal grant monies authorized by the Obama administration to trickle down to colleges for disbursement.

Tutoring, Relationships, and Rigor

When he was a child, Barack Obama's mother would wake him up at 4:30 a.m. to tutor him for a few hours before he went off to school. David Brooks of The New York Times reports that this experience is the perfect preparation for reforming American education because it highlights the two traits necessary for academic success: relationships and rigor.

The young Obama had a loving relationship with an adult passionate about his future. He also had at least one teacher, his mom, not inclined to put up with any of his crap. President Obama now wants to use student and teacher data to drive education reform. Yet as much as tutors can help students prepare for state and national standardized tests, these data points should not be the sole measure of a student's academic worth. Until we can find assessments that more accurately measure problem-solving skills and critical thinking ability, these exams will only tell part of the picture.

Score Choice: How Important is the SAT?

The history of the SAT is an interesting story involving the Ivy Leagues and Army recruits. More than 80 years later, it still determines the fate of many high school graduates. Score Choice is the newest SAT policy that lets students report only what scores they want to colleges. Some believe that Score Choice benefits only affluent students who can afford to take the test many times. However, as Laurence Bunin of USA Today argues, repeating the test does not guarantee score gains, and score improvements from taking the test more than twice are very small, if any. He argues the SAT is challenging enough, and Score Choice remedies the issue by not penalizing students if they didn't put their best foot forward on test day.

To read a different view of the importance of SATs, check out FairTest's report Test Scores Do Not Equal Merit. Over 815 four-year colleges and universities across the U.S., acting on the belief that "test scores do not equal merit," do not use the SAT or ACT to make admissions decisions about a substantial number of their incoming freshmen classes.

College Admissions Process: Time To Rethink?

The downturn economy and shifting demographics have made this year's college admissions process more than a dramatic game. Cliff Mason of CNBC asks, "Is it time to rethink college admissions?" In today's climate, does it make sense to spend $200,000 on a private college education when no one will hire you when you graduate? (Aside: I've never seen so many MBAs out of work.) What's more disturbing: there is a growing number of businesses setting up students with community service projects solely to help students "promote" themselves on college applications.

Judy Prothro, a counselor at Los Altos High School, says that students have fewer safety schools, and she sees the stress students feel translating into an increased number of applications. The Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, and other schoosl across the Peninsula, offers Naviance as a tool for the college research and admissions process. The Naviance program provides a link between school and home with a customized, secure Web site that supports college planning and advising.

Obama's $100 Billion Education Plan, Part 2

Speaking with refreshing candor and knowledge about the State of our Education, President Obama officially laid out his plan for ending the "race to the bottom" in our public schools, promising a more rigorous and creative approach than the lackluster and underfunded No Child Left Behind Act. Among his many points:

- End limits on the number of charter schools while closing those that are not working
- Replace fill-in-the-bubble tests with more sophisticated examinations that better measure problem-solving and critical thinking skills
- Increased pay for teachers who work in math and science and are shown to produce the largest achievement gains over time
- $5 billion investment in Head Start and Early Head Start programs

Feeding Our Students Better

In the midst of bailouts and stimulus packages, Alice Waters - founder of Berkeley's Chez Panisse and grand dame of the "Slow Food" Movement - asks an important question: How much would it cost to feed 30 million American school children a wholesome meal? She says it could be done for about $5 per child, or roughly $27 billion a year, plus a one-time investment in real kitchens. A healthy school lunch program would bring long-term savings and benefits in the areas of hunger, children’s health and dietary habits, food safety, environmental preservation and energy conservation. Currently, the United States Department of Agriculture gives public schools cash for every meal they serve — $2.57 for a free lunch, $2.17 for a reduced-price lunch and 24 cents for a paid lunch. In 2007, the program cost around $9 billion, a figure widely acknowledged as inadequate to cover food costs.

UC Schools Raise Tuition 10%

These are tough economic times, and although prices are falling many places, they are rising at our UC schools. Facing a significant budget shortfall - the state decided to slash $115.5 million from UC over two years - the University of California plans to increase tuition at its 10 campuses by 9.3 percent by July, in time for the summer session. Under the proposal, families earning more than $100,000 would pay the full fee increase, families earning from $60,000 to $100,000 would pay half the fee increase, and families earning less than $60,000 would not be subject to the fee increase. Various student services fees are expected to rise, as well. Keep this in mind as you are preparing your 2009-10 school budget!

False Admissions Hope

As if college admissions wasn't already a cutthroat process, now the applicants themselves are playing odds-makers rating their peers' chances of getting into selective schools. Students who frequent the popular College Confidential "What Are My Chances?" forum can post their test scores, GPAs, extracurricular activities, and other relevant information to get an informal assessment of where they stand in the admissions process. Peer-to-peer comments as you would expect are not always flattering or encouraging. Bruce Poch, Dean of Admissions at Pomona College, says "some of them are getting false encouragement, some are getting a little ego massage, [but] they aren't necessarily getting an answer."

Where Did All The College Visits Go?

If you haven't noticed already, your high school's college visit calendar is probably looking bare as colleges and universities reorganize their admissions operations to stay lean in tough times. Admissions offices at MIT and Harvard are cutting staff, scaling back on travel and marketing budgets and starting to focus more on recruiting locally. What does this mean for prospective Bay Area college applicants? It's more likely that you'll have to reach out to out-of-state colleges on your own or rely on multi-school college fairs (like Exploring College Options) to have a chance to talk face-to-face with admissions staff. We'll keep you posted on any fairs coming through the Bay Area this Spring.

UC Schools Overhaul Admissions Process

The UC Board of Regents approved the most sweeping changes in admission standards in almost 50 years. "The bottom line is that it will be more diverse and more fair," says UC President Mark Yudof says. This is good news for anyone applying to UC schools. The following changes will affect the freshman class of 2012:

- SAT subject tests will no longer be necessary
- The considered applicant pool will widen, but the number guaranteed entry will shrink
- The top 9 percent of high school graduates statewide will be ensured entry, as well as those in the top 9 percent of their graduating class

Q & A with Admissions Officers

Read a great Q&A session with a panel of admissions officers from Yale University, Pomona College, Lawrence University, and University of Texas at Austin. Questions were submitted by high school students and Times editors. Topics ranged far and wide, and included common misperceptions, standardized tests, financial aid, essay writing, fairness and what not to do when trying to make a good impression.

Tough Choices for College Admissions

It should come as no surprise that each year gets tougher and tougher to get into college. This year is no different, as a perfect storm of shifting factors - demographics, culture, and the economy - has made this one of the most difficult ever for college admissions.

In terms of demographics, more Baby Boom children are college-aged, and a higher percentage are applying to college. Combine that with our ultra-competitive culture that emerges when most jobs now require a college degree, and our down-spiraling economy that makes the classroom a better option than the office, and you have an applicant pool wider and deeper than ever before.

Considering (and despite) all these factors, schools are receiving more early admissions applications, giving more in financial aid, and finding new and creative ways of screening applicants (webcams!)...

Obama's $100 Billion Education Plan

President Obama plans on involving the government in education funding more than ever before, ushering in "a new era in federal education spending". Obama's stimulus bill will raise spending on Title I schools, special education, and Pell Grants, the most important federal program of aid to college students. The proposed stimulus bill will raise federal education funds to about $135 billion this year, and to about $146 billion in 2010. Other federal agencies would administer about $20 billion in additional education-related spending.

Harvard Onboard with Score Choice, SAT Scores Still Matter

Harvard University Dean of Admissions covered these topics among others in a recent interview:

- Importance of SAT/ACT: despite leading a commission to de-emphasize test scores, Harvard still cares about them
- Score Choice: despite all the criticism, applicants should have the option to present their best test scores
- Financial Aid Overhaul: as a result of their new financial aid guidelines, Harvard saw a 30% increase in admits from households earning less than $80,000 annually.

State Schools Looking More Attractive, Seeing More Applications

With the economy sliding, it should come as no surprise that public universities and state colleges are becoming more and more popular among applicants looking for value in their tuition dollars. Massachusetts state colleges saw a 60% increase in applications last year while SUNY admissions officials are having to manage the number of admits in 2009 after unexpectedly high freshmen enrollment last year. These trends undoubtedly mean the top public schools (UC schools, Univ of Michigan, Univ of Virginia) are going to become even more competitive than they already were.

Welcome to The Thick Envelope!

This is Tutorpedia’s new blog covering all things college admissions. As a service to our many loyal clients, we realize that many of you invest in academic tutoring with an eye towards helping your child prepare for college and by necessity the college admissions process. It seems each year the process grows more frustrating and confusing; some of this can be attributed to the growing amount of information (and misinformation) available from colleges, industry analysts, and so-called experts. We don’t proclaim to be experts in the field of college admissions. However, what we do seek to accomplish with The Thick Envelope is provide a reliable and well-maintained resource of news links and information from the experts we do know.

So please visit us often, and let us know what you’re looking for. Our goal, just as it’s been Tutorpedia’s goal, is to do whatever we can to help your child succeed in school and beyond.

New Website, New Year!

Welcome to our new website! Thank you for taking the time to check out one of our newest editions: Tutorpedia’s Blog. In addition to our new blog, we have brand new Tutor Search functions, User Accounts, and College Resources sections. I hope these new features make our site more user-friendly and our tutoring more effective and enduring.

We are continuing to write SAT curriculum that we will pilot in the early months of 2009. Through No Child Left Behind, we continue to contract with new school districts – Berkeley and Oakland this year – to provide free tutoring services to low-income and under-performing students.

The coming election provides us with a chance to make our voices heard in the political process, and whatever your political bent, I urge you to take the time to vote. I am forever frustrated that our country’s failing educational system is not seen as a national crisis – we can spend billions on wars and Wall Street bailouts, but we can’t seem to find the resources to sufficiently fund and fix our decaying public schools – where 1 in 3 students drop out before they graduate. I hope that our tutors and students will one day find their way to the top levels of local and national politics to change this.

In a more practical sense, let me provide several opportunities for parents to help their kids survive the steep expectations and more competitive landscape that comes with starting a new school year:

Plan your year – Mark your calendars!
You have the whole school year in front of you – before you fill your schedule with football games, school dances, and family vacations, ask your teacher when major assignments, tests, and projects are due. Mark your calendars in advance, noting AP exams, Finals, the SAT or ACT. We can’t plan for everything, but that which we can plan for, we should.

Prepare ahead of time – Stay current in class!
Don’t wait until the week (or day) before a test to start studying! In my many years as a student, teacher, and tutor, it still amazes me how many of us try to cram everything in to one day or one week’s worth of preparation. Keep up with your homework daily, attend regular study sessions with friends, and make sure your tutor is available to help out on a regular basis – not just to bail you out last-minute.

Promote college interest – Visit schools together!
Stay involved in your children’s academics, promoting and encouraging their interests inside and outside of school. Talk to them about where they’d like to go to college, and if you can, take them on visits to their favorite schools. This is a great bonding experience for students and parents, and also reduces the anxiety of having to choose between schools you’ve never seen or experienced.

As the Jewish New Year passes, I try to both pause and reflect on the past year - I hold on to what I want, and throw off what I'd like to leave behind. As we all begin this new school year, I wish you a happy and healthy year - a year of continued academic and personal growth.