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
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
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.
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:
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'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?
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.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
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:
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
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
- 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)
- The College Board
- U-CAN
- College Portal
- Educational Conservancy
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:
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.
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
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.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, May 25, 2009
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.
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.
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.
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.
Monday, May 18, 2009
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.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
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.
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.
Monday, May 11, 2009
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.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
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:
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.
- 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
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.
Monday, May 4, 2009
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.Saturday, May 2, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
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.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
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:
Stanford response:
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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
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.
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.
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