Is College Admission Really More Competitive?
This month’s issue includes:
- Is College Admission Really More Competitive? – each year, the media makes it seem that it is getting harder and harder to be accepted to college. But is that really true? Is college admission today really more competitive?
- The Best Colleges for Pre-meds – “the truth is that there’s not one right kind of college for a pre-med, in the same way that there’s not one right kind of doctor. Large universities, small liberal arts colleges, Ivy League schools, and everything in between: they all have their advantages and downsides.” Learn what to look for here.
- College Loans – paying for college is a significant challenge for many families. Once all types of grants, scholarships, work study options, jobs and family contributions are cumulatively considered, many families find they still must borrow money to cover the remaining costs. Let’s look at loan options.
- Using Your PSAT Score Report for Planning Purposes – the PSAT is not used by colleges in the admission process, but the results can help you better understand your academic strengths and weaknesses and suggest the skills you should focus on in preparing for college entrance exams.
Financial aid packages can be confusing – learn to determine which parts of your package are “great money”
This month’s issue includes:
- Undergraduate Honors Programs – Discover what an honors program can do for you! Honors courses are frequently offered in smaller size classes, often taught by top faculty, or they may also offer academic opportunities with visiting scholars. The perks and coursework vary from college to college – learn more here.
- Majoring in Cybersecurity – According to the U.S. Department of Labor, jobs in the information security field are expected to grow 28% through 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Is a major in cybersecurity right for you?
- Great Money – and Not So Great Money – Great money is financial aid that does not need to be repaid. Financial aid packages can be confusing – learn to determine which parts of your package are “great money”.
- What to Do if You’ve Been Deferred –Acceptances and denials are pretty straight-forward. But then there’s the deferral—a kind of non-decision that gives you a second chance at acceptance. If you really want to have that second chance, you’ll need to take a proactive approach and do what you still can to influence the final decision.
Merit Awards Make Private Colleges Affordable
November News
- Why are You Applying Here? – It may be a shorter piece, but the “why us” essay is as important as the long Personal Statement essay. Admission officers at many colleges believe the response to this question tells them how much effort a student has put into getting to know the college and whether she is a serious applicant who is likely to matriculate. Get tips here.
- Majoring in Nursing – Nursing is hot! According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 194,500 nursing positions will be created each year over the next decade. Finding a job will not be an issue for Registered Nurses anytime soon. Competition for nursing school is fierce but there are various paths to this career to consider.
- Merit Awards Make Private Colleges Affordable – At private colleges, most students successfully complete their degree requirements in four years. So don’t let the sticker price of private colleges keep you from applying; merit scholarships may make them more affordable than you think.
- Social Media – Think Before You Post – Applicants often want to know if colleges are fishing in the social media waters. Are colleges and universities proactively seeking out information on prospective applicants or not?
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What is Holistic Admissions? – With the majority of US colleges now offering test optional admission (at least for the current year), additional factors take on new importance in holistic admissions. So what else counts?
Read the full newsletter HERE
Likely Colleges and How Many Colleges to Apply to
October issue includes:
- The Importance of Likely Colleges – Students should apply only to colleges that they are willing to attend (and gladly!). Thus, you need to spend as much time researching the schools that are likely to admit you as you do on the schools that are likely to deny you.
- Majoring in International Relations/ Political Science – Our increasingly global society provides numerous opportunities for international relations graduates. Political science studies equip students for leadership positions as well as graduate studies in areas such as law. Learn more about career options for these majors here.
- The CSS Profile – About 400 colleges, universities and scholarship programs use both the FAFSA and an additional form, the CSS Profile, to gather more information in order to award their own institutional funds to deserving students. Check each college on your final list to see if the Profile will be required.
- Volunteer Opportunities in a Pandemic – . A significant number of high school students enrich both their communities and their souls by volunteering. Today’s students are creative, care about the world, want to prepare for work that matters, embrace their entrepreneurial spirits, value collaboration and are very tech savvy. One of the ways in which they demonstrate their care for community, both local and global, is through community service and volunteer work. Here are some options to consider.
- How Many Applications? – One question college advisors hear almost every week is “How many colleges should I apply to?” Find some guidelines in this article.
Read the full newsletter HERE
Social Media and College Applications
We can’t hide from it, social media is EVERYWHERE! We’ve all heard stories about how social media postings have resulted in athletes getting kicked off of sports teams for violations of athletic codes, and by this time we are aware that job seekers need to manage their online identities as well since social media has become an additional reference source. What about for College Admissions? Have you given that any thought? You should!
College Admissions Offices are social media savvy. According to Kaplan Test Prep’s most recent survey of college admissions officers reposted that the percentage of admissions officers who visit applicants’ social media pages to learn more about them has hit a record high of 40% — quadruple the percentage who did so in 2008.
Information that can negatively impact college-bound students is what you’d expect: references to drugs and alcohol, bullying, nudity, and accusations of plagiarism. So what can you do, other than make good choices and avoid situations that put you in a compromising position? Kaplan recommends:
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