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As most students have heard back from colleges, this is a great time of excitement and anxiety. But it's important to keep three points in mind as you read your decisions.
1. Applications have been at an all-time high at many colleges, so this means that getting admitted to these colleges is more difficult than ever before. With many factors entering into the admissions process, keep in mind that students who apply to these colleges usually qualify for admissions, thus an increase in the number of applications that make admission that much harder. 2. There is a common reason why colleges deny admission to students. The number one reason selective colleges deny admission to students is simple--they run out of room. If they had more dorm rooms, and more professors, and more classrooms, they would love to take more students--but they cannot do justice to the students they do admit by taking too many, since no one gets a quality education that way--and that’s not fair to anyone. 3. With more applications, and limited space, colleges must create a learning community that is exciting, diverse, and rich with opportunities. To do this, colleges that want a combination of art and sciences, a mixture of data (grades and test scores) and insight (from personal statements, letters of recommendations, etc.) in deciding who gets admitted. Also, these selective colleges will tell you that just about everyone who decides to apply to a selective college qualifies for admission--they would be a great student, benefit the college tremendously, and contribute to the college in many ways. Since you applied to a selective college, those compliments would apply to you. College admissions is about many things, but it is never a judgment about you as a person, or about everything you have accomplished. Most colleges go to great pains to point this out when they send their denial letters; believe me when I tell you that they aren’t just being nice, but that they truly respect and honor everything you have done as a student and as a person, and they are grateful you applied to their college. That might not mean much the minute you open the letter, it will over time--whether the college says yes, no, or maybe, your value and worth as a person is cast in stone. Now, About the Decisions When you heard from a college this week, you’ll get one of four kinds of decisions. Each decision has its own possibilities, so let’s go over them: Admission An offer of admission is the news you’ve been hoping for--and more. In addition to congratulating you, the offer of admissions includes information on housing, orientation, and financial aid. Be sure to read all of it; this information will be of great value to you if you need to decide among several offers of admission. Conditional Admission Colleges may offer you a seat in the freshman class with a requirement--that you participate in a tutoring or student support. As is the case with other admission offers, offers of conditional admission may also include information on housing, financial aid, etc. Be sure to read all of this information. In addition, there may be a contract included that you’re required to sign, indicating you agree to adhere to the conditions of admission; suffice it to say, you’ll need to return that signed contract to the college by the indicated deadline. Make sure when you are in a program during your first semester, that your first semester grades are at a certain level, or that you come to campus sometime over the summer to participate in a college readiness program. These offers of admission are becoming more common, and they are not an “either/or” proposition--in other words, if you want to go to that college, you must satisfy the requirements outlined in the offer of admission. Waitlisted A letter indicating you’ve been waitlisted usually comes all by itself. The letter indicates that the college is still considering your application, but must hear from the admitted students first before they may--again, that’s may--offer you admission. Again, while it’s a little early to tell, there is a sense that the number of waitlisted letters is expected to be large this year--and that’s when things get tricky. Contacting the college doesn’t really move you up on the list that much--unless the college makes up its waitlist order only after they’ve heard from everyone, including the students on the waitlist. Given the many different ways colleges approach waiting lists, I would suggest you do the following: * Re-read the letter from the college to see if it gives you any information about the wait-list-- how the order is determined, when it is determined, and what you need to do to stay on it. * If this information isn't in the letter (and often it isn't), call the college and ask them directly-- tell them you've been waitlisted, and ask them how and when the list is put together. They may give you some suggestions on what to do; if they do, write these suggestions down, since they are basically telling you how to improve your chances of moving up on the list. * Next, it's decision time. Given the college options you have, do you still feel it's worth pursuing this college as a possible option-- remember, it may only be a possibility. As you think about this, it's *very* important to ask two questions-- 1. If a slot doesn't open up at this college, what college will I select? 2. If a slot does open up at this college, what college will I select? If the answer to these questions is the same, there's no point in pursuing the waitlist; you can either call the college and ask your name be removed from the waitlist, or you can wait and see what happens after May 1st. * If your decision about which college to attend depends in part on financial aid, remember that the amount of aid available to students who are admitted off of the waitlist is usually limited. It can vary greatly from year to year, and from college to college, that’s another factor to keep in mind. * If you decide you want to pursue a slot at the college that's waitlisted you, this is no time to be shy. Contact the college to let them know your continued interest. "I want you to know I am still very interested in attending College X this fall" sends a clear statement of where you stand and if College X is your first choice, you can say that as well (but remember only one first choice.) Some students will collect progress reports to show how they're doing in their high school classes, and others will send in extra letters of recommendation. All of that may help, but it's not a bad idea to ask first before sending too much material in-- remember, you want to show interest, but you don't want to drive them crazy. The idea here is that you want to show continued interest in the school that is strong, but not too persistent. A couple of contacts between April 1st and May 1st isn't going too far, and one every day really is--so use good judgment. * Finally, keep in mind that most colleges will not review their waitlist until after May 1st, which is the day you are expected to notify one--and only one--college that you’ll be going there in the fall. If April 30 comes around, and you’re still waiting to hear from a waitlisted school, you’ll want to put in the required May 1st deposit and notification at the college you’ll go to if the waitlist doesn’t work out somewhere else. If the college of your dreams pulls you off the waitlist later on, you’ll need to cancel your admission at the other college in writing--and there’s a good chance you won’t get your deposit back. Not Offered Admission News that a college cannot offer you admission also comes in a thin envelope. As I said before, colleges mean it when they say they wish they could offer you admission, and they value your work as a student; it’s just that colleges simply run out of room. Can students appeal? --Read your letter closely. These letters often explain both the procedures you need to follow to file an appeal, and the things colleges look for in reviewing an appeal. If your letter gives you no indication, call the office of admission and ask what their appeal policy is--and remember that some colleges will not take appeals except in very rare circumstances. --See if you can find out why you were denied admission in the first place. A conversation with an admissions officer may give the college enough additional information about you to form the basis of an appeal. If the college needs more information, you can ask for specific information on what the college would like to see when you write your appeal--or, in some cases, you can find out if an appeal would not be the best use of your time. --Generally speaking, colleges will look at an appeal closely if you can provide additional information above and beyond what you included in your original application that shows you are a strong and/or unique student. Seventh semester grades, progress reports from your current classes, additional letters of recommendation, a supporting paragraph or two from your counselor--these kinds of things can make a difference. -- Remember that a successful appeal depends on a variety of factors--your strength as a student, your continued interest in the college, the number of spaces the college has available, etc. In some cases, continued interest and strong grades may be enough to get you in on appeal--but in some cases, it won’t. An appeal isn’t a sure thing, and the extra energy it requires to put an appeal together--not just yours, but the energy of your counselor, your teachers, and the college--can be high at this busy time of year. Before you start an appeal, be sure to think about your chances of success, and your real interest in the college, and let your answers guide you accordingly. Lastly, three or four years of living and learning in high school should give you some strong clues about who you are and what you want from a school. Apply those core values –and some common sense-- to the college choice and decision, and you’ll find a perfect match, no matter what the numbers say. Seniors, check out the following comments from colleges in reaction to performance deterioration in senior year. Do NOT let this happen to you! · Stony Brook: Your final high school grades have been received. We note with regret that your performance in some academic subjects has declined from the level that led us to offer you admission. While it is not clear to us what has caused your academic slide, we can say with reasonable certainty that matriculation at Stony Brook will be much more difficult if your senior year level of effort is continued after you enroll. The purpose of this letter is to alert you to our awareness of your final grades and to urge you to reflect upon the attitude and work habits during your final year in high school that produced such disappointing results. Meanwhile, in the time remaining before the first day of classes, we urge you to develop an improved outlook and re-dedicate yourself to achieving a level of performance commensurate with your ability. · An Ivy League School:
I was concerned to learn of the reasons for and details surrounding the significant decline in your senior year grades at XXX High School. Your very disappointing academic performance and your explanation of the factors that contributed to it raise serious questions for me about your ability at this time to be successful in an academic environment. After reviewing all of the information you shared with me, I am faced with a very difficult decision. I underscored my expectations for the successful completion of your academic year in your offer letter of early admission in December. The last sentence of the fifth paragraph of my letter states, “While we have every reason to believe you will complete this school year successfully, please remember that this offer of admission is contingent upon your continued strong academic performance”. Furthermore, as stated in our freshman application materials, “The university reserves the right to withdraw your offer of admission if you show a significant drop in academic performance” prior to matriculation. While I would like to avoid taking this step in your case, I remain concerned about your readiness to face the demands of the freshman academic experience this fall. I am, therefore, writing to inform you that, although I will not be withdrawing your offer of admission altogether, I have decided to defer your offer of admission to ______________________ University for one year. I encourage you to use the coming year to reset your priorities so that you will be ready to immerse yourself in a rigorous academic environment in the fall of 2011. As you map out your plans for the year ahead, please be in touch with the Assistant Director of Admission, ___________________, who oversees our deferral process, to gain approval of your plans. In addition, Mr. __________________ will send you some paperwork to fill out which will assure your place in our class that will enter in the fall of 2011. Mr. _____________________ can be reached at __________________. (Student’s name), this letter is a difficult one to write, and must surely be a difficult one to receive. You are so talented and have so much to offer. I am hopeful that we will be able to welcome you to __________________ University in September of next year with the same confidence and enthusiasm I did in my original offer to you last December. Yours truly, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid What do you look for when you are researching about colleges that suit you?
School size, academics and finances are just some of the factors to consider before choosing a college or university. Before you make up your mind about where you'll get your degree, make sure you take the following things into consideration. 1. Type : There are many types of higher education; from technical colleges to public universities, these may all depend on how much money you have available, what kind of job you want to have and how much you value selectivity and prestige. 2. Cost : Don't go straight to choosing the cheapest option available. Although cost should be a huge factor when deciding on a college, you need to figure out a realistic plan. Don't set your heart on an expensive college either, if you do not have much cash at hand for tuition and other living expenses. Scholarships are an option. If the career you are hoping to enter does not pay well, consider whether or not the prestige is worth the dent you leave in your pocketbook. 3. Major : Research the institution's various academic programs before you make any final decision. You want to make sure the college for you meets all your requirements, otherwise you waste time and money transferring. 4. Location : Are you planning to live at home? Are you choosing a college within easy driving distance? Is there public transportation? Do you have a part-time job you need to go home on the weekend for? Think about whether you prefer a small college town setting or a big city atmosphere. There are advantages for each setting, but it all depends on how comfortable you feel. 5. Size : Your personality comes into play here. Many students that I've worked with love fast-paced energetic setting of a big school, along with the opportunities it can bring, while other students prefer a more personal setting where they get to know their professors and peers and this is easier to do at a smaller school. 6. Miscellaneous : Narrow your list from the factors above, and think about the FUN things now. These extras can determine whether you will survive or thrive in college. For instance, how's the cafeteria? What do students do on the weekends? Does the college have an active Greek life or other clubs/activities that interest you? How are the sports teams? If you have the opportunity, go tour the college and ask yourself if you feel like you fit in. With the fierce and competitive application process and high tuition cost of many colleges and universities, it's essential that you weigh the factors that matter to you before you shell out thousands of dollars in tuition payments. You want to feel happy and comfortable at the institution you decide to attend and you need to consider life after college. Make sure you are not uncomfortable because of the student loan debt. Good luck. For more help, contact Lee Academia at Stephenie@LeeAcademia.com. Jessica Tomer, Editor of Carnegie Communications posted an interesting funny article on CollegeXPress . Take a look at it. So what do you think? Which two would YOU pick? Follow our very own, Stephenie, on the Homeschool website, as a guest blogger this week at Educational Adventures. In the article blog titled, "Technically Homeschooled," Stephenie shares what it was like growing up in two diverse cultures, and becoming the Educator that she is today; with the drive to keep learning and educating herself. "With my mother’s sacrifices and encouragement in education and learning, I have technically homeschooled myself in many ways."
With school vacations around the corner, families are packing up the car for road trips and campus tours. If you have a sophomore or junior in high school, now is the time to visit! College is the second largest investment you will make in life, next to your home. So, here are some answers you should uncover when you are on campus: What percentage of students graduate in 4 years? And with cutbacks, many students are finding it difficult to secure all the required courses in order to graduate in 4 years. So, ask about graduation rates and access to courses.
What percentage of students return for sophomore year? Junior year? This speaks to how happy students are with the college and also the support that they are given to succeed. If fewer than 80% of students return for sophomore year, it raises a red flag that you should dig deeper to understand why. Campus visits can be overwhelming, but leaving without all the information is a mistake that can cost you dearly. So, take the time to uncover the real story behind the pretty presentation and marketing materials. You will make better decisions academically and financially if you know all the facts. For more questions to ask, contact Lee Academia for a short session or workshop on campus visits. Ok, so what do these new Common Application Essay Questions mean for the college admissions process?
Earlier this week, there was an announcement made about the the newly released Common Application. There will be new essay questions for the next version of The Common Application (the 4th version), which will be available online August 1, 2013. So what's changed? The questions: The old questions were complex and had many dimensions. The new questions are simply stated. An example of this year's new question is: • Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?" Students no longer have the option to ask and answer their own question, and there will be new questions every year. Word limit: There is a fixed word limit at 250-650 words. The old Common Application essays' word limit was vague. Most students went over the 500 word limit and they were not stopped. The newer word limit will not allow students to submit responses less than 250 words. Essay Submission: Students previously uploaded their essay as an attachment to the Common Application online, and the newer change now has them typing their essays directly into the new Common Application version. For questions about the new Common Application Essays coming out this 2013-2014, contact us at stephenie@leeacademia.com SAT Subject Tests are the only national admission tests that measure students' knowledge and skills in particular subject areas, and their ability to apply that knowledge. They are closely linked to the high school curriculum and have a proven track record of providing colleges with a highly reliable, objective assessment of student readiness for college-level work.
What are the best ways to prepare for the SAT subject tests? Start early and read! It is a test that takes strategy, clear thinking, critical thinking and test taking skills that need to be learned over time. Do not start preparing one week before the exam! What are you doing this Spring Break? Join Lee Academia's Skill Building Camp.
Do you remember playing with Lego? LEGO® Education February 18th - 22nd, 2013 or March 25th - 29th, 2013 Grades Elementary, Middle School or High School Monday-Friday from 9am-12pm New Jersey - Secaucus Xchange or New York City - TBA Create stimulating, hands-on learning experience, and allow kids to engage their minds, so that they are ready for any challenge coming their way. From literacy to numeracy, LEGO can help facilitate an active learning environment. This Spring Break - get your child involved with other students, building teamwork, cooperative skills, problem-solving, basic troubleshooting, higher order thinking and creative skills, communication skills, and more! Feel free to contact us at (646) 266-6084 for further information. |
Stephenie Lee
Stephenie, having been a tutor/instructor/mentor since 1996, discovered her passion and founded Lee Academia Educational Consulting, LLC. after she left the dental and medical field. She loves teaching/mentoring and counseling her students. Her passion lies in educating others and helping them pursue their educational path. Today, certified in College Counseling and with more than 10 years of experience, Stephenie and her team continues to blog about current updated educational news and events. Archives
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