Contributed by Douglas Lee, Case Western Reserve (Class of 2016)
College visits are an essential part of the important college decision process. By visiting a college campus for an afternoon, you can attain much more information about that school than by spending endless hours researching it online on sites like College Prowler. You can never fully grasp the unique environment each college provides behind a computer screen! In addition, online student submitted reviews are often biased, unreliable, or outdated. The dynamic of a college campus is constantly changing, and these changes may not be reflected online. Sure, a top ranked school may have all the qualities you are looking for: a strong program in the academic field you are interested in, numerous research opportunities, smart and ambitious students, and even a critically acclaimed dining hall! What’s not to like? However, without visiting this school, you miss out on many facets of student life; the qualities that determine whether or not you will enjoy your next four years at the school. College fit is an underrated aspect of the college decision process. When visiting a college, we recommend that you take a quick drive around the nearby city or town, interact with actual students, talk to faculty, sit in on a class, and tour main buildings such as the dining hall, recreational facilities, and library. Current students, professors, and admissions officers may provide much more valuable and insightful information that you may not be able to find elsewhere. By visiting a college, you may learn to appreciate a school that you had not even considered to be a top choice, or, you may learn that a previous top choice was just not the right fit for you. While sites like College Prowler, Unigo, USNews, and even Reddit may provide plenty of useful information, we only recommend that you use these sights as a starting point, and not the only sources you have to base your college decision on. Additional Tips:
For more college visit consultations, contact Lee Academia.
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International students can prepare for the TOEFL in 3 ways.
Students should make an effort to speak English every day and prepare for the TOEFL well in advance of your test date. 1. Don't try to cram. It's not easy memorizing a language in one night. The TOEFL test involves all aspects of the language - speaking, reading, writing and listening - definitely too much to cover in a few hours. 2. Turn study into something more pleasant. Crouching over a stack of books is no fun. Learn by speaking English every day. Write a story in English or a daily journal. Meet new English-speaking friends and speak to them in English. When it comes to reading, the Internet is your best friend. Browse websites you usually do not spend time on and read about things you normally would not pay attention to. Time magazines or New York Times are excellent starting points. To practice listening, watch movies and TV shows without subtitles, or download and listen to podcasts. Ask your English teacher to correct your essay – he or she will most likely be more than happy to help. 3. Get familiar with the exam: Uncertainty about the format of the test could make you anxious on test day. There are lots of online practice tests that will give you a taste of what to expect on the test day, at no cost. The Internet-based test (iBT) begins with a reading section that lasts about 60-80 minutes, and then jumps straight into a listening section that lasts 60-90 minutes. After that, you get a 10-minute breather and have a chance to go to the bathroom or grab a snack. Next comes the speaking section, which takes 20 minutes, followed by 50 minutes set aside for writing. At that point you'll probably feel rather exhausted, but try to keep it together. It will be worth it. 4. Get some rest: Finally, make sure to stay in and get some rest the night before. It's a long exam and the more stressed you are, the more it will drain you. So, for the International students, come prepared, stay calm during the exam and get to go home feeling content about your effort. If you do that, you could be one big step further on your path toward studying in the U.S. Lee Academia's expert consultant, Stephenie, is certified in TESOL/TEFL. She has worked with many International students on English skills and on their TOEFL test prep. For assistance, contact her at Stephenie@Leeacademia.com. *TOEFL is a registered trademark of Educational Testing Service (ETS). Hello Pre-medical Students:
I am writing to inform you that the opening for 2014 AMCAS application submissions is being delayed until Monday, June 10 at 9:30 a.m. ET. At this time, some applicants have reported problems viewing the summary sections of the Course Work and Work/Activities section of the application. The delay will allow the problems to be fully resolved and to allow applicants to review their applications in their entirety for accuracy prior to submission. As a reminder, the initial transfer of 2014 AMCAS application data medical schools is scheduled for June 28. Good luck to all. Lee Academia medical school experts are here to help you, if you need any assistance. Contact us here. So for all the art students, art school admissions is a competitive business, one that requires not just an academic application but an art portfolio as well.
It's important to get an outside assessment of a student's work, so be sure to check out National Portfolio Day, a free public event that invites would-be art school applicants to meet with college representatives and have their portfolios evaluated. This event is specifically for visual artists and designers. To get your art portfolio together, contact us at Lee Academia and our art school specialist will prepare you for National Portfolio Day. What are the English language proficiency requirements to study in the United States?
Being able to communicate in English is a basic requirement for successful study in the United States. If English is not your native language, U.S. colleges and universities will ask you to take an English language proficiency test before admission. Almost all institutions require either the TOEFL or IELTS. Check the websites of the institutions where you plan to apply for detailed information. Lee Academia advisers can help. You may be granted conditional acceptance with the understanding that you will attend English language classes at the institution before beginning your degree program. Check with the institution. MCAT to undergo major revamping in 2015 Starting in 2015, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) will include several new sections in the social sciences and critical thinking, as well as eliminate the writing sample. As a result of the new content, the test length will increase one hour, bringing the total testing time to about six and half hours long. The upcoming changes stem from medical schools embracing a more holistic approach to admissions. The hope is that the 2015 MCAT will assist medical schools in attracting students with broader undergraduate training.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the current MCAT “is a standardized, multiple-choice examination designed to assess the examinee’s problem solving, critical thinking, writing skills, and knowledge of science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine.” The new MCAT is being billed as “a better test for tomorrow’s doctors” by the AAMC, which expects the changes in the MCAT to motivate many more pre-medical students to take courses in psychology, sociology, or health behaviors. A 2011 report released by the AAMC suggests that the integration of social and behavioral sciences into medical education curricula and clinical practice will improve the health of all patients. In the report, AAMC President and CEO Darrell Kirch said, “Being a good doctor is about more than scientific knowledge. It also requires an understanding of people. By balancing the MCAT exam’s focus on the natural sciences with a new section on the psychological, social, and biological foundations of behavior, the new exam will better prepare students to build strong knowledge of the socio-cultural and behavioral determinants of health.” The changes to the MCAT reflect the fact that medical schools want well-rounded applicants from a variety of backgrounds. According to the US News article, “What Looming MCAT Changes Mean for Aspiring Doctors,” pre-medical students’ course selections will be affected. They will now need solid foundations in basic sciences, social sciences, behavioral sciences, and the humanities. The entire pre-med curricula will be shifting to ensure that students take the required coursework to prepare them for the new MCAT. Contact Lee Academia's medical school admissions expert to learn more about the MCAT preparation. So with the May 4th, 2013 Tests coming up, are you ready?
If you haven't registered for your SAT or Subject Tests, you still have 2 more days to register for the June 1st Tests. Get cramming and work with a tutor. Contact Lee Academia if you need some last minute guidance. Good Luck~ Lee Academia is offering discounts and many services for high school students this year. To take part in these promotional offers, go bid and support Stuyvesant High School's Parent Association for their Spring Gala 2013 event!
Some of these special services include: - Writing a College Essay (book + consultation with Stephenie Lee) - College Essay Brainstorming session (1-hour) - College Essay Editing (1-hour + 1-revision) - Study Skills for College Prep (1-hour) : Learn HOW to study and succeed - College Interview Training (1-hour) - 30-minute College Consultation Session BID NOW. Offer ends in 11 days! So go check out these promotions now, before May 10, 2013! Personal statements and admissions essays can be overwhelming, but Stephenie Lee has helped her students brainstorm compelling topics, compose and organize a memorable essay without stress for years. Her approach leaves the student in charge of the essay, so that student gets to the heart of the story and produces an essay that's attention-grabbing and authentic. All the years of guidance, experience and strategies are now compiled into a new easy-to-follow workbook for students to use on their own. Stop procrastinating and write that college essay now!
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Buy Now! 15% Off 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. |
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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