Congratulations on almost finishing your high school career.
Make sure you finalize your admission. Start making a list of tasks you need to complete before you arrive on campus this fall. Have you:
Read all mail and e-mail correspondence from your college, which will provide instructions on how to complete these tasks. Keep track of what is done and what is left to do. Make copies of any forms you submit. Submit Your final transcript to your college, the N.C.A.A. and waiting-list schools. Keep in mind that there may be limited waiting-list activity during the summer. Once a waiting list has closed, the college will notify you that its class is full. Submit your A.P. scores If you expect college credit for Advanced Placement exams, send your official scores to your college directly from the College Board. If your college offers a summer orientation program, be sure to attend. This will be an opportunity for you to meet your academic adviser, register for fall classes, and meet new college friends. Your college roommate will be a new and interesting person, someone to learn from and learn about, whether the two of you are just alike or completely different. Connect with him/her. You don’t have to be best friends with your roommate, but you will have to co-exist. Say hello and decide how best to manage your small space. Thank the people who helped you on your way. Hug your family and friends The summer after your senior year can be a happy, but tense, time at home. While you may be excited, your family may be equally sad and sentimental about your leaving home. Try your hand at managing all aspects of your life. Wake up on your own, to an alarm. Do your own laundry. Learn how to cook your favorite meal. Schedule your own health care appointments. Figure out when and how to exercise. Set a budget and live within it. Find some quiet time to set academic, extracurricular and personal goals for next year. Are you ready to discover something new about yourself? College is a fresh start, a new slate. Set your goals. College is going to be great, but it isn’t always perfect. This summer, endings and beginnings meet in memorable ways. There is so much ahead of you!
0 Comments
This year, the Class of 2017 Stats are:
COLUMBIA Columbia accepted 2,311 from 33,531 applications. The acceptance rate of 6.89 percent was slightly lower than the previous year’s 7.4 percent acceptance rate, when 2,363 students were admitted. In this admissions cycle, Columbia received 3,126 early decision applications and accepted 600 students for an admission rate of 19.19 percent. CORNELL Cornell received an all-time high of 40,006 applications for freshman admission to the Class of 2017, a notable increase from the previous year’s 37,812 applications. The overall admit rate reported by Cornell is 15.15 percent, slightly down from last year’s admit rate of 16.19 percent. Cornell admitted 6,062 applicants, including 4,825 regular decision applicants and 1,237 early decision applicants. Cornell admitted approximately 30 percent of early decision applicants, but only 13 percent of applicants for regular admission. 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. "Teaching is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire" - William Butler Yeats
Last week, while I was working with a student, I realized that for the last 16 years, the majority of my students and clients have always assumed during their tutoring sessions, they were to only listen and take notes. However, this particular student I was working did something that I was thrilled about - She challenged what I was telling her, and this sparked an engaging learning process where we discussed and went over myths and facts together. Then we used the internet to look up more resources and to find pictures and videos online proving the theory and known fact. I strongly encourage all students to understand that teachers are there to guide them, and to provide knowledge and learning growth, but there is a point when all students should never hesitate to question, or ask for more. It's alright if the teacher doesn't know everything about the reproductive system or how to grow an avocado plant, but it is the student's responsibility to find out and to continue to learn and grow. Learning is forever. It's not over after the teacher is done teaching. 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. Parents of athletes often seek my advice on choosing the best college option that will allow their son or daughter to play varsity sports. Some parents want their kids to get a full tuition scholarship at a Division I school, while others hope that they'll find happiness at a Division III school that provides more balance between academics and athletics.
The first thing I usually tell parents is that participation in sports is often an indicator of success in college. What do I mean? Varsity athletes tend to have higher GPAs and are more satisfied with their college experience. However, being a Division I athlete is a huge commitment. One must eat, sleep, and breathe one's sport. Further, Division I athletes must commit to playing all four years if they want to keep their athletic scholarship. While Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships, they do recruit athletes in a different way. Every school with a soccer team (for example) wants to fill its roster with good players who can take a league championship. Thus many colleges offer other forms of scholarship money to entice an able player to join its team--and its student body. The art of the admissions officer is to build a well-rounded class. And in order to do this, they have to meet the needs of the coaches (among others). My advice to parents was to relax a bit. Their kids can still find colleges at which they can have a satisfying varsity athletic experience--and still focus on their school work and also allow them to explore other activities. It's also possible that a Division III athlete will receive some sort of scholarship to entice them to play for the college team. While some kids are seeking the excitement of serious competition at the Division I level, the majority of players that I meet as a college consultant are unlikely to achieve that level of competition. 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. Private schools are notoriously rigorous, particularly in middle and high schools. High school students in private schools take a number of difficult classes, including some advanced classes, while participating in extracurricular activities and sports outside of class. While a manageable level of stress helps many students perform at their best and can be motivating, too much stress is counterproductive.
Here are some strategies for defeating stress in school: Tip #1: Take Advantage of Your School's Resources Many schools are employing their own stress-reducing programs, including classes in relaxation techniques and yoga. Take advantage of these classes if you can. Ask your teachers for help. Some schools also offer classes on study skills. These classes can teach you to study more effectively and efficiently, reducing the time you need to spend on your schoolwork and eventually reducing your stress level. Tip #2: Learn to Study Effectively Using classes taught at your school, you can learn to study more efficiently. If your work is taking too long or you aren't getting the results you want, be sure to ask your teachers what they recommend. They may have strategies to help you speed up your work, and they may also be able to direct you to additional resources. Tip #3: Speed Up Your Homework Learning how to make your homework go more quickly reduces stress. For example, if you notice that most of your homework time is spent surfing the web or on Facebook, you may need to disconnect yourself from the Internet while you are working.Try to find a peaceful homework spot where you won't be disturbed, and set a timer so that you are aware of time passing. Estimate how long tasks will take you. Don't waste time. Tip #4: Work with a Tutor If you've tried to work with your teacher but still don't understand the material, consider working with a tutor who is familiar with your school and its demands. Some schools also provide peer or other tutors who can help you. When working with a tutor, be sure to do all the work yourself. Ask your tutor to show you strategies to make your work more efficient and to help you prepare for tests with less stress. |
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
April 2016
Categories
All
|