A FINAL NOTE TO SENIORS

A NOTE TO SENIORS:   For those applying to colleges this year, the early admissions deadline is nearly upon us.

This year there are more confusing options than ever before ---
binding early decision, non-binding early action and single
action early action.

SINGLE ACTION, EARLY DECISION means that even though you are
applying early action school,  (it is  non-binding)  you are NOT
allowed to apply to any other college via early decision.

Why consider applying early?  Early decision gives you the highest odds of admission followed by early action (followed by regular decision where the odds dropsharply at top schools).

Finalize those early applications! Take one last read through of all your material to make sure there are no typos and that everything is there. Don't forget to enclose the check or your application will not be processed. Make sure the app is postmarked by November 1.

ONE MORE THING!  Don't bother using FedEx — it is very expensive and does not improve your chances.   Use  the US mail with delivery confirmation, certified, return receipt requested, or overnight it (saving you about 2/3 of what you would pay Fed-Ex, and getting there perhaps faster is you have to go the overnight route.)   just so you know your materials arrived, or submit on line.

As long as initial application package is complete and  postmarked November 1, the arrival date doesn't matter.

Good Luck!

MORE COLLEGE INFORMATION TO NOTE

As I am meeting with college admissions reps this year,  there are many thing that are changing.  First, there have been mamy budget cuts in Californa making the UCs  (Berkley(CAL), UCLA, UCSD, UCI,  UCR, UCSB, UCSC, UCF, UCD and UCM) ,  USC, Stanford, and LMU extremely competitive schools to get into, and there is changes in the Early Action, Early Decision, and Early Action, Single Decision.

Additionally, Class Size has been cut, tuition has gone up 35% for residents, and it takes about 4-6 years to graduate from these schools, especially the UCs. Many students this year are looking to out of state schools, and those schools are on the admission trail.

As a result, California has become the fifth largest market to other states, and so Colleges and Universities of other states are now targeting the California market in hopes of cashing in on us.

So now, I am giving you dates to mark on your calendars as provided for by admissions rep. Getting your application early in many cases is helping you gain free scholarship money to pay for your schooling.

Tufts Universityis a need based school and while a good university was nothing out of the ordinary when it comes to scholarships.

The University of Michigan is more interested in the whole student, and a large school in Ann Arbor.  The big thing at this school is the SCHOOL SPIRIT.  You better like snow to go to this school. 

Emory University is a good school for those who are looking to go into Business or Pre Med.  It has its largest campus in ... and a smaller campus   Tuition with room and board this year is $53,000 and all their financial aid awards are need based

The University of Kansas, based in Lawrence is guaranteeing admissions to those who have a   This is one of the best deals in town with a tuition of $ 34,000 per year    It appears to be a school students should look at.  I plan to visit in the near future.Kansas University is a good deal, and is willing to work with students.  It is a very happening place in Lawrence, as the admissions rep stated, but then as I was traveling to Indiana to visit IU, students could not say enough about how great this school was.

As the early decision process is coming to a close, make sure to keep up on your time line.  Know when things are due.  Make sure to get your letters of recommendation requested, and get your SAT/ ACT scores ordered to all schools.

Good luck with applying, and remember, if you need extra help in connecting the dots of the admissions process, THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CONSULTANT is here to help you.

THE COLLEGE RANKINGS... LOVE THEM OR HATE THEM

When prospective applicants talk about college “rankings,”
they’re usually not  only referring to all the official criteria provided to research collectors on the topic,  but to the wildly popular and  controversial  annual survey
published by the U.S. News & World Report.   

The U.S. News & World Report is published annually and hits newsstands in late August across America, and even the world.   This publication ranks universities and liberal arts colleges as separate categories according to measures such as acceptance rate,
student-faculty ratio, and alumni donations. The magazine plugs that data into a formula and then produces its famous lists of the top 50 schools.

On one side of the coin, this publication gives prestige and visibility to schools that already have prestige and visibility as a rule.. On the other side, the schools contend that colleges are far too diverse to lend themselves to rankings and that the magazine’s straightforward formula fails to capture the essence of good teaching and learning. Subsequently, Colleges and Universities across America  have learned to have a love-hate relationship with the rankings.

This year with serous budget cuts in California, the tuition at the UCs has gone up 35%, and at the CSUs.  Competition to get in these schools is keen.  It has come to the attention of both schools and Californians that looking out of state is a good idea, making California the fifth largest college market to many schools.

That said, make the U.S. News & World Report your jumping-off point for the schools that you want to look at.  Do your own research and soul-searching – but never make the statements made by this publication the final  word.

You should also approach the rankings with a similar attitude. Don’t apply to schools simply because of their rankings,  base it on what feels right.  Do your own research. See which names are unfamiliar and then read up on them. Check out the familiar names and see which criteria you really care about.  Take stock of your own interests and ambitions and pick schools to match and be open.  You might find the perfect school in one you have never heard of before

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

I have been meeting with many colleges this season...  The competition is going to be keen especially in California as the UCs and CSUs announced that they have to reduce class sizes due to budget cuts.

Many California students are starting to look out of state, and colleges in other states are taking notice!

Bits of Info.

KNOW THE SCHOOLS YOU ARE APPLYING TO!  If you go Early Action or Early Decision, KNOW THE RULES!  Most of the deadlines are NOVEMBER 1st!

University of Indiana has a rolling admissions process and if you get your app in by Nov. 1st, you are eligible for the schools $9,000 financial aid award!

University of OREGON!--  if you have a GPA of 3.4 you are automatically IN!  This is the last year for this program as the competition to get in heats up.  NO ESSAYS required if you have a 3.4 or higher!

Once school that has impressed me is a small liberal arts school in Vermont.  MIDDLEBURY, Check it out!

For those who fall under AVID or AB540... check out HOLY NAMES university.  They can offer you a full ride if you are accepted.

Check out all the college fairs.  Make your list of questions, and VISIT campuses, especially before you make your final decision!

STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE FEELING THE PRESSURE THIS YEAR

As I am working part time this fall at one of the public high school in Los Angeles, I am getting to see first hand the issues that counselors, parents, and students all face,  I realize that the one thing that is so precious is TIME.  Counselors facing over 3,000 students just dont have the time to give a student what they really need as they struggle through the process, which is share time.  Counselors are starting work at 8 am in the morning, and leaving the school as late as 9 pm, not to mention attending School Board Meetings that sometimes go into the wee hours of the morning near by.

Therefore, it is important for families to be putting together a game plan.  Right now as students struggle through the application process, parents should be addressing financial aid.  Even though financial aid (FAFSA) does not open up till January 1, 2011,  parents should be putting the preparing all the necessary paperwork.  Mistakes are costly, and while many students have hopes and desires,  it is the financial aid that sometimes closes out those dreams.

Additionally, due to budget cut backs in California, the UCs, CSUs, etc are cutting spances which will put more pressure on the community colleges.  It will also force California students to look outside the box and look at schools all over the country.

Colleges and Universities are arriving in California to deal with this crisis as they all see it as an opportunity to bring a new bred into their schools, and by the same token student should look to the schools in the west such as USC, Stanford, University of the Pacific,  UCs, and CSU to bring more diversity to the nation.

Some schools like University of Indiana (Bloomington) are giving free money away to any student who applies by Novemeber 1, 2010, and there are coutless scholarships available.  If you are considering Brown,  Financial aid is dealt with on a need basis, as is Stanford.  If your family makes less than $60,000 per year, and you get in, count on being able to go because these schools will fund your way.

This is a stressful period that we are in.  If you or your family is suffering with the stress of college admissions, consider hiring an independent college admissions consultant.....  they are worth every penny to be the buffer of stress and help your students achieve!

Here at the College Admissions Consultant, we help students find the schools that suite them, not just name schools.  We help them create the essays that will grab an admissions officers eye, and get that acceptance.Consider us if you are applying to college.  Email us at thecollegeadmissionsconsultant@yahoo.com or call us and leave a message at (310) 452-4925