FREE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SEMINAR

The College Admissions Consultant is offering a FREE College Admissions Seminar on March 2.2011 at 7:00 pm.  at the Moose Lodge located at 1600 Ocean Park Blvd in Santa Monica, California.  Free Parking, Enter through the Rear Door into the Ball Room.  Reservations are required,  Call 301-883-8705. 

MAKE SURE TO SEE OUR NEW WEBSITE

We have just set up our new website for your review.  Need a college consultant to help you or your student?  Need a guest speaker?  or maybe you want to buy our book...

Whatever the reason, check it out, and see our announcements coming soon about FREE  College Admissions Seminars!

SENIOR DHS OFFICIALS TO HOLD DREAM ACT MEDIA CALL

WASHINGTON —Senior Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Deputy Commissioner David Aguilar will hold a conference call with reporters to discuss the DREAM Act—the important role it would have in promoting public safety through smart and effective immigration enforcement, and the Obama administration’s preparedness for implementation should it pass.

The DREAM Act establishes a lengthy and rigorous process for young people who grew up in the United States to obtain legal status by either pursuing a higher education or by serving in the U.S. armed forces. The DREAM Act was written by both Republicans and Democrats and has long enjoyed support from both sides of the aisle. It has passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support.
Media wishing to participate can dial-in with the following information:

Dial-in number: 866-524-3160 | Code: 7713 | Friday, December 17th 5PM EST

         This is an excellent bill if it passes because it is a WIN-WIN for the country.       Approximately  65,000 students are effected by this bill.   They are students by not their own choosing have come to America, studied in our schools, have been at the top of their class, and then told they can not go to college  because they dont qualify for federal funding. 

Most of these students go and get whatever jobs they can cause they are not here legally, and it leads to crime.  However, by allowing these students to get the same kind of funding, it allows them to get through school, improve this country, pay back student loans, get a good job to support their families, and earn higher wages which would mean they pay higher taxes.   

WHICH IS BETTER FOR GETTING INTO COLLEGE? PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS

When it comes to the time of picking a school for students, families often ask "which is it better? to have attended a well known private school or go to a public school when it comes to college admissions officers reviewing the applications"?.   My answer to parents is that they should not make ANY decisions based purely on what college your child wants to get into in fifth grade,  it is what you want to accomplish as a result of the experience you offer you children. 

The reason families choose  to go to a private school over a public one is based on what the need of the family is at that time, and to put it all onto the college admissions process is the wrong way to go about getting into college.  At the end of the day, when colleges look at students,  they are looking at far more factors than simply what schools a student attended or who your friends are.

One good reason to send your son or daughter to private school is that you want him or her to have smaller classes, and get more individualized attention, have a higher level of healthy competition within a class, to develop certain social skills, and to get specific classes not offered at your particular public school.  

The worst reason to send a student to a private school is in the hopes of bettering the odds on playing the college admissions game.   Each year the application pool changes, and no one can predict, not even admissions officers.   The acceptance rates from private and public schools at top colleges is almost equal, and parents need to know their children.  If a student functions better in a smaller class size, needs more attention, then maybe a private school is a good way to go... however, if a child is outgoing, loves to in large situations, a public school might let him or her flourish.

When it comes to how top schools across America view students and who they end up accepting comes down to this:  a quarter of the students come from private schools, two thirds come from public schools, and the rest from home-schooled environments.   Therefore, with two thirds of the students getting in from public schools, it stands to reason that more students from public schools apply to schools.... and that going to a private school does not raise the odds of getting in necessarily.

However, that said, if a student who is #1 in his or her class from a top public school, he or she may not on the overall competition be accepted to a top college if he or she has low scores on the SAT and Subject Tests, or an interview demonstrates that the school is the wrong place for that student. 

What does drive students into getting into a school is the competition driven by students all over the country that are applying to that school.  One thing that a private school will do is keep on top of the competition factor and prepare students to get into schools like Stanford, Harvard, Middlebury, USC, and UCLA, but it is important to also know that each year the application pool changes and consideration has to be also given to international students, athletes, minorities, and so on, but still that is no guarantee.

Many parents want to opt for top private schools because it is far more difficult to be in the top 5-10% of the class at a place where almost everyone is qualified versus the large public school with some "dead weight." However, private schools can be pricey and range from $ 15,000 to $35,000 a year plus some extras.

So to answer the question of "do I pay for a private school or go to a public one?" That is a personal choice that you and your family needs to make, and only you can answer that question.  This decision needs to be based on the course offerings, sports, options, comfort level, and specialty offerings that meets your child's needs rather than trying to outwit college admissions officers who will not be impressed just by a big name private school.

The goal that parents need to consider when making the choice is this: "Is the school I am choosing going to help my child perform better?, be happier?, and feel the most comfortable? Once you answer those questions honestly, you will have your answer.    If you live in an area where the local public school has great teachers, neighborhood friends, a full line up of AP courses, and a safe environment, then it may be worth more to a student than any of the top notch preparatory school. You and you family need to find the schools that fit for your child, not the child fitting the school.
  

PRIVATE LOANS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS

The GradLoans Graduate Private Student Loan will help you bridge the gap between federal financial aid and the true cost of a graduate school education. Scholarships and federal loans, more often than not, aren't enough to cover the entire cost of graduate school. Created especially for graduate students like you with unmet financial need, our Graduate Student Loan resources will help bring you closer to achieving your professional and educational goals.

You can use a grad school private loan to cover any education related expenses, including, student computers, books and room and board.

CHECK OUT THIS SITE:  https://secure.gradloans.com/private/

 

FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN SPORTS MARKETING

In recent years, many students have been looking to sports marketing either as an under graduate or graduate level degree, and the bottom line is that it is still business with an emphasis in marketing.

A couple of years ago,  I had the opportunity to sit in on a seminar hosted by Georgetown University in Washington DC.  I have been to alot of seminars and I never saw any seminar as demanding as this one, perhaps because they knew the audience was very young and they were trying to save everyone money by running the seminars from 8am to 6pm with barely a bathroom break.

One Senior Executive stated that the burn out time in Sports Marketing was SEVEN years.  I dont know if that is true or not, as it is not that old a field.  What I do know is that it is plain and simple MARKETING, and getting experience in any field associated with sports, even if it is the drinks they want you to believe the players drink is good.

One new blog that I have found interested and  has come up in the area of sports marketing is THE FINERSIDE OF SPORTS.  It has been created by a marketing rep who does special event and promotional marketing at sporting events, and for those interested in going into the field of sports marketing, you might watch this site.

QUESTIONS TO ASK COLLEGES AS YOU START YOUR TOUR CHOICE SCHOOLS

As Juniors are starting to wind up their junior year, they are also starting to make and refine a list of schools that interest them.

Here is a list of questions that you might ask colleges representatives as to tour through or go to information sessions to get a better feel for the schools that meet your needs:


1. What unique programs are incorporated into your school's curriculum?

2. How many liberal arts classes do students take and how many classes will they take towards their  major?

3. Are professors available to give individual attention to students if requested?

4. What is the school culture like?

5. What is the ratio of deans to students? How much time are they required to spend with each student?

6. What type of tutoring programs are offered to students?

7. How does your career center compare with other colleges/universities?

           a. What are the results of graduates job placement surveys?
           b. What percentage of students find summer
                internships before graduating?
           c.What percentage find jobs upon graduation?
           d. What companies recruit on campus?
           e. How many companies recruit on campus?
           f. Where do students typically work after graduation? 
           g. Are there internship fairs on campus?
           h.  Are there job fairs on campus?

8.   What is the ratio of deans to students?
      How much time are they required to spend with each student?

9.    What do students do for fun?

            a. What events does the campus activities board plan for students? 
            b. How often do students go off campus and where do they go?
            c. What are some popular clubs, events, activities? 


10.  What is the best way to prepare for your school?

As you start the process of looking at schools, know that the process can be both tiring and overwhelming.   If you need help, contact the college admissions consultant at thecollegeadmissionsconsultant@yahoo.com. We are here to help you and your families.