Finding Your Best Fit College

When students begin working on developing a college list, the task can be daunting. There are over 3,000 colleges and universities in the United States, but it’s hard to know which one will be a place where the student thrives. To help students dive into creating their best-fit college list, I provide questions  to ask themselves:

Is it affordable? Before researching colleges, parents should speak with their students about what the family can realistically afford to pay. With the help of websites like College Board, families can calculate the cost of attending using Net Price Calculator using current tax year information. Parents can check with the school's financial aid office to determine the percentage of students' financial need they met in the previous application season. Students being aware of the families' financial bandwidth is good for two reasons. First, it allows the student to avoid putting schools on the list that do not have a record of giving competitive financial aid packages. Second, the student can focus on finding schools that have the capacity to provide aid to make attending affordable.

Is it worth the investment? College is expensive. The average middle-class family will spend between $40,000 and $120,000 on public and private college costs respectively. According to the Pew Research Center,  94% of parents say they expect their children to attend college. As such, during the research phase, students must spend time learning the value-add that attending specific colleges would bring to their life such as deep-rooted knowledge, career opportunities, and connections to an expansive network of professionals and industry experts.  Students can find published lists by Forbes or U.S. News & World Report. However, actual value add will vary by student. For example, a student who's majoring in agricultural engineering may greatly benefit from attending Purdue University, while an urban studies student may be at a disadvantage being distant from a major city.

Does it provide a multi-faceted experience? Academics is a huge part of the college experience. However, universities are increasingly adopting admissions policies to diversify their class so that students will enrich the social and campus life. Extracurricular, experiential opportunities that add value to the program of study and prepare for adulthood beyond campus include special interest groups (e.g. Young Democrats, Organization of Asian American Students, Fencing Club), intramural sports, community service clubs, independent research appointments with professors, study abroad semesters, and paid internship programs to name a few. Students should spend time exploring the student life section of school websites. Also, students should visit schools several times through the exploration process, with at least one time being an overnight stay with a current college student host.

Does it feel right? In spite of technological advances that allow students to visit campuses virtually, there is no substitute for experiencing the real thing. It is understandable that when there are over a dozen schools on the list, visiting them all can be challenging. Often I suggest that students and their families visit their top three schools. The best time to visit is when the school is in regular session, which can mean visiting during minor school holiday breaks, or the less popular (but sometimes necessary) option - taking time off school. Families can make their way down the list, visiting as many schools as possible before the application season ends (and campuses break for winter holidays) in early-December. After acceptance letters have come in, families can visit schools that have moved up to a higher position of consideration.

When the student arrives at a campus, parents should observe their students' reaction. The student will know if it feels right and will demonstrate such feeling immediately. Students who are excited about a college ask a lot of questions, want to stay longer and see more, ask to make a return visit, and are more engaged throughout the process of putting together their application for admission. These students are most successful in gaining acceptance as this excitement will be displayed in their application.

Do you need help finding your best-fit schools? Our expert college admissions counselor can help you find, apply, and get accepted. Visit www.standout-collegeprep.com.

Juniors: Who's Afraid of the New SAT?

Scheduled to launch in March, the new SAT has high school students afraid all over America. Feeling the fear more than anyone are juniors.

According to the College Board, the SAT redesign gives colleges a more accurate view of a student's ability to think, read, and write critically at the college-level. With all the frenzy that's surrounding the new exam, many juniors were advised by guidance counselors to complete SAT testing in January, four months ahead of when it's typically advised to take the exam for the fall 2017 admissions cycle.

What's the fear about? There's speculation that the exam will be more difficult than its predecessors, with a rigorous reading section, along with reading passages integrated in math and writing sections.

The last opportunity for juniors to take the current SAT exam before the transition happens is next Saturday, January 23. Otherwise new SAT dates for 2015-2016 are: March 5, May 7, and June 4.

The other alternative is the take only the ACT. Dates for the ACT are: February 6, April 9, and June 11.

Current SAT vs. New SAT

	Current SAT	New SAT
Number of Sections	11 (with experimental section)	5 (with optional section)
Critical Reading Tests	3 Sections (20-25 minutes each) 67 Questions	One 65 minute Reading Test 52 Questions
Math Tests	3 Sections (10-25 minutes each) 49 Questions	35-minute Writing and Language Test 44 Questions
Writing Tests	3 Sections (10-25 minutes each) 54 Questions	One 25-minute section without calculator (20 Questions) One 55 minute section with calculator (38 Questions)
Essay Tests	1 Required Essay Test (25 minutes)	1 Optional Essay Test (50 minutes)
Experimental Sections	1	0

New SAT Practice Exam: For the Redesigned SAT 2016

College Board New SAT Test 1 (PDF)

Answer Explanations (PDF)

Scoring (PDF)

Real-Time Scoring and Scaling from Ivy Global

Download Bubble Sheet (PDF) 

Seniors: Tips for College Enrollment from A to Z

Seniors - by now you have received your admit letter and are ready to enroll in college. Great! Here is a quick checklist for the steps to take between now and your first day of classes. Definitely consult with the enrollment letter provided by your school, and keep in close contact with your college during the summer before you enroll. Also regularly check your email and school portal account for important updates about your enrollment status.

  

As you navigate the enrollment process, we hope you find this A to Z guide helpful, along with other tips that will lead to matriculation success.

 

 

College Enrollment Guide, A to Z

Academic advisor: You will be assigned a college advisor who will meet with you every semester to assist with planning your degree program curriculum and registering for classes. Like with your guidance counselor, the academic advisor's time is in high demand. Once an appointment is made, do your absolute best to keep it. Not doing so could mean you risk not being able to register for classes you really want to take.

Blackboard: You will be provided access to an online blackboard portal that allows you to interact with professors and students; download course document resources, upload assignments, and receive important announcements. Like your email, you are advised to check the blackboard site daily.

Commitment fee: This is the fee you mailed ranging from $250 to $500 to secure your spot. Your commitment fee will be deducted from your fall tuition bill.

Deadlines: Carefully check deadlines on all forms due and departments to which they are due. Enrollment forms will need to be sent to various departments, from housing and college admissions, to the student health center, financial aid, and bursar's offices to name a few.

Email account: Upon being provided with instructions to set up your .edu email address, you can begin communicating as a college student. Make sure the credentials you set are highly secure, yet easy to remember as these will be used to access different technologies on campus such as library book reserves, WiFi and computer lab stations.

Financial aid: Meet with the financial aid office to obtain and sign your final award letter. Know that it's never too late to ask for additional resources if you need more aid. Be prepared to submit documentation supporting your changed circumstances.

Getting around: Learn about transportation options for getting around campus. Many colleges have shuttles with various routes around campus and town. Once you obtain your class schedule, practice commuting from your home or dorm, to classes to ensure you arrive on time the first day.

Housing: As soon as your housing application arrives, complete and return it to the housing office. The best dorms fill up fast, and housing for first year students, while guaranteed is reduced down to the less favorable dorm facilities. You can expect to be asked to pay a separate housing deposit fee to reserve your room, ranging from $250 to $500. This deposit amount will be deducted from first year room and board costs.

Immunization records: After getting a physical, submit your updated immunization and health record forms to the campus health services office.

Job search: Although not advised in the first year of college, if you are interested in obtaining part-time paid employment, learn where on campus you can find campus jobs and get assistance with your resume, cover letter, and preparing for job interviews. 

Keep your parents updated: Although on your own, it's important to keep your parents updated on how things are going during the first days of college. If you go too long without calling, you may get an embarrassing message from your mom via your resident assistant. It's your first time away from home, so they want to make sure you're ok.

Learn your campus map: Look through the campus map and get to know where important buildings are, such as ones where your classes will be held. Other buildings to find: your dorm, dining hall, student center, health center, and the writing center.

Major: Contrary to popular belief, it's common to matriculate into college not knowing your major. Many colleges, particular liberal arts colleges are designed to have first year students take core classes and electives to explore their academic talents and interests. There will be time at the end of freshman year, or during sophomore year to begin the process of declaring a major. Your advisor will walk through this process with you...just don't miss the appointment!

Nutrition: Read through your school's housing and dining website to learn about meal plans and dining food options. 

Orientation: Sign up for new student orientation immediately. Spots fill up fast and is related to your ability to meet with your advisor and register for the classes you want to take.

Physical: Don't delay this important step. Make an appointment with your physician to get a physical and any outstanding immunizations as required by the college. 

Questions: As a freshman or transfer student, the best thing you can do to get to know your school is ask questions. Remember your college has assigned a team of people to help you acclimate to your new environment and campus life.

Roommate: You don't have to wait until move in day to meet your roommate. Exchange social media handles and connect on Skype to start building a rapport.

Sign your Master Promissory Note: If you are taking out student loans, the student aid office will ask you to complete loan entrance counseling, often on-line, as well as sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN). This is a required step before your loan will be dispersed to the bursar's office.

Testing: Placement exams are required tests that freshman and transfer students take to assess readiness level for the college's course series, usually in math, foreign languages, humanities, and the physical sciences. Take these exams seriously as doing well can save you time from taking classes you've already mastered, or money by giving you free college credits.

Username and password: Your log-in credentials are sacred. Come up with something that's easy to remember as you will need it for email, the blackboard, accessing Wifi, library book reserve, etc. Never share  your credentials with anyone, not even your advisor or resident assistant.

Verification: If selected for financial aid verification, you will receive a form that will need to be completed and returned back to the financial aid office before money is dispersed.

What to bring: Make a list of what to bring to your dorm and take it along as you shop at your local department store. Click here for a list.

Xerox everything: Over the course of the summer you'll be submitting forms to various offices across your college's campus, along with thousands of other students sending the same forms. Part of being human error is thing's get lost, mishaps occur. To reduce likelihood of delays in matriculating, make a copy of everything you send and confirm its receipt with the applicable department by phone or email.

Your college experience: The first days of college set the tone for your college experience. Get started the right way by submitting all that's required, keeping your appointment with your academic advisor, meeting peers, getting to know your campus, and asking  members of your college transition and support team questions.

Zero-tolerance: Know your college's zero tolerance policies with regards to alcohol usage, drug use, weapons, and anything that puts yourself and peers at risk. Remember the MTA's mantra: "If you see something, say something." Campus consequences for participation in zero-tolerance activities or failure to inform campus officials can lead to consequences ranging from moderate (warnings, fines, and parental notification) to severe (suspension or expulsion). 

You're Accepted! Now What?

This month, seniors you are hearing back from colleges. Assuming you applied to a fair number, you will hear acceptances (yay!) and unfortunately denials too (boo). 

I received a call recently from a student asking what to do after being rejected from his top choice school. Going into the admissions process, he had taken a chance applying there. His GPA was below the middle 50% score range of accepted students, and he opted to omit his SAT score. We both knew that the likelihood of acceptance was a reach.

Although we took this inbound perspective, he still wanted us to brainstorm together what to do. He asked if he should appeal, or if there was anything else he could do to convince them to change the decision. I took a moment to empathize with him, as I know what it’s like to want something and it not come through. But my advice to him, since he was accepted into five schools, was to get excited about those schools, as there were things he liked about them. Moreover after playing devil’s advocate with him, we came to consensus for why the other schools might be better suited for him after all.

How to Manage College Decision Waiting Game Anxiety

As you settle into the winter months of senior year, without question, you are feeling a lot of stress. You may be losing sleep, finding it difficult to focus in school, or are just not feeling yourself as you confront a nagging feeling of anxiety that comes while waiting to hear back from colleges. You're not alone.

The good news is there are ways to minimize the stress you're feeling now.

Juniors: Colleges Where Paying Tuition is Not Required

Juniors, as you get started this spring with crafting a college list, would you include a college solely based on the fact that it is tuition-free? In the world of higher education, all the hype this past week was on President Obama’s big announcement on his policy proposal to make community college free. While it is a mystery if and how long such policy would take to go into affect, it’s interesting to know that there are already free college options for high school students and their families to consider.

Paper or Digital? Start a Filing System to Store Your College Documents

This holiday season you may not get all the clothes, video games, or electronics that you ask for, but one thing you'll get plenty of is stuff from colleges, sent to your house by mail or your inbox by email.

Campus view books, information sheets, college checklists, workshop flyers, ACT/SAT testing literature, and newsletters, as this information arrives, in both hard copy and digital formats, you will want to build places to store documents to reference at a later date. Moreover, buried within the literature is important admissions requirements and deadlines that you'll want to be aware of.

Juniors: When to Visit College Campuses

If you’re a junior, second semester is the time to get serious about creating a college list. Start researching colleges through their websites, college fairs, admissions representatives, books, and college guides. By doing so you will get an idea of what's required and be informed of each college’s process.

While research is a good place to start, you will learn the most about a college’s suitability for you by visiting its campus. The ideal time to visit a college is when you're out of school and the college is in session. Hence President’s Day weekend and spring break are your best options before colleges break for the summer.

Does Community Service Matter in College Admissions?

In any college application, once you get past the demographics, grades, and standardized test scores, comes activities. Extracurricular activities and leadership roles have always been part of admissions; but also colleges want to read about students doing positive work that impacts the community. According to a survey conducted by DoSomething.org, admissions officers reviewing applications are looking to see students have spent time giving back to their communities. Yet before your high schooler starts signing up for volunteer hours, keep in mind that there’s no magical number to achieve. Colleges want to know why your student is doing the service work. Therefore projects that matter are those that –

Show long-term commitment. Spending an hour a week after school over a semester demonstrates more commitment than volunteering broad over spring break.

 Demonstrate leadership, depth, and passion. When choosing a volunteer project, students should select ones that connect to their interests, and demonstrate leadership and passion for a particular cause. Projects that read mandatory or required are frowned upon.

 Make for excellent college essays. Community service projects are a perfect way to capture who your student is as a person, their leadership potential, unique qualities, passions, well-roundedness, and his or her genuine interest in uplifting others.

Help your student find fun ways to give back this holiday season. Stand Out College Prep has put together a list of ideas for your student to make a BIG difference in your community that make an IMPACT on college admissions. All projects listed are ones that can be made into long-term commitments. Encourage your student to start small, get early wins, and build service opportunities from there.

Why College Admissions is Personal

I subscribe to Paper.li newsletter to keep updated on trends in college admissions. In this week's edition, I noticed an article written by someone I attended the University of Chicago with, Phoebe Maltz Bovy. The article was titled, " The False Promise of 'Holistic' College Admissions." 

Bovy argues that college admissions officers unfairly judge students' character based on a few pieces of information -- standardized test scores, transcripts, essays, activity lists, and recommendations. I agree that using "holistic" is probably not the best term since the average admissions officer spends very little time reading a candidate's application before making an initial decision. Less to do with the assertion that colleges make false promises, what resonated with me about Bovy's article is the question it prompted: is college admissions too personal? If there's not enough time to get to know students on a personal level, with college applications reaching record highs,  then why are students being asked to divulge their most secret moments, many that have never been shared with anyone? Why are admissions officers Google searching students? 

Juniors: No Mid-Winter Break Plans? Visit Colleges From Home.

Before deciding which colleges to apply to, it is recommended that you visit first. However this can be quite costly and time consuming. These days many colleges participate in virtual tour portals for you to learn about them from the comfort of your own home. Here are three resources where you can experience college without leaving the couch:

Dreams of Attending an Ivy? Adopt a Tiger Mom.

In recent news, Amy Chua, author of the controversial child rearing memoir, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" has returned to the spotlight with a new book that examines characteristics that make particular immigrant groups successful in the United States.

Chua's first book, self-praises her "tiger mom" success-above-all driven parenting style. She's a diehard mom who commingles high levels of expectations and demands of her children with parental investment and involvement. Chua's stark sermon of strict Chinese parenting sucker punches the Western mom's self-esteem building approach.

Since the book's 2011 release, Chua's eldest daughter is attending Harvard; and her youngest daughter is also Ivy-bound. How could admissions officers not reward an accomplished 17 year old musician who's played at Carnegie Hall?

In the college admissions game, is tiger mom parenting a good thing?  Consider what a tiger mom could do for you:

Seniors: Reasons to love the final semester of High School

College applications....done. Financial aid applications....complete.
Anxiously you wait for college decisions and financial aid packages to arrive. This waiting period can be nerve wrecking, and "senioritis" is beginning to settle in. Yet graduation is still months away. The best thing you can do now is love your final semester of high school.