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Is the college admissions essay important to admissions committees?

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[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”23825847″] For high school senior Brittany Stinson, her admissions essay gained her acceptance into five Ivy League schools and Stanford. In her essay (I urge you to read, here), Ms. Stinson contemplates her curious nature and evolving interests, with trips to Costco as the backdrop in which her musings and self-discovery take place. Although it is important to note that admissions essays do not lead to acceptance alone – there are many other criteria which are considered including ACT/SAT performance, GPA, extracurriculars etc. – the essay offers admissions officers a glimpse at what the other application materials do not: the applicant’s personality. Essays that project a certain likeability, humor, and that effectively convey who the student truly is are more likely to stand out. If a student can craft an honest, compelling essay, and keeps his or her grammar, spelling, and sentence structure in order, 90% of the work is done. An effective essay is unique, tells a story, and keeps the reader intrigued throughout.

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Learn more: http://www.businessinsider.com/5-former-ivy-league-admissions-officers-talk-about-college-admissions-essays-2016-4

 

Standardized testing as big business?

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[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”23825847″] Have you ever thought of standardized testing as big business? Probably not. It may come as a surprise that the standardized testing industry is worth between $400-$700 million according to the National Board on Educational Testing and Public Policy at Boston College. Additionally, Gaston Caperton, President of the College Board, nonprofit owner of SAT, and Richard Ferguson, former executive officer of ACT, Inc., pulled in salaries of $1.3 and 1.1 million, respectively, in 2011 alone! Parents can expect to pay exam fees but may not realize the cost associated with test prep. For families with little to no savings for college, test prep can place a significant strain on the family budget. Expenses can include tutoring fees, test prep book fees, and sometimes even counseling. All in all, test prep cost families 13.1 billion in 2015.

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The messaging that surrounds standardized testing (e.g., that it is both necessary and beneficial) bombards our students in school and on their social media accounts. Parents are told that these tests will accurately measure a student’s knowledge, encourage them to work diligently, and hold schools accountable. Critics that challenge these aspects argue that these exams do nothing short of forcing students to memorize information rather than truly learning and understanding the material. A study led by former Dean of Admissions for Bates College, Wiliam Hiss, recorded graduation rates of students who completed standardized tests versus those who did not and the results showed that only 0.5% of a GPA point distinguished the test-takers from non-test-takers. This study points to the possibility that perhaps standardized tests really are just preparing students to be good standardized test takers.

Learn more: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/the-business-of-standardi_b_9785988.html

Making the most of college tours

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[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”23825847″] Every year thousands of parents and their college-bound children hit the road to tour college campuses in hopes of finding that perfect school. After thousands of miles flown or driven to tour numerous colleges, instead of walking away with a clear favorite or even a short list, many students are more disengaged from the process than ever.

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After college tours some students may show signs of disinterest in selecting the right school. Alternatively, some students may shown extreme interest in every college toured making it impossible to choose just one. Some students may like or dislike a college based on insignificant reasons such as the college tour guide or the campus cafe. All scenarios are likely to be frustrating for parents. Some tips to help parents in engaging their children with positive discussion regarding their college tours include the following:

1. Let your child have some time to digest the information versus bombarding them with questions as soon as you have returned.
2. Refrain from immediately offering your personal opinions and ask your child open-ended questions to get their honest perspective on the schools in question
3. Test out some possible options by making statements to your child regarding potential majors or career paths that certain schools specialize in.
4. Encourage your child to discuss options with their friends, or offer to organize a get-together for a fun night with friends, discussing toured colleges
5. If your child is not responding to the above mentioned then it would be a good idea to schedule an appointment with your child’s college counselor to discuss the tours.
6. Lastly, make sure to discuss items about the schools that your child did not like to help give them an even clearer picture of the positive and negative aspects of each school.

Learn more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/willarddix/2016/04/26/post-college-trip-review-now-what/#b4927077bde8

What to Do When Placed on the Dreaded College Waitlist

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[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”23825847″] High School seniors hoping for a “yes” and bracing for a “no” from their top college choices are not likely to be prepared for a “maybe.” When such a decision hits their mailbox it can create a mix of emotions, high anxiety, and a lot of confusion. “I definitely do still feel like I’m in a limbo state,” said Apollo Young, 17, a senior at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia. Young was placed on the waitlist for Dartmouth and the University of Chicago. According to Douglas Christiansen, Vanderbilt University’s vice provost for enrollment, the best thing a student can do is to express their continued interest via email with a regional admissions officer once waitlisted. However, repeatedly sending emails or calling the admissions office is not likely to help students’ chances, nor is “name-dropping” endorsements or recommendations from high-profile figures (e.g., senators, CEOs, etc.) Further confusing the “waitlist status” are the wide discrepancies among schools with regard to the number of students placed on the wait list each year and the number that are actually accepted from the waitlist. There are some schools that accept most of their waitlist (such as Penn State which admitted 1,445 of its 1,473 waitlisted students in 2015). Alternatively, there are some schools that activate little to none of their waitlisted students (such as Stanford, which admitted only 7 waitlisted students in 2014 and none from 2015). Many schools will use the waitlist to meet their enrollment goals, review applicants in further detail, or just as placeholders in case they need to replace students who have retracted their acceptance. Knowing how a school typically uses its waitlist may help students in making the difficult decision to wait it out or to definitively select another school.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/04/16/top-colleges-put-thousands-of-applicants-in-wait-list-limbo-and-some-wont-admit-any/

College Rejection Letters and Their Impact on Parents

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[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”23825847″] Unfortunately, April and May don’t just bring news of the summer to come – they also bring college rejection letters to millions of students around the country. For students who wish to attend the most elite colleges in the country, this is a challenging time. Competition is at an all-time high, and the chances of rejection are high. But this pressure isn’t just felt by students – many parents whose children receive rejection letters feel that they’ve failed their own children. According to Josh Logan, a psychologist at New Rochelle High School in Westchester, “parents perceive their children’s successes and failures as direct reflections of their parenting skills.” Oftentimes, parents take the decision personally when they shouldn’t, since many universities have a different pool of applicants each year and have different sets of criteria to meet each year. The chances of a student fitting these criteria are somewhat of a crapshoot. The bottom line: when it comes to college rejection letters, it’s best not to take them personally. Rejection letters should be viewed as speed bumps along the way, and often, the school you end up at will make you far happier than your former “dream school” ever could have.

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Read more: http://nypost.com/2016/04/11/its-the-time-of-year-when-college-rejections-crush-parents/

Cheating on the SAT and getting away with it?

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[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”23825847″] According to Reuters the college board is aware that the new SAT exam questions have been leaked to students overseas and they have no intention to replace or change the exam questions. Blacke Morrison, investigative project editor for Reuters stated, “We found students from China who told us they had seen and studied ahead of time parts of tests they ended up taking. We also discovered something else- that even when tipsters warned security officials that exams were circulating before the test date, the College Board typically went ahead and gave the SAT anyway.” The lack of action taken by the College Board can seem puzzling; however, the College Board benefits financially from the increased number of test takers and American Universities rely on Chinese students to boost enrollment. The investigation conducted by Reuters’s found that of the 64,000 students taking the test during the 2013-3014 academic year, it is impossible to determine the number of students that had access or prior knowledge of the test questions.

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The newly designed SAT was administered to American students in March and according to Reuters, some of these students have been sharing the details of the test questions and answers via online platforms. The new SAT is set to be administered May 7th to overseas students and at this point it is impossible to know which students have had access to test questions in advance.

Read the story: http://www.educationworld.com/a_news/reuters-investigates-college-board’s-knowledge-widespread-cheating-sat-overseas-1399589806

Elite Summer College programs not as critical or helpful as you think

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[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”23825847″] When summer rolls around, many parents are eager to help their child gain acceptance to their “dream” school and therefore may push them into attending a summer college program. Many parents carry a misconception that enrolling their child in an Elite summer college program will give them an advantage when it comes to gaining admission. This notion is not entirely accurate, according to Raymond Ravaglia, the former associate dean for pre-collegiate studies at Stanford University and currently the director of pre-college programs at The School of The New York Times. Ravaglia explains that summer is the time when high school students should be relaxing, exploring and experiencing some significant personal growth. Many parents are under the impression that if they send their child to an elite summer program and he/she does well, that experience will improve their child’s competitive edge, making him/her more marketable to elite colleges. The truth is that during the summer college session the majority of regular students leave campus and spend summers at home. Many of the faculty are absent as well, engaging in research and other projects, so the classes are actually being taught by graduate students. Another misconception regarding summer college programs is that parents believe these programs are developed because the university wants to prepare students with the knowledge and experiences needed to be successful in college, and for their institution in particular. Sadly, this is another false statement since most students go home for the summer all colleges are likely trying to fill the dorms during summer vacation. It is important for parents to note that the goal is not just to get their child into a good college, but to set them up for long-term success, in college and beyond. The early process of self-discovery is key, and summers are a critical time for that process to take place.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/04/24/if-you-think-these-elite-summer-programs-will-get-your-kid-into-college-guess-again/

ACT, Inc. teams up with Kaplan Test Prep to Offer Low-Income Students Free Online ACT Prep

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[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”23825847″] ACT, Inc., the makers of the eponymous college and career readiness test, has teamed up with the nation’s leading test prep company, Kaplan, to offer a new, low-priced online test prep course for the ACT. The new online test prep program, ACT Kaplan Prep Live, will be rolling out in the fall and will involve interactive, content-based courses led by “master teachers.” The program will cost less than $200 for all students who register for the ACT, and will be offered for free to low-income students. Marten Roorda, the ACT’s chief executive officer, states: “We know that great teaching helps to improve student outcomes in school and beyond, and we want to make sure that all students have access to quality learning opportunities.”

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The ACT Kaplan Online Prep Live program will offer study resources and assessments from ACT, real questions from the ACT test, and live and on demand videos accessible via mobile or desktop. The program will also include a social community providing support as well as frequently asked questions and answers for students and teachers.

Word is out on the effects of the program, including average score improvements, student engagement, and overall performance. The ACT has yet to announce an update on the results of the program:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/act-inc-kaplan-test-prep-160000256.html

Record Breaking Numbers of College Applications Being Submitted

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[shareaholic app=”share_buttons” id=”23825847″] By May 1st, the last college decisions will be made, and the college admissions process is will have come to a close. The college application process has always been daunting for students; however, according to high school guidance counselors and admissions experts, the newly competitive admissions environment has created significantly heightened anxiety for students. A spokeswoman for the Common Application, Aba Blankson, stated that the number of students using the Common Application increased to 920,000 applicants in 2016 – up from 847,000 applicants compared to April of last year. According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, 32 percent of students applied to 7 or more schools in 2013 alone. With applications soaring, colleges are able to be more selective – especially the most highly ranked schools. Although students continue to increase the number of applications they submit, and colleges continue efforts to increase their selectivity, the average nationwide acceptance rate at four-year colleges has stayed at about 65 percent, according to David Hawkins, the executive director for educational content and policy at the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Elite schools and the students who apply to them are feeling the brunt of this effect. For instance, This year, Yale admitted only 6.3% of its applicants, due largely to a vastly expanded applicant pool. Now, more than ever, students should do everything possible to ensure high GPAs, test scores, and focused extracurriculars to continue standing out – especially if they’re looking to attend an elite university.

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Read more: http://nytimes.com/2016/04/21/us/greater-competition-for-college-places-means-higher-anxiety-too.html

Education Secretary John King Makes Push for More “Well Rounded” Education Standards

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The nation’s new education secretary, John King Jr., plans to focus on the importance of a “well-rounded education” in a speech at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts on Thursday. With the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaces No Child Left Behind, schools will have new flexibility with regard to their own accountability measures. This provides schools with an opportunity to broaden their focus and emphasize subjects such as social studies, the arts, and world languages. The Bush era’s No Child Left Behind Act placed heavy weight on more classical subjects such as reading and math, largely ignoring other subjects entirely. Critics have complained for years about the stringent emphasis standardized tests place on to math and reading, thus locking teachers into a box with little to no options for any other subject material. King’s hope is that the concept of a well-rounded education will be embraced by schools and educators so that American students will be well more versed in a variety of subjects. This will give schools an opportunity to define educational excellence in a much more comprehensive way, which will in turn broaden students’ horizons and lead to a more engaging education process.

Learn more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/john-king-well-rounded-education_us_570e9013e4b03d8b7b9f34c6

Published on: April 12, 2017

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