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How to Make a College List

By posted May 3, 2012

Finding the perfect school can be a daunting task.  One of the most important steps to take is making a list of the schools that you want to apply to.  Once you have a framework, it will be easier to narrow down your choices.  Follow these steps to learn how to make a realistic list of colleges for yourself:

1. Make a Preliminary List
Write down all of the schools you might be interested in.  This can be a long list of varied colleges; we’ll help you narrow it down in the following steps.  Some preliminary factors to consider are location, small school vs. big school, and special programs, if you already know your intended major.

2. Compare Scores
Compare your GPA and SAT/ACT scores to the average scores of incoming freshmen at each university on your preliminary list.  Every school lists that information on the “admissions” portion of the school website.  For each school, note whether you fall on the low, middle, or high end of average scores.  If your scores are well below the bottom 25% or well above the top 75%, consider eliminating the school from your list.  Don’t waste time and money by applying to a school that you will not get into, or applying to a school that will be too easy for you.

3. Note Acceptance Rates
Look at the acceptance rates, also listed on each college’s website.  Next to each potential school, note whether the acceptance rate is low (under 35%) medium (35-65%) or high (65-100%).

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Explaining Hardship on College Applications

By posted March 8, 2012

Colleges understand that some students must cope with difficult circumstances that result in lower grades or SAT scores. If you are one of those students, don’t be discouraged; you can still get into your dream school. By explaining your situation on the college application, either in a personal statement or an addendum, you can actually enhance your chances of admission.

1. What to Include
If you faced any hardships that affected your academics, include a description of the circumstance and the ways in which it affected your GPA and/or test scores. If you or a family member were seriously ill, if you faced economic hardship, if you had to move frequently, these are all worthy of including on your application.

2. Essay or Addendum?
Personal statements are meant to encapsulate who you are as a person and a student.  If you can write about a topic more central to your personal identity, just include explanation of hardship on an addendum or additional space included in the application packet.  If you feel that the hardship played a central role in shaping who you are, or if you have truly meaningful conclusions to draw from your circumstances, it might be a good topic for the personal statement.

3. How to Frame an Addendum
The point of explaining personal hardship isn’t to get the admissions officer to have a pity party for you. Rather, you want to simply explain the reasons for any deficits in your application. State your circumstances and their consequences in a straightforward, professional manner.  If you were hospitalized during your senior year, you can merely state the illness and the length of time it affected your GPA; admissions counselors don’t need to know every detail of your travail.

Find out how Grockit can help you prepare for the SAT! 

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The Academic Perspective

By posted February 27, 2012

When applying to colleges, we suggest you consider four different perspectives and weigh them each accordingly:

  • Academic Perspective (40%)
  • Financial Perspective (30%)
  • Social Perspective (15%)
  • Campus Perspective (15%)

This week we’ll discuss the most important perspective to look at when considering where you are going to apply to college – academics.  After all, you are going to college to earn an academic degree in order to acquire the knowledge and skills you need to get a well-paying job in your intended career field after graduation.  Let’s not forget that!

Safety, Target, Reach:  If you haven’t heard these terms before, you will.

  • Safety schools are schools that you have a really good chance of getting into.  Your academic profile (GPA, SAT/ACT scores) is stronger than most of the other applicants.  For example, you have a GPA of a 3.7 and the mean GPA for admitted students is a 3.4.  We suggest you apply to about 2-4 safety schools so that you have a back up plan in case you don’t get into your top choices.  We also suggest you apply to safety schools because most schools that will give you merit-based financial aid awards will be your safety schools.  You will be a very strong applicant at these schools and colleges will be very interested in you.
  • Target schools are schools that you have a decent chance of getting into because your academic profile is average for what those colleges typically accept.  For example, if you have an SAT score of 1800, the mean SAT for incoming freshman at that school is an 1800.  You are right on “target” with the school’s standards.  We suggest you apply to about 3-5 target schools.  While you have a good chance of being accepted, don’t forget that your academic profile will look almost identical to thousands of other applicants.  You will need to do something to set yourself apart in your applications.  You will need to work hard on your admissions essay and consider scheduling an admissions interview. Read more »

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When are the 2012 SAT test dates?

By posted August 17, 2011

The SAT is offered 7 times a year. You should be familiar with the college application deadlines for the schools you will be applying to and decide which SAT test date to register for. Most students will take the SAT the spring of their junior year and some will take the test again, or the first time, the fall of their senior year. Make use of SAT test prep to help familiarize yourself with the SAT before test day by knowing the SAT test structure and content tested.

2012 SAT test dates:

Exam Date:          Register By:            Late Registration:

1/28/2012              12/30/2011                  1/11/2012

3/10/2012              02/10/2012                  2/22/2012

5/05/2012              4/06/2012                   4/18/2012

6/02/2012              5/08/2012                   5/16/2012

TBD                            TBD                            TBD

TBD                            TBD                            TBD

TBD                            TBD                            TBD

Check out this SAT Identifying Sentence Errors question. Good luck!

Register to take the SAT at collegeboard.org

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When is the ACT offered in 2012?

By posted August 15, 2011

The ACT is offered 6 times a year in most states. Before you schedule your ACT test you should be aware of the college application deadlines and what it means for rolling admissions and early action deadlines. You should give yourself enough time for ACT test prep to give you the best advantage in achieving the highest ACT score possible.

2012 ACT test dates:

Exam Date:          Register By:            Late Registration:

*2/11/2012             1/13/2012                   1/20/2012

4/14/2012              3/09/2012                   3/23/2012

6/09/2012              5/04/2012                   5/18/2012

9/08/2012                  TBD                            TBD

10/27/2012                TBD                            TBD

12/08/2012                TBD                            TBD

Test your ACT skills by answering this ACT reading question. Good luck!

* Note: There will be no ACT test offered in New York for the February test date.

Register to take the ACT at act.org

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When is the ACT offered in 2011?

By posted August 1, 2011

The ACT is offered 6 times a year in most states. Before you schedule your ACT test you should be aware of the college application deadlines and what it means for rolling admissions and early action deadlines. You should give yourself enough time for ACT test prep to give you the best advantage in achieving the highest ACT score possible.

2011 ACT test dates:

Exam Date:          Register By:            Late Registration:

*2/12/2011             1/07/2011                   1/21/2011

4/09/2011              3/04/2011                   3/18/2011

6/11/2011              5/06/2011                   5/20/2011

9/10/2011              8/12/2011                   8/26/2011

10/22/2011            9/16/2011                   9/30/2011

12/10/2011           11/04/2011                 11/18/2011

 

Check out this ACT science question for practice! Good luck!

* Note: There will be no ACT test offered in New York for the February test date.

Register to take the ACT at act.org and if you have any questions on ACT test dates, registration, and college admissions please feel free to leave a comment!

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A Beginner’s Guide to Financial Aid Part I

By posted July 20, 2011

As most parents and students are aware, if you need money to go to college then you deal with the financial aid department. These are the people that are in charge of awarding grants, scholarships, student loans, and work-study packages. Figuring out how the college determines who gets money and who doesn’t can often times seem tricky, so let’s try to look at this process in as simple a format as possible.

Now, the concept is that financial aid goes to those families who need it the most. To determine this, colleges use two factors: Cost of Attendance (COA) and Estimated Family Contribution (EFC). Then, the financial aid department uses a simple formula: COA – EFC = NEED.

Your COA is pretty straightforward. It is the cost of tuition, room & board, books, fees, transportation, and an allowance for miscellaneous fees. The COA at a college can change every year, so financial aid is recalculated every year. Remember to include all of the items I just mentioned in your budget, since that is exactly what the college is doing when figuring out your financial aid. If you forget to factor in the cost of textbooks, you may not have enough money when you head off to college in the fall.

Your EFC is a bit more complicated because the college is trying to determine how much money they think your family can afford to spend on college. Unfortunately, your EFC is never going to be as low as you would prefer (unless of course it’s $0), but it is important to know what factors impact your EFC. There are many different things that go into the calculation of your EFC, but four of the biggest influences are Parent Income, Parent Assets, Student Income, and Student Assets. We will cover all of these in more detail in future blogs, so stay tuned as we continue the posts. Other factors that can influence your EFC include the number of family members in your household, the number of students in college at the same time, the ages of each family member, and even what state you live in. If this seems complicated, plenty of other families are thinking the same thing. Much like how a CPA can help you with your taxes, a good college advisor should be able to help you understand your EFC.

The last step in the process is to determine your NEED. This is high much financial aid you may be eligible for. Let’s say for example that your college has a COA of $50,000 and your EFC is $20,000. This means your NEED is $30,000 ($50K-$20K=$30K). Now, does this mean that you’re going to get a $30,000 scholarship? Not usually. Most colleges will award you some combination of grants/scholarships (free money) and work-study/student loans (self help). Keep in mind that money you receive based on this formula is called “Need-Based Aid”. Scholarships that you get for having a really high GPA or good SAT scores are called “Merit-Based” and are awarded based on separate criteria. Even if your EFC is higher than a college’s COA, you could still receive “Merit-Based” aid (so study hard!)

Next time we’ll talk about your EFC in more detail and explore the fact that there are 2 possible EFC formulas a college could use, each with a different set of questions.

About the author: Justin Munio is a Business Development Manager and Financial Aid Consultant with College Planning Strategies, LLC. With a degree in mathematics from SUNY Geneseo and over 3 years working in the CPS Financial Aid Department, Justin is at the forefront of the financial aid process for the families of CPS and the Toolkit.

About Smart Track™ Toolkit: The toolkit is a web based service that assists families with everything from admissions and test prep, to student athletics and financial aid. Our intuitive software and on-demand workshops are key components to making sure students find their top choice colleges, and families can afford to send them there.

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Unigo’s Expert Network – Experts answering your questions

By posted July 12, 2011

The Unigo Expert Network is a group of top education experts from across the US answering questions submitted by students and parents about college admissions and succeeding after high school.

 

“In your experience, what are three of the most accepted or exaggerated myths in the college admissions process?”—Donald J., Park City, UT

A: What you’ve heard about essays may not be accurate

Students often misunderstand the purpose of long and short statements they must write for many applications. The longer personal statement (the essay) is not a textbook expository essay. It is a personal narrative meant to show who you are, as well as how well you express yourself. The shorter statements individual colleges ask for may be at least as important. These questions are meant to gauge how well you know the school as well as your level of interest. That’s why writing about College X when you are applying to College Y (yes, it does happen) can sink an application.

-        Nola Lynch– Owner – Northwest College Search

A: Do activities that suit you, write about everyday life, and reveal disabilities

Two common myths assume that colleges have predetermined ideas on how students should spend their time: that you must have a noteworthy summer activity to be considered by highly selective colleges and have something unusual or extraordinary to write about in essays. Actually, the best personal statements reflect a slice of everyday life. Some of my favorites this year have included reflections on: a bus ride, an electronics show, and an acting class. Also, students and parents often feel that disabilities shouldn’t be revealed in applications, but this information is valuable in understanding a transcript or how students have worked through challenges.

-        Patti Demoff— Co-Founder – College Circuit

A: Don’t let bad information interfere with finding a good match

Everyone exclaims about the extreme selectivity of colleges, so people begin to think most colleges are ultra-selective.  But by far, most colleges admit more than 50% of their applicants.  Another myth is that if colleges don’t have a well-known name, they must not be of good quality.  In fact, there are thousands of fine colleges–places that aren’t always in the news–that make a good match for thousands of students.  Incorrectly, many students have the impression that small colleges are boring.  Check out the wide variety of opportunities and you’ll be surprised how interesting they can be!

-        Janet Elfers— Senior Class Counselor – Mariemont High School

Don’t miss answers by the Director of Admissions at University of Washington, and more – at www.unigo.com/expertnetwork.  To send your question to our experts, visit www.unigo.com/expertquestions

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Unigo’s Expert Network – Experts anwering your questions

By posted July 6, 2011

The Unigo Expert Network is a group of top education experts from across the US answering questions submitted by students and parents about college admissions and succeeding after high school.

 

“In your experience, what are three of the most significant and avoidable mistakes students make throughout the admissions process?”—Elizabeth R., Omaha, NE.

A: Procrastination, presumptuousness, and passivity often doom college applications

The three Ps often spoil students’ college applications.  Procrastination: students who wait until the last minute and only spend a couple days—if that—on their application essays and short answer responses regularly produce far weaker applications, and thus receive a disproportionate percentage of the rejection letters. Presumptuousness: Students who approach their essays and short answer responses like they do an English paper are displaying overconfidence because writing for the college application requires a completely different style of writing than for a school assignment.  Passivity: Finally, meekness when communicating about extracurricular accomplishments is another common recipe for rejection.

-       Craig Meister–President – Tactical College Consulting

A: Getting to know you: getting to know about you

On her campus tour, Lisa saw that her tour guide was not wearing any shoes—neither were hundreds of other kids on campus—as the students were sharing their passion for a particular injustice in the world. Lisa asked more questions on the tour and during her interview and later back home, wrote about amazing connections between her and the campus. Students often don’t spend enough time getting to know the colleges on their lists. Many colleges count demonstrated interest and even have college specific questions on their college applications. Students need to learn much as possible about colleges. Lisa did and the college agreed.

-       Rebecca Joseph—Executive Director & Founder – Get Me To College

A: Don’t procrastinate and respect the details

Procrastination has accelerated over the past decade as the electronic age has empowered applicants to leave everything to the last minute. Students don’t allow for time zone differences, Internet service outages, server crashes because of the sheer volume of last minute applications, or the failure of their own computer at the last and critical moment.  At the same time, a lack of attention to detail such as spelling and grammar or the all too familiar application to one college but mistakenly identifying the name of another college the student is applying to is just sloppy and inexcusable.

-       Peter Brass—Founder – Director of Student Services & University Advisor – St. John’s Ravenscourt School

Don’t miss answers by the Director of Admissions at St. Lawrence University, and more – at www.unigo.com/expertnetwork.  To send your question to our experts, visit www.unigo.com/expertquestions

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