-
The College Costs Guessing Game
Tweet Share on Facebook March 28, 2011 CommentLong before the current economic crisis took over our collective consciousness, cost and affordability were key factors in determining college access for many students. Now, however, families of all means find themselves in search of assistance as college costs mount and personal liquidity diminishes.
The search begins with a need to pin down the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) relative to a student's educational expenses. Depending on the EFC, a student can expect to receive more or less financial assistance from a range of sources including state and federal governments as well as the colleges themselves.
-
5 Reasons to Consider Test-Optional Colleges
Tweet Share on Facebook March 21, 2011 Comment (2)College entrance testing has long been the bane of existence for young people, as their ability to achieve a competitive score has held the key to college acceptance. Hit a good number—at or above the posted average for an institution—and you've got a good chance of getting in. Or so the perception goes. Fall short, and you need to hope that other factors on your application will carry the day.
For years, tests like the SAT and the ACT have cast long shadows on the rest of the credentialing process. The shame of it all is that these tests are grossly misused. By their current design, they are diagnostic tests whose purpose is to give admission officers a better handle on whether a student can do the academic work in the first year of college. Period.
-
Q&A on High School Course Selections
Tweet Share on Facebook March 14, 2011 Comment (3)Last week's blog post, "3 Steps for Choosing the Right High School Classes," prompted a number of questions that are worth sharing with the wider readership, along with my answers:
Q: I am a guidance counselor in a high school that has a very challenging math curriculum. Some of my students will have completed AP Calculus AB in the junior year and feel satisfied with omitting a math course in the senior year. I have grave concerns about this decision and would appreciate your insight.
-
3 Steps for Choosing the Right High School Classes
Tweet Share on Facebook March 7, 2011 Comment (1)Success in the college admissions process is rarely a factor of raw talent. There can be little doubt about the pool of talent from which colleges draw their entering classes. Most students who apply to colleges—including the most highly selective—possess the talent to compete at least minimally in the classrooms at those colleges.
Finding success as an applicant, however, rests more on what you do with the talents you possess than the fact that you have them. In other words, "How do you choose to apply yourself?"
