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Decide if an Early Decision College Application is the Right Choice
Tweet Share on Facebook September 19, 2011 CommentWith the college admissions process looming on the horizon, an element of strategic thinking is beginning to emerge in many households as families assess their options and calculate the odds of gaining admission to selective colleges and universities.
Given the overall competitiveness of the admissions field, especially at elite institutions, a determination is made to target one of these places with an early decision application. In short, "we need to find an ED college."
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Defining the 'Best' in Colleges
Tweet Share on Facebook September 12, 2011 Comment (3)Over the last month, the release of college rankings has created a mad rush among families of college-bound students to find validation for the colleges that appear on their emerging short lists. Forbes, Newsweek, and The Princeton Review have all weighed in with their superlatives. And now the "grand-daddy" of ranking guides, Best Colleges from U.S.News & World Report, will be available for review Sept. 13.
While critics argue that rankings adversely affect the college-going landscape by distorting institutional priorities and misplacing the emphasis in the choice of a college, their popularity is an ongoing testimony to the insatiable desire of many consumers to have the "best."
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Follow 7 Steps to Manage the College Application Process
Tweet Share on Facebook September 5, 2011 Comment (3)Earlier this summer, I wrote about "8 Strategies for Starting Your College Application Process," directed at rising high school seniors as they began to contemplate the process that loomed on the horizon. Then, in August, I offered "7 Tips to Jump-Start the College Application Process." Given the importance of what lies ahead, I think it is prudent to make sure this topic continues to get the attention it deserves.
The advice in the earlier blog posts is pretty straightforward: Get organized. Be purposeful. And focus on key messages. Readers who heeded that advice should now be operating from well-conceived plans for completing their college applications.
