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5 Tips for Securing Recommendation Letters
Tweet Share on Facebook July 11, 2011 Comment (6)Writing college applications can prove to be a big job—especially when you have a "story" to tell. Students tend to focus on the essay—and, sometimes, the interview—in conveying key messages. In doing so, they completely overlook a potential source of powerful testimonials to their stories: letters of recommendation from counselors, teachers, coaches, and mentors.
Letters of recommendation are important to admissions officers because they provide contextual interpretation of your academic performance. Writers share critical insight into your work habits and learning style as well as your ability to respond to challenges and setbacks. They can help explain irregularities in your academic program and/or performance and shed light into key factors that define your learning environment.
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Answering Readers' College Search Questions
Tweet Share on Facebook July 4, 2011 Comment (1)In recent weeks, readers of The College Admissions Insider have raised questions in the comment box of posted blogs. Many of the questions are personal in nature or request feedback regarding specific colleges. As a general rule, I do not publicly make qualitative or comparative assessments regarding colleges or groups of colleges nor do I think it's appropriate to respond to personal questions in a public forum.
As a result, I have paraphrased some of the questions (with my responses) below. In the future, if you would like to receive direct, personal feedback to your questions, please E-mail them to me at TheAdmissionsInsider@usnews.com. I will respond to them as quickly as I am able. Happy Independence Day!
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8 Strategies for Starting Your College Application Process
Tweet Share on Facebook June 27, 2011 Comment (3)Getting started in the college application process can be a daunting task. While the paperwork itself will require careful management, the creative energy that must be given to developing key messages and application themes—and crafting them into compelling personal statements—can be all-consuming.
Over the course of the summer, I will devote this space to providing guidance regarding application preparations. The following are strategies for starting the process. In the coming weeks, I will focus on tips and strategies for refining your presentation.
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Ask College Officials About Graduation Rates
Tweet Share on Facebook June 20, 2011 Comment (1)While the focus in your college search is on finding and getting into colleges that represent good "fits" for you, now is also a good time to begin assessing the manner in which you will be supported in achieving your educational goals. After all, what better way to gauge the extent to which you will be valued in a given academic environment than to determine that place's likely investment in your success? As you visit college campuses, then, be prepared to ask following questions.
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Finding a Good College Fit
Tweet Share on Facebook June 13, 2011 Comment (4)Which college is best for you—and why?
On the surface, these questions may not seem very consequential. When you consider the opportunity that lies before you, however, understanding the importance of the questions and being able to answer them thoughtfully can make a big difference in the outcomes of your college planning process.
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Summer Do's and Don'ts for College Applicants
Tweet Share on Facebook June 6, 2011 Comment (2)In the coming weeks, thousands of young people will find their daily routines changing as the academic year comes to a close. Some will go to the beach. Many will sleep until noon. Others will jet off to parts unknown for new, exotic adventures. And, at some point in the weeks that follow, most will find themselves on a college campus or two.
The choices students make as they embrace the summer months can impact their personal growth while providing important clues to college admissions officers about the character and convictions of the candidates they are considering. If you are a rising high school senior, how will you spend your summer months? The following do's and don'ts provide guidance in making good and productive choices.
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Answering Questions About College Visits
Tweet Share on Facebook May 30, 2011 CommentThe May 16 blog post, "Follow 9 Tips to Window Shop for Colleges," prompted a number of questions regarding college visits. I will address some of them in this week's column. If you have questions about any aspect of the college admissions process, send them to me at TheAdmissionsInsider@usnews.com.
I have an eighth grade son. When is the best time to start taking him around to visit colleges?
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Examine Alternative Routes to a 4-Year Degree
Tweet Share on Facebook May 23, 2011 Comment (3)As economic uncertainty continues to linger, more families are taking stock of potential alternatives to the traditional path to a four-year college degree. A popular option is one that involves taking the first two years of college at a less expensive two- or four-year college and then transferring into a higher profile (and higher priced) four-year institution from which the degree is granted.
On the surface, this strategy seems very practical as a cost-savings measure. It becomes even more so if the student is able to avoid residential expenses by living at home for the first two years. Upon closer examination, however, the net impact—financially and educationally—might not always match expectations.
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Follow 9 Tips to Window Shop for Colleges
Tweet Share on Facebook May 16, 2011 CommentAs the school year winds down, thousands of families are gearing up to start the college search and selection process in earnest. For many, the process starts with plans to visit college campuses. The questions that often arise include, "When is the best time to visit?" and "What should we expect to accomplish?"
The answers are fairly straightforward: "Visit when you can," and "Soak up as much information as possible!" Ideally, you would visit colleges when classes are in session and the campuses are full of life. But that may not always be possible—so, go when you can. The best opportunities may be around business trips, holiday travels, or vacations.
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Establish Ownership in the College Planning Process
Tweet Share on Facebook May 9, 2011 Comment (2)May is a month when high school juniors find themselves staring at the seemingly uphill portion of the college planning process. Whereas college may have been on the radar screen for quite a while, the task of getting there is now approached with a sense of earnestness.
The next 12 months will find students compiling lists and sorting through options in the hopes of happy outcomes. Just contemplating the upcoming gauntlet of college visits, essay preparation, and tests—not to mention the panicked rush to meet application deadlines—can induce waves of anxiety for even the most thoughtfully organized families.
