College Admissions Blog : College Guide and Search Advice

Largest US Colleges and Universities by Enrollment

2011-07-21T07:34:00.001-05:00

The US Dept of Education's IPEDS (Integrated Post-secondary Education Data System) contains information on all 7,000+ officially-recognized institutions of higher education in the United States. We present a list of the 20 largest institutions of higher education by "12-month unduplicated headcount," meaning it is the number of unique individuals who enrolled in at least one class during the 12 months of 2009. Whether a system of individual campuses is counted as one or multiple institutions depends on how that institution is accredited and chartered. All data can be verified on the IPEDS system website.

12 month unduplicated enrollment, 2009
Ranking	College	Location	Enrollment
1	University of Phoenix	Online Campus	532,672
2	Comm College of the Air Force	Multiple Campuses	324,573
3	Kaplan University	Multiple Campuses	96,166
4	Miami Dade College	Miami, Florida	96,123
5	Houston Community College	Houston, Texas	78,780
6	Ashford University	Multiple Campuses (Headquarters in Clinton, Iowa)	78,353
7	Arizona State University	Phoenix Metropolitan Area, Arizona	75,341
8	Strayer University	Washington, DC	74,713
9	Lone Star College System	The Woodlands, Texas	69,340
10	Northern Va Comm College	Annandale, Virginia	67,175
11	University of Minnesota, Twin Cities	Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota	65,006
12	Austin Community College District	Austin, Texas	64,276
13	Ohio State University	Columbus, Ohio	62,807
14	Tarrant County College District	Fort Worth, Texas	62,488
15	College of Southern Nevada	Las Vegas, Nevada	59,691
16	University of Florida	Gainesville, Florida	59,614
17	University of Central Florida	Orlando, Florida	59,360
18	American River College	Sacramento, California	57,959
19	Pima Community College	Tucson, Arizona	57,924
20	East Los Angeles College	Los Angeles, California	57,340

Top 15 Most Expensive Public Colleges

2011-07-06T09:35:00.005-05:00

Always an interesting topic. What we typically see is simply the most expensive private colleges. Here is a list of the top 15 most expensive "Public 4 Year Colleges".

Penn State Univ	PA	$14,416
Univ of Pitt	PA	$14,154
University of Vt	VT	$13,554
St. Mary's College of Md	MD	$13,234
New Jersey Inst of Technology	NJ	$12,856
Penn State University- Altoona	PA	$12,750
Penn State University- Berks	PA	$12,750
Penn State Erie-Behrend College	PA	$12,750
Penn State Harrisburg	PA	$12,750
University of New Hampshire	NH	$12,743
The College of New Jersey	NJ	$12,722
University of Illinoi	IL	$12,528
Penn College of Tecy	PA	$12,480
Miami University-Oxford	OH	$12,312
Penn State Abington	PA	$12,250

Keep in mind, the average cost of all public 4 year colleges is about $6,400. When compared to private colleges, these numbers seem much more affordable...

To search for colleges, visit www.howtogetin.com

NACAC Elist and Other Options

2011-05-24T08:18:00.000-05:00

Below are a list of options for network in the College Counseling, Admissions and Financial Aid Field.

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=1771062 - "College Counselors : Admissions and Financial Aid"

https://groups.google.com/group/admissions-professionals?hl=en


http://groupspaces.com/NACAC/

Feel free to list others in the comments section below.

F Stands for FUN!!!!!?

2011-05-03T11:58:00.001-05:00

F stands for FUN!!!!?
By Marcia Y. Cantarella, Author, I CAN Finish College: The Overcome Any Obstacle and Get Your Degree Guide.

Fun

Especially if you go away to college it is like all the blocks to fun are removed. No more parents watching and nagging about when you get home, no one checking how many beers you had or if you used a condom. Whoo whoo—college is a party! That is why there are those lists of the best party schools. And if your school is not on the list then you will fix that!

Truth is fun is fun. It is a good thing. We all need some of it in our lives. A good belly laugh or pick-up basketball game can even extend your life and keep you healthy. Relationships are supposed to be fun (not that they always are) and it is healthy to have strong social ties and networks for both professional and personal gratification. So hanging out is fun and good for you. I am all for fun. Do it myself a lot. But there is this other word—BALANCE. That is key when you think of fun. You cannot succeed in college and have all fun all the time. You need to work some, sleep some, eat some, and play—some. Balance it all out.

The worst case scenarios for college students are the ones that began as fun and ended badly. The drunken car accident that takes a life is not fun anymore. The fight that escalates to someone getting really hurt and hospitalized is not fun. Date rape is not fun. Throwing up is not fun. Being expelled is not fun. Falling off the campus monument and breaking a leg is not fun. Failing your courses because you were too hung over to get to class or do the work is not fun. Failing classes because you were in your room gaming is not fun. Explaining to your family that scraped and saved to send you to college why you are coming home because you were too busy having fun is not fun. Losing your financial aid because you failed classes having fun is not fun.

There is something in the hormonal make-up of those under 30 that, it is suggested, lead to feelings of invulnerability. The bad stuff happens to other people, but won’t happen to you. There is a reason young folks go to war. That invulnerability allows them to take risks that those of us older and wiser would call nuts. But bad stuff does happen. There are whole websites devoted to that bad stuff like hazing deaths and drunk driving outcomes and ugliness resulting from substance abuse. Things that start as fun when taken to extremes are not fun in the end.

So there is another word you need to learn in college and it is NO. That is no, thanks, no more beer. Or no thanks I can’t go out tonight. Or no that is nuts and I am not doing it. Or no that is wrong and I am not doing it. Or no this is not fun anymore. This is not to suggest that you have No fun. But that you have sane fun, balanced fun. Fun that won’t make you fail.

( For more on this topic in detail see I CAN Finish College chapters 6, 8 and 9. www.icanfinishcollege.com)

A Frightening "F" Word is also FINANCE

2011-04-25T12:07:00.002-05:00

By Marcia Y. Cantarella, Author, I CAN Finish College: The Overcome Any Obstacle and Get Your Degree Guide.

In the last posting we talked about “ F” as in Failure also being tied to three other “F” words including fear, finances and fun. Finances are a huge reason so many students fail to complete college. And fear is also part of that financial reason because again so many do not ask for help with finances because they are afraid of looking dumb or because they just don’t know that help is there or who to ask. As a stranger in this new place called college, a good first question is to ask would be who the money folks are. The financial aid office carries the same scary aura that we attach to most institutions that deal with money. Money is such a huge taboo topic and few know enough about it and fewer still seek the kind of education that they need to make good choices about money. Financial aid is called aid because aid means help. So think of this as the financial help office. This is the office that can help you with the money to pay for college. Sadly they cannot print money. But they can help you find the ways that you can reduce the amount that comes out of your pocket to pay for your education.

Fear also plays into the fact that some parents are afraid to reveal too much about their financial situations—tax returns and such and so do not take advantage of tax breaks that could save literally thousands of dollars from school costs. Interestingly it is the more affluent, financially savvy—who need the funds least who take advantage of the tax breaks that are actually meant for the more needy. This is not $mart.

Money and work go together. You get paid for working in most cases. Well that also applies to getting your out-of-pocket expenses for college reduced. You may have to do some work to research scholarships that you could be eligible for. Websites like www.edvisors.com are a goldmine of information on financial aid and strategies. You certainly have to work hard to get the kinds of grades that will get you the best scholarships. You have to work to fill out the applications for various funds including the federal form called the FAFSA which enables you to access federal college funding through programs like Pell grants.

Some of you will work while you are in college to make up the difference between what you get in financial aid and what you have to pay yourself. The best is work on campus where they will be more understanding of your need to leave work to attend a class or to take off during exams. But most will be working full or part time in places ranging from Starbucks to corporations. Working while at school may be necessary but it can also be a trap. If your job results in your taking too long to get your degree you may lose in several ways. You may not have time to study and so fail courses which then puts you behind and impacts your GPA and then that can impact your scholarships including federal aid. If you take more than 4 years to get your degree then you lose your eligibility for federal and sometimes state aid. And if you keep deferring getting the degree you are also deferring the shot at higher paying jobs. You could be taking one step forward and two back! So it is best, if you can, to reduce the hours you work so as to expedite getting through school with the best grades you possibly can. Again your financial aid (help) office can maybe find enough if you are a good student to enable you to take that change in jobs.

Money and math also go together. Do the math. Figure out how much you will need to live on while in college and begin to save now—maybe fewer movies out and more Netflix in. Figure out how much working is costing you in deferred wages or in money you will end up having to pay out once you have timed out of federal aid eligibility. Someone in your financial aid office can help you do this math—just ask for help—that is what they are there for. When you see the numbers you may be motivated to do things a bit differently. Finances are about dollars and sense. Use yours well.

( For more on this topic in detail see I CAN Finish College chapter 2) www.icanfinishcollege.com)

Why F is the Scariest Letter in the Alphabet

2011-04-21T09:38:00.004-05:00

By Marcia Y. Cantarella, PhD, Author of I CAN Finish College: The Overcome Any Obstacle and Get Your Degree Guide

When we think of F the word that comes to mind is failure. (Then there is the other “F” word, but we will not go there here…) When you think of F in relationship to college life it is a screaming panic letter invested with all kinds of power. Who knew that your entire life was wrapped up in one little letter of the alphabet? But in reality F before it becomes failure (which is not, by the way, a terminal state) also can stand for Fear, Finances, and Fun. Those other F words are the ones that can lead to failing to complete college or to failing grades—which can also lead to failing to complete college.

Fear—the fear of looking dumb is one of the biggest barriers to college success that there is. This is the fear that translates to not asking questions whether in class or of advisers. It is the fear that means you will not get the help you need.

On many campuses first year biology is a course that is taken by students who think they want to go to medical school or enter the health professions (often not because it is a real passion but because of other pressures—more on that in a different blog post). In any event, a large number of students take bio and a large number fail. When I have spoken to these students after the fact it turns out that from day one they did not understand what was going on, but assumed everyone else did (since no one was asking for explanations) and so everyone sat with material flying over their heads and the Fear of being thought dumb keeping them from asking for the help and explanations they needed.

The faculty is there to teach you things you do not know and so asking is part of that process. No one will think you are dumb if you ask. They are more likely to be impressed. If you are in a strange town (hopefully) you do not wander around for hours and days looking for your hotel because you don’t know the way. You stop and ask someone. College is like that. You are the new dude in town and need to ask directions. And the nice thing about college is that there are lots of people there to answer the questions you have. The teachers, the advisers –called advisers because their job is to advise you --, the deans, upperclassmen, tutoring centers are all there to answer your questions and see that you get the information that you need to succeed. And on top of it you pay their salaries with your tuition dollars and so it would be dumb not to get your money’s worth. It would be like paying for the hamburger and leaving the meat behind. So if you want to avoid the F remember that Ask begins with A.

(See I CAN Finish College chapters 6 and 9 www.icanfinishcollege.com ) More on other words beginning with F to come.

Why Should I take Philosophy?

2011-04-14T15:05:00.002-05:00

by Marcia Y. Cantarella, PhD,
Author: I CAN Finish College: The Overcome Any Obstacle and Get Your Degree Guide

Over the course of my career as a dean and senior administrator in a variety of schools I have heard the same question—usually in a plaintive voice and you can substitute any number of courses into that question—anthropology, history, art, literature. The assumption is that these are not practical courses. Having made the decision to go to college, presumably to become job-ready and more employable, then students look for the practical. Certainly if one is pursuing an online degree then time is precious. You don’t want to waste it with frivolity like philosophy.

But it may not be a waste at all. The question reveals the lack of understanding of the connection between what you get in an education and your future work life. Learning data entry is a good skill for the short term in a particular job. But critical thinking (such as what you would learn in a philosophy class) is a life-long skill that could actually get you out of the data entry pool.

So what does college prepare you for? College gives you skills that you can use in many career paths. Graduate school is where you most likely will specialize in the arena where most of your work life will be. Interestingly more leaders have liberal arts degrees as undergraduates than specialized degrees including undergraduate business degrees. The liberal arts are a strong preparation for the varied careers you may have along life's path. But what about preparing for a career? What you need for a career are skills. You also need evidence that you are intelligent and teachable. Your grades provide both.

We are in a fast-changing, information and service based environment. The field that is hot today may be gone tomorrow and replaced by something completely new. Think of social media’s impact on the advertising industry or ipods on the record industry. You need to show that you are smart in several areas. That would mean good grades in a variety of subjects and excellence in the majority of your courses. You need to show that you can find, absorb and integrate lots of information. Sometimes you may need to process it in different ways-"thinking out of the box." If you are engaged in a subject that you love then you will enjoy studying it. You will play with it. You will be more creative than if you are struggling to just understand the concepts of a subject area that you don’t really care about. And you just might find you love philosophy.

Employers also tell us that they seek, in addition to basic quantitative skills, really solid communications skills. You have to be able to write-presentations, memos, reports, speeches. They have to be clear, logical, literate (good grammar and spelling) and persuasive. Courses (like philosophy) that require you to read lots and to write many pages of papers are good practice for an executive career path. Firms want people who can come in and be good team players and can quickly learn how things are done. Translation: they seek people with good people skills and who are eager to learn and learn easily. If you majored in people centered subjects like Sociology, Psychology or Anthropology, to name a few, then you will know more about human behavior. But History and literature and Economics and Political Science are also studies in human behavior. All can help build skills useful in understanding situations and colleagues in the workplace.

Employers also seek people who have critical thinking skills and can solve problems even before they happen. Any major will enable you to develop those skills. All learning is about finding new knowledge and solutions to hard questions. Discovering how things work and why they work and how they have worked in the past is the essence of the work done in college. Engaging in research whether in the library or the lab is where the critical thinking skills are developed. The questions that professors ask to get you to think are designed to build this capacity. You must have some degree of quantitative aptitude. That means working with numbers. People come with varying degrees of skill in this area. Some is natural. You were born with it and would rather deal with numbers, spatial relations, or abstract quantitative concepts than read a novel or historical text. For others these are developed in school with varying degrees of success. Interestingly the field of logic which is highly mathematical is found in the philosophy department. However, whether you are managing a budget or developing a media plan based on data or designing a house you will need math in some form. Your future is in your skills—the ones that stretch your brain and can carry you for the long haul. Don’t stop with what looks purely practical. The people who get ahead don’t. Why Philosophy? It may be your path to the CEO’s chair that’s why. It’s all good.

For more go to www.icanfinishcollege.com (Chapter 4 of the book goes into this issue in detail)

Financial Aid Discussions and Forums

2011-03-31T16:28:00.000-05:00

So now most of you are getting your acceptance letters and your financial aid award letters. Hopefully, it is good news all around. However, if you have questions about financial aid and how you are going to pay that hefty tuition bill, here are some resources...

Financial Aid Forums - Discuss all things financial aid!

Search for Scholarships -Search for college scholarships, awards and grants.

Federal Student Loans - A great overview of you federal student loan options and generally all ways to pay for college.

Private Student Loans - Find, compare and apply for private student loans.

Let us know f you find other useful websites...

How to Pay for College

2011-03-07T09:45:00.000-05:00

Now that most students are getting there acceptance letters, the next steps is figuring how to pay for college... You would be surprised at the number of options available. We have compiled a good overview of your financial aid options, including scholarships, grants and student loans. Please review and provide your comments or questions below:

http://www.howtogetin.com/pay-for-college/

Another great resource for learning more and asking questions about financial aid:

http://www.financialaidforum.com/ - Financial Aid Discussion Board

Let us know what other sites you find helpful!

Harvard Returns to Early Action

2011-02-24T15:01:00.001-05:00

Harvard College announced today (Feb. 24) that it will restore nonbinding early action as part of its admissions process this fall and significantly enhance its recruiting program to assist talented students from modest economic backgrounds in navigating the admissions process. Harvard also announced it will increase its investment in undergraduate financial aid next year to more than $160 million. Currently, more than 60 percent of Harvard College students receive scholarship aid, and the average grant is about $38,000.

In 2007, Harvard eliminated its nonbinding early action program on a trial basis and moved to a single admissions deadline, announcing at the time that it would evaluate the impact of the change after several years.

“We piloted the elimination of early action out of concern that college admissions had become too complex and pressured for all students, and out of particular concern for students at under-resourced high schools who might not be able to access the early admissions process,” said Harvard President Drew Faust. “Over the past several years, however, interest in early admissions has increased, as students and families from across the economic spectrum seek certainty about college choices and financing. Our goal now is to reinstitute an early-action program consistent with our bedrock commitment to access, affordability, and excellence.”

“We looked carefully at trends in Harvard admissions these past years and saw that many highly talented students, including some of the best-prepared low-income and underrepresented minority students, were choosing programs with an early-action option, and therefore were missing out on the opportunity to consider Harvard. We have decided that the College and our students will be best served by restoring an early option,” said Dean Michael D. Smith of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Harvard’s concerns about equity and transparency will continue to guide the structure of its admission program. It will maintain a nonbinding approach, which maximizes freedom and flexibility for students. As in the past, students can apply under the single-choice, early-action program by Nov. 1 and will be notified by Dec. 15, at which point students completing financial aid applications will receive notice of their awards. Regular decision will continue to operate as usual, with applications due on Jan. 1 and notification on April 1. All students, whether admitted under early action or regular decision, will have until May 1 to decide whether to attend.

To ensure that the return to early action serves Harvard’s commitment to access and diversity across many dimensions, the change in admissions policy will be accompanied by enhancements in the College’s recruiting program, including a new program promoting transparency in college admissions, greater outreach, and targeted staff visits to schools where few students apply early to college; increased involvement of Harvard undergraduates throughout the year in three major recruiting efforts — the Harvard Financial Aid Initiative, the Undergraduate Minority Recruitment Program, and the Undergraduate Admissions Council’s Return to High School Program; and enhanced web features providing families with the ability to calculate the likely net cost to them of sending a child to Harvard, and perspectives from financial aid students on life at Harvard.

“The commitment to including first-generation, low-income, and historically disadvantaged minority students in the full spectrum of admissions options is a key feature of this new early-action option,” said Harvard College Dean Evelynn Hammonds. “We have made significant gains in recent years in recruiting larger numbers of these students and in supporting them for success once here. I am very pleased that we are able to re-conceive early action, consistent with these goals, and to work with students based on whatever timetable best meets their needs.”

“We continue to be concerned about the pressures on students today, including those associated with college admission,” said Harvard College Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid William R. Fitzsimmons. “In all of our work, we will do everything possible to level the playing field in admissions and encourage all students to make thoughtful choices about how they can best contribute to society.”

Online Education as an Alternative

2011-02-14T21:14:00.001-05:00

Online education is increasingly common because it offers convenience factors against which most 'traditional' universities cannot compete—attend online classes anywhere and anytime you want; interact with students from all over the country and the world; continue to earn while you learn. For all these reasons and more, online education programs are a great option.

Learn more at: www.edvisors.com

Top ten online degrees and areas of study:

Edvisors Announces Acquisition of College Admission Website CollegeToolkit.com

2011-02-11T10:38:00.000-05:00

Edvisors Announces Acquisition of College Admission Website CollegeToolkit.com

Quincy, MA (Vocus/PRWEB) February 09, 2011

Edvisors (www.edvisors.com) recently expanded its scale and resources with the addition of CollegeToolKit to its network of sites. More than 2.4 million students visit CollegeToolkit every year in addition to the 15 million students who visited the Edvisors network in 2010. The site delivers innovative and exciting college admission products and services to the high school and college student demographic. CollegeToolkit specifically has the best catalogue of calculators and PDFs. These valuable resources will now be available to 10 times as many students as part of Edvisors.

File your FAFSA Early this Year

2011-01-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

FAFSA FAFSA Online

Completing the FAFSA is required for all types of financial aid, including federal student loans. Those who apply early are more likely to get more financial aid. This year, don't wait!!

Sallie Mae Alternative Student Loans < Lenders | Student Loan Network

2011-01-02T22:03:00.001-05:00

Sallie Mae Alternative Student Loans < Lenders | Student Loan Network: " Learn about private loan options from Sallie Mae.

FAFSA Application for Financial Aid

2010-12-17T09:01:00.000-05:00

FAFSA season is just after the holiday season - are you ready?

www.FAFSAonline.com has recently been updated to provide families with tips and tricks for completing the governments Free Application for Federal Student Aid - also known as the FAFSA form. Check out the site for advice, a free eBook and other tips for completing the form on time and error free.

Some FAFSA tips:

File early to increase your chances of receiving financial aid. Many sources of aid are limited and given out on a first come, first served basis. In this case, the early bird catches the worm.

Be careful - errors will cause delays in processing and (as described above) you may miss out on aid.

Ask for help - your financial aid officer is available to help you with questions and you can cal the Department of Education's Financial Aid Hotline at 1-800-4-fed-aid.

Get your FAFSA PIN (Personal Identification Number) from the DOE, save it and don't share it with anyone else.

Know your FAFSA school code. You will have to provide this when completing the FAFSA.

If you have other tips - please post them below!!!

Free Scholarship Program for Students

2010-12-15T15:39:00.000-05:00

ScholarshipPoints just announced the most recent $10,000 college scholarship recipient. Not sure if you know of the ScholarshipPoints program, but you should. In short - it is a college student membership rewards program where students earn points for completing certain online activities (take a survey, read a blog post, visit a website). Students accumulate points which can be converted into entries for that month's scholarship sweepstakes.

ScholarshipPoints will give away more than $110,000 this year and likely even more next year. The beauty if it is that the more students who join, the more scholarship are given away...

If you have not allready, tell your students, family and friends to sign up at:

http://www.scholarshippoints.com/

Discussions about Marketing, Business and Culture

2010-11-30T11:38:00.001-05:00

A thank you to a good friend and blogger who made a reference to our services on his blog. In this post (http://seldomtypql.com/122/), he talks about a thank you letter we received from a happy customer. Always good to get good press...

For more on Mark and his blog about marketing, business and culture, visit

http://seldomtypql.com

Financial Aid for College - 10 tips

2010-11-12T12:16:00.002-05:00

November 10, 2010

Tight economy. College tuition increasing at 6 percent a year. More and more, the ability to go to college depends on how much financial aid you can get. Here, Don Betterton offers his best tips. For 30 years, he was director of financial aid and a member of the admission committee at Princeton University, and now a certified college planner.

1. Get on the stick. If you are like most parents of collegebound students, you have spent nearly all of your time on admission related issues: courses, grades, tests, activities, college visits, essay writing, and so forth. But now, with a high school senior, you are starting to worry about how you are going to afford the tuition bill. It is time to bring "How am I going to pay for college?" concerns front and center.

2. Know your EFC as well as you know your child's SAT. It's alphabet soup in the college financial aid world. EFC stands for Expected Family Contribution and is the number that drives the need-based financial aid system. You only are eligible for need aid (grants, subsidized student loans, work study) if your EFC is less than the cost of attendance. Now is the time to make this calculation so you can decide if you should apply for aid. Unless your EFC is considerably more than the highest cost college on your child's list, plan to apply for aid. And here's another rule: Regardless of the EFC result, if in your own mind you feel you need assistance, apply and let the college aid office decide if you will receive money.

3. Use the calculators. Many folks wonder, "How do I figure out my EFC?" EFC calculators are available at www.collegeboard.com and www.finaid.org .

4 Don't expect to "win." It is a common misconception that most college money is in the form of scholarships. In fact, compared to the total amount of aid ($154 billion to undergrads in 2009-10, according to the College Board), merit money is a drop in the bucket. Unless your student has outstanding talent or is in the top of the college's applicant pool, don't count on it. Need is where most of the money is.

5. Reach out to the college financial aid counselor. Somewhat like politics, the awarding of aid is a local issue. The EFC you come up with is a good starting point to get a rough idea of need eligibility, but college aid policies can change the calculator EFC by thousands of dollars. On top of this, an aid officer has the authority to use professional judgment to make further changes. Given all that takes place in the campus aid office to affect your EFC, if you have questions or concerns about how much money you will get, contact the college aid counselor.

6. Don't count yourself out. A common question is, "What is your income cutoff for financial aid?" This misconception is so widespread that I'm not sure the family believes me when I say none. The EFC is derived from four main factors: family size, total income, assets, and number of children in college. Moreover, the more expensive a college is, the higher the EFC can be and still qualify for aid. To give you an idea, a family earning $150,000 with a child attending an in-state public university will probably not qualify for aid. A family earning $250,000 with two children attending private colleges probably will.

7. Be prepared for complication. There is no getting around it, you are going to have to fill out at least one complicated aid application, two if your college requires an additional application called PROFILE). Believe it or not, completing the basic aid application—the FAFSA—is not as bad as it looks. You should do it online ( www.fafsa.ed.gov ) and complete the worksheet before entering your numbers. It will take a while to get all your info together, maybe 45 minutes to enter the data, and almost no time to push the "Send" button. Is this too much of a hassle considering that you might qualify for thousands—perhaps even tens of thousands of dollars—in aid?

8. Don't be paranoid (or at least keep it to a minimum). Your financial info does not go to a secret agency which will soon send a government agent to knock on your front door. You data is maintained within the U.S. Department of Education and is not shared with other federal agencies. But even if you are skeptical about this, I would not let your concern keep you from applying for and receiving your fair share of the large aid pie. You can't get it if you don't ask for it.

9. Prepare for the package—and the shortfall. If you do qualify for aid from your college, don't expect all of it to be in the form of grants, or gift aid. Almost all need aid is given in a "package" consisting of grant, a subsidized student loan (subsidized means you don't have pay interest while you are in college), and work study. Furthermore, because of tight financial aid budgets at most colleges, expect that the total amount of aid given will fall short of the amount for which you are eligible. This shortfall is called the "gap," meaning an extra amount you will have to provide in addition to the calculated EFC.

10. Meet the deadlines. It is not exactly first come, first served in the aid office, but nearly every college has a limited aid budget, and when the dollars run out, they stop giving aid. Late applications stand a good chance of showing up when there is no money left. But here's the good news: There are billions and billions of dollars out there ready to go to millions and millions of college students. If you become an educated aid consumer and complete the forms accurately and on time, there is a good chance that you will receive enough aid to make it possible for your child to attend that dream school. Wouldn't that be grand?
US NEWS
by Lynn F. Jacobs and Jeremy S. Hyman

Do students who pay full price without financial aid have a better chance of getting accepted into college

2010-11-11T08:36:00.000-05:00

A year ago, the New York Times reported: "Facing fallen endowments and needier students, many colleges are looking more favorably on wealthier applicants as they make their admissions decisions this year." I ask - was that true? and is that still true today?

This is a hot topic in the College Confidential college admissions discussion board. One post asks: "Will my daughter have a better chance of getting acceptance if we check off that we don't need financial aid?" There are more than 50 responses!

At HowToGetIn.com, we have revamped our Paying for College section to help answer these and other questions for college applicants. To learn more, visit: http://www.howtogetin.com/pay-for-college/

What do you think? Post your responses below...

Private Student Loan Rates

2010-10-13T04:15:00.002-05:00

A frequent question: I got a private student loan but am not sure how the rates are calculated...

Private student loan rates are calculated based on a published index such as the Prime Rate for Private Student Loans or London Interbank Offering Rate (LIBOR) plus a "spread" or margin based on your credit score and history. You need to check with the lender you are applying with to get the specific rate index and the amount over the index they are going to charge you. Typically they don't give you this until after you have applied as they need to check your credit to determine your rate.

College Application Calender - Senior Year

2010-10-12T12:54:00.000-05:00

Senior College Prep Plan

Grade	When	Activity
Seniors	September	Meet with your guidance counselor to review your college plans and evaluate them in light of your test scores and junior year grades. It's a good idea to involve your parents in this meeting and to discuss your prospects for financial aid at this time.
Seniors	September	If you have not already taken the required tests, or you and your counselor feel that you should take it again to try to improve your score, sign up for the October ACT or October/November SAT I and/or SAT II: Subject Tests.
Seniors	September	Write to the colleges on your list and request admission, financial aid, and, if appropriate, housing applications. Keep a checklist with all the admissions and financial aid deadlines for the colleges you are considering. Check with your school to make sure your transcripts and other records are up to date and accurate. Ask teachers, employers, or coaches to write you letters of recommendation. Give them any forms that colleges require and follow up to make sure the letters are mailed on time.
Seniors	September	Pick up a copy of the CSS Profile Registration Guide from your high school guidance office to see if any of the colleges on your list require this financial aid application form. If so, register for the profile service.
Seniors	October	Attend a regional college fair to further investigate the college on your list. Make sure that your transcript and test scores have been sent. Set aside plenty of time to draft, edit and re-write application essays. Be sure to give your parents enough time to help you fill out any college financial aid forms, such as the CSS Profile. If applying for 'early decision,' send in your application now. Sign up for December/ January tests, if necessary. Begin to send in applications; be sure to keep copies of everything you send, with the date on which it was mailed.
Seniors	November	Continue to file admission applications. You should also file the Free Application for Federal Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) online at http://www.fafsaonline.com/
Seniors	December	File your last college applications. If you've applied for early decision, you should have an answer by now.
Seniors	January	Request that your high school send the transcript of your first semester grades to the colleges to which you've applied.

Seniors	January	Work with your parents to complete the FAFSA on or as soon after January 1 as possible. Send it in no later than February 1. If the financial aid processor requests additional information in order to process your application, submit it promptly. Check with your high school to find out if your state student aid program requires an additional application.
Seniors	February / March	Monitor your applications to make sure that all materials are sent and received on time. Review your Student Aid Report (SAR) for accuracy. If necessary, correct any inaccurate items on the SAR and return it to the FAFSA processor (if you had a college transmit your FAFSA data directly, you must notify the college of any changes or corrections). If you have not received an SAR four weeks after you file your FAFSA, call 1-800-4FED-AID to inquire about your application status.
Seniors	February / March	When a corrected SAR is returned to you, review it one more time. Then, if it is correct, keep a copy for your records. If a college requests your SAR, submit it promptly. DO this even if the SAR says you are not eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant, as the college may be able to offer you other aid based on the information in that report.
Seniors	February / March	If you haven't decided on a favorite campus, try to arrange a second visit. Talk to students and sit in on some classes so you can make an informed decision.
Seniors	April	Review your financial aid award letters with your parents; be sure that you understand the terms and conditions that apply to each type of aid offered.
Seniors	April	Decide on the one college that you will attend and send in your tuition deposit. Notify in wiring the other colleges that accepted you that you have selected another school. This is an important step. Other students will be hoping to receive your spot! Be sure to respond by May 1.
Seniors	April	If your first choice college places you on its waiting list, do not lose all hope. Some students are admitted off the waiting list. Contact the college, let the admissions office know you are still very interested, and keep the college updated on your activities.
Seniors	April	Remind your parents to check their eligibility for the HOPE and Lifetime Learning tax credits when they file their taxes. Next year, they may be able to reduce their taxes by up to $1,500 by claiming one of these credits for college expenses.
Seniors	May	Work with your parents to establish a budget for your books, supplies, and living expenses. Determine how much of that budget grants and scholarships will cover, how much your parents will contribute, and how much you will need to supply. Then determine how much of your contribution will come from savings, from a student loan, and from what you might earn at an academic year job. Then, if necessary, complete a loan application form. Be sure you understand the terms of the loan before you and/or your parents sign a promissory note.
Seniors	May	If you want to live on campus, and have not already done so, complete a housing/meal plan application.
Seniors	May	Take Advanced Placement exams, if appropriate.
Seniors	June	Request that your high school send a copy of your final transcript to the college you will attend. Notify the college of any private grants of scholarships you will receive.
Seniors	June	Find out when payment for tuition, room, board, et. Will be due and investigate whether your college offers a tuition payment plan that lets you remit these charges in installments. Be sure you understand how financial aid will be disbursed and whether you can defer bill payment until the funds are available.
Seniors	June	Apply for a summer job. Plan on saving a portion of your earnings for college.
Seniors	July	Look for information from your new college about housing, orientation, course selection, etc. If your financial aid package included a Federal Work-Study award, it may be your responsibility to find an appropriate job. Plan to follow up with the financial aid office as soon as you arrive on campus.
Seniors	August / September	Pack for college and look forward to a great experience.

Profiles In College Money

2010-10-09T23:11:00.002-05:00

FAFSA versus CSS-Profile: The Battle of the Financial Aid Forms

Most people believe that FAFSA -- Free Application for Federal Student Aid -- is the end-all when it comes to looking for money for college.

Not so!

In fact, if you do nothing more than file your FAFSA online (which can be done on or after January 1, 2011), you're not likely to see a dime in scholarship and grant money, other than that which the school itself may provide (including work-study and loans) as part of your financial aid package.

If you don't file your FAFSA, look for no money (as in, nada, zippo, gornischt) from your college financial aid office.

As we've noted on our blog, The College Whisperer, time and time again, you have to begin and carry out an extensive and exhaustive search for scholarship money (it is out there, by the millions, if you know how and where to look, and, beyond that, you actually apply yourself). [HINT: Start by registering and creating a profile at Fastweb, and then, contact your counselor on what to do next.]

This post, however, is not about the scholarship search, but rather, completing all of the necessary pre-reqs (what we used to call "paperwork") in order to qualify for those scholarships, grants, loans, assistantships, fellowships, work-study programs and so on, as offered by colleges.

While almost every college insists on the FAFSA filing (and this is widely known among applicants and their parents), many schools also (meaning, "in addition to the FAFSA") require the filing of what is called the CSS-Profile. [Click HERE to see if the college(s) on your list require the CSS-Profile.]

Administered by the College Board (who else?), the CSS-Profile is a more detailed, school-specific filing, versus the general, broad application of FAFSA.

There are subtle -- and not so subtle -- differences, both in the information and data requested of the applicant (and his or her parents) and in the methodology by which financial aid is calculated.

The biggest differences between the CSS PROFILE and the FAFSA, as enumerated by finaid.org, are:

Submission dates: The CSS PROFILE can be submitted in the fall; FAFSA cannot be submitted before January 1.

Specific questions: The CSS PROFILE contains questions specific to the school or program you're applying to; FAFSA contains the same questions for everyone.

Different methodology: The CSS PROFILE determines your financial need differently than the FAFSA, taking into account such factors as whether your family owns a home. In general, the CSS PROFILE asks for more detailed information than FAFSA.

Minimum student contribution: The CSS PROFILE requires this; the FAFSA doesn't.

Greater reliance on professional judgment: The CSS PROFILE gives financial aid counselors greater freedom to grant aid based on a student's particular circumstances.

Cost: CSS PROFILE costs $5 plus $18 for each school or scholarship program selected; the FAFSA, as the name implies, is free.

That last distinction, cost, is, of course, not so subtle, and should surprise no one who has ever had to register for anything with College Board. They want even more of your money (as if registration for the SAT and the sending of scores to selected colleges wasn't enough of a money maker).

Imagine that. Charging you money in order to qualify for money. Who but College Board would think of -- and get away with -- such a concept?

While there are nuances to completing and filing both FAFSA and CSS-Profile, the former is relatively straight forward, while the latter presents more of a challenge, mostly because of the details and particulars sought. On both, how you answer and the information you furnish will be used to calculate the now-infamous Expected Family Contribution (EFC), ultimately determining, through formulae of the colleges' own devise (greater secrets Los Alamos did not hold), how much aid you will get, and in what form (i.e., scholarships, work-study, loans).

While FAFSA cannot be completed and filed until after January 1 (you can, however, get an estimate of your financial standing at any time by going to the FAFSA4caster), the CSS-Profile can be completed online beginning on October 1, 2010. It is considered prudent, and we will neither argue nor belabor the point, to file your CSS-Profile early in the game rather than to wait, say, until you complete and file your FAFSA (which itself should be filed as soon as practical after January 1). The reason: Colleges often dole out financial aid awards on a first-come-first-served basis. When the money's gone, it's gone!

Other considerations -- merit, need, program-specific aid among them -- go into the mix when colleges decide who is to get what, and how much, and this, together with the information you provide, will create a matrix that allows the college's financial aid office to paint a financial aid picture for each individual student. With how broad a brush, and what kind of stroke, that picture is drawn is almost entirely dependent upon the content of the CSS-Profile and FAFSA filings.

Confusing? You bet. A bit scary, even, given the costs associated with college and the purse strings held by the folks who will decide your financial aid fate. Absolutely.

Do not take the completion and filing of either FAFSA or CSS-Profile lightly. Do consult with your independent college counselor and/or your financial advisor before you file. And be aware of both State and school deadlines when filing these forms.

Remember. There's money for college in them thar hills. You just have to know where to look, how deep to dig (use a shovel, not a toothpick), and be sure to dot the "i" and cross the "t" on every form you complete and submit, particularly the FAFSA and the CSS-Profile.

SAT scores for college admissions hold steady

2010-10-01T10:23:00.002-05:00

SAT test-takers from the class of 2010 who completed a core curriculum – defined as four or more years of English and three or more years of math, natural science, social science and history – scored on average 151 points higher than those who did not. Not surprisingly, students in honors and advanced placement courses also outperformed others.

The average SAT score remains down nine points since 2006, when the writing section was first included and the test moved to a combined 2400-point scale. Average scores on the SAT college entrance exam held steady this year as a record number of students and more minorities than ever took the test, according to a report released Monday.

The status quo is an improvement over the slight downward trend over the previous five years. The high school class of 2010 earned a combined score of 1509 on the three sections of the exam, identical to last year's results. The average writing score dropped one point, math scores edged up one point, and reading results didn't budge.

Officials with the College Board, which administers the test, warned against reading too much into slight year-to-year movement, instead using the findings to argue for greater academic rigor in U.S. high schools.
A growing number of states are setting higher bars for students. Nearly 40 states have adopted Common Core State Standards, which establish uniform expectations for what students should learn by the time they finish high school.

"As high schools nationwide continue to move in the direction of rigorous coursework available to all students, we do think we'll see (SAT) scores going up over time," said Laurence Bunin, a senior vice president with the College Board.

At the same time, the growing diversity of the SAT text-taking pool also factors in the results, Bunin said.
Of the SAT takers in the class of 2010, 41.5 percent were minorities, up from 40 percent in 2009 and 28.6 percent in 2000. Most minority groups – with Asian-American students being the exception – score lower than the average.

Asian-American students posted gains in all three sections of the SAT and outperformed other racial groups; their combined score rose 13 points over 2009. ACT results released last month showed last spring's high-school seniors averaged a composite score of 21.0 on the test's scale of 1 to 36, down slightly from 21.1 the year before. Most colleges accept either the ACT or SAT, and a growing minority no longer requires either one.

Nearly 1.6 million students took the SAT this year. It remains the most popular college entrance exam, but not by much. The rival ACT has been gaining. Only about 28,000 more members of the class of 2010 took the SAT than the ACT.

Medical Student Networking Site

2010-09-29T09:36:00.001-05:00

I recently found a new networking site focused on serving just medical students. If you know of someone stufying medicine, let them know about:

http://www.medicalstudents.com/

What other sites are out there offering similar opportunities to other student groups???

College Selection - For Profit Programs - Choose Wisely

2010-09-20T21:38:00.004-05:00

There has been much press recently regarding for-profit colleges, specifically some of the recruiting practices used to enroll prospective students. While the press is concerning and certainly there are problems with some for-profit recruiting, this remains an education option for many students. Those considering a for-profit education simply need to do the in-depth research and develop the right questions to successfully navigate the research process for such programs.

This post will provide an overview of the research needed to make an informed decision about for-profit colleges and their programs. The chances of a successful education experience will increase greatly if critical fact-finding is done at the beginning.

CAREER SELECTION

What led you to this career field?
What do you know about the career such as best places to be in the field, ease of entering the field including how long you have to 'pay your dues' in order to grow, required training and experience, employment trends (on the grow, static or on the decline)...
Tip: Do several job shadows to learn more about the 'real-world' of the job and its role in the industry.

PROGRAM SELECTION

How did you identify this program? Professional or personal recommendation? Advertising? College or Career Fair? Other?
When was the college/program founded? What is its academic and professional experience in the field you want to pursue?
Is the college independently owned or owned by a corporation, in other words who controls your education experience?
Is the college accredited? By what body? Is it an accreditation that is valued by professionals in the field you are pursuing? Is the program accredited by a professional organization in your proposed field?
Specifically, how will this program help you meet your career goals?

FACULTY/PROGRAM

What are the credentials and professional experience of those who will be teaching you?
What practical experience do you gain during the program such as internship or externship opportunities?
What is the reputation of the college/program in the community, regionally if offered in a multi-state area? Do employers value a degree or certificate from this college/program? Do employers hire students from this program?
What other programs are available that offers an education in your career of interest?
Are course credits transferable to other institutions such as traditional 4-year colleges?
Tip: Seek feedback from past students in the targeted program as well as prospective employers.

PROGRAM COMPLETION

What percent of students completed the program? Why did students leave the program prior to completion? How does this program/college completion rate compare with similar programs?
What do program graduates say about their education, career placement and professional opportunities upon program completion?
Are there other avenues to gain experience and opportunities in the desired career field?

PROGRAM FUNDING/DEBT LOAD

What is the average student debt load upon graduation? How does the debt load compare to the average beginning earnings?
What is the availability of federal financial aid versus private student loans?
Tip: Student loans are still due even if the program is not completed and they cannot be discharged in bankruptcy.

THE FUTURE

What is a realistic income projection both as starting wage and as a seasoned professional?
What are the opportunities for advancement?
Tip: Do not rely solely upon income and opportunity information provided by Admissions Recruiters. Instead, check such sources as professional associations, the Bureau of Labour Statistics and the like to gain a realistic view of the career.

Asking questions like these will allow you to get the 'full story.' make wise education decisions and minimize costly 'do-over's.'

Devon O'Brien, M.Ed. ~ Destination College & Beyond LLC

www.DCB-creatingfutures.com ~ planning@DCB-creatingfutures.com

Creating Futures through Education ~ Career ~ Life!

Not Scared of Selectivity

2010-09-17T11:27:00.004-05:00

Community college students can successfully transfer to some of the nation’s most selective four-year institutions and perform as well as those who start as freshmen, if they are given appropriate academic and social support, a new report on a five-year project by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation finds.

The Community College Transfer Initiative, started in 2005, provided about $7 million over four years to eight four-year institutions — Amherst College, Bucknell University, Cornell University, Mount Holyoke College, University of California at Berkeley, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Southern California — in an effort “to promote sustainable, long-term increases in the number of high-achieving community college students from low-income families transferring to the nation’s selective four-year institutions.” These institutions worked with nearby community colleges to eliminate kinks in the transfer process and also offered potential transfers specialized orientation and ongoing tutoring to smooth the transition. In recent years, some of the participating institutions — like Mount Holyoke — have formalized such transfer programs for the long term.

The foundation kicked off a conference on transfer programs Wednesday and released its report as part of that event.

From 2007 through 2010, nearly 2,000 community college transfer students enrolled in these eight institutions because of the project. Prior to it, many of these more selective institutions did not have structured programs to assist community college transfer students and, as a result, often did not enroll many.

About 65 percent of the transfer students were at least two years older than “traditional” students of their same academic level at these four-year institutions. Most reported that they had worked between high school and college, delaying their studies. Also, 41 percent of them identified themselves as the first in their family to attend a four-year institution.

Emily Froimson, director of higher education programs at the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, noted that further information about the performance of these community college transfer students is to come in a more comprehensive report in December. Still, she said the data would show that the transfer students assisted by this program had comparable grade point averages and graduation rates to those of native students at these eight institutions.

This success, Froimson argued, is important to highlight because qualified community college students are not always encouraged to apply to more selective four-year institutions, even though this may be a good move for them.

“We know from research that high achieving low-income students will graduate at higher rates if they go to more selective institutions,” Froimson said. “Why? We’re not sure at the moment. We just know that [attending a more selective institution] matters more, in particular, for low-income students in a way that it doesn’t for higher-income students. They’ll graduate at the same rates regardless of where they attend.”

It is Froimson’s hope, she said, that the results of this project can bring together community colleges and selective four-year institutions, which have often ignored one another, in new, more productive ways. And it is not just the four-year institutions that have preconceived notions, she added.

“We have heard from some of our own scholars that their students are told, ‘You won’t fit in [at a selective college]’ or that ‘These types of institutions don’t take students like you,’ ” Froimson said. “Mostly, it’s just a lack of familiarity with these institutions or the fact that a [community college] counselor may have more familiarity with that state college down the street. In terms of transfer, it’s easier than they think.”

Also among some of the report’s preliminary findings, the program’s transfer students felt positively about their integration, both academically and socially, into their new four-year institutions. About 70 percent reported that “they were either well-prepared or very-well prepared for academics at the four-year institution.” Just a bit more than a quarter of them said they had had “serious academic difficulties during the previous academic year.” Finally, only 19 percent reported ever “having thought about dropping out.”

Minds changed at the four-year level as well. The report notes that some schools and departments within participating institutions initially were unwilling to take on these community college transfer students because of worries about their academic preparation. Though Froimson did not wish to identify any of these initial doubters, she was able to characterize them broadly.

“There were challenges in particular in areas where faculty have more control over department admissions,” Froimson said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if the hesitance was there simply from lack of experience with community colleges. … [Science, technology, engineering and mathematics] fields were generally harder to work with. Although, I don’t know if that was because of faculty perceptions as much as the challenges of transfer and sequencing.”
— David Moltz of Inside Higher Ed

7 Strategies to Avoid the College Debt Trap

2010-09-09T11:10:00.002-05:00

September 5, 2010

Is it worth it to pay $200,000 for a liberal arts education, especially if it means taking out loans? One of my 20-something Kiplinger colleagues answers bluntly: "If I had realized how much debt I was getting into, I would have gone to my state school instead of an expensive private college."

As important as education is in today's world, families need to find more affordable ways to pay for it. Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org and FastWeb.com, has calculated that total student-loan debt exceeds revolving credit (mostly credit-card debt).

Here's my guide for parents about avoiding the student-debt trap:

Save as much as you can. It's never too late to start, especially if you live in a state that gives you an income-tax break for contributions to state-sponsored 529 plans. Plus, money withdrawn from 529 accounts and used to pay for qualified college expenses is tax-free.

Don't let the total cost of college discourage you. If it seems intimidating, aim for a more manageable goal -- such as saving enough to pay first-year expenses or one-third of the total cost (the rest could be covered by a combination of current income, both yours and your child's, and financial aid). Remember, every dollar you save is a dollar you won't have to borrow.

Be straight with your kids about what you can afford. Have the "college talk" with your teenagers before they start their search so that they know what fits into your budget and how much they'll have to contribute. At a minimum, kids should be expected to earn their own spending money.

Choose schools strategically. You're looking for colleges that deliver good value -- a high-quality education at an affordable price. That might mean a state institution, or it could mean a pricey private school that offers a generous financial-aid package. To better their chances for a scholarship, students should focus on schools at which their GPA or other achievements would make them a standout.

Think outside the box. Students can follow the example of one of our top Kiplinger editors, who started at a lower-cost community college and then transferred to a four-year school. And more colleges are offering online classes to keep costs under control. Taking Advanced Placement classes in high school can slice a year off your child's education and cut your expenses by 25 percent. Uncle Sam will help pay the bill if your child joins the military. You could also take advantage of the growing number of colleges offering accelerated, three-year degree programs.

Or, here's a radical thought: Your child may be better off passing up college, at least for a year. Not everyone is ready for college at 18. It might literally pay if your child takes a year off to mature, earn some money and figure out what he really wants to study. Education and training are critical in today's economy, but rather than spend time and money on a degree from a four-year institution, it might be more appropriate for some kids to consider a one- or two-year certificate program from community college in a field such as health care or engineering.

Borrow smart. If your family must borrow to pay the bills, stick with government-sponsored Stafford loans for students and PLUS loans for parents (or a home-equity line of credit, if you qualify). Current interest rates on government loans are 6.8 percent for students (lower if you're eligible for financial subsidies) and 7.9 percent for new PLUS loans (for more information on student loans, go to StudentLoans.gov). With that combination, you shouldn't have to resort to more-expensive private loans.

Run the numbers. Perhaps the most important mathematical exercise your child will ever have to do -- and the most widely neglected -- is figure out how much it will cost to pay back her student loans. At FinAid.org, you can use the Student Loan Advisor calculator to determine the monthly payment amount based on a future salary.
Let's say your daughter plans to major in accounting, with a projected starting salary of $47,200. If she wanted to hold the loan payments to 10 percent of her monthly income and repay the loans over 10 years, her monthly payment would be $393, assuming a student-loan interest rate of 6.8 percent, and her maximum manageable debt would be $34,200.

Pick a marketable major. Majors that are most likely to yield an immediate job offer after college are accounting, business administration, computer science, engineering and math, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. But students can still major in liberal arts and make themselves attractive to potential employers by choosing subjects that are marketable. As an editor, I always counsel budding journalists who are majoring in something as general as "mass communications" to add a minor or a concentration in another subject -- business, health or computer skills, for instance. As the editor of a personal-finance magazine, I can attest that our most attractive job candidates are those who combine writing ability with knowledge of the subjects we cover. That applies to other fields as well. If your daughter is majoring in economics, she should take accounting. If she's studying history or government, she could learn a foreign language. An English major could take classes in technical writing. Then she'd have a better shot at landing a well-paying job to help pay back those college loans.

By Janet Bodnar
Featured in “The Washington Post”

Common Application, Common Mistakes

2010-09-02T08:24:00.003-05:00

For those who may not have noticed, or are new to the game of college admissions (which probably accounts for 99.9% of those reading this and other college admission blogs), the Common App has changed for the next class of applicants.

Some of the changes are obvious -- such as the reformatting of choices available in reporting SAT and/or ACT scores -- while others are more nuanced, making them all the more likely to lead to mistakes by the applicant, with often unintended, and, sometimes undesirable results.

It is all the more important, then, and incumbent upon the applicant, to read ALL instructions, thereafter, to carefully and thoroughly follow them.

Jeremy Spencer, Director of Admissions at Alfred University (writing for About.com:College Admissions) notes six of the most common mistakes made in the college application process. Read, The Six Most Common Blunders of College Applicants. Many of these errors of commission or omission translate directly from mistakes made on the Common App. These include, but surely are not limited to, missing deadlines, applying Early Decision instead of Early Action, and using the wrong college name in the essay.

Clearly, there is more to completing the Common App than simply filling in the blanks. Even those blanks require you, the applicant, to be concise, clear, and, most assuredly, accurate.

And let's not forget about those pesky short answers, where much more than "check the box that applies" is required.

Allen Grove, of About.com Guide, notes 5 Short Answer Mistakes that could, all things considered, sink what would otherwise be a meritorious application.

And then, there are the supplemental applications, addenda required by many colleges, both public and private.

Surely, you will want to put your best foot forward, presenting yourself and your credentials in the best possible light, most favorable (in the eyes of a college admissions officer) to acceptance at the college of your choice.

The Common App is, in most instances, the centerpiece of your admissions table, and you will want to set it with the knives, forks, and teaspoons properly laid out and pointing in the right direction.

A bit of old-fashioned advice from The College Whisperer as you embark on the road toward college admissions -- engaging the Common App early in your travels, and meeting it head on: Take advantage of all available resources, from your high school guidance counselor to the expert advice of an independent college planning counselor (and, yes, on occasion, even the wisdom of your parents). Along that road there is many a bump and often a detour or two. You drive, most certainly, but always seek the assist of essential navigation to gain the much-needed competitive edge.

Student Loan Debt Clock Ticks Past $848 Billion

2010-08-31T16:34:00.001-05:00

A new tool lets you watch the country's collected student debt pile up in real time.

Sponsored by FinAid.org, the Student Loan Debt Clock tallies an estimate of total private and federal outstanding student debt. According to FinAid, now is peak time for debt growth, as more student loans are doled out at the semester's start.

In June, a report from FastWeb.com revealed that, for the first time in history, total student loan debt exceeded credit card debt.

As the report's author (and FinAid and FastWeb publisher) Mark Kantrowitz discovered:

Student loan debt outstanding totaled at least $830 billion as of June 2010, with roughly $665 billion in federal education loans and $168 billion in private student loans. The President's FY2011 budget reports actual federal education loans totaling $605.648 billion as of FY2009. The first nine months of FY2010 involved approximately $59 billion in additional federal student loan debt.
The New York Times has more on how Kantrowitz calculated the debt clock's algorithm:

He started with the government figure for total federal and direct loans outstanding at the end of fiscal year 2009 of $605 billion. Then he estimated how much private loan debt was outstanding as of June 2010, and added an increment to account for the growth in federal loan debt from September 2009 to June 2010.

He came up with a starting figure of $830 billion in private and federal loans outstanding as of June 2010, which he further estimated was growing by about $2,854 a second.

reported by: Huffington Post Aug. 31, 2010

Student Loan Updates

2010-06-25T10:40:00.003-05:00

On July 1, 2010, the subsidized Stafford loan interest rate will decrease from 5.6% fixed to 4.5% fixed for new loans originated in the 2010-2011 academic year. This is a planned reduction. As of May 2010, the unsubsidized Stafford loan interest rate will not change and is set to remain at 6.8% fixed.

Scholarship Points - Free College Scholarship Contests

2010-06-16T08:47:00.001-05:00

It is that time again. ScholarshipPoints.com has announced their June 2010 $10,000 scholarship winner! Are you the lucky winner? Check the ScholarshipPoints winner’s page now to find out.

If you didn’t with this scholarship drawing, there are more chances to win in June! Login to ScholarshipPoints now, earn points, and enter June’s $1,000 Free College Scholarship drawing or any of this months sponsored scholarships worth up to $8,000. You can also start earning points towards the next $10,000 Scholarship Drawing to be held in September of 2010.

Congratulations to the winner and good luck in our future scholarship drawings!

Financial Aid Deadlines

2010-05-20T10:53:00.003-05:00

We always recommend you start applying for financial aid, scholarships and grants as early as possible. The sooner you apply - the more money that is available. However, for those of you who have waited - time is running out.

Check with your school's financial aid office to see what you can still apply for - and apply now... As they say - better late than never. And next year - start early!

Private Student Loan Comparison Site

2010-05-12T08:17:00.000-05:00

Just noticed PrivateStudentLoans.com added another lender to their private student loan lender list. It seems they have the most complete list of national lenders - does anyone know of another site with more lenders??

College Search for High School Juniors

2010-05-11T08:12:00.002-05:00

Seems HS Juniors are getting busy looking at colleges, taking SATs and visiting a number of new sites set up for finding and comparing colleges - like www.HowToGetIn.com.

Post your favorite college admission sites and explain why you like them below...

Paying for College in 2010

2010-04-19T10:14:00.003-05:00

With all the changes to the financial aid programs available to college students in 2010 and beyond, what are your plans for paying for college this year? Do you see any more aid available? Are you taking out more federal loans and fewer private student loans? Are your school being more helpful or do the financial aid officers seem overwhelmed??

Sound off in our comments section.

More private colleges and universities cross the $50K mark for 2010-11 tuition and fees

2010-03-24T19:16:00.001-05:00

March 23
College Admissions Examiner

Private colleges and universities are quietly announcing increases in tuition and fees crossing the $50,000 mark for the 2010-2011 academic year. Coupled with promises of increased financial aid, the boost in tuition is needed to cover continuing shortfalls in campus operating budgets.  This week, Harvard University announced that undergraduate tuition and fees for next year will total $50,724, an increase of 3.8 percent. According to a Harvard press release, financial aid for undergraduates will be increased by 9 percent, to a record $158 million for the upcoming academic year. “Harvard remains committed to a fully need-blind admissions policy that will enable us to continue attracting the most talented students, regardless of their economic circumstances,” said Michael D. Smith dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.  Harvard’s tuition increases remain roughly in line with other Ivies, including Yale, which announced tuition and fees totaling $49,800 or an increase of 4.8 percent; Princeton, which went up by 3.3 percent to $48,580; Brown at $51,360 or 4.5 percent over last year; Penn at $51,944—3.9 percent more; Dartmouth to $52,275, up by 4.6 percent; and Cornell, which will increase by 4.4 percent for the university’s endowed colleges to $52,316.  

Other private colleges and universities crossing the $50,000 threshold for the next academic year include Boston University at $51,120 (+3.7%), Carnegie Mellon University at $52,250 (+2.98%), Notre Dame at $50,785 (+3.8%), Washington University in St. Louis (+4.2%), and Stanford University at $50,576 (+3.5%).   Both George Washington University and Georgetown have been over $50,000 for the past two years. This year, Georgetown tuition will go up by 3 percent and room and board will increase 2 percent for a grand total of $52,443. GW will remain true to tuition commitments leveling a 3 percent tuition increase only on incoming students leaving tuition and fees the same for all others.  While tuition increases at private colleges are not good news, they don’t approach the projections for public institutions. Florida college students could face 15 percent tuition increases for several years, and University of Illinois students will pay at least 9 percent more next year. Georgia’s 35 colleges and universities are planning a 35 percent tuition increase on top of a raise in student fees according to the Huffington Post online. The University of Washington will charge 14 percent more at its flagship campus, and in California, tuition increases of over 30 percent have sparked protests.  A four-year freeze on college tuition in Maryland is expected to end this year, but the increase is likely to be only in the range of 3 percent. Virginia schools so far remain mum on the subject, but increases are all but inevitable. 

By Nancy Griesemer

File your FAFSA Today!

2010-02-24T10:10:00.003-05:00

The deadline for filing the fafsa is approaching for many schools. File early and start applying for student loans, scholarships and grants now - those monies run out so apply early. Student loans will always be available so use them as a last resort.

What is the FAFSA?? It is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (apply online at fafsa.ed.gov). colleges use it to determine eligibility for all kinds of financial aid. It has been revamped this year so is easier to file.

Online Education Updates

2010-01-29T09:22:00.003-05:00

So we are one month into the new year. Have you kept your resolution so far?

I am wondering - how many of you considered going back to school? Online Degree Programs are a good way to get your foot in the door. There are a ton of options, they are easy to take (on your own time, and you can finish as quickly as you like.

Any other reasons to take an online class?

College Admission Forums and Discussions

2009-12-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

Another recent addition to our portfolio of services is a college admissions discussion board. The site is available to all college bound high school students looking to attend college anywhere in the United States. HowToGetIn.com has been around for 10 years, although the forum and blogs hosted on the site are relatively new.

Join in the discussions at: http://forum.howtogetin.com/

Private Student Loan Comparisons

2009-12-22T08:51:00.003-05:00

We just created a new section of our private student loan site offering students and parents the ability to review private student loan lenders and compare private student loan products, see:

http://www.privatestudentloans.com/compare/

Please provide your feedback and suggestions for improving the website. What would you like to see that is not there? What do you like?

ScholarshipPoints.com Announces $12,000 in Scholarships to be Awarded for December

2009-12-09T14:11:00.001-05:00

ScholarshipPoints.com Announces $12,000 in Scholarships to be Awarded for December

Posted using ShareThis

FAFSA Application Questions

2009-11-30T15:10:00.002-05:00

Frequently Asked FAFSA Questions

The following are answers to the most common FAFSA questions. If you have questions about the FAFSA online form, our comprehensive FAFSA help guide will take you through the form step-by-step. (The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is required if you are planning to apply for financial aid through your college or university.)

Start Your FAFSA - Financial Aid Application Form

Regents Set to Raise Tuition in California by 32 Percent

2009-11-19T15:20:00.000-05:00

New York Times
November 19, 2009

The University of California Board of Regents was expected to approve a plan on Thursday to raise undergraduate fees — the equivalent of tuition — 32 percent by next fall, to help make up for steep cuts in state funding.

The state allocation for the 10-campus system, one of the leading public university systems in the nation, was cut $813 million, or 20 percent, this year, leading to a hiring freeze, furloughs and layoffs.

The impact on the University of California campuses has been dramatic: faculty hiring is not keeping up with enrollment demand, and many course sections have been eliminated. Across all campuses, instructional budgets are being reduced by $139 million, with 1,900 employees laid off, 3,800 positions eliminated and hiring deferred for nearly 1,600 positions, most of them faculty.

Several campuses are now planning to admit more out-of-state students, who pay higher tuition, to help close the budget gap. And there is a growing worry that senior faculty may begin to defect to other institutions.

Since the school year began, thousands of students have protested both the budget cuts and the proposal for higher fees, which would bring in-state tuition to more than $10,000 a year. On Wednesday 14 protesters, including 12 students, were arrested at U.C.L.A., for disrupting the meeting of the Regents Finance Committee, which was eventually closed to visitors.

There were large protests on the Berkeley campus as well, by union workers, students and faculty.

Mark Yudof, president of the system, said the University of California now received only half as much support from the state, per student, as it did in 1990. Even with the higher student fees, the system needs a $913 million increase in state financing next year to avoid further cuts. If that extra money is not provided, next year’s freshman enrollment will most likely be cut.

"When it comes to the university’s core support, we have only two main sources — taxpayer dollars from the state and student fees,” Mr. Yudof said. “Even with deep administrative cuts, when one goes down, the other almost inevitably must go up."

To help students who cannot afford the increasing fees, the Regents are also expected to approve the expansion of the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, for undergraduates whose family income is below $70,000.

by: Tamar Lewin

College Admissions Counselors' Networking Group

2009-08-31T16:02:00.004-05:00

Join hundreds of college admission counselors to network and discuss current events in our LinkedIn networking group:

http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1771062

Once you join, you can participate in discussions, read headline news related to your business, post into our forums and network with professionals from around the country. The group is free and open to all - including college admissions networking, college conselors, college advisors, college consultants and advisors.

Arts Programs in Academia Are Forced to Nip Here, Adjust There

2009-08-10T10:04:00.003-05:00

New York Times
August 9, 2009

If you are looking for a sign of how strapped the University of California, Los Angeles, is for cash, consider that its arts and architecture school may resort to holding a bake sale to raise money. California’s severe financial crisis has left its higher-education system — which serves nearly a fifth of the nation’s college students — in particularly bad straits. But tens of thousands of students at public and private colleges and universities around the country will find arts programs, courses and teachers missing — victims of piercing budget cuts — when they descend on campuses this month and next.

At Washington State University the department of theater arts and dance has been eliminated. At Florida State University the undergraduate program in art education and two graduate theater programs are being phased out. The University of Arizona is cutting three-quarters of its funds, more than $500,000, for visiting classical music, dance and theater performers. Wesleyan University’s Center for the Arts, which supports four departments — dance, music, theater and visual arts — is losing 14 percent of its $1.2 million budget over the next two years. The Louisiana State University Museum of Art, one of the largest university-affiliated collections in the South, saw 20 percent of its state financing disappear. Other private and state institutions warn of larger classes, trimmed offerings, higher tuition and fewer services, faculty and visitors.

The arts are of course not the only victims of the recent economic meltdown. Large reductions in budgets have stung pretty much every corner of academia, from philosophy to Chinese, from gymnastics to geology.

The University of California, for example, is raising student fees by 9 percent, reducing freshman enrollment by 6 percent and cutting at least $300 million across its 10 campuses. There are no nationwide statistics to reveal whether one discipline is suffering more cuts than others. But administrators at more than a dozen state and private campuses who were interviewed say that the way that arts programs are structured and operated may amplify the effect of reductions.

Since tenured faculty are generally insulated from layoffs, budget cuts fall on part-time and visiting staff, Christopher Waterman, dean of the School of the Arts and Architecture at U.C.L.A., explained. For teachers, “we want artists who are in the thick of their careers,” he said. The result is that a large proportion of the school’s instructors are not permanent members of the faculty. Every department across the board has been ordered to cut 5 percent — on top of a 10 percent cut last year — but that relatively small reduction could mean the elimination of a third of the art department’s staff, Mr. Waterman said. (Final decisions on specific cuts have not been made.)

Crowded classes may not be as harmful in lecture courses, but in creative and performing studios, increasing class size is not always an option, he added. “You can’t teach painting to 40 students or give that many students voice lessons in opera or jazz.”

Several other college arts administrators around the country also said programs that serve the surrounding community as well as the students — like museums and performing arts centers — are especially vulnerable.

In California figuring out which programs and positions will survive will take a few more weeks. In the meantime the School of the Arts and Architecture, like other sections of U.C.L.A., has been told it should search for more ways to raise money itself. “We’re looking at more summer classes for high school seniors and bake sales,” Mr. Waterman said.

Elsewhere on the campus the Film & Television Archive is paring back its foreign-film program “because we cannot afford shipping any more of those prints from foreign countries,” said Jan-Christopher Horak, the archives director. A smaller staff in the film studies center could translate into less academic research, he added. As public universities watch state legislators slice away their funds, private colleges have seen their endowments shrink. Both are having to rely more on private donations at the same time that the recession has left individual contributors less able to give.

Figuring out what or who faces the budgetary guillotine has been a harrowing process no matter how it was done. Few go quietly.

Officials at Washington State University held a dozen public forums, testified before state lawmakers, appeared before the student council, the Faculty Senate and the Board of Regents; they responded to thousands of electronic messages and spoke with every single student, legislator, faculty and staff member, alumnus and community member who requested a meeting before deciding where $54 million and 360 jobs over the next two years would come from. One result: Sports management got a reprieve; that program and major will continue, while theater arts and dance will be phased out.

Arizona State University’s four campuses lost 500 jobs, closed 48 programs and imposed 10-to-15-day furloughs this spring. The schools of music, theater, film and design were all incorporated into the existing art and architecture center. Virgil Renzulli, the university’s media spokesman, said that officials focused on slashing administrative costs to maintain the same number of courses and tenured faculty.

In Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University spread the $21.3 million in cuts across departments. “The only program that we eliminated was a B.A. in theater education,” said Tom Bauer, assistant director of public affairs. “It only had 15 students, and they will be allowed to finish.” He added that the university is still waiting to hear from the governor’s office how much federal stimulus money might be directed its way.

Like California, Louisiana has had a tough year, although the doomsday cuts that some administrators were forecasting have not come to pass. Laurence Kaptain, dean of the College of Music and Dramatic Arts at Louisiana State University, said, “We tried to save people and cut things in our operations.” The college, which took a 3 percent cut this year on top of a 10 percent reduction last year, is holding back on upgrading computers and production technology, spending less on costumes, scenery and special effects as well as travel and conferences. “It’s making us more dependent on private funds,” he said.

Over at Louisiana State’s College of Art & Design the dean, David Cronrath, said a 4 percent cut ate up the positions of three full-time tenure-track faculty members, eight adjunct faculty and two staff members. He hopes to offer the same number of courses by increasing the faculty members’ loads and by relying more on graduate-student teaching assistants and part-time faculty, he said. But he, like others around the country, expects more cuts despite federal stimulus money and student loans.

For some institutions many tough decisions are yet to come. Cornell University, for example, recently approved long-term capital projects, including a $20 million extension to its art museum and a $55 million building for the College of Architecture, Art and Planning, said Simeon Moss, a university spokesman. But the university is also undertaking a top-to-bottom evaluation in the face of a projected operating deficit of approximately $150 million within five years.

Although some arts advocates, faculty and students have complained that their subjects are saddled with a disproportionate share of the cuts, Sally E. McRorie, the dean of visual arts, theater and dance at Florida State University, said that did not happen in her case.

“Florida State has a long history of dedication and investment in the arts,” she said. “Our cuts have not been greater than anybody else’s.” She said the university made a decision to use federal stimulus money “to keep people employed” but noted that after next year, when “those funds are gone, I’m not sure if we’ll be able to maintain those positions.”

by: Patricia Cohen

University of California Makes Cuts After Reduction in State Financing

2009-07-16T10:54:00.000-05:00

New York Times

The University of California will use a combination of furloughs, deferred hiring and cuts in academic programs to make up for an $813 million reduction in state financing, its president, Mark G. Yudof, said Friday.

Mr. Yudof said the actions amounted to a major retrenchment for the university, which has long been regarded as the nation’s leading public university.

“The impact of this cut is devastating,” Mr. Yudof said at a press briefing. “There is no way that we are going to be able to look every student in the eye and say, ‘Tomorrow, the University of California will be just the way it was yesterday.’ ”

Most of the university’s campuses will defer at least half of their planned faculty hirings, Mr. Yudof said, and the Berkeley campus expects to reduce faculty recruitment from the usual 100 positions a year to 10.

Chancellors from the individual campuses will present their cost-cutting plans next week to the state Board of Regents, which must vote on the entire budget.

Many of the planned cuts, and those already put into effect, impinge upon the university’s academic offerings.

The Irvine campus has halted admissions to its education doctorate program for working professionals, and its Latin American studies program is on hiatus. Class size is expected to increase 10 percent to 20 percent next year, while faculty and staff is expected to decline by at least 10 percent over the next five years.

At the Davis campus, the Medical Center has eliminated its liver transplant program, and in the division of humanities, arts and cultural studies, 44 courses and sections are expected to be cut.

The University of California, Los Angeles, will close its Labor Center, and deans and faculty members have been told to reduce courses, majors and faculty size by 10 percent to 20 percent over the next year. The freshman enrollment target on the campus for the 2009 fiscal year may drop by as many as 500 students.

At the Santa Cruz campus, most general-education courses with fewer than 100 students enrolled have been canceled, along with the bachelor of arts degree in earth sciences and the minor in music. Creation of an environmental sciences major has been deferred.

The San Diego campus has eliminated senior seminars, a small-group experience for students, and curtailed freshman seminars.

The University of California has faced financial challenges for years, leading to bigger classes, fewer course offerings and deferred maintenance — and caused some faculty members to defect to competing universities.

Tuition has risen to more than $8,700 for in-state students this fall, more than doubling from the $3,859 nine years ago.

Systemwide, 724 staff members have been laid off, and there may be more, Mr. Yudof said, especially if unionized employees reject the furloughs.

The furloughs, to be implemented Sept. 1, will be systemwide, with some exceptions, including those whose jobs are fully financed by research grants.

“It’s important not to take money from enterprises that are really entrepreneurial,” Mr. Yudof said, “and it wouldn’t help us with our deficit. Maybe this will encourage people to be entrepreneurial and go out and get those grants.”

In response to urging from university employees, the furloughs are structured so that people who earn more take bigger pay cuts. Those earning less than $40,000 will have 11 furlough days, equivalent to a 4 percent pay cut, while those earning more than $240,000 will have 26 furlough days, which is about a 10 percent pay cut. Mr. Yudof said he expected that faculty members would not take furloughs on their teaching days.

The university may also close for some additional days, as other California offices have done.

Over all, Mr. Yudof said, furloughs and pay cuts will offset about a quarter of the $813 million in budget cuts, and previously announced increases in student fees will offset another quarter. About 40 percent will come from cuts decided on by chancellors at the individual campuses, and the remaining 10 percent from systemwide changes, including refinancing of debt, and further cuts in the president’s office, where the budget has already been cut by a third.

The university’s struggle is the latest and starkest example of the statewide effects of legislators’ inability to come to an agreement with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger over how to deal with a $24 billion budget shortfall. The state’s controller has been forced to send i.o.u.’s to many of the state’s vendors and taxpayers. Most large banks said they would refuse to accept the warrants after Friday, leaving people and businesses to decide whether they will hold onto the warrants until they mature in October or try to find some other method of cashing them.

On Friday, much of state government shut down for the third monthly furlough day ordered by the governor to save money.

Financing for the University of California system rose only 2 percent from 2001 to 2008, a period when enrollment grew 30 percent, and financing for state prisons, K-12 public schools and health and human services each grew by more than 40 percent according to a report from the outgoing chairman of the Board of Regents, Richard C. Blum.

At the briefing, the current chairman, Russell Gould, announced creation of a new University of California Commission on the Future, which he and Mr. Yudof will head. The commission will consider how to maintain access, quality and affordability in a tough economic climate, what delivery models for higher education make the most sense, how big the university should be, and how to maximize traditional and alternative revenue streams.

“We’re going to have to change the way we do business,” Mr. Yudof said.

In an interview after the briefing, he said he would like the new commission to look into the possibility of an online University of California and alternatives to the current system of majors.

by: Tamar Lewin

Edvisors Launches Online Education Community

2009-06-23T16:10:00.002-05:00

Edvisors.com launches redesigned Online Education Community

Edvisors.com's new design and functionality position it as the #1 community resource for elearners. The addition of community features allows students to compare online degree programs, rate schools and exchange ideas. To better serve students, the new design incorporates blogs (www.blog.edvisors.com), news feeds, forums and ebooks customized to the online learner. These resources support students in their effort to find the best online
degree programs based on their unique needs by encouraging community interaction, discussion and feedback. Also home to a directory of more than 30,000 education programs (directory.edvisors.com), 6,000 colleges and 1,000+ online degree programs, students can now find all they need at www.Edvisors.com.

Featured Resources:

Historically, enrollments at online schools continued to grow while services to those seeking these programs have not kept up. According to the Sloan Consortium "the 12.9 percent growth rate for online enrollments far exceeds the 1.2 percent growth of the overall higher education student population." Although their numbers have increased dramatically, very few online resources have been evolved to serve this attractive audience. Students are often frustrated by the lack of support in their search for the best programs.

The push to update the site came from the students. "Online education is the fastest growing segment of higher ed, it makes sense we would focus our efforts on better serving this audience." reports Gregg Manning, Director of Internet Strategies. "With our new resources, students can help each other through the maze of programs and degree offerings." Plans are already in the works to incorporate reviews and ratings from students powered by CollegeGrader.com which successfully powers the college reviews on www.HowToGetIn.com.

Edvisors Network, the parent of Edvisors.com, is more well known as a leading providing of financial aid resources to college students. Some of the web's most popular financial aid websites, including www.FinancialAidForum.com and www.PrivateStudentLoans.com, are operated by Edvisors. The Network is host to more than 1 million visitors with more than 75,000 students registering for more detailed services each month. Edvisors' more recent focus on supporting online education will bring online education marketing and support services to a new level for students and schools.

###

Edvisors, a global leader in higher education marketing and college financial aid, provides a richer, more fulfilling education experience to students, educators and parents worldwide. We deliver on our mission by providing an unmatched portfolio of online education resources, student loan products and college-related information and services through Edvisors Student Services, Student Loan Network, and the Edvisors Foundation.

Contact:
press@edvisors.com
617-328-1565

About the Financial Aid News

2009-06-10T12:33:00.001-05:00

I found this fascinating quote today:

The Financial Aid Newsletter is the Student Loan Network’s longest running publication, dating back as far as 1998, when the company first began publishing financial aid information. Today, Financial Aid News is a combination of newsletters and blogs from around the Internet, dedicated to bringing you the best, most up to date financial aid information online.About the Financial Aid News, Jun 2009

You should read the whole article.

I wish we had these resources when I was in college - check out FinancialAidNews.com today!

Test Prep, to What End?

2009-05-20T16:43:00.002-05:00

From Inside Higher Ed.

The extent to which the SAT is coachable has long been central to debates about the ethics of the test. After all, if tutoring programs that cost money help scores, there is an obvious issue of who will be able to afford such an advantage. For years, the College Board insisted that the SAT was not coachable and, more recently, the board has said that gains from test prep services are modest.

Today, the National Association for College Admission Counseling is releasing an analysis on the impact of test preparation services that backs the claims of test prep companies that they do produce gains on the SAT. But the research described suggests that the gains are relatively small -- gains that theoretically shouldn't matter much in admissions decisions. But NACAC also found evidence that at plenty of colleges, these kinds of gains could make a difference.

The NACAC report suggests several actions: Colleges are urged to avoid using the SAT and other tests in ways for which they aren't intended. And test takers are cautioned against expecting too much of an impact from test prep, and so are urged to be skeptical about gains and the value of these services.

Test-prep companies, while largely concurring with the finding that gains are modest on average, maintain that the NACAC study may hide the extent to which some services result in major gains on the SAT, and thus may make the testing system even less equitable than the report suggests.

The NACAC study was prepared by Derek Briggs, chair of the research and evaluation methodology program at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He reviewed all the existing studies of SAT and ACT test preparation services and found that "a consensus position" has emerged over the last 10 years. That view is that coaching has a demonstrable, but minimal impact in improving SAT scores -- about 10-20 points on average in mathematics and 5-10 points in critical reading. Far less work has been done on the ACT and evidence is inconclusive, Briggs writes.

While noting these findings, Briggs also writes that more research is needed. Most of the studies do not consider the most recent changes in the SAT.

Assuming that the findings on coaching gains are accurate, Briggs set out through a survey of college admissions offices to find out whether gains of the kind that the studies documented would have a serious impact on students' odds of getting in. Both the College Board and NACAC have argued for years that small differences in SAT scores should not be e seen as meaning much.

NACAC found, however, that more than one third of colleges said that an increase of 20 points on the math SAT or 10 points on critical reading would "significantly improve a student's likelihood of admission.” The impact of such gains rises as the total SAT score goes up and at more selective colleges.

David Hawkins, director of public policy and research at NACAC, said that these findings suggest that a major goal for the organization should be to "bring practice into compliance with accepted standards," and that the "only way we can do that is to educate, educate, educate."

In September, NACAC issued a landmark report suggesting that many colleges reconsider their policies of requiring standardized testing in admissions, and the report noted the link between testing requirements and the test prep industry. Not only does coaching favor wealthier applicants, the report found, but it can lead high schoolers to focus on the admissions process to the detriment of their educations. The report called for more work on such topics as the test prep industry, noting that much of the existing knowledge comes from the entities that sponsor standardized tests.

Hawkins also said that he hoped the new report would encourage students and families to view test prep services for what they are: businesses looking for "a commercial transaction."

Needless to say, those businesses have a keen interest in how NACAC describes their services. And test prep officials freely admit that they gain customers because of the perception that they are raising scores by far more than 30 or so points. But different kinds of services have different approaches to how they discuss score gain.

The national chains tend not to promise specific gains or to quote average gains. Kaplan and Princeton Review, for example, have an agreement between them that they will quote figures only if they let their competitor examine the methodology and critique it -- and under this agreement it has been years since either company quoted an average score gain. Both companies, however, boast on their Web sites that students will see scores go up and both offer forms of money-back guarantees for those who are not satisfied with score gains.

Seppy Basili, senior vice president at Kaplan, said NACAC is wise to encourage students not to trust promotions about score gains because the averages mean very little. A 150-point gain for someone on the low end of the SAT range is fairly easy to accomplish, Basili said, while a similar gain might be quite challenging for someone already near the top. "We're very careful not to use average score increase," he said.

Basili also said that admissions counselors and the College Board have "a vested interest" in promoting the idea that test prep doesn't have a huge impact. "It's very uncomfortable for them because if test prep works, does everyone have equal access?"

The answer to that question is clear, he said. "The SAT favors anyone who can get test preparation."

Paul Kanarek, senior vice president at Princeton Review, agreed. He said that score claims are all over the place in terms of how they count "before" and "after" scores, who is in the pool, and so forth. At the same time, he suggested that the NACAC report understates the impact of coaching. "If we didn't raise scores in the eyes of the market place, we would not be one of the largest players in the market place," he said.

He said that this reputation comes largely from satisfied test takers. The only notable change in recent years, he said, is that the student describes satisfaction in different ways. "Ten years ago, it was 'I went up 300 points,' but now it's 'I broke 2000.' It's all about the final score."

While the dominant players shy away from explicit score gains, many others do not.

If you call Ivy Bound Test Prep, for example, the recording that greets you says you should choose it "if you are looking to raise your SAT scores 200 points or more." And the Web site says that "last year's students reported a 171.1 point increase (math and critical reading) over a previous SAT or PSAT."

Mark Greenstein, the president and founder, said he too agreed that students should be "skeptical and smart shoppers," but that there was nothing wrong with his company's claims. He said that his average is based on "diligent students," whom he defined as doing at least 90 percent of assignments and calling the help line at least once a week. "If you do that, you are good for 150 points at least," he said. Greenstein said that he uses actual test scores for the "before" score. He also said that he updates the score average annually, so that it reflects the latest SAT.

Those who sign up for Ivy Bound's courses have gains about 10 points lower than the online figure of 171.1.The higher gains are for those who opt for private tutors, and Greenstein said it is clear that paying for such help pays off.

Families pay by the hour and at least 25 hours of tutoring are needed to achieve the score gains (plus another 8 if students want help on the writing test of the SAT, too), he said. For less experienced tutors, families pay $60-$80 an hour, while veterans cost $210 an hour and the top of the line is $350 an hour.

The money is worth it, especially when considering the merit scholarships that students are earning these days, Greenstein said. He echoed the criticism of others in test prep in saying that admissions counselors "are dismissing the economic benefit of test prep." And while NACAC questioned the need for expensive services, Greenstein said that he sees a relationship between what students pay and their diligence and corresponding gains.

"There is an aspect of 'my Mom's paying $3,000 so I better do this right,' " he said.

Hawkins said that in fact admissions counselors and NACAC are "in the middle of competing interests." He said that he doesn't doubt that some test prep raises scores, even if the precise size of the gains isn't clear.

But he pointed to the ethical issues raised by the NACAC report on standardized testing. That report said: "Access to test preparation will always be differentiated based on family income, school setting, and other variables external to the student. As a result, students without the financial resources to gain access to test preparation may, in effect, be penalized for lower test scores in some admission and scholarship scenarios, especially in those that use test scores in a 'cut score' or non-contextualized linear fashion.... [T]he ability of more affluent students to afford both test preparation and multiple test administrations, particularly when they are able to report the highest scores to colleges and universities, puts students of more modest economic means at further risk of being overlooked in the transition process."

— Scott Jaschik

Top Colleges See Little Fall in Freshman Commitments

2009-05-10T22:54:00.002-05:00

New York Times
May 10, 2009
In an early indication that the economic downturn may not have disrupted students’ college choices as much as schools had feared, more than a dozen top colleges said last week that accepted applicants had committed themselves to attending next fall at about the same rate as last year.

Among the private colleges reporting little variation in their admissions yields were Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Wesleyan, Smith, Kenyon and Whitman. Among public colleges, the Universities of Virginia and Wisconsin reported similar results.

But those yields came at a price: many of the colleges said they had increased their financial aid budgets, often significantly, over last year’s.

The dean of admissions at Pomona College in California, Bruce Poch, said, “For all the Chicken Little and Henny Penny hysteria and dire predictions, it seems to have worked out just fine here.” At Pomona, 384 applicants sent in their deposits, only 6 fewer than the goal the college had set. The class is “essentially full,” Mr. Poch added, though some students on the waiting list might be offered admission.

The dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard, William R. Fitzsimmons, had anticipated a drop in the yield of as much as 5 percentage points because of the poor economy. But about 76 percent of those accepted to Harvard, or nearly 1,560 applicants, have signaled their intention to attend — “right where we were at the end of last year,” Mr. Fitzsimmons said.

As much as 65 percent of the incoming freshman class at Harvard could end up receiving direct, need-based scholarships, compared with 58 percent in the current freshman class, Mr. Fitzsimmons said. In response, Harvard expects to increase its undergraduate financial aid budget by $9 million, or 7 percent.

At Yale, nearly 70 percent of those accepted, or about 1,330 students, have signaled their intention to enroll, a percentage nearly identical to last year’s, said Jeffrey Brenzel, the dean of undergraduate admissions.

“Our yield so far has been significantly stronger than we expected,” Mr. Brenzel wrote in an e-mail message. “Given the economy, we thought that more students not eligible for need-based financial aid from Yale might accept merit scholarships offered by a number of excellent colleges.”

The next freshman class at Yale is oversubscribed by about 17, which does not bode well for the 468 applicants on the waiting list.

Princeton’s yield of 60 percent this year is a percentage point higher than last year’s, which is noteworthy given that the university is trying to increase its freshman class size by about 60, to 1,300.

Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., said it too had received a response from accepted applicants at a rate similar to last year’s — about 35 percent, or 760, said they would attend. The senior associate dean of admissions, Greg Pyke, said he was surprised that the economy had not “really driven the yield down.” He credited Wesleyan’s increasing of its financial aid offers as a factor.

Another situation being closely monitored is whether public universities are being overrun with candidates, as some high school seniors seek a less expensive education than many private colleges offer.

At the University of Virginia, this year’s yield — 49 percent, representing 3,100 deposits — is only 1 percentage point higher than last year’s. The University of Wisconsin said its yield this year — 41 percent, or about 5,550 deposits — was a drop of 2 percentage points from last year’s. But the university said appeals of financial-aid decisions among accepted freshmen had increased 20 percent over last year.

The State University of New York at New Paltz said it had gotten the admissions yield it wanted: about 20 percent, compared with 24 percent last year. But to lower its yield, New Paltz had to close off applications at about 15,250 and offer several hundred fewer acceptances than it did a year earlier.

“The next question is whether the deposits are hard or soft,” said L. David Eaton, the vice president for enrollment. Mr. Eaton said he wondered whether some students had put in a $250 deposit to New Paltz, as well as deposits elsewhere, to hedge their bets.

Georgetown University, Providence College and Hartwick College were among those that said last week that they still had openings in their incoming freshman classes. Officials at the University of California, Los Angeles, said they would not have data before June 1.

All told, the institutions that have reported their yields are a fraction of the nation’s estimated 2,000 four-year colleges, which
By JACQUES STEINBERG
Tamar Lewin, Lisa W. Foderaro and Rebecca R. Ruiz contributed reporting.

Top 5 Reasons Online Classes Rock

2009-05-07T08:59:00.003-05:00

At this point the cat isn’t only out of the bag, as it pertains to online classes, it’s a full grown lioness on the prowl. Online degrees were once viewed as a gimmicky soiree into the world of higher education, but oh how things have changed.

I must admit, even I was cynical in the late 90’s when the Online education rage was taking flight. It felt like a scam. Would my degree be worth anything? Would my resume be passed over time and time again because of how I earned my degree? Never did I believe it would be more revered by many hiring managers who believe online recipients are more versatile. These students are viewed as self motivated independent thinkers who are driven to succeed; all traits which transfer nicely in the workplace.

Yes, Online degrees hold value in the marketplace, but it’s the value outside the virtual classroom that attracts many students to an Online degree. Lets take a look at the Top 5 reasons Online classes have become so popular.

1. Comfort: Having the luxury of taking notes with one hand while shoveling in Doritos with the other is pretty sweet indeed. A comfortable environment produces better results.

2. Convenience: No need to worry if your tank is on “E” or traffic is backed up on the interstate to get to school. When you’re at home, you are at school.

3. Flexibility: Lesson plans are available for you to review anytime throughout the week and tests are usually available over a three day period to fit with your busy schedule.

4. Availability: While campuses are restricted to the number of classes they can offer students based on staffing and capital resources, Online degree programs have no such restrictions. The number of classes you can take is practically endless.

5. Time: Most Online classes do not have specific start-up dates and times. You can jump in whenever you like. In addition, if you have the desire, you may complete your class early in most cases. Many eight week classes are completed in 4-6 weeks by ambitious students.

Request information about Online classes or education here.

>>From the Student Loan Network Help Blog

PrivateStudentLoans.com Comparison Press Release

2009-04-07T21:21:00.005-05:00

Student Loan Network

1250 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA 02169
email: press@edvisors.com, web: http://www.PrivateStudentLoans.com

PrivateStudentLoans.com encourages students to consider all their student loan options

Quincy, MA (PRWeb) July 19, 2009 - The Student loan Network introduces a new private student loan comparison website offering a variety of loans for for funding your college education. Compare a private student loans to federal student loans and competing offers from various private loan lenders.

“We have two objectives with our new design." explained Jon Rudy, Director of Student Loan Programs. "First, although we always recommend federal loans first, we want to show that private student loans actually compare favorably to federal student loans. Second, we want to let students know they have several options - both federal and private.”

Private Student Loan Insight:

Many private student loan products have a lower rate than the Federal PLUS Loan. The catch - private loan rates are usually variable while PLUS Loan rates are fixed. The majority of parents want their sons/daughters to share in the responsibility of their loans.
Many applicants will not apply for federal student loan to avoid filling out the FAFSA form - which is viewed as overly complicated and requires submitting personal information to the government.
Increasingly, students are doing the shopping and then bringing the options to their parents for the final decision.
PrivateStudentLoans.com is a top 5 site in Google for Private Student Loans.
45,000 visitors to PrivateStudentLoans.com this month makes it the leading site for private student loan comparisons and the fastest growing resource for students and parents looking for private student loans.

“There has been a lot of press about a new private student loan product requiring payments from the student while they are in school" continues Mr. Rudy. "While in school payments reduces the overall cost of the loan, most students and parents want to defer payments. We want to let students know they have many options. All programs listed allow for payments at any time when students or parents have the ability - most people do not know this important feature.”

Students have many options when it comes to financing their education. Scholarships, grants and federal student loans are the first and best option. When these funds fall short, students can and should consider a variety of private student loans.

PrivateStudentLoans.com is a member of the Student Loan Network, an Edvisors Online Education Company. PrivateStudentLoans.com.

About Edvisors and the Student Loan Network:

The Student Loan Network is one of the nation's fastest growing providers of student loans and related information. A member of the Edvisors (www.edvisors.com) family of companies since 1998, we have connected 25 million students and parents with over $1 billion in scholarships, grants and federal, private and consolidation loan funding. To help make the confusing and stressful financial aid process easier, the Student Loan Network also delivers helpful information, including the award-winning Financial Aid Forum, a multitude of financial aid-related blogs and the monthly Financial Aid Newsletter. Learn more about the Student Loan Network at www.StudentLoanNetwork.com.

For Top Colleges, Economy Has Not Reduced Interest (or Made Getting in Easier)

2009-03-30T15:08:00.000-05:00

New York Times
March 30, 2009
The recession appears to have had little impact on the number of applications received by many of the nation’s most competitive colleges, or on an applicant’s overall chances of being admitted to them.
Representatives of Harvard, Stanford, Dartmouth, Yale, and Brown, among other highly selective institutions, said in telephone and e-mail exchanges in recent days that applications for the Class of 2013 had jumped sharply when compared to the previous year’s class. As a result, the percentage of applicants who will receive good news from the eight colleges of the Ivy League (and a few other top schools that send out decision letters this week) is expected to hover at – or near – record lows.
Bill Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard since 1986, said that the 29,112 applications Harvard received this year represented an all-time high, and a 6-percentage point increase from last year. He said the percentage of applicants admitted would be 7 percent, down from 8 percent a year ago. Dartmouth said that the 18,130 applications it received was the most in its history, too, and that the 12 percent admitted would be its lowest.
Stanford said that the 30,350 applications it received represented a 20 percent increase, and that while it estimated a 7.5-percent admission rate, which would be its lowest, it declined to specify a final figure until later in the week.
Yale, Brown, Columbia, Cornell and Princeton declined to release their final admission rates in advance of sending out most of their decision letters via e-mail at 5 p.m. eastern time on Tuesday. But Brown said it had received 21 percent more applications, overall, compared to a year ago; Yale was up 14 percent; Columbia was up 13 percent and Cornell was up 3 percent. Princeton said that, as of January, it had tallied a 2 percent increase in applications, but anticipated the pool had gotten even larger since then. At the University of Pennsylvania, the number of applications increased by 4 — to 22,939, from 22,935.
However, applications to highly selective colleges were not up universally. Many of the best-known liberal arts colleges had fewer applications this year.
Williams College in western Massachusetts said that applications were down 20 percent this year, with 6,024 having applied to the Class of 2013, as compared to 7,552 a year ago. Williams’s acceptance rate, in turn, is expected to be about 20 percent, which is higher than in recent years. The reason for the change was not immediately clear, though applicants outside New England who are concerned about their finances would have to take into account that Williams is not close to a major city or airport – and thus could be expensive to get in and out of.
Similarly, Middlebury College in Vermont, which is also relatively remote, had a nearly 12 percent drop in applications. Amherst, another Massachusetts college and Williams rival, said that applications were down about 1 percent - and that its admissions rate would increase slightly, to 16 percent, in part because Amherst is aiming to increase its first-year class by about 25 students. (Wesleyan University in Connecticut, which sometimes competes for students with Amherst and Williams, has drawn substantially more interest this year: its applicant pool was 22 percent larger than last year’s; its admission rate fell to 22 percent, from 27 percent.)
Amherst had a nearly 10-percent increase in early-decision applications. It enrolls about 30 percent of its first-year class through that program, and – like most schools surveyed – it said it had not lost a single one to due any change in family finances since the fall, when such applications are made.
“Given the economy, it’s very surprising to me,’’ said Tom Parker, dean of admission and financial aid, “and when I told the board, they found it hard to believe, too.’’
In a sign of how hard it is to draw broad conclusions about an admissions season that has been set against a stark economic backdrop, just over half of the nearly 350 institutions that accept the Common Application, a shared online admission form, received more applications this year than last; just under half received fewer. Bryn Mawr and Wellesley were among those that were up slightly, while overall applications to Grinnell and Pomona were down (as compared to their early applications, which were up quite a bit.)
Among the best-known public universities, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville all recorded gains in applications – a sign, surely, of some applicants’ desire to stay closer to home, and pay less than they might at an elite private college. Applications to the University of Wisconsin in Madison fell nearly 3 percent.
Of course, applying to college is one thing; being able to afford to go is another.
Harvard, which like many colleges raised its financial aid budget this year, said that between this week and May 1, when applicants’ decisions are due, it was bracing for many to make impassioned appeals of their financial aid offers, whether by phone or e-mail or in person. In response, Mr. Fitzsimmons said that the Harvard financial aid office would be open every day in April, with expanded hours, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“We’re going to listen,’’ he said. “We don’t have a policy of matching other schools’ awards. But we’re going to listen to what a family thinks its unusual circumstances might be. We learn a lot about our families in April.’’
By:Jacques Steinberg & Tamar Lewin

A New Factor In Making That College: Loving It

2009-03-16T11:13:00.000-05:00

Boston Globe
March 15, 2009

Like wary suitors, colleges are searching for signs of commitment from applicants before they extend admissions offers, hoping to find out whether their affection is mutual.
In the increasingly tense courtship of college admissions, more selective schools are smiling upon high school students who show sincere interest in attending, closely tracking such things as whether they visited campus, responded to recruiting messages, or even joined an online chat with an admissions officer.
"You're going to want those students who also want you," said Gil Villanueva, dean of admissions at Brandeis University. "Everything else being equal, between a student you know and a student you don't, you will go with the known commodity."
Villanueva, like many admissions officers, said keen enthusiasm for a school is no guarantee but can sometimes tip the balance in students' favor.
The growing importance of "demonstrated interest" is the product of a number of overlapping factors. High school students are applying to a greater number of colleges to better their odds of acceptance, which has made it harder for colleges to estimate how many actually plan to come. This year, the financial downturn and the credit crunch have further complicated the process, with families expected to base their decisions more on cost.
Amid such unpredictability, students who seem excited at the prospect of arriving on campus in the fall are in high demand, admissions officers say. In an ironic twist, the volatile nature of admissions has given students a measure of control over the process.
In its annual survey of admissions trends, the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that 22 percent of colleges gave interest "considerable importance" in admissions, up from 7 percent in 2003. Another 30 percent of schools rated it as moderately important.
In terms of influence, it outranked such admissions standbys as counselor and teacher recommendations, interviews, and extracurriculars, and was narrowly behind class rank and personal essays.
"We track every single contact we have with students," said Kelly Walter, executive director of the admissions office at Boston University.
Parents and applicants take note: Walter and other college officials said they do not hold it against students who cannot afford to visit campus, particularly in the slumping economy. There are many other ways students can let colleges know they are among their top choices, including attending a college fair or reception in their hometown. Even better, they said, is introducing themselves to an admissions officer and striking up a conversation.
"I remember," Walter said, speaking of such chats.
Admitting more students who truly want to be there, college officials say, creates an energetic and close-knit culture on campus. And by producing loyal alumni with soft spots for their colleges, it also pays long-range dividends in fund-raising.Continued...
Giving preference to students whose interest seems genuine also helps colleges boost their image. By targeting students who are more likely to attend, they can admit a smaller percentage and still fill out their freshman class, making them appear more selective and more desirable.
Families have caught on to the new approach. John Mahoney, director of undergraduate admissions at Boston College, said parents who visit the campus often scan the premises for the sign-up sheet that will let them make their presence known.
"We tell them we're not tracking that," he said. "But they want to make sure they let us know they were there."
Mahoney said BC does not consider student interest and said he suspects some students feign interest to boost their odds.
"Students are being conditioned to express interest, but if they are doing so at 16 Northeastern schools, how good of a barometer is it?"
But some say that students who cultivate relationships with schools - through the delicate art of admissions flirting - gain a much better chance of winning their hearts.
"It's almost like a dating game," said Phil Meisner, founder of CAPS, the College Application Processing Service, in Washington. "No one wants to commit, but everyone's looking for a signal. Why shouldn't students be able to let colleges know they want to go?"
College officials say students rarely go overboard in their self-marketing campaigns, although they fear more will as the practice becomes more prevalent. Others worry that judging students by expressions of interest could unfairly help wealthier students whose parents and counselors know the system's subtleties and how to exploit them.
"We don't want to penalize students who don't know that 14,000 contacts with an admissions officer could tip the balance," said Gail Berson, dean of admission at Wheaton College in Norton.
This spring, a student whom Berson met at a New York City high school has become a "steady pen pal," even sending her copies of his latest short stories. His persistence convinced Berson he would attend, and his writing ability convinced her he should be admitted, despite a so-so academic record.
Alex Michel, a senior from Weston, said she knew that Wheaton was her top choice as soon as she visited the campus, and she immediately made her intentions known. She visited campus several times, including an overnight stay with students, and e-mailed admissions officers with questions. In December, she was accepted, and now she chats on Facebook with her eventual classmates.
"I know colleges are looking for students who are enthusiastic," she said. "When I visited campus, I always made sure the admissions office knew I was there."
By Peter Schworm

Obama Remarks on Education Policy Plans

2009-03-11T08:53:00.002-05:00

President Obama delivered remarks on his proposals for education this morning at the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s annual Legislative Conference. As reported by the Washington Post, President Obama offered some additional information on the education budget for the 2010 fiscal year. He touched on the five “pillars” of reform for the nation’s education system and on the importance of increasing high school retention rates and attaining a college degree. President Obama underscored the need to invest in education as “The future belongs to the nation that best educates its citizens.”

Regarding higher education proposals, President Obama stated. “Now, the fifth part of America's education strategy is providing every American with a quality higher education whether it's college or technical training. Never has a college degree been more important. Never has it been more expensive. And at a time when so many of our families are bearing enormous economic burdens, the rising cost of tuition threatens to shatter dreams. And that's why we will simplify federal college assistance forms so it doesn't take a Ph.D to apply for financial aid.”

President Obama further discussed the Pell Grant increases contained in his budget proposal to Congress that call for an annual increase to adjust for inflation and a plan to provide a $2,500-a-year tuition tax credit for students from working families. “To help pay for all of this, we're putting students ahead of lenders by eliminating wasteful student loan subsidies that cost taxpayers billions each year,” he stated.

In advance of the speech, the Administration issued a fact sheet on the President’s education policy proposals entitled, “Expanding the Promise of Education in America.” It includes talking points on the ideas for early education, K-12, higher education and proposals for driving innovation and expanding excellence. On higher education, the fact sheet touches on increasing college access, expanding federal aid and simplifying the financial aid process. It also mentions providing additional funding for Pell Grants and providing an annual increase to account for inflation and the proposal to end student loan subsidies to private student loan companies.

A copy of the fact sheet is available in the expanded version of today’s Daily Briefing. Additional articles from The Washington Post and USA Today are included in the expanded version of today’s Daily Briefing. A transcript of his speech is also attached, along with a press release from Education and Labor Ranking Member Howard “Buck” McKeon.

Is the SAT being phased out as a critical component of college admissions?

2009-03-03T14:29:00.003-05:00

Test-Optional Schools Tops 815: As High School Juniors and Seniors Prepare for Admission Tests More Colleges and Universities Eliminate ACT/SAT Requirements

“Nearly four-dozen colleges and universities have adopted test-optional admissions for all or most applicants in the past several years,” said FairTest Executive Director Jesse Mermell. “They recognize that neither the SAT nor ACT measures what students most need to succeed in higher education. An applicant’s high school record remains a better predictor of college performance than either test is.”

As high school students across the nation prepare for the March 14 administration of the SAT and April 4 ACT college admissions exams, a new survey has found that more than 815 bachelor-degree granting colleges and universities do not require most applicants to submit scores from either test.

The number of such schools has soared since revised versions of the SAT and ACT were introduced in March 2005, according to the National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest) which compiles the test-optional list. Last fall a blue-ribbon commission sponsored by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) issued a report encouraging more institutions to consider ending admissions exam mandates.

FairTest Public Education Director Bob Schaeffer added, “Many more schools are re-examining their standardized exam requirements in the wake of the NACAC Commission report. We expect the ACT/SAT optional list to continue growing as more institutions recognize that the tests remain biased, coachable, educationally damaging and irrelevant to sound admissions practices.”

A regularly updated FairTest directory of test-optional schools is available free online at http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional. Nearly 200,000 students, parents, and guidance counselors access these lists each year.

Revised UC Freshman Admission Policy

2009-02-05T17:38:00.000-05:00

February 5, 2009

Today the University of California Board of Regents approved a change to the University’s admission policy that will affect current high school students graduating in 2012 and beyond.

The new policy requires the same number of “a-g” courses and the same GPA as current policy. The key differences are:
• Two SAT Subject Tests will no longer be required for admission. However, students could still choose to submit their scores for consideration as part of their application, just as they do now with AP scores. The Subject Tests also could be recommended for certain majors.
• All applicants will need to complete 11 of the 15 “a-g” courses by the end of their junior year. Currently, this is required only of students who are designated eligible by ranking in the top 4 percent of their high school class.
• Fundamentally, these changes will not change the way students prepare for the University: students still need to complete the “a-g” requirements, earn the best grades possible, and take the ACT Assessment with Writing or the SAT Reasoning Test. They will also need content knowledge in case they choose to take an SAT Subject Test to demonstrate specific subject-matter proficiency.
• Students who graduate from high school prior to 2012 will be held to existing admissions requirements. Most importantly, this means that these students will be required to submit scores from two SAT Subject Tests in order to be eligible for admission, as is the case now.

Jeannie Borin, M.Ed
President & Founder
College Connections

House Approves Stimulus Bill

2009-01-29T15:08:00.001-05:00

By a party-line vote of 244-188, the House of Representatives approved a $819 billion economic stimulus package. The package includes $43 billion for unemployment benefits and job training, $39 billion to help the unemployed keep employer-provided health care, and a range of tax credits. It also allocates billions of dollars toward higher education proposals through spending on research, school and college infrastructure, and aid to states.

According to a press release issued by the House Education and Labor Committee, the bill would aid college students by: 1) Increasing the Pell Grant scholarship by $500; 2) Establishing a new college tuition tax credit of $2,500; 3) Creating new work-study opportunities for college students; and 4) Increasing student loan limits on unsubsidized Stafford Loans by $2,000. The bill invests $490 million in work-study opportunities for college students in fields related to their major or in community service, creating jobs for an additional 200,000 students. The bill also provides that private activity bonds (including student loan bonds) issued in 2009 and 2010 would not be subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax.

“A long-term recovery falls not only on the shoulders of today’s workforce but also tomorrow’s,” said U.S. Rep. George Miller (D-CA), chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. “This economic crisis is putting enormous pressure on families’ wallets, and making it much, much harder for students to pay for college. We can’t allow this downturn to put an entire generation of students’ dreams of getting a college degree further out of reach.”

The Politico reports that changes could still be made in the course of the Senate floor debate which will stretch into next week. Republicans are pressing for more tax relief aimed at housing, and there is bipartisan interest in revisiting a small business capital gains exclusion that Obama himself supported as a candidate.

The legislation will next move to conference after Senate passage .

Related articles from The Wall Street Journal, CongressDaily, The Politico and Inside Higher Ed areavailable online.

A new CampusX Community for Colleges Students to Network

2009-01-28T09:45:00.005-05:00

CampusX recently launched a new community: http://campusx.ning.com where college students can connect, network and discuss issues related to college and campus issues. Registration is open and free to all. Check it out, tell your friends and connect!

http://campusx.ning.com

Cornell Takes $1.4B Hit To Endowment, Announces Cuts And Ups Tuition (NY Daily News)

2009-01-27T09:40:00.003-05:00

"Cornell University hemorrhaged more than a quarter of its endowment in the past six months - roughly $1.45 billion - and will slash budgets and hike tuition to shore up, NY Daily News reports. "The Ivy League university, which has about 20,000 students, is drawing down $35 million from its endowment to maintain financial aid levels. The university has also imposed an external hiring freeze, and faculty and nonunion staff will have to go without raises next year. Employees who make less than $40,000 will get a $750 bonus. Another 5% cut at the Ithaca campus is slated for the following academic year. The university will draw on $150 million over the next two years to provide the cash flow necessary to operate." A halt in construction established in the fall will continue through June.

You can read the complete January 26, 2009 NY Daily News article on-line.

We are seeing this more and more often. How will this affect tuition, services and most importantly, the education provided to students enrolled?

Best Value Colleges

2009-01-11T12:48:00.002-05:00

The Princeton Review and Kiplinger Magazine have each just come out with their most recent listing of the best value colleges. While these lists have some helpful information regarding financial aid policies, do not worry about the actual ranking of each college. The "value" of a college is but one of the considerations you must think about in finding the best college for your needs.

Princeton Proposes 2.9% Cost Increase; Ivy Peers May Follow

2009-01-09T15:54:00.002-05:00

"Princeton University, expecting a 25 percent loss in its endowment by next June, may set the lowest cost increase to parents and students since 1966 and provide a marker for other top U.S. schools," Bloomberg reports. "If approved, the increase would be about half of last year's U.S. average of 5.9 percent for private institutions, said Tony Pals, a spokesman for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, in Washington. The move may touch off similar cost measures by Princeton's peer institutions, such as Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut."

You can read the complete January 8, 2009 Bloomberg article on-line.

How Much Is An Online Degree Worth?

2009-01-07T19:24:00.003-05:00

In a time not so long ago, online schools were questionable, frowned upon, even considered worthless. Could someone really sit at home, stare at a screen, and learn as much as someone sitting in a classroom? Many educators doubted it. It seemed the lazy man's way of learning. But new research suggests that stigma is not only fading, but transforming into eLearning accolades. Recently, an in-depth study from Sloan Consortium, a group supporting online education, confirmed what advocates of cyber-academics had been saying for years: Online learning can be just as good as -- if not better than -- a classroom degree.

"A majority of academic leaders (57 percent) believe learning outcomes for online education are equal to or superior to those of face-to-face instruction," proclaims the Sloan study. One of those academic leaders -- James Sherwood, Ph.D., dean of University Extension, the continuing education branch of The University of California at Berkeley -- elaborates. "Coming out of World War II and getting into the '60s and '70s, there was a kind of stigma associated with distance education. That has certainly changed," says Sherwood. "Because of video streaming, chat rooms, and all the other kinds of technological advances, traditional faculty is becoming more comfortable."

Both Sides of the Coin

Dr. Michael Otaigbe has had the unique chance to compare both types of learning. A classroom professor for 15 years, Otaigbe began teaching online two years ago through Strayer University. And, this semester, he's teaching the same course -- Sociology of Comparative Religions -- both online and in a classroom at Strayer's Woodbridge, Va., campus. Though he initially struggled to adjust to not having face-to-face time with his students, he has found that his online class generates a level of motivation he hadn't expected. "Online, I have the freedom to require contributions. Every week, my students have to submit essays and participate in group discussions," Otaigbe says. " I get a better sense of the learning process. "Whereas in a classroom setting, students must respond instantly during discussions, he explains, the online students have more time to research an answer and reflect on what to say before posting a response. "In fact, what I have learned from the online class, I have used to improve my class teaching," Otaigbe says.

Otaigbe has also found inspiration from his online students, some of whom -- unlike his classroom students -- come from all over the world, which benefits the other online students as well." I have students from Japan, from China," says Otaigbe. " I know my student from India contributed a lot when we were talking about Hinduism."

Recruiter's Perspective

The online degree may get respect from educators now, but that's not enough if the rest of the world doesn't follow suit. In some ways, a degree is only as good as the opportunities it affords. Fortunately, recruiters have already begun to recognize the value of an online degree, says John Dooney, manager of strategic research for the Society for Human Resource Management, an association of HR professionals." Typically, a person with an online degree is someone who is also working in an organization, so they have experience," says Dooney. " You're getting someone who has the total package." Formerly an employment manager for 15 years, Dooney admits that online degrees weren't always looked upon positively. " Ten years ago, people just weren't sure," Dooney says. " But now, I don't think people say 'Oh, they're not working hard.'"

As corporations have started using distance learning in their continuing education offerings, it has become more and more accepted as a way to earn a degree as well, he says. Sherwood, who has 20 years of experience running distance learning programs, however, does caution that not all programs are equal." One factor is the institution itself," Sherwood says. " If the institution offers on-site degrees and those degrees aren't worth anything, then obviously their distance degrees aren't either." He also advises a level examination of an academic discipline. " Some fields lend themselves to distance education, and some are more difficult to do at a distance." For example, advanced degrees with a serious lab work component might be a struggle to complete through an exclusively online format, he says. As online learning continues to evolve into a well-respected educational option, perhaps the Sloan Consortium was on to something when it stated that almost one-third of academic leaders "expect that learning outcomes for online education will be superior to face-to-face instruction in three years." Perhaps your online degree will be worth even more than you think!

Private Colleges Worry About a Dip in Enrollment

2008-12-22T17:09:00.001-05:00

Now comes the bad news: the number of regular applications is way down, about 30 percent fewer than at this time last year.
“To be quite honest, I don’t know how we’ll end up,” said Derek Gueldenzoph, dean of admissions at the college, in Northfield, Minn. “By this time last year, we had three-quarters of all our applications. The deadline’s Jan. 15. If what we’ve got now is three-quarters of what we’re going to get, we’re in big trouble. But if this turns out to be only half, we’ll be fine.”
Not all private colleges are reporting fewer applications this year. Even in the Midwest and Pennsylvania, where most colleges seem to have dwindling numbers, some are getting more applications than ever. Still, in a survey of 371 private institutions released last week by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, two-thirds said they were greatly concerned about preventing a decline in enrollment.
Getting exactly the right enrollment — always a tricky proposition — is especially crucial for small colleges with tuition-driven budgets. One case in point came last month, when Beloit College in Wisconsin announced it would eliminate about 40 positions because 36 fewer students than expected had enrolled. The college has about 1,300 students and gets three-quarters of its $55 million budget from tuition.
Admissions officers nationwide point to several possible reasons for the drop in applications. Some students have pared their college lists this year. Many more are looking at less-expensive state universities. Many institutions accepted more students under binding early-decision programs, and each such acceptance drains off an average of 8 to 10 regular-decision applications. And some experts suspect that students are delaying their college plans.
The deadline at most colleges is still a few weeks off, so a last-minute flood of applications could raise the numbers to last year’s level. But admissions officers say they are not counting on that.
“I’ve been doing this a long time, and I don’t remember a year when applications started out behind and didn’t end up behind,” said Steve Thomas, director of admissions at Colby College in Waterville, Me., where early-decision applications were higher than usual but regular applications are running about 14 percent behind.
At Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, where early-decision applications were up, regular applications are down about 15 percent, said Gail Sweezey, the director of admissions.
“One thing that’s happened this year is that there’s all this talk, and one-sided media stories, about how private colleges are unaffordable,” Ms. Sweezey said. “It’s become almost viral that there’s no loans, that schools are having problems. The truth is that a lot of private colleges have more financial aid available this year, but there’s lots of misinformation out there. And my guidance counselor friends tell me students may be applying to fewer places and turning to their state university, which will be at capacity.”
If some private colleges are grappling with the specter of too few applications, public universities and community colleges are having the opposite problem — more students at a time when their state financing is being slashed.
In California and Florida, some public institutions have been forced to cap enrollment. And even in states like Pennsylvania, where the number of high school graduates is declining, applications to public universities are growing.
“We have 47,971 applications as of now, compared to 45,760 at this time last year,” said Anne Rohrbach, executive director of undergraduate admissions at Pennsylvania State University. “We’ve been making offers since October, and we’ve already had 1,638 students say yes, compared to 1,096 at this time last year.”
Generally, Ivy League universities with generous aid packages to low- and middle-income families have as many applicants as ever — and even more applying for financial aid.
“We had 27,462 applications last year, and we’ve been running almost exactly on last year’s pace,” said William Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions at Harvard College, which has eliminated early decision. “More students are applying for financial aid. It’s a significant increase, four full percentage points ahead of last year.”
Yale received 5,556 applications this year, 14 percent more than last year, for its nonbinding single-choice early action program, said Jeffrey Brenzel, the dean of admissions, who added that regular applications were running higher, too.
Dartmouth has more applications than ever, early and regular, as do Duke University, the University of Denver and the University of Rochester.
Jonathan Burdick, the dean of admissions and financial aid at Rochester, said the school’s reputation for generous merit aid helped draw applicants.
“This is a time when families may be looking at options that are less costly,” Mr. Burdick said. “There are a lot of families who may make $180,000 to $200,000 but can’t afford $50,000 a year and might apply to a Rochester, where merit aid this year can be as much as $14,000.”
Many selective private colleges say fewer applications are no problem.
“We’re down about 16 percent now, and I think we’ll be down 10 to 15 percent at the end, Jan. 1,” said Monica Inzer, the dean of admission and financial aid at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. “If our acceptance rate goes up a little, that’s O.K.”
Mark Hatch, vice president for enrollment management at Colorado College, said he expected to have about 5 percent fewer applicants this year and took a similar view.
“We admitted 26 percent last year, and if it’s 31 percent this year, we’ll make more people happy,” Mr. Hatch said. “I think the economic uncertainty has families, even families of means, telling their children to round out their college lists with state universities. This year, families want two safety nets, one for the first hurdle, admission, and one for affordability. Anecdotally, I’ve noticed a lot of parents this year listing their occupation as unemployed.”
At many colleges, financial aid requests are up significantly. At Connecticut College, for example, 42 percent of the accepted early-decision students applied for financial said, compared with 34 percent last year — and 36 percent qualified for aid, compared with 24 percent last year.
This has been a particularly difficult year for small private colleges that accept a majority of their applicants.
Stephen MacDonald, the president of Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pa., where applications are down about 15 percent, is taking steps to lure more students, including adding lacrosse for men and women and hiring a prominent coach, which he thinks will attract 20 to 25 students.
“We’ve also increased our scholarship award to children of alums, from $500, which is a nice gesture, to $2,500 a year, which is more than a gesture,” Mr. MacDonald said.
“We could still end up down 3 percent, which could sting,” he said. “This is a time when schools like ours, private liberal arts colleges that don’t have a big name, are in a potentially dangerous realm.”
By TAMAR LEWIN
NY Times
December 21, 2008

Private Student Loans Online

2008-12-16T17:18:00.003-05:00

Here are some general questions we get about Private Student Loans:

How much can I borrow?

Private student loans allows you to pay for education related expenses up to the cost of attendance. Certain annual limits may apply, and can vary by lender.

What proof of enrollment do I need to provide?

Proof of enrollment usually includes one of the following: a tuition bill, award letter or recent transcript that is no more than 90 days old from the college the loan is for. Documents must include the student's name, enrollment period, and name of the school. Enrollment period must include the enrollment period you provided on the loan request.

What are the different repayment options?

You have three options including deferment or repayment of interest only or interest and principle.

Full Deferral: No principal or interest payments due while enrolled in school (up to four or five consecutive years). Payment of principal and interest will usually begin 6 months either after graduation or if no longer enrolled at least half time. Interest will continue to accrue during the deferment period and will be capitalized (added to the loan balance) at the time of repayment.

Interest Only: Pay only accrued interest while enrolled in school (up to four or five consecutive years). Payment of principal and interest will begin after the loan is fully disbursed.

Immediate Repayment:Payment of principal and interest will begin after the student loan is fully disbursed.

How soon will I receive my funds?

Once you receive conditional approval, you will complete a promissory note and be required to submit documentation to verify the information on your application. If you return the requested documents quickly, you will receive your money soon afterward — it typically takes about 14 days but it can take as little as five business days after your conditional approval.

What is my interest rate?

The Interest rate is a combination of the LIBOR rate or the Prime rate, plus a margin. The margin is based on you and/or your cosigner's credit. The rate will fluctuate as the LIBOR or Prime rate changes. Applying with a credit worthy qualified cosigner may help you qualify for a lower rate.

LIBOR is an interest rate index used to determine the interest rate at which banks borrow funds from each other in the London Interbank market. It stands for the London Interbank Offered Rate. The Academic Answer product uses the current one-month LIBOR which can be found in the "Money Rates" section of the The Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition).

The Prime rate is a "reference or base rate" that banks use to set the price or interest rate on many of their commercial loans and some of their consumer loan products. The prime rate tracks fairly closely with other short-term interest rates, such as the overnight federal funds rate.

Can I defer my payments while I'm in school?

Yes, you can typically defer your payments for up to 60 months as an undergrad student.

How is the interest rate calculated for the private student loan?

The variable interest rate is calculated by adding the current LIBOR or Prime rate to a margin.

Are there fees associated with the private student loan?

Based on your credit history, there may be fees associated with origination, disbursement or repayment. Fees can vary significantly by lender.

How much can I borrow with the private student loan?

The loan typically offers an annual maximum of the cost of attendance, as determined by your school.

Is there a grace period?

Yes. If you choose full deferment, payments do not have to start on the private student loan until six months after graduation or dropping below half-time status.

Is there a minimum monthly payment?

Yes. Once principle and interest payments begin, the minimum monthly payment is $50.

What expenses can the private student loan cover?

The private student loan can be used to cover education-related expenses including tuition, fees, books, living expenses, a new computer, etc.

Do I have to be enrolled at least half-time to receive a private student loan?

Yes. Borrowers must be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible and participating school in order to receive a private student loan.

Does your private student loan offer any discounts?

The student may be eligible for a 0.25% rate reduction, if the payments are automatically deducted from a personal bank account. Private student loan discounts vary by lender.

Is the interest tax-deductible?

Interest on student loans may be tax deductible. Please consult your tax advisor or visit irs.gov for more information.

How long are repayment terms for a private student loan?

The standard repayment term is 15-25 years.

Top 5 Colleges Searched for on HowToGetIn.com

2008-12-15T09:26:00.004-05:00

In case anyone is interested, the most popular colleges based on visitor traffic on HowToGetIn.com are:

http://www.howtogetin.com/colleges/ohio-state-university-columbus/
http://www.howtogetin.com/colleges/university-of-florida-gainesville/
http://www.howtogetin.com/colleges/university-of-texas-at-austin/
http://www.howtogetin.com/colleges/george-washington-university
http://www.howtogetin.com/colleges/penn-state-university/

To search for your favorite college, can visit:

http://www.howtogetin.com/colleges/search/

Colleges Students Squeezed By Rising Costs, Less Aid (PBS Online NewsHour)

2008-12-11T08:08:00.000-05:00

"More college students and their families are struggling to afford tuition at public institutions due to increasing costs and state funding cuts in education and financial aid" PBS Online NewsHour reports. "John Tulenko of Learning Matters Television takes a look at the impact of rising higher education costs in the second of a two-part series."

You can read the complete November 9, 2008 PBS Online NewsHour article on-line.

Making Online Courses Work for You

2008-11-26T12:06:00.002-05:00

Online Courses - Did you know?

20% of college students took at least one online course in the fall of 2007*
50% of college students surveyed would consider taking an online course**

Online courses are a great opportunity to save money, graduate early and can conveniently be taken (or re-taken) over breaks and holidays.

With the help of our free eBook and search form below, you can successfully find online colleges that offer courses for your program. We urge you to explore whether this hot trend could help you now or in the future.

GoTo: http://www.edvisors.com/schools/online-courses.html

Early Decision Applications Increase - The Bubble That Didn’t Burst

2008-11-20T17:41:00.004-05:00

Jess H. Lord, dean of admissions and financial aid at Haverford College, says that “up until Friday I’ve been telling anyone who would listen to me to get ready because I assumed ED numbers would drop.” He said it was “absolutely my assumption that ED would be hit hard by the economy — that applying ED would be seen as a luxury and folks would hold off.” “ED” is admissions lingo for early decision, in which applicants apply early and pledge, if admitted, to enroll.

When his staff finished counting Monday morning, after the early deadline passed, Haverford’s early applications were up 13 percent.

Nanci Tessier, vice president for enrollment management in University of Richmond, Admissions, was more optimistic. She figured that the economic woes would translate into a flat year for early decision. The university’s numbers are up 14 percent.

Lord and Tessier were not alone in expecting declining interest in early decision, which for a decade now has been growing rapidly in popularity. Admissions experts predicted that the binding nature of early decision would discourage students and families in a year when many are uncertain about their personal finances and would want to consider public college alternatives or to weigh aid offers from a range of colleges before committing.

With numerous reports of public colleges experiencing surges in applications, some have gone so far as to predict, as Forbes put it recently in an article called “The Coming College Bubble?” that private colleges may be “the next industry to pop.” After all, critics of private higher education have said, parents are outraged by high tuition rates, so this is the year they will stay away from colleges (excluding Harvard and a few others perhaps) that cost a lot and expect applicants to pledge to enroll before even receiving a financial aid package.

But what’s happening this fall — even as applications do flood public institutions — is that many private institutions are reporting significant increases in those very ED applications that were expected to decrease. While application deadlines vary, many colleges use either November 1 or 15. So these ED deadlines are the first instances of students making potentially binding decisions after the stock market collapse — and early applications are up at numerous private colleges.

Union College in New York is up 8 percent. George Washington University Applications is up 30 percent — although because last year the university numbers were off, the figure is up a more modest 10 percent over recent years. But officials saw so much interest they just extended the early deadline by two weeks. Nebraska Wesleyan is still counting, but is up. Roanoke College’s early decision applicants have more than doubled.

St. Olaf College Admissions — which moved its deadline for ED from the 1st to the 15th in the hope of keeping its applications level — is up more than 50 percent. Smith College is still counting but expects a modest increase. Dartmouth College is up 10 percent. Northwestern University is up 15 percent. New York University is up 1 percent. Hamilton College is up 8 percent. Dickinson College is level. Warren Wilson College is up 30 percent. The numbers vary, but the declines didn’t happen.

Views about why this is the case vary — and many admissions officials at these and other institutions are so surprised that they haven’t had time to theorize. But many are saying that the idea that private colleges with high sticker prices were going to be uncompetitive this year has just not proven to be the case. And in an economic environment where the loss of a few dozen students can upend a college’s plans, emerging from this juncture in the admissions process in good shape is huge news for many of these institutions.

It’s important to know that this is likely to be an unusual year in admissions, with plenty of twists — and with any story on admissions trends, the colleges having miserable years tend not to rush to return a reporter’s calls. And the early decision market place is just a part of higher education. To have a viable early decision program, you need competitive admissions, and many of the private colleges struggling the most financially don’t. But admissions officials at these colleges and those still counting say that they consider it a sign of strength for their sector that institutions have held their own, let alone shown growth in early decision applications — especially since these applications have gone up so much in recent years, making the base higher than it once was.

All of this begs the question: Why?

One possibility is that colleges are focusing more on the applicants most likely to enroll — as opposed to everyone. This may be especially necessary in the Northeast, which isn’t favored by population trends — and may explain why some of the colleges experiencing early decision increases may not see increases in their total applications for the year. “We’ve been preparing for a smaller top of the funnel for a couple of years,” said Monica Inzer, dean of admissions and financial aid at Hamilton, which saw an increase in early applications but is slightly behind last year’s total for regular applications received to date.

With demographics shifting, she said it may be more important for colleges to focus on students with the right fit, and that means valuing different measures. For instance, Inzer said the college has had fewer inquiries about applications, but more visits from potential applicants and their families. Because of high “conversion” for those who visit, and enhanced financial aid efforts, Inzer said she was confident of attracting a great class. And for now, she said her admissions colleagues can relish their ED success, since she “never would have predicted” an increase this year.

Tessier said that the University of Richmond may have had success in a bad economic year by having a policy — and promoting it to families — of not treating financial aid applications from early decision applicants any less generously than those who apply without the pledge to enroll. Some colleges have been known to be less generous to students who pledge to enroll, saving aid dollars for those who will have other offers to consider. While there is some debate among admissions officials about how widespread (or reasonable) such policies are, families have heard that message.

“We’ve stressed to students that if they are worried that they may be disadvantaged in aid [by applying early], they won’t be. We’ll meet full need, if you apply early or regular,” she said. While that’s not a new policy, it has received more emphasis, she said.

The aid issues matter in part because of concern that early decision tends to favor families — generally white and wealthier — who are more familiar with the college application process. Notably, both Dartmouth and Northwestern said that they saw significant gains this year in their minority early applicant pools. They, along with other colleges reporting ED increases — Haverford and Union, for example — also made improvements to aid policies in the last year.

While conventional wisdom has held that parents would be scared off by price this year (even at colleges that have generous aid packages), some say that families are reacting to the recession in ways that extend beyond sticker price.

Robert J. Massa, vice president for enrollment and college relations at Dickinson College, said he is just back from a program on New York’s Long Island for prospective students and families. When he brought up the economic mess, Massa said that the questions were “not what I thought” they would be. “They were mainly concerned that colleges would cut back significantly in program support in the next several years, so that the college that their child agreed to attend could be significantly altered during their student’s enrollment time.” Massa said he is able to answer such questions with confidence that Dickinson wouldn’t make such cuts.

Another admissions official, who asked not to be quoted by name as he didn’t want to offend his state university, offered a possible explanation for Massa’s experience. Public university leaders in this state are telling anyone who will listen — repeatedly, and backed up by student and faculty groups — how budget cuts anticipated for this year and next will lead to the state’s colleges having larger class sizes, fewer sections, overcrowded dormitories, more buildings in disrepair, and so forth. The barrage of such statements, intended to preserve a quality public system, may be having the unintended consequence of raising questions about the system’s quality in the next few years.

Many others said that they were stunned by the increases, happy and still uncertain about why they took place. Derek Gueldenzoph dean of admissions at St. Olaf, said, “We braced for very different scenarios” and now that the numbers are in, “whatever the reason was for the increase, I’d love to bottle it.”

Early decision is, of course, only part of the equation and many private colleges operate without it. Many of those institutions also are reporting healthy admissions increases — although some see the possibility that fewer of these students will eventually enroll.

Westminster College, in Utah, is up 38 percent in applications over this point last year. Wartburg College, in Iowa, is up 4.5 percent. Some colleges have early action programs — similar to early decision in that students apply early and find out if they are admitted, but different in that they make no pledge to enroll if accepted. Several report significant increases in these programs’ popularity, likely related to the economic uncertainty.

Mary Grondahl is vice president for enrollment management at the College of Saint Rose, in New York, which has a December 1 deadline for early action. To date, the college has received 1,560 early action applications, up from 1,395 at this point last year. By the end of the year, these students will not only know if they have been admitted, but how much aid the college will offer. Students are “very eager” to get the scholarship information, Grondahl said, and that is encouraging early applications. “It could not be more clear this year that students and their parents are extremely concerned about the bottom line and how that equates to overall value,” she said.

At Goucher College, early action is also up. Last year, 66 percent of all applications in at this time were early action. This year, the total is 77 percent. And applicants are focused early in the process — visits to the campus are up 10 percent from last year.

Michael J. O’Leary, vice president for enrollment management at Goucher, said that the “jury is still out” on whether the students will apply to more colleges, given that application fees add up. But he said that it’s clear that “families want more information sooner,” and that explains his college’s early action spike. “Come April, families will have had additional time to review offers of admission, offers of financial assistance, [and] their own personal financial situations,” he said.

Augustana College, in Illinois, was prompted by such concerns to announce its tuition rates for next year in October, several months earlier than is the norm for private colleges. The early announcement “has taken one of the unknowns out of our conversations with families,” said W. Kent Barnds, vice president for enrollment and communication. To date, applications are running 30 percent ahead of where they were a year ago.

Several admissions deans said that they expected those considerations to involve more colleges than in the past as students who don’t apply (or gain admission) early seek to have more options. Tessier of Richmond said she would advise students worried about aid to submit more applications than they might have in the past. This will, of course, complicate life for Tessier and her colleagues as “yield” — the percentage of admitted applicants who enroll — may be more difficult to predict.

Barnds said that he expects many students to “be applying all over the place to hedge their bets in this difficult time.” He envisions more students coming up with a “top three list,” rather than a “top choice” as they consider their applications. As a result, an application surge for non-early decision “is unlikely to mean that you are truly more popular,” but rather “probably means you and two or three other college are going to need to compete programmatically and financially more than ever before for the attention of the same student who is more willing to shop around and decide later in the process.”

Of course, that’s why the healthy early decision numbers are so encouraging to many colleges. The reality, many college officials said, is that this admissions year will be difficult and unpredictable. Massa of Dickinson said that at his college, total applications submitted (regular) are down from the point last year, but total applications started online and not yet completed is up. That means this isn’t time for panic, he said, but for continuing to do what colleges do. “This year — in spite of the volatility in the economy — is more like last year than something completely different,” he said.

Lord of Haverford also said it was important to remember — perhaps especially in a volatile year — that there’s so much that’s not known. Even with the healthy increases, did some students opt not to apply early for economic reasons? With the economy and colleges’ policies changing, he said that admissions officials need to remember both “our ability or lack thereof to predict or control these outcomes.”

— Scott Jaschik,

From Inside Higher Ed

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT SECRETARY OF EDUCATION?

2008-11-11T16:37:00.002-05:00

President-Elect Obama will name several members of his Cabinet by the end of the month, according to news reports. It's open to speculation whether the Secretary of Education will be among them, and open to even wider speculation is the name Obama will select.

Many names are being bandied about -- here are a few of them.

New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein

Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Arne Duncan

Former North Carolina Governor James Hunt

Former New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean (a Republican)

Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano

Obama Advisor and Stanford Professor Linda Darling Hammond

WHAT ARE THE COMMON MISTAKES THAT MANY STUDENTS MAKE?

2008-11-10T21:58:00.001-05:00

College Application Advice:

1. Not following directions
Pay attention to essay topics, word limits and deadlines.

2. Redundancy
Do not repeat information found within your resume in your personal statement. The Personal Statement is a chance to tell a story about you, not to rehash facts, statistics or accomplishments. Share your personality in your essay. And do not repeat courses, standardized testing scores, and other information already in the application on an additional resume.

3. Sending an incomplete application
Although many universities accept the Common Application, most require supplements. Do not forget to complete these! In addition, make sure that your test scores and teacher and counselor recommendations are sent directly to the colleges.

4. Sending too many items
Yes, you CAN send in too many recommendations and supplementary materials. Make sure that, if you are providing an extra recommendation, it illuminates a completely different facet of your personality that would otherwise be unknown. If you send supplementary materials, make sure you follow the school’s directions on content, length and format.

5. Not applying early
Early decision is not reserved for gifted, wealthy or legacy students. If you have a top choice school and your application, grades and test scores are in order, you should apply early! In most cases, your chances of acceptance are higher when you apply early. Make sure that you know the difference between Early Action, Restricted Early Action, Early Decision, Early Response and Rolling Decision.

By Kat Cohen., PhD. Founder and CEO of IvyWise & ApplyWise. Get expert help applying to college with ApplyWise’s online college counseling program.

ScholarshipPoints Savings Challenge Helps Students Make Saving Pay

2008-11-05T09:30:00.002-05:00

When the economy declines, saving money is more challenging and also far more important. For students struggling to pay for college and everyday expenses, this predicament is especially relevant. To help students learn to save, www.ScholarshipPoints.com has issued a challenge to encourage students to begin saving money. As motivation ScholarshipPoints is offering to pay students to take their challenge. ScholarshipPoints is challenging students to save $500 by the end of the year. Each student who enters the challenge will be eligible to win one of two $500 cash prizes to be deposited into the students' savings account.

Quincy, MA (PRWEB) November 5, 2008 -- When the economy declines, saving money is more challenging and also far more important. For students struggling to pay for college and everyday expenses, this predicament is especially relevant. To help students learn to save, Scholarship Points has issued a challenge to encourage students to begin saving money. As motivation ScholarshipPoints is offering to pay students to take their challenge.

ScholarshipPoints is challenging students to save $500 by the end of the year. Each student who enters the challenge will be eligible to win one of two $500 cash prizes to be deposited into the students' savings account.

With student loans becoming more scarce ScholarshipPoints has experienced rapid member growth this year adding over 175,000 new student members to our free scholarship website
We believe saving money is something every student can learn to do and we launched this program to encourage them to start
"With student loans becoming more scarce ScholarshipPoints has experienced rapid member growth this year adding over 175,000 new student members to our free scholarship website" says program director Mark Marquis. "We believe saving money is something every student can learn to do and we launched this program to encourage them to start".

Any high school or college student in the US is eligible to enter at http://www.scholarshippoints.com/savings. ScholarshipPoints is a fast growing free community of students who participate in online activities to earn points. Their points are used as entries into various scholarships the website gives away to its members.

In 2008 ScholarshipPoints will give students more than $50,000 in free scholarship money. In addition to giving away more scholarship money, ScholarshipPoints will help students in other ways such as the College Savings Challenge in 2009.

Working in conjunction with its sister site student credit card site StudentPlatinum.com, a student credit education and credit card comparison site, ScholarshipPoints is adding more educational challenges to their schedule. By expanding the educational resources ScholarshipPoints hopes to teach students to begin helping themselves by making smarter financial decisions.

About ScholarshipPoints
www.ScholarshipPoints.com is an Edvisors program. Edvisors (http://www.Edvisors.com) is a leader in online education and college search and financial services. The company provides a richer, more fulfilling education experience to students, educators and parents worldwide.

36 Most Common Mistakes Students make on College Application.

2008-10-24T14:33:00.000-05:00

The college application is the primary resource for admissions departments to determine a students worthiness for acceptance. This application is the only opportunity students have in presenting themselves in the best light possible, in hopes of gaining admission. Many will say that completing the application is a test in-of-it itself. We agree. This simple test determines how detail oriented students are and how well they follow instructions. In any give year, colleges receive thousands of applications for admission from prospective students, all competing for the same seat.

In order to help students submit an error free university application, weve asked admissions officers across the country what common mistakes do students consistently make on applications. Check out the major blunders:

1. Students do not read the directions carefully to make sure they understand what items are needed in order to complete their application. Recommendation:Before beginning the application read through it for understanding.

2. Students write the wrong social security number or use different numbers on different pieces of information. Recommendation: Carefully copy your social security number from your card.

3. Students use the wrong college address labels.

4. Students applying for regular decision but checked early action.

5. Students use the online application but fail to request information from their high school counselor.

6. Students have questionable remarks and photos of themselves on social network sites, like MySpace, FaceBook and others (a recent problem).

7. In the college essay students exceed the number of words required. Recommendation: If you need to write a 500 words essay it must be 500, not 500+. Colleges test your ability to communicate your thoughts with clarity and concision. They want to see that your writing flows and is methodical.

8. Students miss the application deadline. Recommendation: After choosing which institutions you would like to apply to, write down the application deadline dates on a calendar or in a personal planner. Cross off the names of the colleges as you submit your application.

9. Students take ACT or SAT in the spring of their senior year. Recommendation: Tests should be taken in your junior year or fall semester of your senior year to ensure that test scores will be released on time to apply for the September semester. Also, when you take the SAT or ACT early, you can retake the test if the scores are unsatisfactory.

10. Students send in application but do not send high school transcripts. Recommendation: Make a check list of documents that will accompany your application.

11. Students copy or buy essays from the internet. Recommendation: Do not plagiarize essays. Write your own essay. If you are copying essays from the internet then most likely another student will do the same. Getting caught is risky and not worth it.

12. The students parent fills out the application. Recommendation: You are the one seeking admission into college, not your parents. Therefore, you should be the one to complete the application.

13. Activity list is full of ambiguous acronyms. Recommendation: Do not use acronyms. Spell out each word. Just because you know what the acronyms mean, does not mean others will.

14. Students expect long list of activities to overshadow actual academic work. Recommendation: Instead of joining an array of clubs, extensively participate in one or two activities. Admissions officers are not looking to see how many activities you sign up for as much as your role in each extracurricular.

15. Students provide incorrect email addresses / telephone numbers.

16. Students forget to sign and date the back page of the application or have their parents sign it.

17. Students misspell their intended major: psychology and business are the most misspelled.

18. Students are careless in filling out the application and make typos, grammatical errors or have sloppy handwriting. Recommendation: Illegibility/poor penmanship can create problems, especially handwritten essays. Do not handwrite essays unless the application specifically requests you to. Otherwise, type them on a computer and attach the printed page to your application. If your handwriting is poor, consider applying online.

19. Applications folded 10 times to fit in a small envelope look bad. Soda/coffee stains, and dirty or sticky pages, torn/ripped edges all can affect your eligibility. Recommendation: Mail your application package in a legal size envelope. Also to be careful, DO NOT eat while completing your university application.

20. Students use pencil when filling out an application. Recommendation: Use a blue or black ink pen.

21. Some applications ask for County and/or Country. Recommendation: Read carefully! Do not mix these up.

22. Many students who have jobs do not mention them on applications. Recommendation: Often, these jobs impact the time students have available for activities. Include this information to paint a full picture of your out-of-school activities.

23. Students send the wrong essay. Sometimes students mix up college essays and send an essay intended for one university to another college.

24. Students do not address the essay question / topic. Recommendation: If you are not sure, ask your counselor for clarification.

25. For online applications, students slip the mouse and click on the wrong item in a drop down box. (It is amazing how many students say they're from Afghanistan -- which is usually listed right after United States on drop-downs for countries)

26. Students substitute thesaurus words for more colloquial phrases. Recommendation: Bright teens do not and should not write like their parents. Applications that stand out do not have the above problems. They "tell" rather than "show."

27. Students list "Hanging out with friends" or "talking on the phone" as an extra curricular activity. Recommendation: For those who do this, hanging with friends and talking on the phone are not note-worthy activities. Ask your counselor if you are not sure what to include.

28. Students blame a teacher in their personal statement for bad grades. Recommendation: Colleges care more about what you did about the bad grade than why you received it in the first place. Did you ask for extra help? Repeat the course? Get a tutor?

29. Students turn in essays with numerous misspellings and grammatical errors. Recommendation: Proofread and ask your counselor or teacher to read it over. Remember that sometimes computers do not pick up errors that are spelled correctly.

30. Students do not inform their high school counselor that they are applying to colleges x, y, and z. Students fail to mention the necessity of submitting required forms by the certain deadlines. Recommendation: Tell your counselor which colleges you are applying to for admission.

31. Students do not send SAT or ACTs, OR assume later test scores will automatically be sent to same institutions as indicated in earlier tests. Recommendation: Each time taking the SAT or ACT, request the scores be sent to your institution of choice.

32. Information on student transcripts is not updated or incorrect. Recommendation: Check your name spelling, home address, phone numbers AND course names, grades, and credits received.

33. Many colleges that use the Common Application also have supplements. Students forget to complete the supplement.

34. Students write generic essays. Recommendation: Relate your essay to yourself. Write details that are unique to you and that only you could have written.

35. Students list e-mail address that are in bad taste or vulgar. Recommendation: Be aware of the impression your e-mail address makes. Create a "professional" e-mail address for college and job applications. Offensive e-mail addresses make a bad impression.

36. Students do not ask a teacher or advisor to review their application before submission. Recommendation: After completing your application, ask your parent or your high school counselor to proofread it for you. Always have a fresh eye look at your application. Doing so will help eliminate the above mistakes.

Massachusetts: Enrollment At State Colleges On The Rise

2008-10-16T12:07:00.000-05:00

"Education officials say students looking for lower tuition costs helped drive up enrollment at the state's universities and colleges by 4 percent this fall," The Boston Herald reports. "The state Department of Higher Education said on Tuesday that the number of students attending the state's 28 undergraduate institutions rose by about 7,000 from last fall to a record high of 176,314."

You can read the complete October 15, 2008 Boston Herald article on-line.

Last 2 Years Saw Modest Tuition Increases - But Those Days May Be Gone

2008-10-08T08:26:00.001-05:00

According to the The Chronicle of Higher Education:

"Tuition and required fees at American universities increased at a measured rate over the past two years," The Chronicle of Higher Education reports. "But given the recent downturn of the nation’s economy, that trend is unlikely to continue, say officials at the American Council on Education. Stable state budgets, healthy endowment returns, and a rise in private donations helped keep tuition and fee increases within a few percentage points of the consumer price index, said Tim McDonough, assistant vice president for public affairs at the American Council on Education. However, the nation’s economic downturn over the last six months, he said, will soon change all that. Mr. McDonough expects pressure to raise tuition will increase as sources of revenue begin to dry up."

You can read the complete October 8, 2008 Chronicle of Higher Education article on-line. A paid subscription may be required.

Test Optional Admissions Debate

2008-10-07T11:03:00.001-05:00

The Tuesday, October 7 USA Today editorial page features a "debate" on test-optional admissions. Both the editorial column and a response by FairTest praise the NACAC Commission report and examine alternatives to the ACT and SAT

http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/index.html#entry-56642971

World of Warcraft Credit Card

2008-10-02T19:44:00.001-05:00

Yes, there’s a World of Warcraft Credit Card. With game time.

read more | digg story

NACAC report on Standardized Tests in Admission

2008-09-22T09:06:00.003-05:00

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has released a report on the use of standardized tests in undergraduate admissions.This was first reported by the New York Times and reviewed here earlier today. The NACAC has now released a link to the report for those who would like to review the actual report.

College Panel Calls for Less Focus on SATs

2008-09-22T02:52:00.000-05:00

NY TIMES

September 22, 2008
By SARA RIMER

A commission convened by some of the country’s most influential college admissions officials is recommending that colleges and universities move away from their reliance on SAT and ACT scores and shift toward admissions exams more closely tied to the high school curriculum and achievement.

The commission’s report, the culmination of a yearlong study led by William R. Fitzsimmons, the dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard, comes amid growing concerns that the frenzy over standardized college admissions tests is misshaping secondary education and feeding a billion-dollar test-prep industry that encourages students to try to game the tests.

A growing number of colleges and universities, like Bates College in Maine, Lawrence University in Wisconsin, Wake Forest University in North Carolina and Smith College in Massachusetts, have made the SAT and ACT optional. And the report concludes that more institutions could make admissions decisions without requiring the SAT and ACT.

It encourages institutions to consider dropping admission test requirements unless they can prove that the benefits of such tests outweigh the negatives.

“It would be much better for the country,” Mr. Fitzsimmons said in an interview, “to have students focusing on high school courses that, based on evidence, will prepare them well for college and also prepare them well for the real world beyond college, instead of their spending enormous amounts of time trying to game the SAT.”

Mr. Fitzsimmons’s group, which was convened by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, also expresses concerns “that test scores appear to calcify differences based on class, race/ethnicity and parental educational attainment.” The report calls on admissions officials to be aware of such differences and to ensure that differences not related to a student’s ability to succeed academically be “mitigated in the admission process.”

“Society likes to think that the SAT measures people’s ability or merit,” Mr. Fitzsimmons said. “But no one in college admissions who visits the range of secondary schools we visit, and goes to the communities we visit — where you see the contrast between opportunities and fancy suburbs and some of the high schools that aren’t so fancy — can come away thinking that standardized tests can be a measure of someone’s true worth or ability.”

Mr. Fitzsimmons said that at Harvard high school grades and the College Board’s individual subject tests are considered better predictors of college success than the SAT or ACT, and that the university is studying the use of standardized tests in its admissions. He added that it was possible that the university might eventually make such tests optional.

The admission counseling association gave the report to The New York Times in advance of its official release at its annual meeting in Seattle this week. The report emphasizes academic research that suggests that test preparation and coaching results in an increase of 20 to 30 points on the SAT, which it calls “a modest gain (on the old 1600 scale)” that “is considerably less than the 100 point or more gains that are often accepted as conventional wisdom.”

The report also calls for an end to the practice of using minimum-admissions-test scores to determine students’ eligibility for merit aid. And it specifically urges the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to stop using PSAT scores as the initial screen for eligibility for recognition or scholarships. The National Merit Scholarship competition “contributes to the misperception of test scores as sole measures of ‘merit’ in a pervasive and highly visible manner,” the report says.

More than 280 four-year colleges do not require standardized test scores for admission, according to the study. The report says that the College Board’s Advanced Placement exams and Subject Tests and the International Baccalaureate exams are more closely linked to the high school curriculum than the SAT and ACT, and have little expensive test preparation associated with them.

The report suggests that what is needed is a new achievement test, pitched to a broad group of students, that would predict college grades as well as or better than available tests.

Using such an achievement test in admissions would “encourage high schools to broaden and improve curricula,” according to the report, and would also send a message to students to focus on their high school course material instead of on test preparation courses.

David Hawkins, the director of public policy and research for the association, pulled together the commission’s findings into the report. He said its value was “in the nearly explicit sentiment that the current admission tests are not optimal tools for admission in 2008.”

Robert Schaeffer, public education director for The National Center for Fair and Open Testing, a group critical of standardized admissions testing, called the report “a strong condemnation of the overreliance on test scores,” and said he expected it to carry much weight with association members, who include thousands of college admissions officials and high school guidance counselors.

One commission member, Steve Syverson, is vice president for enrollment at Lawrence University, which made the SAT and ACT optional several years ago. Mr. Syverson said he hoped the report would encourage more college admissions officials to question their use of standardized admissions tests.

“We’re all just making assumptions about these tests,” Mr. Syverson said, referring to the SAT and the ACT. “We’ve all grown up with it. It’s embedded in the culture. If you really ask around the country, how many admissions officers can tell you at their institution what the predictive validity of the test is? What does it add to our understanding? What do tests help you predict? You’d find a lot of them equate these tests with intelligence. It’s not an intelligence test.”

A Free Guide on How to Save Money Buying College Textbooks

2008-09-17T16:26:00.001-05:00

Did you know that the International edition of a college textbook can save you as much as 90% off the cover price for the exact same book sold in your college bookstore?

This and many other tips, secrets, and tricks are featured in the Student Loan Network's new guide, "How to Find Cheap College Textbooks," a free resource available for college students everywhere at www.studentloannetwork.com/resources.
"Financial aid is about more than just helping students find student loans," said Joe Cronin, president and CEO of the Student Loan Network, an Edvisors company. "Anything that is likely to significantly impact what a college student or family will have to spend money on is something we aim to help with as much as possible. Certainly, things like federal student loans and private student loans are important, as are free scholarships such as our Scholarship Points program. But that also includes advice on how to conserve spending money by comparison shopping for college textbooks."

In addition to "How To Find Cheap College Textbooks," the Student Loan Network offers free guides on how to find scholarships, how to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and many other free resources at www.studentloannetwork.com/resources.

Student Loan Network is one of the nation's fastest growing providers of student loans and related information. For more than ten years, we have helped students and their families access federal and private student loans, scholarships and consolidation funding for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education. Each year, more than 5 million students, parents, and financial aid officers make the most of their education experience through our loan products and free resources. Learn more about the Student Loan Network at www.StudentLoanNetwork.com.

College Search and Admissions Website

2008-09-11T08:56:00.002-05:00

If you're thinking about college admissions, you should begin planning right away. Applying to college can be overwhelming if you wait until the last minute.

The College Search season has begun and it is time to start planning. A great place to start is www.HowToGetIn.com, an online portal with a coll college search feature as well as a number of articles and pages of advice on college admissions.

How To Get In offers a monthly student newsletter highlighting the recommended steps for freshmen, sophomores, junior and seniors every month of the year. This can be a valuable tool for parents and students alike. Be sure to register for Student Action Plan, our monthly college planning newsletter.

Campus X and Cheap College Textbooks

2008-08-27T10:43:00.002-05:00

CampusX.com, previously focused on College Classifieds, has expanded its offerings this month with a special promotion for students going back to school. Featured is the free downloadable ebook on how to find cheap college textbooks. Visit the site, download the free book and find other relevant products and services - then let us know what you think...

Why Smart Students Carry Credit Cards

2008-08-11T12:20:00.001-05:00

I’m sure many of you reading this sentence are already dialing the Dave Ramsey hot line. It’s amazing that the subject of students and credit cards causes such a heated and emotional response from so many people but I understand; we all know somebody who has wrecked their financial life with credit cards.

read more | digg story

Less-Costly Options Make College Textbooks More Affordable

2008-08-06T09:21:00.000-05:00

By KELLI B. GRANT
August 6, 2008

Filling a book bag with a course-load of college textbooks will weigh not only on a student's shoulders, but on his or her wallet.

On average, college students shelled out $900 a semester for textbooks, according to a 2005 federal report. In some cases, a single science book can cost $200.

The situation has led Congress to step in, and on Thursday it passed the Higher Education Opportunity Act. Among its provisions, the bill requires publishers to share pricing information with professors and forces them to unbundle packages of textbooks and supplementary materials so students can buy only items they need. President George W. Bush is expected to sign the bill.

More>>

Creation of International 'Bridge Year' Program Endorsed

2008-07-17T12:04:00.001-05:00

Princeton News

July 15, 2008

Working group recommends launching pilot as early as fall 2009

A working group appointed by Princeton President Shirley M. Tilghman has endorsed the creation of an international "bridge year" program for newly admitted undergraduates and has recommended that the University launch a pilot program with 20 students as early as fall 2009.

The program would allow students to pursue a tuition-free, pre-collegiate enrichment year focused on public service outside their home country, with support from the University. The working group, which was appointed in February to assess the feasibility of a bridge year initiative, affirmed the goals of the program and offered recommendations on several key elements, including the establishment of a University office to manage the program's planning and implementation.

In an effort to meet the proposed fall 2009 start date, the University will begin a search for a staff member to lead the office, which will be overseen by Dean of the College Nancy Malkiel. The office will continue the efforts begun by the working group to evaluate program costs and financial aid, selection criteria, organizational partners, student security and other logistical and administrative issues.

"The vision for Princeton's bridge year program is to enable students to gain critical international experiences and perspectives and to bring those insights to campus to share with other students," Tilghman said. "Not only will this program provide students with a transformational personal experience, it will enhance Princeton's deep commitment to the service of all nations and prepare these students to take fuller advantage of their subsequent four years at the University. While much work remains to be done, we are grateful to the members of the working group for their insights and guidance as we move forward with the realization of this vision."

The working group -- appointed by Tilghman, Provost Christopher Eisgruber and Malkiel -- was composed of faculty, students and staff and led by Professor Sandra Bermann, chair of the Department of Comparative Literature. After spending the spring semester investigating what would be needed to realize a successful bridge year initiative, the group endorsed the proposal and provided a sketch of the program's key elements:

• Princeton would launch the program in fall 2009 with a pilot of approximately 20 students, with that number gradually increasing annually, depending upon student interest in the program. Students would apply for the bridge year after being admitted and would begin their work with the program in the fall.

• The University would work with established partner organizations that have proven long-term records of safety and success in running international programs for young people.

• The program would be designed to provide students with a full immersion into their new environment with a strong emphasis on language and cultural training. In the pilot phase of the program, small groups of students would be assigned to a limited number of communities, living with host families.

• Service opportunities would be located by partner organizations, utilizing their connections with local governments and nongovernmental organizations. These opportunities should be age-appropriate and respond to the host community's interests and needs without taking employment from local residents. Examples may include teaching English in a community school, disseminating health education information in a local clinic, creating art with students in an orphanage or working with other types of community service organizations, engineering projects or research and development initiatives.

• The bridge year program would be available to all admitted Princeton students regardless of their financial situations. The University would cover most, if not all, program costs. Relatively minor expenses would be paid for by individual families, but Princeton would cover any costs that families cannot afford.

"Students participating in this bold initiative will live in an unfamiliar cultural context abroad that should challenge assumptions, encourage innovative thinking and foster maturity," Bermann said. "It will provide a time of service, an opportunity for students to think about working with and for others, and a break from the academic pressure that marks today's intensely competitive pre-college experience. The working group was convinced that such an experience will allow students to begin their formal academic training with eyes that see differently, with greater breadth and depth."

The working group was made up of 14 faculty, student and staff members: Bermann; Kofi Agawu, professor of music; Alison Boden, dean of religious life and the chapel; student Karolina Brook of the class of 2010; Diana Davies, associate provost for international initiatives; Dimitri Gondicas, executive director of the Program in Hellenic Studies; Gene Grossman, the Jacob Viner Professor of International Economics and director of the International Economics Section; Laurel Harvey, general manager for safety and administration; student Colton Heward-Mills of the class of 2010; Nancy Kanach, associate dean of the college; Clarence Rowley, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering; Sankar Suryanarayan, university counsel in the Office of the General Counsel; Anastasia Vrachnos, executive director of Princeton in Asia; and Deborah Yashar, professor of politics and international affairs and former director of the Program in Latin American Studies.

by Eric Quiñones

Student Loans and Funding Options

2008-07-09T07:13:00.003-05:00

Recent news stories have mentioned the challenges facing the student loan industry this year. If you are unsure what products your need and where to find them, visit:

http://www.studentloannetwork.com/student-loans/

The Student Loan Network offers a full range of federal and private student loans including side by side comparisons. Graduate students might consider:

http://www.gradloans.com

Always search for scholarships and apply for federal student loans first.

Scholarship Idol Video Contest

2008-07-07T17:18:00.001-05:00

http://www.scholarshippoints.com/scholarshipidol

"We're looking for the ScholarshipPoints Idol, the member with the most talent and the most votes. Submit your original video entry between 7/4/2008 and 9/5/2008 to earn points and win great prizes!"

Worth a shot... Good Luck!

Online College reviews

2008-07-02T11:01:00.002-05:00

College Grader was recently launched and is starting to get some notice. Thousands of students are taking the opportunity to grade and review their college or university. Learn more at:

http://www.collegegrader.com/

SAT will let students pick which scores to show colleges

2008-06-21T13:37:00.002-05:00

Youths who take the exam multiple times can choose just the best results. Some people see a reduction in stress, but others say the move will mostly help the affluent because of the test's cost.

By Seema Mehta and Larry Gordon, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
June 21, 2008

High school students seeking to put the best shine on their college applications will soon be able to choose which of their SAT scores to share with admissions officers and which to hide, the College Board said Friday.

The new policy, starting with the class of 2010, will allow students to take the widely used college entrance exam multiple times without admissions officers seeing their less-than-stellar efforts. Now, colleges receive scores of all the times a student attempted the dreaded test, whether the results were spectacular, mediocre or worse.

"Students were telling us the ability to have more control over their scores would make the test experience more comfortable and less stressful," said Laurence Bunin, senior vice president of the SAT. ". . . We can do that without in any way diminishing the value and integrity of the SAT."

The College Board, the nonprofit organization that owns the test, made the change at a time when some universities are placing less emphasis on standardized testing in choosing prospective freshmen and as the rival ACT exam is gaining popularity. The new SAT scoring option, approved Thursday by the College Board's trustees, mimics the ACT's long-standing policy.

But some high school counselors and college admissions officials voiced concern Friday that the new rules would most help affluent students whose parents can pay for multiple SAT attempts, at $45 a sitting, as well as pricey coaching. Previously, admissions officials would know if a student took the test four, five, even six times and might be suspicious about the role of tutoring in any improved scores.

"In every policy change, there are some winners and losers," said Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Assn. of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. "This creates a penalty-free way for applicants who can afford the price of the test numerous times to shop for their best scores. For those students for whom cost is not a barrier, this is a tremendously good thing."

Most students take the exam twice, once each in their junior and senior years. The College Board waives the fee for lower-income students to take it twice. Only 15% take the exam three or more times, and research shows that repeated test taking is unlikely to further increase a student's scores, officials said.

The SAT, which takes three hours and 45 minutes to complete, has three sections -- math, critical reasoning and writing -- and a perfect score of 2400 requires earning an 800 on each part. Colleges typically use the test results as a uniform way to compare students who come from schools across the nation with varying grading policies and curricula. Grades, recommendations, extracurricular activities and other factors also figure into the selection process.

Under the new policy, students who take the SAT or the supplemental SAT subject exams multiple times will be able to decide whether to let colleges see one, some or all of their scores. There is no extra charge, and students must opt into the program online or on the telephone; otherwise all scores will be shared.

To ensure fairness and to stop students from "gaming the system," the College Board ruled out allowing students to mix and match their math, reasoning and writing scores from the different times they take the test.

Historically, the New York-based SAT has been popular on the East and West coasts, while the Midwest and the South are the strongholds for the ACT, based in Iowa City, Iowa. For the class of 2007, nearly 1.5 million took the SAT, compared with the ACT's 1.3 million. Some observers say recent gains for the ACT prompted the new SAT policy.

"They need to make changes to keep their product competitive," said Robert Schaeffer, public education director at the Cambridge, Mass.-based FairTest, which is critical of standardized testing. "If the ACT is the Avis of the industry, they've been catching up with Hertz."

Counselors said the new policy will help reduce stress.

"It's going to make students relax about the test a bit," said Stephen Williams, a counselor at Eagle Rock High School in Los Angeles. "It may give them more confidence to take some risks and try it some more times."

But for fairness, he said, the College Board should extend fee waivers so low-income students can take the test for free three or four times.

Reactions from universities and colleges were mixed. University of California officials said the new policy would have no effect on their nine undergraduate campuses -- they already use only the best score of a single sitting, no matter how many times an applicant tackles the exam.

Some admissions officials thought the plan might backfire for some students. Many private colleges consider only the best sub-scores of the three SAT sections from an applicant's various attempts -- for example, possibly a math from May and a writing score from October -- and that can't be done if just one day's test is sent in.

USC, for example, opposes the new option and may still require applicants to submit all of their SAT attempts, said Timothy Brunold, director of undergraduate admission.

"We would prefer to see a student's entire score history, because it gives us the context of how students earned their scores," he said. By submitting the single best total from one day, the applicant "may not get the benefit" of how USC and many other universities count the best section scores, he said.

Bruce Poch, dean of admissions at Pomona College, slammed the decision. "It's a mistake. It's going to give kids more room to play games," he said. "It's going to privilege kids who are already in an advantaged position financially."

Pomona in recent years has seen greater numbers of applicants taking both the SAT and the ACT -- evidence of the latter's increase in popularity, which Poch said the College Board appeared to be trying to stall with its decision.

"There's no evidence that it's anything more than a marketing decision because they think they're going to give up a majority of that market to ACT takers," he said.

Students, however, lauded the move. Jaleel Reed, soon to be a senior at Loyola High School in Los Angeles, said he wished his graduating class of '09 could take advantage of the new SAT policy. Younger students will be delighted, he said.

"You want colleges to see your best work. So this only helps your chances," said Reed, who took the SAT this spring and plans to repeat it in the fall. He said he intended to apply to UC campuses and top East Coast universities.

Study Finds Little Benefit in New SAT

2008-06-17T21:22:00.000-05:00

By TAMAR LEWIN

Published: June 18, 2008

The revamped SAT, expanded three years ago to include a writing test, predicts college success no better than the old test, and not quite as well as a student’s high school grades, according to studies released Tuesday by the College Board, which owns the test.

“The changes made to the SAT did not substantially change how predictive the test is of first-year college performance,” the studies said.

College Board officials presented their findings as “important and positive” confirmation of the test’s success.

“The SAT continues to be an excellent predictor of how students will perform,” said Laurence Bunin, senior vice president of operations at the board, and general manager of the SAT program. “The 3-hour, 45-minutes test is almost as good a predictor as four years of high school grades, and a better predictor for minority students.”

But critics of the new test say that if that is the best it can do, the extra time, expense and stress on students are not worth it.

“The new SAT was supposed to be significantly better and fairer than the old one, but it is neither,” said Robert Schaeffer, the public education director at FairTest, a group that is critical of much standardized testing. “It underpredicts college success for females and those whose best language is not English, and over all, it does not predict college success as well as high school grades, so why do we need the SAT, old or new?”

The reports, called validity studies, are based on individual data from 151,000 students at more than 100 colleges and universities who started college in fall of 2006.

Plans to revise the SAT were announced in 2002, the year after the University of California president, Richard Atkinson, threatened to drop the test as an admission requirement.

“Given the data released today, what was the point of all the hoopla about the SAT’s revisions beyond preserving their California market?” Mr. Schaeffer said. “This is all spin. It’s been a marketing operation from the get-go.”

Since the new SAT was introduced, Mr. Schaeffer said, 41 colleges and universities have dropped their requirements that applicants submit standardized test scores to be admitted. The College Board reports found that for black, Hispanic, Asian and American Indian students — and for girls — SAT scores are slightly more predictive of college success than are high school grades. They also found that scores on the new writing section predict students’ college grades slightly better than scores on the other sections, reading and math.

The revised SAT costs $45 and has a possible top score of 2400, 800 on each of the three sections. The writing section includes a 25-minute essay, which counts for a quarter of the writing grade, and 49 multiple-choice questions on grammar and style, which count for the rest. Until 2005, the College Board offered a separate writing subject test, but only about 75 colleges required it.

When the new test was introduced, many colleges said they would not use the new writing section in making their admission decisions until validity studies showed it helped them make better admission decisions. But College Board officials said Tuesday that they hoped the new studies would encourage almost every university to use it.

Yale to increase enrollment by 15%

2008-06-08T16:47:00.001-05:00

New Haven, Conn. — President Richard C. Levin announced today the decision to move forward with the expansion of Yale College. In a letter to Yale alumni, faculty, students and staff, he discussed the University's decision to increase the enrollment of Yale College by 15 percent by establishing two new residential colleges. Levin said he expected the new colleges to open in 2013. He noted that Yale College currently admits fewer than 10 percent of the more than 20,000 talented students who apply each year.

Dear Yale Alumni:

I am pleased to announce that the Yale Corporation has authorized increasing the enrollment of Yale College through the creation of two new residential colleges. This expansion will allow us to make an even greater contribution to society by preparing a larger number of talented and promising students of all backgrounds for leadership and service.

We will achieve this goal while ensuring that the quality of the Yale College educational and social experience will be as extraordinary as ever.

As I stated in February, when we shared the report of the Study Group to Consider New Residential Colleges, the last significant increase in the size of the Yale College student body came with the admission of women in 1969. By 1978, undergraduate enrollment first reached 5,200, and it has remained between 5,150 and 5,350 ever since. When women were first allowed to apply to Yale College, the number of applications soared immediately from 6,781 to 10,039, and the number fluctuated between 9,000 and 13,000 until 2001, when it began a steady rise to its current level of 22,500, spurred by dramatic improvements in financial aid, wider awareness of Yale's accessibility, the extension of full need-based aid to international students, and a growing appreciation of the quality of a Yale College education. Along with the rise in applications has come an equally dramatic increase in the percentage of those admitted who accept Yale's offer, from 53% when I became president, to over 70% in recent years.

The principal result of these changes in the admissions picture is that Yale College has become significantly more selective. From 1969 to 2000, the percentage of applicants admitted to Yale College ranged from 18% to 27%. It was above 20% as recently as 1999. Today, Yale College admits fewer than 10% of its applicants. Admissions officers agree that in each of the past several years we have denied admission to hundreds of applicants who would have been admitted ten years ago.

The mission of Yale College is to seek exceptionally promising students of all backgrounds from across the nation and around the world and to educate them, through mental discipline and social experience, to develop their intellectual, moral, civic and creative capacities. The aim of this education is the cultivation of citizens with a rich awareness of our heritage to lead and serve in every sphere of human activity. For three centuries, we have made this aspiration a reality, to the great benefit of the nation and, increasingly, the world. Today, we have a long queue of highly qualified applicants who collectively would allow Yale to make an even greater contribution to society if more could be educated here. In addition, since the late-1970s, when the undergraduate population ceased to grow, Yale is larger in virtually every dimension: faculty, staff, library and museum resources, and physical presence. We are well poised, therefore, to expand.

Our 12 existing residential colleges are admired because they create intimate communities and a superb environment for learning. The new colleges will emulate Yale’s proven model with a master, dean, fellows, and students forming a close-knit family, supported by the highest caliber public and private spaces for living and study. With an anticipated opening in 2013, these colleges will allow us not only to increase the undergraduate student body by about 15 percent, but also to alleviate crowding throughout the residential college system. We expect to reduce the population of the existing colleges by approximately 140 students and largely eliminate the need for annex housing.

Our goal is that students in every residential college, old and new, will have an even more robust and enlivening experience as a result of this expansion. Thus, we are adding facilities in the vicinity of the new colleges that support academics and student life, including classroom space, a student café, exercise facilities, a theater, and more. We are also expanding the faculty to sustain our favorable ratio of students to teachers, particularly in highly subscribed majors, and we are growing our system of academic advising. New resources will augment curricular development, student research, study abroad, and the whole range of extracurricular activities so important to a Yale education.

The new colleges will be built in a triangle just north of the Grove Street Cemetery bounded by Prospect, Canal, and Sachem Streets, creating a new sense of the geography of our campus by enlarging the footprint of Yale College. I believe that the presence of undergraduate residences north of Grove Street will alter the perception that Science Hill is "too far away" from the "center" of campus. In fact, the site proposed for the new colleges is only three blocks north of Elm Street, which divides the Old Campus and the Cross Campus. As the Study Group Report indicates, the new colleges have the potential of making the whole campus seem smaller, more effectively linking Science Hill with the historic "center" through the proper treatment of Prospect Street, the creation of appropriate "stepping stones" along the way, and the development of facilities for student activities at, near, and beyond the site of the new colleges.

To support the expansion of Yale College, the Corporation has authorized an increase in the goal of the Yale Tomorrow fundraising campaign from $3 billion to $3.5 billion. I am delighted to announce that, thanks to generous commitments from a handful of leadership donors, we have already secured $140 million in gifts and pledges for this purpose.

Almost 80 years ago, Edward H. Harkness, B.A. 1897, gave the funds to create Yale’s residential college system. He saw the residential colleges as a way to sustain the collegiate spirit in a school that was fast becoming a university. Since then, Yale College has grown in ways that Harkness never predicted. The student body has doubled, women have been enrolled, and young people have been welcomed from more than 100 nations. Remarkably, the members of this vast and vibrant enterprise still consider themselves part of a family. This is Harkness’s great legacy, and one that we will preserve in a new era of expansion. I am grateful for the outstanding work of the Study Group for providing us with wise counsel on how to achieve this objective.

Sincerely yours,

Richard C. Levin

Recent College Graduate - A New Career Center

2008-06-04T08:24:00.005-05:00

May and June is graduation time. Congratulations to all of you who have made it through. Now - time to start looking for a job - if you haven't already.

One new resource for college graduates:

http://www.GraduateCenter.com

For those of you looking for work, check out their career center:

http://www.graduatecenter.com/careers/

and download their free eBook on How to Write a Great Cover Letter!

Online Degree Search

2008-05-22T11:46:00.003-05:00

One option often overlooked is Online Degree Programs. The benefits are the flexibility and often the costs. Online Degrees can also be taken to supplement your coursework at your current college.

Tell us what you think - Submit Your Comments below.

Top Colleges Dig Deeper in Wait Lists for Students

2008-05-09T20:24:00.001-05:00

New York Times
By TAMAR LEWIN
Published: May 9, 2008

In what may be a happy surprise for thousands of high school seniors, Harvard plans to offer admission to 150 to 175 students on its waiting list, and Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania each expect to take 90, creating ripples that will send other highly selective colleges deeper into their waiting lists as well.
“This year has been less predictable than any recent year,” said Eric J. Kaplan, interim dean of admissions at Penn, adding that when one college in the top tier goes deep into its wait list, others are affected. “We all need to fill our classes and replace students who have been taken off wait lists at other institutions. The wait-list activity could extend for a significant time.”
Although colleges turn to wait lists to fill out their classes, it is unusual for the most selective to go so deep, college officials say.
For high-school students graduating in an unusually large class and for colleges trying to shape a freshman class, this has been an unusually challenging year, with the changes in early-admissions programs and the broad expansion of financial aid at many elite universities.
Right up until the May 1 deadline for students to respond to admissions offers, colleges have been unsure what to expect.
“Our class is coming in exactly the way we wanted it to, fitting into the plan we had to get to a class of 1,240,” said Janet Rapelye, dean of admission at Princeton, which, like Harvard and the University of Virginia, eliminated early admissions this year.
Ms. Rapelye said that with such a big change in policy, it was difficult to predict results, so “we deliberately aimed to have a slightly smaller group.”
In an e-mail message sent on Thursday to colleagues at dozens of other institutions and passed on to The New York Times, William Fitzsimmons, the Harvard College dean of admissions, said, “Harvard will admit somewhere in the range of 150 to 175 from the waiting list, possibly more depending on late May 1 returns and other waiting list activity.”
AHarvard spokesman said the college had accepted fewer students this year to avoid overcrowding the freshman class.
The Yale dean of admissions, Jeffrey Brenzel, said there would be about 45 wait-list offers this week and probably another round later this month.
Even colleges that had more than filled their freshman classes were wondering how many students would melt away if admitted off waiting lists elsewhere.
“We’re over target right now, so we’re in good shape,” said Rick Shaw, the Stanford dean of admissions. “But I’m keeping a small group on the wait list, because I think there’ll be some impact of wait-list activity at other schools.”
At Dartmouth, Maria Laskaris, the dean of admissions, said although Dartmouth had more than enough accepted students committing, she was “in a holding pattern, because it depends on what other schools do.”
“If they go deep into their wait lists,” Ms. Laskaris said, “there’s a domino effect that has an impact on all of us.”
Amherst College offered admission to 15 students on the wait list Wednesday and expected to make offers to about 10 more. Swarthmore and Pomona planned to take 15 to 20 students from the wait list, admissions officials said.
At Bowdoin College, William Shain said he was slightly over the 480-student target, “but not so much that going to the waiting list is out of the question, if we lost a lot to other schools.”
Some high school guidance counselors said the wait-list activity this year seemed to have occurred especially quickly.
“In the last few years, more and more kids have been getting put on wait lists,” said Margaret Loonam, assistant principal at Ridgewood High School in New Jersey. “Now we’re seeing more get off the wait lists and earlier. It used to be a formal letter.
“But this year, it’s still early May and we’ve had a kid who got a call at home at night saying, ‘You’re off the wait list, do you want to come?’ We’ve already had kids get off waitlists at N.Y.U., B.U., Fairfield and Quinnipiac.”
At the University of Virginia, which also ended early admissions this year, John Blackburn, the dean of admission, said because he had received 3,200 deposits for a target of 3,170 freshman, he might not go to the wait list, unless an unusual number of students defect to other colleges.
Mr. Blackburn said he considered the move from early admissions a success because it seemed that, as hoped, it had brought in more low-income students.
Harvard, which ended early admissions this year and greatly expanded its financial aid to middle-income families, sent out offers of admissions to 1,948 students March 31, for a freshman class that is to number 1,650. Harvard would not say how many students had accepted the admissions offers.

Space on College Campuses Still Available for Students

2008-05-07T13:34:00.001-05:00

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 6 (AScribe Newswire) -- Despite headlines about the growing competitiveness among the nation's colleges and universities, at least 295 colleges and universities still have space available for qualified students in their Fall 2008 freshman and/or transfer classes, according to the results of the National Association for College Admission Counseling's annual Space Availability Survey: Openings for Qualified Students. The survey queries NACAC member four-year colleges and universities on the availability of space, institutional financial aid and housing as of May 1, 2008. Now in its 21st year, the survey is designed as a tool for counselors, parents and teachers as they assist students who have not yet completed the college admission process.

Read more>>

Graduate Student and GradSchool Programs

2008-04-25T09:45:00.004-05:00

Introducing our newest resource for students:

http://www.graduatecenter.com - Graduate Student Center and GradSchool Search

This site was built to serve college graduates and those seeking to enter into a graduate program. Please spread the word and we will keep adding resources!

Record Wait List Led by Amherst, Yale, MIT Brings High Anxiety

2008-04-16T09:40:00.001-05:00

April 16 (Bloomberg) -- Anxiety for U.S. high school seniors, always high this time of year, is growing after elite colleges put record numbers of applicants on waiting lists.

Yale and Princeton universities, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Amherst College are among top-ranked U.S. schools that increased, by as much as 50 to 90 percent, the number of students told this month they may be accepted only if those already admitted decline to attend.

The expanded waiting lists -- Yale put 1,052 students on hold, up 22 percent from last year; Princeton placed 1,526 on hold, up 93 percent -- are the result of new acceptance and financial-aid policies and record applications, college officials say. While the new numbers game doesn't mean more openings, it has left wait-listed students, including Nancy Wang, holding out hope for their dream schools.

``It definitely is creating a lot of stress,'' said Wang, 17, who is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and English, and plays on the badminton team. Wang, a senior at Great Neck South High School on New York's Long Island, is in the maybe pile at Harvard University, her aspiration, after winning admission to Williams College, in Massachusetts. ``If the overall result is your getting in, then I would say it's worth it,'' she said.

Harvard and Princeton eliminated early admission for this year, forcing more students into the regular-decision pool. As a result, MIT and other schools deepened their waiting lists, hedging against the possibility that their admitted students will take offers from competitors such as Harvard.

Tension in the House

``It's a year of uncertainty and a year of waiting,'' said Joan Koven, a Haverford, Pennsylvania-based consultant to families seeking advice on admissions. ``It's crazy.'' She said schools' waiting lists are filled with a ``reserve army'' of students eager to jump into slots.

A rejection would almost have been better than the agony of delay, said Christopher Shih, another Great Neck senior. He said tension increased at home after he was wait-listed at Columbia University, the New York school where his mother studied engineering.

``It's always good to have hope, I guess,'' said Shih, a varsity tennis player who won admission to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He and thousands of other students must commit to a school by May 1 by making a deposit.

``The fact that there are many more kids on waiting lists this year means that there are many more kids who will remain restless through the end of May,'' said Lawrence Momo, director of college counseling at the private Trinity School in New York, and the former head of undergraduate admissions at Columbia. ``Most kids when they get to April of their senior want very much want to have the process over and done with.''

Uncertain Yields

Part of the reason the wait lists are overloaded is colleges' increased uncertainty about the so-called yield, or percentage of admitted students who will actually enroll.

``The students they are taking are so good that they have to imagine the students they admit will have many choices,'' said Stephen Singer, the director of college counseling at the private Horace Mann School, in New York.

Colleges' wait lists ``make sure they can fill their needs so they don't come up short,'' said Jeff Lowe, the college adviser at the public Princeton High School in New Jersey.

Marlyn McGrath, director of admissions for Harvard's undergraduate arm, said the college admitted 1,948 students, 110 fewer than last year, to fill a class of 1,656. The school, the nation's oldest college, saw a 20 percent increase in applications.

McGrath declined to say how many applicants Harvard put on the wait list, or how many may yet be invited to attend.

`Anxiety Producing'

``By definition, being on a wait list is anxiety producing if it's a college you very much want to go to,'' she said.

Changes to early-decision programs and increased financial- aid packages at Harvard and Yale pushed more students into the regular-decision process at many schools.

``It really kind of blows our procedure for the wait list out of the water,'' said Tom Parker, dean of admissions and financial aid at Amherst College, in Massachusetts.

Amherst placed 1,400 students on its wait list, up 40 percent from a year ago, to help fill a class of 440, he said. The school offered admission to nobody from last year's list.

One student now in Amherst's limbo is Kathlyn Pattillo, a senior at the private Westminster Schools, in Atlanta. She is captain of the varsity crew team and performed social work as a volunteer in Panama last year.

This week, she plans to visit schools that accepted her, including Trinity College in Connecticut and Tufts University outside Boston. She also will be waiting to hear again from Amherst. The liberal-arts school, founded in 1821, has 1,650 students and is the alma mater of novelist Scott Turow and Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz.

``For me, getting on the wait list is a huge honor in itself,'' Pattillo said. ``At least, I still have a chance.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Janet Frankston Lorin in New York at jlorin@bloombereg.net

Financial Aid Podcast Live: How to Pay for College in Uncertain Times

2008-04-02T11:40:00.001-05:00

The Financial Aid Podcast is hosting a select group of financial aid, media and industry leaders to participate in a live podcast addressing the recent news regarding the credit crunch. Learn how you, as a student, parent, or family member can pay for college in 2008. Student questions such as the following will be addressed:

What is the current status of the student lending market? Will loans be available to me?
I keep hearing that loans might not be available from some lenders - what does that mean for my Stafford loan?
What is the government doing - or what should they do - to help make paying for college a reality for most students?
Where can I find scholarships, grants and other financial assistance?
What do "tighter credit requirements" mean to me?

Show will air live April 9 at Noon EST.
Register Now to ask your questions in advance!

Elite Colleges Reporting Record Lows in Admission

2008-04-01T11:54:00.002-05:00

New York Times

April 1, 2008

The already crazed competition for admission to the nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges became even more intense this year, with many logging record low acceptance rates.

Harvard College, for example, offered admission to only 7.1 percent of the 27,462 high school seniors who applied — or, put another way, it rejected 93 of every 100 applicants, many with extraordinary achievements, like a perfect score on one of the SAT exams. Yale College accepted 8.3 percent of its 22,813 applicants. Both rates were records.

Columbia College admitted 8.7 percent of its applicants, Brown University and Dartmouth College 13 percent, and Bowdoin College and Georgetown University 18 percent — also records.

“We love the people we admitted, but we also love a very large number of the people who we were not able to admit,” said William R. Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions and financial aid at Harvard College.

Some colleges said they placed more students on their waiting lists than in recent years, in part because of uncertainty over how many admitted students would decide to enroll. Harvard and Princeton stopped accepting students through early admission this academic year; that meant that more than 1,500 students who would have been admitted in December were likely to have applied to many elite schools in the regular round.

Many factors contributed to the tightening of the competition at the most selective colleges, admissions deans and high school counselors said, among them demographics. The number of high school graduates in the nation has grown each year over the last decade and a half, though demographers project that the figure will peak this year or next, which might reduce the competition a little.

Other factors were the ease of online applications, expanded financial aid packages, aggressive recruiting of a broader range of young people, and ambitious students’ applying to ever more colleges.

The eight Ivy League colleges mailed acceptance and rejection letters on Monday to tens of thousands of applicants. Students could learn the fate of their applications online beginning at 5 p.m. on Monday, so three of the colleges said they were not ready to make public their admissions data. But the expectation was that they would also turn out to have been more competitive than ever.

“For the schools that are perceived to have the most competitive admissions processes, there has been this persistent rise in applications,” said Jeffrey Brenzel, dean of undergraduate admissions at Yale.

Ten years ago, slightly fewer than 12,000 students applied to Yale, compared with the 22,813 who applied this year, Mr. Brenzel said. Yale’s admittance rate — the proportion of applicants offered admission — was nearly 18 percent in 1998, more than double the rate this year.

“We’re really happy with the class,” Mr. Brenzel said of the students offered admission. “On a day like today it’s also easy to be aware of the incredible number of fantastic students who you have to turn away, because you know they would be successful here.”

At Harvard, as at Yale, the applicant pool included an extraordinary number of academically gifted students. More than 2,500 of Harvard’s 27,462 applicants scored a perfect 800 on the SAT critical reading test, and 3,300 had 800 scores on the SAT math exam. More than 3,300 were ranked first in their high school class.

Admissions deans and high school guidance counselors said they spent hours at this time of year reminding students who had been put on waiting lists or rejected entirely that there were other excellent colleges on their lists — and that rejection was often about the overwhelming numbers, rather than their merits as individuals.

“I know why it matters so much, and I also don’t understand why it matters so much,” said William M. Shain, dean of admissions and financial aid at Bowdoin. “Where we went to college does not set us up for success or keep us away from it.”

By ALAN FINDER

Choosing a College and Being Able to Afford It

2008-03-31T15:49:00.001-05:00

For many high school juniors and seniors picking a college to attend is probably the most stressful part of high school. Well, that and worrying about whether or not you will have a date for the upcoming dance. So many factors come into play when making this important decision. Do you pick a school based on reputation? Do you select a school based

read more | digg story