Cappex College Blog

Before you write your name on an application have you ever wondered “Really, what are my chances that this will work? What are my chances of actually getting in?”

Cappex now has the answer. A beta version of a great new college fit tool hits the Cappex site today, and we need your feedback. We call it:

The “What Are My Chances?” Calculator™.

Here’s how it works:

1. Put in your college admissions info into the Cappex profile
2. Enter the name of any school into the “What Are My Chances?” Calculator.
3. Instantly find out your chances of getting in.
4. Lather, rinse, repeat.

The Chances Calculator gives you two scores. You get your chances, from very low to very high. And you get a reliability rating, also from very low to very high. So if you don’t enter a GPA, don’t expect to get very reliable information. If your info is correct, then the Calculator is very accurate. (We’ve got stuff like algorithms at work here). The results look like this:

If you like the results you see simply click yes to send your contact information to the school.

The beta version is up now. You need to be a registered Cappex student to try the Calculator. If you are a Cappex student, check it out on your home tab. If not, you can sign up for a free Cappex account.

Enter as many schools as you like, play around, test it out, and speak to your guidance counselor about the results. Let us know what you think — good, bad or ugly — in the comments below.

Q: I’m applying to schools that are really expensive (about$40,000 a year) but my mom makes about $15,000 a year. Should I still apply and if so is there anyway the college can help me with my financial situation? I’m applying to Boston College, Boston University, Northeastern University, Bard College, Vassar College, and Bowdoin. - Marta A.

A: Yes! Yes! Yes! Never let a college’s price tag dissuade you from applying. If a college wants you they will make sure you have enough money to cover the costs. The fact that your mother has a limited income may actually work in your favor when it comes to your final financial aid package. Most colleges offer scholarships and grants to low-income students before they start layering on the loans. This is good because you don’t have to pay back scholarships and grants.

In addtion to need-based aid, you may also qualify for merit aid, which is additional free money towards paying for college. Merit aid is a catch-all term for money given to students in spite of financial need. If you are a good student (you must be given the colleges you want) you will probably qualify for merit aid which is often delivered in the form of a tuition “discount”. It is not uncommon for the average discount to hover around 40% to 50% of “sticker price” for a college. Just to clarify, this means that colleges often collect just over half what they actually charge. In reality, nobody should be paying full price.

Keep in mind, however, that the financial aid office works for the college and not for you. They are usually pretty good about providing the lowest cost option to students, but they will probably not do a lot of specific research for individual scholarships. You should do your own search. (Start with the Cappex.com scholarship program.) When you get your financial aid package from the college don’t be afraid to shop the loans around to see if you can get a better rate. It is perfectly legit and it could save you money.

Bottom line, apply to the colleges you want to attend regardless of how much money you have. At the end of the day most colleges cost what you are able (or willing) to pay. If you get a financial aid package you don’t like simply call or make an appointment with the financial aid office and make your case why you think they should give you a better deal. In most cases they will improve the offer. You can always choose a different college that is willing to make you a better financial aid offer. It’s always your choice.

Got a question for Ask the Experts? E-mail us at experts@cappex.com

One college admissions question that is often asked is: How many applications should I send?

Tools like the Common Application certainly make applying to a great number of schools easier than in the past, but most students only apply to a handful of schools, according to a study by UCLA.

A look at the 2006 college freshmen class from across the country reveals that a majority of students applied to 4 or fewer colleges. Only 11.5 percent of students applied to seven or more colleges.

However, putting all of your eggs in one basket is never a good, so plan on applying to multiple schools. If application fees are an issue, ask the school to waive them.

But if you’re still worried about getting in, here’s a comforting stat: 90 percent of students that enrolled last year went to either their first or second choice college. Most students, 67 percent, attended their first choice.

Jose Flores, vice president of enrollment at Manhattanville College, is the guest on a video chat on the Hall Monitor blog. Go to the mid-way point in the video to find some tips on what to beware of when sending out your college applications. His advice:

• Watch your handwriting. A college can’t call you back if they can’t read your address
• Get someone who really knows you to write your letter of recommendation. If you’re not comfortable with a teacher yet then now is the time to make some friends.
• Watch out for technology. A mail merge might let you send the same essay to several schools, but it won’t change that last line. So when you say it’s your dream to go to State U., make sure that’s who will read the letter.

More colleges are offering summer programs for high school students, but Business Week magazine asks what kind of admissions advantage they give students.

Of course, no college admissions officer said that enrollment in a program guarantees admission to a school. But, there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that these programs may help students. One student interviewed said a program at Penn helped her find her calling in life. “Writing the essay about why she wanted to go to Penn was a snap, she says, after her summer there,” writes the author.

Summer programs also serve like long college visits. They give students an opportunity to test drive life on a college campus.

So don’t look at these programs like a magic bullet to get you admitted. Look at them as a tool to help you find what you’re looking for in a college. Just like Cappex, they help you find your right college fit.

Cappex is proud to announce the first winners for the Cappex College Tour Travel Scholarships. These are the August winners, and they will each get a $250 travel voucher so they can visit a potential college. It’s one more way Cappex helps you find the right college fit.

The winners:

Lauren G., a senior from Elk Grove, Calif.

Kristin H., a senior from Naperville, Ill.

Congratulations! We’ll be awarding two College Tour Travel Scholarships each month from now through January. There is still time to apply for the September scholarships. Also, Sept. 30 is the deadline to apply for our nursing, computer science and psychology scholarships.

Cappex.com produces a podcast, called CappCast, that features interviews with industry experts and college deans. It is available on iTunes as well as by visiting www.Cappex.com/cappcast.

 

 CappCast Promo: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Study abroad options can be key to students searching for college, but often overlooked in the discussion is the state of colleges abroad.

More people in more country are getting more college degrees than ever before, according to The Economist.

They’ve got a nice graphic that outlines college enrollment and graduation rates around the world.

Who’s on top? Australia. In 2005, 80 percent of young Aussies enrolled in higher education. And, almost 60 percent of those that enroll graduate. The U.S. is in the middle of the top, with more than 60 percent of young people enrolling and just under 40 percent graduating. Other top countries for college enrollment and graduation include: Finland, Poland and Norway.

Do you want to study abroad? Where do you want to go?

Hey Future Freuds, time is running out on your chance to apply for the Cappex psychology college scholarship. The deadline is Sept. 30, so hurry up.

If you have a Cappex profile you are already eligible for the scholarship. All you need to do is select “psychology” on the intended majors section of your profile and then click on the scholarship name in the scholarship tab. There is no easier way to get money for school.

NPR may seem like it’s mostly for your parents. And we’ll admit, talk radio can be really dull sometimes. But NPR does it better than anyone else and they’ve got a seven part series on college admissions that isn’t on the radio. It’s in print form, so feel free to read it in your own, more interesting voices.

There’s a lot to digest, but some good perspectives, too, including this quote from a high school senior:

“The name of the school you go to is not going to decide how happy you are for the rest of your life.”

Well said. Don’t let pressure from family or friends choose your school. Success in college is all about finding the right college fit. That’s what we do best at Cappex. If you haven’t found your college fit yet, check your message center. You might have a note from the perfect college for you.