Cappex College Blog

If you’re a regular reader here then you probably already know about all of the Cappex scholarships and some of our bright winners. But at times we like to put on a shirt and tie and get formal. So here it is: The official Cappex college scholarship winners press release, for official folks and news-hounds alike.

Let this also serve as a last-minute reminder: The last day to apply for our business, biology and communications scholarships is Nov. 30.

Full press release after the jump.

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Holidays don’t always mean peaceful time away from the stresses of work and school. In fact, holidays often bring their own stresses to the forefront. If you’re in the middle of your college search right now, this Thanksgiving weekend may be particularly tough.

Thanksgiving can mean lots of time with the family, especially extended family. This can mean lots of questions over turkey and dressing. Family members will want to know which schools you are applying to, and which colleges are your favorite. They may even offer their own unsolicited opinions on college or share tales from their days on campus.

Family pressure will only add to your college search stresses. Try to let it roll off your back, and don’t let it distract you from what should be the focus of your college search: You. It doesn’t matter where Cousin Jenny went to school or which college would make Uncle Frank most proud. You need to find the right college for you. What works best for a family member may be an uncomfortable fit for your needs. If you’re happy, satisfied and engaged with your college list then your family will feel the same way.

If you’ve got any outstanding work to do on your applications, use the days away from school to finish them up. Polish up your essay. Proofread your application. Check the addresses. Just don’t get sidetracked from the main goal at hand: Getting in to the college that is right for you.

If your applications are already out, you can get a jump start on next year’s Thanksgiving dilemma: Going home for the first time. CNN has an interesting look at how schedules can be strained after a few years on your own in college.

If you’re traveling: Be safe. If you’re eating: Enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving.

The winners of the Cappex College Tour Travel Scholarships for the month of October are Petra T. of Yuba City, Calif., and Cyntha V. of Kings Mountain, N.C.

Congratulations! The scholarships will help each student visit a potential college. It’s just another way Cappex helps students find their college fit. On the CappCast, you can hear what an earlier recipient of the College Tour Travel Scholarship had to say about finding a college that feels like home.

Read the full list of available Cappex college scholarships.

Q: Can someone tell me the differences in the ways you can apply to college?

A: There are more than 3,000 colleges, but there are fewer than 10 different ways to apply to college. Each admission policy has pros and cons. Students need to do their homework to understand the options and ensure they make the right decisions.

• Rolling Admission This is the most popular type of admission, and provides the most instant gratification. Students apply to a college and typically can hear back anywhere from 48 hours to 6 weeks. Rolling Admission does not require any commitment to attend until May 1, and students can apply to multiple colleges with Rolling Decision.

• Regular Decision Typically, this means students will have to be patient and wait for an email or letter that will arrive sometime in late March or early April. Because the student must decide where to attend by May 1, these are nail biting decisions. Students have only 2-3 weeks to visit, research and make a decision.

• Early Action Students need organization and time management skills for early action. Applications typically must be postmarked by November 1, or November 15. This means that everything really needs to be turned into the high school by mid-to-late October to ensure documentation will be mailed on time. The good news about Early Action is that students can apply early without signing a contract to attend if admitted. With Early Action students can hear about the decision within 4-6 weeks, but have until May 1 to accept or reject the offer. Students use Early Action because they are really interested in the college and want to share their enthusiasm with the college. This is definitely a way to show perceived interest.

• Single Choice Early Action SCEA is another variation of Early Action, but students may not apply to any other school with an early policy. This means no other early decision or early action applications. Students can apply to other colleges at this time, but without using any other “early” type policy. They can apply to other colleges with priority deadlines or early response deadlines, but they cannot apply to any college using early action or early decision. The colleges who use SCEA do not want to spend time reading applications from students who are applying early to them and early to lots of other colleges, thus the policy of SCEA. The reason to use SCEA is to show special interest in a specific school.

• Early Decision For students, this is the most difficult and often the most rewarding of the “early” options. Early Decision requires a parent signature, student signature, and high school counselor’s signature because it is a binding decision. If admitted the student is obligated to attend the university. Sometimes students can be released from the commitment because of financial aid issues, but the school must release the student from the contract.

• Other options include:
  • Direct Admit: Being admitted directly into the program of study.
  • Early Response: Students apply by a certain date, with transcript and school forms, and a decision is sent in six weeks. For some schools, this means that absolutely everything needs to be “in the office” by the deadline date.
  • Priority Deadline: Students applying by a certain date will be given equal consideration and get a response in the end of October.
  • Early Admission: High school students apply as juniors and are admitted before completing high school.

Finding which policy fits your needs is very personal. Be mindful that some of these policies are binding, or require being ready very early in the process. If you can get yourself there with a complete understanding of the policy, then applying early may enhance your admissions chances and save some stress.

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

Right now your world is probably flooded with deadline talk. We hate to pile on, but there are three big deadlines at the end of this month for three big Cappex college scholarships.

The last day to apply for the Business Scholarship, Biology Scholarship and Communications Scholarship is Nov. 30. If you already have a Cappex profile, make sure you checked the specific scholarships in your scholarship tab.

Also, be sure to update your profile with any new information - test scores, stand out activities, grades -that may have changed since you first signed up. You’ll need every profile edge you can get because these are some of the most popular majors. In the fall of 2006, almost 1 in 5 freshmen enrolling in college planned on studying business.

In addition to these three major-oriented awards, we are giving out two more College Tour Travel Scholarships.

If you don’t have a profile yet, you need to act fast. You’ll need one to be eligible for the awards.

And guys, get your profiles in gear. We haven’t given out a Cappex college scholarship to a male yet.

One of the keys to success in college is student involvement. Students that are engaged, both academically and socially, are less likely to transfer.

Student involvement can be a number of things. It may mean listening to a special speaker, meeting with a professor, being challenged by your classes, volunteering, playing flag football, or participating in student government.

Being an active part of the campus will mean more for your time in college than most other factors. That’s why it’s so important to picture yourself on campus during your college visits. Ask yourself, “Is this a place I can call home?”

USA Today recently looked at different ways colleges are keeping their students engaged and involved. How do you plan to get involved once you’re enrolled? What are some programs you find intriguing at potential colleges?