Posts Tagged ‘getting into college’
Get In Your Early Decision or Early Action Applications!
Do you not only want to get admitted to a college but also be legally bound to attend if you’re accepted?
Then early decision is perfect for you!
If you’re totally into a college, like 99% of you is 100% all about going to that college, but the rational side of your brain–that 1%- is saying to you, “Why sign a contract in ink when you can sign it in pencil?!” If this is the case, then early action is the perfect solution!
So what’s early decision and what’s early action? They’re both application programs offered at some colleges that allow for students to find out earlier than usual if they’re admitted to their college of choice. Deadlines for both these programs are usually around November, earlier than regular deadlines.
Here’s the breakdown.
Early Decision:
You can only apply to one school with early decision, and if you are admitted through early decision, you are required to withdraw all other applications at other colleges. It’s basically a contract. If you get in, you go. It’s a great program for students who are dead set on going to one particular college. It’s also a good option for students who want to slightly increase their chances of getting into a school. Colleges love knowing they can secure some commitments.
It’s like if two guys–let’s say their names are Zac Effron and Ryan Gosling–asked you to Fall Formal. But Zac says that even if you say yes, he might wind up going with another girl because he’s just always making shady decisions like that. Ryan Gosling, on the other hand, says, “Yeah, of course I’ve asked other girls to play it safe, but if you say ‘Yes,’ I’m deleting their numbers from my phone and going with you.”
Zac Effron is a great candidate, his High School Musical work speaks for itself, but Ryan’s body of work, plus his commitment to you makes him that much more of an attractive candidate. So just like a college, you might just say yes to Ryan because he only has eyes for you.
Early Action:
Early action is different from early decision in that it’s not binding. If you’re accepted, you have the option to commit immediately, or wait until spring. Unlike early decision, you can apply to multiple schools with early action. Although, there are some schools that offer a single-choice early action program where students can only apply to one school with early action or early decision.
If you’re asking, “So…what’s the point of early action?” it’s mostly so you can hear back from schools earlier. Plus, similar to early decision, you’re chances of admission might increase if you apply through it because schools understand that there’s a higher chance you will actually enroll.
How do you know if you should apply using either of these applications? Well, if you plan on weighing offers and financial aid packages from different colleges later in spring, you probably shouldn’t apply. Also, since the applications are so early in the year, you might benefit from having more senior work to show off if you’re presenting a portfolio of some sort.
Also, be weary of the fact that you might change your opinion of which school you want to go to later on in the year. If you’re the type of person who changes his or her mind, early decision/action might not be for you.
But! If you’re gonna apply for these, get your applications ready because deadlines are approaching in November!!!!
Will you be applying early decision or early action? Leave a comment below!
Friday College Town Hall
In Friday College Town Hall, we post a question about college, and you leave an answer in the comment field.
Today’s question:
This week, 7 students in New York have been charged with hiring someone to take the SATs for them.
What would lead a student to actually pay someone else thousands of dollars to “be them” on test day?
Would you?
Leave your answer in the comments below or tweet at @Cappex to chime in (we’ll post your answer below).
Comments: 11 Comments »
5 Reasons to Relish in High School Before College
Being a teenager means wanting the next best thing–the newest Apple product, that new Ed Hardy shirt, those Uggs, a Razor scooter, a laser disk player, a MySpace account–and some of those things you wind up regretting.
Look, I basically sold my soul to my parents for three months to earn enough allowance to buy Jurassic Park on laser disk, so I understand what it’s like to want the next best thing with all your heart.
I especially understand when the next best thing is college, which means freedom, no parents, new friends, no more social cliques, and getting to be a grown up.
So let me play devil’s advocate with you because it’s likely you’re going to ignore your parents’ pleas to you to “not grow up too fast.” But hey, don’t grow up too fast. Sure high school can seem lame because everyone’s telling you what to do and you’re just like, so over it. But, let me try to convince you why you shouldn’t let yourself get too over it too quickly.
5 reasons to relish high school while you can:
1. Your friends
Chances are, you’ve made some of your best friends in high school, or even just that one in a million person who also prefers mustard over ketchup 100% of the time. Our high school years are essential in forming who we become largely because of the friendships you make. So even if you’re not popular, or you feel too popular, whatever your angst-y angle on the situation is, your high school friends are special because they’re going with you on this weird roller-coaster of adolescence that nobody else will ever quite understand. So don’t be too rushed to say goodbye to them.
2. The guidance
You’re probably sick and tired of people telling you what to do, but if you can just spin it a little and think of what every teacher, parent, or counselor is saying as suggestions that you can take or leave at the door, it might be little easier to swallow. The thing you need to grasp is that you’re not an adult, as mature as you may be. And being in high school is a unique opportunity to be around adults who have had experience in life who can guide you. Your high school is a community that is literally built to help you succeed. Get the most out of its resources and your relationships before your pop a wheelie out of there.
3. The extra-curricular activities
High school, of all places, is the place to learn how to be involved in something, to grow with a team of people, and to eventually take on leadership positions. Whether it’s sports, DECA, debate, theater, choir, student council, volunteer, or anything else, your high school activities give you the opportunity to be passionate about something and to also expand yourself as well-rounded person.
4. The fleetingness
Blink and it’s over. You’re in your mid-40s wishing you could just be back in those high school halls, high-fiving your pals as you pass them in J-Hall, stopping to chat with your crush of that moment, and leaving for biology with the delightful and exciting sense of butterflies in your stomach. High school, in retrospect, is super fun. You’re just with a bunch of your peers all day learning about things you never knew before. But yeah, then it’s gone.
5. The preparation
I know I’ve been a bit sentimental about this whole relish your high school years thing, and it’s not like I wish I was back in high school or anything–I mean, I totally do–there’s a badminton rival I’d really like to meet face-to-face with again–but here’s a non-sentimental point. High school prepares you for college. If you’re all “I’m just so over this!” and you decide to graduate high school early, for the wrong reasons, you won’t be as prepared for college as you could’ve been.
So yes, it’s okay to delete your MySpace account, but just enjoy the days you have left in high school.
Are you “over” high school? Or do you think students take high school for granted? Leave a comment below.
Comments: 1 Comment »
Facebook Etiquette Do’s and Don’ts for College-Bound Students
The boundaries of social networking can be a bit murky. While networks like Facebook are meant to help you connect with people, should you really be open to showcasing your after-the-bell-rings life with teachers and college admissions?
As of August 28 in Missouri, the answer “is no.” The Missouri Senate Bill 54 will make it illegal for teachers and students to “friend” or accept friend requests on the network.
But what about college admissions? More and more often admissions people are looking up your online footprint, and the most powerful and frequent gems they find are photos. You’d be surprised how a photo on Facebook or MySpace or Flickr or that new network the kid genius across the street is programming can find its way through the annals of the Internet, and somehow wind up re-purposed and posted to a blog called something you don’t want associated with your name.
We know Facebook is a big part of your life, and people will post pictures of you, and you’ll post pictures of you, so just try to stick to Cappex’s Facebook etiquette Do’s and Don’ts of Facebook for college-bound students:
Don’t:
Indicate any illegal activity
So your friend who goes by BBQ because, in his own words, he ‘”loves BBQ,” had a hook up with some fake ID peeps on the other side of town and got you one. To celebrate, you had an actual BBQ and BBQ bought the beers, and Jenny, who has no filter, took a million bazillion photos of your 17 year old self drinking and posted it immediately to Facebook with the caption “Look at how much fun we can have now!!!”
This is wrong on so many levels. First off, be safe and smart. Second, if those photos wind up under the critical eye of an admissions officer, good luck. There are easy ways to stay out of situations like these: A. Update your Facebook privacy settings B. Don’t take BBQ’s advice. Seriously, we don’t want to bore you with advice that your parents and teachers have probably told you a million times over, but make smart choices. Avoid stupid things and you won’t get stupid pictures online.
Expose too much skin
Perhaps P90x has been doing glorious things for your abs, but capturing your newly toned muscles and posting it to Facebook might not make the kind of impression you want. When you think of college admissions do the words “scantily clothed” come to mind? No. No they don’t. Think of it this way: Academia is about expanding the mind, not showing an inappropriate amount of flesh. Dress to impress. Or, at least keep your clothes on.
Parade your PDA
Love is a beautiful thing. From the inside. From the outside, it’s kinda annoying to watch. Keep your kisses off the Internet for the sake of humans as well as for your chances of getting into your dream school. It’s not simply that your public display of affection is annoying to watch, it’s also that a lot of PDA photos can show admissions people your lack of judgment on what you choose to display about yourself not just fleetingly in public, but permanently online.
Be overly negative
Nobody likes a sourpuss. Having pictures with negative comments about other people or ideas just shines more brightly on your intolerance. College life is about expanding your worldview, so too much negativity in your photos might dissuade admissions counselors from rooting for you.
Do’s:
Post accomplishments
Humbly displaying the pictures that your mom took of you accepting the award for Student of the Year is a great thing for an admissions person to stumble upon. It could really bring to life that little line in your application where you wrote “Student of the Year”.
Share your travels
Your backpacking trip through Europe demonstrates how you’re an explorer and student of the world. The fact that you’ve traveled illustrates to admissions officers that you are open to new experiences and ideas.
Display your passions
Just like travel photos, photos of your paintings, dancing, acting, athletics or musical ability adds to your application by showing you as a well-rounded, passionate student. Any activity takes time and practice–both of which are great qualities in a student.
Show your service
A picture of the before and after of that house you helped construct for a family in need or you canning for a good cause illustrates that you are willing to give your time to others in need.
So those are the Do’s and Don’ts of Facebook etiquette for college-bound students. But just keep in mind, you don’t need photos of yourself doing good things, winning awards, or walking across the Great Wall of China to get into college. This is just advice for those who are stuck on having pictures online that people, such as admissions counselors, could come across. If you want to be 100% sure that a college is making a choice about you based on your application and your application alone, clean up your online footprint.
What’s your experience with Facebook and applying to colleges? Share your feedback and thoughts by leaving a comment below.
Comments: 1 Comment »
6 Tips for Your College Interview
Even though most colleges do not require that you have an interview, an interview can have a positive effect on your college application. Think of it as a super personal supplement to your paper application.
There are different types of college interviews. You might meet with an admissions officer on campus or an alumnus in your area. Whoever you wind up meeting with, an interview helps to demonstrate your interest in a school and what you can bring to campus.
Here are 6 tips to keep in mind during a college interview:
1. Be confident but not cavalier; Be humble but not self-conscious
Confidence is not the same as cocky, and humble is not the same as stilted. Know the difference before you head into an interview. The trick is to be comfortable in acknowledging your accomplishments and your strengths, but not too comfortable in self-congratulating yourself. Even if you’re a bit nervous going into the interview, try to feel and look comfortable while sitting down with your interviewer.
Here’s a breakdown of what’s too cocky to say and what works:
| Overly Confident | Overly Timid | Just Right |
| This is will be the most interesting interview you’ve ever had. | I’m sure you had plenty of other, more important things to do today. | It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for making time for this interview. |
| High school? I OWNED high school. | No one noticed me in high school. | I’m most proud of helping to raise $120,000 for Children’s Memorial over my four years. |
| YOUR COLLEGE NEEDS ME. | I’d love to go to this college, but you guys probably have so many other better applicants. | I would love to attend this college, and think I could really add to the community. |
2. Be specific
It’s easy to fall into vague and ambiguous conversation. So, instead, think of 4-5 specific accomplishments, facts about yourself or whatever it is that you want to say to the interviewer if it fits in appropriately. Having these in mind before your interview will make it easier to think of during the actual conversation.
3. Avoid reiterating your resume
If your interviewer has a copy of your resume or application, do not simply repeat its contents verbatim. It will not only make you look like a robot, but the point of the interview is to put some life into your application. Tell your interviewer something about yourself that’s not in your resume or application already.
4. Explain flaws in your application
An in-person interview is a great time to explain some of the discrepancies in your application. For example, if you had a tumultuous sophomore year because you’d just moved to a new school and you had trouble keeping up with your grades, let them know. Be careful of getting into woe-is-me zone. You do not want to give a sob story or explain all of your hardships. Just state a couple facts that explain a bad semester.
5. Know about the school
Just like a job interview, it would be a pity to get the interview, and then not know anything about the company. Have substantial knowledge about the school you’re interviewing for. This will let your interviewer know that you are seriously considering the school. Drop hints about a program the college offers that you’re passionate about or a special fact about campus that interests you.
6. Ask your own questions
Yes, the interview is about you, but showing interest in the person you’re talking to never hurt anybody. Whether it’s dry questions about the admissions process or questions about their experience at the university, asking your own questions demonstrates a deeper interest in the college than a person who’s just there to talk about themselves.
Have you had a college interview? Any tips? Leave a comment!
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Introducing Friday College Town Hall!
What’s is Friday College Town Hall?
We love giving our two-cents on the college search and scholarship search experience since helping students find their perfect college match and guiding them through their scholarship search is our passion, but, we also know that our readers have so many great things to say themselves!
So, we’re reserving the end of the week for Friday College Town Hall, which means on Friday’s, we’re opening our blog up to you!
We’ll post a question that’s been asked by students through Facebook, Twitter, or Cappex and give you the opportunity to answer it by leaving a comment.
Here’s today’s question:
About 13% of students apply to 8 colleges or more. Is that too many or too few? How many colleges would you recommend applying to?
Have an answer? Story? Advice? Leave a reply below. You can even respond to other people’s answers.
Comments: 25 Comments »
Cappex Myth Busters: 4 & 1/2 College Myths Debunked
If your idea of what college and university life is like happens to be based on your dad’s nostalgic and, most likely, exaggerated stories about the craziest toga party the dean ever had to break up or the hardest professor any student ever had, or the most elaborate prank ever that he and his pal “Tank” almost got expelled for–
Well, maybe you need a fresh source of information.
Today we’re giving you 4 and 1/2 college myths and debunking them so you can understand what college life is actually like–not 30 years ago–but today:
1. Big colleges are best if you haven’t chosen a major
Surprisingly, a bigger school doesn’t necessarily mean more options for your major. As long as you decide on a school that has a good selection of fields of study, you probably have the same flexibility in majors at a small school as you would at a big one–possibly even more. For instance, you might decide that you want to create your own major. At a big school, you might have to jump through a bunch of administration hoops to do want you want. At a small school, the administration is probably more personal and even eager to help you make the education you want.
2. College is 4 years. Period.
Yes, most college students graduate in four years. It’s kind of just the allotted time given to college students, but it’s a bit arbitrary. Depending on how long you want to stay in college, you can reasonably graduate before that four year mark or after. If you want to graduate in fewer than four years, it’s as easy as meeting with an adviser and scheduling your credits smartly so that you complete what you need in time. If you want to stay past the four year mark, it also makes sense to sit down with a college adviser to figure out when you should take which classes when, or what you can accomplish with the “extra” time.
3. You must go Greek immediately
A ton of incoming college freshman freak out because they want to go Greek–join a fraternity or sorority–but have barely even acclimated to college life yet. Too many students hurry into Greek like without really knowing what they even want out of college. The good news? You don’t have to rush until you’re certain you want to. There are houses that offer second semester rush, or, you can even just wait until you’re a sophomore to join. Do what you’re comfortable with!
4. Hazing is just part of the tradition!
Hazing may be a tradition in a house, but colleges and universities do not condone it. Too many times does a hazing activity go too far, as in it will cause serious harm to people, because nobody stands up to stupid or dangerous ideas. If you’re doing the hazing, and it goes public, you could get into serious trouble. We’re talking like actual trouble with police and legal things and lawyers and all that stuff.
4.5 College isn’t the real world
College is kind of a bubble considering how unique it is to have such a high concentration of young people trying to learn in one place. So yes, that can seem a little “unreal”. But it’s not like college campuses exist in magic fairy tale dimensions. College campuses are in real places where real people live and work and play. You don’t have to wait to make an impact or try living in the “real world” until after college–you’re in it now. Your campus may be different from where you want move after you graduate, but there’s no reason you can’t immerse yourself into the local culture or contribute to it. Even just getting a normal job off-campus can help you realize you’re in the real world.
Have an opinion or question? Leave a comment!
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The 10 Most Expensive Private Colleges
Last week we gave you the list of the ten least expensive private schools. Today, from US News, we bring you the 10 most expensive private colleges.
Before you take a looksy and get all choked up because your dream school costs $40,000 a year, remember that doesn’t mean you can’t apply for merit aid and scholarships to lower that price by whole lot.
Without any further delay, here are the top 10 most expensive private colleges:
1. Connecticut College
Tuition and fees 2010-2011: $43,990
Cool fact: Chartered in 1911, the founding of the college was a response to Wesleyan University’s decision to stop admitting women.
2. Columbia University
Tuition and fees 2010-2011: $43,304
Cool fact: Columbia is the oldest university of higher learning in the state of New York.
3. Vassar College
Tuition and fees: $43,190
Cool fact: Vassar has a student organization called The Barefoot Monkeys, which is aCircus Arts, Firespinning, and Juggling Club. You will not only be paying for a multidisciplinary education, but also some old school entertainment.
4. St. John’s College (MD)
Tuition and fees: $42,592
Cool fact: Founded originally in 1696 as a preparatory school, it received a collegiate charter in 1784, making it one of the oldest colleges in the United States.
5. Trinity College
Tuition and fees: $42,420
Cool fact: Trinity has a student to faculty ratio of 10:1.
6. Bucknell University
Tuition and fees: $42,342
Cool fact: The sixth president of the university, David Jayne Hill, had an epic mustache.
7. St. John’s College (NM)
Tuition and fees: $42,192
Cool fact: Both St. John’s College campuses are known for their Great Books Program where student-led discussion is the basis for most classes and teachers take a non-directive role.
8. Wesleyan University
Tuition and fees: $42,084
Cool fact: Wesleyan offers a BA/MA Program in the sciences leading to a Bachelor’s degree in the fourth year and a Master’s degree in the fifth year. Tuition for the fifth year of the Master’s degree is waived.
9. Bard College at Simon’s Rock
Tuition and fees: $41,990
Cool fact: Simon’s Rock is an “early college”, designed for students to enroll immediately after completing the tenth or eleventh grade, rather than after graduating from high school.
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Tuition and fees: $41,940
Cool fact: John Forbes Nash, the subject of A Beautiful Mind and winner of the 1994 Noble Prize in Economics, was a 1948 graduate.
How much does tuition price affect your college decision? Leave a comment!
Comments: 4 Comments »
Not All College Freshman Classes Are Filled Yet
May 1st has historically been the day that college admissions have the best idea of who will make up their freshman classes. This is still traditionally true for elite private institutions and some public universities.
Still, according to a recent article from Inside Higher Ed, there remains another group of schools, generally private schools without massive endowments, that have not filled their freshman class. In some cases, they are trying post-May 1 tactics to fill their class, and not just to persuade admitted students to enroll, but actually seeking out new applicants for the fall.
This gives college-bound students a unique opportunity since some of these schools are making moves to attract more students. For example, the University of the South announced that it’d be discounting tuition, fees and room and board by 10%, which definitely increased the number of deposits it received this year.
A lot of these schools also depend on the “melt” from other schools’ waiting lists. And if you’ve read our earlier blog post about waiting lists, that melt could be a significant number of students! Just the waiting list at Duke University included 3,382 applicants. That means the chances of getting into schools off the waiting list their currently on is very slim. Why not go to a school that really wants and needs you?
Here are some colleges that still have availability for the fall:
Here’s the complete list of schools that have not yet filled their freshman classes yet.
Have an opinion on this post? Comments and share!
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Should You Wait on that College Waiting List?
Getting wait-listed can be perceived as a positive thing for some hopeful students. To them, it means their dream school has not out-right denied them, and that’s a good thing. They don’t see through to the fact that college admissions comes down to a game of supply and demand.
The New York Times recently reported some surprising numbers regarding college waiting lists that might make you wish you were just flat-out denied. The article mentions how Duke has a waiting list of 3,382 applicants. That is almost twice the size of the incoming freshman class.
And Duke isn’t alone. Lots of Ivy League and upper-tier schools are increasing the size of their waiting lists. Some reasons behind this might be due to uncertainty due to the economy–students who may have been able to afford a university with Duke’s tuition years before might not be able to now–and also that college-bound students are applying to far more schools than they were before. A high school senior today might apply to 15 colleges. The world of college admissions is a whirlwind of uncertainty.
So is it worth the wait?
If you decide to stay put on the waiting list past May 1st, you will lose registration deposits at other colleges you were accepted to. But, the possibility of enrollment at your dream college might be worth that to you. The waiting list might be 3,382 applicants long now, but by May 1st, perhaps a thousands students will decide to enroll at schools that have said “yes” to them, giving you a better probability of getting in to the school that’s told you “maybe”.
Still, if students take their names off of a waiting list, it isn’t necessarily the case that you move up the list. Actually, chances are, there really isn’t a numeric order to a waiting list. Schools want to fill voids in their freshman class. It can get as specific as a freshman class needing an alto saxophonist or more English majors or more students from North Dakota.
You might fit what the college needs, you might not.
Is waiting on the waiting list worth it to you? Comment and let us know!
Comments: No Comments »
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