Sept 27, 2009, Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix, AZ
Sept 29, 2009, Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC
Sept30 – Oct 1, 2009, Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, MN
Student activities
I met with a representative from Lafayette College today and talked about student involvement in extra-curricula’s. He pointed out they look to build a well rounded class so the individual student does not have to be. They would like to see a student be in 2 or 3 activities and show commitment and passion to those activities.
Sign up with the NCAA Clearing house
Sign up with the NCAA Clearinghouse. Planning to try out for varsity collegiate sports? You must sign up with the NCAA Clearinghouse and send them your SAT or ACT scores. Be sure you follow all directions carefully. Your registration is not complete until your counselor sends your most recent transcript. http://www.eligibilitycenter.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA_ACCT.html
Lists of “The Best Colleges” are out
It is that time of year again where the lists of “Best Colleges” are out. A word of advice: Use the lists as a reference not as gospel. Look beyond the list for where you fit best. Too often students try to fit the school instead of the other way around.
Advice on filling out college application
With all college applications available online you want to be sure you fill them out correctly. Print copies of all applications and forms so you can fill them in by hand and be thoroughly prepared to complete online applications later. When you apply online, simply type in the information from the completed paper copy applications and paste essays from your word processor into the space provided in the applications.
The Forbes List is out
The Forbes list of their top colleges and universities is out http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/02/colleges-university-ratings-opinions-colleges-09-intro.html I think it has some value but the bottomline line is a school has to be “top” of a students personal list and have what is important to them.
Some things to consider when look at the cost of college.
Some things to consider when looking at the cost of college from CBS Money Watch .com:
Only two out of every 100 student athletes get a piece of the $1 billion worth of sports scholarships awarded each year. For many talented jocks, a better way to squeeze money out of colleges is to play at Division III schools. The NCAA forbids Division III colleges from handing out sports scholarships, but (wink, wink) institutions call the awards that they give an athlete anything they want.
Only two out of every 100 student athletes get a piece of the $1 billion worth of sports scholarships awarded each year. For many talented jocks, a better way to squeeze money out of colleges is to play at Division III schools. The NCAA forbids Division III colleges from handing out sports scholarships, but (wink, wink) institutions call the awards that they give an athlete anything they want.
Only about half of college students manage to earn a bachelor’s degree within six years. But it’s worse than that. One study suggests that a mere 38% of graduating college students can successfully compare the viewpoints of a couple of newspaper editorials.
Parents often seemed stunned when Ivy League schools tell their brilliant kid to take a hike. But at some of these schools about 40% of the slots go to athletes, legacies and kids whose parents are development prospects – those with enough dough to
Gamesmanship of test optional schools
Gamesmanship of test optional schools: Watch out as some schools still require students to submit scores to qualify for merit aid. Also, test optional schools can get a boost in selectivity rating as the number of applicants increase and the number of rejections as well thus the selectivity rating rises. Also, you need to watch how these school report avg tests scores as many only report those that have submitted them and they tend to be higher, again this can give a boost in selectivity.
What to discuss with admissions officers
Colleges want to know how and what a student will contribute to the well-being of its student body, academic discourse and campus life. Things to consider and discuss when speaking with an admissions officer or when writing about yourself:
*Caring about seeing the team succeed
*Adaptability
*Flexibility
*Willingness to be accountable
*Positive work ethic
*Willingness to play second and third position
*Communication skills
*Reliability
*Ability to follow regulations
*Accept & learn from criticism
*Self-directed
*Commitment to continued training and learning
*Willingness to take instruction and responsibility
*Ability to admit when failure and step you have taken to correct it.
