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  • collegepete 8:43 pm on November 29, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , SAT,   

    SAT (and ACT) Crimes & Misdemeanors: The Case For Test Optional Admissions 

    This Saturday (Dec 3rd) is the last time this year that a student can sit for the SAT; and next Saturday (Dec 10) will offer the last 2011 bite of the ACT apple.  With this in mind, I’ve got a message for all students who are bright and talented, and worried that their test scores will keep them from getting into a competitive college or university!

    Not sure if you caught this but just before Thanksgiving, 13 Long Island (NY) high school students were implicated in a ‘pay for play’ SAT test-taking scheme.  (Since then, two more students have turned themselves in.)  Aah… another day, another scandal. 

    Now to be fair, as crimes go, this test-taking scam obviously pales in comparison to what’s going on to the North and West of Nassau County  (at Syracuse and Penn State), but I doubt this is an isolated incident, and it does raise some broader and generally disturbing questions about the role of standardized tests in the college admissions process.   Which is, in a word, disproportionate, as a factor on the highly subjective and influential US News & World Report ranking system, in the high school classroom and in the home.

    For starters, not only will a four hour test fail to capture a student’s essence, it isn’t even a reliable indicator of future success.  That honor belongs to a student’s transcript. Most research suggests that high school grades are the only relatively accurate predictor of college grades.  Furthermore,  the standardized college tests have a well-documented  racial and socio-economic bias.  SAT scores tend to be better at predicting a student’s race and economic background than her ability.  This is NOT just my opinion – it has been well chronicled in books and papers for years.

    That said, standardized tests aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.  Last year the largest number of students ever took the SAT, some 1.65 million according to the College Board (the organization that created and profits from the SAT).  But there is a real and growing movement afoot to de-emphasize their importance.  And some really great colleges and universities are beginning to adapt their admissions policies accordingly.
    Today, there are currently 850 schools that de-emphasize standardized tests in their admissions process.  And that list is growing.  Some of the universities on this list are considered quite prominent nationally.  And many are among my favorites:

    American University (where Jill got her MBA), Smith College (where my mom went), Union College, Rollins, Marist, Muhlenberg, NYU, Wake Forest, Bates, Bowdoin, Connecticut College…

    For more information about ‘test optional’ policies or to view a full list of test optional schools, check out the National Center for Fair and Open Testing.  And remember, even if you don’t see your dream school on this list, you are way more than your score.  The admissions process at ALL colleges (whether on this list or not) is about determining who will be a good fit for their particular campus, and most will consider any and all information that expands their view of a particular student.  That means your grades count; as do your extracurriculars, your essays, even your tweets (and yes, your test scores).  So, mind your manners; put your best face on your Facebook and study hard, and have some perspective when it comes to the standardized side of the test.

     

  • collegepete 6:08 pm on July 28, 2011 Permalink | Reply
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    A School For Everyone: The College Tour Recap 

    After a long and very hot week touring Notheast colleges, I am thrilled that this message is coming to you from my cozy, air-conditioned office in Weston.  Jill and I toured 4 colleges in 4 days (Cornell, Ithaca College, Skidmore, and Vassar), and yes, we were pretty tired at the end of it.  But it was worth it.  There is simply no substitute to being there, and after meeting with Admissions and Business officers,  I have a few very important pieces of information to share with you regarding how you should be planning for college.

    • There is a great college for every student, and if you map out your admissions and funding strategy together and before your child begins applying, you will greatly improve the odds that s/he will pick and get accepted to schools that you will be able to afford.  Discounting is not a random exercise and it is no longer an afterthought.   Colleges strategically and intentionally use both need-based Aid and merit-based (or non-need based) aid   — though certainly not in equal measure — to induce students to attend their institution.  Without a doubt, the largest source of free money is in need-based aid (more than $150 billion worth – yes, I said billion).  It is a legitimate source of college funding for forgotten middle class families, and choosing schools that offer substantial need-based grants should be a critical component of your admissions strategy.
    • More so than ever, networking and the ‘Little Things’  can move the needle on admittance and funding offers.  Despite technology (or pehabs because of it), standing out today often requires showing up. Get out there and visit colleges!  Schools want to see you and want to know that you want to go there.  Nothing demonstrates interest like your visit to their campus.
    • Students with specialized interests such as Art or Drama should consider liberal arts schools that offer majors or minors in the specialized field.  We saw amazing theater and art programs at places like Skidmore, Ithaca, and Vassar.  At these schools and many like them, you’ll find great students, great professors, small classrooms, and a diverse student body with a wide mix of interests.  Oh, and they are MUCH more generous with financial assistance than any specialty school.
    • Just because a school has a need-aware admissions policy does not mean that it isn’t generous.  A school like Skidmore does not hide the fact that they are need-aware, but if you get admitted then they guarantee they will meet 100% of demonstrated need.  So for the students who do get in, they are awarded handsomely.  Many other schools follow the same principle.
    • And though I hate to admit it, there can be an admissions advantage to applying early decision.  This was confirmed by the officers I met with and by the numbers. However, don’t let your student apply Early Decision unless you are sure you can pay the bill.   If you apply early decision, you are ‘locked in’ and bound to attend that college – you’ll have zero leverage when seeking a tuition discount.  The student, the parents, and the high school guidance counselor must sign a contract and confirm that the Early Decision rules are understood.

    I’ll be elaborating on these and other conclusions, as well as sharing money-saving tips to help families pay the college bill, during my upcoming LIVE webinar on August 9.

    Topics we’ll cover include:

    • Why now EVERYONE, regardless of income, should apply for financial aid without exception
    • Accessing the precious and disappearing grant and scholarship dollars
    • Why it takes students 5+ years, on average, to graduate from college and how you can buck this trend
    • Dollars and Sense – how to successfully overlap your child’s admissions strategy with your ability to pay
    • How some assets can penalize you 5x, whereas other assets don’t count at all
    • How to get admissions officers to fall in love with your student

    If you are the parent of a 10th, 11th, or 12th grader, and you are stressed about the entire college process, from admissions to financing, then you should tune in to this LIVE webinar.  If you are too busy for the webinar, you can catch me in person on August 25 down in Pinecrest.  Click here to register for either event.

    Best,

    Peter

     

  • collegepete 10:16 am on July 1, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , SAT, , ,   

    Stanford’s Top 20 

    Summer is a great time to get working on that college essay.  Students often have more difficulty with the essay than any other part of the college application process, including the SAT.  Sure, most student’s hate taking the SAT almost as much as the rest of America hates the Miami Heat, but after 3 hours and 45 minutes the SAT is over, done with, and probably behind you.  The essay, on the other hand, has no time limit.  It’s never really finished, and even when you think it’s finished, there is always another tweak you can make here or there to marginally improve it.  And while the SAT (or its fraternal twin the ACT) is one of the primary components of a student’s application, it’s the Essay that actually provides the ‘texture’ and context that can sway a borderline candidate from a ‘maybe’ to a ‘yes’!

    The most important part of the essay might just be the opening sentence.  Think about it.  Admissions officers quite literally read thousands of essays, so the opening line had better grab, melt resistance and create enough interest to keep them reading.  That’s a very tall order for one sentence!

    Stanford’s admissions office was recently asked about their favorite opening lines.  Here are my Fave 5 from that list:

    When I was in eighth grade I couldn’t read.

    Cancer tried to defeat me, and it failed.

    I have old hands.

    Some fathers might disapprove of their children handling noxious chemicals in the garage.

    On a hot Hollywood evening, I sat on a bike, sweltering in a winter coat and furry boots.
    These lines get your attention without being ‘gimmicky.’  They keep you interested, and they make you guess and wonder what comes next. By themselves they evoke wonder and passion, surprise and suspense, and we can only assume that they introduce a compelling story. And that’s what makes for an interesting essay – telling a good story.

    There are 17 other openers in the Stanford survey (and tons more from my previous students), all of which I’ll share at my 4th Annual ‘Thick Envelope Magic’ Admissions and Application Boot Camp on July 9.  This day-long event is not just about the opening line of the admissions essay, though an entire class certainly could be.  ‘Thick Envelope’ also covers everything a rising 12th grader needs to know, ask for, do and complete to apply and gain admissions to a great college.  Students who attend will be able to complete (and submit) their college applications before school starts.

    This event is open exclusively to rising 12th graders.  Past attendees gave it rave reviews, and the curriculum has been updated to reflect all of the changes to the process (e.g.,, the essay now has a word limit), and  is even better this year.  If your student is a rising 12th grader and is home for the summer, there is no excuse to miss this event.  You’ll want to register them by clicking here.

    Most college applications can be completed as early as August 1, including the University of Florida.  Give your student a head start and an edge on what can be a stressful application process.  My July event has 14 registered students, so I have room for 6 more.  I look forward to seeing your child there.

     

  • collegepete 1:34 pm on June 15, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , , , , SAT, , ,   

    Major Legislative Changes To Bright Futures’ Requirements 

    First the changes (then my commentary). 

    1. All students who wish to qualify for a Bright Futures Scholarship MUST complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA, even if they aren’t seeking federal financial aid.
    2. Starting with the 2011-12 high school year, graduates will be required to do more community service hours.  To qualify for a Florida Academic Scholars, you will need 100 hours instead of 75 hours, Florida Medallion Scholars will need 75 hours, and Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars will need 30 hours.
    3. Test scores will also change for Florida Medallion Scholars who graduate in the 2013-14 school year. Requirements have gone from 1050 on the SAT to 1170, and from 23 to 26 on the ACT

    You can read more about the new legislative requirements at the official Bright Futures Website.

    Regarding the changes to Bright Futures, my position has been and remains as follows:

    Bright Futures and Florida Pre-paid do not in and of themselves constitute a sound college strategy.  First, admissions to a quality FL State College is not guaranteed.  In fact, college acceptance rates this past year for in-state students were the lowest ever… and you can expect that trend to continue as State University Officials look to out-of-state students to boost their total net tuition revenue.  Second, both programs represent only a very small portion of the financial ‘inducements’ available to students – and with proper and integrated planning – you may find that so-called pricier private options are actually far less expensive and offer better academic preparation than our in-state system.  And finally, no matter which school your child ends up attending, the government will expect you to pay your fair share towards the cost of college.  They call this your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and it is derived from your responses on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  It is the minimum amount of money any school will expect you to pay.  AND most importantly, it is a number that you can ‘manage’ with proper and ADVANCE planning. 

    If you haven’t done a FAFSA – and still expect your child to qualify for a Bright Futures award this school year (or in the future), you should attend my workshop on June 23rd where I will teach you the rules, loopholes, and landmines behind the Title IV Financial Aid Regulations (that are used to determine your EFC).  Know these rules, you win.  Stay in the dark and you could sacrifice thousands of dollars in Bright Futures, not to mention the $150b available in Institutional scholarships and Federal grants that you would have otherwise qualified for.

    I will also show you how to help your child pick other schools that meet his or her academic and social aspirations, AND have the ability to offer you a significant discount.  The difference in the pricing and discounting among similar schools is often substantial and should be the chief driver of your admissions strategy. 

    Anyone who has college-bound or college students at home should attend this class.

    Best Wishes,

    Peter

     

  • collegepete 1:44 pm on May 10, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , , , SAT, , ,   

    Oh, The Thick Envelope! 

    Do you want to receive the ‘Thick Envelope’ in the spring of your student’s 12th grade year?  It’s the Thick Envelope that comes with a letter of admission, along with other forms for housing, orientation, deposits, payment, and perhaps even financial aid.  Often you can determine whether your student is in or out just by looking at the envelope’s thickness.

    For an inside track to receiving the Thick Envelope, do yourself a favor and watch this brief, 10 minute video on Top 7 Insider Admissions Tips.  These are valuable nuggets that you and your student should follow to improve your admissons chances.  I cover these tips and MUCH MORE during my 4th Annual College Pete’s ‘Thick Envelope Magic’ Admissions and Application Boot Camp.

    • This event is for rising 12th graders during the summer before senior year.  Along with these insider tips I also cover
    • The all-important application essay
    • Key strategies on visiting colleges
    • interviewing strategies that make a strong, positive impression
    • The right way to ask for teacher recommendations so that they’ll THANK YOU!
    • Researching and selecting colleges so that you maximize your chances for admission
    • Doing the little things to improve your chances at admission

    Last year’s attendees had the following to say about my event:

    “You actually explained things to me that I’ve never heard from my guidance counselor or anyone else.”  C.H.
    Accepted to: Hope College, Alma College, Muhlenberg College, Denison College, USF, University of Tampa

    “I now know how to prepare for the essay and what to do about the interview process.”  S.R.
    Accepted to/Headed to:     UCF  Full Ride

    “I was so relieved with the schedule prepared for us and learned a lot about the process, how to fill out the forms and my responsibilities.”  D.L.
    Accepted to:     UF (Full Ride), Colorado College, Emerson College

    “I’d recommend this event to every senior.”  V.V.
    Accepted to:     George Washington University, Boston College, Boston University, UF, FSU, University of Miami
    Attending: George Washington University with $32,000 in aid

    For more information or to register for the event, go to http://www.thick-envelope.com.  The price is $247, but if you act before June 1 you can save $50 of the fee.  Give your student a head start this summer!

    Best,
    Peter

     

  • collegepete 11:47 pm on February 13, 2011 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , , , , , , SAT, ,   

    Avoiding the ‘If Only’ Syndrome 

    Far too often (especially at this time of year) I hear from parents who have come to see me, either at a workshop or in my office, “Gee, if only I had known about you a year or two ago”. These are good folks who could have implemented strategies to better position their child for merit and need-based financial assistance, or were the recipient of misguided advice from their child’s guidance counselor and never even considered some truly excellent, but lesser-known, schools that would have been both a better fit and more generous with merit and financial aid.

    It’s important that you and your child get an early start on the college process, as in 10th or 11th grade. Waiting until the summer before 12th grade, or even in the fall when application deadlines are approaching, may not only result in a bad fit college for your child, but it may also cost a family thousands of dollars (this is no exaggeration). The FAFSA and CSS Profile applications will look at the prior year’s income when evaluating your financial aid eligibility, so if your child is currently an 11th grader then you are “on the clock” now, until December 2011. The sooner you take action, the better your chances of getting a more generous financial aid award because you can avoid the “look-back” period.

    Throughout the country and around South Florida, students are under tremendous pressure to do well on the SAT or ACT, to keep their grades up, to get involved in extra-curricular activities, and to complete their community service requirements. This pressure comes from within, it comes from peers, teachers and counselors, and it comes from parents. Meanwhile, parents are lying awake at night feeling the pressure of the impending college expense, often imploring their kids to search for scholarships to ease the burden. But private scholarships only represent about 2-3% of the $150 billion total amount of money available. The bulk of the money is in the need-based financial aid system, which is available to “forgotten middle class” families earning over $100,000 per year. This is where you as parents can and should take action on your own so that whatever college your child chooses can be affordable. You don’t want to have that dreaded conversation in April of 12th grade, explaining to your child that you cannot afford to send them to Top Choice U.

    The good news for 10th and 11th grade parents is that I’m holding a free workshop on this subject on Tuesday, February 22, at 6:30 pm at Power Financial Credit Union in Pembroke Pines. I’ll cover:

    •How Six-Figure Income earners can enjoy Five-Figure financial aid awards
    •The single biggest mistake that parents make regarding Florida Pre-Paid and 529 Savings Plans
    •The Top 3 “Bet The Farm” questions you must ask of every school before you even compile your list
    •Why 22,000 Florida families left $22 million on the table last year
    •Why it takes 5.5 years, on average, to finish college today, and how you can buck this costly trend
    •Why advice from your CPA or Financial Advisor may actually cost you money for college!
    •More

    To register, visit http://www.LearnCollegeFunding.com. The event is free, but missing it and procrastinating can cost you thousands of dollars in much needed and well-deserved financial aid. I look forward to seeing you there.

     

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