The education editor of the Sarasota Herald Tribune interviewed me for a feature article about college planning. It ran recently on the front page. Here's the link to the on-line version:
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20101026/ARTICLE/10261051/2416/NEWS?Title=In-pursuit-of-the-perfect-college-some-seek-an-independent-guide
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Surviving the College Search
Teenagers across the nation are receiving more and more mail from colleges each day. Their classmates are talking about admissions rates and test scores while their friends, parents, and even distant relatives are inquiring about their plans for college. All are indicators that high school will be coming to an end and the next step awaits them.
Many students feel overwhelmed at the beginning of their college search. After all, this is perhaps the biggest decision that they will have to make. With this pressure, no wonder most teenagers are intimidated!
By breaking down the college search into steps it’s easier to get started and to stay on track. Here are some things to keep in mind this summer:
- Begin by thinking about what you enjoy the most, what bores you, what are your strengths or talents? Think broadly – not just academically, but socially, artistically, athletically, and personally.
- Once you have a list of your basic interest and abilities, reflect on the following: your learning style, do you enjoy learning in large or smaller groups, do you seek diversity among your friends or prefer people who are similar to you, are you comfortable in the city or in a rural area, what else helps to describe your preferences.
- Test your imagination. Close you eyes and envision your ideal college. While you have that picture in your mind, write down what you see in your classroom, in your residence hall, on a Saturday evening, etc.
- Translate these impressions into characteristics you’d like to see in a college.
- Gather the viewbooks you’ve been receiving and sort them into three piles – Yes, No, and Maybe based on these characteristics.
- Take a closer look at the Yes pile – what do these colleges have in common?
- Run a college search on line: www.collegeboard.com, www.petersons.com, www.princetonreview.com for more options check the recommended website page of www.collegecounselling.com
- Visit different types of colleges this summer: a large research university (USF, UF, UCF), a medium size college (U of Miami, Emory U, UNF, FGCU), and a small liberal arts campus (Eckerd C, Stetson, Rollins). Evaluate each after your visit with your impressions.
If you are a rising senior, the summer is also a good time to begin rough drafts of your essays and complete a resume. Many colleges begin to post their application for admission on their website in August so you can begin to complete them before school begins. Getting a jump start on your college applications will improve the quality of what you send, as well as your chances for admission.
Next time you’re asked about what college you want to attend….you’ll be able to describe what you’re looking for! Good luck!!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Interviewed for Washington Post article
Recently I was interviewed for an article in the Washington Post. The reporter was investigating possible explanations for the record low admit rates at some of the nations most selective colleges (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Penn, Stanford, etc.).
New generation of college hopefuls apply to many schools
By Daniel de Vise
Thursday, April 22, 2010
After an early rebuff from Stanford University, Montgomery Blair senior Scott Yu, a straight-A student with a perfect SAT score, was offered admission to 12 schools. (Mark Gail/the Washington Post)
Diana Barthauer, who lives in Switzerland, applied to 20 schools and netted 15 offers. "The reason I did so many applications was that the admission rates are so low," she said. "But then, I pushed them down by doing it, so it's kind of ironic." (Courtesy Of Diana Barthauer)
Scott Yu had the strongest possible credentials: a perfect SAT score, a perfect high school transcript and conservatory-quality piano skills. But his first foray into college admissions, an "early-action" application to Stanford, landed in limbo with a deferral.
His faith shaken, Yu responded the way any straight-A student would, with a flurry of work. He applied to every college in the Ivy League, along with Duke, MIT, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Maryland and the New England Conservatory in Boston. For his efforts, the Rockville teen reaped 12 offers of admission. He now faces a not-very-painful choice among Harvard, Yale and MIT.
Yu, a senior in the Science, Mathematics and Computer Science Magnet Program at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, represents a new generation of college applicant. Spooked by single-digit admission rates at the top private schools, students sweeten the odds by applying to more of them. And, thus, the applicant pool runneth over.
Harvard, the nation's oldest college, crossed a symbolic threshold this year when it received more than 30,000 applications for about 1,600 seats in its freshman class. With 1.5 million students expected to enter four-year colleges this fall, that means that about one in 50 applied to Harvard. Brown University passed the same milestone this year, Stanford last year.
One-fifth of college applicants nationwide apply to seven or more schools, twice the rate of a decade ago, according to data from the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Yu, 18, knew he was a strong candidate. But he didn't know how strong. The early rebuff from Stanford -- a school not in the Ivy League but just as selective -- unnerved him. He sat at his computer with two Harvard teddy bears for luck as he checked for news April 1, the deadline for most admissions departments to let students know whether they got in. "I didn't mean to apply to this many schools," he said. "You can't really gauge your qualifications as a candidate until you get in somewhere."
Students apply to more schools partly because they can: Today's online applications are more easily replicated than the paper forms of previous decades. But that's not the only factor. The biggest surge has come at the most selective schools, where fewer than half of applicants gain admission. Students apply to twice as many schools as their parents did on the theory that they are half as likely to get in.
Admission rates fell this year to 6.9 percent at Harvard, 7.2 percent at Stanford, 7.5 percent at Yale, 8.2 percent at Princeton, 9.2 percent at Columbia and 9.3 percent at Brown. As recently as 2003, when fewer students competed for the same number of seats, all of those schools admitted more than 10 percent of applicants.
Worldwide interest
Ivy League schools are getting more applications from every part of the globe. Diana Barthauer, who lives in Switzerland, started with a slate of 50 schools and narrowed it to 20. She netted 15 offers, including Columbia, Stanford and Dartmouth, and rejections from MIT, Princeton and the University of Cambridge in England. Two colleges in China haven't replied.
"The reason I did so many applications was that the admission rates are so low," she said. "But then, I pushed them down by doing it, so it's kind of ironic."
Is there any harm in applying to colleges en masse? Counselors and deans are divided.
The fundamentals of admission advice have not changed. Most students are counseled to apply to at least three schools: one that is deemed a "match," a less selective "safety" school and a more selective "reach." Two of each would not be deemed excessive. "I say four to six. I used to say three to five. They end up applying to six to eight," said Robin Groelle, director of college counseling at St. Stephen's Episcopal School, a college-prep school in Bradenton, Fla.
Some students apply scattershot to top schools, without regard for "fit" or "match." They raise their chances of getting in somewhere. They might also be wasting their time. "It's more work for us, and it's more work for the colleges," said Timothy Gallen, director of college counseling at the private Solebury School in New Hope, Pa. "It's playing the game, more than anything."
The process also can be expensive. Applications to selective colleges cost about $50 each, although fee waivers are available for low-income students.
The expanding applicant pool is not simply a matter of more applications per student. There has also been a growing population of college-bound seniors, although it is thought to have peaked last year and is expected to decline. And a larger share of applications is going to the most selective schools, which together receive 31 percent of applications but enroll 18 percent of freshmen. Deans say their applicant pools are larger, more diverse and better qualified than in previous generations in terms of grade-point averages and SAT scores.
"The long and short of it is, there has been a remarkable democratization of higher education in the past 50 years in the United States," said William Fitzsimmons, admissions dean at Harvard. He said his department's goal is to get a Harvard application "on the kitchen table of every student in America who has a chance of getting in."
'Come out of nowhere'
For the broader population of public and private colleges, the explosion in applications means more selectivity, but also more headaches.
The average four-year college, public and private, received 24 percent more applications in 2006 than 2002, according to an analysis of the latest available data by the admissions counseling group. The average admission rate narrowed from 71 percent in 2001 to 67 percent in 2007. The share of students who were admitted and chose to enroll also declined in that span, from 49 percent to 45 percent.
The rise of mass applications has complicated the task of predicting who will enroll. Increasing numbers of applicants "come out of nowhere" and have no connection to the college, said David Hawkins, director of public policy and research at the admissions counseling group. "And [colleges] just don't have much intelligence on what these students' intentions are."
Colleges have courted mass applicants -- and higher application numbers -- by adopting the Common Application and putting forms online. But they also pay closer attention to an applicant's "demonstrated interest," Hawkins said, weighing such factors as correspondence or a visit to campus.
Admissions departments rely more heavily on early-decision and early-action programs, which deliver decisions to applicants sooner, in trade for a hope -- or an expectation -- that they will attend.
The University of Pennsylvania locked in half its freshman class this year through early decision. The effect on regular applicants was somewhat like scouting tickets for a rock concert that had been heavily pre-sold. With 26,938 applicants for 2,420 slots, the school's overall admission rate was 14 percent. For regular-decision applicants: 10 percent.
"How many offers of admission can we go out with on April 1, knowing that we already have 49 percent of our class spoken for?" said Eric Furda, dean of admissions.
Despite the long odds, some in the industry envision an emerging buyer's market in college admissions. The ease of applying to any college, anywhere, gives motivated students a fighting chance in shopping among schools with single-digit admission rates.
"I think they know that they can be consumers in this process, whereas maybe 10 years ago, it was the college that was picking the student," said Kristin White, director of marketing and communication at Westover School, a private girls school in Connecticut. "They're comparison shoppers now."
Missan DeSouza, a senior at Westover School, applied to 19 colleges. Some, such as Wellesley and Connecticut College, fit the liberal-arts mold of Westover. Others, including John Jay College and West Virginia University, had strong programs in forensic science, an interest she acquired from her mother, a Brooklyn police officer. She added several to the list because they offered strong academics and a lower price, or promised merit aid.
Thirteen colleges offered her admission. Ursinus College included a $30,000 scholarship, and John Jay would effectively cost nothing. But she is leaning toward three others: Wellesley, Middlebury College or George Washington University.
"I'm feeling it was really smart of me to apply to so many," she said, "because now I have enough options."
New generation of college hopefuls apply to many schools
By Daniel de Vise
Thursday, April 22, 2010
After an early rebuff from Stanford University, Montgomery Blair senior Scott Yu, a straight-A student with a perfect SAT score, was offered admission to 12 schools. (Mark Gail/the Washington Post)
Diana Barthauer, who lives in Switzerland, applied to 20 schools and netted 15 offers. "The reason I did so many applications was that the admission rates are so low," she said. "But then, I pushed them down by doing it, so it's kind of ironic." (Courtesy Of Diana Barthauer)
Scott Yu had the strongest possible credentials: a perfect SAT score, a perfect high school transcript and conservatory-quality piano skills. But his first foray into college admissions, an "early-action" application to Stanford, landed in limbo with a deferral.
His faith shaken, Yu responded the way any straight-A student would, with a flurry of work. He applied to every college in the Ivy League, along with Duke, MIT, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Maryland and the New England Conservatory in Boston. For his efforts, the Rockville teen reaped 12 offers of admission. He now faces a not-very-painful choice among Harvard, Yale and MIT.
Yu, a senior in the Science, Mathematics and Computer Science Magnet Program at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, represents a new generation of college applicant. Spooked by single-digit admission rates at the top private schools, students sweeten the odds by applying to more of them. And, thus, the applicant pool runneth over.
Harvard, the nation's oldest college, crossed a symbolic threshold this year when it received more than 30,000 applications for about 1,600 seats in its freshman class. With 1.5 million students expected to enter four-year colleges this fall, that means that about one in 50 applied to Harvard. Brown University passed the same milestone this year, Stanford last year.
One-fifth of college applicants nationwide apply to seven or more schools, twice the rate of a decade ago, according to data from the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Yu, 18, knew he was a strong candidate. But he didn't know how strong. The early rebuff from Stanford -- a school not in the Ivy League but just as selective -- unnerved him. He sat at his computer with two Harvard teddy bears for luck as he checked for news April 1, the deadline for most admissions departments to let students know whether they got in. "I didn't mean to apply to this many schools," he said. "You can't really gauge your qualifications as a candidate until you get in somewhere."
Students apply to more schools partly because they can: Today's online applications are more easily replicated than the paper forms of previous decades. But that's not the only factor. The biggest surge has come at the most selective schools, where fewer than half of applicants gain admission. Students apply to twice as many schools as their parents did on the theory that they are half as likely to get in.
Admission rates fell this year to 6.9 percent at Harvard, 7.2 percent at Stanford, 7.5 percent at Yale, 8.2 percent at Princeton, 9.2 percent at Columbia and 9.3 percent at Brown. As recently as 2003, when fewer students competed for the same number of seats, all of those schools admitted more than 10 percent of applicants.
Worldwide interest
Ivy League schools are getting more applications from every part of the globe. Diana Barthauer, who lives in Switzerland, started with a slate of 50 schools and narrowed it to 20. She netted 15 offers, including Columbia, Stanford and Dartmouth, and rejections from MIT, Princeton and the University of Cambridge in England. Two colleges in China haven't replied.
"The reason I did so many applications was that the admission rates are so low," she said. "But then, I pushed them down by doing it, so it's kind of ironic."
Is there any harm in applying to colleges en masse? Counselors and deans are divided.
The fundamentals of admission advice have not changed. Most students are counseled to apply to at least three schools: one that is deemed a "match," a less selective "safety" school and a more selective "reach." Two of each would not be deemed excessive. "I say four to six. I used to say three to five. They end up applying to six to eight," said Robin Groelle, director of college counseling at St. Stephen's Episcopal School, a college-prep school in Bradenton, Fla.
Some students apply scattershot to top schools, without regard for "fit" or "match." They raise their chances of getting in somewhere. They might also be wasting their time. "It's more work for us, and it's more work for the colleges," said Timothy Gallen, director of college counseling at the private Solebury School in New Hope, Pa. "It's playing the game, more than anything."
The process also can be expensive. Applications to selective colleges cost about $50 each, although fee waivers are available for low-income students.
The expanding applicant pool is not simply a matter of more applications per student. There has also been a growing population of college-bound seniors, although it is thought to have peaked last year and is expected to decline. And a larger share of applications is going to the most selective schools, which together receive 31 percent of applications but enroll 18 percent of freshmen. Deans say their applicant pools are larger, more diverse and better qualified than in previous generations in terms of grade-point averages and SAT scores.
"The long and short of it is, there has been a remarkable democratization of higher education in the past 50 years in the United States," said William Fitzsimmons, admissions dean at Harvard. He said his department's goal is to get a Harvard application "on the kitchen table of every student in America who has a chance of getting in."
'Come out of nowhere'
For the broader population of public and private colleges, the explosion in applications means more selectivity, but also more headaches.
The average four-year college, public and private, received 24 percent more applications in 2006 than 2002, according to an analysis of the latest available data by the admissions counseling group. The average admission rate narrowed from 71 percent in 2001 to 67 percent in 2007. The share of students who were admitted and chose to enroll also declined in that span, from 49 percent to 45 percent.
The rise of mass applications has complicated the task of predicting who will enroll. Increasing numbers of applicants "come out of nowhere" and have no connection to the college, said David Hawkins, director of public policy and research at the admissions counseling group. "And [colleges] just don't have much intelligence on what these students' intentions are."
Colleges have courted mass applicants -- and higher application numbers -- by adopting the Common Application and putting forms online. But they also pay closer attention to an applicant's "demonstrated interest," Hawkins said, weighing such factors as correspondence or a visit to campus.
Admissions departments rely more heavily on early-decision and early-action programs, which deliver decisions to applicants sooner, in trade for a hope -- or an expectation -- that they will attend.
The University of Pennsylvania locked in half its freshman class this year through early decision. The effect on regular applicants was somewhat like scouting tickets for a rock concert that had been heavily pre-sold. With 26,938 applicants for 2,420 slots, the school's overall admission rate was 14 percent. For regular-decision applicants: 10 percent.
"How many offers of admission can we go out with on April 1, knowing that we already have 49 percent of our class spoken for?" said Eric Furda, dean of admissions.
Despite the long odds, some in the industry envision an emerging buyer's market in college admissions. The ease of applying to any college, anywhere, gives motivated students a fighting chance in shopping among schools with single-digit admission rates.
"I think they know that they can be consumers in this process, whereas maybe 10 years ago, it was the college that was picking the student," said Kristin White, director of marketing and communication at Westover School, a private girls school in Connecticut. "They're comparison shoppers now."
Missan DeSouza, a senior at Westover School, applied to 19 colleges. Some, such as Wellesley and Connecticut College, fit the liberal-arts mold of Westover. Others, including John Jay College and West Virginia University, had strong programs in forensic science, an interest she acquired from her mother, a Brooklyn police officer. She added several to the list because they offered strong academics and a lower price, or promised merit aid.
Thirteen colleges offered her admission. Ursinus College included a $30,000 scholarship, and John Jay would effectively cost nothing. But she is leaning toward three others: Wellesley, Middlebury College or George Washington University.
"I'm feeling it was really smart of me to apply to so many," she said, "because now I have enough options."
Monday, March 15, 2010
For Seniors- Now that you're in....
Making the Final Selection of College
After receiving
Finding a Community that Fits
Even if seniors have visited campus before they applied, visiting after being admitted can help them make their final choice. Many universities offer special events for admitted students and families – often referred to Preview Days. It’s always nice to balance official campus events with informal opportunities to get a feel for the campus community. Campus events may include an information session, campus tour, student panels, and meetings with professors. Informal ways to get to know a school could include going to lunch at a dining hall, exploring the student center, or attending an athletic event, club meeting or class. Families can also use free time to explore the city by visiting local restaurants, museums, and touring the neighborhood.
Once the Decision is Made
Once the enrollment deposit is sent confirming a student’s decision, contact each of the other colleges where admission was granted and let them know of the decision to attend elsewhere. Because this often is their first time living away from home, students should complete the housing forms thoughtfully (and candidly); spending some time thinking about living preferences. This will help to make for an easier transition!
By taking some time in the spring to get to know the colleges, campus life, and housing, students can make informed decisions as they select the college or university that will be a good fit for them.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Tips for Making the Most of Your College Interview
This is the first of many articles and tips for students. Keep these tips in mind when visiting colleges or interviewing for scholarships. Your comments are welcomed! Good luck to seniors waiting for college decisions! Robin
DO
Be prepared to offer a few different dates and times when you call to schedule your interview. This simple detail shows your ability to manage your time, as well as your respect for your interviewer's busy schedule.
If you would like to meet a specific professor or sit in on a class, make that request when you schedule your interview, not when you appear at the admissions office.
DO
Be prepared to offer a few different dates and times when you call to schedule your interview. This simple detail shows your ability to manage your time, as well as your respect for your interviewer's busy schedule.
If you would like to meet a specific professor or sit in on a class, make that request when you schedule your interview, not when you appear at the admissions office.
Conduct research about the college or university before you appear on campus. Using the school's website or a college guide, familiarize yourself with the following things:
- Testing requirements
- General curriculum
- Grading system
- Majors, minors and concentrations
- Current admissions statistics
- Financial aid availability and procedures
Dress appropriately. There's no need to dazzle but you should not wear jeans, flip-flops, gym clothes(!), t-shirts or ball caps. Shorts? Sure, as long as you wear a nice shirt.
Be on time -- or, better yet, five minutes early. Call if you will be late for any reason.
Be respectful of everyone you come across on campus: the admission receptionist, student panelists, your tour guide, the guy in the Student Center who points you toward a restroom...
Turn off your cell phone. OFF not vibrate.
Extend your hand to the admissions counselor; introduce him or her to your parents and siblings.
Arrive prepared for a conversation. Practice answering questions like:
- Why do you want to attend this college? (Do your research!)
- What is your intended major, and why?
- What are your long-term goals and dreams?
- What do you like to read, and why?
- Whom do you admire?
- How would your friends and family describe you?
- What's your favorite academic subject?
- What's your favorite extracurricular?
- What do you do for fun?
- What are you most proud of?
Think about asking thoughtful, qualitative questions such as:
- What do students consider to be the biggest pros and cons of your college?
- What do students like most and least about the surrounding town?
- What draws students to your college?
If you had to generalize, how would you describe your student body? - What's the social scene? What do students do on weekends?
- What's the housing situation? Do students live off campus? Are there a lot of commuter students?
- Can you tell me more about X, a major/extracurricular that I'm interested in?
Make eye contact and listen attentively.
Thank your interviewer, shake his or her hand and request contact information; mail or email a formal thank you within 48 hours.
Relax and have fun. You are the only real expert on you so show it.
Enjoy the opportunity to share who you are with someone who is genuinely interested in getting to know you better.
Note: Everything you present to the admissions office - emails, questionnaires, notes - should be composed with care. Use proper grammar, spelling, capitalization and punctuation.
DON'T
Ask your parents to schedule your interview for you.
Design your outfit around school colors; it's not impressive or cute.
Roll in late; if it's unavoidable, call.
Slouch, chew gum, yawn or litter your speech with umm's or like, you know's; avoid slang and off-color language.
Answer your phone or text during your interview. Your parents shouldn't either.Expect (or permit) your parents to answer questions asked of you. The admissions counselor wants to hear from you, not your parents.
Be negative about everything in your life; conversely, don't overwhelm your interviewer with insincere enthusiasm about everything.
Recite your resume and think you've helped your interviewer know you better.
Give answers you think the admissions counselor wants to hear. Give your own, honest answers.
Show up without thoughtful questions about the college or university (see DO's).
Ask questions you could easily answer on your own if you checked the school's website or a college guide (see DO's).
Ask about College A's graduation requirements when you're interviewing at College B.
Let a question like, "What doesn't the school know about you after reading your application?" slip by without a good answer; answer with "Nothing" or "I covered everything" and you miss a plumb opportunity to share something new - and memorable - about yourself.
Hug your admissions counselor. It's too forward and uncomfortable for everyone.
Let more than 48 hours pass before you send a formal thank you to the person who interviewed you. It is courteous and helps the admissions counselor remember you. Note: You may not receive a response to your note but you must send one anyway.
Forget that the interview is just one part of a collection of materials that will help the admissions staff evaluate you. Your future does not hinge on the stellar or pedestrian quality of your interview.
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