Visiting a college campus plays a vital role in the college admission process for both the student and college. The student is able to see firsthand what the campus grounds, building, staff and students are like, and the college gets to see what the student’s personality and character is like. The recommended time to visit a college campus is during the spring of the student’s junior year of high school through the fall of their senior year. Visiting during the summer is fine but realize that most college student will not be there so you may not get the full vibe of the college.
In order to schedule your campus visit come up with a day and time that works best for you and your family (always have a back up date too just in case) and then call the college to see what their availability may be. Most college websites will have their available hours of operation and all of the contact information. It is very important for the student to be making this phone call as this is your education and you need to start taking responsibility for it yourself. When visiting the college, show up prepared and nicely dressed. You do not have to wear a suit but look at it this way: would you wear a t-shirt and jeans to a job interview? This interview will help you get into the college you want; thus, the career you want. The major things to accomplish during a campus visit are to tour the campus and have an Admission interview. Touring the campus allows you to see class rooms, residence halls, sport and recreational facilities, libraries, student centers and any other areas of interest. For example, if you are interested in majoring in Nursing, ask to see the nursing labs or if you want to be on TV or Radio ask to see the stations. The Admission interview is your time to shine and allows your personality to shine through, allowing the Admission Counselor to acknowledge your potential at the college and lets them put a face with your name. This is also your time to ask questions and this is where being prepared comes into play. Having a list of questions to ask shows that you’re interested and you have the maturity of wanting to find the right college.
Here are some great questions to ask:
What are the class sizes?
What is the student to teacher ratio?
Are there any support services like tutoring and is it free?
Is housing guaranteed?
Are there any resources on campus for internships and job placements?
How are your study abroad programs?
How are the sports programs, intramurals, weekend life and activities?
What is the % of students that live on campus? Percent that are out of state and where?
What is the student retention rate?
More questions include: is there part time or full time faculty?, future strategic plan for the college?, what is allowed in the residence halls?, wireless and where?, meal plans and what is the surrounding area like? Some good final questions include: why the counselor likes working for the college and what makes that college different from the rest? After the interview, ask for a business card so you can send a personal thank you card.
If you are traveling and trying to see as many colleges as you can in a set amount of time think about this: the average college campus tour is around one hour and the Admission interview will last around thirty minutes to an hour. If you schedule yourself to meet with a coach or person from any other specific program then that is additional time as well. This can add up to around three or more hours at just one college so I suggest only two colleges a day; one morning visit and one later afternoon visit is plenty. This will allow your brain to let it all sink in as there is a lot of information flying at you for one day. If for some reason you are going to be late for your appointment or cannot attend at all, make sure to call and cancel. Not showing up without explanation is unacceptable.
To conclude, always have this in the back of your mind: the Admission Counselor’s job is to find students that can add to the prestige of their university. What do you possess that they are looking for? What are their weaknesses you can help to make their strengths- academically and socially? Sell that and you will have them knocking on your door.
By: Aaron F. Smith and Jerrod Zertuche
University Advisors
Monday, February 23, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
College Admissions Waiting Season
For most applicants thin or thick envelopes arrive from colleges in dribs and drabs from early January through late March. It is “waiting season” for students as they anticipate decisions from their colleges: accepted, denied, or wait-listed.
As a college consultant this is the time of year I check in with my seniors about where they stand with their colleges. An advisee from New Jersey responded to me this morning: three acceptances, two denials, one wait-list, and two still-to-be-heard-from. Other advisees, applying to high-profile colleges, will wait until late March before hearing from any of their choices.
Admission officers gathering at recent College Board sessions around the country dreaded their own “worry season” as to decision-making about the numbers of students to accept in an unpredictable and financially challenging year. They too have their own “waiting season” in April as they keep tabs on the number of students responding positively to their offers of acceptances (in admission parlance – “the yield”).
This year especially students would be wise to be patient during their “waiting season.” Before making a decision and sending in a deposit by May 1, the Candidates’ Reply Date, students should adhere to these maxims:
1. Sustain an open mind until all decisions have arrived;
2. Keep in mind merit and need-based awards before making comparisons of actual cost for each public and private college on your list;
3. Attend the “accepted student” functions for your top choices – even if you have visited these colleges previously because visits in the spring can provide fresh information and insights as you hone in on your final choice.
Be patient and thoughtful in the “waiting season.”
Will Dunfey
University Advisors
As a college consultant this is the time of year I check in with my seniors about where they stand with their colleges. An advisee from New Jersey responded to me this morning: three acceptances, two denials, one wait-list, and two still-to-be-heard-from. Other advisees, applying to high-profile colleges, will wait until late March before hearing from any of their choices.
Admission officers gathering at recent College Board sessions around the country dreaded their own “worry season” as to decision-making about the numbers of students to accept in an unpredictable and financially challenging year. They too have their own “waiting season” in April as they keep tabs on the number of students responding positively to their offers of acceptances (in admission parlance – “the yield”).
This year especially students would be wise to be patient during their “waiting season.” Before making a decision and sending in a deposit by May 1, the Candidates’ Reply Date, students should adhere to these maxims:
1. Sustain an open mind until all decisions have arrived;
2. Keep in mind merit and need-based awards before making comparisons of actual cost for each public and private college on your list;
3. Attend the “accepted student” functions for your top choices – even if you have visited these colleges previously because visits in the spring can provide fresh information and insights as you hone in on your final choice.
Be patient and thoughtful in the “waiting season.”
Will Dunfey
University Advisors
Friday, February 6, 2009
University of California Regents Change Admission Policies
The UC Board of Regents approved a change to the University's admission policy that will affect current high school students graduating in 2012 and beyond. The new policy requires the same number of "a-g" courses and the same GPA as current policy.
The two key differences are:
1. These changes will not change the way students prepare for the University: students still need to complete the"a-g" requirements, earn the best grades possible, and take the ACT Assessment with Writing or the SAT Reasoning Test. They will also need content knowledge in case they choose to take an SAT Subject Test to demonstrate specific subject-matter proficiency.
2. Students who graduate from high school prior to 2012 will be held to existing admissions requirements. Moreover, this means that these students will be required to submit scores from two SAT Subject Tests in order to be eligible for admission (which is the policy now).
You can find out more information about the policy here.
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
The two key differences are:
1. These changes will not change the way students prepare for the University: students still need to complete the"a-g" requirements, earn the best grades possible, and take the ACT Assessment with Writing or the SAT Reasoning Test. They will also need content knowledge in case they choose to take an SAT Subject Test to demonstrate specific subject-matter proficiency.
2. Students who graduate from high school prior to 2012 will be held to existing admissions requirements. Moreover, this means that these students will be required to submit scores from two SAT Subject Tests in order to be eligible for admission (which is the policy now).
You can find out more information about the policy here.
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
Monday, February 2, 2009
Hitting College Application Deadlines
It’s that time of year again when regular admission deadlines are looming. Students will sometimes wait till the last minute to upload their essays, or request transcripts, or ask teachers for letters of recommendation. There’s no point in procrastinating till the last day when you have months of planning time to make sure all necessary documents are received well before the deadline.
During these challenging economic times, there are some advantages to submitting your application before the deadline. The first is that many institutions are sending acceptance letters faster than in previous years because they want you to strongly consider them as an attractive option. Second, for students’ and parents’ sake, there is no need to compound the stress of waiting till the last minute when one missed item can cause a delay in an institution making a decision, or even worse, not considering the student at all because there are missing components to the application.
The college search can be stressful, but taking the anxiety out of it is very easy, especially at this time of the admission cycle. If students find themselves in the precarious position of missing a deadline, they should consider strongly calling the institution and asking what their options are. It never hurts to ask!
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
During these challenging economic times, there are some advantages to submitting your application before the deadline. The first is that many institutions are sending acceptance letters faster than in previous years because they want you to strongly consider them as an attractive option. Second, for students’ and parents’ sake, there is no need to compound the stress of waiting till the last minute when one missed item can cause a delay in an institution making a decision, or even worse, not considering the student at all because there are missing components to the application.
The college search can be stressful, but taking the anxiety out of it is very easy, especially at this time of the admission cycle. If students find themselves in the precarious position of missing a deadline, they should consider strongly calling the institution and asking what their options are. It never hurts to ask!
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)