Work for the summer is not only great for your wallet but also great for your resume. The more work experience you have the better as it shows responsibility and maturity. Volunteering or doing some type of community service is always a good idea as well. Get involved in your community talk to a counselor for suggestions they will suit your strengths and abilities. Camps are another great addition to your summer as you can build a lot of strong skills whether you’re attending or working at the camp.
Take the SAT/ACT at least 2 times, but you should take it at least ones in the summer and at least one more time in the beginning of the fall, as each college will give you the best on each part as your total score. Most colleges are still only looking at your Reading and Math sections and basing their average on a 1600 not a 2400 with the writing portion added in, this a great question to ask of the Admission office at each college your applying to. Talk to a counselor to find out what may be a better test for you to take either the SAT or ACT, and find out the differences between them.
Touring college campuses – a great time to meet with coaches as they are not in season and have time to meet, call the Admission office at least 2 weeks ahead of time to schedule visit and then contact coaches to let them know of your scheduled day and time and that you would like to meet before or after your scheduled tour time if they are available. Also any other special programs that you might be interested in are great to visit in the summer as this tends to be the college’s down time.
Start preparing your paperwork for the fall by outlining your resume from the past 3 years and add your senior year later when applicable. Make sure to include all your extracurricular activities like sports, clubs, work experience, community service or volunteering, anything you do outside of school that will help to show your maturity, responsibility, and willingness for getting involved.
Have an adult conversation with your parents if you have not already about your family’s financial situation and what you will be able to afford. A term to start to know is your Family’s Estimated Contribution or FEC. When working with colleges’ financial aid office they will be using this term often.
Athletes start gathering up all your sports coverage for a highlight film to have to show college coaches, get signed up on athletic recruiting web-sites, and talk to you high school coaches of club team coaches to get signed up for showcase tournaments in your area. If you are planning on playing Division I or II and looking for scholarship information you need to sign up with the NCAA clearinghouse and for Division III you only need to contact the college coaches.
Aaron Smith
University Advisors
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
For High School Juniors – Snapshot Time
Your junior year will be ending in a few short weeks. Now is the time to do a “college admission self-assessment.”
A few key questions suffice:
1. What is your three-year grade point average?
2. What are your junior-year SAT I or ACT scores?
3. What are your senior-year courses?
4. What is your tentative list of colleges as I enter the summer?
5. Are my grades and scores consistent with the academic and admission requirements of the colleges on my tentative list?
You have very specific answers for the first three questions. The next two pose a greater challenge.
If your tentative list is short – perhaps very short – then now is the time to check with your guidance counselor for additional suggestions. Or perhaps it is time to think about consulting with a private college advisor. Or both!
June is the time to check out college web sites for visitation schedules and summer day programs for rising seniors and their families. June also is the time to plan day or longer trips with your family to visit as many of your tentative choices as possible. Most colleges now encourage students to register for their visits online.
While on the web site you also should be looking for an answer to the last question: is my academic record consistent with the profile of students my colleges usually accept? Look on the admission section of the colleges’ web sites and heed the requirements and the entering class profile (most colleges list both).
If you judge your qualifications to be “in the ballpark” with recently enrolled students, then plan your visits! If your qualifications do not appear to be reflective of your colleges’ expectations, your self-assessment should result in developing a different and more appropriate list.
Will Dunfey
University Advisors
A few key questions suffice:
1. What is your three-year grade point average?
2. What are your junior-year SAT I or ACT scores?
3. What are your senior-year courses?
4. What is your tentative list of colleges as I enter the summer?
5. Are my grades and scores consistent with the academic and admission requirements of the colleges on my tentative list?
You have very specific answers for the first three questions. The next two pose a greater challenge.
If your tentative list is short – perhaps very short – then now is the time to check with your guidance counselor for additional suggestions. Or perhaps it is time to think about consulting with a private college advisor. Or both!
June is the time to check out college web sites for visitation schedules and summer day programs for rising seniors and their families. June also is the time to plan day or longer trips with your family to visit as many of your tentative choices as possible. Most colleges now encourage students to register for their visits online.
While on the web site you also should be looking for an answer to the last question: is my academic record consistent with the profile of students my colleges usually accept? Look on the admission section of the colleges’ web sites and heed the requirements and the entering class profile (most colleges list both).
If you judge your qualifications to be “in the ballpark” with recently enrolled students, then plan your visits! If your qualifications do not appear to be reflective of your colleges’ expectations, your self-assessment should result in developing a different and more appropriate list.
Will Dunfey
University Advisors
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
What Does Your Ideal College Look Like?
Where will your college be? Will you look for colleges in your hometown, your home state, or out of state? Will you search for in the city, the country, or colleges in the suburbs? Do you want to live at home, on campus in the dormitories, or in an off-campus apartment? What type of college are you looking for; a technical or trade school, two year or four year colleges? Also will you pick a public (state) or private college, or a liberal arts college?
What are you looking for in a student body size? Would you like a men or women’s only college or a co-educational college? Are you looking for a large (more than 10,000) medium (4,000-10,000) or small (less than 4,000) college? Does ethnic or religious breakdown or affiliation make a difference to you? Do you know any family, friends, or other students from your school or community that attend the college you’re looking into? What types of majors and/or programs are offered and what are you looking for?
What is the college’s academic reputation for teaching styles (hands-on, lecture, seminar)? Are the classes taught by actual professors or teachers assistants? What are the average class sizes of the college, and are you able to study evening, weekend or part time or full time only? What are the qualifications of the average student that is accepted? What is the average GPA, SAT/ACT, and class rank?
What type of non academic activities are you looking for; things like sports (Division I, II or III) both collegiate and intramural, clubs, music, arts, SGA, fraternities or sororities, jobs on campus and all extracurricular activities. What types of internships, career services, community service, and study abroad options are there for you?
Another very important component to ask about that most don’t think about is the support services or programs the college offers? Do they have counseling and tutoring and is it free, and who is the tutor a student or a professional? The next really important thing to consider is the cost of the total tuition, room and board. Do they offer in-state or out of state tuition? What is the percentage of students that receive financial aid and what is the opportunity to renew financial aid after the first year?
How to find out this information? Talk to people – family, friends, teachers, and guidance counselors. Attend college fairs at your school, local schools, or national NACAC fairs.
Use the Internet to research colleges and have them send you information. Finally, schedule campus tours, visit campuses, and engage admission staff.
Aaron Smith
University Advisors
What are you looking for in a student body size? Would you like a men or women’s only college or a co-educational college? Are you looking for a large (more than 10,000) medium (4,000-10,000) or small (less than 4,000) college? Does ethnic or religious breakdown or affiliation make a difference to you? Do you know any family, friends, or other students from your school or community that attend the college you’re looking into? What types of majors and/or programs are offered and what are you looking for?
What is the college’s academic reputation for teaching styles (hands-on, lecture, seminar)? Are the classes taught by actual professors or teachers assistants? What are the average class sizes of the college, and are you able to study evening, weekend or part time or full time only? What are the qualifications of the average student that is accepted? What is the average GPA, SAT/ACT, and class rank?
What type of non academic activities are you looking for; things like sports (Division I, II or III) both collegiate and intramural, clubs, music, arts, SGA, fraternities or sororities, jobs on campus and all extracurricular activities. What types of internships, career services, community service, and study abroad options are there for you?
Another very important component to ask about that most don’t think about is the support services or programs the college offers? Do they have counseling and tutoring and is it free, and who is the tutor a student or a professional? The next really important thing to consider is the cost of the total tuition, room and board. Do they offer in-state or out of state tuition? What is the percentage of students that receive financial aid and what is the opportunity to renew financial aid after the first year?
How to find out this information? Talk to people – family, friends, teachers, and guidance counselors. Attend college fairs at your school, local schools, or national NACAC fairs.
Use the Internet to research colleges and have them send you information. Finally, schedule campus tours, visit campuses, and engage admission staff.
Aaron Smith
University Advisors
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
March Madness Is Over
UNC earned the men’s basketball championship vs. Michigan State University last night. Congratulations to the team!
When I was a child, I always wanted to attend a Division I school that had a winning men’s basketball or football team. I admired the passionate crowds, the fan celebrations after winning important games, and generally wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself. I wanted my alma mater to be a winner!
Well, I never attended a Division I school for college and I’m glad I didn’t. It wasn’t the right fit for me academically, athletically, or socially. As a teen-ager making my final college decision in the spring of my high school senior year, I was advised by family to consider a small school with a personalized education. It didn’t have a huge student body or a big brand name, but it did have classes taught by faculty, administrators that knew my name, and classmates that were probably more passionate than the ones I viewed on television as a child. Plus, I was able to graduate in four years, enroll in a top ten graduate program, and successfully begin my career in higher education administration.
Who needs a national championship when you have all that?
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
When I was a child, I always wanted to attend a Division I school that had a winning men’s basketball or football team. I admired the passionate crowds, the fan celebrations after winning important games, and generally wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself. I wanted my alma mater to be a winner!
Well, I never attended a Division I school for college and I’m glad I didn’t. It wasn’t the right fit for me academically, athletically, or socially. As a teen-ager making my final college decision in the spring of my high school senior year, I was advised by family to consider a small school with a personalized education. It didn’t have a huge student body or a big brand name, but it did have classes taught by faculty, administrators that knew my name, and classmates that were probably more passionate than the ones I viewed on television as a child. Plus, I was able to graduate in four years, enroll in a top ten graduate program, and successfully begin my career in higher education administration.
Who needs a national championship when you have all that?
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
Monday, March 30, 2009
Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
So, you’ve been accepted to several schools and you have a decision to make before May 1. What are you going to do?
1. Create a spreadsheet and write down all the pros and cons of the schools.
2. If cost is a factor, estimate how much it will cost over four years and if you have the money and/or are prepared to incur debt. No matter what, college is an investment in your future!
3. Visit the campuses. Many schools have admitted student receptions or open houses. Some may even have an overnight program to better acquaint you to the academic and campus culture.
4. Talk with current students, alumni, and faculty. Find out what’s going on with their campus by picking-up the student newspaper or reading it online.
5. Be patient and wait till you are ready to make a decision. This is an important decision, and needs to be carefully considered. Talk with people that know you the best – family, friends, and mentors.
Happy thinking!
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
1. Create a spreadsheet and write down all the pros and cons of the schools.
2. If cost is a factor, estimate how much it will cost over four years and if you have the money and/or are prepared to incur debt. No matter what, college is an investment in your future!
3. Visit the campuses. Many schools have admitted student receptions or open houses. Some may even have an overnight program to better acquaint you to the academic and campus culture.
4. Talk with current students, alumni, and faculty. Find out what’s going on with their campus by picking-up the student newspaper or reading it online.
5. Be patient and wait till you are ready to make a decision. This is an important decision, and needs to be carefully considered. Talk with people that know you the best – family, friends, and mentors.
Happy thinking!
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
Monday, March 23, 2009
New Loan Policy from Sallie Mae
Last week, Sallie Mae announced that it’s changing its lending rules for its signature loan for the 2009-10 academic year. Here are the pros and cons:
I always like starting out with the cons and ending with the pros so the last thing the reader remembers is positive J
Cons
-Interest payments on the loan start while you’re in school.
-It just got harder for families to get a private loan and in the tough credit market, that’s not good news.
Pros
-Value of loan payment will be cut up to 40% over its life!
-Loan payments will be 5 to 15 years instead of 15 to 30.
Why did Sallie Mae make this change? It’s a cash flow issue – they get the money back faster and don’t have to wait till the student graduates.
A higher education is an investment and loans will continue to be a part of the process.
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
I always like starting out with the cons and ending with the pros so the last thing the reader remembers is positive J
Cons
-Interest payments on the loan start while you’re in school.
-It just got harder for families to get a private loan and in the tough credit market, that’s not good news.
Pros
-Value of loan payment will be cut up to 40% over its life!
-Loan payments will be 5 to 15 years instead of 15 to 30.
Why did Sallie Mae make this change? It’s a cash flow issue – they get the money back faster and don’t have to wait till the student graduates.
A higher education is an investment and loans will continue to be a part of the process.
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
Monday, March 16, 2009
Spring NACAC College Fairs
It’s mid-March and for juniors in metropolitan areas around the U.S., there’s a pretty good chance they’ll be a NACAC college fair in your region. NACAC fairs give students the opportunity to visit various college booths and learn more about higher education opportunities available. College representatives are friendly, informative, and can be an advocate for you in the admission process. You’ll notice some familiar college names, but many of the institutions represented will be out of your region, out of your state, and in some cases, international!
I’ve heard many students ask why going to college fairs is important since all the information is available online. Well, the information is online, but learning about other college possibilities, engaging people, and taking an active first step in the college search is productive. Parents should allow their son(s)/daughter(s) to drive the process when you arrive at the fair (after all, it’s the student that will be enrolling in college, not the parent!). Come prepared with some questions that may not be found online and with an adhesive address labels so you don’t have to fill out college inquiry cards repeatedly. Admission Officers will be impressed with good questions. You may even want to take their card for follow-up purposes down the road.
It’s also important to take notes about the specific schools so you remember what you heard and/or learned. The college search can sometimes be a maze and with thousands of schools out there, you want to have the information documented in a systematic way that works for you.
Good luck beginning your college search! You will not be disappointed by the NACAC Fair in your area.
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
I’ve heard many students ask why going to college fairs is important since all the information is available online. Well, the information is online, but learning about other college possibilities, engaging people, and taking an active first step in the college search is productive. Parents should allow their son(s)/daughter(s) to drive the process when you arrive at the fair (after all, it’s the student that will be enrolling in college, not the parent!). Come prepared with some questions that may not be found online and with an adhesive address labels so you don’t have to fill out college inquiry cards repeatedly. Admission Officers will be impressed with good questions. You may even want to take their card for follow-up purposes down the road.
It’s also important to take notes about the specific schools so you remember what you heard and/or learned. The college search can sometimes be a maze and with thousands of schools out there, you want to have the information documented in a systematic way that works for you.
Good luck beginning your college search! You will not be disappointed by the NACAC Fair in your area.
Liam Dunfey
University Advisors
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