Fee waivers for college apps?

Are fee waivers offered for college applications as well?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

Most colleges charge an application fee. Some ask as much as $75, but the average college application fee is around $25. The fee is usually nonrefundable, even if you're not offered admission. Students who have received SAT fee waivers in the past are eligible to receive up to four Request for Waiver of College Application Fee forms, as long as you are planning to enter college the following fall. These forms notify participating colleges that you have been eligible for the SAT Program Fee-Waiver Service, and serve as requests for application fee waivers.

If you are not able to use the Request for Waiver of College Application Fee form, you also have the option of writing a letter to the admissions office. Draft a professional letter explaining that paying the application fee is a financial hardship, and attach documentation like recent tax statements or pay stubs. Many times, colleges will waive your application fee.

Fee Waivers for standardized tests?

Are fee waivers offered for the SAT and other standardized tests for those who need financial assistance?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

The College Board does offer fee waivers to those who face financial hardships. See www.collegeboard.com for details on how to apply for a fee waiver. The SAT I Reasoning Test costs $41.50, and SAT II Subject Tests require an $18 registration fee plus $8 for each test taken on a give day (up to three tests).

The SAT fee waivers cover the basic test fees for SAT or SAT II. They may also qualify you for college application fee waivers at many colleges. To apply for fee waivers, see your guidance counselor.

If you are home-schooled, make an appointment to see the administrator or counselor in charge of fee waivers at your local high school. Provide proof of eligibility, and he or she will give you with a fee waiver card for the appropriate test, as well as up to four Request for Waiver of College Application Fee forms.

You are eligible for fee waivers if:

• you are an American citizen or a foreign national testing in the United States, Puerto Rico, or United States territories; or
• you are an American citizen living outside the United States; and
• you meet the financial eligibility guidelines for fee waivers.

Free SAT prep?

What are some online resources that offer free SAT prep?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

Many of the SAT prep courses available cost a lot of money. This can make it difficult for low-income students to be as prepared as their peers for the SAT and other standardized tests. However, free resources do exist:

Number2.com
Test Prep Review
College PowerPrep
FreeSAT1Prep.com
Yahoo! Education

We highly recommend studying for the SAT, as studying helps students significantly improve their test scores. At Quest, we have found that our students have been able to increase their SAT scores by 50 – 200 points by studying diligently.

What's in the new SAT?

What changes should I expect from the new SAT?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

In that past few months, there has been quite a bit of commotion about the new SAT I. But is really HARDER than the old SAT? The most noticeable change to the SAT I is the new writing section. It includes questions on improving sentences, identifying sentence errors, improving paragraphs, and the essay. Students are given a passage of writing and get 25 minutes to write an essay through which they develop an issue and support it with reasoning and examples.

Other major changes include the elimination of analogies in the verbal section and the elimination of quantitative comparisons in the math section. The new SAT I features a critical reading section that includes questions on sentence completions and passage-based readings. The math section now has standard multiple choice questions and student produced responses, both of which not only focus on Algebra I, but also Algebra II.
With these changes, the new SAT I is now 45 minutes longer than the old one, and the score is now out of 2400 rather than 1600 (800 points for each section - math, critical reading and writing). The new writing section seems to essentially be the Writing SAT II exam. This change, coupled with the elimination of analogies and quantitative comparisons and new focus on critical reading and Algebra II, does not render the new SAT I harder; it just makes it different from the old test.

In general, we suggest practicing with longer tests to get used to the timing. Some good online resources are the Princeton Review and the College Board.

Does community service help?

I’m involved in community and school service. How can this help me in the college admissions process?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

Contributing to your community can certainly enhance your application, as colleges and scholarships often look favorably on service-minded students. It can also provide you with new skills, friendships, and perspectives, and become a highly rewarding outlet for your energy. Just like choosing any extracurricular, if you decide to pursue community service, you should choose the type of service that you enjoy most. Whether you spend your time tutoring, working with the elderly, doing environmental advocacy, or pursuing any number of other activities, the important thing is to demonstrate your sincere and consistent commitment to the project.

Another way that community involvement can benefit you is by providing an avenue to get to know your city council members and other community leaders. These individuals can be excellent sources of advice, and can also provide recommendation letters and even scholarship opportunities. Local community service clubs like the Lions or Kiwanis often have scholarship funds available for community-minded students. Some also hold speech or essay contests – you can find out about these from your school counselor, the websites of local clubs, or even by attending one of their meetings.

Be sure to stay organized and document your hours and activities as you perform community service. Ask a supervisor or community partner to sign off on your hours for community service. This helps during application time when you need to remember dates and hours (or if your high school has a community service requirement for graduation).

What should I do in my summers?

Spending one’s summer in a productive manner is looked favorably upon by colleges. What sorts of activities should I be involved in during my summers?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

While summer is a time to enjoy yourself and relax, it is also a great opportunity to explore areas of interest, gain experience, and stay on top of any college deadlines you might have.

One excellent option is to take a class or two at a local community college. Taking college classes gives you exposure to subject areas that your high school curriculum may not include, or to more advanced studies than your high school offers. You can also take classes that will help you during your college career. If you are interested in engineering, for example, you can take introductory engineering classes and gain new skills, sample what college is like for an engineering major, and even get a head start on your college requirements. High school students can take care of college prerequisites by taking community college classes or AP’s, so once you get to college, you have more time to take other interesting courses.

Another valuable summer activity is preparing for tests like the SAT or ACT. Test prep classes are a great way to study, but if they do not work with your schedule or are not offered in your area, go to your local library or bookstore and take home a few test prep books. If you are self-motivated and can study effectively on your own, using books, online programs, or CD-ROMs available from Kaplan, Princeton Review, and various other test prep companies can save you and your family the high cost of attending a prep course. Read through the books, take notes, and do as many practice problems as you can. You should take a number of timed, full-length exams in a quiet setting – try to simulate the testing room as best you can. One of the most important things in preparing for these tests is to familiarize yourself with the format. The more practice tests you take, the more comfortable you will become taking the exam.

Volunteering your time to serve your community is another great summer activity. In addition to enhancing your college application, community service can be extremely rewarding for you and those you help. Talk to your school counselor or contact local community service organizations such as the Rotary or Lions Club to learn about opportunities in your area. Demonstrating a commitment to public service can help you shine in the eyes of college admissions officers while also helping you gain valuable skills and allowing you to touch the lives of others.

One final suggestion is to use part of your summer to explore your career interests and learn from professionals in your local community. Finding a mentor that works in a field that interests you can help you learn what kind of training, work environment, and lifestyle are involved in a career in that field. People love working with motivated students and will often go out of their way to help you. Asking people questions about their work, and even working side by side with them in an internship or job shadowing program will help you develop your own career goals. As an added bonus, if you work closely with a mentor, he or she may be willing to write a recommendation letter for you when it comes time to apply to college.

Where do I start my college search?

Where do I start my college search?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

Consider the characteristics that you want in the college you attend. These might include the area of the country or proximity to your family, the climate, a rural versus urban setting, the size of the school, a liberal arts college versus a research university, and the availability of financial aid. Prestige is an important concern for many students, but be sure to consider elements other than name recognition. You should strive to choose a setting where you will be happy and able to thrive for four or more years.

Some effective ways to find out about specific schools are visiting college websites and taking their virtual tours, joining their mailing lists, even requesting a few applications to see what types of questions have been asked of past applicants. Find out about the composition of the student body, including the number of students and the diversity of the school. You might also be able to find out the breakdown by major, area of the country students come from, participation in sports, the arts, or religious life, and the presence of different activities on campus. These characteristics, more than average SAT scores or GPA, provide you with a picture of the atmosphere on campus.

There are many books that provide you with this type of information as well a real look at campus life – an objective alternative to the colleges’ pamphlets and websites.

Questions when looking for colleges

What are some preliminary questions I should be asking myself in the college search?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

Location – You might want to be close to home or in a new setting, in a rural area or a bustling city, with easy access to cultural centers or outdoors adventures.

Weather – Warm weather can be very attractive to some, and others may want to enjoy fall foliage and winter snows.

Size – Big universities offer a plethora of resources and opportunities if you seek them out proactively, while smaller campuses can feel friendlier and provide more tailored advising.

Curriculum and Research Opportunities – Some students seek a small-class-size, liberal arts experience, while others want exposure to leading research centers at large universities.

Cost - Remember that there are many resources available to help you pay for college, so don’t let a high price tag dissuade you from applying to your dream school.

For information about virtually every U.S. college visit the Princeton Review website

The Princeton Review also provides a free service called the Counselor-o-matic that takes your preferences and spits out a bunch of colleges that meet your criteria.

How do I narrow my college search?

With so many schools to choose from, how can I narrow my search to a handful of colleges that fit my preferences and are also realistic choices for me?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

There are many web sites that use search techniques to match your characteristics with schools that might fit you.

Princetonreview.com is a great source of information about virtually every college in the United States. It also has a tool called Counselor-o-Matic, an advanced search engine that combines your academic and extracurricular history (screens 1-3) with your preferences (screens 4-8) to help you find the right college. It takes into consideration important preferences such as academics, majors and degrees, size, student body, cost and financial aid, location, and religious affiliation to give you a list of schools you might want to research further. Though you wouldn’t want to depend completely on this list to include or exclude any colleges you might consider, it will give you a good starting point for your search.

Another useful site is Collegedata.com, an online college counselor with a similar college matching service. It provides a college search engine that allows you to look up colleges by name or find colleges that match your preferences for location, cost, size, entrance statistics and difficulty. It also has a tool that calculates your admissions chances at each college. You enter your information, such as GPA, SAT scores, and extracurriculars, and the calculator tells you which colleges are good bets, maybes, or likely out of reach. CollegeData does this by comparing your information with data from recent admissions rounds. You can modify your qualifications to see what it might take to strengthen your chances. Like any other web site, it gives you an idea of how competitive various colleges are, but you should not assume any assessment it provides is the final answer. When you actually apply to colleges, the readers will also consider your essays, recommendation letters, and additional factors that the web search engines cannot consider.

Finding out about campus life

So I’ve selected several colleges that appeal to me. I’ve researched their profiles, browsed their websites and read their mailings. Before I decide to apply, however, I want to learn more about campus life at these colleges. What is the best way to do th

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

Take the summer to visit college campuses and take tours. If possible make an appointment to speak to an admissions officer or set up an interview. Many colleges say that interviews are optional but an interview will show interest enthusiasm and initiative on your part and provide you with the opportunity to have your questions answered.) However, be sure to set up interviews early, because available time slots are quickly filled. Also be sure to request applications for the upcoming year.


Resources:

http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-23-0-73,00.html – helpful tips before you begin to plan

http://www.collegeanswer.com/global/checklists/wscollegefair.pdf - A handy checklist to keep your questions and impressions organized

http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-23-0-27829,00.html – how to plan your trip

http://nacac.com/fairs.html - an alternative to visiting one college at a time

Capturing yourself in your essays

Words, no matter how many, cannot fully encapsulate my personality and motivations. How can I complete an application and draw an accurate picture of myself in the space that I am given?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

The application is your time to shine. Be selective about the information you give them, grades and test scores speak for themselves but, let’s say an application asks something like “describe your ideal summer” don’t answer with something like “Sleeping late playing video games and eating cheetos all day.” Instead consider talking about working your dream job or how you would like to travel and see different cultures or learning an instrument or skill. Be mindful and ask yourself throughout the process “What impression am I giving of myself?” Sometimes applications will ask seemingly innocuous questions like these but in reality, they are like mini-personal statements, another piece of the mosaic that will be the impression they get of you. When it comes to these types of questions you want to show them that you are the energetic and enthusiastic person that enjoys pursuing their interests beyond the academic realm.

Recommendations advice

I’m having trouble deciding which teachers I should ask for recommendations. What advice can you give?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

Teacher recommendations are important to admissions office because they represent how you are perceived by others. So pick people who you know like you. It is generally better to ask teachers who have known you personally for at least a school year because they have a stronger understanding and knowledge of who you, as a student and as an individual, are. If more than one recommendation is required, choose teachers from different subjects (i.e. science and humanities) because that highlights your ability to work well in different disciplines. When you ask a teacher or your counselor to write a recommendation for you, ask them if they might be able to include some personal anecdotes about your personal characteristics. This would include anything about your character or individual traits that would enhance the aspects you put forth in your application and essay. If you feel that the recommender may have trouble writing your recommendation, attach a letter to him/her detailing the diligence, the determination, the creativity and the interest that you exemplified in your high school years.

Making my essay stand out

How can I make my personal statement/college essay stand out?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

Arguably one of the most important parts of the application is the personal statement. And that is exactly what it is, personal. Because college admission is more and more competitive, personal statements have been a place that helps distinguish many of the applicants and this is done by not being be mundane or cute. Imagine how many essays colleges admissions offices have to read. Make yours stand out. Whatever your choices are for an essay topic, avoid the typical topics-- sports, pets, vacations, and so forth. These people want to know what goes on inside. For instance if the question is “describe a challenge that you had to overcome,” don’t say something like “Calculus BC was the greatest challenge I have ever faced.” Remember that questions like these are trying to figure out what type of person you are, so unless Calculus BC shaped who you are as a person it would be a good idea to dig deep down and come up with a significant statement that applies to you in a special way, and couldn’t be written by anyone else. And remember to revise your paper and have your teachers read it over to help you arrive at the best possible product. Get started early so you have to make the revisions needed and not submit a rushed paper.

Common App pluses and minuses

Should I use the Common Application? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

The common application is a route many students take to streamline and simplify the application process. There are 255 different schools participating in the common application and the way it works is that you take on application fill it out, make copies and send them to however many different schools you would like to apply to. There is also on online Common App that makes applying easier. The usage of the common application is free except for the application fees paid directly to the college but, these may be also avoided with a fee waiver and some schools will lower their application fee if you apply using the online application. Using the common app simplifies the college application process and eliminates duplication of effort.

http://www.commonapp.org/ - main page

http://app.commonapp.org/ - Common App online

One thing that may be frustrating in using the Common App is that most colleges require that you complete supplementary material (known as supplements). Depending on how many schools you choose to apply to, the amount of paperwork can be extremely overwhelming. The key is to keep organized files for each college and to draw up checklists to keep track of what you have or haven’t sent in.

Early Action vs. Early Decision

What is early action? How is it different from early decision?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

Early Action is similar to Early Decision in timing (November due date for applications) but nonbinding. If you are accepted, you do not have to enroll and you may take until May 1 to decide. Primarily an option offered by Ivy League schools, Early Action is fading in its popularity due to the move by colleges to seek an enrollment commitment from their applicants. Acceptance percentage is higher than that of regular-decision pool. If you can organize your paperwork by November it doesn’t hurt you to apply Early Action if you have a school that is number one on your list but you are not completely sure you want to attend. Remember: You can only apply to one program at one school. So, if you apply to Early Decision or Early Action to one school you cannot apply either Early Action or Early Decision at any other school, and many schools will share their early admissions lists to prevent this from happening.

Cost of elite private universities

Are private schools like Stanford and Harvard are out of the question in terms of cost.

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

Many students and their families believe they cannot afford to attend an elite, private university. They are mistaken. Students from low-income families qualify for excellent financial aid at many of the nation’s top-ranked colleges and universities. Thus, low-income students can certainly afford to attend top universities without placing a financial burden upon their families.

Private colleges with large endowments almost universally offer generous financial assistance, primarily in the form of grants, which students do not need to pay back. Scholarship aid at top universities can amount to more than $150,000 for a single student over four years. In fact, data from the U.S. Department of Education show that the median family income of students at private schools is actually lower than those at flagship public universities. In many cases, the private schools can offer better financial aid than public schools because they have greater resources.

The availability of generous financial aid makes elite, private colleges even cheaper than community colleges for many low-income students. This is because at community colleges, students or their families must pay for room, board, and living expenses, while university financial aid packages take these expenses into account.

As an example, let’s consider Stanford University. The annual cost of attending Stanford, including tuition and living expenses, amounts to around $43,000. However, nearly 75% of students receive some amount of need-based financial aid. Middle-income as well as lower-income students receive aid; the amount varies based on how much the family can afford to contribute. The average need-based financial aid package offered in 2005 was $25,564, and many low-income students receive a package that covers the full $43,000, including tuition, room, board, books, and even travel expenses. Grants made up the majority of this aid. Often, low-income families are not expected to contribute at all.

The bottom line is that you should not let cost deter you from applying to your dream college. Bright, hard-working students from low-income families should most certainly apply to the nation’s most selective colleges and universities. You will likely find generous financial aid available to help you pay.

Is community college best?

I have heard from others that low-income students should go to a community college. Is this my best option?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

Community colleges, sometimes referred to as junior colleges, are characterized by a two-year curriculum that leads to either an associate degree or transfer to a four-year college. In theory, the transfer program is equivalent to the first two years of a four-year college. The degree program generally prepares students for direct entrance into an occupation. Because community college tuition is low for local residents, guidance counselors sometimes advise low-income students to consider this option. Many students also find the local setting and relatively easy entrance requirements appealing.

However, for most low-income students, it is probably to your advantage to apply directly to a four-year college or university. First, as we cover in more detail in our financial aid sections, private universities often provide excellent financial aid to low-income students. Because aid packages cover living expenses as well as tuition, going straight to a four-year college with strong financial aid can be even cheaper than starting at a community college.

Second, statistics show that students who start out at a four-year college are more likely to complete a bachelors degree than those who start at community colleges. The Department of Education, in their publication "Answers in the Tool Box: Academic Intensity, Attendance Patterns, and Bachelor's Degree Attainment," reports that only 26% of students who began their undergraduate careers in community colleges successfully transferred to four-year institutions. Transitioning to college can be difficult, especially for low-income students, who come from a different environment than many of their peers. Advising and residential support programs, available more often at four-year colleges, can help students adjust to their new surroundings. Or, if your circumstances at home are challenging, consider what it might be like to live at home while attending college. Students at four-year colleges have the advantage of living with other students in an academically-focused environment.

Finally, for bright, academically engaged students, four-year colleges and universities offer more advanced courses, and access to nationally renowned faculty. You will have more opportunity to pursue and develop intellectual interests in such an environment. You may be able to complete your general education courses and start introductory classes for your major at a community college, but you will not be able to go beyond that.

On the other hand, there are more than 1,300 two-year colleges that offer transfer or university parallel programs. Their average annual tuition is around $1,700. Thus, if your grades are not excellent and you feel you could succeed in a community college setting, you might consider attending a community college and applying to a university as a transfer student. Though admissions rates for transfer students are lower than for freshman, many students successfully transfer to four-year colleges each year.

Good colleges for international students

What are some good colleges for low-income, international students?

Answer - posted 2006-02-27

The following selective schools offer need-blind admission to all international students unless otherwise mentioned. This list was updated as of August 2005. Though it is not comprehensive, it may be useful as a starting point.

Yale University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Princeton University
Columbia University
Harvard University
Syracuse University
University of Pennsylvania
New York University
Williams College
Hamilton College
Bowdoin College (Canadian students only)

Will freshmen year’s grades matter?

I had some trouble adjusting in my freshmen year, and as a result, my grades suffered heavily. Will freshmen year’s grades be a large factor in the college admissions process?

Answer - posted 2006-02-24

Many students are under the mistaken impression that colleges do not consider applicants’ freshman year grades. In fact, every year counts. Admissions officers will see grades from all years of high school, and weigh them in their decision about whether to offer you a place in their incoming class. Grades give them an indication of your work ethic and your ability to succeed in an academic environment, so the ideal transcript is one that demonstrates academic excellence in rigorous classes from freshmen to senior year.

However, if you had a particularly difficult time adjusting to freshman year, admissions officers may look favorably on a record that shows marked improvement. Getting high grades throughout sophomore and junior year can only help your chances.

One additional caveat can apply if you faced highly adverse personal circumstances during one term, and your grades during that term suffered as a result. If this applies to you, you should explain these circumstances in your college application. Rather than an excuse for earning lower-than-perfect grades, this is an approach that lets you share a difficult, personal explanation for why your performance was not up to your usual standards. Examples of reasons students may give include a death in their immediate family or a serious illness.

What is a “rigorous” course load?

What exactly is a “rigorous” course load?

Answer - posted 2006-02-24

A rigorous course load does not necessarily mean taking every AP and Honors course that your school offers. If you feel you can thrive with a course load that is all AP and Honors (or IB if that is what your school offers), then perhaps this is the best path for you. However, many excellent students take just two or three AP classes at a time. It is definitely a good idea to take AP (or Honors or IB) classes, since among other things, their extra weighting can bring up your GPA, and they can count for college credit if you do well on the AP exams.

The idea that underlies colleges’ emphasis on AP and advanced classes is that talented, motivated students who will succeed in college often seek academic challenges, and take the most rigorous courses available to them in high school. If you feel your high school does not offer sufficiently rigorous material, you may consider taking some classes at a local community college.

Do AP's benefit my chance for admission?

Do colleges look favorably upon Advanced Placement classes and if so, would taking them increase my chances of getting into a good college?

Answer - posted 2006-02-24

Honors, AP, and IB Classes: Colleges expect high-caliber students to be taking advanced classes by their junior year of high school. If your school offers advanced classes in the 9th and 10th grades as well, taking these can certainly make you a stronger applicant.

Taking advanced classes shows that you are motivated and interested in challenging yourself. It also demonstrates your potential to perform well in college classes. If you can earn A’s and score well on an AP test, say in physics, this indicates to admissions officers that you can perform equally well in college physics. Even if you have straight A’s in a series of non-advanced classes, this may not give college admissions officers a reliable metric of your ability to succeed in college.