The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) surveys college admissions counselors to determine the weight of various criteria in college application decisions. NACAC’s 2017 State of College Admission Report is its most recent, and is based on data from 603 institutions representing a wide variety of colleges.
Table 7 shows us that 77% of colleges surveyed identified grades ...
There are many ways to write a college admissions essay, and students’ approaches range from the meticulous (pre-writing, outlining, and then writing) to the more free form. While we have offered advice on how to write the admissions essay, giving you advice on what to do is only part of the story. Here are some things that you should avoid when writing your college admissions essay (or any essay ...
The process of applying to college has more complex layers than it did when the parents of today applied to college. It can be difficult for parents to know how to help, where to step in and when to back off. Here are some guidelines:
Parent Do's:
• Support Independent Thinking. This is the first major decision a student will make and they may not know how to research and evaluate a college for ...
Children who have ever been diagnosed with a learning disability or a medical issue that affects their learning, or who currently receive accommodations such as extended time or use of a computer at school, should start thinking early in high school about applying for accommodations for the SAT or ACT. Starting early means 9th or 10th grade.
Case Study: Realizing The Need Late In High School
Consider ...
This fall, Joan Casey coordinated a group of consultants to assist high school students affiliated with Immigrant Family Services in Roslindale with college planning.
Rebecca Kenney spoke with a group of juniors at the Dorchester Boys and Girls Club about how to make the most of junior year including standardized test planning and preparation, college affordability, how to approach college ...
Why is asking for help so hard? The expectations of college are much different from high school. Students are in class less often and are expected to study independently. There are no parents around reminding them to do their work or get a head start on the paper.
This is a particular challenge for students who have relied on tutors, a learning center or other academic resources during high school. ...
In the past two weeks, eager college freshmen and their parents packed boxes for shipping or loading into the trunk of the car. There was most likely a trip to Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond for dorm essentials, or possibly to REI for pre-orientation wilderness trip gear. Inevitably, moms or dads shed some tears while saying goodbye to their college matriculant—or on the long drive home where they ...
The Common Application, accepted by nearly 800 colleges, launched on August 1st. While the application is pretty straightforward, here are some things to look for as you register and complete it.
1. Keep Track of Your Registration Information. Record your password along with the email address you used at registration time so you can easily access it. You may think you will remember it, but we ...
As a college freshman, you probably just finished a whirlwind of orientation activities, settled into your room, and perhaps attended a few classes, or drifted to a party with the other students on your hall. You have probably met lots of nice people—but it may not feel the same as it does with your high school friends— maybe it’s not even close. Here are a few points to keep in mind:
Give ...
One of the seemingly ubiquitous questions found on college applications is the "Why us?" question. This question can take many different forms, such as "What most influenced you to apply to Vassar College?" or "Please compose an essay that will tell us how you will help the university carry out its mission." At first glance, the answer to this seems as straightforward as Googling the college name ...
