Collegewise

College Rankings

US News and World Report published its annual "Best Colleges" issue last week.  Once again it has stoked the college admissions fire that is ready to seriously heat up as rising seniors return to the classroom and submit their college applications.

 

SUNY Fredonia

Hail, Fredonia!! For anyone who loves the Marx Brothers, Fredonia (they spelled it Freedonia), is a mythical country in their outrageous comedy "Duck Soup."  Well, I want to hail, Fredonia, the college.

Five Tips for Parents of New College Freshmen

If you're a parent preparing to send your son or daughter off to be a freshman in college, congratulations.  This is one of those things you’ve likely dreamed about doing since you first became a parent, and now it’s about to happen. 

Every year about this time, we send our Collegewise parents a list of 5 things they can do to help their kids make the transition to college.  This year, we thought we'd use our blog to share the list with any parent who might benefit.  We hope you're excited to watch your kids go from happy and successful high school graduates to happy and successful adults. 

Designing a New Life at College

Listen up seniors! What will you be doing this time next year? Instead of double-days on the football field, or working hard for the money at your summer job, you might be watching Oprah (yes, boys... I said Oprah) in the hopes of picking up some nifty dorm design ideas.

From websites like http://www.dormdelicious.com/, to national talkshows like Oprah and HGTV's Room to Room, there is advice to be heard everywhere about how to create the perfect dorm away from home.

College Spotlight - Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY

At the end of July I attended the NY State Association of College Admissions Counselors (NYSACAC) annual Summer Institute.  It was held at Skidmore College which is located in beautiful Saratoga Springs, NY which is best known for its historic homes and beautiful race track. 

I am not a tuba player. And I'm OK with that.

When we go to college admissions conferences, we'll always attend any session in which Bruce Poch, Dean of Admissions from Pomona College, is participating.  He's outspoken, honest, and refreshingly forthright.  With so much mystery surrounding the admissions process, it's nice to hear from a decision maker who's comfortable discussing what admissions officers look for--and what drives them crazy--when reading applications. 

His article in Newsweek this week makes the process seem so complex, and with good reason--it is.  A lot of parents and students make themselves crazy trying to decipher exactly what combination of grades and test scores and activities will guarantee admission.  But that magic combination doesn't exist.  Poch reminds students that while there are no guarantees, you're always better off just being yourself.

Towson University

Towson, Maryland

Ahhhh, the fall—it’s the best time of year, in my opinion. It’s when major league baseball intersects with  Sunday and Monday NFL games, and the leaves begin to change colors. Okay, maybe not in California. But if you’re anything like me, you’ll be watching the Baltimore Orioles, Ravens, and the leaves changing colors from the comfort of your own couch. Students at Towson University, on the other hand, will have the chance to see both teams playing live with the leaves changing colors all around them. Lucky.

Towson University was founded way back in 1866 in Towson, Maryland. Downtown Baltimore is just eight miles down the road, so the cosmopolitan lifestyle is never far from students’ reach. While Towson’s roots may be old, the university’s 328-acre campus is not. Traditional and modern buildings are nestled amongst woods, streams and open space. And of course, the campus’ many trees actually do have leaves that fade from a crisp green to a cozy deep red. Who wouldn’t want to study with that backdrop? 

Seasons' Meetings

I was a typical admissions officer. During the fall travel season, I spent a lot of time in rental cars that were filled with glossy brochures and empty coffee cups, logging thousands of frequent flyer miles across the county. I was searching for students who would make a positive impact on my campus—kids I would have wanted as neighbors in my dorms and classes. I spent hours in high school counseling centers, auditoriums and classrooms trying to help students figure out if my university would be a good fit for them. (I even sat at a table next to an Arby’s cart at an Arizona high school once!)

It was all worth it, as some of those kids I met during my “road warrior” days ended up being those whose applications I looked forward to reading most when I returned to the office in November.

Dollars and Sense...

We're not financial aid advisors, but we know this: college costs money. For many students, college is the first place we pay (gasp!) for our own textbooks. And while there's no magic formula to finding large piles of gold to pay for college tuition, there are certainly things you can be doing to stay ahead in the financial aid game throughout the college search process (and even after you're already in!).

1. Look around every corner for scholarship opportunities.
Are you taller or shorter than average? A slam poet? Jane Austen fanatic? Love riding your Arabian horse? Committed to activism and social justice? Interested in candy technology? Champion bowler? There are scholarships out there for you! Many websites like FastWeb, FinAid, Princeton Review and College Board will allow students to build profiles and search for scholarships, grants or loans they may qualify for. You can also check out scholarship opportunities on individual college's websites--Juniata College in Pennsylvania offers scholarships to left-handed students, and George Washington University in Washington, DC offers scholarships for twins.

To Play or Not to Play Senior Year... That is the Question

Senior year can be a real exercise in time management- there are college applications to think about, SAT and ACT tests in the fall, it's your final year of high school, and you still need to keep your grades up.

At Collegewise, we often get asked if sports and activities should fall by the wayside during senior year to make room for all of these other obligations. Well, according to this article by the New York Times, females are 41% more likely to graduate from college if they're involved in high school sports. And I'd venture to guess it's a similar stat for the guys.