Finding out about your college personality can help you select schools with the right academic and social fit. Take the quiz.
Wherever you find yourself in the college planning process, College Direction can help. Contact Susie Watts, a college planner and test prep tutor in Denver, Colorado. Call 303-692-1918 or email susie@collegedirection.org to get some college assistance or test prep for the PSAT, SAT, or ACT
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College Planning, Choosing a College, College Applications, College Essays, Test Prep, College Assistance
College Direction
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Denver, Colorado 80222
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College Assistance | SAT and ACT Test Prep in Denver | Paying for College | High School Athletes and College Planning|
Welcome to College Direction.
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There is helpful information for every student and family.
College Direction: Your Source for College Planning and Test Prep
What Can College Direction Do For You?
1. Find schools where your student will have a successful experience
2. Help students with college applications and essays that stand out
3. Provide increased admission, scholarship, and financial aid opportunities
4. Reduce family stress throughout the college admission process
5. Keep students organized, focused and motivated
College Planning - How to Select the Right College
Selecting the right university is one of the most important steps in the college planning process. Families that choose the wrong college may pay additional years of tuition because their student transfers or changes major. The process of selecting a college should be like buying a new car. There are specific amenities the car should have like a navigational system, heated seats, great gas mileage, enough room for the entire family, etc. Most families pick universities based on popularity, sports team or if their child's friend will attend. These are the wrong reasons for selecting a college.
When you begin your college planning, consider this list of "amenities" families may not have considered.
Talent Program - Does this college have a talent program that meets the student's needs (theater, newspaper, debate team)?
Special Programs - Does this college have special programs or facilities that the student needs or must have (learning disabilities, special medical facilities, etc.)?
Job Placement - Does this college have a Placement Office that places a high number of students in jobs prior to graduation?
Religion - Does this school have a religious program that fits your needs?
Attrition - Does this school have a high number of freshmen that graduate within five years?
Tutoring - Does the school have a system to help struggling students?
Campus Setting - Is this college located in a desirable area or neighborhood?
Safety - does this college's campus have adequate security and a good safety reputation?
Alcohol/Drug Policy - Is there a written policy with clear expectations?
Student Body Reputation - Does this college's student body reputation fit the student's personality?
Diversity - Does the student mix at this college fit the student's personality, or desire for cultural growth?
Housing - Is this school's housing (and housing policy) satisfactory? Is internet available in rooms and common areas?
Food - Is the on-campus food at this college satisfactory to your needs- price, taste, availability?
Cost-Is the college affordable and meet family budget?
Accreditation - Does the university or college have the proper certification? Can I transfer community college credits to this university, if needed?
As you can see there are many "amenities" to consider when selecting a college. If you spend time and create a checklist on what is important to your family in terms of what your dream college should offer, you can minimize the chances of your student dropping out, transferring or changing majors, thus saving you thousands of dollars. Families that invest time into selecting the right university also seek the help of a private college counselor. Families know that college planning can be overwhelming and they want the expertise and individual attention that a private college counselor can provide.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6449625
keywords: college planning, selecting a college, college planning process, private college counselor
When you are looking for a Bachelor's degree program that is right for you, you are likely examining and comparing many features of the various colleges that you're considering. Most of what you will be looking for in a Bachelor's program are fairly obvious characteristics: reputation for academic excellence, faculty you respect, a good location, an attractive campus, and the availability of financial aid. One figure you should be keeping in the back of your mind, however, is retention rate. Why? Because retention rate says a lot about what a college does to keep students happy and coming back.
Students decide to transfer to another school or leave college altogether for a variety of reasons. In many cases, a student's decision to leave is a matter of not feeling at home or fitting in at the school. Sometimes, money problems or poor grades cause a student not to return to college after freshman year. Some dropouts are to be expected at any college, but if the retention rates are unusually low, you will have to question the reason.
You should not have much difficulty finding out the retention rate of a college that you are considering. If this information is not available online, call the admissions office. Learning the retention rate of the college is only one piece of information out of many facts that you should consider when choosing a school, but if the rate is unusually low, this could be a red flag.
You have the right to ask the admissions office at a prospective college why the retention rate at that school is so low. The admissions office may be able to provide some perspective and give you some reasons why students have dropped out in the past. In many cases, if a college has a high acceptance rate and is not very selective about the students accepted to the school, a low retention rate reflects badly prepared students who realize they cannot handle the rigors of college.
Most colleges as part of an improvement plan will work on increasing their retention rates. After all, some students leave one college for another for reasons that may appear fairly trivial on the surface. Students may leave because the college does not offer activities on the weekends or because they find the surrounding area to be boring, etc. Ask the admissions office if there is a plan in place to increase retention.
Finally, students will sometimes leave a school if the tuition has increased dramatically or if some of their financial aid was revoked. An alarming trend among colleges today is a bait-and-switch tactic, where freshmen are giving large merit-based tuition reductions that are later decreased due to budget cuts. A school that uses this tactic may have lower retention rates for a reason.
Keep in mind that a school's retention rate is just one piece of information among many that you will be considering in your search for a Bachelor's degree program that is right for you. Often, they are only significant if they are extremely high or low, so be wary of college rankings that list schools according to this criteria.
Picking the Bachelor's degree program that will help you reach your goals is an involved undertaking. Looking at a prospective program's retention rate is just one step to making the best choice. If you are thinking about going to school online, do a thorough research of online Bachelors degrees. The most important thing here is making sure that you are earning an accredited degree.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erin_Malone
The process of admission to college can be very complex and can become annoying if you are unfamiliar with the process. Successful college applications require much more than just good grades from high school and the SAT examination. Some other very important things in the process of admission are extracurricular activities, personal essays, as well as work experience in certain situations. In addition to this, if you are an international student, you will also need to show proof of your level of English by taking an exam such as TOEFL.
Recommendations from two teachers, face to face or telephone interviews and leadership roles in high school are other important aspects that should make you stand out from the other applicants. Most universities will not make their final decision based on your academic performance from high school alone. Instead, you will also need to show that you have a well rounded personality. Most institutions are seeking students who are also capable of contributing to the university as a whole.
Your application is reviewed by the college staff, who will try to establish your personality and decide whether you are a good addition to the students they already have. Each university will have some application forms that you will find on their website. These can be downloaded in the standard.pdf format and then printed and sent to the college. (Many colleges will now allow you submit applications electronically.)
In terms of extracurricular activities, you will also need to have some solid experience. The range of activities you are involved in during high school is very important, so if you still have time make sure that you get involved in substantive outside activities. Any serious interest you have should be mentioned in this application category in order to have a complete college application. Do not mention what you think the schools will want to hear but rather what you are really passionate about. This can be related to your involvement with the high school football team, rock band, dance, photography club, tennis, gymnastics team, etc. The admission committee wants to see an open minded candidate.
Essays are another important part of the successful college application. You have to write at least one essay about something personal that is important for you. In order to give a professional outlook to your essay, use Times New Roman 12 as a preferred font. Remember that the person reading your essay has to read thousands every single year, and it's important for yours to be well constructed and compelling. An unprofessionally written essay is very likely to affect your chances of admission. The essay must be written about something unique, in order to stand out from thousands of other applicants. Finally, you should also know that the essay should reflect your own personality and is one of the main criteria used by the admission team of each college.
Successful college applications must be as detailed as possible and include references by at least two teachers that know you best. It is generally better to choose teachers involved in the subjects in which you excel, because they will be able to provide the most helpful information about your performance. Try to select the ones that know you well and with whom you get along.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_M_R
Some great information for families who are just starting the college planning process.
Even if you have not done a lot of college planning, here are ten ways to help you pay.
Should we believe everything we hear about college admissions? Here are a few of the lies that we have been told.
Students should look at 4-year graduation rates before choosing a college
How Parents Can Help Allieviate The Stress of Getting Into College
Getting into college is a stressful experience for most high school students. However, there are steps that parents can take to help alleviate the stress and make the experience more positive. To begin with, parents should make the process about "you" not "we" when discussing college choices, allowing the student to have a sense of empowerment or independence over the college selection and application process.
Parents should NEVER fill out applications, call schools or schedule appointments for their children with guidance counselors or admissions officers. High School students are quite capable of doing the work necessary for "getting in" to college. Parents should be open to the schools that their children are leaning toward and not fall into the "one school only" trap as the ultimate prize and reward. Always remember that the emphasis is on enjoying the learning experience, not winning. There are over 3,500 colleges in the US and only 200 of them accept fewer than _ of their applicants.
It is less important to push your child towards a prestigious school than it is to focus on the school that provides the proper match for successful learning and a meaningful college experience. Encourage your child to research schools early and make several visits to college campuses. Plan to accompany your child on these visits, but allow your child the freedom to explore and ask questions independently. Be supportive and encourage your child to do mock interviews with other adults to prepare for the college visits.
If possible, begin the college planning process in the 9th grade, so that your child can proceed in "baby steps" instead of at a fast-paced schedule. Parents need to remind their children that there are many colleges and many options and that it is "okay" if students don't get into their first choice selections.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katherine_Cohen
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College Planning for Successful College Admissions
Why You Should Think About Retention Rates Before Choosing a College
Susie Watts was selected to be a member of the Unigo Expert Network. She joins some of the top college admissions experts in the U.S. Her college advice will be featured in monthly online columns. The columns will be presented in the U.S. News and World Report, The Huffington Post, Seventeen Magazine, McGraw Hill, and a growing list of others. Susie will also provide advice to students who submit questions to Unigo and want some college help. Click on to Unigo to see some of Susie's responses to college questions.
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