July 21st, 2010 by Joe Connell
During the summer months, many students visit colleges to see what campuses look like, to hear college presentations from admissions counselors and student tour guides, to feel the atmosphere of the institution, to touch the residence halls, classrooms, dining halls, laboratories and quads of campuses, and to try to taste what it would be like to be a student at the school. These college visits are a key part of a student’s decision-making process during their senior year of high school as they decide where to apply and ultimately where to attend. To make the most of these college visits, I recommend students follow “Four P’s:”
- Plan: What do you want to get out of your visit to a particular college?
- How much time do you want to spend at a school?
- Do you want to visit several nearby colleges in one trip?
- Who do you want to see at a college (e.g., faculty, members of clubs/teams, etc.)?
- Do you want to attend a class? If yes, which class?
- Do you want to stay overnight with a student?
- Prepare: What questions would you like to have answered?
- What are the requirements for admission?
- What are the retention and graduation rates?
- What majors and career opportunities are available?
- What is class size?
- Where do students live? Is the school more residential or commuter?
- What scholarships/grants/loans/other financial aid packages are available?
Tip: Look at the school’s web site before you go, so you can ask specific questions.
- Pay Attention: Look for details that provide a sense of what the college values.
- How clean is the college?
- Who are you introduced to? Are students interacting between classes? Who does your tour guide greet during the tour (students, professors, staff, etc.)?
Tips: Pick up a newspaper to see what the important issues and interests are on campus. Pick up a calendar of events to see what cultural, athletic, musical and other events are planned.
- People: Gain multiple perspectives of the college by talking to as many people as you can.
- Introduce yourself to others besides your tour guide and admission counselor.
- Try to gain a broader picture of the college through conversation. Eating lunch in the dining room is a great way to do this.
Ultimately, the college visit is about you, the student. You may travel with your mom, dad or some other key adult in your life, and you will hear their opinions and those of the colleges. However, I encourage you to ask yourself these questions when your visiting is done: Where do you see yourself for the next phase of your life? What place do you want to call your “home away from home” for the next four years? What place will allow you to grow into the adult you are becoming?
To get the experience and perspective of a father and daughter who went on a college road trip together, I recommend the following Newsweek article from 2007 that was written by Howard Fineman and his daughter Meredith.
Joe Connell has been helping high school students transition to college for the last nine years through positions in admissions, new student orientation and retention. Currently, Joe is the Director of Academic Services & Testing at Dutchess Community College (NY); he has previous work experience at William Paterson University (NJ), Marist College (NY) and Miami University (OH). Joe has presented on issues related to college students' transition and success at both regional and national levels and has taught both SAT preparation and college courses for the past eight years.
June 30th, 2010 by Joe Connell
Welcome to summer! Students – I wish you relaxing and fulfilling summer breaks. Summer is an excellent time for rising juniors and seniors to get a jump start on the college admissions process. Over the summer, this blog will focus on key terms in the college admissions process, making the most of college visits and starting college applications! To get started, students should be reminded of their rights and responsibilities in the college admissions process.
Rights
- Students have the right to receive the following information from colleges: admissions processes and procedures, financial costs and financial aid opportunities, room and board costs and other policies.
- Students have the right to not be pressured by any college admissions officer. It is the job of admissions counselors to provide counsel on where they see a student being academically and personally successful.
- Students have the right to wait until May 1 (postmark date) to respond to an offer of admission and/or financial aid. (The exception to this is candidates who choose to apply early decision, which will be covered in next week’s blog.)
- Students have the right to accurate wait list information (if they are waitlisted). This includes: the number of students on the wait list, the number offered admission in the past and the availability of financial aid and housing for students on the list. Colleges must notify students of their waitlist decisions by August 1 at the latest.
Responsibilities
- Students have the responsibility to know and follow the admissions, financial aid, and housing policies and procedures for each college or university they choose to apply.
- Students have the responsibility to follow published deadlines.
- Students have the responsibility to seek assistance from their guidance counselor or other trusted advisor. It is especially important for students to follow their high school’s procedures when submitting college applications.
- Students have the responsibility to notify each college or university that accepts them of their decision by May 1. Students may only choose to attend one school, unless they are on a waitlist. If waitlisted, a student can accept the offer of another college; however, they must immediately notify the college of any changes in their plans.
For more information on rights and responsibilities, I encourage students to review the comprehensive information provided by the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
Joe Connell has been helping high school students transition to college for the last nine years through positions in admissions, new student orientation and retention. Currently, Joe is the Director of Academic Services & Testing at Dutchess Community College (NY); he has previous work experience at William Paterson University (NJ), Marist College (NY) and Miami University (OH). Joe has presented on issues related to college students' transition and success at both regional and national levels and has taught both SAT preparation and college courses for the past eight years.
June 9th, 2010 by Joe Connell
Knowing what college is going to cost you is getting much easier. By August 2011, colleges are required to have a net price calculator, i.e., a tool designed to provide students and their families a personalized estimate of the net price of attending the institution. Some colleges have already posted these types of calculators, so students should begin to look for them.
The net calculators that exist now have been developed by or for colleges, so they all differ slightly in the information that they collect about students and their families’ income. In short, they should all be used as a tool, but not the final word on a particular college’s costs. A March 2010 article in the Washington Post provides a further explanation of the net price calculator through an interview with Jeff Whorley, President of StudentAid.com, a company that works with both students/families and also creates net price calculators for colleges/universities. The primary difference among net price calculators is the amount of information they collect and compute. The more information requested, in general, the more accurate.
The net price calculator and other financial aid changes mandated by the Higher Education Reauthorization Act of August 2008 are providing students and families a clearer picture of the cost of college attendance. Cost of attendance is the typical cost to attend for one year at a specific institution including tuition, room and board, books and supplies, travel and other educationally related expenses. Many students when looking for colleges to apply to look at the tuition price and assume that the cost of tuition is more or less the “price tag” for that school; the truth is that tuition is just a portion of the overall college budget.
Joe Connell has been helping high school students transition to college for the last nine years through positions in admissions, new student orientation and retention. Currently, Joe is the Director of Academic Services & Testing at Dutchess Community College (NY); he has previous work experience at William Paterson University (NJ), Marist College (NY) and Miami University (OH). Joe has presented on issues related to college students' transition and success at both regional and national levels and has taught both SAT preparation and college courses for the past eight years.
April 28th, 2010 by Joe Connell
The May 1 deadline for seniors to postmark their college decision is Saturday and coincides with the May SAT testing day for many juniors. Even more than students prep for the SAT, students should prep for their college decision.
If you’re still deciding where to attend college, here are some key final considerations:
- Do what’s best for you – choose a school that best fits your needs and interests. As you make your final decision, be certain to listen to what the college is able to offer you, what your friends and family share with you and your own inner voice.
- Take action – if you’ve been waitlisted or haven’t heard from a college, contact their admissions office and check your status. If you want to remain on a college’s waitlist, you generally have to inform them, so take that step, and share with them any information that has changed that may boost your candidacy (e.g., achievements, awards, grades, etc.).
- Prepare financially – the cost of college is significant, so have a financial plan that considers financial aid, scholarships, institutional money, personal/family finances and maybe even getting a summer job.
- Persist – you have a couple months of high school left, so make the most of the learning and the community that exists.
- Enjoy – you just made one of the biggest decisions of your life. Often choosing a college is a student’s first major “adult” decision. It should feel good, so enjoy it!
If you want more information on finding the right college “fit,” read the blog “Choosing a College is About Fit.”
Joe Connell has been helping high school students transition to college for the last nine years through positions in admissions, new student orientation and retention. Currently, Joe is the Director of Academic Services & Testing at Dutchess Community College (NY); he has previous work experience at William Paterson University (NJ), Marist College (NY) and Miami University (OH). Joe has presented on issues related to college students' transition and success at both regional and national levels and has taught both SAT preparation and college courses for the past eight years.
April 7th, 2010 by Joe Connell
In How Will I Pay for College? Part I, I introduced the topic of paying for college and provided comparisons of costs at private and public colleges. This week, I provide next steps for both seniors and juniors.
To get started if you’re a senior, make sure that you complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for all colleges and complete the CSS Profile if any college you’re considering requests it ASAP. After completing the paperwork, you should speak with the Financial Aid offices at colleges that you are most seriously considering to make sure that you complete all of their requirements. Once you’ve completed the requirements if you still find yourself needing more money to attend a particular college, you should call and respectfully find out if any more money can be directed your way. The New York Times recently wrote an article on negotiating college aid that provides some useful tips. I have worked with a couple families who have had success in respectfully and persistently asking for more. My general thought, is that there are no penalties for asking!
If you’re a junior, focus on increasing your SAT Scores and GPA to become eligible for as much merit (academic scholarship) money as possible. You should acquaint yourself with the financial aid process, so that you can start in January of your senior year. You also will want to consider the cost of various colleges you might be interested in attending, so that you know how much money you will need to attend.
All students should also look for their own scholarships through web sites, such as FinAid and FastWeb.
On a final and related financial aid note, I want to encourage all students and families to read the news headlines of the last week on paying for college. Changes in student lending have made the government the primary provider of student loans; these changes have also increased Pell Grant awards for eligible students. In sum, the changes are good for students. To access more information on these changes, I encourage you to check out this summary of key information on FastWeb or this article in the New York Times.
Joe Connell has been helping high school students transition to college for the last nine years through positions in admissions, new student orientation and retention. Currently, Joe is the Director of Academic Services & Testing at Dutchess Community College (NY); he has previous work experience at William Paterson University (NJ), Marist College (NY) and Miami University (OH). Joe has presented on issues related to college students' transition and success at both regional and national levels and has taught both SAT preparation and college courses for the past eight years.
March 31st, 2010 by Joe Connell
Looking at the “sticker price” of some colleges today over the course of four years appears to be the cost of taking out a home mortgage. For example, the cost of many private colleges is approximately $35,000 for one year — $25,000 for tuition + $10,000 for room and board. Over four years, that’s $140,000. That amount of money seems intimidating, but it’s not the entire story.
For students who choose to attend private colleges, the tuition price is often steep. However, approximately two-thirds of all full-time undergraduate students receive some form of free money in the form of grants or scholarships. The largest per student amounts of grant and scholarship money go to students at private colleges, so that $35,000 annual “sticker price” is much less for many students. And, there is more good news.
According to the College Board, “53 percent of students attend four-year schools with annual tuition and fees below $9,000.” Many of those less expensive colleges are state institutions that can offer lower tuition through their receipt of public funds. So, if you’re willing to look around, there are options that provide different pricing.
In sum, I recommend students apply to both private and public colleges and compare costs. Next week, I will provide steps for both juniors and seniors to get moving in the financial aid process – one key to choosing the right college for them.
Joe Connell has been helping high school students transition to college for the last nine years through positions in admissions, new student orientation and retention. Currently, Joe is the Director of Academic Services & Testing at Dutchess Community College (NY); he has previous work experience at William Paterson University (NJ), Marist College (NY) and Miami University (OH). Joe has presented on issues related to college students' transition and success at both regional and national levels and has taught both SAT preparation and college courses for the past eight years.
