Williams College	Pennsylvania State University-University Park
Yale University	University of Illinois- Urbana-Champaign
University of Chicago	Denison University
Bowdoin College	Boston University
Stanford University	Tulane University
Swartmore College	Depauw University
Carleton College	University of Florida
Middlebury College	St. Olaf College
University of Pennsylvania	Lawrence College
Pomona College	Northeastern University
Dartmouth College	Syracuse University
Northwestern University	University of Maryland- College Park
Washington University in St. Louis	College of Wooster
Brown University	University of Minnesota- Twin Cities
Cornell University	Lewis & Clark College
Drake University	University of Iowa
Wesleyan University	Reed College
Colby College	University of Delaware
Emory University	American University
Claremont McKenna College	Indiana University-Bloomington
Georgetown University	Marquette University
University of California-Berkeley	Gustavus Adolphus College
Macalester College	University of Puget Sound
University of Southern California	Miami University-Oxford
Oberlin College	St. Louis University
Colorado College	University of Vermont
Tufts University	Florida State University
Barnard College	University of Colorado-Boulder
University of MIchigan-Ann Arbor	Iowa State University
Bradley University	University of San Francisco
Creighton University	University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Kenyon College	University of St. Thomas
New York University	University of Kentucky
Brandeis University	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
George Washington University	Arizona State University
Case Western Reserve	Kansas State University
University of California- San Diego	University of Cincinnati
Ohio Wesleyan	University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Truman State University	University of Central Florida
University of California- Santa Barbara	Edgewood College
University of Wisconsin-Madison	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
University of Miami	Northern Michigan University
McGill University	University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Dickinson College

Congratulations to all of our students!

Each school had a unique perspective on the types of students it serves and relatively unique ways of serving those students. I do not want to lump them all together, so, below, I have given just a very short synopsis of my impressions at each institution.

Hamline University

Hamline is a small school in St. Paul. Of course, when I visited, it began snowing (welcome to the Twin Cities!). It was clear that students at Hamline are focused and very self-aware. Students at Hamline had a sense of what they “want to be when they grow up” and take coursework to best prepare them. There is a lot going on around campus and, in particular, service to the community is emphasized.

University of St. Thomas

St. Thomas is a medium sized school that, recently, has had a boom in construction, growth, and reputation. Students there are very diverse and are interested in exploring different academic paths. There is a great sense of pride about the school and a community of athletic fans who attend sporting events. It is a Catholic school, but it is not overpowering.

Macalester College

Mac clearly provides a very intellectually stimulating environment, no matter what a student wants to study. The students take their academics seriously, but often seek opportunities outside of the classroom. Undergraduate research and internships give students the opportunity to connect their classroom experiences to the “real world” in a way that a larger research institution typically does. Macalester is also known for its international “focus,” with many students attnending from all over the world and the numerous opportunities to learn about, study in, and speak fluently in other nations.

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

The “U” (as they call it), provides a very traditional large state-school experience. The large campus provides opportunities in almost every field. The different schools within the university provide a little more of a smaller school feel and some schools are very selective. The Honors program also gives students who are a bit more academically focused an opportunity to work with other like minded students. Of course, there is a lot going on around campus, including D1 athletics.

Carleton College

Carleton is on a beautiful campus just 40 minutes south of the Twin Cities. Some are not huge fans of Northfield, but the vibrant campus environment means that students don’t really need to leave. The schools offers a very liberal arts approach to education, giving students opportunities to explore deeply a variety of different subjects. The students are academically focused but also a bit quirky and like to have fun with that. The professors engage with their students both in the classroom and at activities around campus.

St. Olaf College

St. Olaf is a school many people hear about because it is one of Loren Pope’s “Colleges that Change Lives.” St. Olaf is a little bit bigger than the traditional liberal arts schools (about 3,000 undergraduates), which provides for a little more activity on campus. While the school offers just about every academic area, it is clear that they have very strong focus on the arts. Students who are not artists appreciate their peers’ talents and are very supportive of it. The campus has been experiencing huge developments in their student center, athletic facilities, and academic buildings. These spaces provide ample room for students to collaborate both academically and socially.

*Yield Season – Colleges send out their acceptance letters in March and students have until May 1st to decide which institution they want to attend. Some call the time between those letters being sent and May 1 “Yield Season.” Yield is the percentage of accepted students who actually matriculate. Yield is a factor used in a variety of college ranking publications and can also indicate how enthusiastic the typical applicant is about attending that institution.

How can I decide what to major in?
How can I explore different career options?

In order to really grapple with these questions–since there is no perfect science–lets play out two different scenarios.

The first scenario is with Julie. Julie is a high school junior who is still trying to figure out her interests. She enjoys her AP Literature course and other writing-focused assignments. Besides being active in National Honors Society at her school and in athletics, her family is actively involved in politics so she has developed an interest in politics on a local and national level. All things considered, she is still undecided on what she would like to major in on the collegiate level.

Now, let’s switch to John. John is a high school senior who is headed to UW-Madison upon graduation. He enjoys and excels in his AP Biology and Human Anatomy classes. John is also actively involved in high school extracurriculars and plays baseball, basketball and football in addition to volunteering after school with the athletic trainer. While John enjoys all of his activities, he is having a hard time figuring out what his major should be or what career to choose, since he’s heard that the earlier you know, the better.

So, how can Julie and John figure out what their major or career should be?

Make a list of interests.
More often than not, the things students are good at are the things they would find suitable in a major or career. For instance, with Julie, she excels in her writing-based courses, and should consider majors that allow her to utilize and improve her writing abilities. For John, he seems to be interested in health and science, so choosing to take courses in Biology on a collegiate level to see if he is still interested in it.

Experiment with new courses.
In Julie’s case, she is only a high school junior, so she can continue to explore other classes at her school or maybe even take courses at a local community college while she is a senior. In John’s case, he should try to pick classes that interest him but weren’t covered during his high school career. The breadth of topics offered at any university far outreach what’s offered at high schools, so there is a wealth of opportunity there.

Take a class online.
With the recent popularity of MOOC’s, or “Massive Open Online Courses,” more and more students have access to enrolling in college courses. While most colleges do not offer credit for these courses, MOOCs give high school students an opportunity to explore a potential major or subject area that they are planning to pursue in college. Furthermore, partaking in a MOOC gives high school students a chance to experience a college curriculum and learn from professors at top-notch institutions, including those from international, ivy league, state, and liberal arts colleges.

Get involved.
This can involve becoming an intern, finding a job, or volunteering with an organization that seems interesting or within an industry that intrigues the student. This could also mean joining a club in high school, just as Julie already has with National Honors Society. Since Julie has also been surrounded by politics most of her life, she could also volunteer with a local political campaign and gain valuable experience. When John goes to Madison in fall, he could seek out an internship with the UW Athletic Department as a student athletic trainer, since he is interested in sports and really enjoyed his work with the high school athletic trainer.

Pick a major and career based on the right reasons.
While considering finances is important and unavoidable, at the end of the day the student needs to realize that they need to study something that interests them and excites them. Students should find something they are passionate about and enjoy, because if say John ends up majoring in Biology and going onto medical school, it takes a lot of dedication and it is would be a shame if he discovered too late that he would rather study economics.

Lastly, students need to realize that picking a major does not mean they are picking a career and stuck on that path. This means that picking a humanities or social science major doesn’t mean a student has to become a poet or communications expert, and majoring in biology doesn’t mean a student has to become a doctor or medical professional. In fact, according to the New York Times–based on data from the Association of American Medical Colleges– “50 percent of humanities applicants were admitted to medical school, as opposed 32 percent of biological science applicants.” This means that your major will not necessarily dictate your career path, and there is plenty of time to decide.

1. Colleges are becoming more and more selective. In fact, seven out of eight Ivy League schools have reported lower admission rates than past years. While the Ivy League admissions offices seem to be rejecting more students than ever, this trend doesn’t only occur in these top-tier schools. In fact, other esteemed institutions like UW-Madison and Northwestern are also turning away applicants at high rates, with UW only accepting about 51% of applicants (about a 4% decline from 2012) and Northwestern accepting a mere 13.9% (a 2% decrease from 2012).

2. Colleges are also receiving more and more applications. Washington University reported receiving about 2,000 more applications than it did in 2012, and many other institutions are exhibiting similar trends.

It is speculated that these trends can be caused by a number of factors, such as the pressure for admissions offices to increase their national rankings or each institution’s desire to select only students who are likely to enroll. That being said, the admissions process cannot be boiled down to a perfect science for every university. However, it appears that these trends will only continue to become more and more dramatic in the years to come.

As the Common Application becomes more widely used, students are applying to significantly more schools just by clicking a button. Of course, some schools have additional requirements, which makes them that much more important. Students who are interested in these institutions must pay careful attention to the essay prompts and topics so as to not seem as a student who is just “mass-applying.”

Next, we will learn about that all-important “yield rates,” or the number of students who were accepted who actually matriculate. This, too, plays a role in the ranking systems. Some schools, in an attempt to fill seats (both for financial reasons and yield reasons) have taken to accepting students for the spring term. This can make decisions even more confusing as students evaluate starting school “on time” versus having the opportunity to attend a more selective institution by starting in January.

In fact, most colleges apply a holistic admissions process that looks at several key components and factors when evaluating a student’s application–not just their grades and test scores. What makes the admissions process seem so random results from colleges weighing certain factors differently.

That being said, there are general factors that colleges consider to be routine in evaluating a college application:

• Intangible qualities: This is everything outside of a student’s grades: extracurricular work, volunteering, and other relevant experiences. These factors are arguably equally as important–if not more important–than grades and test scores.
• Rigor of coursework: If a student’s high school offers AP classes, take advantage of them! If a college sees that the student was offered AP classes but chose an “easy” schedule instead, they may see the student as unable to deal with the rigor of a college courses.
• GPA: A student’s overall high school GPA does matter, especially in their senior year. It’s important that the student stays focused and finishes strong as to not harm their chances of getting in.
• Standardized test scores: Just as the GPA is important, so are those ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject Test scores. Taking an adequate amount of time to thoroughly prepare for these tests can help a student’s chance of getting in.
• Application: Filling out the application may seem like one of the easier and less daunting tasks to complete, but students should not take it lightly. From deciding which teachers should write recommendations for the student to simply filling out the form, all of these components should be considered.
• Essay: Ensuring the student does not make mistakes on the application is important, but having a solid essay is something that should not be overlooked. The college essay is how colleges judge whether or not the student is a good fit for the school and if the student will be able to bring something to the school that sets them apart from others, so taking time and focusing on that essay can really make or break the student’s chances of getting in.
• Demonstrated interest: This is just what it sounds like–colleges want to admit students that want to go to their school. Showing interest can involve interviewing, contacting the admissions office and even taking a tour.
• Legacy Status: If an immediate family member or even distant family member goes to the school, the student has legacy status. Just because the student has legacy status, though, doesn’t mean high school grades do not matter! And more often than not, legacy status is a minor factor or one that does not determine the student’s acceptance.
• Geography: Sometimes where a student lives matters, and can factor into the admissions process.

While colleges may weight the importance of each of these factors differently, some factors are clearly more important than others:

SOURCE: NACAC Admission Trends Survey, 2011

Overall, these factors are not the end all be all. While important, it is essential to look at what each college looks for in an application, especially if the college doesn’t follow the Common Application process.

Accepted

The wait has paid off, and the student received the “fat” enveloped with good news: admittance! That being said, if the student has been accepted to multiple schools, they still have an important decision to make. When weighing the options, here are some tips to consider:

• Financial Aid: Before making that final decision, students should consider what their financial aid packages will look like. If the student hasn’t received the final financial aid package, students may inquire about the status of their application.
• Another visit: If still unable to decide, consider taking another trip to visit the campuses. Once students are admitted, it may offer a different perspective of the campus or the student may have more questions.
• Send in that housing deposit: If the student has made their choice and considered all of the options, sending in the housing deposit is the obvious next step. Some colleges have tight housing situations, so sending it in sooner rather than later is always the best option.

Waitlisted

While the student hasn’t been accepted, there is still a silver lining: they haven’t been rejected, either. Now it’s time to play the waiting game, but in the meantime, there are few things that need to be taken into consideration:

• First and foremost, follow the guidelines outlined for deferred students in our previous blog post.
• Students should ask themselves: Will they be able to realistically enroll in the school if they are admitted in late summer? When considering housing, financial aid, and enrolling in classes, will they be at a disadvantage because they are waitlisted? What are the options for those who are waitlisted?
• Cover your bases: If the student has been accepted to another college (maybe their second-choice school) send in a deposit since waitlists don’t always move.
• You can use a school’s Common Data Set to determine how many students actually get accepted off the waitlist. At some schools, it’s close to 1%. At others, it can be as high as 50%.

Rejected

Getting the letter that begins with “we regret to inform you…” is always hard to deal with–especially if it is the student’s first-choice school. Students may be left thinking: is there anything I can do?

• Appealing: While in most cases the rejection is the final decision, some schools allow for an appeals process. And who knows, some unforeseen error could have occurred with the student’s transcripts, etc.
• Think about transferring: If the student is dead-set on one school, then transferring could be a viable option. The first step here is to call the transfer admissions counselor at the school they were rejected from. After asking for feedback on the application, figure out what schools will allow the student to transfer with ease. But always remember that transferring can be academically, socially, and financially difficult. More to come on that in another post.

Whether accepted, rejected, or waitlisted, all graduating seniors need to stay focused on finishing out the year strong. The student’s final transcripts still matter, and doing well in those final months can especially help those who found themselves on the waiting list.

What are they? 

A MOOC is a free, online college course that is large in scale and available online.  In addition to traditional course offerings, such as required readings, videos and problem sets, MOOCs allow students, teachers, and Teaching Assistants (TAs) to build a virtual community. While MOOCs are growing in popularity despite being existing since 2008, most students cannot receive credit for these courses. That being said, The American Council on Education (association of college presidents) has discussed offering credit for certain MOOCs.

How they are offered?

In order to offer MOOCs, colleges and universities partner with companies such as Udacity, Coursera, or edX that provide and service the courses online by partnering with universities. According to Inside Higher Ed, some services, such as Coursera, only “offer classes from elite institutions,” or those that are a part of the Association for American Universities to ensure that students only get the best educational experience.

What classes exist?

With offerings ranging from introductory to advanced levels, classes vary from computer science, cryptography, greek mythology, psychology, and even environmental studies. On websites like Coursera, courses are also offered in different languages.

Why should high school students care?

While few colleges actually offer credit for MOOCs if you pay a fee, the majority of MOOCs only require an internet connection and free time. Credit or no credit, MOOCs give high school students an opportunity to explore a potential major or subject area that they are planning to pursue in college. Furthermore, partaking in a MOOC gives high school students a chance to experience a college curriculum and learn from professors at top-notch institutions, including those from international, ivy league, state, and liberal arts colleges.

AP tests can be used for college credit. Each institution decides how it wants to award passing scores. Sometimes these credits count towards certain majors; other times, they are used solely for credit toward graduation (and count as electives). The benefits of having a few classes complete toward a major are clear: students can finish earlier and save a bunch of money. And, if the credits only count towards electives, there is still a big benefit: typically, registration happens according to seniority – those with more credits register for classes first. So, even seniors need to keep up their hard work in AP classes so they can earn that credit!

Let’s take two examples and see how they play out – one extremely motivated senior applying to top private academic institutions; one average suburban high school student applying to large state schools.

“Jamie” – 8 AP classes (3 Junior, 5 Senior) – Attending mid-sized private east coast school:

Jamie had accumulated a total of 18 credits, however, her school only accepts 15 to use toward graduation. She started freshman year in her “second semester” and could either use these credits to graduate early (saving $21,592 in tuition; $29,795 including other fees, housing, etc.) or to take fewer classes so she could focus on research, get a part-time job, or study abroad longer.

“Robert” – 5 AP Classes (2 Junior, 3 Senior) – Attending a large public midwest school (I will give scenarios for if he is in-state vs. out-of-state below):

Robert had a total of 26 credits going into college. He could graduate almost a full year early (perhaps overloading two semesters or taking some summer or online coursewwork). If he can finish in three years, he will save $41,094 (out-of-state) or $24,204 (in-state).

If you’d like to know the AP credit policy for your school, you can use the College Board’s search tool: http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jsp

Happy testing!

Visit colleges
Since most high school spring breaks do not align with university spring breaks, it’s the perfect time for juniors and seniors to tour campuses and explore colleges. The benefit of visiting the campus during the academic year rather than during the summer is that students will be able to see the campus when it is alive with students and “in session.” To make the most out of this college tour, take a look at our recent blog post on college visits. But even if the high school break is the same as the college, take advantage of this time – there’s not much of it left!

Apply for scholarships and financial aid (if you haven’t already!)
If students haven’t already, Spring Break is the time to fill out the FAFSA and to look for other financial assistance opportunities. Even juniors should familiarize themselves with scholarship opportunities that will become available to them over summer and in early Fall when they apply for college. By ensuring which criteria they meet and what scholarships they will be eligible for, the application process will be easier when it comes time to apply.

Study for standardized tests
In order to reduce anxiety, students should begin studying and preparing for their ACT and SAT tests. Students can sign up for a prep class over break, dedicate time to studying, and even enroll in practice tests.

Learn admissions requirements
For high school juniors, preparing college applications may seem like a ways away. But in actuality, students should get a head start on applications and explore what is required of them. Simply clicking through college websites to learn the application and admission requirements will arm students with the knowledge they need to be doing in the coming year, such as whether or not they should enroll in AP Classes or take courses at their local community college. Some colleges may have even released the upcoming year’s essay prompts, so students can begin to research and get ideas for topics they may want to explore in their essay.

Orientation and housing
For high school seniors who have already been accepted into college, Spring Break is a time to fill out housing applications and sign up for orientation. The sooner students complete these tasks, the better their chances for getting into their top-choice dorm or attending orientation on the date they want.

Start planning for summer
Students who are applying to college need to think about more than simply enjoying three months of school-free relaxation. Colleges want to know that their applicants have spent their summers in productive and thoughtful ways, and planning now can ensure that a high school student makes the most out of their Spring Break. Here are some opportunities for high school students during the summer months:

• volunteering
• traveling abroad or participating in a travel program
• taking a test prep course
• getting a job or internship
• playing organized sports or going to a sports camp

The key to making the most out of Spring Break is planning ahead for college. Whether a freshman or senior, Spring Break has the potential to be extremely productive.

In our previous post on college visits, I talked about how it’s important to limit the number of colleges visited, diversify college visit choices, and consider geography. But what should families consider when on that official college tour? Here are tips every student should consider:

Schedule an appointment with an advisor or department chair
If a student has a field of interest (or multiple) in mind, it will be useful to visit an advisor in that major or the department chair. Meeting with them briefly will offer valuable insight into the courses a student would take, while allowing them to learn more about the professors and academic opportunities within that major.

Sit in on a class
Choose a class that sounds interesting or one that may be in a student’s potential field of interest. Hearing an actual college lecture will be illuminating, whether or not the class is an introductory, larger lecture course or smaller, upper-level course. Each type has their benefits, as a larger lecture class is what students will experience in their early college career, with the smaller, upper-level courses experienced in their later college career. Try to arrive to the class early and talk to current undergraduates. And, if a student is feeling bold, go up and talk to the professor to get a sense of the workload and expectations (and maybe ask for a syllabus!).

Visit the dorms
It’s obvious that the dorm is one of the most important aspect of a student’s college experience–it’s where they spend the most time. That’s why checking out the dorms is essential. When in the dorms, try to talk to a House Fellow or a Resident Assistant (RA) who supervises college students living in a dorm.

Visit the dining halls and other facilities
The dining hall has the potential to be a large component of a student’s college experience, especially if s/he lives in the dorms and the school is in a remote location. It’s important to check out the food and the “vibe” within the dining hall. But what else is the student interested in? Staying active? Visit the gym. Studying outside of the dorm? Check out the library (or libraries). Make a checklist of what’s important, and be sure to hit all of these while visiting.

Explore on your own
I don’t mean leaving the official college tour–the official college tour is too important. After the college tour is over, however, take a walk around the city and surrounding areas to get a feel for what’s offered outside of the classroom or campus experience.

Talk to current college students
College-bound students often miss out on this opportunity. Don’t be afraid to approach current students–most of them will be more than willing to stop and chat for a few minutes. Plus, they have been in exactly the same position as you, and most are generally very happy to pass on any advice.

Read a campus newspaper
Reading a college newspaper can help determine what issues that students on campus care about, in addition to what events happen on campus. These newspapers can be found in common areas (e.g. entry halls to buildings, dining halls, etc.).

Take notes
Whether or not students plan on visiting 2 or 10 colleges, it’s important to keep track of the campus experience. Even if it’s writing down short bullet points and writing the positive and negative aspects of the campus, it will be useful when the college tours are over and it’s time to make that decision.

Ask questions
Don’t forget to ask questions! After all, that’s what the campus tour guide is there for. Ask about the tour guide’s experience, what it’s like to live on campus, and anything else. Trust me, they want you to ask questions.

In completing this checklist, not only are students able to truly evaluate what the campus has to offer, students are also showing the college that they are interested in attending. And after all, colleges want students who want them back.

Overall, the campus visit is a vital part of determining which college suits a student best, so it’s important to make the most out of it.