2015 College Guide

2015 COLLEGE GUIDE FREE TO THE PUBLIC

— FEATURING —

GREENVILLE COUNTY COLLEGE FAIR TD CONVENTION CENTER

Monday, September 21, 9am–11:30am and 6pm–8pm Tuesday, September 22, 9am–11:30am

GreenvilleCountyCollegeFair.com |

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College Admissions Guide

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Dr. April Clayton, Class of 2008 Ph.D., Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Biomedical Research Fellow, National Institutes of Health Laboratory of Viral Diseases

#1

Christian College in South Carolina

#1

NCAA D2 College in the Southeast

“The academic challenges of Erskine prepared me for graduate school and sparked my passion for research.”

Erskine helped April go from small Southern town to big-time research. With her degree in biology and chemistry, she went on to earn her Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins. Now she’s a biomedical research fellow at the National Institutes of Health, working to understand some of the world’s most challenging viral diseases.

For over 175 years, Erskine has equipped students for lives of significance and service through rigorous scholarship in a family-like Christian academic community. So, no matter how big your dreams may be, research Erskine, and discover the advantages of starting small.

Due West, South Carolina

KNOW. BE KNOWN. ERSKINE.EDU/ DISCOVER

ESK-4697-0915-COLFAIR

Erskine College

Closely Connected Our small size means some big advantages!

You’ll know almost everyone, especially your professors. And they’ll not only know you, they’ll probably know if you’re having a bad day and why.

A

SMALL PLACE TO THINK BIG IDEAS

Erskine College has been equipping young people to flourish in lives of learning, serving, and leading for 175 years. Our rich heritage of thoughtful scholarship, spiritual devotion, and intentional community provides an academic experience that’s as distinctive as our students, faculty, and graduates.

Vibrantly Academic Nationally ranked among the best liberal arts colleges, our majors span the arts and sciences spectrum. No matter what you study, you’ll be personally challenged and profoundly inspired.

You’ll work hard, think creatively and critically, explore options, and question assumptions across a variety of subjects.

Authentically Christian What we learn and how we live are inseparable foundations for an excellent education. Erskine is committed to Christian authenticity that is intentional and pervasive, but never coercive.

While we pursue knowledge, we seek grace and wisdom to answer the big questions.

Beautifully Located Due West of what? Not sure. But we do know that from tree-lined green spaces, gardens and gathering spots to stately architecture, comfortable hangouts, and convenient wi-fi, our campus in Due West, South Carolina, is a great place to learn and live.

GLADYOUASKED WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL? The combination of excellent academics and a close-knit, vibrant community in an authentically Christian setting.

WHAT IS HOUSING LIKE? Our residence halls are clustered into two residential areas. Both men’s and women’s residences are equipped with high-speed wireless internet and function like large, comfortable homes.

WHAT ARE THE BEST HANGOUTS? The best hangout on campus is Watkins Student Center, which includes Snappers, a grill and rec area with pool and ping-pong, a large study area and TV lounge, and Java City. You also have access to 95 beautiful acres of tree-lined campus.

Intentionally Residential

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST POPULAR CLASSES? In addition to our core liberal arts curriculum, our Winter Term in January (“J-Term”) allows for concentrated study in a wide variety of fields or interests. Semester-long study abroad opportunities are also popular. Erskine’s most popular majors are Biology, Education and Athletic Training.

Living on campus provides incredible opportunities for fellowship and leadership. In a community like this, you can’t fake it. Quality is revealed. Weaknesses are strengthened.

Character is refined through meaningful relationships.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE STUDENT/PROFESSOR RATIO? It’s about more than just ratios. Even big schools can have low ratios. At Erskine it’s about face time. Our student-professor ratio is 12:1, but more importantly, very few classes have more than 25 students. That means more face time and more meaningful interactions with experienced quality faculty inside and outside the classroom.

Distinctively You Call it a custom-fit college experience. Call it hand-crafted higher education. At Erskine, your unique talents, interests, and contributions really matter. You help shape the experience for others, while they do the same for you.

WHAT ARE THE STEREOTYPES ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL AND ARE THEY TRUE OR FALSE? People often confuse our rural setting with being “in the middle of nowhere” where there’s nothing to do. The truth is that aside from the hundreds of activities on campus, Erskine is just 20 minutes from almost anything you need, a couple of hours from two of the largest cities in the Southeast, and three hours from the beach.

WHAT SPECIAL ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS? Don’t overlook a college because you think it’s too expensive.

Erskine is actually very affordable for South Carolina students.

In fact, many SC LIFE scholars attend Erskine for around $10,000 a year..

College Admissions Guide

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This Guide and How to Use TABLE OF CONTENTS: Introduction to the 2015 College Fair.............................4 College Fair Schedule.......................................................5 Faring Well at a College Fair........................................ 6-7 Choosing a College...........................................................8 College Rankings.......................................................10-11 The New SAT..............................................................12-13 Selecting a College Major........................................14-15 Best & Brightest.........................................................16-17 Affording College......................................................18-20 College Infographic.........................................................22 College Wars....................................................................24 Pursuit of the Performing Arts in College...............26-27 You’re Applying WHERE?...............................................28 Not Your Mother’s College.......................................30-31

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his is a very valuable piece that Greenville Journal has inserted this week. There are timely articles for students and parents related to college research, financial aid, test prep, college applications, and other important topics. In this day and age when college costs are rising and admission is becoming more difficult to some institutions, it is important for students and parents to keep in mind things that are important. The articles and opinions expressed here can be very valuable in helping students and parents focus on things that are important.

APRIL EPPS, Test Prep, Owner, Private Tutor DEBBIE BAREFOOT, Associate Director of Admission, North Greenville University ALLYSON BROWN, Assistant Director of Admission, Furman University TARSHA BROWN, Recruiter, Greenville Technical College BILL DINGLEDINE, Educational Directions, Independent College Counselor

In addition, there is a detailed schedule of the Greenville County College Fair that takes place September 21-22 at the TD Conference Center.

JENY KERSCHER, Senior Associate Director of Admission, Furman University

The Greenville County College Fair would not happen without the efforts of many dedicated individuals:

B.J. LINDLEY, Secretary, School Counseling Services & Sirrine Scholarship, Greenville County School District

JUDY BENEDICT, Co-Chair, Giraffe Web Development, Principal Partner

JAMES LINDSEY, Urban League of the Upstate, Director of Education and Youth Services

JULIO HERNANDEZ, Vice-Chair, Campus Director, Greenville Technical College

KATIE LYNN MARSHALL, Senior Admission Counselor, North Greenville University HEATHER NAJMABADI, St. Joseph’s Catholic School, Director of College Counseling G. ROB RHODES, Director of School Counseling and Sirrine Scholarship, Greenville County School District LINDA SCHULZ, Director of College Counseling at Christ Church Episcopal School SARAH STEELE, Southside Christian School, Guidance Assistant KATHRYN TAYLOR, Shannon Forest Christian School, Director of College Counseling

Why ECPI University?

Programs Offered 4

COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY Database Programming Network Security Electronics Engineering Technology Mechatronics

Greenville County College Fair 2015

COLLEGE OF NURSING Practical Nursing

COLLEGE OF BUSINES S & CRIMINAL JUSTICE

- Hands-on Interactive Learning - Flexible Schedules - Accelerated Learning - Great Value - Small Class Sizes - Graduate Employment Services

Business Administration

COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCE Healthcare Administration Medical Assisting

ecpi.edu | 864-288-2828

College Fair Schedule Monday, September 21: 9:00–11:30 am

Greenville County Schools attend College Fair

5:30–6:15 pm College Planning Seminars for Students & Parents

Navigating the Road to College: Insights from the Experts

– A panel of experienced college and university

professionals share advice and wisdom regarding

the college search and application process.

Selecting a College Major Based on Industry Human

Capital Needs: Does Your Choice Provide a Return on

the Investment? – An overview on the relationship

between a college major, employment and salary

expectations based on industry human capital needs.

6:00–8:00 pm

Open College Fair for students, parents, and counselors from surrounding areas

7:45–8:30 pm

Shaking the Money Tree: Affording College through Financial Aid & Scholarships – An in-depth look at financing a college education.

Selecting a College Major Based on Industry Human

Capital Needs: Does Your Choice Provide a Return on

the Investment?– An overview on the relationship between

a college major, employment and salary expectations

based on industry human capital needs.

Tuesday, September 22: 9:00-11:30 am

Greenville County Schools attend College Fair

TD Convention Center, 1 Exposition Dr. • Greenville, SC

Why Attend?: • Begin the next phase of your educational journey.

• Meet admission representatives from colleges and universities from across the country.

• Learn about college majors, extra-curricular offerings, the admission process, and much more.

• Discover how to find the right college fit for you.

• Attend the evening seminars to gain valuable information regarding financial aid and the college application process as well as insight into job and career opportunities.

For More Information visit greenvillecountycollegefair.org or facebook.com/GreenvilleCountyCollegeFair

College Admissions Guide

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Faring Well at a College Fair

Advice from The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)

C

ollege Fairs offer an exciting opportunity to talk to the people in the know.

Admission representatives from a variety of colleges are all gathered in one place, just waiting to answer your questions.

But it’s easy to get caught up in the crowds and confusion. Soon you’re crossing the room (or many rooms), stopping at any booth that catches your eye or seems popular. When that happens, you end up with lots of pretty brochures, but not a lot of clear impressions about which colleges you may be interested in. Making the most of a college fair means planning your strategy before you enter those double doors. You may even want to watch this short video on what to expect at the fair.

“Treat a college fair like a buffet dinner,” advises​a director of undergraduate admission from Florida.

THE BRIGHTEST STAR

At the College, our students are always reaching for the stars. They come here so they can shine – because, with a solid foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, they know the sky is the limit.

Learn about the College and how our students, faculty and alumni always stand out among the rest.

COFC.EDU

“There will be more there than you can possibly take in, but then again, not everything is to your taste.”

Experienced buffet diners know that it’s best to scope out their choices before they start filling their plate.

Savvy students can do the equivalent by looking over a list of college fair participants before the fair. Choose the colleges you most want to find out more about. If you have time, research these colleges by reading information in your guidance office or by checking out guidebooks or Web sites. ​“Know what you want to find out at the fair,” says a director of admission at a college in Ohio. Write up a short list of questions to ask admission representatives. To compare several schools, plan on asking the same questions at each table.

The questions you ask should be unique to your interests and not easily found in standard college materials.

“The college fair is a good time to talk person-toperson with the representative of that school,” says one guidance counselor. “Your job is to think of good questions.”

So cross out the questions like, “How many people are in the freshman class?” Instead, ask what the two or three most popular majors are (that can give you a good idea of the main interests of the majority of the students). If you have a particular major in mind, don’t ask “How good is major X?” No college representative will tell you that a program is bad. Instead, ask how many students take that major; what research faculty members are involved in (and the opportunities for undergraduates to participate in it); or what courses you would take your first year in a particular major.

Students who are undecided should ask about what services and support are available to help them explore various majors.

Other things you can ask about: extracurricular activities, what kinds of students the college is looking for, what percentage of students receive financial aid, and other concerns unique to your interests and situation.

Mapping out a strategy

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Greenville County College Fair 2015

Before you leave for the fair, make sure you have the following supplies:, a small notebook with your list of colleges and questions you want to ask, and a pen or pencil.

If you can’t register online, students may wish to print up a few sheets of self-stick address labels. Include

your name, address, phone number, email address, high school, year of graduation, intended major(s), and any extracurricular activities you’re interested in. At the fair, slap the address labels on the college information cards to save you time in filling out the same information over and over at each college’s table.

Although this may be a lot to consider, the real strategizing begins when you arrive at the fair. Look for a map of where each college is located and map out your route. Note where each college is located and plan the most efficient way to visit the colleges on your list. (For example, you want to make sure to visit all the colleges of interest to you in one room before moving to the next.) Also, make sure to check out the schedule of information sessions: many fairs have sessions on the search process, applications, financial aid, and other issues run by experts in the field.

These sessions are a great place to ask general questions about the college admission process.

Your notebook and pen are

great tools for keeping all those conversations straight. After you leave a table, jot down your impressions of the college and the answers the admission representatives gave you. Try to do this before you visit the next table, while your impressions are still fresh.

you’ve never heard of offers the exact major, extracurricular program, etc., that you’re seeking.”

Following up

Teaming up

Depending on the time of day of the fair, both students and parents may be encouraged to attend. If a family member attends the fair with you, talk about your plan ahead of time. You may decide to split up – perhaps a parent can attend the financial aid seminar so you can visit more colleges. Another option is staying together for part or all of time. You may find that your parents or siblings ask different questions than you do. Also, it can be helpful to get a second opinion on your impressions of particular colleges.

Browsing

Planning ahead ensures that you get to visit the colleges that most interest you. But also make sure to leave time

for browsing.

“Be adventurous! Don’t just focus on ‘name’ schools,” says an admission director. “You may find that a school

By the time the fair is over, you’ll have a bag filled with information about colleges – and a possible case of information overload. Don’t succumb to the temptation of just piling all those brochures in some obscure corner of your bedroom. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a day or two away from the college search. Then get out all of those brochures, along with the notes you took while at the fair, and read through them. You may find that some colleges aren’t as interesting as you first thought. Others only look better the more you research them. For those colleges, follow up by filling out the information cards in the brochures or by starting to schedule college visits.

BE UNIQUE. BE EXTRAORDINARY.

Don’t worry, we’ll lend you a hoof

There’s only one way for a budding medical professional to really learn how to suture a wound and that’s through some good old-fashioned, flesh-and-blood practice.

< Get Connected!

1115 College Drive | Gaffney, SC 29340 | (864) 488-4552

www.limestone.edu Limestone College’s unique combination of a small campus and a liberal arts emphasis provides students with individual attention and a personalized experience. Students choose from over 50 MAJORS AND CONCENTRATIONS, nationally ranked NCAA DIVISION II ATHLETIC PROGRAMS and OVER 30 CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS. There is something for everyone, and visiting campus is the best way to discover what makes you extraordinary!

Schedule your visit today or attend one of our Open House events.

OPEN HOUSE DATES: November 13, 2015, February 26, 2016, and April 8, 2016.

PERSONAL TOURS: Monday - Friday at 10 am and 2 pm, Saturdays by appointment.

Yes, willing subjects can be hard to find, but for students in Francis Marion University’s Department of Nursing that’s no problem. Their professors can always track down an extra pig’s foot or two.

Education is like that at FMU, both in Nursing and beyond. Small classes mean personal relationships and attention to detail. We make sure our students master their subjects. Then, when the time comes, they’re ready to put their best, um … foot forward.

#FMexpectations

Francis Marion University fmarion.edu

College Admissions Guide

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Choosing a College

by Jim Jump

M

aking a choice of where to consider and where to apply from many options is the one of the hardest parts of the college process for many students.

One of the major factors contributing to difficulty in choosing is the myth (I prefer the term “Suburban Legend”) that says a student will have that moment when he/she falls in love with a particular school. That myth can be paralyzing for students who haven’t had that experience, and I am quick to point out that the “fall in love” moment is far from universal and that those blinded by love may actually make worse college decisions.

One of the negative consequences of the growth of college admissions as an industry is that we have lost focus on the college search and admissions processes as essential developmental steps in the transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Choosing where to go to college is not an end in itself, but part of a student’s journey of self-discovery. As such, how one chooses is ultimately more important than where one chooses. College selection should be transformational in the same way that a college education should be transformational.

Deciding where to attend college might qualify as the first adult decision for many young people.

Adult decisions are important rather than trivial, and they have significant long-term consequences.

They also don’t have easy, obvious answers. There is no perfect or obvious choice, so you make the best choice you can, weighing and balancing the pros and cons of each option.

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Greenville County College Fair 2015

?

Several years ago the Wall Street Journal ran an article with the intriguing title, “What’s Wrong With the Teenage Mind?” What indeed? The article argues that there is a widening gap between the onset of adolescence and the onset of adulthood, resulting in “teenage weirdness.” The causes are complex (or else I’m not smart enough to understand them). There are two different neural systems that interact in the development into adults, and they don’t work as well in sync as they once did. One system has to do with emotion and motivation, and the other with judgment and control. The first is tied to the changes that occur at puberty, while the second is tied to the development of the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that inhibits impulses and allows longterm thinking and planning. The key ingredient in the development of sound decision-making is experience. It is only by practice in making decisions that one learns how to make decisions.

At one time in history children prepared for adulthood through formal and informal apprenticeships, practicing the skills they would need as adults with supervision. Today in our zeal to protect our children, we don’t give them the opportunity to practice making decisions. I would like to see us have a discussion about how the

college search and application processes might function as preparation for the major life decisions students will make the rest of their lives.

That probably marks me as ‘clueless’ —I prefer the descriptor “idealist.” Certainly the college admissions process as currently practiced would have to change, and it is not clear that colleges see anything wrong with the current process.

That’s the meta-issue. I try to focus on being an asker of questions rather than a provider of answers. Why would you pick college A over university B, or C, etc.? What would prevent you from choosing it? Is there any information that might help you make the choice? When those fail, my default question is, which one will you regret not choosing? Why? I also use the counseling technique of reflecting back to them what I am hearing them say, either validating or challenging their perceptions. In doing so I have to be careful not to let my own personal agenda get in the way, i.e. what is the impact on the college list (a topic I hope to address in my next post). I tell students that there is not a bad choice to be made, but rather a choice between good and good, and sometimes even point to Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Less Travelled,” which makes the point that the act of choice itself makes a decision right or good.

Jim Jump is the Director of College Counseling at St. Christopher’s School in Richmond, Virginia and a past President of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and he authors a blog entitled “Ethical College Admission” (http:// ethicalcollegeadmissions.blogspot.com/).

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College Admissions Guide

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College Rankings and Planning Tips

By Peter Van Buskirk

C

ollege rankings are here! With a new college admission cycle looming, editors from Money Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and The Princeton Review have once again begun to ply us with a parade of ranking guides that presume to reveal the “best values” in education, identify the best “party” schools or, simply, quantify the mythical pecking order of colleges. Before you get out your credit card or rush to print out a list of the “best” colleges, though, take a moment to consider the following:

1. RANKINGS ARE NOT SCIENCE. The data collection process

relies on self-reported information from colleges and universities. While the use of the Common Data Set has helped to standardize the reporting process, institutions are still able to manage the manner in which their data

is assembled.

Moreover, editors are able to creatively interpret the information they do (or don’t) receive. For example, should an institution choose to abstain from submitting data, at least one publication’s editors (U.S. News & World Report) will resort to a formula that creates values for that institution based on the values of its presumed peers.

2. RANKINGS ARE HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE. Consider, for example, reputation. In the U.S. News & World Report rankings reputation carries the greatest weight. On the surface, that might make sense—until you come to know how reputation is “measured.”

Each year, U.S. News & World Report sends three ballots to each participating school asking the recipients (president, academic dean and dean of admission) to rate peer institutions on a scale of five to one.

A professor walks into a crowded classroom and says…

… “well, I guess I’m not at Francis Marion.”

Okay, it’s not much of a punch line, but that’s okay.

When it comes to the intimate academic experience, FMU doesn’t joke around. Our faculty is committed to teaching, we rarely have graduate students leading a class, and those looking for a “personal” lecture inside a big hall filled with 200 of your closest classmates, well, look somewhere else.

Francis Marion University’s student-faculty ratio is just 15:1. Some classes are larger than that, of course. But, many are smaller as well. And when a professor walks into the classroom ... well, she might not know a good joke, but she will know your name.

#FMexpectations Francis Marion University fmarion.edu

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Greenville County College Fair 2015

The assumption is that these individuals know higher education better than anyone else and are best positioned to make qualitative assessments.

What do you think? Could you provide such a rating for each of the high schools in your state? It is highly doubtful, just as it is highly doubtful that these three voters can make objective assessments of peer institutions across the country. Consequently, fewer than half respond. Many who do complete the rating form admit they are making educated guesses. To address related concerns, the editors now solicit ratings from selected guidance counselors as well. Not surprisingly, the participation rate among all “voters” continues to be abysmally low. That said, what do the rankings really tell you about reputation?

3. RANKINGS CHANGE EACH YEAR BECAUSE …? Change is glacial in nature on college campuses, yet

every year the outcome of the rankings changes. Why? At least one ranking guide (U.S. News) admits to changing or “tweaking” its formula each year— further evidence of the subjectivity involved as well as the editors’ need to maintain uncertain outcomes from year to year.

4. APPLES AND ORANGES. While many institutions might look alike on the surface, they are very different with regard to programs, instructional styles, cultures, values and aspirations— another reason why trying to rank them is a daunting, if not impossible, task.

5. BE DISCRIMINATING. The definitions of “best” are essentially editorial opinions dressed up in pseudofacts. Contrived to sell magazines, they might not—and, in fact, should not—be the beginning point for your college selection process. Don’t become blinded by these definitions of the

“best.” You need to arrive at your own definition of the best that is rooted in your needs, interests and learning style.

6. PROJECT YOURSELF INTO THE PICTURE. You must ask yourself,

“What do the editors of ranking guides really know about me/my student?”

Where, for example, do they talk about the colleges that are best for the bright, but timid student who wants to study classical archaeology or the student who learns best through engagement in the classroom or the young person whose sense of self and direction is still emerging? What tangible takeaways do college rankings offer that apply to your situation?

7. LOOK FOR EVIDENCE THAT RANKINGS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COLLEGE PLANNING OUTCOMES. More

specifically, ask yourself, “What’s in it for me?” Unlike the purchase process with regard to other commodities (cars, appliances, etc.), the ultimate choice of a college is the product of a mutual selection process. Rankings don’t get kids into college nor do they necessarily point you in the direction that is best for you.

Over the last 30 years, the collegegoing process has been turned upside down by ranking guides. Whereas the focus should be on the kids—and what is best for them—college ranking guides put the focus on destinations that are presumed to be most desirable. In reality, they are artificial metrics for quality in education that detract from sensible, student-centered decisionmaking

Herein lies the disconnect. If ranking guides are truly useful to consumers, why do so many students apply to schools where the chances of gaining admission are less than one out of four?

And where is the usefulness of college ranking guides when barely half of the students entering college this fall will graduate from any college during their lifetimes?

Frankly, the rankings phenomenon has grown wearisome. The notion that all of America’s best colleges can be rank ordered in any context (“party schools,” academic reputation,” etc.)— that the mythical pecking order can actually be quantified—is foolhardy.

It makes too many wandering assumptions about people and places, cultures and values, quality and—believe it or not—fit.

Among other things, rankings promote a destination orientation and an obsessive approach to getting into highly ranked colleges. Where the student might be headed becomes more important than what is to be accomplished or why that goal might be important or how the institution might best serve the student. When distracted by the blinding power and prestige that rankings bestow upon a few institutions, it is easy to lose sight of one’s values and priorities as well as the full range of opportunities that exist.

Keep rankings in perspective as you proceed with college planning. Resist the temptation to obsess on a set of numbers. Instead, focus on developing a list of colleges based who you are, why you want to go to college and what you want to accomplish during your undergraduate years. And don’t lose sight of how you like to learn. Stay

student-centered and you will discover the colleges that are truly best for you.

Author, speaker and consultant, Peter Van Buskirk is a 35-year veteran of the college admission process.

Formerly Dean of Admission at Franklin & Marshall College and Vice President

for College Planning Solutions at Peterson’s, he is now President of Best College Fit™. His books, Winning the College Admission Game and Prepare, Compete, Win! The Ultimate College Planning Workbook for Students are popular college planning resources. His website, www.BestCollegeFit.com, is a timely source of information as families engage in college planning. A member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Peter graduated from Bucknell University.

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EXPERIENCE A DIFFERENT KIND OF CAMPUS. Go to swu.edu/visit to sign up for a campus visit.

College Admissions Guide

11

The New SAT Arrives:

A Look under the Hood of College Board’s New Creation

By Jed Applerouth

I

t’s official. The new SAT has finally arrived. On Tuesday morning, the College Board released four online practice tests for the redesigned SAT via Khan Academy. These tests, to be printed in book form at the end of June, are the only official practice tests the College Board plans to release before the first administration of the redesigned SAT in March 2016.

Supplementing these official tests, Khan Academy will produce four of its own College Board-endorsed tests this summer and fall in digital format.

For well over a year, we’ve been carefully tracking the College Board’s development process for this new test. From the initial glimpses outlined in the College Board’s April 2014 Test Specifications, to the formidable problem set of December 2014, to the easier-than-expected new PSAT released in March, this test has been constantly in transition. A number of factors likely account for the changing difficulty levels we’ve seen throughout the new test’s development process.

One of those factors has certainly been the College Board’s attentiveness to marketplace reactions to its new content. The remarkably difficult December problem set evoked considerable criticism. Attending to the pulse of its constituents, as well as other factors, the College Board recalibrated the content and reduced the level of rigor of its new assessments.

Consequently, many of the hardest PSAT and SAT items on the December problem set are noticeably absent from the current practice tests.

With the release of these four practice tests, the difficulty of the redesigned SAT is now coming into focus: though not as onerous as the December problem set, the new SAT is, quite simply, more challenging than the ACT. The College Board has attempted to mitigate this disparity by giving students roughly 40% more time to answer each question. In addition, the curve of this new test may look different from anything we’ve seen from the SAT, possibly allowing students to

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Greenville County College Fair 2015

miss many more items while attaining a highly competitive score. We’ll have to wait to find out, for even the College Board won’t know how forgiving the new test’s curve will be until months after its launch next March. Whether the additional time or potentially easier curve will be enough to coax wary students back into the SAT’s camp remains to be seen. Meanwhile, the current SAT (available through January, 2016) and the ACT appear to be very attractive options for the class of 2017.

Having lived with the new test for two full days, we’d like to offer some key insights and perspectives on what this long-awaited assessment entails.

ACT Science passages. However, whereas the ACT focuses mostly on table and graph comprehension, these new SAT passages demand a deeper comprehension of the scientific concepts behind the jargon. Together, these factors make for quite an endurance test – particularly when it’s 8:30 on a Saturday morning.

WRITING

For a reliable preview of the new SAT Writing section, look no further

the ACT, testing basic distinctions between there/their/they’re and cite/ site/sight as well as more subtle and complex distinctions between “legal issues” and “law troubles”, or “shar[ing] advice” rather than “giving wisdom.”

Students must identify a “stark” contrast as superior to an “austere”, “egregious”, or “unmitigated” contrast in problems that veer surprisingly close to the soonto-be-retired Sentence Completions.

As anticipated, the Writing section now contains charts, tables and graphs (a

Key Insights, Section by Section READING

The new reading section will undoubtedly provide an attentional challenge to many students, as they spend a whopping 65 minutes wading through scientific, political, and literary passages. The swings in difficulty between passages can be extreme and unpredictable, requiring students to skillfully manage their pacing to avoid getting hung up on the much more difficult passages. Advanced vocabulary remains deeply embedded in many passages and, to a lesser extent, in the questions themselves. Many a student will throw up their hands when they encounter passages, such as the Edmund Burke-Thomas Paine face-off in Test 4, with a level of textual complexity and advanced (even archaic) vocabulary more at home in an AP Language or SAT Literature test than on a traditional SAT. Indeed, some of the reading passages are as loaded down with scientific vocabulary (e.g., pathogenic, transgenic, antithrombin) as the most daunting

than the ACT English section, which appears to have provided more than mere inspiration for the College Board’s final product. The SAT Writing section can only be distinguished from the ACT English in a few places, and even those differences are subtle.

The SAT Writing section includes harder vocabulary (e.g., promulgated, galvanizing, paramount) than anything we’ve seen on the ACT English. The SAT also focuses more on diction than

nod to the ACT’s Science section and the type of graphical analysis and reasoning tested there). The actual content of the passages, which examine issues such as the role of librarians in the digital age and the value of philosophy majors in the new economy, feels more relevant to students than the passages found on the ACT. Apart from these minor differences, the SAT Writing section is effectively a slightly harder version of ACT English.

MATH

By emphasizing word problems and real-world examples on the new SAT,

the College Board has created a math test that feels practical and relevant.

By drastically reducing the number of Geometry questions, the test now fully explores algebra through a wide range of question types and from some often clever angles. Most questions focus on a student’s ability to interpret equations, or creatively manipulate them to

accomplish a goal. Students with a solid math foundation, who understand how plotting points on a graph, factoring quadratics, and modeling real-world situations are all interconnected, will excel at the new test. Many students, however, will inevitably struggle.

As teachers and math enthusiasts, we are excited about the tougher SAT Math sections, which assess students’ attainment of the Common Core learning standards, as interpreted by the College Board. However,

we are concerned about those students who have not received the necessary instruction and preparation for the rigors of the new SAT math. The learning standards that have informed this new test have only recently begun to inform the national curriculum. As school districts work to catch up to new national learning standards, many students will need supplemental

support to be fully prepared for the new SAT Math section. This largely results from a single disparity: the new test was built top-down from a set of clear, consistent math standards; the same cannot be said for every math class across the country.

LOOKING AHEAD

As the SAT is being reborn, the ACT, despite some incremental changes, largely remains the test it has been for over 50 years. Will consumers jump into the

College Board’s great experiment, or stick with the stable entity that is the ACT? During this year of transition, we will generally be counseling our class of 2017 tutoring clients to complete the old SAT by January 2016 or move to the ACT. Even students who are well prepared to tackle the new SAT’s elevated difficulty level will have to account for very practical issues, such as score return delays, when deciding whether to participate in the new SAT’s inaugural administration.

With the four practice tests released this week, we can now build a content roadmap for those who might venture into the new SAT’s uncharted territory.

We are currently crafting an in-depth analysis of the items and the standards tested on the new SAT. Be on the lookout for this helpful tool, coming in a special edition of our newsletter next week.

Jed Applerouth is a Nationally Certified Counselor with a PhD in Educational Psychology. Jed has researched student cognition, memory, motivation, and learning strategies to enhance the pedagogical strategies of Applerouth Tutoring Services. Jed is also a trained artist. He has found a way to merge his counseling and educational

insights, visual talents, and whimsical sense of humor into a highly effective and original method for teaching academic subjects and preparing students for college and grad-school admissions tests.

Jed is an Atlanta native, who graduated Valedictorian of Pace Academy’s 1994 class. In 1998 he graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania’s Huntsman Program for International Studies and Business. In 2007 Jed received an M.S. in Professional Counseling from Georgia State University, where he completed his PhD in Educational Psychology. In the art studio Jed works in acrylic and pastels, during his many travels he shoots landscape photography, and with his West African drumming group he plays the djembe.

SAT Test Dates 2015-16

When will my SAT scores be available? The College Board will offer SAT testing the following dates this academic year.

RESULTS TEST DATE POSTED Oct. 3, 2015

Oct. 22, 2015

Nov. 7, 2015

Nov. 24, 2014

Dec. 5, 2015

Dec. 22, 2014

Jan. 23, 2016

Feb. 11, 2016

Mar. 5, 2016*

Mid May

May 7, 2016*

Mid June

June 4, 2016*

Mid July *New SAT format test date

College Admissions Guide

13

Selecting a College Major Based on Industry Human Capital Needs: Does Your Major Choice Provide a Return on the Investment?

By Jay Blankenship, Regional Workforce Advisor, Greenville

S

electing a college major is a difficult task especially with so many majors to choose from. The length of time it takes to complete degree requirements and graduating with a large amounts of student debt present many challenges but also opportunities for today’s potential college student.

To address the question of the return on the investment, the Brooking Institute in the their April 2015 report: Beyond College Rankings, A Value – Added Approach to Assessing Two and Four Year Schools, suggests that students and parents look at the five following quality factors that are strongly associated with more successful economic outcomes for alumni in terms of salary, occupation, earning power, and loan repayment.

1. CURRICULUM VALUE: The amount earned by people in the workforce who hold degrees in a field of study offered by the college, averaged across all the degrees the college awards.

2. ALUMNI SKILLS: The average labor market value, as determined by job openings, of skills listed on alumni resumes 3. STEM ORIENTATION: The share of graduates prepared to work in STEM occupations 4. COMPLETION RATES: The percentage of students finishing their award within at least twice the normal time (four years for a two-year college, eight years for a four-year college 5. STUDENT AID: The average level of financial support given to students by the institution itself.

I would also suggest that students and parents look at the labor market information for where they

plan to live to make sure that the employment opportunities are based on a livable wage/salary versus a workable wage/salary with a clear career pathway. Another option is to

look at the two year versus the four year degree human capital needs of the industry in your desirable location to work and live.

With over 29 million “middle jobs” in the United States that pay $35,000 or more on average that do not require a Bachelor’s degree and additional 11 million middle jobs that pay $50,000 or with another 4 million middle jobs that pay $75,000 or more on average, students and their parents need to discuss and think about their college path, major selection, and their expectation for the Return on Investment.

According to the Career and Technical Education report from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and Workforce there are five career and technical Education pathways that educate and train Americans for these jobs: an associate’s degree, post-secondary certificates, employer based training,

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or more than 135 years, or more than 135 years, Brenau University has Brenau University has been dedicated to helping been dedicated to helping young women reach their young women reach their full potential. At Brenau, full potential. At Brenau, professors know your name. professors know your name.

Classmates become your Classmates become your biggest supporters. In and biggest supporters. In and out of the classroom, you out of the classroom, you will discover a world full of will discover a world full of possibilities. Visit Brenau and possibilities. Visit Brenau and uncover the gold that lies uncover the gold that lies within you. within you.

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Greenville County College Fair 2015

| 800.252.5119 ext. 6100 | admissions@brenau.edu | 800.252.5119 ext. 6100 | admissions@brenau.edu

industry based certifications, and apprenticeships.

I would also add industry scholarship programs that are housed at our local technical colleges: for example the BMW Scholars Program, Lockheed Scholars, and the GE Apprenticeship program.

Individuals with a bachelor’s degree or more are just as likely to be employed today as they were in 1990, in similar occupations, and with steadily rising earnings. But many students do not graduate. For example, only 61 percent of bachelor’s degree-seeking students finish their degree within twice the normal time at the institution where they started their education; the rate is just 38 percent for those in two-year programs.

Based on recent information from the Brookings Institute and the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, non-college educated workers are

in the recent past.

To learn more about the alignment of the major choice (Both STEM and liberal arts); how value added is calculated; and industry human capital needs for the local area, there will be a presentation and brief panel discussion with industry representatives at the 2015 Greenville Ed-op that will be held on September 22, 2015 at the TD Convention Center at 5:30 p.m. and 7:45 p.m.

The presentation will be facilitated by Jay Blankenship, Regional Workforce Advisor, Greenville for the SC Department of Commerce.

For additional information on the reports provided in the article please log onto: BEYOND COLLEGE RANKINGS – substantially more likely to work in lower paying service occupations than

EDUCATION DATA SITES FROM THE HAMILTON PROJECT: • http://bit.ly/hamilton_futurework • http://bit.ly/hamilton_earnings CHART ON MEDIAN LIFETIME EARNINGS FOR MAJORS: • http://bit.ly/hamilton_wages • http://bit.ly/brookings_earnings INTERACTIVE FEATURE: • http://bit.ly/hamilton_profiles • http://bit.ly/hamilton_ earningsbymajor EDUCATION DATA FROM THE CENTER ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE:

• http://bit.ly/brookings_link1 • http://bit.ly/brookings_interactive

• http://bit.ly/georgetown_value • http://bit.ly/georgetown_career

Choose

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At Francis Marion University, our students are some of the hardest-working collegians in America – both on and off he the But too. campus. aljdflakjdfmpu But they have fun, too. they Thathave couldfun, mean participating in intramural sports, hanging out with friends at the UC, or joining and Blessed choir. Sometimes a campus organization like the Young,Young, Gifted Gifted and Blessed gospel gospel choir. Sometimes life is lifegood, at FMU so good, you just have to sing. so youisjust have to sing.

Ranked the #1 public regional college in the South by US News & World Report’s guide “America’s Best Colleges.”

#FMexpectations Francis Marion University fmarion.edu

College Admissions Guide

15

The ‘Best and Brightest’ Aren’t Always Obvious

By Angel B. Pérez, PhD

I

a world of learning, right at your fingertips Learn something new at college? Sure. But discover something new? Now that’s unusual.

It happens all the time at Francis Marion University’s Wild Sumaco Research Station.

Since the station officially opened in 2012 in northern Ecuador, professors and students from FMU have uncovered more than a dozen new species.

That kind of get-your-hands-dirty, learning-by-doing kind of thing is a regular occurance at FMU. We’re big enough to offer you the world. And small enough to let you hold it in your hands.

#FMexpectations Francis Marion University fmarion.edu

16

Greenville County College Fair 2015

was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, to parents whose aspiration of overcoming poverty and giving their children a better opportunity led them to New York. Our version of the American dream began in the projects of the South Bronx during one of the most dangerous times in the borough’s history.

Violence, drugs, poverty, and pollution were everywhere.

One of my most vivid childhood recollections was watching my mother cry as she sat at our kitchen table. She had no idea where she was going to find a dollar to buy milk the next day. That was the moment I realized something was different about my family, and as I grew older I learned we were poor.

My first few years in New York, I slept on a cot in the hallway where I heard rats rummaging through the walls each night.

By the time I was 14 years old, I had witnessed several murders and twice was a passenger in the back seat of a police car. During my first year in high school, I was stabbed during a robbery attempt and held up at gunpoint. One day, as I walked out of the Bronx public library holding a copy of my assigned reading for class—Pride and Prejudice—I was assaulted by a group of young men. I landed in the hospital with broken bones and serious eye wounds. To this day, I can’t bring myself to read that book.

A high-school counselor and an admission officer saved my life.

Midway through my high-school career, a guidance counselor who thought I had potential made sure I went to college presentations in the area, met with admission officers who visited, and even paid for me to visit some colleges. My life changed the day an admission officer came to speak with me about her school. The way she brought college to life and painted a picture of all that was possible changed my aspirations. Most

important, she and her team took a huge chance on me.

My grades were mediocre at best, and I attended one of the poorest-performing schools in New York City. Don’t even ask about my SAT scores; “abysmal” might be a good SAT word to describe them. All traditional measures predicting success pointed toward the fact that I wouldn’t make it through college.

Statistically, I had very little to offer the college, except experience in overcoming adversity and genuine motivation to work hard.

The college ignored the fact that I would bring down all its averages.

When I received my admit letter and financial-aid award, I vowed to spend the rest of my life paying it forward. I just wasn’t sure how.

I now serve as a leader at a similar institution of higher education.

Every day, my life experiences inform my work, and I think about how to help young people who share a similar story to mine. As the years go by, however, I grow increasingly concerned. We seem to care more about the numbers we report to our boards, the

Greenville County Schools government, and U.S. News than we do about individual students applying. Admitting kids that share my story is riskier these days. Take too many and your average GPA or SAT scores decrease. There goes your board report and U.S. News ranking.

Admit students who don’t have the best stats and you might damage your yield and retention numbers.

There goes your Moody’s bond rating.

At a time when the White House is paying a lot more attention to the work of higher education and challenging selective colleges in America to solve the problem of “undermatching,” almost no one is dealing with what really impedes access. Are colleges going to change current metrics used to define “success” in an effort to create more opportunity? Are external agencies (including the federal government) going to rate colleges favorably when they admit more students whose numbers don’t measure their true potential? Until we see a fundamental shift in how we define institutional success, we will continue excluding millions of deserving young people from higher education. Are we willing to lose an entire generation of students because we feel pressure to keep good statistics?

In my own effort to create a change at Pitzer College, I altered the way I presented ideas to the president, board of trustees, and faculty. I made it a point to bring statistics to life.

I shared stories and took pride in qualifying data. I showed videos that students submit and projects they presented in their applications. I shared snippets of recommendation letters highlighting how overcoming adversity equips students with life skills that will aid them in college. I helped clarify why some of our data looked different than our peers’ and why it was important to not follow the trend but chart our own path.

In the year ahead, I am going to lead my campus (Trinity College, CT) in a meaningful conversation about the definition of academic talent and how we want to shape

our community in the future. This conversation is not going to be steeped in statistics. Rather, we will explore the diverse experiences, backgrounds, and talents that all young people can bring to our campus. Our faculty will propose myriad ways to measure talent and predictability for success. We’ll explore and discuss research on how overcoming adversity develops skills used for success in college. Most important, we will think critically about creating pathways for students traditionally underserved in higher education. Together, we will decide how to evaluate them based on the totality of their strengths—not just what their numbers tell us.

Colleges need to explore new and creative ways of defining what constitutes the “best and brightest.” If higher education does not broaden its scope, we will continue to exclude many students whose stories are not best represented by traditional academic measurement, and a generation of young people capable of making significant contributions to the world will be lost.

Those of us in higher-education leadership must realize that our success should not be measured by how attractive our numbers look, or how selective we’ve helped our institutions become. It certainly shouldn’t be measured by how many points we help our institutions climb in the rankings. The true measure of our collective success should be how we manage to include the experiences of all Americans in higher education. Together, we can transform a generation.

Angel B. Pérez is Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success at Trinity College in Hartford, CT (www. trincoll.edu); before that he was Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA. This essay is adapted from a keynote address he delivered at the annual meeting of the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services of New York State.

Greenville, South Carolina

The Class of 2015 received

21.9

Our students’ average ACT college entrance test score (21.9) continues to exceed the state (20.4) and national (21.0) averages. *36 pt. scale

3,650

$118.4

in college scholarships.

Over the past five years, seniors have earned $537.9 million in scholarships.

Advanced Placement

AP Exams earned scores of 3 or higher.

More students take AP exams and more students qualify for possible college credit.

f t

Like Us on Facebook Facebook.com/gcschools Follow Us on Twitter twitter.com/gcschools Follow Us on Instagram @gcschools

Visit Our Website www.greenville.k12.sc.us

Greenville County Schools, South Carolina’s largest and the nation’s 46th largest school system, features exciting, hands-on learning in technology-rich classrooms.

We offer the State’s largest school choice program, with more than 10,000 students (15%) attending on choice.

Scan the QR Code below to find out more about our nationally-accredited school system.

College Admissions Guide

17

Financing a College Education in South Carolina M

any agree that the process of selecting a college is one of the more important decisions that high school students and their families face. Factors such as location, size, availability of a program of study and campus environment should be carefully considered during the college search process. If you aren’t going to be happy with where you are and the educational program/career preparation that you will receive, your collegiate experience will likely not be as successful as the financial commitment you will make suggests it should be.

Yes, the economic aspects of selecting a college are vitally important in the process, and they will be different for almost every student. Fortunately, while costs may vary each year as enrollment expenses and living situations change throughout the undergraduate years, there are some financing aspects on which you can depend. The sources of your student financial aid may

include the federal government, state government, private resources, and the institution that you will attend. In addition the types of aid, scholarships (awards based on merit or special skills), grants (typically non-repayable support based on the applicant’s economic situation), student employment opportunities, and loans (which must be repaid) should remain continually available. Every college bound student should investigate all of the possibilities as they relate to the institution or institutions being considered.

South Carolina students considering South Carolina colleges have the potential of a wonderful advantage when it comes to paying for their collegiate expenses; our state provides a variety of both merit and need-based programs to assist in meeting these costs. Consider the following options: The Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, administered by the South Carolina

Commission on Higher Education, recognizes the state’s most academically talented high school seniors. Recipients will receive up to $6,700 their freshmen year and up to $7,500 for their sophomore, junior, and senior years. Presuming continued eligibility, recipients may receive Scholarship funding for a maximum of eight fulltime terms of study toward their first bachelor’s degree at an eligible four-year SC institution.

The Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence (LIFE) Scholarship is administered by the financial aid office at each eligible public and independent college and university in South Carolina.

Recipients must

Wondering what life as a Winthrop Eagle is really like?

Don’t take our word for it – take advantage of upcoming visit opportunities:

Check out our scholarship opportunities!

Preview Day, Oct. 31 Spend Saturday morning at WU – take a tour, meet students and faculty, and have lunch on us!

www.winthrop.edu/ finaid/scholarships

Saturday Visits, Oct. 3 or Nov. 14 Enjoy a campus tour with a student guide and meet an admissions counselor.

Weekday Visits Come visit any weekday; tours are at 9:30 a.m. or 2 p.m.

Rock Hill, South Carolina 29733 admissions@winthrop.edu

18

Greenville County College Fair 2015

To schedule your campus visit, call 800/WINTHROP (946-8476) or visit us online at www.winthrop.edu/admissions/visit.

be enrolled in their first one-year program, first associate’s degree, or first program leading to a baccalaureate degree.

Award amounts are related to the academic program being pursued and the associated costs The South Carolina HOPE Scholarship is administered by the financial aid office at each of South Carolina’s four-year public or independent institutions for students who do not qualify for the Palmetto Fellows or LIFE Scholarships. The scholarship is awarded for the freshman year only. Recipients may receive a LIFE Scholarship for their sophomore, junior, and senior years if they meet the on-going renewal criteria designated for LIFE Scholarships.

The SC Lottery Tuition Assistance Program was created to provide a supplemental resource to South Carolina residents attending two-year public and independent institutions.

In calculating the award amount students are eligible to receive, all federal grants and the SC Need-Based Grant must be awarded first. The institution at which the student is enrolled will notify each recipient of their exact award amount.

The SC Need-Based Grant provides financial aid to South Carolina’s neediest students. To apply, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Each eligible public college campus administers this program to determine eligibility and the exact amount of award within program defined limits for each recipient.

Recipients must be enrolled in their first one-year program, first associate’s degree, or first program leading to a baccalaureate degree. The South Carolina Higher Education Tuition Grants Commission administers the Need-Based Grant Program for students attending a SC independent college or university.

The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education also oversees the administration of Enhancement Scholarships to Palmetto Fellows and LIFE Scholarship recipients enrolled in certain STEM educational programs during their sophomore, junior and senior years. Further, through the South Carolina National Guard College Assistance Program (SCNG CAP), the Commission partners with SC National Guard in administering this educational support program that provides incentive for enlisting or remaining for a specified time in either the SC Army or Air National Guard.

For more information about award amounts and eligibility criteria, visit http://www.che.sc.gov and select “How do I… Find information on State Scholarship programs?” and then “Scholarships & Grants for SC residents”.

Mr. Joey Derrick has worked in the financial aid industry for 17 years. He is currently serves as Director of the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships at the University of South Carolina – Columbia.

To see financing tips for the Sophomore through Senior years, visit www.bestvalueschools.com/financing-college/

College Admissions Guide

19

Take Note

Things that come to mind

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20

Greenville County College Fair 2015

University of South Carolina Upstate

W

ith enrollment now exceeding 5,500 students, the campus of the University of South Carolina Upstate is a whirlwind of activity. As a senior public institution of the University of South Carolina with a comprehensive residential campus in Spartanburg and commuting degree completion operations at the University Center of Greenville, the university’s primary responsibilities are to offer baccalaureate education to the citizens of the Upstate of South Carolina and to offer selected master’s degrees in response to regional demand.

Supporting the employment objectives of its students, the university provides opportunities for creative endeavors, professional and public service, basic and applied scholarship, and research. USC Upstate students are able to pursue their educational goals in a setting where they are known by name, not as a number.

USC Upstate offers more than 40 degree programs, and is very proud of its nationally recognized schools of business, nursing, and education. The George Dean Johnson, Jr. College of Business and Economics, located in the heart of downtown Spartanburg, is accredited by The Association to Advance

Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). Nursing programs at the Mary Black School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and the School of Education’s programs are accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). U.S. News & World Report released its 2013 college rankings and named USC Upstate #1 Public Regional College in the South.

The USC Upstate Spartans compete in NCAA Division I sports as part of the Atlantic Sun Conference. They field 17 teams, including baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

At USC Upstate, opportunities abound for students to get involved in campus and community activities. From living on campus, to joining fellow students in intramural sports, Greek life, student organizations, leadership programs, and community service projects, a student’s participation in campus life helps instill a sense of community, develop leadership skills, increase appreciation of diversity, and develop character – core qualities to help guarantee success in the professional and personal lives of our graduates.

You are invited to learn more about the university online at www.uscupstate.edu or call (864) 503-5000. Campus visits are always welcome, too, and a number of Open Houses and “Fab Fridays” are scheduled throughout the year for future students to learn, see and hear all that USC Upstate has to offer. We look forward to seeing you soon!

GLADYOUASKED WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL? The diversity of students, cultures and backgrounds is what draws us closer together as a university community.

WHAT COULD BE EVEN BETTER? The university has a writing center, tutoring labs, language labs, and a math lab, all of which could be utilized more by students. There is no excuse for struggling with course material when so much help is available for the asking!

WHAT IS HOUSING LIKE? On-campus housing is a wonderful place to live. The RAs are cool and they’ll help you with anything you need to be comfortable. Facilities are new and clean, with state-ofthe-art features.

WHAT ARE THE BEST HANGOUTS (ON AND OFF CAMPUS)?

On-campus hangouts are the Campus Life Center’s lower level, and when it’s a nice day, the Lower Quad fills with students between classes. Students have a variety of off-campus hangouts, including Wild Wing’s, Delaney’s, Paradise Lanes bowling, and numerous events sponsored by College Town in downtown Spartanburg.

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST POPULAR CLASSES? The History of Rock has been pretty popular, as well as classes offered at the Wellness Center including yoga.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE STUDENT/PROFESSOR RATIO? The ratio is small and comfortable, 18:1. You are known by name, not as a number.

WHAT ARE THE STEREOTYPES ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL AND ARE THEY TRUE OR FALSE? There are several stereotypes about USC Upstate that are false. Many think the university offers only nursing programs. The university was founded with a nursing program more than 45 years ago, but has grown to include more than 40 majors. You might also hear that the curriculum is easy, or that the university is easy to get into, a “safety” school. None of that is true either.

USC Upstate has become a first choice school for many reasons, including accessibility, affordability and rigorous programs. Years ago the university was thought of as a commuter school. Today, over 1,000 students live on campus, and many more live in the apartment complexes adjacent to campus.

College Admissions Guide

21

For more information, visit www.bestvalueschools.com/ scholarships/

“#1 Up-and-Coming regional College in the South”– U.S. News & World Report National Recognition for AU Our Quality and Affordability

In the past eight years, Anderson University has been recognized as one of “America’s 100 Best College Buys” for academic quality, value and affordability. Recently, Anderson University ranked among the top 11 universities in the South (public & private) for students accumulating the least educational debt.

United States Presidential Honor Roll for Community Service 2015

18th Fastest Growing Regional College in America - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Apple Inc. has recognized Anderson University as an Apple Distinguished School, an honor that places AU in the forefront of educational institutions around the globe in the use of mobile technology as a teaching and learning tool. To learn more visit: AndersonUniversity.edu/apple

Mobile Learning Initiative

All incoming freshmen receive the latest iPad which will be used in specially designed courses.

knowledge for the journey Anderson, SC | AndersonUniversity.edu

22

Greenville County College Fair 2015

Anderson University

A

nderson University is one of the South’s most rapidly emerging private universities.

Ranked in the Top Tier (top 20) of universities of its type, Anderson features a rigorous education in a warm, supportive, Christian environment. On one of the most beautiful campuses anywhere, 3,200 students enjoy great academics and great campus life with an emphasis on fun as well as finding one’s place in the world and preparing to make an impact.

With more than 50 areas of study, there are opportunities to enter most any field from business, to theatre, education, ministry, interior design, graphic design, criminal justice, and the list goes on. There is even a new School of Nursing (opened in 2012) that has already become a top choice for the top students in the field. Anderson has one of the premiere interior design programs at a private, Christian university, a graphic design program that consistently wins national awards, an education program that has school districts lining up for its graduates each year, a program in the sciences that has its own cancer research center, and a business program whose free enterprise teams win national and regional competitions every year. Additionally, the performing arts program at Anderson draws fans from the entire Upstate, and recently musical theatre performance of Barnum was honored by the Kennedy Center for its excellence.

On campus, there are dozens of organizations and fun activities to get involved in. AU is an

NCAA Division II school competing in the South Atlantic Conference in 16 sports. Both of AU’s basketball teams routinely make the NCAA Division II tournament and the soccer and tennis programs rank at or near the top of the conference every year. wrestling, baseball, golf, tennis, softball and volleyball are also top sports at AU. There is always a game to enjoy with friends somewhere on campus or if you’d rather play than watch, the intramural program attracts almost everyone on campus.

Anderson is a national leader in the use of technology in the classroom. Under the university’s landmark Mobile Learning Initiative, the experience of learning has grown outside the classroom and the limitations of a class time. Each Anderson freshman is provided with an iPad, and the professors in every college of the University have specially designed courses that harness the power of mobile learning. Schools throughout the country as well as Apple itself, have traveled to Anderson to see how best to utilize the power of tablet technology to make learning more fun and effective. Last year, Anderson was named an Apple Distinguished School by Apple, Inc. We’re one of a handful of universities in the world to win such a distinction for technology and innovation.

The tag line for Anderson University is “knowledge for the journey.” That means that we believe you were created for a special purpose and we do all we can to help you find that purpose and maximize your gifts and talents to build a life of significance after college. Preparation in the classroom is vital to what we do, but it doesn’t end when you walk out of class. We strive to help you develop academically, spiritually, and physically.

The best way to learn if Anderson is right for you is to schedule a campus visit. You can do that on our website www.andersonuniversity.edu.

We look forward to meeting you this year!

GLADYOUASKED WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL? Anderson University offers highly-ranked academics in a warm, caring, friendly Christian environment where professors know their students and support them in their journey.

WHAT COULD BE EVEN BETTER? We strive to identify and develop new programs each year both in Anderson and Greenville to meet the changing needs of today’s students.

WHAT IS HOUSING LIKE? The vast majority of AU student choose to live on campus in 18 different residence options ranging from apartmentstyle to suite style, to more traditional college living arrangements. 5 of the residence halls are brand new and all of them feature close-knit, fun communities.

WHAT ARE THE BEST HANGOUTS (ON AND OFF CAMPUS)?

On campus, Anderson students love Java City, a high-tech, gourmet coffee and dessert venue. Off campus, they love Starbucks, Chipotle and several cool restaurants and coffee houses in Anderson’s quickly emerging historic downtown.

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST POPULAR CLASSES? Business students love their marketing classes for the entrepreneurial projects they get to do. The introduction to Fine Arts classes are popular as well as those in the nationally-ranked graphic design area.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE STUDENT/PROFESSOR RATIO? Anderson students enjoy smaller class sizes than in most universities. On average the professor to student ratio is 1/17. Professors here know your name.

WHAT ARE THE STEREOTYPES ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL AND ARE THEY TRUE OR FALSE? Anderson’s reputation as one of the fastest-growing private universities in the South is true. We’ve grown more than 80% in the past decade. Because Anderson is a highly ranked private university, some think that it is expensive, like other private universities. In fact, Anderson has been named one of “America’s 100 Best College Buys” for 7 years in a row, meaning it’s of high quality, but also affordable.

WHAT SPECIAL ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS? Apply early! AU has become extremely popular and the earlier you apply, the better.

College Admissions Guide

23

The “War” in College Admissions and how it can benefit students

By Bill Dingledine

C

olleges are using financial aid as a ‘weapon’ in the college ranking “war”. Well, maybe there isn’t a “war”, but colleges are using money as a tool to ‘leverage’ students (and their parents) in making the decision to apply to and/or attend their institutions.

Sometimes, colleges are not above “raiding” higher ranked institutions.

For most people, financial aid for college means simply – money for college. In reality, there are two ‘types’ of monetary aid for college. One, usually called “financial aid” is based on “need”. The other, “merit aid” is based on ‘special talents’, and those can vary from athletic talents (think “athletic scholarship”), to music, to leadership, as well as GPA, class rank, and test scores.

In either case, “aid” is ‘packaged’ to entice students to attend. This variable packaging is called ‘enrollment management’ and is used by all colleges in some form to enroll the ‘kind’ of freshman class that they desire and that is most attractive to the rankings.

In this time of declining high schools seniors, more colleges are trying to round up the ‘best’ freshman class as possible (witness the colleges that ‘brag’ about “this being the ‘best’ class ever”).

In order for that to happen, most colleges must offer incentives to students to

24

Greenville County College Fair 2015

attend. The most attractive ‘incentive’ is monetary (nice workout facilities and attractive and comfortable dorms help as well!). Colleges have been doing this for a while; but now, even selective private and state institutions are using this enrollment management mechanism to draw students.

It is somewhat akin to a feeding hierarchy – the more selective institutions (read ‘higher ranked’ – see a related article on “ranking” in this issue) try to lure students away from the most selective institutions; the selective colleges try to lure students away from more selective colleges; and the less selective colleges try to entice students away from selective institutions.

In these cases, one should be careful not to associate ‘ranking’ with ‘quality’.

Ranking is based mostly on ‘reputation’ and ‘selectivity’, but neither of those have a great deal to do with the quality of teaching and educational opportunities that are available at a college or university (read “Colleges that Change Lives” if one wants to gain more insight as to the factors that go into a life changing education).

Endowment is one factor that enables colleges and universities to “package” financial aid and merit money to attract the students they desire. Though one may qualify for Federal Financial Aid, there are various ways that is “packaged” – grant, work study, and loan. Desirable students often get no (or

low)-loan financial aid or significant scholarships from institutions with large endowments.

“Discounting” is another way that a number of colleges with smaller endowments try to attract students. Sometimes it is a combination of the two. It will vary from institution to institution, and at individual institutions depending on “net revenue” goals for the year.

What does this mean for students (and families) trying to choose a college? Obviously, the most accomplished students are the most attractive, whether it is throwing the football, playing a musical instrument, getting a high GPA while taking the most demanding academic load, or any number of ‘talents’. What students need to consider, is “where are my talents and abilities going to be most sought after”. Different institutions are looking for (“desire”) different things and require different attributes for admission.

Normally, a student needs to be in roughly the top 25% of the applicant pool at an institution in order for that institution to try and “woo” her with financial assistance. But more and more, colleges are offering “discounts” (scholarships) to a much broader range of students. For example, most Georgia state colleges (not UGA, GaTech, and a few others) are offering in-state tuition for South Carolina students.

In other words, it pays for a student to shop around. Private college realize they are competing with in-state public colleges, so even though they probably can’t ‘match’ the cost for an in-state student, they may come pretty close.

But just like buying a car, one needs to know what he or she is ultimately looking for and willing to pay. If not, all colleges will ‘advertise’ that they are wonderful and a student will easily fall into the “marketing” trap.

Colleges are more likely to offer financial aid, merit money, or scholarship to a student if they know that a student is truly interested in

attending. Colleges only have but so much money that they can offer, so they need to be judicious in how many and what amount the offers are made.

Most colleges will list their scholarships and their financial aid awards, policies, and procedures on their websites, either under “admission” or under “financial aid”. Once a student focuses his or her college list, then the next step is to see what sorts of financial assistance is provided at each college and the requirements for those awards.

Colleges are changing their offers and procedures, so it behooves one to check back from time to time. Most merit awards do not require any special application, but some of the more substantial awards do require one.

No one knows what a college or university offers and is looking for better than the representatives from that institution, so it is well worth getting to know that person(s). Some time learning/ knowing about yourself, the institution, and getting to know an individual there can payoff good dividends in terms not only of making the right match but also in getting the most monetary aid as possible. This process of investigation should begin at the same time as the consideration to which colleges to apply; it definitely should not wait until after one has been accepted. Though colleges are not at “war” with each other, there is a great deal of institutional money available if one looks!

As an independent counselor in Greenville, SC with over 40 years’ experience in counseling and admissions. Bill Dingledine is former President of the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC) and served on the NACAC National Commission on the Use of Standardized Testing in College Admission. He is past Chair of the Commission for Certification for the American Institute for Certified Educational Planners. He has been selected to receive the 2015 Gayle C. Wilson Award from NACAC for his service to education, one of the highest recognitions presented annually.

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by SACSCOC, just as Clemson and USC are, so students receive a quality education and credits transfer easily.

Offering relevant education that prepares graduates for excellent opportunities in the workforce or to transfer for further education.

Nine of the last 10 recipients of the full tuition, two-year Alden Transfer Scholarship at Furman University have come from GreenvilleTechnical College, and this year is no exception.

Over 100 programs of study are offered on four convenient campuses.

Greenville County residents studying full-time pay just $2,112 a semester or $912 with lottery tuition assistance.

Compare college costs at www.gvltec.edu/ cost-comparison.

Why earn the first half of a bachelor’s degree with us?

Same credits. Same quality. Very different cost.

You can complete the first two years of a bachelor’s degree at Greenville Technical College and then transfer to a four-year college or university. Studies show that when you begin at a two-year college, you’ll go on to do as well or better than students who started at the four-year institutions as freshmen. GTC is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges just as Clemson, USC, College of Charleston and most other well-known four-year colleges in South Carolina. Make your college dollar go further by starting out with GTC’s very reasonable tuition. When you transfer, you’ll have the same credits, the same knowledge base, and a lot less debt.

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College Admissions Guide 25

Pursuit of the Performing Arts in College: Parents, Don’t Be Afraid

By Bruce Halverson, Director of the Arts at Christ Church Episcopal School and former President of South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities.

D

uring my years leading performing arts departments at colleges and universities across the country, I visited with a steady stream of parents and their high school seniors. With gnawing feelings of concern, but love for their child, parents wanted some understanding of what it meant for their child to explore the performing arts or perhaps focus on theatre, music, or dance. My goal was to assure them that their child was not wandering into unemployment with no hope of a rewarding life after college.

Starting our conversation, I usually asked why the student wished to study one of the performing arts.

Typically, the answer was, “I love it, it’s what I want to do.” I was not in

a position to give parenting advice, but, as an educator, it is clear to me that students with a passion for an area of study are more successful in college than students struggling to develop a committed interest. If that passion is for one of the performing arts, the students’ desire to do well in their major area of interest generally motivates them to do well in all of their academic work.

Numerous studies have concluded that involvement in the arts enhances academic achievement which strengthens students’ options to use their artistic skills in other fields. As a result, I always kept a list of alumni who studied in the performing arts but used this background to prepare for and enhance their work in such areas as law, education, business, medicine, and communications.

Some students quietly admitted their fear of intensely studying the performing arts. I reminded them that having

options is one of the great benefits of higher education. Enrolling in a course or two in their chosen art area along with courses in history, science, and English helps to bring some clarity to their feelings. Perhaps a keen interest in another area may develop and stand alongside their interest in the arts. As an undergraduate, I loved theatre but history and political science also captured my interest. With the flexibility of a liberal arts education, I combined these interests and created the foundation for my career.

The performing arts offer a special opportunity to bring together a variety of interests into a unique course of study that fuels a student’s imagination and opens a door to a new and exciting journey.

I often shared with these families my experience as a chairperson at a small, sophisticated technical college where my department only offered a minor in the performing arts. Soon after my appointment, the

president of the institution informed me he wanted every student to be in a play. He enthusiastically explained that it was the best preparation for the world of work. He expected a student to prepare a resume, appear in front of a group of people and offer

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Accredited – Maintains full accreditation as a member of the Southern Association of Colleges Schools Commission on College (SACSCOC), with 14 specialized national accreditations.

Strong Academic Programs – Offers excellent academic programs that prepare students for careers and for graduate and professional school.

A “Southern Gem” – Recognized as South Carolina’s only publically assisted Historically Black College or University (HBCU).

Transforms Lives – Prepares global leaders in the areas of law, education, speech pathology, engineering, business and logistics.

Superior Faculty and Staff – Retains highly qualified faculty and staff dedicated to teaching, research and public service.

Best Value – Ranks among the top 5 accessible and affordable institutions in South Carolina.

Great Student-Focused Environment – Promises to always put you first, treating each student as an individual and approaching education from a personalized nature.

Strong Alumni Network – 25,000+ judges, attorneys, engineers, speech pathologists, educators, lawmakers, athletes, artists and musicians, physicians and other notable professionals.

Transforming Lives.

Inspiring Greatness. www.scsu.edu

26

Greenville County College Fair 2015

Engaging Student Life – Students demonstrate leadership skills through involvement in intercollegiate, athletics, marching band, student government as well as national fraternities and sororities.

A Promising Future – Join us for a fantastic journey that will lead to limitless possibilities.

ENROLL TODAY!

Call the Office of Admissions at (803) 536-7186.

some type of presentation/audition, answer relevant yet demanding questions, and create a strong and positive impression—or she would not be cast (or get the job). Then, if the student received a role, she had to carefully manage her time, meet the rigorous rehearsal schedule, research the historical background and psychological profile of her character, interact positively with a large and varied group of actors and technicians, take direction (and criticism), work for the good of the entire enterprise, always be prepared mentally and physically, and strive towards the common goal of the success of the performance. The president advocated strongly for this participation and believed students involved in dance and music gained many of the same benefits. For him, this type of experience was one of the keys to success in college and beyond.

With this story in mind, I emphasized

that the knowledge and skills taught in the performing arts are universal and in demand. For example, the problem solving and communications skills

required during this time of relentless change and competitive challenges make creativity and imagination critical requirements for our contemporary

leaders.

As my visitors departed, I hoped they understood a commitment to learning often starts with a student’s passion for a specific area of study. A liberal arts education offers the opportunity to strengthen this passion or incorporate it into a new commitment. One of these opportunities is studying the performing arts. It can play an important role in greatly enhancing a student’s education, whether he or she simply explores the field or fervently pursues a passion for music, theatre, or dance.

So, parents, don’t be afraid. The fabric of our society is significantly shaped and enhanced by the performing arts. And, possibly, the performing arts will not only enrich your child’s life but help your young student find a path that will bring both happiness and success to him, whether in the arts or the amazing array of professions available in today’s world.

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uscupstate.edu/admissions College Admissions Guide

27

“You’re Applying WHERE?”

On the Wisdom and Merits of Exploring ‘Less Visible’ Colleges

By Marty O’Connell

“Y

ou’re applying WHERE?” Academically talented high school students around the country tell me this is often the reaction they receive when sharing their thoughtfully chosen, but not “highly visible” colleges list with friends and family.

We exist in a name-brand obsessed culture which creates stress-inducing media headlines every year, all year — including during the summer, when high school seniors are winnowing their prospective colleges list. Articles and blogs highlight only the attention-grabbing process of a very narrow band of highly visible colleges, and are translated by most students into “I’ll never get in anywhere!”

To counteract the notion that “a college can’t be any good if I’ve never heard of it” — another familiar student opinion — I challenge students to think about the people in their lives who are happy and successful and find out where, or if, they went to college. Doing this same exercise using “famous” people, they discover that most often the name and visibility of a college choice has much less to do with success in life than do the experience and opportunities students take advantage of during their college years.

Employers and graduate schools look for outstanding skills and experience, not college pedigree. In an attempt to flip the application process for students, I pose this question to them: “Would you want college admission deans to ignore your application, and the chance to learn all about your background and talents, only because they have never heard of your high school?”

Looking beyond name recognition when searching for colleges, students leave themselves open to more possibilities for colleges that will be a great fit for them.

If you had to choose a friend, spouse or partner for life, would you use a publication ranking him or her by income, IQ scores, and reputation — as reported by others who have never

28

Greenville County College Fair 2015

Some of the Top Undergraduate Colleges (in various categories) of Future PhDs Beloit Denison Earlham Goucher Hampshire Kalamazoo Lawrence Marlboro Reed St. John’s Wabash Wooster met the person? As a culture, we love consulting search engines, consumer guidebooks, and ranking lists for shortcut methods to choosing electronics and cars; but the college search requires a more thoughtful, personal and time consuming approach.

The process can’t be reduced to rankings with numerical values when it truly requires starting with who the individual student is and why he or she is going to college – not to mention personal needs, desires, learning styles, and interests.

This self inventory is the start for finding colleges that “fit” for an individual, instead of beginning with the assumption that only the “Top Twenty” on the U.S. News and World Report

or other rankings lists have any value.

These ranking guides sell big, but their purported value in the college search process can certainly be diminished if students, parents and counselors learn to go after fit, rather than name brand.

One of the biggest flaws in starting the college search process by using ranking lists is that the lists tout entering-class statistics, rather than focusing on what happens during the four years those students are enrolled. The late Loren Pope, author of “Looking Beyond the Ivy League” and “Colleges That Change Lives,” said that choosing colleges based on the entering statistics of the freshmen class, is like choosing a hospital based on the health of those entering the hospital, not the outcomes — ultimately, it’s the treatment that really matters.

In the case of colleges, what matters is what happens between the first year and graduation, not on the desks of the admission office. Researching colleges based on student outcomes highlights many schools that outperform the Ivies and Name Brands, even if they don’t have the benefit of name recognition.

The research from the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium on the Undergraduate Origins of PhDs finds colleges like Beloit, Denison, Earlham, Goucher, Hampshire, Kalamazoo, Lawrence, Marlboro, Reed,

St. John’s, Wabash and Wooster listed in the top ten, in various categories, of producers of future PhDs — often ahead of more highly recognized colleges and universities.

Students need to examine their reasons for going, before making a list of colleges to apply for admission.

Why, really, are you going? What are your abilities and strengths? What are your weaknesses? What do you want out of life, or in life—something tangible or intangible? Are you socially self-sufficient or do you need warm, familial support? What kind of learning community do you want to be part of? And so on. Exploring these questions with family, friends and high school counselors — the people who best know the student — can help in choosing colleges that match their learning style and goals.

NSSE, The National Survey of Student Engagement, (www.nsse. iub.edu) is a wonderful resource for gathering information about college outcomes and provides a list of the right questions to ask during the college search.

The simple truth is that the majority of the colleges and universities in this country admit more students than they deny. The college search process should be an enjoyable and memorable experience, not an exercise to be dreaded. Students willing to investigate beyond the very narrow band of highly visible colleges will find many options that lead to a great fit and a worthwhile college experience — one that will instill a lifelong passion for learning and prepare students to meet the challenges and changes they will face during their lifetime.

Ms. O’Connell is College Counselor at Garrison Forest School in Owings Mills, MD. Prior to that she was Executive Director of Colleges That Change Lives, a non-profit organization founded on “the goal of helping each student find a college that develops a lifelong love of learning and provides the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life beyond college.” (www.ctcl.org)

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The Art Institute of Charleston is one of The Art Institutes, a system of over 50 schools throughout North America. Programs, credential levels, technology, and scheduling options vary by school and are subject to change. Not all online programs are available to residents of all U.S. states. Several institutions included in The Art Institutes system are campuses of South University or Argosy University. The Art Institute of Charleston, 24 N Market St, Charleston, SC 29401 © 2015 The Art Institutes. All rights reserved. Our email address is materialsreview@aii.edu.

See aiprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees and other costs, median debt, salary data, alumni success, and other important info.

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9/14/15 12:22 PM

Not Your Mother’s “College”

By William S. Dingledine, Jr., MS, Professional Member Independent Consultants Association (IECA), Certified Educational Planner

T

encourages students to consider a ‘gap year’.

Internships are a great gap year experience because they help a student focus his or her interest and offers experiences that clarify an educational track for an individual. There are organizations that will offer a specific internship experiences or a series of experiences; or one may find or develop an internship themselves. Either is worthwhile!

Travel is sometimes a bit more costly (though it still may be a good bit cheaper than a full year of college!) but it can be equally educational, enriching, and maturing. Just like choosing a college, a student must choose a gap year experience that holds value for that student.

Americorps (www.americorps. gov) is an organization which students might consider; it involves

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raditionally, students have finished high school and gone onto college. That norm is changing as students consider and take other paths following high school.

In its infancy, “taking a year off” was considered risky because it ‘might’ lead a student to ‘not going on to college’; and that was heresy! As Americans began to consider that for decades British students had been taking a “gap year” following high school, and then going onto Oxford, Cambridge, and other UK universities, it became more acceptable to consider taking some time between high school and college.

Now, Harvard even suggests in its acceptance letter that students consider a ‘gap year’!

‘Gap Years’ may consist of anything from a specifically planned year-long trip, to a series of experiences, to internship, to work, to the military. Most colleges are open to “deferring” as long as a student has something enriching planned. These ‘experiences’ can be as educational as attending college, and there is no doubt that students return to college more mature and with greater personal insight than if they had gone directly to college.

The late Fred Hargedon, former Director of Admission at Stanford and Princeton, used to preach that taking time off produces a much more focused student, whether it was travel of military service or anything in-between. In fact, Harvard’s acceptance letter

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services and learning.

There are a number of areas of interest that students might consider from disaster relief, education, environment, to health improvement.

Another experience that students might consider is the military.

They offer many opportunities for learning and training and depending on the arrangements the military may pay for some or all of an individual’s college education.

And, veterans are some of the most mature and motivated students on campus because they realize the value of what they are undertaking.

A number of Upstate companies offer programs that are both training and education – BMW, Michelin, Bosch, etc. and these are great opportunities for

students to gain experience, work, AND get an education for little of no cost.

The College Fair Seminars (both early and late) will address those opportunities (if you are unable to attend, you might contact Jay Blankenship at jblankenship@sccommerce.com for further information).

A student might even consider

attending a community college while he or she is working. There are many courses that might interest a student.

Though some may not be directly ‘transferable’, they may be of great interest to the student and therefore ‘enriching’. Others are transferable (www.sctrac.org) and do carry specific transferable credit to any college or

university in SC. Be aware though, that using these credits may affect the “8 semester” allowance for the LIFE Scholarship. Another educational experience that students might consider is a PG (post-graduate) experience at a boarding school. These might offer additional maturity either academic, athletic, social, and/or personal.

Regardless of whether a student decides to pursue one of these paths or not, these are worth considering and something that a student should do as he or she is applying to college. Though the deadlines are later, one should look into the options well before the end of the senior year.

Even though they are not the path that your mother may have taken, there are wonderful options out there!

Today’s Students...

TOMORROW’S LEADERS At Lander University, students don’t just learn in classrooms. They experience their education through hands-on application in real-world settings, from local businesses and industries, to national Fortune 500 companies. Our award-winning experiential learning approach is designed to engage and challenge, preparing graduates to be marketable in today’s competitive workforce. At Lander, we are committed to student success — and that has been our focus for more than 140 years.

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College Admissions Guide

31

List of Participating Universities & Colleges Allen University

Greenville Technical College

Anderson University

Higher Ground Christian Development College and Seminary

Appalachian State University Armstrong State University Auburn University Barton College Belmont Abbey College Benedict College Bennett College Berea College Berry College Bob Jones University Brenau University Brevard College Campbell University Carson-Newman University Catawba College Centre College Charleston Southern University Claflin University Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism Clemson University Coastal Carolina University Coker College College of Charleston College of Coastal Georgia Columbia College Columbia International University Covenant College Converse College Darton State College Denison University Denmark Technical College Dickinson College East Tennessee State University ECPI University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Emmanuel College Emory University Erskine College Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Francis Marion University Furman University Gardner-Webb University Georgia College Georgia Southern University Georgia State University

32

Greenville County College Fair 2015

Hollins University Johnson & Wales University Johnson C. Smith University Kaplan Test Prep Kennesaw State University Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology King University Lander University Lees-McRae College Lenoir-Rhyne University Limestone College Living Arts College Livingstone College Loyola University New Orleans Mars Hill University Mid-Atlantic Christian University Mississippi State University Montreat College Morehouse College Morris College Newberry College North Carolina Outward Bound School North Greenville University Northeastern University Nova Southeastern University Oglethorpe University Paul Mitchell the School Presbyterian College

The Art Institutes

Upstate Aggie Club

Purdue University

The Citadel

Valdosta State University

Queens University of Charlotte

Tusculum College

Valparaiso University

Radford University

United States Marine Corps

Vanderbilt University

Ringling College of Art and Design

University of Alabama

Virginia Military Institute

Roanoke College

University of California - Berkeley

Virginia Tech

Samford University

University of Chicago

Voorhees College

SC Test Prep

University of Georgia

Washington University in St. Louis

Sewanee: The University of the South

University of Mount Olive

Wellesley College

South Carolina National Guard

University of North Carolina - Asheville

Western Carolina University

South Carolina State University

University of North Carolina - Charlotte

Western Kentucky University

Southern Wesleyan University

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

William Peace University

Spartanburg Methodist College

University of South Carolina - Aiken

Winston Salem State University

St. Andrews University

University of South Carolina - Columbia

Winthrop University

St. Augustineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University

University of South Carolina - Beaufort

Wofford College

Stetson University

University of South Carolina - Upstate

COLLEGE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, public or private (Forbes “America’s Top Colleges” 2015)

#4 IN THE NATION

for study abroad participation

91%

(Open Doors Report 2014)

94%

OF STUDENTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE (scholarships, need-based grants, work-study)

OF THE CLASS OF 2014 IS EMPLOYED OR IN GRAD SCHOOL (within 6 months of graduating)

4 NCAA

1:11

FACULTY:STUDENT RATIO (90% of faculty have a Ph.D. or terminal degree)

100+

STUDENT CLUBS AND GREEK-LETTER ORGANIZATIONS

MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES in the last 6 years

TOP 50

A MOST ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE CAMPUS

(The New York Times 2014)

1,608 STUDENTS FROM 37 STATES AND 22 COUNTRIES

@whywofford

College Admissions Guide

33

Take Note

Start Something at

FURMAN

#FurmanBound #1 Private Liberal Arts University in South Carolina U.S. News & World Report Furman University Admission 3300 Poinsett Highway Greenville, SC 29613-5245

864.294.2034 furman.edu/admission

34

Greenville County College Fair 2015

Things that come to mind

Thinking of

Medical School?

VCOM—the osteopathic medical school in Spartanburg, South Carolina—could be the place for you! At VCOM, future physicians learn to provide patient centered care through experiences extending far beyond the classroom.

For more information, visit

www.vcom.edu

350 Howard Street • Spartanburg, South Carolina • 864-327-9800 ©2015 Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. All rights reserved.

College Admissions Guide

35

attend an open house event

experiexperience ence the theseptember 26 november 14 NGUNGU campus!campus! march 19

North North Greenvi Greenville l le Uni v ersi t y experience experience the the Univ experience the NGUcampus!

NGU campus!campus!

NGU attend attendananopen openhouse houseevent event september26 26 september november14 14 november march19 19 march

www. www.ngu.edu ngu.edu : admissions@ngu.: admissions@ngu.edu edu : 864.977.7001 :8

connect Univ with us!

North North Greenville Greenville University North Greenville University

www.ngu.edu www.ngu.edu : admissions@ngu.edu : admissions@ngu.edu : 864.977.7001 : 8 www.ngu.edu : admissions@ngu.edu : 864.977.7001 36

Greenville County College Fair 2015

connectwith withus! us! connect