2009 College Admissions Guide

Greenville County

College Fair COLLEGE ADMISSIONS GUIDE

“Building Bridges to Higher Education”

Greenville

Journal

CAROLINA FIRST Conference CENTER SUnday, November 1, 2009 Workshops 1:00 - 2:30 PM • FAIR 2:30 - 4:30 pm

Monday, November 2, 2009 FAIR 9:30 - 11:30 am

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Welcome to this College Admissions Guide, a supplement to the annual Greenville County College Fair. The Planning Committee is pleased and excited to offer the students and families of Greenville the wonderful opportunities of the College Fair on November 1-2 as well as this collection of professional articles on college admissions.

With the competitiveness for admission to and cost of college increasing over the past decade, it has become more important for students and families to begin their college research sooner and delve further into various options in order to find those choices that will provide them with the best personal educational value. The Greenville County College Fair offers a great opportunity for students to explore and uncover options and opportunities.

For over 25 years, this fair has brought colleges from across the region and beyond to Greenville to recruit students. This year has the largest turnout of colleges in history and in addition offers special college admission workshops for the first time (see schedule). The Planning Committee has been working since last winter to prepare for this year’s fair and we hope that both students and colleges find the time valuable to their needs.

Next to personally visiting a college, a college fair is the best way to get some firsthand information about opportunities and programs and to understand the range of options open to students. It is also a great time to get questions answered about the process of admission, requirements, and financial aid. On Sunday, the fair will be directed for students and their families from across the Upstate with college guidance sessions beginning at 1:00 PM and the fair running from 2:30-4:30 PM. On Monday, Greenville County Schools students will be bused to the fair in the morning.

In this insert, you will find articles about using a college fair to your advantage, the SAT/ACT tests, visiting colleges, financial aid and scholarships, and more, as well as a list of the over 130 colleges attending the fair.

We look forward to having you join us! Please visit www.greenvillecountycollegefair.com for additional information.

The Planning Committee: Bill Dingledine, Educational Directions India Fulkerson, Greenville Technical College Will Gregg, Greenville Urban League Cynthia Hurlbert, Hurlbert, The Princeton Review

“Building Bridges to Higher Education”

Jeny Kerscher, Furman University BJ Lindley, Greenville County Schools Esther Pinckney, Greenville Technical College Rob Rhodes, Greenville County Schools Linda Schulz, Christ Church Episcopal School Carolyn Watkins, Greenville Technical College Jewel Whitney, Greenville Technical College

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THE EDUCATION CONSERVANCY WE ADMIT – GUIDANCE FROM THOSE WHO DO

STUDENT GUIDELINES An admission decision, test score, or GPA is not a measure of your self-worth. And, most students are admitted to colleges they want to attend. Knowing this, we encourage you to:

Applying to college does not have to be overwhelming! The following principles and guidelines can help make the college admission process more manageable, more productive, and more educationally appropriate.

➤ Be confident! Take responsibility for your college admission process. The more you do for yourself, the better the results will be. ➤ Be deliberate! Applying to college involves thoughtful research to determine distinctions among colleges, as well as careful self-examination to identify your interests, learning style and other criteria.

Plan to make well-considered applications to the most suitable colleges. This is often referred to as “making good matches.”

This guidance is offered by the Education Conservancy, a group of admission professionals committed to calming the commercial frenzy by affirming educational values in college admission.

PRINCIPLES These guiding principles are relevant for parents, students, counselors and admission deans:

➤ Be realistic and trust your instincts!

Choosing a college is an important process, but not a life or death decision.

Since there are limits to what you can know about colleges and about yourself, you should allow yourself to do educated guesswork.

➤ Education is a process, not a product.

Students are learners, not customers. ➤ The benefits and predictors of good education are knowable yet virtually impossible to measure.

➤ Be open-minded! Resist the notion that there is one perfect college. Great education happens in many places.

➤ Rankings oversimplify and mislead. ➤ A student’s intellectual skills and attitude about learning are more important than what college a student attends.

➤ Use a variety of resources for gathering information. Seek advice from those people who know you, care about you, and are willing to help.

➤ Educational values are best served by admission practices that are consistent with these values.

➤ Be honest; be yourself! Do not try to game the system.

➤ College admission should be part of an educational process directed toward student autonomy and intellectual maturity.

➤ Resist taking any standardized test numerous times (twice is usually sufficient). ➤ Limit your applications to a wellresearched and reasonable number. No more than six should be sufficient, except in special cases.

➤ Colleges can be assessed, but not ranked.

Students can be evaluated, but not measured. ➤ Students’ thoughts, ideas and passions are worthy to be engaged and handled with utmost care.

Know that what you do in college is a better predictor of future success and happiness than where you go to college.

PARENT GUIDELINES An admission decision, test score, or GPA is not a measure of a student’s worth. And, parents should always be mindful of the behavior they are modeling for their children.

Knowing this, we encourage you to: ➤ Recognize that gaining admission to college is merely one step in a process of education that will include your student attending a college where she or he can maximize talents and growth. Emphasize the education. ➤ Resist doing for your students what they are capable of doing for themselves. ➤ Allow your child to take responsibility for his or her own part of the college application process. Be involved in the process, but do not try to control it. ➤ Resist relying on rankings and college selectivity to determine the most suitable colleges for your child.

➤ Keep this process in perspective.

Remember that student skills, selfconfidence, curiosity, and desire to learn are some of the most important ingredients in quality education and successful college admissions. Do not sacrifice these by overemphasizing getting into the “best” college.

THIS GUIDANCE IS OFFERED BY THE FOLLOWING VETERAN ADMISSION PROFESSIONALS: 805 SW Broadway, Suite 1600 Portland, OR 97205 Ph. 503.290.0083 Fax 503.973.5252 educationconservancy.org Phillip Ballinger, University of Washington Michael Beseda, St. Mary’s College of California

➤ Realize that researching, selecting, and applying to colleges does not have to be an expensive process.

Jennifer Britz, Kenyon College

➤ Resist attempts to turn the process into a status competition. Develop a healthy, educationally based, and family-appropriate approach to college admissions.

Sean Callaway, Pace University

➤ Consider that gaming the system may not only diminish your child’s selfconfidence, it may also jeopardize desired admission outcomes. ➤ Listen to, encourage and believe in your child. Do not use the term “we” as in “we are applying to…” ➤ Discuss the idea of education as an ongoing process, and how selecting a college might be different from buying a product. ➤ Love them enough to let them demonstrate the independence you have instilled in them.

J. Antonio Cabasco, Whitman College

John Carroll, Kalamazoo College Sidonia Dalby, Smith College Doris Davis, Cornell University Will Dix, University of Chicago Lab School Bill Fitzsimmons, Harvard University Karl Furstenberg, Dartmouth College Marilee Jones, MIT Daniel Lundquist, Union College Brad MacGowan, Newton North High School

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864-962-0546

Bonnie Marcus, Bard College

Jeff Rickey, Earlham College

Paul Marthers, Reed College

Mike Sexton, Lewis and Clark College

Robert Massa, Dickinson College

Bill Shain, Vanderbilt University

Tom McWhertor, Calvin College

Jim Sumner, Grinnell College

Mark Moody, The Bush School

Steven Syverson, Lawrence University

Marty O’Connell, McDaniel College

Harold Wingood, Clark University

You’ll Find More Than Your Future Here.

Ted O’Neill, University of Chicago Bruce Poch, Pomona College Jon Reider, San Francisco University High School

Over 60 academic programs Excellent financial aid packages Christian environment 10 intercollegiate athletic teams Music and theatre productions Evening programs for adults Accounting, Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Communication, Computer Science, Applied Criminal Justice, Education, Forensic Computer Science, Forensic Science, History, Human Services, Management, Management of Information Technology, Mathematics, Medical Technology, Music, Pre-medicine/Dentistry, Psychology, Recreation and Leisure Services Administration, Religion, Social Science.

Central, South Carolina | 864.644.5550 | www.swu.edu Southern Wesleyan University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate, and masters degrees.

Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Southern Wesleyan University.

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That Was Then. This Is Now! New Directions For the Road to College

By Peter Van Buskirk Have you ever wondered how you would fare if you were to apply to college today? I can’t tell you how often I hear parents utter with marked relief in their voices that they are glad to have gone to college when they did – “there’s no way that I would get in if I had to apply now!” You are not alone if you are comforted in the knowledge that you don’t have to do it all over again.

Yes, the process of going to college is different now than it was “back in the day.”

If nothing else, it was simpler then. You got an application and a catalog. If you lived close to the campus, maybe you sat for an interview.

You applied and you got in.

The rules of the game have changed, however, and the whole process is commercialized beyond belief. Now, colleges market themselves to kids – and kids are being marketed to colleges. The media has gotten involved – often sensationalizing the process – and dozens of cottage industries have sprung up

to help students find an advantage as they compete for admission.

The “gatekeeper” role of the admission officer has given way to enrollment management.

Those individuals entrusted with admitting and enrolling the entering class of yesteryear now find themselves accountable for qualitative measures such as selectivity, yield, discount rate, testing profile and diversity that were seemingly obscure a generation ago.

In short, colleges have morphed into businesses – businesses in which the decision to admit and, possibly, give financial assistance to a student is a calculated business decision.

This can be terribly confusing to parents who remember different times and admission practices that reflected the pure merit of a student’s credentials. Now, the decisions rest on answers to questions such as, “What do we get if we admit her?” or “Is our offer of financial aid justified by his likely contributions to campus life?” or “If we admit her, what is the likelihood that she will enroll?”

Unfortunately, you can no longer draw exclusively on your own somewhat dated experiences as a college applicant to guide your child.

Different times require different approaches.

You see evidence of this every day as colleges reach out more aggressively to attract more applications. Notice, I didn’t say more students. Most colleges and universities are brimming with students – they don’t need more. But boosting application totals does have an impact as colleges compete with each other in the “fame game” (read: RANKINGS). ). They know that bringing in more applications enables them to appear more selective (the choosier the better!) while giving them more opportunities to increase the yield on their offers of admission – a sure sign of popularity.

This push for applications reaches into your home daily as your mailbox is stuffed with viewbooks and flyers from dozens of colleges, both known and unknown to you. Initially, the rush of attention was exciting. After all, your child is wanted by…all…these…colleges!

Then, reality sets in and you begin to look for a box large enough to stash the goods – just in case she decides to read them one day.

It is no wonder that today’s students feel angst and stress about applying to college. They don’t know where to start – and they don’t know what to believe! Pushed and cajoled,

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enticed and baited by increasingly aggressive recruitment tactics, they end up applying to a greater number of colleges perhaps hoping the outcome will be decided for them.

Rather than turning their educational futures over to fate, young people need to be purposeful and student-centered about their engagement in the college selection process. They need to be asking the following questions of themselves: “Why do I want to go to college?” “What do I want to accomplish?”

“In what type of learning environment will I function best?”

And they need to understand the nature of the admission competition that awaits them as they consider different educational opportunities. To understand the phenomenon, look no further that the concept of selectivity.

Also known as “admit ratio,” selectivity refers to the relationship between the numbers of applicants and acceptances at a given institution. Whenever an institution can turn away applicants, it is selective.

A vast majority of the 3,000+ undergraduate schools in the United States can exercise some degree of selectivity. The concept will be a useful tool in assessing the relative importance of different elements in your child’s application. The more selective the college, the greater the importance of, you name it – SAT results, senior year grades, essay preparation and so on.

The beauty of selectivity is that it is easily discovered. Simply refer to the admission profiles of the colleges in which your student is interested for the necessary data. How many applications were received and how many of those applicants were admitted? This information should be available on institutionspecific websites and literature as well as in most college guidebooks.

For added perspective, imagine that all the colleges in the United States can be located somewhere on a pyramid according to their levels of selectivity – or how hard it is to get into each. The most selective are at the top of the pyramid; those that are easier to get into are at the bottom of the pyramid. The further up the pyramid you go, the more selective are the schools – and the fewer they are in number.

It is important to note that there are excellent schools all over the Pyramid of Selectivity™ – at the top, at the middle and at the lower levels. You do your child a disservice if you allow her to believe that she should not settle for anything less than a college at the top of the Pyramid – especially when such a place might not be the best place for her.

The Pyramid of Selectivity is instructive as it provides context for the discussion of a whole range of factors in the admission process. For example, you may be curious to know how the “C” your daughter got in Chemistry will affect her chances. Or how the slow start she experienced in her freshman year will affect her competitiveness. In each case, the answer will be: “it depends.”

It depends on where she aspires on the Pyramid. If her grades have improved since and she is looking at a university that will admit two out of three (middle of the Pyramid), she may be in luck as that place can afford to be more forgiving of irregularities on her record.

The university that admits one out of eight, however, will be a long shot as the depth of the competition among its candidates forces it to make fine distinctions between the students who submit “straight A” records. A random “C” can lead to an early exit from the competition at such “hard to get into” schools.

In fact, the same record that is rewarded with admission and a scholarship at one level of selectivity might not even be admitted at another level. That is not a reflection on the student as much as it is the extraordinary competition at some institutions. Each will make decisions to admit and, in many cases, provide financial support to students in a manner that is reflective of its institutional values.

Success as a college applicant, then, requires an understanding of the competitive process and honest self-assessment. A student’s ability to find good college fits – to put himself on the right “competitive playing field” – goes a long way in determining his success as an applicant and as an enrolled student.

It also pays to be cynical as you approach the college-going process. The process has changed dramatically and “things” are not always as they seem. They’re certainly not as they used to be. Nonetheless, the process is still very manageable. Your ability to help your child discern the difference between the rhetoric that seems to envelop the process and the reality will give you both confidence in the choices she makes about her educational future.

Peter Van Buskirk is an author, speaker and consultant. His book, Winning the College Admission Game: Strategies for Students and Parents, is a best-seller in its genre. The former dean of admission at Franklin & Marshall College (PA), he is also a veteran of the college planning process with three of his own children. He advises students and parents with regular blog postings and other resources at www.TheAdmissionGame.com.

ESSAYS – Making It Easy I don’t know why students freak about essays.

Colleges give you a couple of months to write them. You can get a little help with them if you want – AND, they’re all about YOU. Yes, this is the part where the show is all yours; where it’s focused on Numero Uno, the Big Enchilada, the person you like so much you put her/his reflection in the mirror every time you look into one.

That last one made you think, didn’t it?

That may sound selfish, but it is actually the key to writing an effective essay – be you. Most colleges give you a very general topic on which to write; one where you get to steer the ship. If the questions are specific, you answer them in a way that shows who you are.

Some ground rules: • Answer the question. It’s great to write a broad answer that serves as a window into your life, but if they want to know a person who inspired you, tell them. If you read your answer and it’s not clear to you who inspired you, the college will have no clue either – time to start over.

• Answer the question honestly. Don’t say your father because you think it will move them; don’t say Barnacle Bob just to be cute. The essay is a guided tour of your mind, life, vision, and soul – what you are, not what you think you are supposed to be. Show them the real deal!

• Watch the humor. An Ivy League rep once said if you could get him to laugh out loud while reading your application, then you were in. Trouble is, lots of students try – and fail. What’s funny to you may be dull, trite, pathetic or strange to the committee.

As a rule, try for warm and spirited – let Chris Rock do shtick.

• Watch the content. Trite (an essay on deciding what the essay should be about), pathetic (“I’m not worthy – but take me anyway”) or strange (“I’m really a vampire”) are generally out. What you have to say should be an honest look at you, but this is an introduction, not the tenth week of therapy. Be focused and balanced and you will do fine.

• Show it to an English teacher. You know at least one English teacher who loves to slash essays with red pen – grammar, spelling, the whole tour.

This is your best new friend; bring them your rough draft and chocolate, and let the games begin.

• Write the essay yourself. You can use the same essay for different colleges, as long as the essay answers the question and shows something about you. You’ll need to take the names of other colleges out (don’t tell Brown, “I’ve always wanted to go to Dartmouth”), and you want to put specifics in about the new college (“It’s great that Chicago requires its students to swim. When I was six…”), but other than that, cut and copy away.

Colleges would love to put you up for two weeks to really get to know you – but if they did that for everyone, you’d be 45 before they admitted you. The essay takes the place of that two weeks – write it so that when they read it, they feel as if you just left the room, and your chair is still warm.

By Patrick J. O’Connor, PhD, Director of College Counseling at The Roeper School in Detroit and former President of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). This essay is an excerpt from his book, College is Yours in 600 Words or Less. Dr. O’Connor may be reached at patrick.oconnor@roeper.org.

Presbyterian College

I’m pre-pharmacy.

I’m a study partner.

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• School of Pharmacy planned opening 2010 • Internships, research, and study abroad • Community dedicated to service and honor • Strong faculty-student relationships • Confucius Institute host

www.presby.edu • 1-800-960-7583

PRE-COLLEGE ENROLLMENT SERVICES (PCES)

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS • Each year, we assist over 600 students in the college enrollment process • Over 86% of graduating seniors attend colleges and universities in the U.S. • 2009 Graduates received over $741,000 in scholarships and grants • In 2009, 24 FREE SAT/ACT preparation workshops conducted • Fifteen to twenty (15-20) colleges toured annually • Encourages students to complete high school • Provides a bridge to a better future For more information, contact Mr. Will Gregg or Mr. Lavar Washington

864-244-3862

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The Basics of Financial Aid College is expensive, but it is one of the most valuable investments you can make because education is something that cannot be taken away from you; does not degrade with time; and it can open doors to jobs, careers, and lifetime experiences.

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Visit The Art Institute of Charleston and The Art Institute of Charlotte Regional Open House and find out about academic programs, class schedules (including online classes), school-sponsored housing (housing tours available), career services, financial aid and scholarships (available to those who qualify).

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Whereas a high school education is seen as an entitlement – everyone is guaranteed one if desired – a college education is an option, though in this day and time a very necessary one. For that reason, the cost of college is looked upon as a “shared cost” – one that is shared by family members, students, government aid programs, and sources of private aid funds (both colleges and outside organizations) – and for that reason, “financial aid” is an important part of the college process for many students.

Parents of dependent students (which are essentially all students under 24) provide income and asset information on aid application forms, and students are also expected to contribute from income and assets. Parent and student contributions are added together to form the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

The college’s Cost of Attendance (COA) minus Expected Family Contribution (EFC) equals “Need” (eligibility) for aid. Depending on such variables as Cost of Attendance, asset values, and number of children in college, need-based financial assistance is sometimes available to families with relatively high incomes.

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Aid that is not based on financial need is known as “merit” aid. It is used to attract students that college admissions officers hope to enroll. It may be based on academic ability, musical talent, home state or other special qualities of the student.

Athletic scholarships are an example of merit aid.

For students who aren’t eligible for need-based aid, merit awards are a bonus. When students are eligible for need-based aid, merit awards will be included in the aid packages. (Important example: In South Carolina, the LIFE Scholarship will be counted towards meeting a student’s “need”; it will not be in addition to the need award.)

Aid “Packaging” – Each institution will offer its own financial aid/scholarship “package.” This will consist, in varying amounts, of three types of “aid”: Loans, which must be repaid; scholarships/ grants that don’t need to be repaid, (Military aid/ scholarships – ROTC or Service Academies – require the student to commit to service time); and work-study awards that enable a student to earn money for books and living expenses and not have that money count against his financial need.

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The portion of the package that consists of the student’s loans and work-study job allotment is “self-help.” Every student is entitled to borrow under the Stafford Loan program, so a Stafford Loan will be part of almost every aid package, and parents of dependent students may borrow through the PLUS loan program to help cover any “gap” as well as pay EFC. (See note at the end re: recent offerings by some colleges to eliminate debt for lower income students.)

When families fill out aid forms, they are required to report income and assets. Aid formulas look at income from the calendar year prior to the year for which aid is requested. requested Each income year is a base year for the next year’s aid.

Under some circumstances (illness, death, retirement, unemployment, etc.) income from the current calendar year may be substituted. Keep in mind that assets are reported as of the date that the application form is filed, so it is important for families

to be aware of the filing date and asset value.

Also, the FAFSA cannot be filed until January 2, though the FAFSA4caster can be started prior to that. Though the FAFSA does request (require) income information, you do not have to have your taxes completed; a good estimate will suffice. For that reason, all families should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible, keeping in mind the asset proviso mentioned above.

The PROFILE can be completed anytime in the fall and does ask parents to estimate income values.

This can be important for early decision or early action applicants.

TOP TEN COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID TERMS – These are terms that all families should know as they move into the financial aid process: BASE YEAR Each time that you apply for aid, income from the preceding calendar year will be used in calculations of your aid eligibility. These are your “Base Years” for financial aid. The first base year is most important because it sets the stage for following years.

COST OF ATTENDANCE (COA) Each college uses a standard COA figure to calculate aid packages. It includes tuition, fees, room and board (housing and food), books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses.

ELIGIBILITY FOR AID (“NEED”) The Cost of Attendance minus the Expected Family Contribution is the amount of Eligibility for Aid (“Need”). If an aid package doesn’t meet the entire

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amount of Eligibility for Aid, there is an aid Gap. At some colleges, financial aid is based only on “Need.”

Other colleges offer both merit aid and need-based aid.

EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION (EFC) Aid formulas analyze income and assets to determine how many dollars each family must contribute towards college costs. If the student is dependent, the EFC includes the Parent Contribution and the Student Contribution.

FEDERAL METHODOLOGY (FM) Congressional aid formulas, known as FM, change each year. They determine EFC for the purpose of allocating federal aid funds at public and private colleges.

At most public colleges, federal and state funds are the major source of aid.

Applicants must fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.

GAP When an aid award does not meet the full amount of calculated Eligibility for Aid, there is an aid Gap. Educational expenses will be at least as high as Expected Family Contribution (EFC) plus any Gap. Student and parent loans are available to cover EFC and any Gap.

INSTITUTIONAL METHODOLOGY (IM) IM formulas determine EFC for awarding private institutional aid funds at private (and some public) colleges. Different schools may use different IM formulas. Applicants complete a college form and/or the PROFILE form, as well as the FAFSA. One of the main differences between the FAFSA and PROFILE is in the consideration of a family’s assets, especially the primary residence – FM does not; IM does.

E x p a n d y o u r m i n d . Tr a n s f o r m t h e w o r l d .

MERIT AID Merit aid is based on the student’s attributes, not on financial need. Another name for merit aid is “nonneed” aid or scholarship.

PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT (PJ) Aid administrators have the ability to make decisions based on special circumstances.

SELF-HELP Aid packages enable students to “help themselves” through student loans and work-study jobs.

Note: Some highly endowed colleges have recently moved toward reducing debt for lower and middle income families. This has created another tier of competitiveness among those colleges and other institutions and does offer some very good opportunities for some students and families.

Usually these offers are to families with under $100,000 income, but some (Harvard for example) have extended that ceiling to $150,000.

transylvania University L E X I N G T O N , K E N T U C K Y / w w w. t r a n s y. e d u

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or high school students and their families, the college selection process involves one of the biggest “purchases” they’ll ever make.

With the costs of four-year colleges reaching as high as $200,000 for four years, choosing a college ranks right up there with buying a home.

In our current economic crisis, the process can create even more stress for families as they try to figure out how they’ll pay for it all.

AVOID THE STRESS Students should be giving themselves enough time to learn about and become enthusiastic about the best values, which is often a key to a creative financial advantage; it is hard to evaluate schools properly under a time crunch, so it’s best to start the process early. For high school juniors, applications and essay writing should begin in the summer before the senior year. This requires them to know and understand their applicant schools beforehand, meaning that the process of searching for a good match needs to begin early in the junior year.

NOT ALL COLLEGES MAY “COST” THE SAME

Choosing a College in a Recession

By Adam Metsch

Schools use sophisticated models to determine their net tuition cost per student and to offer scholarships and financial aid to those who will add value to the school; this process is often called “tuition discounting” and is part of a complete enrollment management plan at those colleges.

Each college will operate differently.

In addition, many colleges use “preferential packaging” to offer the best financial aid to those students they want the most. High SAT/ ACT scores, rank-in-class, and GPA along with other attractive credentials or talents may help to gain a student a “richer” financial aid package.

Often, students and parents may not be ready to reach a college decision that early and put off the process until too late, which causes them to lose strategic advantage. “Knowing” where to go to college is not something that just “happens”; instead of waiting, families should begin the process of exploring and allow the experience to help unveil the best fit.

Peers often influence students and parents, causing the focus to be about getting in to a recognizable school, and not about the individual student and the educational value of the experience. Families often compress the period of evaluating schools into a short time capsule where the student has little time to be thoughtful about choices, applications, essays and meeting deadlines; and stress only serves to exacerbate the anxiety and confusion.

CHOOSING COLLEGES When finances are an issue, it’s even more important for students to have several good options available to them when it’s time to choose a college. It is best to apply to approximately seven colleges. There are several reasons for this. First, seven reasonable, wellresearched matches should yield approximately four realistic acceptances. Applying to numerous schools also gives the student financial advantage in the decision-making process.

The family may be able to use a financial aid or scholarship offer from one school to request more money from another. Schools do compete with each other, sometimes matching offers.

That may create a competitive environment that favors the student.

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It can be tricky trying to determine how much aid any school will give a student. Students shouldn’t assume a public college will always cost them less than a private one. The student could receive more aid at a private school, which would result in lower costs than the public school. Families should contact each school or a professional college advisor, who has better insight into how schools will treat each student for admissions and scholarships, to find out how the student will be considered not only in the admission process, but also in the application and financial aid/scholarship process.

There is a six-month period between most application dates and the student’s ultimate decision date of May 1, and that leaves a lot of room for change in the life of a teenager.

If a student applies to only three schools that offer a certain major and he is accepted to two of them but only one becomes affordable after financial aid is granted, the student may have no affordable alternatives to consider.

Aside from the academic, admission, and social match, students and families must take into account the factors that may affect cost and aid: academic profile, financial aid eligibility, scholarship eligibility, and the full cost of attendance (not just tuition, but room and board, books, fees, miscellaneous expenses, and travel – some colleges bundle these and some itemize them).

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One of the first steps to help ensure a good financial perspective (and fit) is for the family to complete a financial aid estimator. With the cost of college being so high, many families that may not have qualified in the past may do so now. The more detailed the estimator, the better. For those families who do not appear to qualify or do not qualify for much aid, it may be valuable to meet with a financial advisor who is well versed in not only financial planning from the tax and retirement side, but also with college planning and financial aid. One mistake that many parents make is to consider college as a 4-year expense; it should be looked at as a 20-year investment. And students should consider themselves as part of that discussion.

If families do not start early enough, building perspective together, they may not find the most affordable options about which the student can be excited.

There are other possible ways that colleges and universities are handling the recession -- some are targeting more international, full-pay students who are not eligible for financial aid, and state schools are seeking more out-of-state students who pay higher tuition. Indeed, some state colleges and universities are becoming more selective, as many strong students are now more willing to consider those options for financial reasons.

In today’s economic and admission climate, finding the right match requires that families begin the process early, research carefully, and understand not only the admission requirements but also the financial aspects of the college financial aid/scholarship process in order to find not only good matches but the best values.

Adam Metsch owns The College Advisor of New England, Inc. (www.college-advisor.com), a college admissions and financial aid planning firm in Springfield, MA. He is a member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).

Researching Colleges at Home Even though a visit is a key part of the college search process, there is often a point, especially early, when there are many colleges, some of which are a good distance away and a “quick” visit is not really feasible. But, there are many things that students can do to gain a greater insight into possible college choices and whether a specific college is worth an in-person visit.

First, have a list of specific things you are looking for in a college. Second, have a sheet(s) on which to write your likes and dislikes about each college.

The first important step is to go first to the college’s admission page (it may also be labeled “prospective students” or “future students”) and get your name on the college’s mailing list. This is a great way for you to get updates about the college as well as find out about new programs.

If there is no specific page for entering your information and listing your interests, then email the admission officer or counselor requesting information as noting your specific interests.

Next, begin searching for information on areas of your interest, especially academic programs.

Find out what majors and degrees are offered and what the requirements are for graduation.

In addition, check out the course offerings – see what opportunities are available not only for courses, but for internships and research.

Then visit pages about student activities/life.

Investigate what clubs and organizations are available; many of them may have their own

websites. You may need to use the “search” option to dig into a college’s website to find various opportunities. In addition, many school newspapers can be found online – these are great ways to find out what is happening on campus.

Don’t forget to look at the scholarship page to see if there are possible grants for which a student might qualify. Also, students with specific interests in sports, arts, music, etc. should look for specific pages and information on those programs.

Make sure to keep a running list of all things you see that you like (or dislike).

For starters, a student should gather some basic objective information about a college: size, location (urban, suburban, rural), persistence rates (retention and four/six-year graduation rates, costs), and the admission profile and process (GPA, class rank, test scores, extracurriculars, recommendations, etc. and how those are used in the admissions process). There are a number of objective sources, both books and online.

Next, begin reading some of the “subjective” information about various colleges that is available in print and on the web. There are a number of books purporting to give the inside story on the “best” colleges. While these do add some perspective to your understanding of the personality of a college, you must keep in mind that these summaries are usually done without real statistical and research protocol; so keep those descriptions in perspective.

Next, the armchair college searcher can use the internet. Every college has a website with countless pages of information, but those can be overwhelming without some plan as to what you are seeking and how to look for it.

With all this information, a student should now have a good enough idea about the nature of a college to know whether it would be a place that deserves a firsthand visit.

Stellar academics or a community of faith? - How about both?

Maybe you’ve already heard that we were named one of “America’s 100 Best College Buys” for our combination of quality and affordability. Maybe you saw us in U.S. News & World Report as one of the 25 best colleges in the South. You know about our 17 NCAA athletic teams, our scenic campus, our highly credentialed faculty and small, caring classes. But did you know that we are also “One of America’s Best Christian Colleges?” That’s right. You don’t have to choose between a great education and your faith.

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College ...a definite!

LIFE Scholarship

Palmetto Fellowship Scholarship

Award Amount: Up to the cost-of-attendance, not to exceed $4,700, plus a $300 book allowance at four-year public and independent colleges in SC; up to the cost-of-tuition at USC Regional campuses plus a $300 book allowance at two-year public and independent colleges; and up to the cost-of-tuition plus a $300 book allowance at regional technical colleges. The LIFE Enhancement is an additional $2,500 beginning in the sophomore year.

Award Amount: The annual award amount for the freshman year is up to $6,700. The award amount for the sophomore, junior and senior years is up to $7,500 per year. Half of the Scholarship is awarded in the fall term and half in the spring. The scholarship must be applied directly toward the cost of attendance, less any other gift aid received. Assuming continued eligibility, Palmetto Fellows may receive scholarship funding for a maximum of eight consecutive terms of full-time study toward the first bachelor’s degree or ten consecutive terms of full-time study toward the first approved five-year bachelor’s degree at an eligible four-year institution in South Carolina.

Eligibility Requirements for LIFE: 1. Earn a cumulative 3.0 grade point average (GPA) based on the SC Uniform Grading Policy (UGP) upon high school graduation (cannot be rounded).

2. Score an 1100 on the SAT or an equivalent 24 on the ACT taken through the June national test administration of the high school graduation year. The score is based on the highest SAT Critical Reading and the highest SAT Math score from different test administrations. The ACT composite score must be at one test sitting.

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Christ Church Episcopal School does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship programs, financial aid or other programs, or other schooladministered programs and activities.

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3. Rank in the top 30% of the graduating class based on the SC UGP; reported in two decimal places (minimum) and not rounded; and based on all students who received their diploma during the traditional graduation ceremony in May/June. *Note: For entering freshmen at an eligible twoyear or technical institution only a 3.0 GPA is required – nos. 2 & 3 above are waived.

Requirements for a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement: A student must meet ALL of the eligibility requirements for a LIFE Scholarship; be a recipient of LIFE Scholarship funds; be a declared math or science major by the beginning of the second (sophomore) academic year; and must have successfully completed a total of at least fourteen credit hours of instruction in mathematics and life and physical science courses by the end of the student’s freshman year.

Eligibility Requirements (in addition to the requirements listed above): • For early awards, high school seniors must submit applications to the Commission on Higher Education for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship by December 15, 2009.

• For final awards, students must submit applications to the Commission on Higher Education for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship by June 15, 2010.

High school seniors may apply if they meet one of the following sets of academic requirements: 1. Score at least 1200 on the SAT (27 on the ACT) by the June national test administration of the senior year; earn a minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA on the SC UGP at the end of the senior year; and, rank in the top six percent of the class at the end of the sophomore, junior or senior year; year OR 2. Score at least 1400 on the SAT (32 on the ACT) by the June test administration and earn a minimum 4.00 cumulative GPA on the SC UGP at the end of the senior year.

In addition to the above, all students must:

In order to be eligible to apply for a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, a high school senior must also meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

• Certify that he or she has never been convicted of any felonies and has not been convicted of any alcohol or other drug-related misdemeanor convictions within the past academic year;

• Be seriously considering attending, have applied, or have been accepted for admission to an eligible four-year institution in South Carolina;

• Verify that he or she is not in default and does not owe a refund or repayment on any Federal or State financial aid;

• Certify that he/she has never been convicted of any felonies and has not been convicted of any second or subsequent alcohol or other drugrelated misdemeanor offenses within the past academic year by submitting a signed affidavit to the college financial aid office; and

• Must not be a SC HOPE Scholarship, Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or Lottery Tuition Assistance recipient.

• For a LIFE Scholarship Enhancement, students must attend an eligible four-year South Carolina public or private college or university.

• Cannot be a recipient of the LIFE Scholarship, SC HOPE Scholarship or Lottery Tuition Assistance in the same academic year.

(The LIFE Scholarship in combination with all other scholarships and grants shall not exceed the cost- of- attendance as defined in Title IV regulations for any academic year.)

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General Eligibility Requirements for LIFE and Palmetto: • Be enrolled in or graduate from high school or complete a home school program as prescribed by law; • Attend or plan to attend an eligible South Carolina public or private college or university as a full-time degree-seeking student; • Be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident and a South Carolina resident at the time of high school graduation and at the time of college enrollment.

SAT I – SAT II – ACT Basic Advice The use of standardized tests for college admission is in a more confusing state than ever in the past.

There are two major competitors in the business and colleges have various and wide-ranging testing requirements for admission. Here are the basics that every student should know going into the college admission process.

I. The SAT and ACT are different tests and there is no “type” of student who will do better on one than another. For that reason, every student should take a real full-length practice test of each one (or take each one for real), and compare scores, then decide on the best test to take.

II. Prepare and practice – a student can improve his or her test scores through study and practice.

Note: different students have different needs for preparation depending on their background and what sort of test-taker they are, so choose your prep option carefully. (You should not try to prepare for both tests – focus on the one that is best for you.)

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III. Everyone should take the test(s) at least twice – once in the junior year and once in the senior year – colleges will take the best score(s). Preferably, take the test(s) early enough in the junior year so that there is time to do more preparation and retake the test before the end of the junior year. Be aware of deadlines for admission and scholarship when planning your test dates.

IV. Know what tests your colleges require (if it is “recommended,” then it should be taken).

Be aware of expectations for SAT Subject Tests as well.

V. Score Choice for SAT – this is a new wrinkle on the scene because some colleges want all scores.

The best policy is not to sign up and take the tests multiple times, but to use the released sets of tests sold by each company and practice with them. Then, take the test two or three times.

VI. Make sure to send your scores directly from the testing companies. Some colleges will only accept scores sent directly, even if they are included on your transcript.

Two emerging trends (for freshmen and sophomores): 1. Almost all colleges “super score” the SAT (take the best Critical Reading and best Math score from any number of sittings), and a growing number are now beginning to super score the ACT as well.

1-800-766-1125 admission@converse.edu www.converse.edu

2. There has been a growing body of data showing that the SAT-Writing section has better predictive validity than the Critical Reading or Math, so even though many colleges do not use the Writing section now, it will become an increasing trend.

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TEN WAYS TO “TEST DRIVE” A COLLEGE ADVICE FROM EDUCATIONAL DIRECTIONS & INDEPENDENT EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS ASSOCIATION It is crucial for students to “know” a college beyond its surface reputation and the best way to do that is to visit. These recommendations (they should be “requirements!”) will help a student truly have a good sense of a college and how good a “match” it is.

living in a dorm. Are you comfortable with the activity level; even late at night? How do you feel about the location of the dorms, such as the proximity to classes or the campus center?

1. Learn about the college before you visit. Read materials from the college and check out its web site. Write questions as you do your research. If you are visiting more than one on a particular day, refresh your memory about that school just before you arrive. Be sure to spend at least one-half day at each college.

6. Arrange campus meetings with department heads in the areas that interest you, coaches in sports where you excel, and former graduates from your high school. Bring a resume that highlights your experience in your area of expertise. Ask about opportunities based on your skills and interests. Write down the names of any officials you meet with and send personal thank-you notes when you return home; email is fine.

2. Evaluate the environment of the campus. Is the campus too big or too small? Do you like the nearby town or do you feel isolated? Consider how you would get around campus – particularly in the rain or snow.

7. Sit in on classes and check out the library. How is the rapport between students and faculty in the classroom? Look through the books at the library in your area of interest.

Look for quiet places to study.

3. Visit the admissions office and participate in the information session. Ask questions that help you clarify the academic program at the school and the type of student who is most comfortable and successful there. You may choose to have a formal interview with an admissions staff member. Bring an unofficial transcript/resume of your grades and activities.

Dress nicely, but not out of character.

8. Look into life beyond academics. Check out athletic facilities, theater, and student center.

Browse through the school newspaper. Read notices up in the dorms or on bulletin boards.

Can you see yourself joining in?

4. Tour the campus, with and without a guide. Take a student-led tour and take advantage of the opportunity to ask questions about campus life from a peer. Recognize, however, that tour guides are not necessarily typical of all students since they formally represent the school. Give yourself a few minutes to wander the campus alone -- without parents or guide. Jot down your impressions.

5. Check out the dorms. Find out about the dorm options available, such as all-Freshman or co-ed. Arrange in advance to spend the night in a dorm, if possible. Picture yourself

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9. Have lunch in the student center and watch student interactions. Talk with students all over campus about their impressions of the school. Look at the students themselves. Do you feel comfortable among the students?

10. After each visit, write down your impressions of that college. After awhile, the visions of different schools start to blur if you don’t immediately stop to record your thoughts! Keep a list of pros and cons for comparison.

Make sure to write down your likes and dislikes about each college!

Educational Directions, Inc., Greenville, SC 864.467.1838 • www.educdir.com

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Test Optional Admissions

By Steve Syverson, Vice-President for Enrollment Lawrence University In the past few years there has been a growing outcry over the SAT and ACT and their use and misuse in both the admission process and in the assessment of educational institutions. The level of dissatisfaction with the tests has prompted an increasing number of selective institutions to adopt admission policies that place less emphasis on standardized tests, even to the point of making them entirely optional.

Although never intended to assess the quality of the educational program provided by colleges, a college’s average SAT or ACT scores (particularly SAT scores) have become a shorthand notation for the “quality” of that college. So important have they become that a common question asked of admission counselors at college fairs is, “What are your average SATs” – often even preceding questions about location or available majors!

Much less frequently is a college representative asked about the average GPA or high school class rank of their college’s freshman class.

Although accounting for only a small portion of the rankings, the presumed association between a college’s average test scores and its perceived prestige is of enough import in the minds of many admissions office staffs to cause them to deny admission to students whom they are convinced could be fully successful at their college, solely because the test scores will hurt their institution’s profile.

Increasingly, the “average SAT score” for the freshman class at a college has became an overly simplistic, and erroneous, proxy for the quality of that college.

It is widely acknowledged that a student’s record in high school (GPA) is the best predictor of success in college as measured by freshman GPA. In the fall of 2004, Bates College reported the results of the study of their 20 years of test-optional admissions. On average, their “non-submitters” had SAT-I scores that were about 160 points lower than the “submitters” (90 on Verbal and 70 on Math), but the graduation rates between the two groups were only 0.1% different; and the average Bates GPAs varied by only 0.05. Perhaps of even greater significance was the revelation that when they compared students with similar SAT scores (e.g. submitters and non-submitters who both had SAT scores of 1100-1150), the non-submitters consistently outperformed the submitters at Bates (as measured by their GPAs at graduation).

Lawrence University research reported, as have other studies, that there is limited long-term predictive value of these standardized tests.

The National Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest) has compiled on its website http:// fairtest.org a list of over 700 four-year colleges that admit a substantial portion of their students without the use of standardized test scores. This list includes a broad range of colleges, but any public attention is almost exclusively focused on the relatively small group of selective colleges that have de-emphasized the tests by giving applicants the option not to have their test results considered in the admission process. Such

institutions are truly “test optional” and include such notables as Bates College (ME), Bowdoin College (ME), and St. John’s College (MD) that have offered students this option for more than two decades and have recently been joined by others such as Wake Forest University (NC) and Holy Cross (MA).

The educational choices you make for your children are critical .

Variations used by other selective colleges offer students the option of either submitting standardized tests (the SAT-I or ACT) or submitting some other documents in lieu of the tests. Furman University (SC) and Hamilton College (NY) allow students to submit the SAT-I or the ACT, or the results of three standardized tests – Advanced Placement exam(s), SAT-II exams, IB exam(s); Lewis & Clark College (OR) offers students the option of a “portfolio path” which allows them to submit four graded writing samples and two additional teacher recommendations; Guilford College (NC) requires “non-submitters” to include a substantive writing project; and Franklin & Marshall College (PA) requires two graded writing samples.

Multiple test-optional colleges now report refreshing conversations with high school counselors, students, and parents that focus on discussions of teaching and learning styles at the college, rather than competitive marketing jargon.

Thyra Briggs at Sarah Lawrence (NY) said her favorite question from students who have just been told they need not submit any tests is, “Then what do you look at?” It gives her a chance to depart from the usual rhythm of the college spiel and engage the student in a discussion of the real educational goals and style of Sarah Lawrence. In short, a test-optional policy helps to reframe the college admission conversation in healthy ways that serve students well.

Clearly, colleges that engage in holistic, comprehensive folder-reading are able to make good, well-founded admission decisions even in the absence of SAT and/or ACT scores. The current prominence of these tests distorts both the admission process and, in too many cases, the focus of student attention during the latter years of secondary school, as well as adding unneeded stress to the lives of students. A substantial number, perhaps even the majority, of students, parents, and high school counselors seem to be highly supportive of the move toward test-optional admission, because, in its purest usage, it tends to help restore sanity to the college admission process.

Academic Excellence. Biblical Truth. p r e

k

t h r o u g h

g r a d e

t w e lv e

Steve Syverson served on the NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) Commission on the Use of Standardized Testing in College Admission and is widely sought after to write and speak on the issues surrounding college admissions.

This is an abridged version of the manuscript of a chapter published in the Jossey-Bass monograph: Key Issues in New Student Enrollment: New Directions for Student Services, No. 118 copyright 2007, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (ISBN: 978-0-470-22620-9) and is used with permission of the author.

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“You’re applying WHERE?”

By Marty O’Connell “You’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

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

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 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

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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 freshman 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 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)

Pieces of the College Application

By Linda Schulz A college application is filled with many questions and forms, from simple parent information to testing scores and multiple essays. Some can be quite daunting and even confusing, creating questions of what is important and how are these pieces used?

There is no simple answer, but on the continuum of how colleges review applications, there are those at one end that use a simple formula based on objective information – GPA, class rank and/or test scores – to those that employ a holistic approach that considers all pieces and information in the application. Knowing what these are and how they are used can help students direct their college preparation efforts.

GPA – Some colleges take this directly from your transcript (in South Carolina, that means using the Uniform Grading Scale), but other colleges will “recalculate” your GPA using their own formulas, which sometimes eliminate all non-academic courses (i.e. PE, art, chorus, teacher cadet, etc.).

With that in mind, here is a rundown of those various parts of the application and some of the ways in which they are used by the colleges in making admission decisions.

Test Scores – Most colleges use SAT and ACT scores in the admission process, but each will weigh them differently; some colleges do not even use them. Most colleges take the best subtest score for the ACT, but many still only use the best ACT composite score. Some colleges want to see SAT Subject Tests and AP/IB scores as well in order to assess how well a student really learned in a challenging curriculum. Test scores are not THE most important factor in admission and are often less important than other pieces; but for the colleges that use them, they do count.

High School Transcript – Hands down the most important piece of your entire application because this tells the college what type of academic preparation you have had, the level of academic rigor you are able to handle, and how you performed. Some colleges are only interested in whether you have completed all required courses; others (usually the more selective ones) carefully assess the courses you have chosen to take, all the way through your senior year.

Extracurricular Activities – Some colleges use these to determine what level of commitment (and talents) a student has towards aspects outside of the academic curriculum as well as awareness of and participation within the broader community. Leadership is an additional quality being assessed. All of these characteristics help point to the type of individual and community member the student might be on a college campus. This is the section where actions really do speak louder than words. (Note: As

is often said by admission officers, significant involvement in one or two activities is much more important than minimal involvement in many.)

Recommendations – For colleges that require them, these can play a significant role in delineating the specific abilities and accomplishments that are listed on the student’s application. It is truly valuable to have a recommendation(s) from a teacher and/or administrator who knows you well. These will need to be from people who have taught or worked with you recently (as opposed to middle school or early high school).

Essay(s) – This is the piece of the application that is truly in the hands of the applicant. Though no essay will get an unqualified applicant into a college or get a fully qualified applicant rejected, it will help to weigh a decision. In addition, the essay illuminates and delineates one applicant from another. Imagine how many applications have the same (or very similar) GPA, courses, test scores, even activities lists – the essay allows an individual student to talk about who he or she is in the context of all of those objective qualities. A good essay will offer insights into a student, so be careful not to write about somebody or something else!

Demographics – For some colleges, there is a desire to have a diversity of students in order to allow an exchange of ideas and perspectives

on campus from various life experiences and backgrounds. In addition, colleges are trying to broaden their reach into their communities, states, country and around the world, and having successful graduates from many regions and backgrounds is one way to do that. So yes, sometimes a student’s geographical, family or ethnic background can be a factor in admission.

Special Talents – Usually this might mean athletics, but there are other areas of talent that will sometimes affect a college admission decision. These could be music, art, leadership, acting, entrepreneurship, etc. Typically, these talents would need to be at least on a regional level and more likely on a state level in order to be of significance.

Legacy – Some colleges do consider whether a student’s parents (possibly even grandparents and other relatives) attended that institution. The weight of that will vary and most often is more important at private institutions than public. One can always ask.

Linda Schulz is Director of College Counselor at Christ Church Episcopal School. Prior to that she was the Associate Director of College Counseling at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut and previously served as a Director of College Counseling at The Galloway School in Atlanta and as a college admission officer at Oglethorpe College and Newberry College.

“What is the best college for me and how can I get in?”

“What major and career path would be best for me?”

“When and how do I prepare for the SAT/ACT?” “How can I find financial aid to afford college?”

“How do I write the essay?”

Since 1996, Educational Directions has been helping students and families in the Upstate and across the country navigate the college search and admission process. Our professional and individualized guidance will help you on the path to finding and getting into your best college match.

CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT (NO COST, NO OBLIGATION) McAlister Square: 225 S. Pleasantburg Dr., E-6, Greenville, SC 29607 wsdingle@educdir.com | 864.467.1838 | www.educdir.com Bill Dingledine is a nationally recognized college counselor with more than 30 years experience.

He is a Certified Educational Planner and a member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

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PARTICIPATING COLLEGES Agnes Scott College American College of the Building Arts Anderson University Appalachian State University Army National Guard Auburn University Belmont Abbey College Belmont University Benedict College Bennett College for Women Berea College Berry College Birmingham-Southern College Bob Jones University Brandeis University Brenau University Brevard College Brown Mackie College Carson-Newman College Charleston Southern University Claflin University Clark Atlanta University Clemson University Coastal Carolina University Coker College Colgate University College of Charleston Columbia College Columbia International University Converse College Cottey College Davidson College

Denmark Technical College East Tennessee State University Elon University Emory & Henry College Emory University- Emory College/ Oxford College Erskine College Francis Marion University Furman University Gardner-Webb University George Mason University George Washington University Georgia College & State University Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Southern University Georgia State University Greenville Technical College Hampden-Sydney College High Point University Howard University ITT Technical Institute Johnson and Wales University Kennesaw State University King College King’s College Lander University Lees-McRae College Lenoir-Rhyne University Liberty University Limestone College Living Arts College at School of Communication Arts Loyola University New Orleans Mars Hill College Mary Baldwin College

Maryville College Mercer University Milligan College Montreat College Morris College Mount Olive College Nashville Auto Diesel College Newberry College North Carolina A&T State University North Carolina State University North Carolina Wesleyan College North Greenville University Oglethorpe University Pfeiffer University Piedmont College Presbyterian College Purdue University Queens University of Charlotte Randolph College Roanoke College Rutgers University Saint Augustine’s College Salem College Samford University Savannah College of Art and Design SC Student Loan Sewanee: The University of the South Shaw University Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic South Carolina State University Southern Catholic College Southern Wesleyan University Spartanburg Methodist College

St. Andrews Stetson University Sweet Briar College The Art Institutes The Citadel The University of Alabama The University of Alabama in Huntsville The University of Georgia Toccoa Falls College Transylvania University Tusculum College Tuskegee University UNC Asheville UNC Greensboro University of Notre Dame University of South Carolina Aiken University of South Carolina Beaufort University of South Carolina College of Social Work University of South Carolina Columbia University of Tennessee USC Upstate Vanderbilt University Virginia Tech Wake Forest Warren Wilson College Washington and Lee University Wesleyan College Western Carolina University Winston-Salem State Universtiy Winthrop University Wofford College

Outstandingly Christian Education

Bob Jones University . . .

Inspiring regenerated students to know, love and serve Jesus Christ › Diverse academic programs centered on a liberal arts core

› Highly qualified, caring faculty

› Reputation for academic excellence rooted in biblical truth

› Fine arts tradition that stands out among Christian colleges

› Bible-based chapel programs and opportunities for spiritual growth, character development and service › Nearly 40 percent of student body with homeschool background

› Emphasis on reaching others with the Gospel › Online courses available at BJUOnline.com

Stands unequivocally on the absolute authority of the Bible.

BJU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, national origin, protected disability or veteran status. ©2009 Bob Jones University. All Rights Reserved. (6787) 0909

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800-BJ-AND-ME • www.bju.edu • Greenville SC 29614

WORKSHOP SESSIONS FOR GREENVILLE COLLEGE FAIR Carolina First Conference Center Sunday, November 1st, 1:00-2:30pm “A) SAT B) ACT C) NONE OF THE ABOVE” College Admissions Tests – SAT/ACT – Ways to prepare, which test(s) to choose, when to take, and how colleges use them will all be covered in this session led by two experts in test preparation and college admission.

• Morrison Giffen, Master Tutor, The Princeton Review • Bill Dingledine, Independent Counselor, President-Elect, Southern Association for College Admission Counseling “YOU’VE GOT TALENT!” Specialty Colleges – Fine Arts Programs (visual arts, music, theater) – Come find out about what to look for, how to choose, and how to apply if you think you have a special artistic talent you want to develop in college.

• Fran Jones, Asst. Director of Admission, Savannah College of Art and Design • Miles Hoffman, Dean of the Petrie School of Music, Converse College • Kimberly Rippy, Audition Coordinator, Elon University “TO SPECIALIZE OR NOT TO SPECIALIZE?” Pre-Professional vs. Liberal Arts – How does one decide between the specialized focus of engineering, business, architecture, etc. and the broad opportunities of a liberal arts education? Come find out the pros and cons of those choices.

• Tyler Davis, Admission Counselor, Birmingham Southern University • Jennifer Summer, Assistant Director of Admission, Clemson University • Jim Burns, Associate Dean, University of South Carolina Honors College “SHAKING THE MONEY TREE” Financial Aid & Scholarships – Get expert advice from a college financial planner and a college financial aid officer as to how to prepare and apply for financial aid and scholarships and how to manage the expenses.

• Rick Abend, Certified Financial Planner, Carolina College Funding • Jeff Holliday, Director of Financial Aid, Presbyterian College “EENY MEENY MINY MOE” Choosing Your Path for College – “College” is much too broad a term to describe post-secondary education. Come hear from three college admission officers from different types of colleges and get an understanding of the opportunities each offers and get some advice on how to choose what might fit you.

• Katy West So, Assistant Director of Admission, Brandeis University • Bartley Sides, Admission Counselor, University of Georgia • Molly Knost, Assistant Director, Greenville Technical College Honors Program Session Time

Room 1

Room 2

Room 3

A

1:00 – 1:40

SAT/ACT

Fine Arts Programs

Paths & Options

B

1:45 – 2:25

SAT/ACT

Fin. Aid

Pre-Prof vs. Lib Arts

Get The Most Out Of A College Fair You walk through the doors into a sea of people and tables. Each table is full of literature about a college and is manned by an eager, smiling young admission officer or by a gregarious alum. Panic strikes! Where do you go first? Should you pick up information from every display? Your dream school seems to be surrounded by an unruly mob of students and parents – how will you get your turn?

Welcome to the typical college fair. College fairs are like a flea market – so much to see, every vendor hoping for a sale, every student buyer hoping to find the perfect school at the best value, and lots of possibilities.

BEFORE YOU ARRIVE: ✦ Know what you are interested in – you don’t have to have a chosen career or even a major, but you should know the types of courses you might want to study in college. ✦ BRING A SUPPLY OF STICK-ON, SELF-ADDRESSED LABELS. Unless you are wild about writing your name and address over and over and over and over…

Use the labels to fill out the ever-present cards that the colleges collect to build their mailing lists. That way, you can catch the representative’s eye first and ask your questions while everyone else in your group is still writing. ✦ Bring a canvas tote bag to carry literature you collect. It comes by the pound! ✦ Arrive early. Parking may be an issue.

HOW TO NAVIGATE THE FAIR: ✦ Pick up a map of the tables, if one is available. The colleges are usually put in alphabetical order, but schools which draw a bigger crowd (such as the local state university) may be in a special area or separate room. ✦ Pick up a list of the colleges present, which is almost always available. ✦ Having arrived early (you did, didn’t you?) you can take a minute and plan your stops – circle the colleges on the list in which you are the most interested and go there first. You will beat the crowd and have a more personal chat with the rep. ✦ Stop by each college on your list, collect information, and ask questions.

If you make it to each one, you will have time to explore some schools that are not currently on your list. Have some fun!

WHAT TO SAY TO THE REPRESENTATIVES: ✦ Introduce yourself and your school. ✦ Find out if he or she is an admission officer or a local alum. ✦ If the rep is a local alum, find out if they do interviewing for admission at the school. (You may be seeing this person later and will need to make a good impression!) ✦ What things are you interested in – academics, extracurricular, sports, etc. – that you want to know about – hey, this is going to be your “home” for four years, make sure they have the things you want and like. ✦ What’s big/new/happening on their campus that people are currently excited about? ✦ How do they evaluate applicants (grades, GPA, essays, interview, test scores, all of these, only a few?) and what are their applicants like (academics, test scores, regional diversity, etc.)? ✦ Be sure to thank the representative for coming when you are finished and grab a business card! Write a thank you note if this is a place in which you are interested!

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As a Furman student, you may be close to home, but you can see the world from here.

A highly selective liberal arts college, Furman is home to 2,600 students from 47 states and 47 countries. Our emphasis on engaged, hands-on learning permeates everything that we do.

According to a 2008 senior survey, more than 75 percent of students participated in either an internship or collaborative research project while at Furman.

This year alone Furman students will engage the world as they study away in Brussels, Versailles, Arezzo, Madrid, London, Dublin, Botswana, Belize, Santiago and Edinburgh—to name a few.

We’re looking for bright, motivated, self-directed, creative, involved, diverse, innovative, environmentally conscious students to be members of Furman’s Class of 2014.

To learn more, call the Office of Admission, 864.294.2034, or visit www.engagefurman.com.

www.engagefurman.com.

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