COLLEGE BOUND Simplifying the college application process
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College Visits WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN TOURING A CAMPUS p. 10
Sports Recruiting THREE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD p. 18
SAT Prep WHAT TO DO (AND WHAT NOT TO DO) p. 6
p. 16
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2021/2022 Timeline JUNIOR YEAR SAT AND ACT TESTING MULTIPLE DATES AVAILABLE See page 8.
IDENTIFYING LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION WRITERS See page 13.
SAT PREP: DO’S AND DON’TS
HOW TO PLAN A CAMPUS VISIT
WHAT TO PUT IN AN ACTIVITIES RESUME
See page 6.
See page 10.
See page 12.
FEATURES
4
JUNIOR YEAR
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6 | SAT PREP: DO’S AND DONT’S 8 | SAT & ACT TESTING AND RESULT DATES 9 | A CHECKLIST FOR YOUR PERFECT COLLEGE 10 | HOW TO PLAN A CAMPUS VISIT
UNPACKING THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS Read first-hand advice from an admissions officer.
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SPORTS RECRUITING Three things you can do now to increase your chances of being a recruited student-athlete.
12 | WHAT TO PUT IN AN ACTIVITIES RESUME 14 | THE PERSONAL ESSAY
College Bound Magazine
SENIOR YEAR OCTOBER 1, 2022 FAFSA APPLICATION BEGINS NOVEMBER 1, 2022 MOST EARLY ACTION AND EARLY DECISION APPLICATION DEADLINES
JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2023 MOST REGULAR DECISION APPLICATION DEADLINES
COLLEGE BOUND
THE PERSONAL ESSAY See page 14.
MAKING SENSE OF FINANCIAL AID See page 16.
SENIOR YEAR 15 | ANATOMY OF A COLLEGE APPLICATION 16 | MAKING SENSE OF FINANCIAL AID 24 | WHAT I WISH I KNEW THEN
THE TOOLS 20 | U SING THE COMMON APP TO YOUR ADVANTAGE 21 | UTILIZING NAVIANCE 22 | G LOSSARY OF TERMS
2021/2022 Edition
COLLEGE BOUND Simplifying the college application process
MAGAZINE
Stephanie Biddle Publisher Gus Iversen Editor Corporate Imagination Design Contributing Writers Uriah N. McClain • Kenya Mosby
CB © 2021 College Bound Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A. Published one time per year by Corporate Imagination, LLC. College Bound Magazine and Corporate Imagination, LLC neither endorse nor take responsibility for products or services advertised herein. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission from the publisher. Corporate Imagination, LLC makes no warranty, representation or guarantee as to the accuracy or timeliness of its content. The publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertising at any time. To advertise in College Bound Magazine or to receive a media kit, email collegeboundmagazine@gmail.com or call 609.828.3977.
Unpacking the college admissions process By Kenya Mosby
T
he college admissions process is often overwhelming for parents and students. Specifically, there are numerous competing deadlines, essays, college tours, financial decisions, and the list goes on. As a college admission professional for twenty years and the Chief Operating Officer of Pelham Admissions Edge, I have seen parents struggle through various stress levels because they want to make the best decision for their child. As an independent consultant, I guide parents and students through the admissions process and help them craft a compelling application. There are four essential tips you can use to help you through this process: • Start the process early
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• Participate in career-related extracurricular activities • Investigate each school well • Ask the right questions
How early should I start?
I have known some students who have started before their first year of high school. You do not have to start that early. At the end of your first year of high school, you should begin to prepare for the SAT or ACT. First, you should purchase a test preparation book to gauge your strengths and weaknesses. This process will help you determine whether you need to invest in a test preparation review course. It is best to take the review courses over the summer to concentrate on them solely. Then, by the spring of your sophomore year, it is highly recommended that
you start researching the schools you are interested in attending. Throughout your junior year, you should take your standardized tests, complete your college tours, and select the colleges to which you will apply. Over the summer, as a rising senior, you should complete drafts of your essays and look for scholarships from community groups and corporations. Finally, at the beginning of your senior year, you should have your recommendations completed by teachers, coaches, and other mentors in your life.
Why should I write the drafts of my essays over the summer? Your senior year is jam-packed with many things that are a priority. Unfortunately, college essays are often the last part of the college application
College Bound Magazine
that students think about completing. However, it is one of the most critical parts of the application. It is your chance to tell your story and show how well you can articulate an idea. Using the summer allows you to think and rewrite essays without being stressed out about other school-related activities. Then, in the fall, ask your English teacher or college advisor to review your drafts to have all your essays finalized before mid-October of your senior year.
Why are career-related extracurricular activities a vital part of my college application? The college admissions review process is a risk assessment of each student who applies. The admissions team examines each file and asks 2021/2022 Edition
the following questions: Will this student succeed here? Do we have the necessary support system to graduate this student? How will this student add value to our institution? Career-related extracurricular activities demonstrate to universities that you have done your homework and have a high level of commitment to a particular discipline or subject matter. Furthermore, these experiences notify admissions professionals that you are a low-risk student because you are serious about pursuing a major and career. For example, suppose you are interested in obtaining a bachelor of science in biology, chemistry, nursing, or in taking a pre-med track; in that case, you should be involved in STEM-related activities such as YARD Sciences. This program offers hands-on biomedical experiences and pre-med training to high school students in a state-of-the-art lab. Also, you may be able to volunteer at your local hospital. If you want to major in psychology, you should volunteer at a local nursing home or daycare center to observe developmental changes in the elderly or toddlers respectively over time. Write a journal about your experiences and observations and talk to the nursing home clinicians or daycare center’s director about their roles. Your journey to discovering your passion is what colleges deem essential to understanding who you are and why you want to pursue a particular career.
How do I go about investigating schools?
It is essential to spend time on university websites and take notes on what you find. After determining that a school offers your major, check out their career services page to see what companies recruit their students for internships and jobs. Also, go to their faculty web pages to find out what topics they are researching. This process is essential to help you decide whether they are exploring areas of the discipline interesting to you because they may ask you to assist them with their research. Additionally, you may want a particular faculty member to help you examine
your ideas for research on a senior project. On the student activities web page, find out what clubs exist that you would join. If they do not offer a student club that you like, find out how easy it is to start a new student club. Finally, visit each school before you make any decisions. You do not want to make a $60,000 per year mistake. The college needs to be a good fit for you to study and flourish.
What does it mean to ask the right questions?
After completing your research on each school, you need to determine what information is missing. For example, are graduate school admission rates, wait-listed applicant policies, financial aid appeal information, internship placements, or campus safety statistics left out? This discovery process will arm you with the questions you need to take on your college tours. In summation, these suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more ways to be proactive throughout this process by using technology, organization techniques, and other resources. Your pursuit of academic success has just begun; therefore, you must empower yourself with the vital information you need upfront to make the best decisions to chart your future. CB About the author: Over the past 20 years, Kenya Mosby has held management roles in college admissions and financial aid for undergraduate and graduate school programs at state, private, and elite universities such as Columbia University. As the Chief Operating Officer of Pelham Admissions Edge, she provides 2 to 3-year individualized college admission advisement to students and parents for undergraduate and graduate school admission. Additionally, she facilitates admissions workshops for groups and corporations. Her students attend Carnegie Mellon University, Johns Hopkins University, Purdue University, and many other institutions. To make an appointment, please contact her at pelhamadmissionsedge@gmail.com. 5
JUNIOR YEAR
SAT Prep:
DO’S AND DON’TS
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he SAT can feel overwhelming. Sometimes it seems like the only thing to do is hide under the covers and hope it just goes away. Brian Drury and Adam Kovalevich are experts on the SAT and provide tutoring to help students prepare for the big test, so we asked them to share some tips for how to prepare. Spoiler alert: hiding under the covers did not make the list. ➤ How should we think about this test and its importance? Adam Kovalevich: I think the test becomes less intimidating when students realize it is just one facet of their high school experience. Good grades, community involvement, and a well-rounded personality are just as important to colleges. Additionally, students should know that the SAT is testing the very skills that students have learned and cultivated throughout their schooling — in other words, if students have worked diligently in rigorous classes, with some test preparation the SAT becomes a very doable test. ➤ What happens if I space out and do a bad job? AK: The good news (or bad news depending on how you look at it) is that you can take the SAT multiple times. In fact, most students take the test two or three times before they achieve their desired score. Additionally, most schools will allow 6
students to “super-score” their test, meaning they can pair their top English score with their top math score even though they may have earned them on different tests. ➤ Should I still take it even if I’m not planning to go into a four-year college? Brian Drury: If a student does not plan to attend a four-year college, I would still recommend taking the SAT. For one thing, an individual’s plans might change from junior year in high school to senior year in high school. In addition, SAT scores sometimes enable students to place-out of introductory classes at community colleges. ➤ Let’s talk about the math portion. How does the SAT math test compare to the ACT math test? BD: The SAT and ACT basically test the same concepts in mathematics, but the formats of the tests are quite different. The SAT has two math sections for a total of 80 minutes, whereas the ACT has one math section for a total of 60 minutes. The SAT includes both multiplechoice and grid-in questions, whereas the ACT is all multiple-choice questions. Regarding those two sections of the SAT: one is 25 minutes with no calculator, the other is 55 minutes with a calculator. The entire ACT math section allows calculators. College Bound Magazine
The SAT provides some formulas, whereas the ACT does not provide formulas. The SAT multiple-choice questions have four answer choices, and the ACT multiple-choice questions have five answer choices. The content is basically the same: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and basic Trigonometry. I would recommend taking both tests. Some students do better on the SAT, and some do better on the ACT. ➤ Any tips on preparing for the math portion? BD: To prepare for the math portion of the SAT/ACT students can review basic concepts from their Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 resources, notes, and textbooks. In addition, they can obtain a review book with practice tests, answers, and explanations; and they could take online practice tests through College Board or Khan Academy websites. For students who are especially concerned about their math performance, I recommend completing at least two practice tests before taking the real test in order to become familiar with the format and content of the test. I also tell them to try to relax because they can take the test more than one time. In addition, they might consider enrolling in review classes to enhance their preparation. ➤ Are there any major misconceptions students have about the SAT? AK: I would say that there are three major misconceptions about the SAT. The first is that, because it is a skills test, there is no way to prepare for it. A test is in many ways similar to a game, and every athlete knows that you cannot simply show up to a game and perform at a high level without having practiced and without having learned the rules. Even students who excel in rigorous classes must adjust to the material and timing dictated by the test. Therefore, at the very least, every student who plans on taking the test should buy an SAT prep book or go to the College Board website to see what the test requires. Second, students should think of the SAT as a learning experience and useful educational tool. What exactly the test measures and how well it predicts student success in college is certainly debatable, but overall, the test does give students a good idea about how prepared they are for college level texts and how equipped they are to edit their own writing. Third, students must remember that there is more to school and life than the SAT. A perfect SAT score does not guarantee a perfect college experience or a perfect life, and a less than desired SAT score does not mean that a student cannot succeed in college. Perspective is important, and because high school students are still young, sometimes they cannot see beyond the present moment, and the SAT looms much bigger in their eyes than it should. 2021/2022 Edition
➤ Can you share any common mistakes students make in their preparation? AK: Some common mistakes that kids make in their preparation for the SAT include not preparing at all or only focusing on whether they get the answers on the practice tests correct. When students prepare, they should want to know why their answers were right or wrong, because their ability to determine this will obviously predict their future success. For example, guessing correctly on three problems could affect their score by as many as thirty points. As you can see, it would be more useful for students to know why those answers to the problems they guessed on were correct. Knowing how to approach the problems and having mastery of the skills needed to do well are the two keys to success. ➤ How will the SAT be different in the future? AK: Even before COVID-19, more and more schools were going the test optional route. So, while I would expect that a good number of schools will again require the test once the pandemic ends, I wouldn’t be surprised if many schools kept it optional. I don’t think that should change your mindset as a student, though. I think that students should still take the test to see if they can turn it into an advantage. If they do not do well on it, then they simply do not submit the scores. As far as changing the test, I believe College Board played with the idea of allowing students to take the test online, as they did with the AP tests in the past. I don’t think College Board pursued that because of test security shortcomings. ➤ I’m ready to start prepping! What can I do right now? BD: First thing I recommend, and I think Adam already mentioned this, is to purchase an SAT prep book. Prep books are available online and at most bookstores, such as Barnes & Noble. Make sure the review book includes answers AND explanations for the problems. I would complete and score a full test, then review any areas of weakness. I would also recommend taking an SAT class or prep course at a later date. AK: Go to the College Board website to see what the test requires. Khan Academy is a useful online resource because it is free. Of course, there is private tutoring as well. CB Adam Kovalevich has privately tutored and taught English/SAT Review at Cherry Hill West High School in NJ for the past 16 years and worked with the private testing company, ScoreMax, for seven years. He can be reached at adamkovalevich@comcast.net. Brian Drury has been a math teacher at Cherry Hill West High School in NJ for over 20 years, and is also the director of ScoreMax Review, which helps prepare students for the SAT. 7
JUNIOR YEAR
SAT & ACT TESTING AND RESULT DATES 2021/2022 SAT Dates SAT DATE
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
SCORE RELEASE DATES
December 4, 2021
November 4, 2021
December 17, 2021
March 12, 2022
February 11, 2022
March 25, 2022
May 7, 2022
April 8, 2022
May 20, 2022
June 4, 2022
May 5, 2022
July 13, 2022
SAT DATE
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
ESTIMATED SCORE RELEASE DATES
December 11, 2021
November 5, 2021
December 21, 2021-February 4, 2022
February 12, 2022
January 7, 2022
February 25-April 07, 2022
April 2, 2022
February 25, 2022
April 12-June 23, 2022
June 11, 2022
May 6, 2022
June 21-August 5, 2022
July 16, 2022
June 17, 2022
July 26-September 9, 2022
2021/2022 ACT Dates
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College Bound Magazine
A checklist for your perfect college There is no one-size-fits-all solution for choosing the right school. Here are eight essential considerations to help narrow down your options. Run a few schools through this list and see which ones get the highest marks. o The right location - Going to college across the country is a different experience than going to a school an hour from home. Another important distinction is between rural and urban settings. The right school should be located somewhere in your comfort zone.
o Safety first - Colleges are required to share statistics regarding crime on campus and in the surrounding area in an annual security report. Get the facts on school safety before making any decisions.
o Academic reputation - If you have a good idea of what you plan to study, the right school should have a strong reputation for that program, whether that’s in science, business, journalism, or anything else.
o Tuition - Finances should play a role in your selection process. If your parents are helping with tuition, start an open dialogue with them. Will a more expensive school yield higher-paying opportunities? What financial aid opportunities are available?
o Housing options - Unless you’re planning to commute from home, make sure your school offers a living situation that suits you. Are you interested in a dorm atmosphere or a quiet apartment close to campus?
o Not too big, not too small - From classroom size to campus life, the college experience is defined in part by how big the university is. What type of environment is going to bring out the best in you and allow you to thrive?
o Extracurricular opportunities - What kind of campus life are you looking for? Are you interested in environmental activism? Maybe a thriving sports program? Make sure your school has opportunities that will be rewarding for you.
o See it to believe it - An in-person visit is the best way to get a true sense of any college campus, but if you can’t go in person, look into virtual tours online (turn the page for more on this).
2021/2022 Edition
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JUNIOR YEAR
How to plan a campus visit
V
isiting schools is one of the more exciting parts of the college application process. Typically, this involves going on a little trip and getting a feel for what it might be like to attend school somewhere; from the sights and sounds around town, to the culture of the classroom and the campus. Now, with the arrival of COVID-19, virtual tours have been an increasingly popular (and cost-efficient!) alternative to on-site visits. Different schools will have different protocols for setting up tours, so the best place to start is usually on their website. Conventional wisdom says it’s best to go on these tours during the spring of junior year, if possible, but a summer visit can yield advantages. Sure, the campus will be less active, but that means all the people you want to meet with will (theoretically) have more time for you. Keep financial limitations in mind as you pick and choose the campuses to visit in person. Obviously, flying out to a school across the country is going to cost more than driving a couple hours to a nearby school. For getting first person experience, budgeting money is just as important as budgeting time. Once you’ve got a visit lined up, here are some of the areas you’ll want to explore, and questions you might ask as you’re looking around.
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By Gus Iversen
Classrooms – What is the average class size? How does course selection work for incoming freshman? How does priority work in the registration process? How many classes, or how many credits, does the average student sign up for each semester? What percentage of students study abroad? Dorms – Is living on campus required or optional? What percentage of students live on campus? How do students wind up in a certain dorm, with certain roommates? What is the campus dining situation like? Do most students move off campus after the first year? Library – Many schools have very impressive libraries that provide access to unique resources that are not available anywhere else. Find out what kind of research opportunities are available through the library system, and if you know what you’ll be studying, ask how those resources might serve someone in your specific position. Extracurriculars – If you’re interested in specific extracurricular activities, such as Greek life, organized sports, clubs, activism or other campus organizations, make sure your tour guide knows. Ask them to connect you with people involved in the groups so you can learn more. College Bound Magazine
Surrounding area – While colleges may often seem like islands unto themselves, it’s important to feel comfortable in the neighborhood or town where the college is located. Are there off campus events that the school is involved with? What is the crime situation like? Are there museums, cultural centers? How do most people get around: cars, buses, bikes?
Types of people you should talk to Admissions officers – Every school is different, so while some might have time with admissions officers baked into the tour, others might require extra planning. In many respects, the admissions department is most qualified to handle your big picture questions, so scheduling a little one-on-one time is a smart idea. You might ask them if demonstrated interest (visiting the campus, following its social media accounts, etc.) factors into the admission process. Are there majors where enrollment is capped? What can a candidate do to stand out in the application process? Professors – Unlike the admissions officers, a professor’s job is not tied intrinsically to your visit. They have their own students and courses to think about, which is a good thing because they might share more candid insight. Ask professors what they like about the school. What do they dislike? Roughly how many students do they have in their classes? Are classes lecture based or discussion based? If
2021/2022 Edition
the professor teaches in a field you plan to major in, then drill down even further with questions about student outcomes, what it takes to succeed, and what special requirements are required to graduate. Students – If there’s anybody who you’ll interact with on a college visit who will tell it to you exactly like it is, it’s the student body. Take every opportunity to talk to students about their experiences and opinions about the school. What is the best thing about attending the school? What is the worst? Are they happy there? Are professors accessible for one-on-one help? What is it like to live in the dorms? What do people do on the weekend? Is the student body diverse? Are people friendly? What kind of activities are they involved in outside of their classes?
Do not underestimate virtual tours If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that a lot can be done from the comfort of a computer screen. When time and money is limited (and aren’t they always?) it’s important not to underestimate the value of a virtual tour. While you may not get the same sense of spontaneous, immersive discovery from a virtual tour that you would with an in-person tour, we really cannot stress enough that a virtual tour is still infinitely better than no tour at all. Check with your top colleges and figure out what kind of virtual tours they are offering, then get your visit scheduled! CB
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JUNIOR YEAR
What to put in an activities resume
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By Gus Iversen
olleges know that you are much more than your test scores and GPA, and they want dynamic students who will succeed beyond the basic confines of the classroom. Because of that, they want your application to show them different aspects of your character. While your transcripts give them a good sense of your academic record, and your essay gives them a sense of how you view the world and your place in it, the activities resume tells them a bit about your role in the community. When many people think of resumes, they think of a job application. It’s really not that different with colleges, except that you can include a wider variety of activities than an employer might be interested in hearing about. For instance, the manager of the local coffee shop might not care that you were an assistant coach for the fifthgrade soccer team at the local rec center, but that is exactly the type of experience colleges are looking for in your activities resume.
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College Bound Magazine
Hang on, do I even need an activities resume?
These days, many schools depend on the Common App for streamlining and simplifying the application process. If all the schools you’re applying to use that program, then it will prompt you for your activities list and you may not need to create a separate resume. Whether you’re sharing activities via the Common App or a separate activities resume, the substance of these documents will essentially be the same and compiling one will be good practice for compiling the other.
Getting started
Put together a list of all the activities you’re planning to include in the resume. This should include extracurricular activities like clubs and sports (and be sure to mention if you had a leadership role), as well as job experience, community service, religious engagement and special skills. Make a note of when you started and stopped each activity too, because that’s going to be part of the resume. Some experts advise against including anything that happened prior to high school. In general, that’s a good rule to follow but it also depends on how impressive your pre-high school accomplishment(s) were. Use your judgment there.
Templates galore
Some people prefer to format their own resumes, and to them I say: more power to you! For the rest of us, the Internet is an endless resource for perfectly good (and free!) templates just waiting for us to plug in our own personal information. Do a little research and you should find a nice one in no time. Once you have a template, you can start adding some of the really basic information that will go at the top of the page. This should include your name, your high school, your cumulative GPA, and your class rank if available (and only if you’re near the top!). From there you can begin adding the activities you’ve already listed out.
Five pro tips for your resume The beauty of a resume is in its simplicity. Your resume should be no longer than a single page, and that page should be clean and to the point. It may seem a bit paradoxical, but as much as you want to highlight your extracurricular involvement, you also don’t want to drone on endlessly about each item. Be mindful of word limits and don’t do too much explaining. Be somewhat selective. If you’re the kind of person who has been involved in tons of applicable activities then you might have trouble fitting everything on a single page. That means
2021/2022 Edition
you’ll need to prune your list and removing the less impressive items. This is a great problem to have. Conversely, if you have not been super involved in activities, you might feel compelled to include very minor things that you only did for a single semester. Use caution here, and don’t try to create the illusion of activities if there simply aren’t any. Having a wimpy activities resume is not the worst thing in the world. Be concise. As a general rule, the items in your activities resume should be comprised of four basic components. First, a title for the activity. Second, a one sentence description of the activity. Third, a one sentence description of your involvement in the activity. Fourth, any awards or special recognition pertaining to the activity. Spread the love. Share your resume with someone who has a good grasp on grammar so they can suggest any necessary edits to the text. Bring it with you on campus visits. One of the best places for an activities resume to make an unexpected cameo is on a campus visit to a school you’re applying to. Print up a dozen copies on nice resume paper, stick them in a folder, and keep the folder handy or in an easily accessible bag. As you meet admissions people and professors, the resume will create talking points for your interviews. CB
Letters of Recommendation Many colleges require 2-3 recommendation letters from teachers and counselors. These letters are sent directly to the colleges, so it’s important to choose a teacher that knows you and your character since you are not be able to view the final product. It is your responsibility to request letters of recommendation, so be sure to give your teachers plenty of time to start the process. It’s highly recommended to approach your references in the spring of your junior year since many teachers prefer to write them in the summer. They are usually bombarded with letters in the fall of senior year, so set yourself apart and start early. Provide a copy of your activities resume to your teachers, coaches, school counselors, or anyone you might ask for a letter of recommendation. This way, when they sit down to write about how great you are, they’ll have this handy reference guide to help them along the way!
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JUNIOR YEAR
The personal essay
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he personal essay is an opportunity to show the admissions office who you are and how you see the world around you. For those of us who enjoy writing, it’s a chance to flex those muscles. Of course, not everyone feels at home in front of a blank piece of paper, and the importance of the college essay can add to that sense of pressure and anxiety – so here are some tips to get the ball rolling on an essay that will really shine and make your application stand out.
If you’re having trouble coming up with a topic, don’t fret. There are usually several essay prompts to choose from on a college application. Look around at those options, explore different suggestions online to see if any of them jump out at you.
Time to put words down on the page
Conventional wisdom says you want that first sentence to really pop out and grab the reader. This is true, but that should be the least of your concerns at the outset of your first draft. The task for now is to just let the story pour out of you and onto the page. It might be messy, it might be missing some key parts, it might be full of bad grammar and misspelled words, and all of that is just fine. What you’re doing now is creating the stone slab that your masterpiece statue will ultimately be carved from. Some people like making an outline of their story first. It really depends on the writer and what they’re most comfortable with, but the key is to resist the urge to over-edit yourself before you’ve even had a chance to say anything.
Finding your voice
While it may be true that some natural procrastinators thrive under pressure, even they would agree that knowing the deadline is better than not knowing it. With that in mind, when are your essays due? Are there word count limits / recommendations you need to be aware of? Some schools may also request supplemental essays, so will you be submitting any of those? Figure out these top-level logistics, and keep them all written down somewhere so you don’t lose sight of the big picture.
Now that you’ve got this (mostly coherent?) blob of words in front of you, it’s time to start making it tell a story. Read what you’ve written and look for parts that can be improved. Does one word work better than another? Should you add more specific details to a character or a setting? Are there elements of your storytelling that become repetitive? Think about rhythm too — does the story flow nicely? Writers like to use the expression “show, don’t tell” and that can apply to your essay. For example, rather than telling the reader, “I’m someone who thinks outside the box,” show them this is true by illustrating it with words. After that first round of edits, put the essay away for a while and try not to think about it. Several days later, read it again with fresh eyes and see what else can be improved. Obviously, this is a luxury you can only afford with time on your side, but it will allow for a stronger essay in the long run.
Preliminary brainstorming
Recruiting editors
Know your deadlines
Even before you sit down with a pen in your hand, spend a few weeks, (or even a few months, if you’re ahead of the game) contemplating the essay abstractly. What kind of story would you like to tell about yourself? What are the qualities that people tend to admire most about you? Are there specific experiences that have shaped your personal development? Exploring these types of questions will help you figure out the basic parameters of what your essay is going to be about. You don’t want to try and write up your whole life story. Sometimes, the best essays are about small and intimate topics, because there is gravity in those little moments, like a powerful poem or short story. 14
Congrats! By now you should have a fully formed essay. All that’s left to do is solicit feedback from trusted friends, family, teachers or online resources that will help you polish up that final draft. At this stage, obliterating those previously mentioned misspelled words and grammatical errors is the top priority, but you may also get constructive advice on the actual substance of your story. If you find yourself receiving feedback that is critical of elements of your essay, try to be receptive to the person and their point of view but also be aware that they might be wrong! At the end of the day, this is your essay. Nobody knows how your story should go better than you do. CB College Bound Magazine
SENIOR YEAR
Anatomy of a college application
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ince different schools have different requirements, there's no one-size-fits-all solution for college applications. As we’ve stressed throughout this magazine: the best thing you can do is find out what your school is looking for and when it’s due! Still, here is a general outline of some of the things you’ll probably need to keep track of. o The application itself Hopefully this goes without saying, but if you want to attend a particular school, you’re going to need an application to that school. Whether you get it through the Common App, or through the school’s website, or through some other permitted channel, the application is the fundamental building block that everything else is built off. If you don’t submit an application, everything else is meaningless. While the application can take different forms, it will certainly require basic personal information such as your name, email address, citizenship information and phone number, as well as academic info about your high school, entrance exam scores, extracurricular activities, and honors. You’ll probably also need to provide an essay, and/or other writing samples. 2021/2022 Edition
o Entrance exam scores Many schools will require your SAT and/ or ACT scores to be officially submitted. That means they come straight from the College Board (which provides the SAT) or the ACT. When you register to take these standardized tests, you may be able to select colleges to receive the scores, otherwise you can do it after your scores come back and you see how you did. If you qualify for college credits based on advanced placement courses that you’ve taken, colleges will need to see those results as well. o High school transcript Your official transcript is a document provided by your high school that lists each of the classes you’ve taken and the grades you received in them. Talk to your guidance counselor about your transcripts so they know where you’re applying and what dates they need the information by. Colleges want to know that you kept up your studies even after you were accepted, so your guidance counselor can also help you submit your grades for the remainder of your high school education. As a note of caution, colleges can change their mind about accepting you if your academic performance takes a complete 180 due to a full-blown case of Senioritis. It’s rare, but it does happen.
o Counselor recommendation Aside from the hard numbers of your academic performance, your counselor can also provide colleges with context for your performance. This means telling them how the rest of the student body performed, and what kind of role you had within the student body. Were you making the best of your circumstances? Did you overcome certain hurdles? Context is often critical to the admissions process and the way a college assesses applicants. o Teacher recommendation A great teacher recommendation can do wonders to help you stick out from the crowd. The teacher (or teachers) you seek out should be the ones who recognized your best qualities in the classroom and helped you reach your full potential. What course they taught is less important than what they know about you and your ability to succeed. These are the basic components that make up most college applications, but again, the only way to know exactly what your colleges are going to require is by checking their individual application processes! CB
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SENIOR YEAR
Making sense of financial aid
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inancial aid for college is a topic that can be as mystifying as it is intimidating. In order to take some of the uncertainty out, we spoke to Fred Amrein, a nationally recognized expert on the subject and the founder and CEO of PayForED, a company that offers software solutions to help navigate student loan and repayment decisions. Our conversation with Fred will hopefully provide you with a solid foundation as you consider your own financial aid options and strategies. ➤ At what point in the application process should students begin exploring financial considerations? Fred Amrein: Most families do not begin to look at the financial aspects until the end of junior year. The problem is that the financial aid process uses a time frame called Prior Prior. This means it uses the tax filing information for college-bound students from their second semester sophomore year and the first semester of their junior year. The tax years and school years do not match. The best time to evaluate your financial aid position is before 12/31 of sophomore year. Any financial decision made after that time will impact financial aid. 16
➤ What is the FAFSA and what does it mean to me? FA: FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is available every October 1 for the upcoming school year. As an example, the 2022–23 FAFSA will be available on October 1, 2021. It will use the tax information from the tax year 2020. This is related to the term Prior Prior. For most, it means you use the tax return you have in hand on October 1. Every family should complete the FAFSA. It is critical to the student debt structure and repayment options if grad school will be required. ➤ Are there any basic starting points for evaluating your options? How does one know where to look? FA: The first step in evaluating your financial aid position is understanding your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). This is the resulting number a family will get after completing the FAFSA. The FAFSA is the federal financial aid process. The EFC will be changing its name to Student Aid Index (SAI) starting in the school year 2024 or before. Families need to be careful here. To get the EFC you need to disclose your entire financial life such as income and assets.
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Many free websites are collection sites used to collect this data. PayForED EFC calculator does need to be purchased but your data is not sold to any third party. Each school is required to have a Net Price Calculator on its website. This can be helpful but many are not kept current. ➤ Some financial services provide subsidized loans while others offer unsubsidized loans. What is the difference between these options?
salary, and loan repayment options. The current process focuses on access and not affordability. The expectation of financial aid for most is overstated. ➤ Are there any financial aid tips you find yourself sharing with families over and over again?
FA: These are federal loans. A subsidized loan has no interest charged to the loan until the student graduates or stops going to school. Unsubsidized has interest being charged after disbursement. These types of loans are determined by a student’s financial need. Financial need is calculated by taking the Cost of Attendance (COA) minus EFC = Financial Need If a student has financial need, the college can include in their financial aid award a subsidized loan up to the need amount with an annual limit of (3,500 (yr1)/4,500 (yr 2)/ 5,500 (yr 3 & 4). They can also receive another 2,000 per year of unsubsidized loans. If the student has no need they still can get unsubsidized loans (5,500 (yr1)/6,500 (yr 2)/ 7,500 (yr 3 &4). These are the annual limits based on the student’s academic progress. To get access the family must complete the FAFSA.
FA: Yes, first off 1) Focus on the outcome, not admissions. Determine the career path as soon as possible – education needed, salary, market demand. Evaluate the career center as part of your visit and the school’s offering. Use the career centers to determine your path or refine it with internship or co-op opportunities. 2) Understand your debt structure. Your student debt structure will determine repayment and forgiveness options. 3) Determine a target graduation date and map your course selection each semester to that date. Many will change majors - have a plan to graduation. 4) Learn proper time management skills. For many college students, it is the first step to independent living and adulthood. It can be a very expensive learning experience if not managed correctly. 5) Graduate on time. Nationally, less than 40% will graduate within four years. An extra year in college is not just the extra cost but the lost opportunity to earn a salary. As an example (college cost 40K + Starting Salary 50K) It is a 90K mistake not a 40K mistake.
➤ Can I appeal a college’s financial offer? If so, how do I go about that?
➤ Thanks for your time, Fred! Anything else our readers should know?
FA: Yes, you can always appeal a financial award letter. Most schools have a formal process. Please visit www.payfored.com/ financial-aid-appeal-letter/ to see our recommended process. Any changes in a family’s financial position should be appealed.
FA: It’s important to manage expectations and stress throughout this process. Many have the impression that the colleges are going to select the best students. Many families can not understand why another student got more money, yet their child is a better student. Too often the process is simplified and generalization is applied. Colleges use a process called enrollment management. This brings the admissions and financial aid process together. The colleges are trying to find the right mix of students to fill certain sets at a certain price. It is a business. Admissions and the financial award may not be as straightforward as you would think. As an example, if a business has a job opening for a salesperson, yet a computer programmer applies who is really smart, is the company going to hire the computer programmer or the salesperson? This is no different for the student who applied as a science major but the school was looking for a business major. It does not mean that the student could not have been successful. It just means they were looking for something else. Students and parents need to know this in order to reduce the stress and emotions of the entire process. The college will never tell you what they are really looking for each year as it changes based on their business goals and direction. CB
➤ What happens if the financial circumstances for a family change after the student is already enrolled? FA: COVID-19 is a great example. You use the appeal process discussed above. To improve your success, be direct, with numbers and make it short. ➤ Obviously, college is a massive investment and it can be scary to take on a financial burden like this. Do you have any advice for keeping costs in perspective? FA: In most cases, proper financial planning is not done and financial transparency to graduation is difficult to obtain. That is why we created the PayForED Process. Colleges only give student financial information one year at a time and it is hard to project total cost and debt at graduation. Students and parents need to find tools to help them envision their outcome. This includes job opportunities, starting
2021/2022 Edition
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Sports Recruiting
Three things you can do now to increase your chances of being a recruited student-athlete By Uriah N. McClain
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ccording to the NCAA, only 2% of high school athletes earn athletic scholarships. Students have a better chance of earning admission into the most selective schools in the United States. So why are so many student-athletes investing so much time, energy, and effort into playing sports when the chances of earning a scholarship offer are so low? The answer, money.
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College Bound Magazine
The truth of the college admissions process is that money is often the most important factor in selecting a college or university for families. The financial investment for students and their families in higher education has created a highly competitive environment both academically and athletically. Most college-bound students are very aware of the importance of their GPAs in the college admissions process. However, most student-athletes have no idea how college athletic programs recruit student-athletes. Every collegiate sports program has a network of high school athletic programs, private club teams, and recruiting methods to identify and subsequently recruit studentathletes for their respective programs. Understanding how the recruiting process works for your specific sport is crucial. You need to know how to get coaches’ attention so that you can increase your odds of earning a scholarship offer. Using football as an example, players must compete in statesanctioned games to have game film to show coaches. Once the football season concludes, players can participate in flag football, 7on7 tournaments, and various NCAA sanctioned events. These off-season events give coaches additional opportunities to evaluate prospective student-athletes. If the athletic performance of a student-athlete is supported by qualifying grades and standardized test scores, the student may be offered a scholarship (full or partial). Student-athletes may also be offered preferred walk-on status, which offers them a roster spot on the team, with no scholarship. These individuals may also be given more generous financial aid packages. Here are three things you can do now to help you increase your chances of being a recruited student-athlete.
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3. Train to perform. Sport-specific training has many benefits but is not necessary to be an NCAA scholarship athlete. The vast majority of student-athletes competing in college today played multiple sports in high school. The key is to do things that will help you excel in the sport you love to earn a scholarship. If participating in other sports will increase your recruitment chances, or if you just love to play for the sake of playing, do that. Adding a training regimen that includes weight training, diet/nutrition, coupled with speed and agility training, will all help you on your journey towards being recruited. If you have the financial means to secure a trainer, it may increase your chances of getting recruited, but private training is expensive and does not guarantee scholarship offers.
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The most important thing for student-athletes to understand is that they are students first.
1. Get your grades in order. The most important thing for student-athletes to understand is that they are students first. This may seem obvious, but the importance of academics first cannot be overstated. The better your grades, the easier it is for coaches to help you get admitted into a school, period. Student-athletes who have higher GPAs make the athletic recruiting process significantly easier. The NCAA has strict guidelines for student-athletes’ GPAs and standardized test scores (i.e., The SAT and ACT). If you do not meet these requirements, you will not be offered an athletic scholarship. 2. Time management. One of the most challenging things for all student-athletes is managing their time. College coaches are investing large sums of money in students they hope will help them win. Students who cannot manage their time will likely struggle to maintain their grades, athletic commitments, and social life. If student-athletes perform poorly academically and/or athletically, they risk losing their scholarships and financial assistance. Learning to manage your time is an essential skill that will dramatically increase your performance academically and athletically. 2021/2022 Edition
BONUS: Social media. Your social media presence is one of the most powerful tools you have as a student-athlete. The ability to reach out and network with coaches is unprecedented. However, like with all things, there are some negatives associated with social media. Beware of what you post. Colleges and universities have spent millions of dollars building their school brands; schools go to great lengths to protect their reputations. Student-athletes represent these institutions and should act accordingly. Individuals that post or share controversial materials place themselves at risk of not being recruited or having scholarship and admissions offers revoked. Student-athletes would do well to treat their online footprint with the respect it deserves. The power of social media should not be underestimated, nor should the potential for it to derail your college aspirations. Scholarships are not the only way student-athletes can continue their athletic careers in college, so it is essential to explore what options are available to you. If you do not secure a scholarship offer, you should not despair. Hopefully, your academic transcript demonstrates that you will be an asset to your future college or university. Can athletics increase your odds of getting into your dream school? Short answer, yes, but the devil is in the details. Student-athletes are not all created equally when it comes to talent and skill. The college recruiting process is unlike any other, but there is one common thread for all studentathletes: all you need to do is convince one school that you are the right fit for them! CB
About the author: Uriah N. McClain is a social studies teacher at Collingswood High School in NJ and is the Owner/CEO of Flow Academics, a consulting company for SAT test prep and college admissions. 19
THE TOOLS
Using the Common App to your advantage
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f you are applying to a handful of different colleges then there’s a good chance that one or more of them will ask you to submit your application through the Common App, or Common Application. At its core, the Common App is a standard application form that is accepted by schools that are members of its association. That means, through the app, you can apply to multiple schools without reentering a lot of the same information. If your prospective colleges use the Common App (over 900 schools do), then you will have the opportunity to count yourself among the more than one million students who apply through the system each year. First and foremost, that can save you a lot of time. However, there are other advantages too, such as a handy dashboard to organize the different schools you’re looking at, the various requirements for each of them, and the progress you’ve made in satisfying those requirements.
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Common, but not ubiquitous
Before diving in on the Common App, it’s important to clarify that there are other platforms for college submissions too. Perhaps the most common place for submitting an application is on a school’s own website. Many schools will accept applications through a combination of channels. Generally, the best option is whichever one you’re most comfortable with. Also – in case you were wondering – the schools themselves do not have a preference of one application method over another.
Get set up
Simply opening a Common App account and browsing around on the platform is a huge step toward figuring out how it will factor into your application process. You will find out which schools you are applying to are on the app, and you might even use the app to discover other schools you should add to your list. There are a number of metrics on the app that will help you track down schools that meet various criteria, so be sure to spend
some time exploring the layout and playing with the sorting options. The new edition of the Common App usually comes out on August 1 of each year, but you can start setting up your account whenever you like (and simply transfer the information over to the new edition when it comes out). When you start filling out the basic info, you’ll want to have some documents on hand. These include your entrance exam scores, activities resume, parent / legal guardian information, and information on your high school grades and current courses. All of these prompts will be clearly marked and defined once you get on the app.
Pick your schools
As you compile a list of the schools you’re planning to apply to, the Common App will organize all of the necessary items that need to be completed for each college. In case you’re planning to cast a very wide net for potential colleges, it’s worth noting that the maximum number of schools you can pick is 20.
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Application fees
Roughly half of the member schools on the app make applying free, but for the others, you’ll need to provide payment upon completion of your application. Students who are eligible for fee waivers in accordance with the National Association for College Admission Counseling can verify their eligibility in the Common App and the program will be able to apply that designation to other schools as you continue submitting applications. Talk to your counselor to learn more about waiving fees and determining whether or not you might quality.
Keep track of deadlines and complete tasks
Perhaps the most important part of the college application process is knowing your deadlines and planning ahead to meet them. The Common App can offer a lot of help in this department, so the sooner you figure out what your top choice schools are asking for, the better off you’ll be. Many of the things you will need to upload to different applications are already explored in different articles in College Bound, so you should keep this magazine handy as you work through the various requirements.
Essay prompts
Schools that use the Common App may have different essay requirements, so this is a particularly important aspect of the application to keep track of. You don’t want to wind up doing all of your writing assignments at the last minute. The personal essay component is discussed at length on page 14, but there are other short, non-essay questions that you might be required to answer. There may also be optional questions. It’s really going to depend on the school so, once again, get on the platform and find out what your top schools are asking for.
Having trouble with the app?
One great feature of the Common App is how many resources it provides for prospective students who are having trouble getting their applications finalized or navigating the platform. The platform is filled with tutorial videos that show you how things should be done, and there is also a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section and a Student Solutions Center where individual questions can be asked and answered.
Before you click ‘submit’
The old adage “measure twice, cut once” is rarely more appropriate than when submitting a college application. Common App will let you preview your finalized application before you make it official, so be sure to review everything carefully. It also never hurts to have an extra set of eyes, so you might ask an advisor, counselor, teacher, or family member to look over your application with you. Once you’ve got everything ready to go, you can submit your application directly through the Common App.
Congrats! Now comes the hard part: waiting to hear back.
2021/2022 Edition
Utilizing Naviance Speaking of handy software tools, Naviance is another valuable online resource. If your school gives you access to a Naviance account, you can use that to support your college application process. Here’s a quick overview of the main sections of Naviance, and what you can do in each one. THE NAVIANCE HOME PAGE OFFERS: • Messages from counselors • Links to important websites • The schedule of colleges visiting your high school “COURSES” OFFERS: • List of your high school courses • The ability to create a list of courses that look interesting • Resources to help develop a four-year plan “COLLEGES” HELPS STUDENTS: • Search for colleges • Research colleges •C ompare student GPA/SAT scores to former students’ and college admission statistics • Create a file of “Schools I’m Thinking About” • Request Teacher Recommendations • Search for scholarships “CAREERS” HELPS STUDENTS: • Research and explore different jobs • Take surveys that help match abilities and interests to different careers • View more than 3,500 career-related videos “ABOUT ME” HELPS STUDENTS: •C ompile and store previous searches and assessments • Create a resume • View SAT/Subject Test and ACT test scores • View GPA • Explore learning styles “MY PLANNER” HELPS STUDENTS: • Set goals • Create To Do Lists
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THE TOOLS
Glossary of terms What follows is a quick reference guide for some of the terms you have encountered throughout this magazine, and will come across as you learn more about college in general. Sometimes it can seem like higher education has a language of its own, so if you find yourself hearing an unfamiliar word over and over again, remember to stop and do a little research. Simply punching the word or phrase into a search engine can help considerably in reducing the confusion!
Articulation agreement An official agreement between two-year and four-year colleges that ensure classes completed at one school will be accepted when a student transfers to another school. This is very important for students who are planning to transition from one school to another; for instance, acquiring an associate degree before pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Class rank Although not all high schools offer a class rank, many do. It can be a useful metric for showing colleges how well you fared in comparison to your peers. If class rank is an optional part of your application, you should only include it if it reflects positively on you. College application essay An essay that a college requires students to write and submit as part of their application process. Some colleges offer applicants specific 22
questions to answer, while others simply ask applicants to write about themselves. Colleges may refer to this as a “personal statement” and it serves to show them who you are as a person, and how you write. See page 14 College credit Some advanced placement (AP) high school courses may provide you with college credits, which can be counted toward your future college degree. In other words, it’s an opportunity to start checking off college requirements before you ever set foot on campus. Common App A standard application form accepted by members of the Common Application association. It offers a way to organize your applications, keep track of progress, and eliminate some of the redundancy involved in individual applications. See page 20
Deferred admission If you get into a school, but then something comes up and you are unable to start attending at the appointed time, a deferred admission may be granted. That means the school has agreed to let you begin enrollment the following semester or year. Early action / early decision Both early action and early decision are options to submit your application before the regular deadline. When you apply early action, you get a nonbinding response from colleges earlier than usual. In contrast, early decision is binding. If accepted, you must attend that college, so reserve this option for your first-choice school. If you don’t get accepted under either one of these options, don’t despair. Your application will roll into the regular decision process.
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Entrance exams Also known as college admissions tests, these are tests designed to measure students’ skills and help colleges evaluate how ready students are for college-level work. The ACT and the SAT are standardized admission tests, which is to say they measure the same things in the same way for everyone who takes them.
favorite option from several that accepted you. This date is your deadline to let schools know whether or not you are accepting their offer of admission.
Six degrees of education
Registrar The senior administrative executive within a college who processes registration requests, registers students and oversees their permanent records.
Associate’s degree A degree granted after a two-year course of study, especially by a community or junior college.
Expected family contribution Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is an index number that college financial aid staff uses to determine how much financial aid you would receive if you were to attend their school. The information you report on your FAFSA form is used to calculate your EFC. The EFC will be changing its name to Student Aid Index (SAI) starting in the school year 2024 or before. See page 16
Rolling admission An admission policy of considering each application as soon as it has been received, rather than setting a deadline. Colleges that use a rolling admission policy usually notify applicants of admission decisions quickly.
Bachelor of arts degree A four-year college degree that covers standard general education requirements and then allows students to specialize in an area of interest, such as literature, history, language, or religion.
Scholarship A grant or payment made to support a student’s education, awarded on the basis of academic or other achievement.
FAFSA Before each year of college, apply for federal grants, work-study, and loans with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form. Colleges use your FAFSA data to determine your federal aid eligibility. See page 16
Transcript The official record of your course work. Your high school transcript is usually required for college admission and for some financial aid packages.
Bachelor of science degree A four-year college degree that prepares students for graduate programs (Master’s and PhD) in science and engineering, or for some other STEM careers.
Financial aid Money given or loaned to you to help pay for college. Financial aid can come from federal and state governments, colleges, and private organizations. See page 16 Internship A work position intended to help the student, or intern, gain practical industry experience or satisfy college credits. Internships can help build useful career foundations and business connections, but not all internships are paid. National candidate reply date (May 1) After applying to several schools, you may find yourself in the fortunate position of getting to choose your 2021/2022 Edition
Transfer student A student who enrolls in a new college after having spent some time enrolled at a previous college. Undergraduate A college student who is working toward an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree. By contrast, a student working toward a higher degree (such as a master’s degree) is a graduate (or grad) student. Wait list In some instances, instead of an acceptance or rejection to a college, a student may be put on a wait list. Since not every student who gets into a particular college is going to accept enrollment there, spots may become available for students on the wait list. Those decisions are generally made later in the year.
Liberal arts degree A liberal arts degree includes the study of history, literature, writing, philosophy, sociology, psychology, creative arts and more. Students who earn a liberal arts degree learn to formulate effective arguments, to communicate well and solve problems. Nonmatriculated student A student who registers for and takes classes at a college but has not been admitted into a degree program. Master’s degree From the Latin “magister”, a master’s degree indicates completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a highorder overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. A master’s degree generally comes after a bachelor’s degree.
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What I wish I knew then... We asked several college freshman what advice they’d give to high school juniors going through the application process and here are some of our favorites.
“Don’t dismiss a college based on its sticker price. Many schools, especially private ones, have opportunities to receive grants.” Abbey
“I didn’t realize that colleges tracked my Internet presence when I was applying to their schools. They recommend joining their social media pages: Instagram, Facebook, etc. The more I participated digitally, the more connected I appeared. The colleges want students that show interest in their schools.” Mia
“Don’t pretend to be a perfect student, just be genuine. Schools want to see real people who survive failures. They want students who make mistakes and learn from them.” Jamie
“Making a decision is hard. It was really helpful for me to have a Zoom call with one of the potential professors in my major. It made me realize what it would be like to be in that academic environment. Chris
Be sure to take advantage of the college readiness programs your high school offers. Your school counselors should have a list of webinars to attend.
“I wish I knew that I could appeal a college’s financial offer. You can reach out to a school and ask them to review the package they presented. Use your other college offers as a bargaining tool. It can’t hurt to ask!” Brendan
“Don’t apply to colleges that you don’t actually want to attend. It can be a waste of time and money so find ones that you really like and focus on those.“ Mike
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NOTES
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College Bound Magazine 2021/2022 Edition
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