College Search Articles for High School Students
Summaries submitted by students in Using the Internet for College and Career Counseling, UCLA Extension.  This is a very long document.  Make use of the Home button on the computer to return to the top of the page.

Money Saving Tips for Buying and Selling Books
http://education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/articles/college/buying_books.html
I decided to check out an article that may not have all that exciting of a topic, but I feel is a relevant concern for many students who find themselves pinching pennies throughout their college years. It is not too uncommon for students to spend beyond $1600 a year for their class text books - with such a high cost associated with taking courses, it is important for individuals to be aware of their options that may save some money.

Sure one can do some price comparison shopping with the bookstores on campus - they can even compare prices offered online, but did you know many professors keep copies at the library for students to use? (many are not allowed to be checked out though).

Some professors will allow students to borrow their loaner copy if approached while others may admit just how little the text is used throughout the course, allowing one to go without purchasing the book.

Sharing a text is an option provided you are close with the other individual - but this can lead to difficult moments especially toward the end of the semester.

Perhaps one of the most convenient methods of saving a couple of bucks on texts on campus is through the internet postings at many universities or bulletin boards - provided there are other individuals interested in avoiding the traditional buy and sell from the bookstore, this method benefits both parties.

I look forward to sharing some of these tips to the students who have concerns over how they will be able to finance college - every dollar counts - if one truly wants to save themselves and their families some money, one can do so provided they are willing to go the extra step.
 

What is Your Hook
http://education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/articles/college/admissionshook.html
At my first glance at this article's title, I was turned off, thinking it was yet another college admission hype article. But upon reading the article, I liked that it helped students to think about what makes them unique. It explains that college reps. are looking for someone who "jumps off the page" and makes them remember the applicant. Instead of drumming into students that they need to find an 8th day to the week, and a 25th hour in each day in order to participate in a list of activities for their applications, this article makes the following point: "So instead of signing up for yet one more club or sport, or throwing up your hands because you don't think you've done enough activities, think about the things you do that you get the most excited about and of which you're most proud."

What Selectivity Means For You
http://collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,5-25-0-53,00.html
Last week I found out that the average GPA for UCLA applicants is now 4.3. That's not the UCLA I applied to. I chose "What Selectivity Means For You" from CollegeBoard.com as my article. This article divides colleges up into Less Selective, More Selective, and Very Selective and discusses what these schools are typically looking for. In addition to these broad categories, the article also discusses other criteria such as need based admissions and considerations for extracurricular activities. The positive side of increased selectivity means that better students are now going to schools that we might of thought of as "low end" schools.

It's important to re-evaluate what are the "good" colleges for our students before we start counseling students towards certain types of schools. We can't base our judgment on outdated college reputations from 20, 10, or even 5 years ago.

Bob Turba’s Cyber Guidance Office
http://www.cyberguidance.net/studpar.htm
I found the initial portal to be a bit overwhelming, with high-contrast colors, the lettering very small, and an overload of links and information for a first sighting. Aside from these details that could be fixed by simplifying the homepage to one containing the buttons that would lead elsewhere, the site is replete with useful information. After exploring the various titles and subtitles in this opening page, I started crawling all over the place, discovering all sorts of links to valuable resources. Among them, he has Professional Counseling Resources at http://www.cyberguidance.net/professional.htm -- all sorts of links to the various organizations and counselor tools – much too many to enumerate – suffice it to say, that he probably has most resources we need in one site, quite worthy of a visit if not so simple at first sight. He has all sorts of forms for students in his virtual office, plus suggestions. I believe it will take me several days just to scratch the surface of the resources he provides.

I decided to dig deeper into the site, and in a homepage found the title Cyberguidance partners who link to Cyberguidance. I arrived at the Shanghai American School link, http://web.saschina.org/hs/college_search.asp, from which I went to the Special Interest to visit Catholic College Online http://www.catholiccollegesonline.org/, where, under Counselors, I accessed the article “Your Changing Job”. The main point here? Guidance counselors face two main challenges as far as the college search process is concerned: the growth of the Internet use in college search, and the shift in student population brought about by financial aid, with all the complexities that a counselor must be knowledgeable about. "The computer has made researching colleges easier for high school students, but it hasn't lightened the workload of guidance counselors. Students and parents overwhelmed with information gleaned from Internet searches are turning to guidance counselors more than ever for their expertise and assistance.”

Parents Casting A Shadow Over College Applicants Campuses Try Student-Only Tours
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A39784-2004Jul9.html
I found the topic of colleges response to the over participation of parents interesting. The article discusses such responses as student-only tours or separate tours (one for parents, another for students). The article does acknowledge the role of the parent as an important one when they serve to give advice but not control the college selection process giving the students a little break on the parental pressure. The article states that on student only tours the student has more opportunities to ask questions they are concerned with and have a more “direct experience” with the institution without worrying about how their parents will feel about their inquiries.

One point made in the Jay Mathews article by high school student parent was that parents are more likely to detect differences in the institution from how it is presented in guides or to “ask questions they perceive as relevant to their family’s situation”. This is an important point as stated in other articles parents can play an important in the college process as givers of advice and in consulting on such matters as the financial issues. But other people can give important perspectives as well and direction. In the College Board’s College Decision Making Guide, “You got ‘fat envelopes’ –now what?” (http://collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,5-28-0-103,00.html ) it is recommended that students get advice from not only parents but also advisors, counselors, and current students. The student only tours would give way to greater opportunities to relate to current students if at least for a short while on the campus visit.

Promoting Involvement of Recent Immigrant Families in Their Children's Education http://www.gse.harvard.edu/~hfrp/projects/fine/resources/research/golan.html
This is a somewhat academic article, but it provides a conceptual framework and a list of best practices for counselors who wish to strengthen parental involvement among Hispanic immigrant populations. A lot of what is put forth in the article is fairly basic if you are used to working with new arrivals from any country…and I must admit I am weary of everything that purports a “one-size-fits-all” model. However, it is helpful to see this very complex issue broken down into a few manageable steps (at least to use as a jumping off point…).

The issue is perhaps best stated by the article’s authors:

“Many researchers have found that parent involvement in schools is an effective strategy for promoting student achievement. Yet schools struggle with ways to recruit and involve parents, especially recent immigrant parents. The barriers that discourage immigrant parents from participating in schools are not insurmountable. This article presents specific practices that are effective at recruiting and working with typically hard-to-involve parents. Although the needs of immigrant parents are similar to those of U.S.-born parents (e.g., both desire information about school policies, school programs, and their children's academic and social progress, access to support services, and meaningful opportunities to participate in their children's education), the ways to meet these parents' needs effectively differ. The PIQE program offers a model for meeting some of the key needs of Hispanic immigrant parents, the fastest-growing community in the United States, according to the 2000 Census.”

In short, the article offers a training model for teachers and immigrant families, which was developed in partnership with the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQUE). PIQUE is a community-based organization that increases parent knowledge and skills in an effort to support the academic achievement of their children. The authors state that low-income Hispanic immigrant families find the school system impersonal and nonresponsive, and that PIQE employs informal education techniques that promote social interaction and change. They use “dialogue to build community and social capital, situating educational activity in the lived experience of participants, and raising participants' consciousness about their situations and their own power to take informed action.”

The authors suggest the following: 1) address parents’ direct needs; 2) make personal connections; 3) raise awareness and concern around student achievement and the need for parent involvement; 4) establish a clear and common goal; 5) demystify how the school system works; 6) suggest concrete actions that parents can use to support their children's academic success; 7) use methods that have been proven to support learning and increase the likelihood that new behaviors will be adopted; and, 8) create a sense of community and a peer support network that will continue beyond the term of the class. Each item is expounded upon within the article and attached study.

An Alternative Way To Pay For College
http://www.petersons.com/finaid/fa-alternative.asp
One thing that future college applicants often worry about is the cost of the institution. Many of you have probably had parents/students who will tell you they cannot afford it. It is sometimes a difficult task to try and convince parents/students that they shouldn’t give up their dream because of lack of money. There are so many different options for a student and this article will point out some tips on how to borrow money.

I found the above article to be of great advice. Charlotte Thomas say’s “that a college education is a good investment with a tangible future payback.” I couldn’t agree more. I had the conversation about the importance of a college education for our children, with my last class “Financial Aid Fundamentals”, and how parents look at the cost of their children’s education and future as outstanding and ridiculous but they have no problem spending 50K on a new car.

The most important piece of advice that this article gave was that the student/parent should always fill out the FAFSA (free application for federal student aid) even if they believe that any form of assistance is out of their reach, and that there is nothing more important than your children’s future and education

Tips for Adjusting to Your New College Life
http://education-portal.com/article_directory/Articles_about_College_Life.html

This article talks about being a freshman and some of the challenges that one may face. It discusses three areas:

1. Managing Your Time
2. Home Sickness
3. Being Open Minded

This is a good article to have access to for your students and please take the time to check out the others as well.

 

Time Management Skills for High School Students

http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,2-8-0-116,00.html
This is a short but to the point article. It pretty much does what the title states. High school students are use to having teachers and parents on their case on when to do homework and when to study mostly because they procrastinate. They have no concept of time. I believe this habit becomes a big obstacle when they get to college, because there is no one there to get on their case.  I believe that the steps mentioned in this article are a great starting point in preparing students for college. Simple yet effective.

Online Resources Improve Exceptional Student Services
http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A3832.cfm
The article announces that EDmin.com, a company that develops internet-based educational products and services, has introduced a new web-based application called “Exceptional Student Education” (ESE). Edmin.com’s new application is designed to help educators with all phases of the “Individualized Education Plan” (IEP) process.

There are many web-based applications and technology resources available to educators to help them collect, organize, and report information regarding:

--Student Records (e.g., scheduling, attendance, grading, guidance and counseling, discipline);
--Employee Records (e.g., certification, credentials, payroll, benefits)
--District Finances (e.g., assets, inventories, budgets, accounting)
--Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (e.g., standards, lesson plans, grading software).

This article discusses a new web-based application for school and district educators to helps them manage a very time-consuming component of a school’s curriculum, instruction, and assessment: the exceptional student’s “Individualized Education Plan”, or IEP.

I am not an educator, and have not worked in a school environment. So the subject of an IEP is new to me. I researched IEPs on the web (with newly-acquired power search skills, natch). I visited the company’s website, made contact with someone in their marketing department, and even discussed the subject of IEPs with some teachers. I learned what an IEP is, and for whom it’s appropriate. I also learned that preparing an IEP is an involved and time-intensive process.

There are some difficulties that a student may experience that can be overcome with the help of a teacher’s intervention or a counselor’s assistance. An IEP is not appropriate for this type of student or situation. However, if regular interventions do not help a student keep up with and perform near grade-level expectations, an IEP may be appropriate.

An IEP is a written statement of an educational plan designed to meet an exceptional child’s individual needs in accordance with federal, state, and district specifications (The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act /IDEA). Under federal law, the IEP needs to be reviewed at least once per year, with interim progress reports given to parents.

Every teacher I spoke with told me that putting together an IEP is a very time-consuming process, requiring the expertise of a collective group of educators. This group can include resource teachers, classroom teachers, counselors, school psychologists, administrators, and district office legal personnel. Many of these professionals do not work at the same school site.

Here are some of the features of EDmin.com's new ‘Exceptional Student Education’ module:

--CUSTOMIZABLE
One important aspect of this application is the manner in which districts are able to customize the IEP for a particular school site. District Special Education Administrators have the ability to build whatever IEP-related form they need, when they need it. This is important because different districts may have unique student populations. For example, some districts may have large populations that are limited English proficient. Other districts may not.

--TIME SAVER
The application can reduce the efforts of district personnel to complete the IEP plans. The software provides templates, which can be tremendous time-savers for the personnel involved in preparing the IEPs. Another consideration is the time taken by IEP meetings. These meetings often involve a large number of professional educators and district staff, and can run for multiple hours. Because the application allows all parties to have input prior to the IEP meeting and to review the finished plan prior to the scheduled meeting, there is the potential to reduce meeting time.

--ACCESS FROM ANYWHERE
Because the application is web-based, the program can be accessed from any location, at any time. All staff members contributing to a student’s IEP are able to work on different parts of the plan simultaneously. It’s very beneficial for all members of the IEP team to see each others’ collective input prior to the IEP meeting. The IEP information is very confidential, and access must be limited only to appropriate educators/personnel.

--CURRENT IEP INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
There is always the danger that changes to the IEP are not passed along to all the potentially affected staff members. The ability to access the current information online eliminates that problem.

EDmin.com's ESE application looks great. What about the company? EDmin.com is a San Diego-based private company that promotes itself as a ...."leading provider of educational software solutions for managing and improving academic performance through the power of the Internet."

Many school districts have already found EDmin.com's web-based application solutions to be very effective. The company’s products are in use by 2,000 school districts nationwide in 24 states, representing approximately 1 million students. Over 25,000 teachers have been trained to use the ‘Exceptional Student Education’ (ESE) application. Prior to its release, the ESE module was thoroughly tested by two districts representing 38,000 special education students.

Perhaps there are some class members who've had direct experience with preparing IEPs and attending IEP meetings? What has your experience been with the IEP process? For the rest of us, Edmin.com wants us to know that if there's a school admin that needs a little help, they should give EDmin.com's web-based products a try.

 

AP Grade
According to the article, “AP Grade,” written by Ben Florman ( http://collegeapps.about.com/od/aptests/a/scoring.htm), although a student does “badly because (s)he couldn’t answer a lot of the questions, but that still may be a very good grade.” This is because “just 2/3 of the total possible composite score [a combined scores of multiple choice and free-response scores] will usually result in an AP Score of 4 or 5. So what you normally think of as a D is actually an extremely good grade on an AP Test.” This information was new to me, so I was wondering if this was true or not for a while and read it one more time before I clicked the link provided at the end of the article to College Board. It was linked to an article by College Board who develops and administers the AP tests, “The Grade-Setting Process [for AP Tests]”: http://collegeapps.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=collegeapps&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.collegeboard.com%2Fstudent%2Ftesting%2Fap%2Fexgrd_set.html.

 

Interest Quotient' and How Can You Use it to help Your Child Get Admitted to their Colleges of Choice?
http://www.theivycoach.com/coach4_files/article7.htm
I enjoyed reading a Fox College Funding e-news article titled What is the 'Interest Quotient' and How Can You Use it to help Your Child Get Admitted to their Colleges of Choice? Today students are applying to an increasing number of colleges to increase their odds of being admitted to a college of their choice. More and more colleges are tracking correspondence and campus visits to determine which applicants are showing the most interest in their school. This is referred to as the “Interest Quotient.” According to a recent survey conducted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, more than half of colleges consider “demonstrated interest” a factor in admissions. Most colleges use it as a marginal criterion, but it scored higher than SAT II tests or race or ethnicity in importance.

The article suggests that students “show interest without going overboard and becoming an annoyance.” They can do this by a variety of methods: campus visits, contact with admissions personnel, college fairs, and their college essay. The key seems to be finding a college where the student is academically well matched and then keeping in some type of consistent contact with the admissions office articulating the student’s genuine interest in the school.

Dual Enrollment
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/07/13/42robertson.h24
I'm convinced that much of the information on this topic comes in this time of "reform" issues we have in society. we seem to be reaching back further into the levels before reaching us (high school, college, middle school) for the answers of why students are not prepared. The upper levels (high school and college), tend to feel everyone is not doing their job before them! Maybe they have something, but we all know that it's the beginning and what happens all the way up (including social , emotional, along with academics) that set the tone. Anyway hope you enjoy and if you never thought about the effect of enrichment, AP courses, pre-college courses, etc., perhaps this will ignite something.

Hinton web site: click research center,click search/archives link, type in dual enrollment in keywords (7/13/05 article)
 

Tips for Finding a College Match

http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,1120,5-25-0-52,00.html?orig=sub
This was a very good article for someone who has no clue on how to find a college. The author talks about matching the students needs with the college's resources. How to find the resources of a school along with other information about the schools are talked about at length. The needs of the student are also talked about at length. There were links for all these topics, but I believe there could have been a lot more. All in all this was a good article. More links were needed, but good information.

Put to the Test: Preparing for the SAT/ACT
http://www.nacac.com/p&s_steps_1100tests.html
There is so much pressure put on students for test performance. Students and parents frequently ask me whether or not students should take a test prep course. This article does a good job in diffusing some of the hype and gives some very solid advice. The article stresses that the high school transcript is the number one indicator of a student’s potential and that the best way to prepare for the SAT or ACT is to study hard, take challenging courses, and read. Jennifer goes on to offer some simple test-taking strategies and has some tips for the testing day.
 

How to Make the Most of Your Campus Visit
http://www.quintcareers.com/campus_visit.html
Visiting campuses is crucial to the college decision-making process, whether it is at the beginning stages when forming a potential list of colleges or post-acceptance in order to make the final decision. Many believe it is the single most important part of the college search and the number one influence on students in making that final decision.
                
The most important part of the visit is to get a feel for the campus. Observe the students friendliness/diversity), tour the facilities (residence halls, libraries, student/activities center, academic buildings), eat the food, sit in on a class. Look at the student newspaper and bulletin boards to find out about the campus culture. Get a feel for the surrounding areas and ask about campus safety and security available. All of these aspects reflect the personality and energy of the student body and campus.         

Suggestions:
•        Be yourself.
•        Arrive with an open mind.
•        Come prepared for the visit. Make a list of preferences and what looking for.
•        Look for consistency in the message presented. Ask the same question to many different people (administrators and students).
•        Go beyond first impressions. Walk around on your own. Consider letting students take the tour without their parents. Sometimes it’s hard to ask embarrassing questions with parents around.
•        Take photos and notes. Colleges start to merge after you’ve seen a few.

Some important questions to ask after the visit:
•        How well did the school meet your expectations?
•        What was the biggest surprise? Biggest disappointment?
•        What did you like most about the school? Dislike the most?

Again, the most important purpose of the visit is to get a “feel” for the campus so that students can be confident in their decision and enjoy their surroundings during their college years.

Colleges without SAT Requirement
http://www.fairtest.org/univ/optional.htm

I have never been good at standardized testing, ever. So when I saw an article entitled “Colleges without SAT Requirement”, I knew that I had arrived. The FairTest home page says that FairTest “works to end the misuses and flaws of standardized testing and to ensure that evaluation of students, teachers and schools is fair, open, valid and educationally beneficial”. The first thing you see when you pull up the University Testing: “Test-Optional” Colleges page is a brief description explaining that FairTest has compiled a list of 700 colleges and universities nationwide which do not put much emphasis (or any) on standardized test scores during the application process. There are five links which are described in more detail below.

The best feature of this site is the Alphabetical listing of those 700 colleges. I would suggest printing the key first (see below). There are eleven different footnotes, and having a printed key explaining all the notations would be beneficial for the user. The other links are okay for a counselor or a parent, but not so much for a teenager on a college search. If I were a sixteen year old, I probably would spend all my time on Alphabetical listing page. Unfortunately, the user is unable to link to the listed colleges home pages. Printing the entire list would be wise.

Many of the listed 700 schools share similar concerns about standardized testing. These schools feel that putting too much emphasis on the SAT or ACT has a negative impact on race and gender equity. Another apprehension is that students from well off families who can afford high priced coaching may have artificially boasted scores. Often, students who have below par SAT scores think that community college is their only educational option after high school. This would be a great website for students and parents to visit. I feel it would give many hope.


Alphabetical listing

Schools That Do Not Use SAT I or ACT Scores for Admitting Substantial Numbers of Students Into Bachelor Degree Programs. As of June 2005. Source: The College Board College Handbook 2001, 38th Edition, internet sites, and telephone interviews.
Key
1 = SAT I/ACT used only for placement and/or academic advising
2 = SAT I/ACT required only from out-of-state applicants
3 = SAT I/ACT used only when minimum GPA and/or class rank is not met
4 = SAT I/ACT required for some programs
5 = SAT I/ACT not required if submit SAT II series
6 = University of Maryland University College is a separate institution from University of Maryland at College Park
7 = Must submit COMPASS, CPAT, TABE, WAIS, Stanford Achievement Test, ASSET and/or college entrance exam if not submitting SAT I/ACT scores
8= Distance Education School
9= Religious Affiliation
11= Admission/Eligibility Index calculated with 3.5 GPA or lower and SAT I total score of 400.


Press release on updated list of schools

A short seven paragraph article emphasizing that there are 700 accredited, bachelor-degree granting institutions out there that do not place an emphasis on standardized test scores such as the SAT or ACT. Article written October 8, 2003 by Bob Schaeffer (FairTest’s Public Education Director) and Beth Beard.


Profiles of "optional" schools

Bates College (Maine)
California State University System
Muhlenberg College (Pennsylvania)
Texas Public University System


Test Scores Do Not Equal Merit report (Executive Summary)

A brief five bullet summary outlining the benefits for colleges and universities to not use the SAT or ACT in their admissions process. The entire report is easily accessed as well. Written by Charles Rooney with Bob Schaeffer in September 1998.


FairTest Examiner articles on "test-score optional" schools

This page has FairTest Examiner articles highlighting the experiences of institutions nationwide that have eliminated or de-emphasized college admissions tests.

Another Way In
www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2005/01/30/another_way_in/
This article introduces Lloyd Thacker and discusses his effort to try and change the current college admissions process. He believes that colleges have become a big business and unfortunately our students are often victims of the system. He has a lot of support for his efforts from many admissions deans throughout the country.

He hopes to develop “admissions values” which colleges over time will hopefully abide by. Some of the values might include policies such as minimizing the use of standardized tests, limiting the number of students in a class that are admitted through early decision, and admitting students regardless of financial means. Thacker believes that once a few colleges begin to make changes, others will soon follow.

Among the actions he advises students to consider are to resist taking any standardized test more than once, limit the number of college applications to between 4-6, consider taking a year off between high school and college to work or follow passions, and approach high school as a necessary, significant, and enjoyable part of your life. He also asks the student to consider whether one “should let an admissions dean, test score, GPA, or coach tell you what you are worth?”

I think what Lloyd Thacker has to say is important and I would certainly advise any student or family that I was counseling to read what he had to say about this process.
 

Taking Time Off, A Good Idea?
http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/articles/prepare/timeoff.asp
This article discusses taking time off between high school and college, or undergraduate and graduate school. It provides the pros and cons on both sides of the issue. According to the article, taking some time off is becoming more popular with today’s students; however, in the United States most students do not take time off. The article identifies some misconceptions about taking time off, such as it rarely hurts college admission applicants, and in some cases can be more beneficial. Here’s another, students would rather take time off than attend a middle of the road school. The article discourages this practice and advises attending the mediocre school, then pursue a transfer down the road. The article strongly advocates when deciding to take time off or not, that you do what in your best interests personally. For example, if work would help you pay bills and save for school, do it. If volunteering would make your application at a particular school stronger, do it. The article goes on to give you some specific options that you could choose during your time away from school and what the positive benefits of each would be. Things such as, volunteering, work, living life, community college, and career experience are discussed. The article follows-up with some things to be aware of and why. Specifically, they suggest that college right after high school is the best bet for most students, particularly if you have a career plan. The article cautions that gaps in education may create concerns for some employers.
The article ends by reemphasizing that a constructive useful break can be advantageous for some, but schools and employers like to see structured activity during the time off. For most students though, the article advises to press on particularly if you are in a competitive field and know what you want to do with yourself in the future.
 

Parents as Career Counselors: Leading the Way With a Helping Hand
http://teenagerstoday.com/resources/articles/counselors.htm
I am always looking for ways to help parents help their students. This article gives parents great advice or suggestions to help their teens explore career possibilities.
    Ms Waldrop talks about how children move from cool jobs (in the eyes of a 4 year old) to more concrete possibilities. She encourages parents to cue in to what their teens say (“ I want to go to medical school”) and how to help them make connections and gain experience in that environment. She suggests tapping into family and friends who are employed in those or related fields. She also discusses volunteer opportunities as great ways to get a foot in the door.

     She also explores Occupational Training classes at the high school. My school has several internship options that put students in specific fields and they receive credit for the course. This provides students with a better understanding of the work environment while developing experiences for a resume.
     I thought this information was very basic – it seems really common sense to me and are things that I tell students all the time. Parents are in the position to hear the interests their child is expressing and to put that information into action!
     While it was not an extensive article it included very relevant information that underscore the important role parents play in helping their child explore career interests. It was also written in an encouraging and straightforward manner – which makes it very approachable reading. For these reasons I think parents would actually read and put the information to use.

Evaluating a School by its web site: the Virtual Visit
http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/articles/visit/virtualvisit.asp
The article points out some good things to look for such as, how easy is it to find a list of majors? or can you learn about the faculty and their various backgrounds/ expertise? It makes a leap (I think) in connecting the care a school takes to it's website to it's actual physical campus... I'm not sold on that theory yet - personally nothing beats walking on the grounds yourself. The other thing that worries me is the great digital divide we discussed... but reality is that colleges have web sites and if we can learn as much about them as we can as counselors and teachers, the better we can serve our students.

Don’t Stress the New Tests

http://www.nacac.com/p&s_steps_0605newtestsupdate.html
In the article, the author deals with one of the major sources of anxiety for college preparatory kids, the standardized testing they must take and scores they must submit according to each individual college’s requirements. This article focuses specifically on the new SAT and ACT formats. The author provides an explanation of the changes in hopes of demystifying students’ concerns.

The College Board found in a survey it conducted immediately after the first of the new SAT testing dates, which occurred in March, that the two most common misconceptions students had were (1) whether or not snacks were permitted (the answer: not to be eaten in the exam room but acceptable to be stored under your desk in the exam room and encouraged during breaks to help with the hunger and fatigue brought on by such a long test) and (2) whether the essay portion could be written in pen (the answer: no, just like the multiple choice answer sheet, the essay must be written in pencil in order to be scanned properly for grading by multiple readers).

Specific recommendations include: (1) taking practice tests, (2) not letting the anxiety get to you (the author points out that the test scores are only one thing that the colleges look at when considering a student), (3) making sure you get a good night’s sleep before the exam and (4) bringing a snack and drink for break times..

Overall, a good basic article on the subject, which I introduce here mostly as a “plug” for the NACAC site as a place that students can be sent for basic, encouraging information written in a manner that is easy to follow. Unlike many other sites, this one is not trying to sell kids anything and does not suffer from strong bias in its presentation.
 

4 steps: Surviving the college search
http://money.cnn.com/2005/04/26/pf/college/choice/
I really liked the format of this article. It was very easy reading, not intimidating. It also linked to other articles: “the new math of admissions, 5 tips for paying for college, and about the college prep industry.” All the articles would be great tools for students as well as their parents.

“Surviving the college search” focused on 4 aspects of the college search:
1.        Start early, but not too early – “students should make a list of prospective schools midway through their junior year. It’s enough time to investigate schools, research financial aid and gear up for the application process…”
2.        Identify your ideal – “… students should create a profile of their ideal school. Small or large? Urban or rural? Competitive or laid back?” Students should be flexible as they may change their minds between junior and senior year.
3.        Look beyond the price tag - Also parents should discuss with their student how much they can really afford and how to make up the difference. Calculate your “expected family contribution” and keep in mind that private schools may give more grants than the public universities.
4.        Before you decide, see for yourself – Students should try to visit the schools they are interested in. However if money is an issue, they should wait to visit until after the acceptance letters come in.
 

California to open University Despite Budget Woes

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/14/AR2005051400858.html
Jay Matthews, the regular columnist, is a well-known writer on many topic in education. He regularly writes articles about colleges and college admissions.

This article is about the new UC campus opening this coming fall in Merced, Ca, which is in the central valley of California. This is a rural area that draws fewer students to UC schools. The new UC campus has been quite controversial since the State of California is in dire economic shape. Due to budget cuts, enrollment has been limited in the existing UCs, so many critics found it inappropriate to divert millions into a new UC in a fairly remote and unpopular location.

Admissions into the UC schools is so competitive that proponents hope the new campus will make a UC education more likely. In the meantime, the Cal State system, traditionally less selective than the UC system is rapidly increasing in selectivity. Some Cal State schools, like Cal State San Diego, are now as selective as UCs.

It will be interesting to see how the new Merced campus fits into the California college picture.
 

The fine art of getting it down on paper fast
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/opinion/15sun4.html
Since our students were taking the new SAT for the first time in May, We told them to make sure they wrote as much as possible but we did not tell them to make up facts.

However, there was a good follow up op-ed piece in the New York Times this Sunday which talks about how the type of writing skills required for the SAT writing test need to be part of a student's education. This article makes some good points.
 

Selecting a college for students with LD or ADHD
http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/2a/35/1c.pdf

On Education; SAT Essay Test Rewards Length and Ignores Errors of Fact

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40917FD3D540C778CDDAC0894DD404482
Les Perelman, a director of undergraduate writing at Massachusetts Institute of Technology fears that the new 25 minute SAT essay test is actually teaching high school student’s terrible writing habits.

He found, after doing a quick assessment of the 23 graded essays on the College Board Website, that there was a correlation between length and score. If one graded solely on length, you’d be right 90% of the time. He was also struck by all the factual errors in the essays. Students are not penalized for incorrect facts. The College Board said it was a necessary accommodation on such a short, high pressure test. Since students don’t write well when they’re anxious and tell the essay graders not to count off for that.

Perelman advises students to write as long as possible and include lots of facts even if they are made up.

The College Board defends the writing test. The essay only accounts for 25% of the grade. The other 75% is based on multiple choice questions about grammar and style. They admit to a correlation between essay length and a high score but thinks it is not as significant as Dr Perelman stated.

SAT Essay Scores Are In, but Will They Be Used?
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/15/education/15SAT.html?pagewanted=all
This article in today's NY Times, written by Tamar Lewin, details the continuing confusion among colleges and universities on whether or not, or how, to use the new SAT writing test scores in their college admissions decisions. The upshot for most is a continued wait and see approach.

"The College Board itself is sounding a note of caution about using the first round of scores.

"We have never recommended that schools use it in admissions decisions right away," said Chiara Coletti, a College Board spokeswoman. "Since this is a new test, it makes sense to be careful in how it's used the first year."

Fewer than half will require next year's applicants to submit writing scores. Where writing scores are required, decisions haven't been made on how much weight, compared to reading and math sections, they will be given.

"The difficulty that universities find themselves in, if there's a whole raft of qualified applicants, is that you need some sorting mechanism," said Doug Hesse, a professor of English who directs the honors program at Illinois State University. "So, especially in a time of budget cuts at public universities, when you don't have much people power, a test score, even a flawed one, is hard to resist."

Even prestigious schools like Pomona College is "straddling a middle ground:straddling a middle ground: although it traditionally required students who took the SAT to take three SAT II subject tests, including the writing test, it has also accepted the ACT, without a writing test, and will continue to do so, at least for a while.

"The College Board is putting unbelievable pressure on its members to require a writing test," said Bruce Poch, dean of admissions at Pomona. "But I wanted to leave a little breathing room for kids from schools that don't teach writing. The main advantage of the new writing test, Mr. Poch said, is that it lets colleges read a sample of an applicant's unaided writing."

More than 700 institutions do not require standardized testing for admission, and that number is growing. The correlation between essay length and score is troubling to institutions, including M.I.T., that plans to do its own correlation studies.

So what advice to give potential applicants? No answer is given.

 

Summer is time to polish resumes
http://www.collegejournal.com/aidadmissions/newstrends/20050425-kronholz.html?refresh=on
As I have mentioned before, in addition to my "day job" I have started to work for a private college counseling company. It has definitely made me think about the enormous pressures many of our high school students face to get into the "right" school and the costs we may be asking them to pay in order to get there. One thing I have been most amazed about (and I suppose the most ignorant about) is the focus on proper summer activities. When I was in high school I went to (and then worked at) a camp during the summers. I thrived at camp - and still consider those weeks some of the most memorable of my life. My sister had a great summer after her freshman year on a "teen tour" of the west coast. She left a quiet introverted little girl and came back a confident teen. These days, many professional counselors will tell you camp after fourteen is a major "no no" and teen tours are the death of college admissions. This article talks about what high school students are doing these days to make the most of the summer months.

Do not get me wrong - these experiences are amazing and can certainly be life changing. I just wonder if some students could not learn just as much from working at a local day camp with young children. I also worry that if this is what students are expected to do - then are we not putting our students who can not afford many of these experiences at an additional disadvantage.
 

Civil Rights Project at Harvard University
http://www.civilrightsproject.harvard.edu/news/pressreleases/dropout05.php
Los Angeles and Oakland Unified School Districts graduate less than half of their incoming freshmen on time.

Six of the state’s largest ten school districts graduate less than half of their Latino students: Los Angeles, San Diego, Fresno, Oakland, Sacramento City and San Bernardino City.

California actually graduated an estimated 71percent of its high school students in 2002. Estimated graduation rates for minority students for that year were substantially lower: 57 percent for African-Americans, 60 percent for Latinos, and 52 percent for Native Americans. In contrast, white students graduated at a rate of 78 percent.

In the Los Angeles Unified School District—the state’s largest district—only 48 percent of African-American and Latino students who start 9th grade graduate four years later.

Statewide: The graduation rates for African-American and Latino students are even lower, 60 percent for Latino students and 56.6 percent for African-Americans.
 

Measuring the Value of an Ivy Degree
http://chronicle.com/cgi2-bin/printable.cgi?article=http://chronicle.com/free/v46/i19/19a05201.htm
 

Home Schooled Students & Admission

http://collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,5-25-0-56,00.html
I chose an article that addresses home-schooled students.

I found this article to be insightful on a topic that maybe does not get a lot of attention because the home-schooled population is in the minority. On military installations overseas there just as many home-schooled students as there are students who learn in the classroom.

The article address different aspects the college bound home-schooled student should consider (i.e. Application Process, College Prep Courses, Getting Recommendation and Home-Schooler Friendly Colleges).
 

Dear Amanda (The Acceptance Letter That Wasn't) Think College Early
http://www.ed.gov/students/prep/college/thinkcollege/early/aboutus/edlite-whatistce.html
I chose an article about getting started early thinking about college. In fact it can be found on the US Dept. of Education website and it is titled, “Think College Early”. Today more than ever education can make the difference between the have and the have-nots. The difference between that great job and the not –so great job. All student should have the opportunity to attend at least a 2-year college. We should consider 14 years the minimum.

For many years lower income students have had a lower college-going rate. We as a community need to help change that. Many of these families may not know what is a avalible beyond high school. They may not know how to plan for college. Students should start planning for a higher education by setting higher standards and expectations for themselves. The middle schools and the community at large should setup mentor programs and help students see why keeping grades up is so important. Students cannot do it alone they need the help and guidance of everyone in the community. Student and parents should be coach at the middle school level about CP classes and college options. Teachers, community members, and government agencies can all help. Education is a family matter. I believe Hilary Clinton said, “ It takes a village to raise a child”.
 

How to Succeed the Second Time Around
www.princetonreview.com/college/research/articles/prepare/secondtime.asp
This article is a motivational one, that reviews the common fears of students returning to college and sheds a positive light on it. The article indicates that a growing number of students are returning to school after or during their time in the workforce and studies have proven these students are among the most successful. The article introduces concepts the "non-traditional student" should keep in mind and provides suggestions to ease the process. Such areas as knowing your peers and professors, using available resources from the college, establishing good study habits, becoming emotionally balanced, knowing your own limitations and relaxing. Each area is important to realize and become aware of, and I think this article does a good job providing the student with information about how possibly some of these areas have changed since the last time they were in college. This is a a well written introduction article for the student considering returning to college.
 

What do you do if you’re wait-listed—Boost Your Chances of Getting In
http://collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,5-28-0-124,00.html
Summary: If a student gets put on a waitlist, he need to first decide whether he really want to attend the college or not. If he does, he needs to take control of the situation by understanding how the college of his choice handles waitlist and what his status is. Then, the student should follow up with a letter to the admission office emphasizing his extracurricular achievements, desire to attend the college, and reasons why he is a good fit. Furthermore, if it’s possible, he should request a letter from their high school counselors to be sent to the college. Grades are really going to count now! Keeping them up will increase their chances for admission. Since the student is stating is case with your extracurricular activities, it is crucial that he stays active. If it’s possible, the student should request for another interview. Most importantly, realize that you have already accomplished something simply to be placed on the waitlist --- lots of students were already rejected at this point of the game. Lastly, the student should not simply wait to hear back from the waitlisted college; instead he should make a deposit to his second choice college. This will give him some security. If he ends up getting accepted from the waitlisted college, he will then forfeit from the second choice college and make a deposit at the waitlisted college.

I decided to read this article because it is very timely in that we have been dealing with this issue over the last month repeatedly. The article has very straight forward recommendations for students that are placed on a wait list. Some of these I knew about and others I did not.
The article recommends that students take control by being proactive about contacting the school. They suggest the following steps:
1. Call the admissions office to find out where you are on the wait list if they have ranked students. Finding out your status is helpful to see how realistic it is that you will called off the wait list.
2. Write a letter to the admissions representative updating them on what you have been doing your senior year. They suggest that you include activities and grades. If you know that you will go to this school if you are taken off the wait list then let the school know this, but only if you are very certain.
3. Study hard. Showing increased academic strength will only help.
4.Stay involved in community and school related activities.
5.Request an interview.
The article also stresses to students that they realize that being put on the wait list is accomplishing something. There are many students that have been rejected. They suggest filling out the paperwork to enroll in one of the schools that the student has been admitted to and send in a deposit, then if they come off the wait list they can enroll, but will forfeit the deposit.
 

Who to Admit: How do Universities and Colleges in the Americas Decide?
http://www.acuinfo.com/informationadvice/articleview.do?articleId=1001
International students, particularly in Latin America, are very anxious, and frequently misinformed about the college admissions process. Counselors do their best to dispel some of the more common myths such as any Ecuadorian soccer player can get full scholarships or, if my grandfather went to Yale I can surely get in. It is helpful to have information from an outside source that explains the process and backs us up. This is especially true if the source happens to be the Director of Admission of a prestigious university.

"Who to Admit: How do Universities and Colleges in the Americas Decide?" by Michael Steidel.

Mike Steidel, Director of Admission at Carnegie Mellon University has long been an active member of the international admissions community. In this article he outlines the many factors that American universities consider in the admissions process. He points put that each institution will decide which factors to consider and how much emphasis they will place on each factor. Steidel briefly explains the importance of secondary school achievement, standardized tests, essays and personal statements, letters of recommendation, English language proficiency, activities and special talents. He provides a parental checklist and discusses how individual institutional goals, objectives and priorities may affect the admissions process.
 

What Selectivity Means for You
http://collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,5-25-0-53,00.html
I find that collegeboard.com has great articles for all invested parties -students, parents and counselors, related to all aspects of the college search and admissions process.

My selected article, "What Selectivity Means for You" outlines the reasons for increased selectivity, why this is not such a bad thing and how students can best prepare for the application season. Admissions will continue to selective due to the number of students applying to schools. Colleges have the same number of seats available as they have always had, however, the 1980s had a surge in babies. As a result, the demand is greater, but the supply has remained the same.
This article further describes the three levels of selectivity and the importance of including schools in each level when applying to schools. Key factors in admissions are also addressed, as well as co-curricular activities. It gives a great overview of what to look for when researching and visiting schools.
 

Life’s First Journey
http://education.guardian.co.uk/students/gapyear/story/0,12763,1019850,00.html The article I chose was called, “Life’s First Journey,” which discusses the notion of taking a Gap Year after high school. The article was of particular interest to me because I find that each year an increasing number of students are inquiring about taking a gap year and deferring their admission to university.

Perhaps the most striking part of the article is how many students who have taken a gap year have found it to be both positive and transformative. Positive in the sense that they are seeing new places, meeting new people, and, generally, enjoying the work they do. However, the transformative nature of the gap year is most interesting. Many students leave high school with an idea of what they want to study and what they want to be. However, often during their gap year they find that their minds change.

The benefits of a gap year are really what a student makes of the year. The article talks about how they frame the year can make all the difference to an employer for example. Many employers and schools are looking for people who have a sense of adventure, who can be self-sufficient and who can take charge. Many of the experiences offered by a gap year envelope all of the above.

The Numbers Game
www.princetonreview.com/college/research/articles/find/numbers.asp I was intrigued by the title of this article because I think that students tend to define themselves by the numbers (GPA and SAT/ACT scores). This article counsels students to look beyond the numbers when choosing colleges/universities. It discusses different categories of numbers: test scores, GPAs, class rank, ratios, retention rates, and tuition, and what they mean in the college selection process.

The writer cautions students to look at the college/university average SAT/ACT scores, GPAs, and class ranks as just that, averages, with half scoring above and half scoring below the average. It even gives a guideline with regards to the college list: “Don’t exclude schools with combined average SAT scores that are 150 points lower or higher than yours.” In terms of student-teacher ratios and class size, it encourages students to understand how a school computes these statistics. Do they count administrative staff and research assistants as “faculty” in their ratios and class size? Do the students primarily meet in a large classroom or in smaller discussion groups? A suggestion is given to check out the “academic rankings” because it is the quality of the teaching that matters and not the ratios.

Retention can tell a student a lot about a college as it reports what percentage of students returned after their freshman year. Obviously, the higher the retention rate is, the happier the student body. Schools can promise all sorts of things but the “realities” of the school keep students coming back or prohibit them from returning. The final category is tuition. While the article emphasizes that one should not limit oneself from applying to a very expensive school, it does advise the student to explore the financial aid opportunities available. If research is conducted early enough, a student might be able to find a financial aid option that makes a more expensive school a viable option.

While these criterion do not preclude other factors (such as those listed in “10 Things You Should Consider When Choosing a College”), this article does shed light on understanding the numbers that are reported. I find that people often do not understand the numbers they are reading and therefore, make judgments on false assumptions.
 

Start Your List of Schools: Part 1
http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/articles/find/narrowlist.asp Start Your List of Schools Part One from the Princeton Review is the article I am focusing on. It has some good points, but I would advise a student to first evaluate the site. Princeton Review is a for profit company that has an objective; it wants you to buy its services. No matter how innocuous a site might be, you want to have your guard up.

I thought this article was remarkably simplistic. It tells students to make a list of colleges based on the survey they fill out on another part of the site. The flaw in the methodology is that at the beginning of a search, the parameters that a student chooses are usually flawed. If the basis of my decision lies on a flawed foundation, it isn’t going to produce a good result.

The positive side is that many students are scared to death of the process, and this article makes it look like it is fairly easy to navigate the deep waters of college search. If that removes some of the fear, that is probably positive. Is it realistic? For many students, it is probably fine. If you are an exceptional student, it is probably not going to be very helpful.
 

Evaluating a School by Its Website: The Virtual Visit

http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/articles/visit/virtualvisit.asp. As you can imagine, the Princeton Review website is one in which much time can easily be lost. There are references throughout all the pages to their services such as the Counselor-O-Matic, but I did not feel that they were too obtrusive and was able to overlook them.

Enough of the background, now onto a summary of “Evaluating a School by Its Website: The Virtual Visit”. Its introduction points out that the college application process is much different, and smoother, for today’s applicants than for their parents. With the amount of funds colleges spend on their physical campuses, it is essential that they put the same care into their Internet representation as it is the college’s venue more people see. To some degree, one can equate the college’s website with the school itself. How much care was put into the aesthetics and design? How organized and easily accessible is pertinent information? If any of this is lacking in the website, than perhaps it may be indicative of the situation on campus as well.

Reviewing the website will tell the prospective student what services and technologies are available to the student body and alum. Online applications, account billing, blackboard technology (such as we are using!), and school email accounts have become usual occurrences for higher education; does the school’s site mention any of these? What links are provided on the school’s website?

Many of schools have a virtual tour online. It is not the same as an actual visit, but is certainly better than no sight at all if a visit is not feasible.

The article did offer a few salient points to consider while viewing schools’ websites. There were helpful tips that I can share with my students, and I will be suggesting the overall website to them.

Another way in Ex-counselor working toward less-stressful college admissions
http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2005/01/30/another_way_in/ This article is based on an ex-counselors (Lloyd Thacker) quest to make admissions just a little easier. Thacker was a counselor at Jesuit High School, in Portland, Ore., from 1987 to early 2004.  He also worked in admissions at Pacific University and the University of Southern California.

The basic premise is that the admissions process has become more focused on prestige, statistics, and money, where the students have lost faith, and education has taken a back seat.  He, as I, believe that students should take/seek the challenging course but make sure to steer clear of the trap they can fall into with the admission process whereby it becomes stressful and expensive.  He talks about how the fear and anxiety increased as admissions became a strategic game and kids were/are picking activities to enhance/help the application process.  I’ve seen at as well—I coached my son right down that road.  I was one of those parents he mentioned that were calling and asking what sport would help their ninth-grader get into the school I was pushing him toward.

 Thacker hopes to get a different spin on polices to decrease the emphasis on standardized tests,  to limit the percentage of a class admitted through early decision, and a commitment to admitting students regardless of their financial means—Hear Hear! 

The following is a direct cut and paste.  I thought it was worth your read. 

In ''College Unranked: Affirming Educational Values in College Admissions," Lloyd Thacker offers advice for prospective college students. Among the actions and questions he urges students to consider are the following:

• Resist taking any standardized test more than twice.
• Try to limit the number of college applications you submit to no more than four to six. Studies show that students, who apply to fewer colleges, once they have done reasonable research, often have better rates of acceptance and college success.
• Remember: The more popular the college, the more political the admissions process and the less control you have in that process.
• Carefully consider your reasons for accepting a position on any college's waiting list, and make sure you are set to go to a college to which you have been admitted. If you have selected your colleges confidently, you should have options.
• Are you applying to a college just because the application process is easy?
• Keep in mind that you are being judged according to criteria that you would never use to judge another person and which will never again be applied to you once you leave college.
• Consider taking a year off between high school and college to work or follow your passions.
• Approach high school as a necessary, significant, and enjoyable part of your life.
• Take appropriately challenging courses; you are in charge of deciding what is appropriate.
• Should you let an admissions dean, test score, GPA, or coach tell you what you are worth

What is Your Hook
http://education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/articles/college/admissionshook.html Looking through the suggested articles, I was thrilled to come across this one. Semester grades were just posted this week and after weeks of lectures about college, the college admission process, choosing a college and college research came to head after I met with my class and discussed their college options by GPA, test scores and personal strengths. The article, “What is your Hook?” clarifies the idea that students need to work on putting together an application that presents their “best” personal self. The article breaks down what colleges are looking for into five categories: grades, standardized test scores, recommendations, application essays, and the college interview. But beyond the top five the article discusses the X factor: the hook.

The article suggested several possible hooks including: Personal Achievements, Special Talents, Geographic Diversity, Extra-curricular Activities, Ethnic Heritage and Socio- Economic Backgrounds, Leadership, Athletic Talent and Legacy

I thought this was a fabulous article and I will share this article with my students. I teach in a low-economically diverse population and I am always trying to convince my students how special they are and how much they bring to the “college table,” but I believe this article will hold more weight and credibility, not to mention many teenagers want proof of what I share with them on a regular basis.

This article has also brought to life reasons and clarity behind many of the success stories on our campus. Just this past week one of our AVID seniors was accepted to Cornell University with a 3.0 and less than 1000 on his SAT. This articles explains that this student had the “hook,” and he was able to use his situation, his story to win over the acceptance from one of the top universities in this country!

FairTest, University Testing:"Test-Optional" Colleges
http://www.fairtest.org/univ/optional.htm As I browsed through the websites that we could take an article from to do this assignment, the link entitled, “Colleges Without SAT Requirements” caught my eye. I have been working with a student that has a hard time in writing and missed the deadline to take the old SAT. He is now deathly afraid of taking the new SAT because of the new writing module. I was anxious to go see what I could find out.

The link led me to a website with the title, “FairTest, University Testing:"Test-Optional" Colleges”. (http://www.fairtest.org/univ/optional.htm.) Noticing that it was an organization’s website helped to confirm that the information would be legitimate.

The article is fairly short, but the basics are that there are over 700 colleges and universities that do not use the SAT/ACT in their admission decisions. The premise is that they have been unable to prove that that this score can predict the success of the student in their college. Some schools require that it be submitted for counseling/placement purposes, but some colleges do not even require that it be submitted.

The article is then followed by a link to an alphabetical list of these 700 colleges. I took a look and was surprised at some of the schools on the list, yet excited for my student that I have been helping! What a relief it will be to the student to find this out (and by relieving the pressure, he may actually do well on the test)!

Other links lead to an updated listing, an article on the profile of these schools, and a few other items. Excellent information!

Extracurricular Activities - Life Outside the Classroom
www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,2-7-0-113,00.html I chose this article because I liked that it talked about the importance of extracurricular activities to the college admissions process. The article discussed the issue of colleges not only considering academics but looking at what a student does outside the classroom as well. It notes how extracurricular activities reveal a great deal about a student such as (1) How they’ve made a meaningful contribution to something (2) Whether they can maintain a long-term commitment (3) Whether they can manage their time and priorities (4) What their non-academic interests are.

I also like the way that the article stresses that colleges are not interested in seeing you “do it all.” Many of the students that I work with often feel that they have to be involved in every school activity so that they can put it on their applications. I always tell students that colleges want to see that they have been in one or two activities for an extended period of time rather than being involved in several different activities for shorter periods of time. It is never too early to begin getting involved! I tell my students that extracurricular activities are very important and often times will be a deciding factor in whether similar types of students get into a college over another. I also tell them that colleges are looking for what they will bring to the university that is unique and special.

I feel that the article should have put more of an emphasis on the importance of doing community service as an extracurricular activity. Overall the article offered some good tips on getting involved in outside activities.

Taking the College Search to the Web
http://collegeapps.about.com/library/weekly/mcurrent.htm?once=true&
I chose this article because I speak with several students daily who are just starting to think about the possibility of going to college, but have no idea where to start.  I was interested in what this article had to say. 

I found this article to be very general and simplistic.  It first discussed search engines and how to utilize them to compile a list of colleges to consider, yet didn’t go into detail about how to conduct a specialized search and modify it to meet your needs.  It then went briefly into college information sites and how they offer general information on college admission, financial aid and other issues related to the college search.  Finally, the article addressed college web sites.  I found this portion to be very easy to follow.  It discussed what to look for when you enter a college’s home page.   

Though simplistic, there were two things that I really liked about this article.  First, it provided links throughout each section that could easily be accessed.  Secondly, it provided a word of caution about websites and weaknesses, and how to not believe everything you read online unless you know where the information is coming from.  

In working with a student population where the majority of graduates are the first ones to ever receive a high school diploma in their family, this website may be one I would recommend to those who never thought college could be a possibility. 

*The World Wide Web made the college search easier for today’s students. You can use search engines like Yahoo or Alta Vista to find the right college. You can also use various specialized search engines provided by certain web sites. To start your search, write down what you are looking for in a college. Try different search engines for different results. In your search, visit college information sites for general information about admissions. Sometimes these web sites offer free search engines for colleges and scholarships. Your next step is to visit the college web site. Check the admission office from the college home page. You can also visit the home pages for the academic departments. Also check the college online catalogue and look for majors of your interest. College web sites can also include links to student organizations, student’s news papers. Read current students homepages and contact them for further information about the college. Not all the web sites are of the same quality. It is very important not to judge the college by the quality of the web sites. Always contact the admissions offices for information. Analyze the information you read on the Web. Information on certain web sites may be tailored to serve the sponsor companies, or it may introduce negative remarks on one student’s home page. Although the internet now is a fairly quick and easy way to do your research, no technology can ever take the place of a student’s feet on the campus.

Choosing the Right Course: College Prep, Career Tech or Both?
http://www.ucop.edu/pathways/ucnotes/november04/news1.html
College preparatory education and career technical education (CTE) are often thought of as incompatible or as having different agendas. Nevertheless, a growing number of students, parents and educators are discovering a way to merge college prep and non-college prep courses. The University of California, California Department of Education (CDE), Regional Occupational Program (ROP) and other groups have been working together to promote increased academic rigor in CTE. "A recent CDE analysis showed that since 1983 UC has approved 3,335 career-technical courses that meet requirements in 890 public comprehensive high schools. These include many courses in agriculture (e.g., Agricultural Biology, Agriculture Economics and Veterinary Science) and visual arts/design (e.g., photo and film making), as well as a handful of courses in business economics, health/medical sciences and other areas."

Some career pathways, academies and magnet schools around California expect or require students to complete a career-technical sequence of courses in addition to their "a-g" course requirement. Students who do pursue CTE paths will enhance their admission prospects during the comprehensive review process. UC Berkeley's Acting Director of Admissions Mary Dubitzky encourages students to expand upon these learning experiences by discussing them in their personal statement when they apply.

"While integrating state academic standards into Career Technical Education curriculum is not only answer to helping reform our high schools, it is an important piece of the puzzle in helping students and schools perform at higher levels," says Ron Fox, administrator of CDE's Intersegmental Relations Office. I agree with his statement.

10 Things You Should Consider When Choosing a College
http://education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/articles/college/collegeselectionlist.html
When I meet with high school college bound students I tell them that it is not about finding the best school, but rather finding the best school for them. 10 Things You Should Consider When Choosing a College is an article that summarizes 10 factors a students should consider when looking at different universities. The first thing to consider is SIZE. Do you want a small school, medium size or large school? What would you as a student be most comfortable with? What size high school you went to can also affect what type of college you are looking for. The second factor is TYPE of school. What is it exactly you are looking for, is it a major you want to pursue? Or is it a specialized school, perhaps a single sex or religious affiliated college? There are many different types of colleges and universities. Think about what you may like or not like when picking a type of school. The third and fourth factors are both very important and go together; LOCATION and DISTANCE FROM HOME. There are two main location variables. Big city, small town and warm weather versus cold weather? Maybe a student wants top step out of the box and try to go to school in a place different from where they have lived their whole life. Perhaps they want to stay close to home. COST/SCHOLOARSHIPS and FINANCIAL AID play a large role in the decision about college. How much will the school cost, how much can my parents and/or I afford. Is there a possibility of financial aid? All of these factors play a role in picking there right school and the school you can afford. STUDENT POPUATION is the 6th factor that is important in the college selection process. What type of student body the campus has. What type of student population you want. Do you want a school with a large social atmosphere or one where students study all day long; all things to consider about students population. When students graduate from high school many know what they want to study in college, however many do not. MAJORS and REQUIREMENTS are something to think about when you apply to a college. If you want to be an art major, but there is no art school you may not want to apply to that school. Many liberal arts colleges have general education requirements you have no interest in taking, all good factors to consider. If you are a sports guru, you may need a college with SPORTS and EVENTS. Some of that social atmosphere may not be for some students. ACTIVITIES and SPECIAL PROGRAMS are another very important thing to think about when choosing a college. If you are interested in study overseas, that is one. Or perhaps you want to be a part of the university newspaper of television station. First you must make sure that the school you choose offers the program you are looking for. Last and definitely not least the article says and I always tell my students the same, follow YOUR GUT FEELING. GO visit the school you are interested see if you get a good vibe when you are on the campus. It is very important to see the school to know what it is like. I believe that all of these factors and variables in choosing a college are important. You just have to weigh out what is most important to you and then start the process; otherwise it can be very overwhelming. Just remember if college is the best four years of your life, you can choose how to make it that way.

*By highlighting 10 general areas to consider, the article provides a framework for students to evaluate colleges on more that academic reputations, first impression, or any other single characteristic. While there is nothing surprising about the "10 things" included, the way it is presented is a helpful way to frame research or a conversation. I particularly liked that most of the descriptions provided questions that help students apply the criteria to their thoughts and experience.

Two things that were not noted and, in fairness, are probably beyond the scope of this brief article, but which I think need be said frequently are (1) there is no single "best match", and (2) don't use financial considerations in your first "filter'.

Still, I liked the list and the approach, and believe that the information in the article would be useful to any student, and could also be used well in a counseling situation.

The 10 Things are: Size, Type, Location, Distance from Home, Cost / Scholarship and Financial Aid, Student Population, Majors and Requirements, Athletics and Events, Activities and Special Programs, Your Gut Feeling

*The simple things I liked about the article are:
a) It is like an outline and is numbered. Therefore it is easy to read and scan. A fact I find most students would be willing to read and remember than if it was in a long article.

b) The language presented is very simple. So, I could share it with students - teenagers, and their parents.

c) The article brings us to the basic needs of a student on a campus- or basic life for example majors, events, etc... Size, Type, Location -distance from home, Cost, Student Population, Activities, etc.

d)