CollegEase Consulting Blog

What to do with a parent recommendation request

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:49:00 GMT

Another variety of recommendation is becoming a little more common these days. This one allows parents to get fully submerged and submit their own letter to the college admissions office on behalf of their child.

As admissions group are in their busiest time of year reading and evaluating applications, some are asking parents to provide their perspective. Although parents are often biased, as they should be, the letter can help personalize an applicant’s package.

Consider these points if you receive a request for parent input:

Most requests for a parent recommendation are optional. Not submitting a recommendation should not hurt your student’s chance of acceptance. Only an estimated one third of parents do respond. However, submitting a letter will most likely help your student’s chance of acceptance.
Submitting a letter demonstrates involvement and participation by the family.
Remember that the college is looking for a different viewpoint, so don’t simply regurgitate what is already on the application. Cover an area that is missing.
Similar to your student’s essays, go for the specific examples rather than the generalizations. These are more interesting to read and will give unique insight.
Send in your response as soon as possible to ensure it will be read and considered.

So, don’t be surprised if you receive a request for parent input. This strategy is increasing in popularity and is usually sent to all applicants at a particular college, not just to a selected subset. This is your chance to be heard.

Photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Great resource for your summer internship

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:19:00 GMT

InternMatch provides great guidance and tools to help you prepare for an internship, or any type of employment, including sample resumes, interview preparation and ways to stand out. The list of internships includes school year and summer opportunities in the local Denver area, including Boulder, and across the country. Summer internships are already coming online, and some have application due dates in the near future.

Students do not have an easy task in finding relevant work experience, particularly with the current economic challenges. Personal contacts are still the top source for gaining employment, so use your networks as much as possible. Many jobs are posted online and employers are reviewing applicants using internet searches to review their virtual footprint. Consider using a blog to capture who you are. Some college admissions representatives are also looking for these online profiles, which is an added bonus. Just learning the blog tools will make you a stronger candidate for many positions.

Students can also do internet searches for internships. One disappointing fact is that some internships do not pay students, but the experience may still be worth your time. Here are examples of ones that I found:

UCAR science education Spark Pre-College Internship
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art Student Programs
Children's Hospital Colorado Student Internship Program
Colorado Press Association Internship Program

Work experience gives students a new level of maturity and direction for both their education and career. Just browsing through the available opportunities can develop a picture of what the market is seeking. Colleges also like to see work experience on applications, and many good essay topics have evolved from a job. Many good things will result from your job search.

photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Welcome FAFSA 2012

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:39:00 GMT

The 2012 Free Application for Federal Student Aid is now available, and I encourage all parents and students to submit the form as soon as possible. Early submittal has advantages for all families as colleges continue to review applications and put together aid packages for accepted students.

Families usually fall into three categories regarding their outlook on financial aid, and all of these groups will benefit from filing their FAFSA now. Calculating your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) will help you determine your group. Colleges have a fixed amount of federal, state and institution aid to distribute, and this drives how they allocate their money.

Need Financial Aid: This group of families has a large need, or low EFC, and will most likely receive financial aid. Early applicants are often given better packages, and some colleges provide aid on a first-come first-serve basis.
May Receive Financial Aid: These families may or may not receive financial aid, and filing the FAFSA will help answer this question. Knowing the potential for receiving aid will help both the college and family make good decisions. More aid may be available early on, as well.
No Financial Aid: This group of families has a high EFC and will most likely not receive any aid. Filing the FAFSA now will let the college know that the family will not take a part of their fixed amount of total aid. This situation can be advantageous for students with applications that are still being reviewed since the college knows that the student will pay the full cost.

The question then becomes how to file the FAFSA so early in the calendar year. The answer is to use estimated numbers whenever actual numbers are not available. When the final numbers are available, an update can be filed, if necessary. An automated update can also be done if your tax return is filed electronically. Note that if your numbers change significantly, colleges may also change your financial aid award package.

Remember, also, that some colleges require more than the FAFSA to determine financial aid. Check the website for each college you have applied to and make sure you submit all necessary forms. In addition to the FAFSA, some colleges require the CSS/PROFILE or other unique forms. Lastly, remember that the FAFSA is free and ready for you now.

photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Gap Year Fair

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Gap Year Fair

City, State: Boulder, Colorado

Date: February 16, 2012

Location: Peak to Peak Charter School

Address: 800 Merlin , Lafayette, Colorado 80026

Event Time: 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Presentation Time: 6:00pm - 6:30pm

Senior Checklist before Fall Semester Ends

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 02:36:00 GMT

As seniors wind down the fall semester and start thinking about finals next week, I suggest students take one final look at their college applications before the semester ends.

Check on more time at each college you have applied to and make sure they have all required material and any supplemental material you want them to have. This includes test scores, transcripts, recommendations and portfolios. Some of these checks can be done on the Common Application website in the School Forms section. Others must be done on the college’s website using the students username and password. This system will also be used to post many decisions.

For colleges that you will submit applications to over the winter break, go ahead and request the school forms be sent now. Send test scores too.

If you have any important updates to your application, like a significant achievement or award, be sure to contact each college via email or phone. The additional information may strengthen your application package, and it demonstrates your continued interest. When school resumes in January and first semester grades are available, students will request these grades be sent to the colleges. Some colleges will wait for these grades before making a decision.

Take time to send a note of thanks to each teacher, counselor or other reference that wrote a letter of recommendation for you. A hand-written one is especially appreciated as a change of pace, but an email is also fine.

Enjoy the excitement and anticipation of waiting for responses. Remember that this can be a roller coaster ride and you will have ups and downs. Cherish each "yes" as a potential option. Don’t take a "no" as a rejection, but rather as a response that you are not a good fit for what the school needs at this time, and you usually do not know why.

My last word of advice is to be empathetic and considerate of other seniors that are also starting to hear responses, and don't try to make comparisons. Watch your postings on Facebook, and any other social media. It is easy to hurt others just by commenting on your results. Personal updates to close friends and family may be more appropriate.

Photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Aligning Your Brain for Math on the SAT and ACT

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:00:00 GMT

The following example of how to understand and solve a math problem on a standardized test such as the SAT or ACT is provided by John Accardi of Academic Testing Advantage in Boulder Colorado.

When preparing for the ACTs and SATs, there is no substitute for knowing the math. This is especially true for the ACT. You are expected to remember the math you learned in your early high school courses. The SAT focuses a little differently on more critical reasoning skills. (The SAT doesn’t even expect you to remember the formula for the area of a square.) The SAT tests your ability to "think out of the box," be clever and insightful, see patterns and creatively solve problems. You can prepare for the math portions of these tests accordingly. Examine the following SAT example.

This problem is often presented in a variety of forms. Six nails are nailed into a board as vertices of a six-sided figure like this:

You are asked to determine how many rubber bands you need to connect every possible pair of nails, without repetition (no two rubber bands on the same pair of nails) or without missing any pairs of nails. There are a number of approaches. Some students will randomly start drawing lines connecting the pairs they see, hoping to get them all. Here is a solution to this random approach:

Can you tell if the above solution is correct? You might not be able to quickly determine this because of the random approach to drawing the connections. (There is one missing; see if you can find it.)

Now take a look at the start of a solution that indicates a more systematic approach.

The first thing to notice about this more organized approach is that the connections are drawn in a systematic way (they’re numbered in the figure), starting with all connections from a single nail (the one labeled with the circled number 5). In other words, from that nail, connections are made to other nails in a clockwise direction (these connections are labeled 1-5). Once all the connections from this first nail are drawn, the student noted the number of connections from that first starting nail (labeled with the circled 5). Next, the student moved clockwise to the next nail (labeled with a circled 4) and repeated the procedure, drawing connections to the other nails in a clockwise direction (those labeled 6-9). Again, a number was noted next to that second starting nail (the circled 4). The student continued with the third nail, etc., until all the connections are made as shown below.

With this systematic approach it is easy to get all the connections and not miss any. Writing the circled number next to each nail provides a self-check. Notice how the circled numbers decrease by one each time. This not only gives confidence in the correct approach as you solve the problem, but, once you see the pattern, you don't have to draw all the remaining connections. Adding the circled numbers gives the final answer. 15 rubber bands are required.

There are many problems like this that put a premium on your ability to come up with an insightful, systematic approach. The rigor of the approach often determines if you get the correct answer.

It is important to understand the underlying purpose of the questions on these standardized tests. Such an understanding helps you can formulate effective strategies and approaches.

This is an example of the test taking strategies you will learn at Academic Testing Advantage.

Engineering or Engineering Technology: What is the Difference?

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:19:00 GMT

Students that like sciences and building things are often interested in studying engineering in college, but most high schools don’t offer courses or an overview to help students decide what type of engineering program to seek. Engineering solves problems for tomorrow and places a focus on theoretical and scientific knowledge. Engineering technology solves problems of today and prepares for practical design and production work with hands-on labs. For clarification, technicians usually have an associate degree, which is different than a 4-year engineering technology BS degree.

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) certifies the rigor and quality of college programs, and also makes many programs look similar. Engineering curriculum covers theoretical concepts and math modeling. Engineering technology has more extensive lab work and often includes field experiences and co-ops. Both programs have similar math and science base courses and a potential senior project or capstone course.

Engineering is usually one of the most competitive majors for admissions and often requires very good grades in math and science. The University of Colorado and Colorado State University, the two major public universities in the state, both have higher minimum requirements on GPA, math and science grades, and test scores for admissions in the College of Engineering. Only one third of engineering students complete their degree in 4 years. Engineering technology can be a great alternative for a student that has not done as well academically, in math and science in particular, but still wants to pursue an engineering degree. Research universities and technical colleges usually have a variety of full 4-year engineering programs. Smaller liberal arts colleges may offer a 3+2 or 4+1 bachelors or masters engineering program combined with a technical or larger institution. Engineering technology programs are more popular at public colleges, particularly land-grant colleges, or technical universities.

Graduates with a BS in engineering technology may get jobs similar to those with a BS in engineering, as industry is starting to accept them as full engineers. However, the technology graduates are not qualified to register as a professional engineer. Although fewer students are going into engineering, the job market stays strong, even in a weaker economy. The median annual salary for an engineer is $70K-$100K and for an engineer technician is $40K-55K, which includes 2-year associate degrees. Graduate training is required for engineering faculty positions and research and development programs, but not for a majority of entry-level engineering jobs.

photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Colorado College Fair Week Arrives

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:48:00 GMT

College Fairs of Greater Denver, Inc. has three out-of-state college fairs planned for this coming week.These fairs present a great opportunity for freshman, sophomores and juniors to start browsing through the huge variety of colleges across the nation and beyond. For seniors, the fair is the perfect place to meet the admissions representative that may be reading your application and both verify and update your college list.

The fair closest to Boulder is at Monarch High School in Louisville on Wednesday, October 12 at 6:30 pm. This event will be repeated in Denver the next night, Thursday, October 13 at 6:30 pm. On Saturday, October 15, a third fair and series of workshops will be held in Castle Rock from 10 am – 2 pm.

It is very easy to identify many good reasons to attend one of these local college fairs:

Look for new options and colleges that you might want to attend.
Help identify the campuses that you really want to spend time and money to visit.
Talk to the college admissions representative in person rather than online or over the phone.
Attend the free workshops at the Saturday fair on a wide variety of topics from selecting colleges and writing essays to financial aid and careers.

The College Fairs of Greater Denver website also provides a list of tips for attending college fairs and some suggested questions to pose to the college representatives. Before going to the fair, do prepare by identifying who you want to talk to from the list of colleges attending and have questions ready. Bring with you a pen and copies of your resume, if you have one.

You should plan to arrive at the fair at the very start of the session to beat the crowds. Do anticipate difficult parking, particularly if you arrive much after the starting bell. This event is not a good time to spend with friends. Work alone or with a parent to be most productive.

When your time to talk to the admissions representative comes, be sure to introduce yourself and shake hands. Use good eye contact and state what you are interested in or ask your questions. Take one of their business cards and take notes, potentially on the business card. For colleges that you really want to attend, send a thank-you note for their time during the fair.

Variety of Chicago Colleges

Sun, 11 Sep 2011 23:04:00 GMT

After spending a couple days visiting colleges in the Chicago area last week, my husband asked me which one I like best and would recommend to students. My quick answer was “It depends” on who is the student and what are they looking for. Chicago is a fabulous city that offers a litany of choices for students and visitors alike.

This city of neighborhoods provides culture and urban flair that transition seamlessly onto the campus of DePaul University. DePaul’s career focus takes advantage of the surrounding city.

Just north of the city in the pleasant city of Evanston is the beautiful campus and top-notch academics at Northwestern University. The setting is idyllic, especially on a beautiful late-summer day.

Creativity and innovation come together at the University of Chicago. The Frank Lloyd Wright Robie house next to campus and the experiment that produced the first controlled nuclear chain reaction in 1942 are just a couple examples.

Art and design is all over the city from the architecture to the museums, and is a specialty of Columbia College, located in the Loop right across the street from Millennium Park.

Colorado students that seek opportunities on the coast or in warm weather often overlook the Midwest, but the heart of our country has many wonderful college options that should not be missed. As a visitor, I enjoyed the boat architecture tour, biking along Lakeshore Drive, escaping the heat by swimming in Lake Michigan, a Cubs game and the Jazz Festival. Chicago is a wonderful city!

photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Let your college essay gel

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:29:00 GMT

Hiking in the beautiful Colorado mountains last weekend, I recalled how getting away from the hustle and bustle of my daily life can be just as important as working hard. The quiet time without electronics or scheduled time slots gave me time to enjoy the beautiful flowers the wet spring produced and think about the big picture. This sort of quiet time is especially important for seniors as they start thinking about and working on their college essays.

Good college essays are rarely written in one setting. The best approach is usually an iterative process that takes time.

Find out what the college wants you to write about. Based on your list of colleges, research all prompts and essay requirements.
Identify a topic and message that you want to relay for each of the key essays.
The personal statement, which is often the most difficult essay to write, is the best place to start. Write a quick essay draft based on your topic and message.
Go for a hike. Let the draft sit for a while and enjoy some quiet time when essay ideas will hopefully seek you out. This may happen in the shower or in the car, but often that essay draft needs to gel for a while.
Read your draft out loud and salvage the parts you like. Get rid of the parts you don’t like. Remember that shorter is usually better.
Create another draft and share it with a friend or parent. Ask for their inputs.
Go for another hike or shower or car ride to let the new draft gel.
Ensure your final version has been checked closely to remove all grammatical errors. Make sure your message comes through clearly.

Your essay is your place to shine, fill in gaps in your application package and make your whole package work together. If you need help getting started on your essays, consider joining me for a workshop the Wednesday, September 7 at 3:30 pm. The bottom line is to start now – don’t wait.

Cairn along the trail to Blue Lake in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area

Back to School Means Planning Time for Seniors

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 02:57:00 GMT

The college application clock starts ticking faster as seniors return for the last year of high school. No panic alarms are necessary, but planning ahead and being proactive will make the process easier and avoid a startling alarm later in the semester.

As you return to school, stop by to talk to the teacher(s) that will be writing your recommendation letters. Even if you got on their list at the end of last year, remind them that you will need these soon and ask if they would like any information from you, like your Student Brag Sheet or a resume. Most schools will have a specific process for you to follow.

As a senior, be sure to watch the counseling department’s website closely for college events. I will also keep my events calendar updated with many of these key dates. College fairs present a great opportunity to meet with admissions representative that will be reading your application and learn about each college.

September 14: In-state College Fair at Centaurus High School at 6 pm

October 12: Out-of-state College Fair at Monarch High School at 6:30 pm

Many of the admissions representatives will also be visiting the high schools to hold information sessions and meet students. Attend these sessions for colleges you are planning to apply to and ones you want to learn about. Boulder High School already has the 2011 schedule of college visits loaded in Naviance. Get these dates in your planners and talk to your teachers early about missing class during these sessions. Parents do need to excuse these absences.

Watch for senior and parent meetings scheduled by the high school counselors. These meeting will provide information on how to work with the high school faculty and staff to get recommendations, transcripts and reports required for your college applications. Boulder High School has a College Night for Senior Parents scheduled on September 1 at 6 pm and a student meeting on September 8 during school.

If you need to take or retake the SAT on October 1, the registration deadline is September 9. However, since this is the first test of the academic year, the Boulder locations fill up quickly, so sign up as soon as possible.

In our world of social media, many colleges now have blogs or Facebook pages for prospective students. Signing up for the blog or liking the Facebook page will feed you general information and friendly reminders about their application preferences and deadlines. For colleges you know that you will apply to, go ahead and get your account setup on their website or get on their mailing list. This will demonstrate your interest.

Enjoy the school year and your journey to college!

photo courtesy of Bill Dan

CTCL Event

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 06:00:00 GMT

CTCL Event in Denver at the Convention Center

The program begins promptly at 7:00 p.m. with a 30-minute information session, and a college fair begins immediately afterwards, lasting approximately 1.5 hours.

Rising Seniors' Summer College To-Do List

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 02:36:00 GMT

As we fly past the halfway point of summer, this is a great time for seniors in the Class of 2012 to really buckle down before the start of school and make progress on their college to-do list. Progress on these college planning tasks places you in a strategic position for the slew of college admissions activities that will accompany your senior year.

Identify colleges that are a good match for you and research these colleges to ensure a good fit. For each college you are interested in, sign up on their mailing list, subscribe to their blog and like their Facebook page. This will let the college know you are interested, and they will notify you of events in the local Boulder area. Be sure to meet with these college admissions representatives when they visit Boulder High School or attend a local college fair.
Do some campus visits. Even though summer isn’t the best time to assess a college since students are on break, it is an easy time to travel and still worth your time. Without traveling far, visit our local colleges: University of Colorado, Colorado State University, University of Denver and Colorado College. This selection will allow you to start understanding the variety of offerings from different flavors of schools.
Make sure you have taken all standardized test that are required by the colleges on your list. Most colleges accept either the SAT or ACT with writing. Some selective colleges require SAT Subject tests too. The ACT September testing sites in Boulder are already filled up, so you will need to travel a bit to find a nearby test site. This first test session will continue to fill up quickly, so sign up right away. Same for the October SAT test.
The updated Common Application for the Class of 2012 will be available on August 1. Once it becomes available, create a login and start working. Even getting the easy portions done early will help significantly later on. Read all the directions carefully and look at all sections. If you would like a jump-start on the Common Application, a few seats are still available in the Conquering the Common Application workshop on August 3.
Start working on your personal statement, which is the primary essay on the Common Application. One seat remains in next week’s Tackling College Essays workshop that will help you understand the assignment and get you started. Having a first draft by the start of school is a fabulous goal.

The college application process will keep you busy during your senior year, but it shouldn’t be overwhelming. If you stay organized and don’t fall behind, you will also find it enjoyable and rewarding.

Photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Connect with College Representatives

Sun, 03 Jul 2011 20:57:00 GMT

Human nature dictates that it is much more difficult to say “no” to someone that you know. For this reason, take every opportunity to meet the admissions representative that will potentially be reviewing your college application.

Colleges may look at a student’s demonstrated interest during the admissions process to determine which applicants are most likely to attend, if accepted. This is one reason to establish a relationship at a college, but at a more primal level, just establishing the connection will improve your application package and give admissions a better chance to get to know you.

During a campus visit, stop in at the admissions office and ask to speak to the Colorado representative. Even better, try to schedule a short meeting before you arrive on campus.
Don't stop only at the admissions office. See if you can meet with a professor or other faculty member in your area of interest.
Seek interview opportunities even if they are not required. Putting a face with a name is a big step to knowing someone. You can interview on campus or in the local area. Colleges often send representatives to conduct interviews in Denver during the fall.
Register as a prospective student on the college website, including signing up for blogs or “like” their facebook page. The more you know about the college, the easier it will be for them to get to know you.
Go to the local college fairs and meet the representatives. Look them in the eye and shake their hand. Tell them your name and talk to them about why you are interested in their school. Ask questions. If you know that you are going to apply to a college, this is even more of a reason to stop by and see them at the college fair.
Seize the opportunity to meet the college representative at your local high school, which usually happen around October. You don’t need to wait until your senior year to attend these sessions.

Reach out and make new connections.

photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Colleges in the Pacific Northwest

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:58:00 GMT

I spent the last week at a Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) conference at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, and had the opportunity to visit many schools in northwestern Washington and the Vancouver area. The variety of institutions in this small part of our world is quite amazing: small, quaint, focused art colleges to incredibly large and diverse universities.

An extremely unique college experience can be found at Quest University in Squamish, BC. The location and beauty of this college would make a Boulder student feel close to home. Quest is located at approximately the midpoint between the fabulous city of Vancouver and the exquisite skiing at Whistler, taking just over an hour to get to either destination. The real distinction of this university is its education style and philosophy that provides block classes, a self-directed study plan, lots of adventure and a hands-on learning approach.

For the artist, Cornish College of the Arts and Emily Carr University of Art and Design both allow the student to focus on their passion and develop career skills. First, understand the framework of these specialized art colleges and then determine if your passion fits into the philosophy. If so, your portfolio or audition will drive most of the college admissions process and this distinct type of education may be the right choice.

Small liberal arts colleges abound in the Seattle area and allow students to take advantage of both a small campus community and a wonderful city. The liberal arts foundation has twist at each school: Pacific Lutheran University focuses on vocation, University of Puget Sound exemplifies liberal arts and creative thinking, Seattle University educates the whole person – mind, body and spirit. Each school a good match for the right student.

In contrast the large public universities, University of Washington and University of British Columbia, focus on research in addition to teaching and provide endless options for independent, self-advocating students. The campuses in this part of the country are all forested and gorgeous. The proximity to the city and outdoor activities is equally appealing, particularly as a transition from Colorado.

Many resources are available to research colleges to find one that is a great match for you!

Photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Selecting an Essay Topic for College Admissions

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:57:00 GMT

Summer can be a great time for rising seniors to start thinking about, or actually writing, the one big college essay called the personal statement. But before you start, be sure to understand the purpose and goal of this assignment. The first step is to select the ideal topic.

The college application process will actually require a student to write many essays, but the most difficult, the most important and often the most dreaded is the personal statement. This essay will be submitted to almost every college that requires an essay, so spend adequate time on your personal statement.

Looking at the Common Application is the perfect place to start. Review all sections of this application, including the essay prompts, to get a good snapshot of what admissions representatives will receive. Once you understand the spectrum of information that will be included in your college applications, think about what is missing.

The personal statement is the place to supply this missing information. Topics can vary from personality traits to passions to something that makes you unique. Selecting the topic is difficult, so allow time to consider options. Ask family and friends for ideas. Think about what you might reveal in an interview.

Here are some additional resources to help with your personal statement:

College Board provides tips and ideas for your essay, including some examples.
College Essay Organizer is a tool that can help identify and combine essays once you know what colleges you will apply to. Ongoing support for essay writing is also included.
Watch for a workshop to be offered in Boulder in July with more guidance on tackling and conquering your essays.

If you want to take on a different type of writing experience, look at this writing contest that is being held in honor of Boulder County’s 150th anniversary. You could win prizes and have more fodder to include on your college application.

photo courtesy of Bill Dan

College Admissions Trends and Actions for Rising Seniors

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 18:09:00 GMT

Results from this year college admissions process are in. Here are some of the top trends, along with some recommendations of how they should be factored into the admissions process for the upcoming Class of 2012.

Trend 1: Many colleges received a record number of applications, which was due to both the increased use of the common application as well as a peak number of graduating seniors.

Class of 2012 Response: This domino effect will continue with students applying to more colleges due to the increased difficulty in getting accepted and the relative simplicity of the common application. Although the anticipated graduating class of 2012 will be slightly smaller than this year’s class, it will not be significant. The best approach is to ensure you apply to some schools that you have a good shot at acceptance and submit quality applications that are thoroughly supported. Focus on a few schools to demonstrate interest and nurture the relationship. Still, however, an additional application or two might be another good safety net.

Trend 2: Selective college admissions were more competitive with an average 100-point increase in SAT score and .25 increase in GPA for accepted students.

Class of 2012 Response: This ongoing trend of increasing test scores and GPA each year will continue. Students should be realistic of chances for acceptance, realizing that the coming year will be even more difficult than past years. Continue to do your best on tests and courses, but also follow your passions and get involved in other activities. Look for colleges that will cherish your strengths and more likely accept you. These are often the best match schools that will allow you to thrive.

Trend 3: Wait lists were extremely large with colleges focusing on their yield, or number of students that will matriculate.

Class of 2012 Response: Be prepared for an answer from colleges that is not accept or reject, as this can often be a shock. A waitlist response puts you in limbo, but allows you to make one more decision to either drop the school or really pursue moving to an acceptance. Unless the college is your absolute preference, the recommendation is usually to not count on clearing a waitlist. If this is your number one choice, though, you will need to do some additional work to convince the college to accept you, but even this is most often to no avail so be prepared for a negative response.

photo courtesy of Bill Dan

College Admissions Actions to End your Junior Year

Fri, 13 May 2011 21:00:00 GMT

As the school year wraps up, juniors should take a quick moment to complete a few key steps that will ease the start of their senior year in September.

Before throwing out this year’s paperwork, find and save one graded writing paper that can be used as a writing sample. Some colleges have gone test optional, meaning they don’t require the SAT or ACT, but the college may still like to see a writing sample.
Consider which teachers you will ask to write your recommendations and kindly talk to these teachers about why you have chosen them. You should have at least one core subject teacher (math, science, LA or social science) and one additional teacher. This does not need to be a class that you got the best grade, but can be a teacher that can speak to something specific you accomplished in the class. Popular teachers may limit how many students they will write recommendations for, so get on their list now.
Understand what your final junior grades will be and check your transcripts to ensure all your courses and grades are correct. Are all online or waivered courses included? Are the grades correct?
Is your senior course selection final? Once your schedule is available, changing courses becomes even more difficult. Make sure all high school graduation and college entrance requirements will be met. Is your workload the correct level to both challenge you and leave enough time to develop quality college applications?
Check in with your school counselor, who will be writing your other college recommendation. Any suggested colleges to visit? Any concerns that should be addressed?

Once the school year is over, use the summer to nurture your interests and check out some college campuses. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Activities and College Admissions

Mon, 09 May 2011 06:00:00 GMT

As the summer rolls around, I've been hearing many questions about what colleges want to see as the "best" summer activities for high school students. The college admissions process definitely looks at a student's extra curricular activities, yet some experiences that could catch an admissions officer's eye may surprise you. A plethora of options surround us in Boulder.

On the tennis court this morning, my partner was lamenting about the high cost of summer college programs that sometimes equate to a full year of college at one of our local colleges. Are these programs expected for acceptance into a selective college? My perspective is that although many of these summer college programs are fabulous and many of the applicants to selective colleges will participate in these programs, this is precisely what keeps them from standing out. A unique experience will make your application different, which is a benefit for ALL college applications, not only for selective colleges.

Activities demonstrate that the student is engaged and interested in their personal growth and their community.

Take an academic course in your area of interest or in something completely new. We have CU Boulder and Naropa University right in our backyard. Community colleges and school districts also offer a variety of courses. A summer academic course demonstrates your interest and willingness to learn. Consider courses in a unique subject or taught from a unique perspective. Check out a large lecture or small seminar.
Search for research opportunities at NIST, NOAA or NCAR or shadow a professional. Talk to family and friends that might have connections. Some colleges and medical organizations also run research programs that are open to high school students.
Share your talent in sports, music or art with others in the community. Whether it's a paid position or volunteer work, spend some time working with others. You will learn, too.
Like writing? Are you willing to write? Get online and start a blog to share your perspective with others. It's free and easy to get started with WordPress. Admissions may check out your online presence and find it.
Like listening? Attend local lectures and get to know local professionals in your field of interest.
Check out the Volunteer Connection Youth Guide and then tackle one of these opportunities or let your imagination take to another activity that matches your interests even better.

Find something that you enjoy and get involved! This is the "best" summer or winter activity for college admissions. There is also a good chance that you will find a great essay topic along the route.

Engage in activities you enjoy this summer...

photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Colleges and the AP Tests

Sun, 01 May 2011 14:50:00 GMT

Advanced Placement (AP) exams start on Monday, May 2, across the country and continue for two weeks. As students finish up their school year, these exams either supplement or replace finals as a way to assess the student's grasp of the material covered throughout the semester or year. AP exams are also a factor in college admissions and acceptance.

The AP exams are administered through the College Board, same as the SAT tests. The results of the AP exams are sent to the students in the June timeframe and range from a low score of "1" to a high score of "5". These tests results are self reported by the student during college admissions on the Common Application. After matriculation, an official report of AP scores from College Board is required by the college for consideration as college credit.

Colleges like to see that a student is challenging themselves with difficult courses in high school, which can include these AP courses. The grade received in the AP course will be part of the student's GPA and is weighted at Boulder High School. A good description of the Boulder High School AP Focus Program is included in the school's Course Description Booklet on Pages 10-11.

Colleges treat the AP courses and exams in various ways.

College credit may be given in courses that correspond to AP courses. In most cases, a "4" or "5" score is required for a college to give credit. Each college has their own list of which scores they will accept. A "3" is occasionally accepted in a few subjects such as foreign languages.
Some colleges limit the total number of credits that will be awarded through AP courses and exams. This number may be as low as two courses.
AP exams are sometimes a substitute for placement exams to start the student in an appropriate level college course.
No grade is assigned to these courses in college, only the credit is given. This may have an adverse affect on a student's overall college GPA because fewer lower level courses will have grades and more weighting is placed on the advanced, upper level courses.

Some lesser known facts about AP courses and exams:

After completion of an AP course in high school, the student is not required to take the exam. The exam is optional and used for college credit or placement, and the student does have to pay to take it.
Although rarely recommended, a student can take the AP exam without having taken the course. This happens if a student really excels in a subject and can prepare individually for the exam.
Some graduate schools, such as medical schools, will not accept AP credits even if the undergraduate college accepted them.

Each college looks at AP exams differently...

Photo courtesy of Bill Dan

Denver Spring College Fair this Weekend

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:47:00 GMT

Get the most out of your visit to the Denver Spring College Fair this Sunday, May 1, from 1-3:30 pm at Lakewood High School. Students and parents will have the opportunity to meet college representatives and attend free breakout sessions. A little planning ahead will make your visit even more beneficial.

The Rocky Mountain Association for College Admission Counseling (RMACAC) hosts a fall and spring college fair each year to bring colleges to Denver, Albuquerque and Salt Lake City to meet with local students. This is a great opportunity to converse with admissions representatives and alumni and start a dialog with colleges you want to apply to or decide where to apply.

Preparing for your visit to the fair will pay off.

Review the list of attending colleges and select the ones that interest you the most. Include colleges that you are familiar with, but also look into unknown ones that are potentially a good college match.
Create a set of adhesive labels that include your full name, address, email, phone number, date of birth and major(s) of interest. This will save you time by allowing you to provide information on the college interest cards quickly.
Decide if any of the 3 breakout sessions sound interesting.
- Finding Free $ for College (at 1:30 and 2:30),
- How to Narrow Down your College List (at 1:30 only)
- Debunking the Funk: Top Ten College Myths (at 2:30 only)
Be there at 1 pm when the doors open to beat the crowds. Go to your selected colleges first rather than following others through the alphabetic order.
If this is a family event, consider dividing and conquering to continue to talk to colleges in parallel with the breakout sessions. The 2 1/2 hour fair session goes by very quickly.

Enjoy the event and springtime in the Rockies!

Graduate Without Too Much College Debt

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 05:22:00 GMT

Seniors have one more week to select the college to attend next fall. The most common question that I heard over the past few weeks is regarding the cost, financial aid and the amount of debt a student should incur with college loans.

Affordable is defined differently to each family, but here are a couple of guidelines for to consider:

If a student takes the maximum Direct Student federal loan amounts, both subsidized and unsubsidized each year, the total principle loan amount at the end of four years will be $19,000. Taking any more loans than this amount should only be done after careful assessment.
What career is the student considering after college? And what is the average salary for that career? Another guideline is that a student should not incur more debt than they can earn in one year. Another way to look at this is that approximately 15-20% of the student's potential income should go to paying back an education loan.

FinAid has some fabulous calculators to help you with these assessments. Check out the "Student Loan Advisor" as one example of these calculations. College Board has some similar calculators that help analyze financial aid packages from various colleges, including loan analysis.

Lora Block of College Advisory Services in Bennington, VT has provided this summary.

John Hrabe wrote an interesting, and quite controversial, article that provides one view of college prestige and the financial reality of our country's current economic situation.

Debt can accumulate to significant heights, if you let it...

Financial Aid Letter Gotchas

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 06:00:00 GMT

As parents and students review the financial aid letters from accepted colleges, understanding and comparing packages is not as easy as it should be. Knowledge and investigation can help avoid potential pitfalls.

First, ensure that you understand the contents of each letter individually.

How many years are committed for each scholarship?
The financial aid grants and loans are only for one year and must be reapplied for using the FAFSA each year.
Grants and scholarships are "free money" and do not need to be repaid. Loans, both subsidized and unsubsidized, must be repaid. So line items are not all created equal.
Work study is self help and is not guaranteed to be provided by the school. Check with the college on the availability of the work study jobs. This is also awarded each year through the FAFSA.
Tuition increases are likely each year unless the college has a plan that locks in the tuition rate. Historical tuition increase information is available on College Navigator.

Considerations when comparing financial aid letter for multiple colleges:

Verify that the total cost of attendance provided in the letter contains all costs that are applicable to your student and adjust the total cost number to include the same elements for each college. How many times a year will your student travel home? What miscellaneous expenses will be incurred? Does the specific program or course that the student will take have additional fees?
How many years will it take to graduate from the college? The overall cost increases substantially if additional years are likely. College Navigator provides good statistics on the graduation rates for each college.

A guide to student financial aid website contains calculators and interpretations that will help you understand what each college is offering. Boulder High School students can stop by the school counseling office for additional help with financial aid and scholarships any Wednesday afternoon.

Financial aid letters are hard to decipher...

ACT Testing at Boulder High School

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 06:00:00 GMT

The ACT college entrance exam will be taken at Boulder High School on Wednesday, April 27 at 8 am. Students should be prepared and understand the benefits of this test session.

Juniors take the exam at no cost, but be aware that the writing portion of the exam, which is required by numerous selective colleges, is not included in this testing session. Students that want to take the ACT with writing must retake the entire test at one of the regular national ACT test sessions. This free testing session may not be offered in the future according to the local Boulder Daily Camera.

Students often ask whether they should take the ACT or SAT or both. Since Boulder High School students are required to take the ACT and the Boulder High School curriculum and teaching methods are conducive to students doing well on the ACT, this test is often a good choice. But here are some differences for your consideration.

The ACT

Test includes a science section with reading and graphs
Math section includes a higher level through Algebra 2 and Trigonometry
All sections are time intensive and requires a quick pace to finish all questions
No points are deducted for wrong answers

The SAT

More difficult questions towards the end of the sections
Math has more difficult work problems and can be tricky
Large emphasis on vocabulary
Critical thinking skills can be very beneficial
Partial points are deducted for wrong answers

Timed practice tests can help you determine which of the two tests you prefer. Pick one of the tests, then focus and prepare.

ACT or SAT? Two varieties of college tests...

Weighing college acceptances and making the final matriculation decision

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 06:00:00 GMT

With the ball back in the student’s court after hearing decisions on their college applications, seniors are pondering their acceptances and planning additional college visits. Here are some steps to help with the matriculation choice.

Go back to your initial set of reasons that you applied to the college and make sure those reasons are still valid and important to you. Each college on your final acceptance list should be a good college match.
Academics should be a major factor in this final decision. Dig one level deeper to ensure you understand the specific academic program and curriculum you will encounter. The college website will provide university, college, department, major and program requirements. Identify the general education requirements and see if the courses that meet these requirements are of interest to you. Consider how much flexibility is offered and variety of courses that interest you. Look for one course that you could take for fun.
Compare the cost of each college, including financial aid and scholarships offered by each institution. Look at the total cost of attending the school, including travel and books. Ensure that each college on your final list is a financially viable option for your family. Also consider the value of each college.
Identify the specific clubs and social organizations of interest.
Narrow your choice to your top schools and plan necessary April campus visits. Be on campus at least once before accepting an offer. Accepted student days are great, but don’t feel required to be on campus during one of these events. Most colleges will allow you to create an individual visit that will answer all your questions.

Remember, if each college on your final list is a good match for you, then any decision you make will provide you the opportunity to be successful and happy.

Weigh and balance your options...

Another college selection criteria - campus squirrels

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 06:00:00 GMT

Walking around campus with tour guides, Amber Beserra took time to watch the squirrels as she contemplated herself attending each college. Then she took time to write this post.

As my search for a college has progressed, I have visited many campuses and researched many schools online. Finally, coming up with my final three schools, I visited each school to make sure it was a good match. While visiting each of the campuses, I decided to take another aspect of the colleges into account – their squirrels.

Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland had large orange squirrels that would get up close to you and share any food you were willing to give up. Duke University in Durham had smaller grey squirrels that were very active and became twitchy if you got too close. University of Virginia in Charlottesville were large and had splotches of grey where their hair was falling out (they looked very unhealthy). After visiting these schools, I decided that if I were accepted at Duke University I would join their small active squirrels, otherwise I would go live with the friendly orange squirrels at Case Western. I didn’t feel quite at home with the rabid looking squirrels at UVa and I will admit I wasn’t too bummed when I received my rejection letter from them. Yet the active and friendly squirrels at my other two schools seemed welcoming and excited to have me on their campus. The transition from Boulder’s friendly and active squirrels will be great either way.

Provided by Amber Beserra

Welcome to the CollegEase blog and website!

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 06:00:00 GMT

As the 2011 seniors wrap up their college selection by the May 2 decision date, many juniors are just warming up for the excitement that awaits them over the next year. Sophomores are learning and anticipating their opportunities, too. This seems like a perfect time to start my new interactive website and blog to help the Boulder community with college admissions. I invite you to join the fun.

Subscribe to this blog to receive college admissions tips, many specific to the Boulder area
Like the CollegEase Educational Consulting Facebook page
Browse website key resources for Parents and Students
Send me comments on new items that you'd like to see

Enjoy... Jo-Ann

Cairns guide you along the path to college

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