Posts filed under 'College Admissions'
“If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.” This morning, my friends, we learned a very important lesson: This time-tested mantra rings true for lots of things, including education.
Here at The CollegeBound Network, we’re always on the watch for breaking news, especially as it relates to making the transition to college easier for our readers. When a press release dropped into our email in-boxes this morning touting “more than half a million dollars in scholarships for Gulf Coast residents affected by the oil spill,” our that-sounds-like-big-news ears perked up. Like the rest of the country, our hearts are broken over this whole debacle, and we’ve been trying to do our part to shed light on possible solutions (see “College Response to the BP Oil Spill”). Checking into this new story was our first order of business today (even before picking up our coffee).
And so our heart broke again when we explored the offerings of the said “university.” Despite a slick website, we began to see some proverbial red flags waving … What’s up with the “Get your degree for only $399.95 a month!” and the call-to-action touting a roll-back in summer enrollment costs from $600 to $499? A college tuition sale?! Huh?!
We did what every prospective student should do upon first checking out a college, university, or career school; we clicked Command+F and searched for “accreditation.” Accreditation is the primary means of ensuring and improving the quality of higher education institutions and programs, and it’s something you must know and understand about a school you plan to attend.
If you complete your studies at a non-accredited school, no matter how much you learn and how great your instructors are, you will have difficulty translating your “degree” when it comes to landing a job or transferring to another school. Essentially, attending a school that’s not accredited by an agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation or the U.S. Department of Education is like buying a fake Rolex… it may look good from afar, but upon closer inspection, it’s just a bunch of cheap jewels that can turn your wrist (read, your future) a yucky green.
Don’t be fooled…. many schools that are simply not worth the time boast about some very official-sounding accreditation. In fact, states Vicky Phillips, founder and CEO of GetEducated.com, who calls herself one of the leading experts on education fraud, there are more than 30 agencies that claim to accredit a variety of programs but are not recognized as accreditors in the U.S.
And so instead of landing a story this morning on free tuition for Gulf residents, the result was an equally useful piece reminding us that sometimes, some things may look or sound enticing and “academic” but may not necessarily be a smart move. To ensure a school is legit, check its accreditation against those listed on CHEA.org and make sure you have a degree worth boasting about.
Your future will thank you for it!
–Gina LaGuardia
——
On a related note, check out this fun Facebook group: If you fall for those fake college emails, you deserve to look like an idiot 
June 23rd, 2010
As a blogger for The CollegeBound Network, it is my fun daily duty to read any and all newspapers, magazines, journals, and, of course, other blogs, to find out all the good stuff that is going on in education. After all, I never know who will have some interesting tidbit information: The New York Times? The Washington Post? Perez Hilton?
Believe it or not, it’s Perez Hilton this time around. As it turns out, my favorite Hollywood blogger has come through on several occasions with reports of celebrity escapades in, of all places, higher education. Dakota Fanning has been on his radar lately, since the celebrity high school student is currently conducting her own college search. That’s interesting enough to me, but what’s even more exciting to us is that Fanning recently missed a red carpet event for Eclipse so that she could take the ACT. Talk about dedication to the college dream!
The ACT is offered several times a year, but the most recent one offered on June 12 was the last one for this academic year; Fanning and other college-bound students won’t have another opportunity to sit for the ACT until September. So while it makes sense that Fanning opted for comfy test-taking clothes instead of a chic movie premiere dress, it probably wasn’t the easiest decision for her to make.
Kudos to you, Dakota, for choosing #2 pencils and a Scantron over a movie premiere and an after party. Your college aspirations make you a true role model for young adults. I can’t wait to see what school you’ll attend next year.
–Barbara Bellesi
June 15th, 2010
Are you on Twitter? Do you enjoy tweeting with others who are looking at colleges or thinking about going back to school? Where do you start? What do you need to do? How can you navigate through all the resources and information out there? If there’s anything Twitter is good for, it’s to connect with others to tweet out the stress, the questions, the concerns, and then get the answers you need from those in the know.
Mark your calendars for The CollegeBound Network’s #CollegeBound chat, beginning Monday, May 24th at 4:00 p.m. EST. For a solid hour, you can hop onto Twitter, use and follow the #CollegeBound hashtag, and join the conversation. Joining us on our weekly Twitter.com chat forum will be other college-bound students of all ages, along with college admission reps, career experts, and current college students. #CollegeBound can hook you up with people who have “been there and done that” when it comes to college so that when it’s your turn to crack the books, you will be all set for an amazing college or career school journey.
We hope you’ll join us for our first #CollegeBound chat, “Preparing for College,” which will give you a sneak peek at researching schools, figuring out what path to follow, and getting your all your initial questions answered. And we won’t leave you hanging; each week will feature a new #CollegeBound chat that features a different college topic… Follow @CollegeBoundNet and @CollegeSurfing, and tune in on Twitter each Monday at 4 p.m. EST.
If you’ve got a college topic that you’d like to learn more about, tweet us @CollegeBoundNet and let us know what’s on your mind. And to unofficially RSVP to #CollegeBound, put your Twitter handle in the Comments below. And here’s a customized TweetGrid for you to use!
See you there!
WIN! Send this Tweet prior to the event, and you’ll be entered into a drawing for one of two $50 Amazon gift certificates:
Thinking about going back to school or worried about getting into college? Join #CollegeBound chat on Mon., 5/24 at 4 p.m. EST http://bit.ly/bETW5R (pls. RT)
May 18th, 2010
It’s Monday! Woo hoo! Finally!
Was that convincing?
Seriously, even if you love your job like I do, Mondays are still ranked #7 when it comes to favorite days of the week. Which is why I completely understand that high school seniors who have already been accepted to college are already more or less on summer vacation—at least in their head, anyway. But the truth is there are several more weeks of class, and you need to push yourself just a little bit further to get through them.
Last week I blogged about the dangers of senioritis and how colleges across the country have been known to rescind admission should this “illness” get the better of you during your final semester. Boy, did that get a reaction. The blog was tweeted and retweeted on Twitter, and I even got a personal email from an admissions counselor thanking me for encouraging students to keep their game faces on until that final exam or paper is turned in.
The bad news is that colleges and universities can and will hold bad academic behavior against you. The good news is that this is completely avoidable and happens only in extreme cases. But if I can bring up some more bad news (it is Monday, after all), it’s that admission, while extreme, is not the only thing that is at stake for slackers. Scholarships, the icing on the cake that is college admissions, are even more vulnerable, and in my humble opinion, even more devastating to lose.
When I was a teacher, I knew a student who completely tanked during the final quarter of her senior year of high school and had her scholarship revoked by a competitive college that she had worked so hard to get into in the first place. To me, this would seem to hurt even more than having my admission revoked, because the college is basically saying, “You can still come to our school, but we no longer believe that you will be a good return on our investment.” Ouch.
This is no urban legend, folks. Ask any admissions or enrollment counselor to back my sad story up. I did for you: Jane F. Dessoye, executive director of enrollment management at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA weighed in on the topic of senioritis:
“There may be some financial ramifications to staying focused [during the final weeks of senior year],” she says. “The Scholarship Committee at Misericordia University, for instance, will revisit a student’s academic scholarship when the final transcript is submitted. In instances where a student’s grade point average improves from the time at which the scholarship was first offered, the scholarship may increase in value.”
Increased scholarship funds—good. Scholarship rescinded—very, very bad. So what’s a tired high school senior to do? Dessoye has some advice (juniors, take note, too):
- Stay motivated; maintain good study habits; develop a study schedule and stick to it.
- Take challenging coursework (e.g. AP coursework) that forces you to stay focused. If possible, take a college level course.
- Participate in extracurricular activities: continue your involvement in clubs, volunteer activities, athletics, etc.Consider a shadowing experience for the major in which you are interested.
- Reward yourself when your study goal is achieved!
Except for the “reward yourself” part, Dessoye’s advice involves work, as it should. Keep in mind that you have the summer to rest and rejuvenate, but for now, hard work has its benefits.
–Barbara Bellesi
May 17th, 2010
It’s the last week of April, and while we know that most of you are closing in on your college decision, there are quite a few of you hanging out in the limbo that admission offices like to call “the wait list.”
Edward B. Fiske, the author of Fiske Guide to Colleges, calls wait lists the “safety valves” of colleges, because schools are never sure how many students they admit will actually enroll in the fall. The wait list more or less ensures that they will have a full class coming in. That’s all well and good for the colleges, but where does that leave you? Never fear; Mr. Fiske also has some advice for those of you who are feeling a little left out in the cold:
- If you really want to go to the school for which you are waitlisted, let them know. Send a letter to the admissions director to jog their memory of who you are and why you’d be such a good match for their school.
- Arrange a campus interview. If you’ve already had one, try to schedule a second one and arrive with your latest grades and test scores in hand.
- Brag a little. Send some artwork, a short story, a recording of your music—anything that will impress the admissions committee and encourage them to see you as an individual, not just an application.
- Ask for another letter of recommendation or for an updated one to be sent to the school. The more people who can speak on your behalf, the better.
- Ask your college guidance counselor for assistance. Perhaps they can call the school on your behalf. At the very least, keep your counselor informed of your interest and your recent grades and accomplishments so that they continue to be aware that you are a great catch for a college.
Don’t consider your wait list decision as another form of rejection just yet. Many people have been called up from the wait list, although it could take longer for a final decision. So if you are still set on a school, make sure they know it and you could find yourself on that same campus in the fall.
–Barbara Bellesi
April 27th, 2010
If you’re a senior approaching your college decision with Earth Day in mind, or even if you’re a junior applying in the fall, maybe you’ve wondered about how “green” the schools are on your list. Do they recycle, use organic food in the dining halls, or have solar panel and other energy-saving features in buildings?
The folks at The Princeton Review recognize that choosing an environmentally responsible college can be an important factor in your decision, so it announced this week (in conjunction with Earth Day), the debut of The Princeton Review’s Guide to 286 Green Colleges. TPR found that 64 percent of nearly 12,000 college applicants and parents surveyed said having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would impact their decision to apply to or attend the school.
There are a few things we love about the news of this guidebook. For starters, it’s free. Also, it’s cool to see that 286 colleges made the book – it wasn’t long ago that students were having to push for on-campus recycling and other green initiatives. And the guide can be downloaded, so there’s less waste of paper.
The Princeton Review partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council to create the guidebook, spotlighting schools that have “demonstrated an above-average commitment to sustainability in terms of campus infrastructure, activities and initiatives.”
You’ll find schools standing out for their recycling and conservation programs, use of renewable energy resources, sustainability initiatives, and environmental literacy efforts. Here are just a few examples:
- Arizona State University and The Catholic University of America both spend 35 percent of its food budget on local or organic food.
- Chatham University in Pennsylvania purchases 15 percent of its energy from wind-generated sources and has a 32-acre arboretum on campus
- At Towson University in Towson, Md., all incoming freshman participate in a “Go Green” orientation program filling them in on eco-friendly activities and how they can help out on campus.
- At Tufts University, 10 percent of buildings on campus have, or are seeking, LEED certification, an industry standard, and 100 percent of its cleaning products on campus are Green Seal-certified. Students are a key part of the equation, with the student-run sustainability group, ECO, helping with programs such as “Do It in the Dark!,” where students compete to conserve the most energy over a month.
By choosing a college that pays attention to its impact on the environment, you might find opportunities to do good green-wise by living and learning in a setting that wants to lead change in a community.
–Barbara Bellesi
April 21st, 2010
If you can’t resist being outdoors, you’ll be glad to know that starting Saturday, you won’t have to spend any of the money you’ve earned babysitting, moving lawns, or working part time to visit a National Park. The National Park Service Week free entrance deal runs through April 25.
But did you know that some of the 392 national parks are in the same town or situated right beside colleges? Just think of being able to grab your books and computer and study in a natural setting once you get to campus, or spend the weekend hiking or camping out with friends, which will be a nice break from dorm life.
Some of the students I know are planning a park trip during reading day this semester to take a break from studying. Some professors may bring their classes to the park or teach entire courses in a National Park.You’ll also find that some Earth Day events at some of the parks, too.
Here’s a look at a few colleges near National Parks.
Lincoln Memorial University: This school is in Harrogate, TN, where Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia merge at the Cumberland Gap. The 1,000-acre campus is in a wooded setting, with the Cumberland Gap mountains a backdrop. Its 3,948 students (as of Fall 2009) can embrace the setting by spending time in the caves and other sights at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.
National Park Community College: The name of this Hot Springs, AK school gives it away. Its nearly 3,000 students per semester get to take advantage of Hot Springs National Park, America’s oldest national park, which draws tourists seeking a dip in its healing waters (the park is nicknamed “The American Spa”). The school offers two-year associates’ degrees and one-year technical certificates.
Fresno State: The 21,500-plus students at this California university benefit from learning at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, with amazing waterfalls and canyons nearby. “Living in Fresno gives me the opportunity to be at the tallest waterfall in North America or the deepest canyon,” student Darrick Yray tells The Collegian Online. It’s about two hours from Yosemite National Park, home to Yosemite Falls, the country’s largest waterfall. “It’s an amazing visit to the Redwoods in Yosemite that has a big hollow space that’s wide enough to fit a car through,” student Amber DeAnda tells the paper.
Peninsula College: It’s common for students and their professors at this Port Angeles, WA school to leave campus and take trips to Olympic National Park, the ocean, or rain forests to weave academics into the outdoors. The 75-acre campus, which has about 10,00 students pursuing associates’ degrees and vocational certificates, is in the foothills of the Olympic Mountains.
If you’re headed to any National Parks this spring or summer, maybe it’s worth checking out the nearby colleges and universities, because those locations and academic offerings may be a good fit for you!
–Lori Johnston. Additional reporting by Delaney Young.
April 14th, 2010
The Final Four is finally here this weekend, and after all the upsets, Butler, Duke, West Virginia, and Michigan State remain.
Maybe one of these is a school you’ve never heard of. Or maybe you’re planning on attending one of these schools in the fall and you’re pumped that they could be the national champs. But men’s basketball isn’t the only thing going on there. So here’s a look at the Final Four schools and what they’re known for when it comes to academic and student life:
Butler
This private liberal arts university in Indianapolis, Indiana is just 6 miles from Lucas Oil Stadium, the Final Four site. And get this: the school has just 3,726 undergraduates compared to 32,763 at Michigan State, which Butler plays on Saturday. Butler’s top attraction is its pharmacy program and its degrees in chemistry, communications, dance, and theater also are a must for many students. The Bulldogs’ home arena is where the championship game in “Hoosiers” was filmed.
Duke
This basketball powerhouse also has a lot going on off the court. The private research university in Durham, North Carolina, has 6,071 undergraduates, which include a diverse student population (12 percent Asians, 10 percent blacks, and 6 percent Hispanics). A majority of students – 85 percent – are from out of state, lured by majors such as engineering, math, and economics. From there, some students go on to the Duke University Medical School. Coach Mike Krzyzewski, who is coaching in his 11th Final Four with the Blue Devils, has won three national championships with Duke.
West Virginia
If the Mountaineers win, expect to see some couches and sofas burning. That’s an odd tradition carried on by students at this public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, which is known for its party scene. The school has 21,720 undergraduates. The fans have received bad press for their vulgarity during games, making the tournament even more interesting. But its students also are celebrated for their academic success, with Jared Crawford this week being named a 2010 Truman Scholar, which is given to only about 60 college juniors in the U.S. each year (Crawford is pursuing dual degrees in computer and electrical engineering).
Michigan State
This public research university in East Lansing, Michigan has a huge student body, with 36,489 undergraduates. It has the only agricultural program in the state (the school was founded as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan) and students also think highly of its programs in the sciences, engineering, and communications. It also attracts graduate students seeking advanced degrees in elementary and secondary education. The Spartans are seeking their third national championship in men’s basketball (Michigan State lost to North Carolina in last year’s championship game).
There’s your look at the four schools vying for this year’s title – and maybe your application.
–Lori Johnston. Additional reporting by Robert Inskip.
April 2nd, 2010
While some of the schools on your list might have already sent out their admissions decisions, April 1 is still typically D-Day for many colleges. So what do you do during the last few harrowing days of waiting? As always, we’re here to help, which is why we’ve taken a page from Letterman (sorta) and compiled a list of five speedy suggestions for making it through these final days of the tortuous college waiting game:
5. Watch an episode of “Jersey Shore.” Your brain will be so numb from all those fake tans and fist-pumping that you’ll actually crave adult conversation in a college classroom—even if it’s not at your first-choice school.
4. Go to bed early. It sounds like something you’d do as a kid the day before Christmas or your birthday, but it does work: The quicker you fall asleep, the quicker morning will come, and you’ll be one day closer to an admissions decision. Plus, all those good nights of sleep will give you the energy you need to tackle the next step after your admissions decision—positive or negative.
3. Shut off the computer, cell phone, etc. Finish your assignments first, of course, but then unplug for a while to get away from the stress-laden texts, Facebook updates, and tweets that are being launched into cyberspace from friends and other college-bound students in the same boat as you.
2. Hang out with people younger/older than you. Yes, this includes bratty younger siblings and those oh-so-embarrassing older folks who keep insisting that you are related to them. Why? Because they are not applying to college like you are and have plenty of other things to talk about besides SAT scores and dorm rooms. Enjoy their company and a very welcome change of subject.
1. Go green. Recycle all the leftover paperwork, viewbooks, business cards, essay drafts, and crumpled tissues from stress-related colds and sleepless, teary nights. Perhaps your old admission essay drafts will get recycled into new paper that a sleep-deprived college-bound student will reach for next year.
Got any suggestions for the list? Follow us on Twitter @CollegeBoundNet, where we’ll spend the week tweeting with the hashtag #collegesuspense. Join us—the more the merrier, and it could WIN YOU a $25 Amazon gift card. We’ll choose one random #collegesuspense Tweet and one random #collegesuspense Facebook post to CB’s Fan Page to each win a gift card to spend at Amazon however you wish… college-related, or not!
UPDATE: Congratulations to Michael Brindle, a.k.a. @younata on Twitter, for winning a $25 Amazon gift card as part of our #collegesuspense contest. Good luck at school!
–The CollegeBound Network
March 23rd, 2010
Each year, a college basketball team seems to come from out of nowhere and have an incredible run during March Madness. In the case of 1985, the so-called “Cinderella” the–Villanova–actually ended up winning the entire NCAA Tournament.
Do you think you’re a Cinderella candidate for a certain college? Maybe you sent in an application thinking you’re a longshot for admissions. If you get in, it may be a surprise to you and your friends and family. But it could happen. Look at the stories of these four Cinderella teams from past NCAA tournaments. It may give you some encouragement as you’re waiting to score with a certain school.
The team: Villanova
The year: 1985
What happened: Villanova was not considered a top program in the 1980s, when they entered the tourney as a No. 8 seed. The team barely made it out of the first round, beating Dayton by only two points. The 66-64 championship game victory against Georgetown, led by star center Patrick Ewing and famed coach John Thompson, was one of the biggest upsets in tournament history.
This year: Villanova came into March Madness as the No. 2 seed.
The team: George Mason
The year: 2006
What happened: Cinderella teams often unexpectedly win their conference tournaments, earning automatic bids to the NCAAs. The Patriots didn’t win the CAA tournament, so they didn’t know until Selection Sunday that they would receive an at-large bid. Some analysts (most notably Billy Packer) criticized the selection. George Mason silenced critics by making a shocking run to the Final Four. Along the way, the Patriots defeated defending national champion North Carolina and Connecticut, the top seeds from their region. Florida, that year’s national champion, ultimately defeated George Mason in the Final Four, but it was quite a run.
This year: George Mason is not in the tournament.
The team: Loyola Marymount
The year: 1990
What happened: This Cinderella example is framed in tragedy: the team’s star forward, Hank Gathers, collapsed and died on the court during a West Coast Conference tournament game. Though dealing with grief from the loss of their teammate, the Lions advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Among the three wins: a 34-point win over defending national champion Michigan in the second round.
This year: Loyola Marymount is not in the tournament.
The team: Davidson
The year: 2008
What happened: Led by Stephen Curry, a skinny sophomore guard who is now a rookie with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, Davidson made it to the Elite Eight by beating Gonzaga (another past Cinderella team) and Georgetown by just six and four points in the first two rounds. Davidson then trounced Wisconsin 73-56 and almost knocked off Kansas, the 2008 champion, but didn’t advance to the Final Four. Some people thought Curry wouldn’t perform well in the NBA – he didn’t get receive much attention coming out of high school, and he was considered too small to play on the top level. Nevertheless, he garnered national recognition at Davidson and was the seventh overall pick in the NBA Draft.
This year: Davidson is not in the tournament.
We’re looking forward to seeing who this year’s Cinderella team might be. Any thoughts?
-Lori Johnston. Additional reporting by Robert Inskip.
March 22nd, 2010
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“If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.” This morning, my friends, we learned a very important lesson: This time-tested mantra rings true for lots of things, including education.
