A couple of months ago, I had a conversation with a parent of a sophomore who was concerned that her daughter had no idea where she wanted to go to college, what she wanted to study, or how to start figuring it all out.听 The only thing she knew for certain was that she definitely did NOT want to go to the same school her older sister is currently attending!听 After the mom and I shared a few commiserate chuckles over sibling rivalry, I shared the following:

• Start exploring. Gump told Forrest that life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you鈥檙e gonna get.鈥澨� The college search is sort of similar.听 You never know what鈥檚 out there until you start, so start exploring!
• Begin locally. If you are truly uncertain, you still have to start somewhere, so why not your own backyard?听 Visit the closest college to your home鈥攏o matter what type it is or how it鈥檚 ranked听 I can almost guarantee that on your first few visits you will learn more about the process than the schools themselves, so save your gas money and start nearby.
• Add variety. Schedule a visit to the closest large research university, medium-size comprehensive university, small liberal arts college, community college, etc.听 Keep in mind that these can be both public and private.听 At this point, don鈥檛 worry about price or reputation, you are just exploring.听 If you are going on a summer vacation or road trip, stop at any colleges that you might see along the way and drive around the campus.

By exploring what鈥檚 around you, things will start to fall into place.听 You may find that you like the large campus feel, or you might find that you really like a smaller more intimate campus.听 Once you know, you can then work with your family, counselor, college adviser, etc. to start building a list of schools on which to focus.

Colleges really are similar to that box of chocolates鈥攖here are so many varieties available!听 Large schools in small towns, large schools in big cities, small schools in small towns, small schools in the suburbs, small schools next to large schools in small towns or big cities, and everything in between.听 There鈥檚 usually something, or even several, for everyone.

The key is taking that first step. 听And when you first get started, don鈥檛 walk on campus and ask yourself, 鈥淚s this where I want to go to college?鈥� rather ask yourself if 鈥渢his is a college I would like to put on my list?鈥�

Good luck on your journey and may you find your own special combination that feels just right!

-Deana Ison

College Coach, Film Aficionado, and Mom of a College-bound Freshman

The post College Is Like A Box of Chocolates appeared first on 黑料大事.

“How is a teenager supposed to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives?”听This question really applies to/impacts everyone. How does anyone go about finding their professional passion?

I can think of three ways:

1. Wing It

Try a bunch of things and hope to one day figure it out. Adults give students this advice all the time: 鈥淥h sweetie, don’t worry about it. You’ll figure it out someday.鈥�

Looking at what has been termed 鈥淭he Great Resignation,鈥� which refers to the droves of people leaving their jobs, I’m not so sure that this 鈥渃onventional wisdom鈥� is working out. Something like 55% of people surveyed are unhappy with their careers and are considering a change in the next year, so this platitude about falling into work you love may be simply that鈥攁 platitude.

2. Talk to People

A more targeted approach might be talking to people who seem happy in their chosen careers. Ask 鈥渟uccessful people鈥� about what they do, how they got into it, and how they feel about it.

You can gain powerful insights from questions such as:

• What do you actually do on a daily basis?
• What do you like about it?
• What do you wish were different?
• How did you get to where you are?
• What do you think makes you successful in your role?
• If you had it to do all over again, what would you do differently?鈥�

College and career counselors can be wonderful sources of insight, as well, which leads us to our third method of finding your professional passion:

3. Take a career assessment听

Warning: not all career assessments are created equal, and sometimes the results depend heavily on your frame of mind when taking the assessment.

For example, when I was in high school, I thought I wanted to go into the healthcare field. I took a career assessment and tried to answer all the questions the way I thought that a doctor would. The test recommended that I become an interior decorator, so that鈥檚 probably not a great approach.

In college, I didn’t fare much better. For some reason, I waited until my senior year to make my way over to the career services center. After spending around an hour and a half on an assessment, I eagerly awaited my results. When the career counselor came to me, she simply shrugged, held up her hands, and said, “I don’t know what to tell you. You don’t match anything.鈥�

Wow. Talk about encouraging. Minus the encouraging part.

With no direction and no guidance, I graduated nine months later and proceeded to spend the next eight years slogging through various low-paying, stressful jobs that I hated.

In recent years, I’ve discovered an assessment called , which gives me hope for career assessments (the assessment pegged one of my least favorite jobs, technical writing, as a 鈥渧ery weak fit.鈥�).

Many career assessments ask subjective questions about the kinds of things you like. “Do you think you like this, or do you think you like that?” The challenge is that most people have no idea what they like. High schoolers, especially, have limited career exposure and related preferences.

YouScience is different because it primarily focuses on a person’s aptitudes, or natural talents and abilities. It then matches users with over 500 career fields based on the mix of aptitudes required to succeed in each.

and surveys are both based on methodology, which uses personality types to suggest careers and clusters that might be a good match for a student.

Organizations like conduct an in-depth series of assessments, often across multiple days, to help students identify their aptitudes. Through a series of 鈥渨ork samples,鈥� students are able to identify the speed and accuracy of different series of tasks in order to identify the academic and professional fields where they are likely to be more successful and, ultimately, more satisfied.

So, what do you do with all of this?

It might make sense to approach the process in reverse from the way I’ve laid it out above:

First, take a combination of the assessments mentioned to gain a better understanding of how you’re wired. Begin exploring the career recommendations laid out by YouScience. They provide all kinds of helpful information about each career such as “a day in the life,” common tasks, how each career fits your own aptitudes, recommended college major, and even a heat map with projected job openings around the US and salary ranges. As you explore this information, imagine yourself working in each role and ask yourself if you think you’d be happy doing so.

When you find a few options that seem like a good fit, save them to your “saved careers” list.

Next, find people working in the roles you’re considering. Talk to family friends and acquaintances, find highly rated companies on and locate employees of those companies on . Reach out via LinkedIn or get employee email addresses from the company website or from a site like RocketReach.co. When you message them, be courteous and let them know that you’re a student interested in their career field. Ask if they’d be open to having a twenty-minute conversation about what they do on a daily basis, what they like and don’t like about their jobs. Ask them how they got there or what path they would recommend to a student in your position. Be sure to ask them something along the lines of, “If you had it all to do over again, what would you do differently?” Perhaps they know of a similar role that involves less stress and better pay.

Lastly, try out a handful of these prospective fields via job shadowing or summer internships. Perhaps the contacts you’ve made in the step above can give you a foot in the door or can at least let you know who you might talk to in order to see if any internships are available.

Whatever you do, don’t wait around hoping for things to fall into place. You’re here for a reason. When you discover your purpose and get to live it out daily, you can experience less stress, greater joy, and more fulfillment than the many dissatisfied adults who are seeking a career change or are comprising the “Great Resignation” and leaving the workforce altogether.

It will take some work to figure it out, but your efforts now can dictate how you spend the bulk of your waking hours for the next 40 or 50 years. The investment of time and energy (and even money) is worth it.

Ben Marley

College & Career Coach

The post Pursuing Your Professional Passion appeared first on 黑料大事.

I often argue that summer is roughly 3 months long. So, a student who leverages her 4 high school summers has a full year of learning, growth, and development over one who doesn’t. However, not all summer activities are created equal. Every day, high school students (and their parents) are inundated with mail from seemingly fancy (and expensive) summer programs and advice from well-meaning relatives who tell them what their kids should be doing to make the most out of summer break.

As you consider formal, structured programs, it is important to know how to evaluate the many offerings on the market.听 Here鈥檚 how I would suggest you think about them (in order of priority):

Selective Programs

• College admissions officers will favor students who participate in programs that have a selection process, rather than those programs that will accept anyone who applies and can pay the hefty price tag (aka 鈥減ay to play鈥� programs, such as National Youth Leadership Forum,听 National Student Leadership Conference, or Envision).
• There are many selective programs, such as , and for those interested in healthcare, for entrepreneurs, or BU鈥檚 program for scientists
• is another competitive opportunity for students who are interested in a myriad of subject areas.
• Other options are those that are offered by organizations for the gifted, such as , and . Before students can enroll, they must first qualify through independent testing.

Rigorous Programs

• After the highly selective programs, colleges will look at those that require a high level of academic rigor. These are usually 6-8 weeks in length and offer college credit.听 These are usually limited to upperclassmen, due to the nature of the work involved.听 Most highly selective schools offer summer credit courses, such as , , and

“Pay to Play” Programs … And Their Counterparts at Schools that Consider Demonstrated Interest

• Beyond the first two categories are those 鈥減ay to play鈥� type of programs. While these are certainly not as compelling as the ones outlined above, they are not without merit.听 These “camps” can be a way to explore an interest in a non-pressure environment, however, I would think about what additional advantages various programs offer when compared to each other.
• Some colleges consider 鈥渄emonstrated interest鈥� in the application process.听 That means they will look to see how invested you are in the school (and how likely you will be to attend if offered a spot).听 So, do you open their emails?听 Do you follow them on social media?听 Did you meet with the admissions officer when she visited your school? Have you visited campus or taken a tour.
• Doing a program on a college campus that considers demonstrated interest is one way to check a lot of these boxes and get first-hand experience to help you determine if this is the kind of school that may be a good fit.听 is one such opportunity.听 Students can explore short, non-credit sessions in topics like Entrepreneurship, Business, Sports Management, Neuroscience, Debate & Public Advocacy, and Leadership.听 Students can also demonstrate interest through , exploring , delving into Environmental Science at , or听studying . While you are on campus, you can take the tour, attend an information session, meet your admissions officer and, in some cases, have a formal interview.听 Should you eventually decide to apply to the college in question, attending the summer program will favorably impact your candidacy.

In addition to these formal academic programs, there are many other ways to spend a productive summer.听 Here are a few ideas:

Independent Project Work

• Just because you are not attending a formal program doesn鈥檛 mean you can鈥檛 have a meaningful learning experience. Talk to your teachers and counselor to ask them for ideas for independent project work. Reach out to a university professor to see if you might offer assistance. There are also formal organizations, like , , and that will pair you with a professor to conduct original research. These are selective programs that require an application.

Internships and Summer Jobs

• There is no better way to demonstrate your responsibility and maturity than getting a summer job.
• Internships are a great way to gain professional skills while also learning more about an industry that may interest you.

Volunteer Work

• When considering volunteer opportunities, either during the summer or during the school year, it鈥檚 important to think strategically about them. Does this community service actually align with your interests?听 How can you share your talents and/or interests for the benefit of others? How much of a commitment are you making (for instance, are you volunteering 2 hours/week or 30?)

Summer is most definitely a time to relax, recharge, and reconnect with friends and family. But, it’s also an amazing opportunity to delve into your interests without the usual responsibilities of schoolwork and studies. So, take advantage of the time to explore. Who knows what you will find?

The post Ahhh…Summer appeared first on 黑料大事.

This past weekend, I had the great pleasure to co-host Parent University with test prep guru, Shane Bybee. The question of 鈥渉ow many years of foreign language must a student really take?鈥� came up, as it always does. In fact, this is one of the most frequently asked questions among high school students (and, sadly, one of the most often incorrectly answered).听 The answer really depends on your goal. To meet basic high school graduation in most states, students are required to take two years of the same foreign language. More selective universities and distinguished graduation plans, like that in my home state of Texas, require three years.听 However, the most highly selective schools in the country really want four years of the same spoken foreign language, ideally, culminating in the AP. That means languages like Spanish, French, Hebrew, Mandarin, Latin, German, etc.; unfortunately, ASL and Computer Science don’t meet this requirement at many schools.

No other guidance seems to evoke more grunts and eye rolls among my teenage clients than this sage piece of advice. 听And, I understand why. It is nearly impossible to learn a language in the way our school system structures it. Forty to sixty minutes a day is not a sufficient amount of time to immerse oneself in another language, to overcome the understandable discomfort and embarrassment, to gain practice, and to fully embrace the opportunity of being proficient in a different dialogue.听 For schools that are on semester-based classes or block schedules, this feat is close to impossible without supplementary instruction.

Milyon Trulove, Vice President And Dean Of Admission & Financial Aid at Reed College, a selective liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon, and alma mater to Steve Jobs, provided his reasoning of why four years of foreign language is so important to highly selective schools when I recently met with him. He argues:

1. The fourth year of foreign language covers more than language; it covers culture and world view.
2. The workplace is becoming increasingly global. So, whether you pursue a future in medicine, business, engineering, fashion, or teaching, being able to communicate with and work with diverse teams is critical.
3. Many colleges have a 2-year language requirement. If a student drops their foreign language in high school, admissions assumes their college curriculum is not a great fit for that student.

Is it possible to be admitted without the 4th year? Absolutely. However, if you are targeting Ivy League or highly selective schools, the fourth year will make you a more compelling candidate and a high AP score may help you place out of the college language requirement (as it did for me). If you have any question about how many languages you need, don’t rely on your friends, chat boards or, in many cases, your high school counselor. Instead, call the admissions offices of your target schools and ask them what they are looking for in successful candidates. Based on the answer, you can match your course planning choices with your ultimate educational goals.

Bon Chance!

The post How Many Years of Foreign Language Do I Really Need? appeared first on 黑料大事.

• For current seniors and transfers applying to college for the 2021-2022 school year, the family鈥檚 2019 tax returns will be required. Be sure these have already been submitted and processed.
• It is the student鈥檚 FAFSA and CSS Profile, not the parent鈥檚, though often adults complete these forms on the student鈥檚 behalf.
• It is best for students to begin the process by creating their Federal Student Aid ID. This is their digital fingerprint associated with their name and email address. Here is where they should go to create their FSA ID:
• Anyone else who expects to access the student鈥檚 FAFSA must create their own FSA ID as well, but only after the student has created theirs. If the student is less than 18-years-old, the parent will need to cosign the FAFSA and will therefore require their own FSA ID.
• After the student has created their FSA ID, their FAFSA can be started here:
• About 150 institutions also require the CSS Profile. The list of institutions is here, but it is always best to verify with the institution itself:
• Often within a few hours of submitting the FAFSA, the student will receive an email that it has been successfully processed. Within a few days after that, they will receive another email containing instructions on how to access their Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR contains a crucially important number鈥攖heir Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Parents overseeing the process should tell their children to forward all Department of Education emails to them, which may also include requests for further verification and documentation.
• When beginning the FAFSA, best practice is to select the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT). This will automatically populate many of the FAFSA鈥檚 questions directly from the federal tax returns, making completion much simpler. Under recent Department of Education guidelines, these populated fields are shielded from the filer, though the financial aid offices will be able to view the numbers. If the DRT is not selected, financial aid offices will most likely request further verification from the filer that the numbers they have entered actually agree with their tax returns.
• In certain circumstances, a filer will be ineligible to select the DRT. Here are the rules:
• In cases of separation, divorce, and non-traditional families, it may be unclear who should be listed as the parent on the FAFSA. Here are the rules:
• Many colleges will ask on the college application if the student expects to apply for need-based aid. It is important that the answer be accurate and truthful. If the student selects 鈥渘o鈥� and the college receives the FAFSA (and CSS Profile), one of three things may happen: 1) the college contacts the student to clarify whether or not they鈥檙e actually applying for need-based aid, inconveniencing an already overworked financial aid office; 2) the college doesn鈥檛 contact the student and processes the forms assuming the student is applying for need-based aid; 3) the college doesn鈥檛 contact the student and assumes the student is not applying for need-based aid. The student would still be eligible for federal aid (typically student loans and Pell Grants), but may be ineligible for institutional grants, typically the largest source of need-based aid. So it鈥檚 best to answer this question accurately the first time and not play games.
• Since these forms are typically submitted once, listing all colleges, it is crucial that they are submitted before the earliest financial aid deadline. If a student is applying in the early decision or early action round, that could be as soon as November 1.
• It is the student鈥檚 responsibility, not the consultant鈥檚, to know their financial aid deadlines. But it is the consultant鈥檚 responsibility to tell the family during the month of September that they need to learn these deadlines and not miss them. Missing a financial aid deadline can seriously jeopardize a student鈥檚 eligibility for aid.
• A few institutions require the FAFSA, and possibly the CSS Profile as well, to be considered for merit aid. There is no trusted or curated list of these schools. It is the student鈥檚 responsibility to learn from the school鈥檚 website or directly from the admission office if they require any additional forms for merit aid consideration.
• For families who do not want to apply for need-based aid but do want to make use of the federal student loan program, the FAFSA will need to be submitted. Big J recommends these families check 鈥渘o鈥� on the college application asking if the student expects to apply for need-based aid, to deposit at the school of their choice by May 1, and then to submit the FAFSA letting the financial aid office know that it was submitted for the purpose of federal student loans only. This way, there is no confusion over whether the student is, or is not, applying for need-based aid.
• For those families who are applying for need-based financial aid, the annual limit of federal student loans is usually included in the financial aid award, though a few schools have replaced these with additional institutional grants. For dependent undergraduate students, these limits are $5,500 for freshmen, $6,500 for sophomores, $7,500 for juniors, and $7,500 for seniors. For those taking longer than four years, this $27,000 4-year total undergraduate loan limit is increased to $31,000. For those borrowing for the current school year, the interest rate is 2.75% and fee about 1%, making this the first loan program to go to for those who want to borrow.

The financial aid process can be overwhelming.听 Become knowledgeable, stay organized and, if you need help, get expert advice. Happy hunting!

This list of recommendations is the property of Big J Educational Consulting and has been reprinted here with their permission

The post Do You Know What October 1st Is? appeared first on 黑料大事.

1. MLA Reference Guide:听Help your students ace their papers with this听听that details all the rules on punctuation, citation and proper structure.
2. Water Bottle:听We all know that college students survive on coffee, Red Bull and, well, some other unhealthy liquids. Help yours stay hydrated by giving them a water bottle, like the听, which measures daily water intake and offers inspirational quotes.
3. Face Mask: In this new world of COVID-19, the face mask is the latest accessory. Send your student to college with a mask that is equal parts function as it is decorative by having one made in or some other .
4. Book Light:听College students need all the sleep they can get. Help yours study at night without waking his or her roommate with a small but powerful book light.
5. Crock Pot:听Make your student a star in the kitchen with this easy-to-master cooking appliance. Imagine their delight when they come home from a long day to the aromas of a delicious and healthy meal that simmered all day without burning the house down.
6. Cook Book:听Help your student flex their culinary muscles by giving them a great cookbook. Whether it鈥檚 a bible of cooking basics like听听or something a little more exotic like a guide to mastering Thai or Indian cuisine, this gift will be well used long after they graduate from college.
7. Flip Flops: Anyone who has been to a college residence knows that showers are a prime source of fungus and bacteria. Help your student keep clean and safe with a pair of fashionable
8. Personalized Note Cards:听It鈥檚 time for your student to learn that, sometimes, a text just doesn鈥檛 cut it. Make traditional note writing more fun by giving your college student personalized notecards.听 Then, wait for the thank you note!
9. Words to Say:听Now that they have the cards, what should they write? Give them the right words for every occasion from declining a job offer to offering support to a friend whose parent passed away with a book like听.
10. Gift Card Basket:听Help your students make the most of their college town by offering a selection of gift certificates for restaurants, cafes, shops and entertainment venues in their area.
11. 窜补驳补迟鈥檚:听Make your student the cool kid on campus by giving them a guide to hot spots and hidden gems they can discover with their friends.
12. A New Language:听Language instruction, such as the self-paced , will help your student satisfy college language requirements, prepare for a semester abroad and become more globally competitive when they enter the job market.
13. Public Transportation Card:听Provide your students with a 3- or 6-month public transportation pass to help them get around town.
14. Massage Membership:听Keep your student balanced 鈥� mind, body and soul 鈥� by offering a monthly membership to a wellness spa such as听听辞谤听.
15. Biography:听Inspire your college student by gifting a biography of someone who has achieved success in their chosen field. Try Katherine Graham鈥檚听听for aspiring journalists,听听for techie enthusiasts or听听for financial whiz kids.
16. Nostalgia: Recreate your student鈥檚 childhood holidays by sending them candy, a favorite toy or hobby from years ago.
17. Ring Light: Help your student shine. In the “Zoom” world of online classes and meetings, having the right changes “drab” to “dazzling!”
18. Tickets to Cultural Event:听Sure, your student probably goes to a lot of concerts, but how often do they get to the theater or symphony? Expand their world by offering tickets to a cultural event they may not otherwise explore.
19. Fancy Restaurant:听College students are not strangers to eating out. However, another dinner at Chili鈥檚, Pizza Hut or Chipotle won鈥檛 rock anyone鈥檚 world.听 Instead, a gift certificate to a 5-star restaurant will be an experience your student and a special friend will remember. It doesn鈥檛 have to break the bank, either; many white glove restaurants offer reasonably priced lunch menus.听 And, in my humble opinion, a fancy lunch is way more indulgent than a high-end dinner.
20. New Talent or Hobby: A new hobby or talent, such as guitar lessons, glass blowing classes or SCUBA certification, is a gift that will continue to give for years to come.
21. Laundry/Maid Service:听Keep your student clean and stress-free by offering to pay a for a month of laundry or maid service. Who knows? They may decide they like to live in sanitary conditions and may even keep it up on their own long after the service ends.
22. Airline Miles or EuroRail Pass: There is no greater gift than the gift of travel. Encourage your student to explore new countries and cultures by providing access to a flight or train pass for them to use when travel restrictions ease.听 And, then, watch them go!
23. Cashmere Sweater:听EVERYONE loves cashmere. It鈥檚 like a hug from mom.
24. First Aid Kit: Help your student prepare for any emergency by outfitting them with go to essentials like Bandages, Neosporin, Aspirin and Antihistamine.
25. A Personal Letter: There are few things more powerful or more cherished than writing a thoughtful letter to express how proud you are of your student’s accomplishments, character and impact they have had on you and everyone around them.

The post 25 Great Gift Ideas for Your College-Bound/College Age Student appeared first on 黑料大事.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems we wake up every morning, holding our breath, to see what changes are occurring around us. That is nowhere truer than in the state of college admissions. This morning, I attended a web conference with admissions officers from American University, George Washington University and University of Maryland and they tried to help us navigate this unprecedented time. While many admit they are currently focused on the class of 2024 (current high school seniors) and don’t yet have the answers for our current high school juniors, the one big take away was to remember that admissions officers are staffed by human beings who have hearts and are empathetic to your plights. They are doing their best to serve your needs, along with the needs of their respective institutions. Right now, we are in a mode of “wait and see.” While that may not offer too much comfort to understandably anxious students and their understandably anxious parents, I hope you will take some solace in the number of institutions who have announced a test-optional policy for the 2020-2021 application cycle. As of April 14, 2020, here is the current list (please check with individual schools for the most up to date information):

2020 New Test-Major Optional Colleges or Other Major Testing Changes as of April 2020-in alphabetical order.

• 础尘丑别谤蝉迟听is now test optional for the 2020-2021 admissions cycle.They are no longer considering SAT subject tests or taking admissions deposits. They no longer require SAT or ACT scores for transfer applicants.
• Babson College听goes test optional for one year. It will review its policy next spring.听
• Boston University听is now test optional for next year, and will reconsider its decision next year.听
• Case Western听becomes test-optional for 2020-2021. “We are test-optional for students entering in the fall of 2021. We will determine policies for future classes in winter 2020/21. Students who want to submit their scores may self-report by completing the form on their applicant portals.听
• Center College听releases three year test optional policy.听
• Chapman听is now tested optional for 2020-2021. Those who were home-schooled or attended a high school that provided a narrative transcript will be required to submit a standardized test score with their application.听/ In addition, all applicants听who are non-native English speakers must submit proof of English proficiency. Students who score at least a 600 on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section, or a 24 on both the ACT English and Reading sections, will automatically have this requirement waived. For more information, visit our听.
• Colgate College听goes test optional for one year听
• College of Wooster听goes test optional permanently.听
• Davidson College听announces its own 3 year test optional policy.听
• Haverford College听launches three year test optional policy.听
• Indiana University-January 22, 2020-Indiana University goes test-optional for Fall 2021.听.听See Indiana University listing for details.
• Lawerence University听goes test optional.听
• Middlebury College听announces three year test optional policy.听
• Northeastern University听announces one year test optional policy. The new policy does not apply to admissions requirements for the Northeastern University School of Law juris doctor program.
• Northern Illinois University听becomes test-optional.听All applicants with a 3.0 GPA or higher in a college preparatory program will be guaranteed admission with no need to submit standardized test scores. The exception: applicants to the Nursing program must submit scores.
• Oregon State University听is going test-optional. More details to follow on their site.听
• Rhodes College听announces it will go test optional for the next three application cycles.听
• St. Mary’s of Maryland听becomes test-optional.听听All applicants except (1) who have been home-schooled; (2) who were taught in a non-traditional academic setting (i.e. without course-specific grades, pass/fail only grading scales, or narrative transcripts); and/or (3) who must demonstrate English language proficiency (i.e., are required to take an English language proficiency examination). All applicants will submit scores after admissions for institutional research purposes.听
• Santa Clara听goes test optional for the next two years.听
• Scripps College听is now test optional.听
• TCU听goes test optional for next year: a temporary decision. Read more.
• Tufts University听pilots 3 year test optional policy.听
• Vassar听goes test optional for the next application cycle and then will re-evaluate.听
• The听University of Washington听announces one year test optional policy听. International students are required to submit English proficiency exam scores that meet the听. In recognition of the COVID-19 pandemic鈥檚 global impacts, the UW will also accept the听听for any summer/autumn 2021 applicants.
• Williams College听launches one year test optional policy.听

The best advice I can offer to you now is to focus on the things you can control – your grades, your activities, your families – and leave the rest to the college experts. I have no doubt they will figure it out before the next application cycle begins.

List courtesy of All College Application Essays听

The post The Times, They Are a Changing appeared first on 黑料大事.

The time is here.听 Your hard work across the past 4 years has paid off and you are about to embark on the next part of your life鈥檚 journey.

Once you have made a decision on where you plan to matriculate or which colleges are no longer in the running, please do the following:

1. Send a lovely note to each of the admissions officers from schools who accepted you.听 Thank them for their support and, tell them that, as much as you love their school, you have decided to decline their offer of admission.听 听Besides just being nice at a time when they are fielding angry phone calls from students who were not accepted, this will free up spaces on their waitlist to anxious students who will be excited to take the spot you turned down. And, you never know when you might cross paths again. You might reconsider these colleges in the unlikely event that you decide to transfer or the admissions officer might end up at a different university in the future where he or she may come across your grad school application. It always pays to be polite.
2. Formally accept the offer of admission at the college you plan to attend and pay the deposit. National College Decision Day is May 1 (although some colleges have delayed it to June 1 in light of COVID-19). If you do not accept your offer AND pay the deposit by the decision day, your spot will be given to someone else.
3. Make housing selections and deposits. Depending on the college, waiting may cause you to lose out on your top choices or, in some cases, on campus housing altogether.
4. As difficult as it may be, be sure to maintain your grades and study for your AP exams.听 A high score may help you secure college credit or gain exemptions next year.
5. Now that you have been accepted, it鈥檚 time to turn your focus to how to transfer successfully, beginning with what you can do this summer to ensure a successful freshman year. Please see my eight-part series, 鈥淭he Complete Candidate鈥檚 College Transition Playbook.鈥�

The post 5 Things To Do After Being Admitted to College appeared first on 黑料大事.

Without the opportunity to attend an Admitted Student鈥檚 Day or, even, make one last trip to campus, what鈥檚 a high school senior to do? While there is nothing that can truly replicate an in-person college visit, there are many resources students and families can leverage to evaluate colleges remotely. Here are a few suggestions:

1. College Websites: So, this is obvious, but college websites offer a lot of great information. Go beyond the data you have already researched like the majors they offer and the nuts and bolts of the admissions process to learn more about what life on campus will really be like. Dig into the curriculum requirements and extra-curricular opportunities for your desired major. See what type of learning support services they offer, such as quant labs or free essay editing workshops. Learn about academic advising resources – both those that will help you graduate-听 and those that will help you prepare for graduate school and/or a specific career track. Look into student life by reading about school traditions, popular sports teams and on campus clubs and activities. Visualize your life on campus, the activities in which you will participate and the social network of which you will be a part. If you can’t see your life there now, perhaps you should move to the next school on your list.
2. Virtual Tours: Many colleges offer virtual tours for students who aren鈥檛 able to visit campus. For those that don鈥檛, here are a few private companies that offer virtual campus tours, as well:
   • Campus Reel:
   • E Campus Tours:
   • You Visit:
   • YouTube:
3. Campus Newspaper: Get your hands on a copy of the campus newspaper – either a paper or online version. Since the newspaper is run entirely by students for students, it will give you unfiltered access to the hot topics that are enveloping campus (and scandals), a sense of the campus political climate and opinions of students (see the editorial section).
4. Fiske Guide: Review legitimate third-party reviews of colleges like The Fiske Guide to get an unbiased account of the campus experience. Unlike blogs or sources like College Confidential (which is often biased based on the student鈥檚 experience 鈥� positive or negative), Fiske takes a measured approach to visit campuses, interview students and faculty and assess campus culture and social life to reveal the good, the bad and the ugly.
5. College Admissions Offices: The impacts of COVID-19 are changing daily. As a result, many college admissions offices are still figuring out how to navigate this new world. Stay connected to your college admissions offices by following them on social media, reviewing their websites for announcements and remaining in touch with your regional admissions officers. Once a college has admitted you, they want you to attend. They will surely develop a plan to showcase what makes them special and help you decide whether they are the right school for you.
6. Alumni: Contact your college local alumni chapters to see if you can meet with former students who have had first-hand experience with the colleges in question. This will tell you two things: (1) the level of responsiveness and willingness of alumni to meet with you will indicate how strong the sense of community is and (2) you will gain some insight about what it鈥檚 really like to be a student 鈥� even if some of the information may be a bit dated.
7. Your Application: Review your application, particularly your 鈥淲hy Essay.鈥� Are the attributes that initially appealed to you about this school still valid or has your thinking evolved through your college application process? If you were to restart your college list now, what qualities would dominate your list and which of your college options embodies them most strongly?

The reality is that there are many schools where you will get a great education and will be happy for the next four years. Take the time to do your research and make a sound decision. But rest assured that, whatever decision you make, it will probably be a great one. Happy hunting!

The post Choosing a College Amid COVID-19 appeared first on 黑料大事.

So, you鈥檝e done your best.听 You chose your college wisely.听 You prepared for the transition to college. You got out of your dorm room and tried to build a life that was fulfilling academically, socially and personally.听 But, no matter how hard you have tried, you realize now this is not the right college for you.听 You made a mistake.听 No biggie.听 We all make mistakes.听 Instead of burying yourself under your covers and retreating from life, it鈥檚 time to stand up straight and fix it.听 It鈥檚 time to transfer.听 (See Part 7: Transferring Out for your transfer plan.)听 If you have done all of the things outlined in Parts 1 through 6 of the Transferring to College Playbook, you should be in a position of strength.听 You have prepared for and taken advantage of academic resources at your current college so you should have a strong college transcript to submit.听 You have made the most out of the college鈥檚 social opportunities and extra-curricular activities so you should be able to discuss how you have made an impact on your community.听 You have reflected on what you really want in a college education and why your current college just isn鈥檛 the right fit for you.听 Now, you need to put this all into a well-crafted essay to convince your target transfer colleges that you will be happier and more successful there than you are now.

Here is your outline for your transfer personal statement:

1. What you were initially looking for in a college (aspects that will still apply to your new college)
   • Academic
   • Extra-curricular
   • Cultural
2. Why you chose your current school
   • how your current school initially met the requirements you outlined above
3. Why your current school no longer meets your academic and personal needs:
   • Curriculum/academic reasons
   • Extra-curricular reasons
   • Cultural/social reasons
4. What you are looking for in a new school (along similar lines of original thinking but more targeted now, with your current insights and/or future goals in mind):
   • Academic
   • Extra-curricular
   • Cultural
5. Conclusion:
   • The impact you hope to have in the world
   • The way you will remain a part of your new college community long after you graduate

Now that you have a plan, find the school where you will gain the experiences, skills, relationships and knowledge to achieve your goals. Happy writing!

The post How To Craft a Killer Transfer Essay appeared first on 黑料大事.