What’s in a name? Is there a difference between a college and a university?: Advice for Juniors Researching Colleges

Posted on Wed, 05/22/2013 - 05:44

As you research colleges this summer to come up with an initial list of schools where you may apply, understanding how they characterize themselves may provide important information. Whether a school is a “college” or a “university” can make a difference.

Most— but not all— colleges and universities offer a liberal education. That doesn’t refer to politics! “Liberal” in this case goes back to the original meaning of the word: “unrestricted.” It’s an educational approach where a student is called on to examine problems and issues from multiple vantage points and learns how to think, communicate, question, and probe. The rationale behind a liberal education is that the world is changing rapidly and training for a specific discipline or job is ultimately less practical than learning how to be ready for a world unknown.

Undergraduate education in the United States is dominated by institutions that hold to the notion that a liberal education is the best way to prepare for a life of significance, meaning, and means. There are, however, also terrificc options that do not insist students be liberally educated.

Here are the def nitions of the four general categories of selective four- year higher education

institutions:

You Can't Go Home Again and Learning to Cope: Stages 7 & 8 in The Transition from High School to College

Posted on Wed, 05/22/2013 - 04:32

The transition from high school to college, particularly for students who leave home and live in campus residence halls, is a challenge for nearly all students. However, some students find it more daunting than others.  Experienced counselors, both in high schools and on college campuses, have learned to recognize the stages that most students go through, beginning at the end of senior year, through the summer after graduation, and continuing through freshman year of college.  But most students have only a vague idea of what this transition will be like and are therefore stunned by the challenges they encounter.  First generation students, in particular, are likely to encounter surprises because their parents, having not attended college, haven’t had discussions with them about what to expect.

College Goes to the Movies

Posted on Thu, 05/16/2013 - 16:08

Yeah but Becky, I can't stay here. I aced my SATs which means that if I graduate, I can go to whatever college I want. Brittany S. Pierce, Glee

I'm applying to Oxford and the Sorbonne, but Harvard is my safety school. Max Fischer, Rushmore

I can't write and I can't spell.That's the privilege of 
a first-class education. Dickie, The Talented 
Mr. Ripley, (Dickie is a Princeton grad)

By the way, you know I ultimately do all these things for the good of mankind, right? Sometimes I don’t think I come off that way. Paris Geller, Gilmore Girls, (who desperately needs some volunteer work for her college application)

 

Juniors: Resources for Kickstarting Your Essays this Summer

Posted on Wed, 05/15/2013 - 10:37

We strongly urge you to have at least your Common Application essay in good shape before senior year begins. Fall of senior year is a busy time and writing your essays while attending school is like adding a class to your schedule. Summer provides the luxury of uninterrupted time to reflect and write. Here's some advice to kickstart your essays over the coming summer months -- from a suggested reading list that we hope will inspire to some excellent step-by-step guidance on the new Common Application essay prompts.

Finding Your Voice in the Essay:  A suggested reading list of first-person essays.

The Real Topic of your Essay is You: One strategy to help you find a topic.

What are colleges looking for in the essay?

Great essay advice from the deans at Vanderbilt, Chicago, University of Illinois and more.

Pushing the Right Brick for Diagon Alley  Writer and independent college consultant Irena Smith on getting started -- and getting personal -- in the college essay.

A Summer To Do List for Graduating Seniors

Posted on Wed, 05/15/2013 - 10:06

Your decision is made and you know where you're headed next fall. But there are still a few things you need to be aware of over the summer in order to insure the transition to campus goes smoothly. Here's one last checklist for you:

• Follow up on any remaining financial aid details.

• Look for summer mailings from your college about housing, orientation, course selection, and other subjects. If you will be away for a significant part of the summer, be sure the college knows where to send your mail, or arrange for your mail to be forwarded. A response from you may be required.

• Make your first payment on time.

• Complete the summer reading assigned by the college.

• Pack for college. Have a wonderful freshman year!

So that's it -- we're out of advice for you. But we will point you in the direction of our excellent move-in advice for college freshmen, which you will find here. Check it out. It will save you -- and your parents -- from back problems, heat exhaustion and repeat trips to the electronics store for cable cords.  

Thank you to Highland Park and Deerfield High Schools

Posted on Tue, 05/14/2013 - 12:56

Thank you, thank you… to the parents and counseling staffs of Highland Park High School in Highland Park, Illinois, and Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Illinois. College Admission spoke to the schools' parents of rising sophomores last night and it was a pleasure to hear about their hopes, dreams and concerns -- and answer their questions about grades, testing, interviews, and how to best guide their students through the next few years of college conversations. With special thanks to counselors Aliza Gilbert, Bill Morrison, Beth Gilfillan, and Kristen Thorburn.

Gluten-Free Reviews of College Dining Services

Posted on Tue, 05/14/2013 - 12:40

For students who require a gluten-free diet, the campus dining services require more than a stop for lunch after the official tour on a college visit. There's now a great new resource for such students to help them determine whether they can get the support they need. GlutenFreeTravelSite.com has published Gluten-Free Reviews of College Dining Services. Colleges appearing on the site must have either been reviewed by a student or parent or have been trained through the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness’s GREAT Kitchens Program, a designation that has been earned by such schools as University of Chicago, Drexel University and Emory University. The reviews offer detailed information on the services, flexibility and helpfulness of campus dining services. Apparently, some colleges rise to the occasion, some do not. This is a great resource for students, both during college visits and in considering where they may attend school.

Is a working knowledge of technology part of your skill set? It probably should be...

Posted on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 10:28

In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece, Sorry, College Grads, I Probably Won't Hire You, Kirk McDonald, president of PubMatic, an ad tech firm in Manhattan, makes the case for a basic knowledge of information systems as a part of every student's skill set no matter what field or major they're interested in pursuing. Engineering, fashion, education, finance, geology, medicine, public service -- it's relevant everywhere today. It's as necessary a part of an education as being able to write well. Just ask anyone, for example,who has had to work with a tech firm to create a website whether it's for a businessor a personal blog. Great advice and something for high schoolers to consider now and as they look at colleges and what they offer.

Seniors, Please Let ALL the Colleges where You Were Admitted Know Your Plans

Posted on Wed, 05/08/2013 - 08:55

Seniors, heads up! Terry Cowdrey, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, issued this plea -- which is excellent advice -- for high school counselors and the seniors of the Class of 2013.  

 A plea to school counselors: please encourage your students to respond to all of the schools where they were offered admission. College admissions offices are scrambling to determine if we can make offers to students on the wait list and dozens--no, hundreds--of admitted students have not confirmed their plans. We can assume they are going elsewhere but it would certainly be nice to know for sure. And it's just good manners.

Just because it’s after May 1 does not mean it’s too late to extend this courtesy to the colleges that took the time to admit you. Think, as well, about your friends on wait lists and how happy and relieved they may feel to know sooner rather than later that they have been admitted from a wait list. A simple email will do the job. So, please just do it!