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1. 3-Year college degrees can save time and money, but is it worth it?

   November 5, 2009

   Mandee Adler

   To save families time and money, there’s a new idea circulating around colleges and offices of college advisors everywhere: shaving a year off undergraduate programs.   In other words, shortening the usual four years of study into three.Different schools are looking at different approaches to making this a reality.   Some colleges will require summer work, others will cut course lengths and some might cut the number of credit hours required.Proponents say a three-year program could, and will, provide the course requirements for a major and some general courses that have long been a standard of American education.BACKGROUNDAccording to an article in The Washington Post, the four-year bachelor's degree was designed in large part to provide a broad-based education that teaches young people to analyze and think critically, considered vital preparation to participate in the civic life of American democracy.The three-year degree is the common model at the University of Cambridge and Oxford University in England. Such programs have also existed for several years at a number of schools, including Bates College in Maine and Ball State University in Indiana, which offers three-year degrees in about 30 areas.A new survey conducted by Junior Achievement and the Allstate Foundation found that 55 percent of teens had changed their college plans because of the economy.Some of the pros and the cons of the 3-year plan include:PROS • Three years give a boost for ambitious students who know what they want to study. • It will be easier for families to afford college • Students enter the workforce quicker and/or go on sooner for graduate study.CONS•  An undergraduate's social experience could be compromised. •  College would tilt more toward job training and away from the broad-based education that many U.S. schools offer.• Employers may then insist on a master’s before they employ anyone and this will increase the cost to students of the future.• Parents will pressure their students to enter a 3 year program and then students will have a miserable time, taking an overload of courses, and missing the experience of college.•  Students should enjoy these four years of freedom.  They have the rest of their lives to work.  From my experience as a college advisor, my thought is, if you're smart and dedicated enough to graduate in 3 years, you can figure out how to do it on your own.   AP credits, summer courses, and college credits gained during high school can be used to reach this goal.  I work with a few high school freshmen now who are accumulating college credit. Their life goals may change in the next two years but the college credit can work favorable for them no matter what college or major they enter. I know more than a few students, including my sister, who graduated in three years or less without their colleges having to create a special program.If you have any other college admissions questions for a college counselor, I’d be happy to answer them.  Please write me here or at my personal email which can be found on my International College Counselors college counseling website. Mandee Heller Adler, Founder and Principal of International College Counselorswww.internationalcollegecounselors.comFor the article that served as a basis for these college counselor thoughts, see:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/22/AR2009052203681_Comments.html#

2. Taking the SAT II – Why? And What’s a Good Score

   November 5, 2009

   Mandee Adler

   An SAT II Overview Colleges are increasingly valuing the SAT II Subject Tests.  To them, these specific subject exams demonstrate your actual understanding of a subject area, meaning how well you have learned each subject and how prepared you will be for college level courses. People who don’t consider themselves great test takers, just say Ugh.  The real bottom line: colleges like the SAT II exams because – like all standardized tests - they make the admissions job easier.   When tests are standardized, colleges can easily use them to compare you to other high school students nationwide. Hence, the SAT II.  Colleges believe (often quite rightly) the grades you get in high school don’t offer an as accurate measurement.  Some high schools are more difficult than others, some teachers are harder graders than others, some students earn extra credit for cleaning out test tubes, all these possible factors leave equally talented students receiving different grades.  Standardized tests are the great equalizer.    The tests include: Literature, U.S History, World History, Mathematics Levels I and II, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Japanese and Korean.    Not all schools require them, so you should check the universities requirements before registering for any SAT II tests. Each exam is one hour in length.   But make sure you study for them more than an hour.  The scores range from 200-800 as in the SAT I. Taking the exams These tests aren’t easy.  The best time to take one of the SAT II tests is right after you’ve finished a year long course in that subject. This way the subject matter will still be fresh in your mind.  Some exceptions would be if you plan to take the test in Writing, Foreign Language, or Literature. Then you’d want to take the test after the highest level class you plan to take.  Of course, there is no point in taking SAT II tests after November of your senior year, everything should be into the college admissions way before then. The only reason to take them this late would be if the colleges you’re applying to use the SAT II for placement purposes.   For the SAT II, you should prepare yourself like you would for the SAT. Get familiar with the format of the tests.  Take old exams for practice if you can.   The test dates for SAT II Subject Tests are usually in October, November, December, January, May, and June. However, not every subject test is offered on each of the test dates. To check when the tests you want to take are offered, refer to the College Board website at www.collegeboard.com   International College Counselors Tip: You can take up to three Subject Tests on the same day, but I don’t recommend it.  Don’t underestimate the difficulty of these exams.  It’s going to be one brain-challenging hour of you life. The ETS won’t let you take the SAT I and the SAT II tests on the same day even if both are offered on the same day.  What do The SAT II Scores Mean?   They can mean different things as the average score varies widely from test to test. In any given year, It’s all about who is taking the tests. Only the top students are taking these tests now because only the most select schools are asking for the scores.  This also makes it impossible to compare the tests directly across the different subjects.   The way to think about these scores is that they are part of the student's story. So, if the student says they are fabulous at math, they should do well on the math subject test.  If the student is just a "good" student with nothing really outstanding- these scores speak to that fact.   Here are all the 2008 median scores of college-bound seniors according to the College Board, the wonderful folks who bring you these tests:   English Literature: 580   History and Social Sciences United States History: 597 World History: 584   Mathematics Mathematics Level 1: 599 Mathematics Level 2: 644   Sciences Biology - Ecological: 593 Biology - Molecular: 630 Chemistry: 635 Physics: 650   Language Tests Chinese with Listening: 763 French: 620 French with Listening: 624 German: 620 German with Listening: 601 Modern Hebrew: 646 Italian: 671 Japanese with Listening: 693 Korean with Listening: 760 Latin: 624 Spanish: 640 Spanish with Listening: 647      

3. Making it easier to apply for college aid

   November 4, 2009

   Mandee Adler

   Thanks to the Obama administration, students and their families will find it easier to apply for financial aid.  The forms for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are being streamlined to be shorter, simpler and more user friendly.  For students and their families, this means, the forms will be easier to complete.  Anyone who has seen the form in the past will tell you, it was truly complicated.  Students seeking financial aid for college needed to answer about 150 questions.  Next year’s applicants should see a 20 percent reduction in questions.  Most of the extra questions will be eliminated by avoiding redundancies. For example, students who are at least 24 or older will be able to skip the 11 questions concerning parental financial information.  Also, in the simplified FAFSA form, low-income students will be able to skip over the questions about assets, since they aren’t even needed to determine their aid eligibility.The administration will seek legislation to simplify the form further.Next year’s form goes online in January. The FAFSA form is necessary to apply for Pell grants, Stafford loans, Perkins loans, work-study programs and much state aid. Over 16 million students and families apply for federal financial aid every year. The government estimates that 1.5 million potential college students could be eligible for Pell grants but have not applied, perhaps because of the complicated paperwork.Said Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, "President Obama has challenged the nation to once again have the highest percentage of college graduates in the world.  To do that, we need to make the college-going process easier and more convenient, and to send a clear message to young people as well as adults that college is within their reach. Simplifying the financial aid process is an important step toward reaching that goal."The full Times article can be seen at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/education/24fafsa.html?_r=1 

4. What to wear to a college interview

   November 3, 2009

   Mandee Adler

   What to Wear to a College Interview It’s summertime and many college bound high school juniors entering their senior year are going to make the most of it by going for summer on-campus interviews.   Many colleges no longer require interviews, but they can give a student the edge if the school is forced to choose between closely matched applicants. The question then becomes, “What to Wear?” According to some fashion experts, and this college advisor, students shouldn’t show up in jeans, shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, sandals, Crocs, or anything that ‘s too tight, too short, too sexy or too revealing. Think summer at the country club, and that doesn’t mean the pool.    The key is for a student to dress in a manner that suggests they are serious and that they are taking the meeting seriously.   It’s about putting their best foot forward and showing respect, enthusiasm, and interest in a formal atmosphere.  It’s also important that they feel comfortable and confident.   For men, a safe list of clothes includes khakis, tie, collared shirt, and jacket. For ladies, a nice blouse, long skirt/pants, and possibly a jacket. Showing a flash of your own style is nice as long as it doesn’t include anything provocative or profane.  And, please, clothes do need to be neat, not as if the student fell out of bed and into yesterday’s clothes.   An interviewee should look, not only sound, impressive.  The big picture of any student for a school is that this is going to be a representative of them.  Of course, students can always argue that if a college doesn’t like the way they are, maybe the college isn’t for them.  Remind them that focusing too much on “being yourself” in an interview can take away from what is far more important to universities, and that is who they will become. After that, you need to trust their common sense.  Or bribe them with a quick shopping spree.   Of course, if a student has a brilliant transcript and sterling SAT scores, those will trump even the scruffiest of looks.   Then again, here are some real no-nos that some admissions officers swear they’ve seen. Students who:Arrive barefootObviously haven't showered in daysSit on the floor, rather than the chair providedPut their feet up on either the couch/chair or coffee tablePick their noses (or at any part of their body) during the interviewSwear during the interview            Answer their cell phone and text            Wear their earphones the entire time Good luck out there!  And remember no gum chewing during an interview either.

5. COLLEGE ADMISSIONS: Some facts and what to do. Part one

   April 30, 2009

   Mandee Adler

   Hi moms, I just returned from a whirlwind visit to NYC. I met with a myriad of schools and admissions officers, and came back with some interesting information I thought I would share. Some of it may be new news, some simply reminders of what is already known.  But, it’s all very current and helpful to keep in mind as we embark on the college admissions process: Fact: Due to the collection of email addresses via the PSAT and PLAN, schools are able to reach out to more and more potential applicants via email.  Rationale:  Schools want to sell YOU too!What you should do:  RESPOND to emails if they ask you to.  Show interest and get involved.  It will help you learn about the school, and keeps you on the radar.Fact: A key deciding factor for many admissions reps is how well you can communicate the “Why xxx school question.”  Rationale: Schools want to know that you’ve done your homework, and they are simply not another checkmark on the common app.What you should do:  When you visit schools or explore schools via the web, be sure to keep an eye out for programs, professors or clubs that interest YOU in particular.  Take notes (so you don’t forget), and don’t forget to communicate your knowledge in essays and interviews Fact:  Schools are very focused on “increasing access” to minority groups, first generation students going to college, international students, etc.   Rationale:  Schools are looking for diverse classes- not just diverse studentsWhat you should do: If you are identified with a minority group, be sure to include it on your application. Also, get involved with something that reflects a connection to the minority group you are claiming to belong to (ie Latino Association, African Association, etc.) Fact: The SAT scores are often judged in “bands,” especially when combined with a top transcript.  So, for example, Penn considers 1400-1600 a “band.” Below that 1400 and you are in a different category, but anywhere within the 1400-1600 is considered a strong score.Rationale: Give or take a few points, a 1400 is still a good score, most especially when it is combined with a strong GPAWhat you should do: Don’t stress about getting 10 more SAT points, focus on your classes and your career direction. Your transcript means the most! Mandee Adlerwww.internationalcollegecounselors.com <http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com> >