The Academic Common Market

Last week’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation opened with host Beth Heaton and college financial aid consultant Shannon Vasconcelos, rounding out Part IV of the tuition reciprocity series a discussion on the Academic Common Market (you can find parts I-III in our Archives). Learn why a student from Alabama who wants to study English in South Carolina isn’t going to qualify for this program, while a student seeking a marine bio major from landlocked Tennessee could be eligible! Not every college participates in the program even among the 15 member states, and those that do participate may impose their own restrictions in terms of capping the number of students or mandating a minimum GPA requirement, and our expert provided tools to determine participation guidelines.

When news of a new Coalition application was introduced last fall, admissions counselors knew they would have to learn an entirely new application platform in order to help their students apply to college the following fall. As a college counselor, I was perhaps most interested in the way that the new application—and its essay requirements—might change the way my seniors were able to approach their work over the application season. Would students be able to engage in brainstorming in the same ways they had in the past? What sorts of essays would they need to produce? How much extra work would a new application require of them?

Taking AP exams comes at a high cost both in the price of the exam and the stress associated with studying for the test. Depending on your age/grade and where you plan to attend college, taking the test might not be worth the cost to you. See below for a quick guide to help you decide whether to sit for those tough tests at the end of the academic year.

It’s hard news to hear, especially at this time of year, but not everyone gets into the school(s) of their dreams. It can be tough to feel disappointed when seemingly everyone around you is celebrating. Your confidence may take a major hit, and it can be difficult to get revved up and excited about where you have been admitted. While this experience is a part of the admissions process for thousands of students every single year, it’s a topic many don’t like to talk about. Below, college admissions advisor Karen Spencer, former admissions officer at Georgetown University and Franklin & Marshall, offers advice to parents looking for help in moving their grieving seniors past disappointing decisions:

Last week’s episode of Getting In:  A College Coach Conversation, hosted by Beth Heaton, tackled two tough issues that high school seniors might be facing at this time of year, and also included a continuation of our finance discussions of regional reciprocity and tuition exchange programs.

With an increasing number of college and universities joining the ranks of the Coalition each week, it’s time for an update on the Coalition Application. If you need a basic primer on what the Coalition Application is, read our previous post: What Is the Coalition Application? Go ahead, we’ll wait. For updates, read on:

Getting the Student Perspective

Last week’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation, hosted by Sally Ganga, continued the trend of welcoming a current student to discuss her college selection process. Zainab Bindher, a College Coach alumnus and current student at the University of Michigan, introduced us not only to her application process but also the first year at UM. It was really intriguing to hear her description of her “Living Learning community,” a residential offering that enables her to connect with others with the same values both inside and outside the classroom. Because of her interest in social justice and aspirations for law school, Zainab’s participation in this community has been a huge part of her UM experience. For more stories from Zainab, including favorite courses and future goals, give the show a listen!

What Do Ivy League Colleges Look For? An Interview with Elizabeth Heaton

Brad Baldridge recently interviewed College Coach expert Elizabeth Heaton for his podcast Taming the High Cost of College.

Beth and Brad spoke in depth about what it takes to be admitted to highly selective schools like those in the Ivy League, covering everything from admissions officers’ qualitative to quantitative expectations.

If you’ve recently been admitted to a college or university (congratulations, by the way!), you may have started receiving invitations to regional admitted student receptions. If you’re wondering what these are, or whether or not you should attend, you’re not alone.

First, it’s important to understand why colleges offer these types of events. Admitted student receptions are often referred to in the back rooms of admission offices as yield events. Remember: a school’s yield rate is the percentage of students who choose to attend an institution in comparison to the number of students who were admitted. The higher an institution’s yield rate, the better; this means that a school can admit less students overall, knowing that a large percentage of students will take them up on their offer, thus decreasing their admit rate and moving them up rankings lists.

For many families, the month of April during senior year is a tough time! They may have survived the college visits, SATs, essays, and applications, but now they have a big decision to make: choosing the right college!

The decision may include many different factors, but once you know where you’re applying, you will have to send in a monetary deposit to secure your spot in the class and in a residence hall (if you’re living on campus). The deadline for submitting your deposit is May 1^st, no matter where you’ve been admitted. If your college of choice has limited housing, depositing earlier may guarantee you better housing, so at these institutions, the earlier you deposit, the better. After May 1^st, you will not get a refund on your deposit; and because most colleges require a deposit of $500 to $800, it is important to think carefully about where you deposit.