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Are you considering going to graduate school? Whether you’re in the process of submitting applications or thinking about applying next fall, we’ve put together different types of financial aid that will help you fund your graduate studies. Cost of Attending Grad School Even with financial aid, deciding to go to grad school is a significant investment of your time and money.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE What? Is that insane?! Not at all. This is the perfect moment to take a deep breath and consider taking a break from school before plunging into the next pressurized step. Now is the time to think about a gap year or semester that allows time and opportunity to refocus, polish skills, explore an interest, or simply re-energize.
For the first time ever, the government has published very valuable financial information about college graduates in a new College Scorecard. The scorecard reveals average student debt levels (incurred during their studies) and income (in the first year after they finish college). The data is broken down by program of study and covers more than 36,000 programs at roughly 4,400 colleges.
AP tests, SATs, ACTs, GPA, extracurricular activities, awards, leadership—it’s enough to make your head spin—and likely to raise your level of anxiety just thinking about it all. Students these days have a lot to keep track of and many directions to focus their attention. Not only that, in terms of college admissions, each of these areas needs to be a priority, all while going through this thing called adolescence that is rife with social challenges, emotional changes, and identity development.
After applications are submitted and the giant feeling of relief has subsided, there are a few things to keep in mind. Each school has their own timeline for when they will inform applicants of their admissions decision. In general, schools which have rolling admissions take 2-3 weeks, schools with Nov. 1 EA will inform you between mid-December and end of January, and schools with RD in January will inform you by end of February or March.
You’ve spent the last fifteen years or so doing your best to prepare your child for all that life has to offer. Perhaps helping him or her get into a good college has been one of your longest-term, most important goals. So now that the time has come to prepare for the high-stakes SAT or ACT, all sorts of accumulated emotions and tensions are bound to surface.
Stanford University is one of the most prestigious institutions in the country, if not the world. With an acceptance rate of under 5 percent, the competition for admission is fierce. You’ll need to have stellar grades, test scores, activities, and, of course, college admissions essays to separate yourself from the many other qualified candidates. In Part I of this series , we broke down Stanford’s short answers and essay topic #1.
Know the Main Point You Want to Make. About Yourself In Your Essay! Or else… I don’t know why I haven’t written about this before. It’s soooooo important to writing a college application essay that will give you that edge in landing your dream school acceptance. To start off, if you don’t know the Main Point of your college application essay, you are pretty much sunk right off the bat.
Know the Main Point You Want to Make. About Yourself In Your Essay! Or else… I don’t know why I haven’t written about this before. It’s soooooo important to writing a college application essay that will give you that edge in landing your dream school acceptance. To start off, if you don’t know the Main Point of your college application essay, you are pretty much sunk right off the bat.
Parents are an important part of the equation when it comes to new student orientation. Today’s parents are often driving the move-in process, navigating financial options for growing higher ed costs, and supporting their student emotionally through the transition. We know that helping parents help their student get off on the right foot is critical.
(So you can participate in D1 or other level sports) by Julia Parzecki Be respectful towards coaches, referees, and other fencers Express your emotions in. The post How to Increase Your Chances of Gaining Acceptance to College as an Athlete appeared first on Not So Common Application.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE If you took the PSAT earlier this fall, you should expect to receive your scores sometime this week. The CollegeBoard says scores will be released to students Dec 9-11 (the exact date depends on where you live). Your counselor can access the scores on Dec 2 through the K-12 reporting portal. Be smart by using your PSAT scores to improve your score on the “real” SAT.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Up to this point, the college application process has been all about you. However, if you are a dependent student , then completing the FAFSA application will be a team effort. Before you dive in to filling out the form, be sure that everyone involved has gathered the information they need (social security numbers, tax information, FSA IDs, etc.).
Normal 0 false false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE It’s December! Holidays, family, days off from school - and college decisions?! That’s right, if you applied to any of the schools on your list in the first round of early action or early decision, you’ll probably be receiving decisions soon (if you haven’t already). This month be sure to: · Watch for admissions emails or letters from colleges. · Decide on your next steps.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE School can be busy, even overwhelming at times. You are probably grateful for winter break and the Christmas holiday, and for time to relax with family and friends. Hopefully your teachers spared you from any holiday homework! During the time off, why not take a minute or two of your time to write a gratitude list?
In a previous blog post , I wrote about early college application programs – the differences between early decision and early action, the pros and cons of each, and why it’s usually worth applying early. Now, I want to offer some advice to students who have applied early decision or early action, to address a common pitfall that I see among students.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE SAT Subject tests are based on curriculum you have in class. It's an opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of a particular subject. According to the College Board, "The SAT Subject Tests offer you an additional opportunity to show colleges what you know and what you know you can do. Many colleges use the SAT Subject Tests for admission, for course placement, and to advise students about course selection.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE How much will I pay for college? Paying for college is often compared to paying for airline tickets. No two people pay the same price. So how much will you pay? That depends on many factors. Knowing what those factors are, and how each college will look at your family’s financial situation, will help you determine what your cost of attendance will be.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE It’s high season for college applications. Students are polishing off college essays, waiting on final test scores, pushing for that last GPA point. Meanwhile, parents are biting their nails and wrestling with financial aid forms. So, let’s talk about postponing college. What? Is that insane?! Not at all.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Sports, clubs, academic competitions, music, work, social activism? Why do colleges care about how you spend your time outside of class? Your extracurricular activities are a reflection of your interests, your attitude, your work ethic, etc. Admission officers can learn a lot about you by your activity list - but they care less about what you do and more about how you do it.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Do early birds really have an edge in admissions? The answer is often yes! The purpose of submitting an application to a college early is to indicate your top preference for that college or a small group of colleges. Colleges appreciate knowing you are likely to enroll if admitted. With Early Action and Early Decision, you hear sooner whether you’ve been accepted to your “dream” school” and there is often a significant admission advantage to applyin
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE When should you take the SAT or the ACT? Identify which statement below applies to you to help determine the best timing for the test. Juniors I am eager!! I want to start early. SAT- Nov./ ACT- Dec. Let’s start the new year right! SAT-Dec./ACT- Feb. What SAT? I’m only taking the ACT. ACT- Feb., or April What ACT?
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Do you know your high school counselor? Maybe you’ve met with them to sign up for classes or to make a schedule change. Or maybe not. Depending on your school, your counselor may could be responsible for 30 students or 300+ students so some counselors are more accessible than others. Regardless, it’s important for you to know this person and know what they can do for you in the college search. 1.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE How do you measure your chances of admission for any given college? This is based on several factors. Some factors are more objectively measurable in the college applications process than others. The easily measured factors include: · Your GPA · Your tests scores on ACT, SAT, Subject Tests and AP. Less measurable, but also important to your college application are: · The quality (rigor) of your course schedule · Your resume of activities, work, and
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE You are on your way! You’ve got your college list finalized, common app essay completed, recommendations requested, and with applications around the corner you’ll soon be finished the college application process. These 5 tips will help you stay organized and on track. 1. Set up Application Plans. Know what is needed to make a complete application at each college you are applying to.
About half of students choose a major on their college application, but many times they make the decision without much research or thought. Even if they have put thought into it, how many 17 year olds truly know what they want to do? Nearly 1/3 of students who actually declare majors end up changing them within 3 years of enrolling. For most colleges, entering as a freshman undeclared is not viewed negatively, yet students feel pressured to choose a major before they apply.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE You can apply for financial aid now! The first step to getting financial aid is to apply. And although you may still be completing your college application, you can already start filling out the applications for financial aid. The two most used forms are available to be completed now. Date Application Opens Financial Aid Form Form Website October 1 FAFSA [link] October 1 CSS Profile [link] What is the FAFSA?
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Your eligibility for financial aid will be based on the calendar year starting in January of your junior year. Now is the time to learn what information you and your parents will need in order to file a FAFSA. What is the FAFSA? The Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form students and parents must complete and submit to the federal government to determine their eligibility for federal financial aid?
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE You are signed up and ready to take the ACT or SAT test! Here are 5 test day tips to help you ace the test by starting off on the right foot. Have everything you need ready when you leave to take your test on a Saturday morning. 5 Test Day Tips 1) Get a good night’s rest Friday night. Make sure your brain is rested and alert before you take the test.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Taking the PSAT/NMSQT is important as a freshman, sophomore and junior. Why? It is your opportunity to take a standardized test and see how you do, without having to worry that colleges or programs will see your scores (they don’t). It’s also a great way to prepare for the regular SAT and juniors it is your opportunity to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship.
How do you tackle the Stanford University short answers and college admissions essays? These are an important part of your application — one in which you can convey not only your writing style but also your personality. In fact, it’s one of the few places where you get to show off who you are, what you believe, and what’s meaningful to you. To help you understand what the admissions committee is looking for, we’ve broken down the short answers and first essay topic (with example) and offered gui
The SSAR What is it? The Self-reported Student Academic Record is basically a student’s transcripts in another format completed by the student instead of the high school. It is used as a substitute for official transcripts during the initial college application review process at several schools in Florida including University of Florida, Florida State University, Florida Atlantic University, University of North Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida Polytechnic University and The New Co
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE It’s September - time to finalize your college essays. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts to guide you. College Essay General Do's and Don'ts Do's 1. Do be concise and write about something you know. 2. Do be open and authentic. Reveal something about your identity in your essay. 3. Do show rather than tell.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Finding a college is a bit like finding a date to homecoming. You are both trying to get to know each other and size up your chances. Scoping each other out online, liking a post on Instagram, talking to friends, going on a “group date” (aka a college tour). You want to apply to colleges that you like and where you have a reasonable chance of being admitted.
Want to be a doctor? It’s a popular, highly competitive profession that only accepts the cream of the crop, and it all starts prior to your undergraduate education. In order to be accepted into a top medical school, you’ll want to go to a college where you can excel and get the best foundational experiences. It’s important to note that pre-med is not an actual major but a track.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE The essay portion of the SAT and the Writing section of the ACT are both optional. According to the Prep Scholar blog (as of May 2019), only 28 colleges require the SAT Essay although a number of other schools recommend it. Just a note - ALL of the University of California System schools require the SAT Essay.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Do you know the entire name of the PSAT test? It is officially the PSAT/ NMSQT test. “NMSQT” stands for “National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test”. The only time you can be considered for the National Merit Scholarship is during your junior year. Taking the PSAT is the only way to be considered. Taking the PSAT by grade level · Freshman year - It is your first opportunity to take a college prep standardized test.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Asking for recommendations? You might find this easy, or awkward, or somewhere in between. How do you get the best recommendations for your college applications? Follow these three steps: 1) Get Ready. Before you start asking teachers, counselor or others for a letter of recommendation, do your homework. a) Focus on familiarity.
Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE When applying to colleges, which is better - a higher GPA or harder classes (rigor)? What are colleges really looking for and how do they decide who to admit? Challenge yourself! Of course, having good grades AND rigor in your courses is the best goal. But if the choice is between a challenging class (like AP or IB) and a class that you know you will ace - go for the challenging course!
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