The Coast to Coast College Fair

Calling all sophomores and juniors...we hope you are planning on attending tonight's Coast to Coast College Fair, from 6:30-8:30pm at the Chattanooga Convention and Trade Center. There will also be a financial aid session for parents - sponsored by the tennessee Student Assistance Corporation - starting at 6:45pm and 7:45pm (choose one).  For more information and to see the list of schools who will be attending, visit www.coasttocoastcollegefair.com.

Are AP courses worth it?

There is a new study from Stanford University that states the AP program isn't all it's cracked up to be.  Personally, I've always been ambivalent about the AP program.  While I believe there is some value in an advanced placement class, I have also wondered if it really improves a student's readiness for college. Since all colleges do not treat AP scores the same, I'm not even sure they believe in the value of the courses any more. In fact, the University of North Carolina recently did its own research and found that "taking more than five AP courses probably doesn't prepare students any better for college."

My solution would probably fall somewhere in the middle.  Let students take a few AP classes if they choose, but limit the number they can take each year. It won't hurt them in the college admissions process, and it would allow students to explore some of those other classes that have always piqued their interest.  Who knows? They might also find the time to become more involved in their activities, and they might find more time to just be a teenager.  I want students to have a more balanced life, but that's just my opinion.

Would you go to college in Canada and other questions...

There are some very weighty college  questions being tossed around these days, many of them centering around the rising cost of a four year degree.  Some state legislatures are coming up with their own solutions and some students are finding their own alternatives, some of which are free, believe it or not.

So I ask you, what is it that you really want from a college degree?  Is it just to be able to find a job, or is it also the additional experiences that you have while you're there?  What are your academic and social expectations?  Is it reasonable to expect a college to guarantee you a job afterward? These are all good questions to ask yourself while you're searching for colleges, and only you can answer them.

 

 

Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt Sports Medicine is excited to offer its annual Student Athletic Training Conference being held on June 1^st and 2^nd. This conference is designed specifically for high school students and 2013 graduates interested in Athletic Training, Physical Therapy and related sports medicine careers. Featured this year is a dissection of the hand and arm by a Vanderbilt Orthopaedic Physician.

Registration is due May 24^th. The brochure and other information can also be found at http://www.vande.lthealth.com/orthopaedics/ 28160

Excellent Extracurricular Advice

Good advice is good advice, whether it is intended for your future career or your college search, and the information in this article from The Savy Intern applies to high school students as well. To put it in very simple terms: every applicant to college has a high school degree; it's the other stuff you do while you're there that also counts. Colleges, like employers, want to know who you are as a person, what contributions you will make to the campus (or office), what extracurricular skills you have developed. 

There are many opportunities at GPS and beyond to get involved.  Take a risk, explore something new, volunteer, start a new club.  Don't just sit there and do nothing!

A College Scorecard

The U.S. Department of Education's College Affordability and Transparency Center offers  pertinent information about the cost and value of individual colleges.  If you type in a school's name, you can find the average net price (that is, the average price for students after grants and scholarships), along with the loan default rate, the median amount borrowed, and the overall graduation rate.  There are also additional search options if you would like to look for schools based on specific majors and careers, campus settings, and size and location. 

Colleges are also required to post a net price calculator on their websites that allow you to enter simple information about your college plans and your family's finances in order to get an understanding of the financial aid you might receive/what you might be expected to pay.  Remember however, this is only an estimate.  You can access the net price calculator for individual schools through the U.S. Department of Education link mentioned above.

Good Advice For All of Us

Wise words from Marty O'Connell, the Executive Director of Colleges That Change Lives.  And if you haven't looked at the book by the same name, you might want to check it out. 

A New Kind of Admission

One of the growing trends in college admissions is that of offering students a spring admission or a deferred admission.  We've seen it at GPS: several years ago a student was guaranteed admission to a highly ranked school if she went somewhere else for her freshman year. More recently a student was admitted to Northeastern University (one of the schools mentioned in this article) beginning in January.  There are several variations to this type of admission, so if offered one, you will have to weigh the pros and cons and decide what works best for you. 

Good Advice for Juniors

There are two very thoughtful articles that are worth the attention of every junior right now.  The first is titled "Choosing a Practical Major," and it argues that recognizing your interests and aptitudes are an important part of figuring out your major.

The second article, "Decoding the Common App's Essay Prompts," is a good way to get started thinking about next year's college essay.  While it is a little early to actually write the entire essay, it's not too early to begin brainstorming ideas that might make for a compelling response. 

Behind the Scenes in an Admissions Office

Last weekend's Education Section of the Washington Post had an interesting glimpse into what goes on behind the closed doors of an admissions office. In fact, the author got to learn more about the process at several schools.  So if you ever wondered if anyone is actually reading your college essay, the answer is yes*. Colleges really do consider your teacher recommendations, your transcript, your essays, your activities.

We're excited about our upcoming Case Studies Program on Sunday, April 28, the day before the Coast to Coast College Fair. For those of you who have registered, you will get a similar opportunity to see how admissions decisions are made.  It should be quite interesting!

(*For the record, there are some colleges out there that pretty much just go by the numbers, but if a college asks you to write an essay, you can be sure they're going to read it.)

New Tuition Model at the University of Tennessee Knoxville

In an effort to make sure students graduate in four years, UTK is making some changes to their tuition structure.  Students will now be charged for 15 credit hours per semester, even if they only take less than that.  The goal is to encourage students to complete their degree in four years, and by taking 15 hours each semester they should be able to accomplish that. It would also mean a savings of over $20,000 for their families.

For the full explanation, visit: http://finaid.utk.edu/costs/new-tuition-model.shtml

Can you find a job with a liberal arts degree?

Although there have been many recent articles about the importance of career oriented majors, I am still an unabashed fan of the liberal arts and consider them to be worthwhile pursuits in college.  So I found it very interesting that in a recent survey, 74% of employers said they would recommend a liberal arts degree.  "A candidate's ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than their undergraduate major, according to the survey conducted by Hart Research Associates."  This infographic also illustrate a simliar point.  However, both articles also discuss the value of getting an internship while in college or participating in something like a community-based field project.  Some kind of workplace experience while in college seems to be key to finding a job later but having the broad range of knowledge that comes with the liberal arts is also valuable.

On EFC's, Boys, and Rankings

Part three of "Making the Final College Decision" in today's New York Times addresses all three of these topics.  One in particular stands out to me: never choose a college based on where your boyfriend is going to school.  We agree with the author's comment "If they are meant to be together, they will be together, regardless of where she spends the next four years."  In fairness, however, I don't think boys should make such a big decision based on their girlfriend either.  You can read the post to see why rankings aren't worth it either. They explain it as well as we could.

The dangers of being a helicopter parent

I had to laugh when I read this article, because my adult daughter and I do frequently text each other, and she does call me almost every day (although I don't demand it!).  I am quite confident that she is an independent adult who can solve her own problems...probably better than I can. Nevertheless, I still believe that being too much of a helicopter parent can ruin a parent's health as well as their daughter's, and as an educator, I do believe that our over-involvement can sometimes be to our children's detriment.  Sometimes you have to let them figure it out for themselves.

The United States Coast Guard Academy

Academy Introduction Mission
AIM is a challenging summer program (July) for high school juniors interested in serving their country and exploring technical degree programs. For six actionpacked days, you are immersed in Coast Guard tradition and Academy life:

• in the classroom
• in the engineering lab
• on the playing fields
• on the parade grounds
• on the water

You rise early. You study, compete, and create. You test your mind, body, and soul as you make life long friends. This is a week that will change your life!
For application information and forms, visit www.uscga.edu/AIM.

Deciphering Your Financial Aid Award

Understanding a financial aid award can be tricky, and colleges don't necessarily make it easy for you. That's why this information from CBS Money Watch might come in handy for you as you try to figure it all out.  As mentioned in the attached article, there is  a new website, College Abacus, that helps you understand and compare aid packages. Check out the other links in the article - like 5 steps to evaluating a financial aid letter - as well.

If you're still trying to decide which college to attend...

If you are still trying to decide which college to attend - or if you're lucky enough to be debating which financial aid package to accept - here is some more great advice for you to consider.

http://nyti.ms/151kblB

Discovering Your Passion

I know I've been guilty of telling students to do what they're "passionate" about far too many times. That's one reason why this short article about discovering your passion resonated with me.  Maybe, as this article suggests, a passion for doing something is what you cultivate over a long period of time.  I see it all the time: the student who seems to flounder in high school because nothing particularly interests her, returns many years later having taken a course in college that excited her so much, she changed her major!  Or even the alum from year ago who calls for a transcript because she has decided to go back to work in a field that she never even knew existed back then.  For me, that's the beauty of education.  As the article states "there is no wrong choice because there is no right choice either."  It does kind of make me wonder why we (sometimes) urge high school seniors to know exactly what they want to study or do with their lives when they go off to college.

College Loan Counseling

If you are considering taking out a loan (Stafford Loan, Perkins Loan, or other), you might want to look over this loan counseling site provided by studentloans.gov (the Federal site).  It not only explains the different types of loans but also provides something like a net cost calculator so that you can budget your money for the coming year.

What is the college admissions world coming to?

"This time of year it’s important to remember that when it comes to receiving a quality undergraduate education, it often matters more what you do in college than where you go."

There will always be a thousand different opinions about this statement from an article in The Washington Post this week, but I happen to agree with it.  Every year there is such consternation over the ridiculously low admit rates of a handful of colleges and universities that people lose sight of the bigger picture.  Rather than lose our minds about this tiny percentage of schools, try this. Walk into any room and ask "how many of you feel like you are living a happy and successful life?" I guarantee you most hands will go up. Now ask how many of them went to an Ivy League (or Ivy League type) school. 

I'm very proud of my students.  The class of 2013 will be attending a very academically and geographically diverse group of colleges. They will enter large public universities and small private colleges. They will be studying engineering, music business, graphic design, nursing, international relations, theater, and biology among other things. They will be playing college lacrosse and volleyball, swimming laps and running track.  And yes, they will be attending some highly regarded colleges as well.  But more important than all of that, they will be attending colleges that fit what they were looking for all along, and for us, that has made this a very successful admissions season.

My students are GPS girls, and I cannot wait to see what they do next. Congratulations to the Class of 2013!

Can you appeal a financial aid decision?

If you are in the midst of trying to decide which college to attend, and which financial aid offer to accept, you might want to follow this blog post over the next several days.  Financial aid and admissions experts will be answering questions, including this one on "how final is a college's financial aid offer?"

I would say it never hurts to call a school's financial aid office and ask. Make sure they know you and your daughter are willing to do whatever you can. For example, are there additional scholarships your daughter can apply for? Personally, I think it also helps to have a specific amount in mind (and don't ask for the moon!).  They may still tell you no, but as I said, it never hurts to ask.

The Social Transition to College

Of all the transition issues for the new college student, I think making new friends can sometimes be the most intimidating.  I vividly recall two alums sitting in my office lamenting "I just don't have friends in college like I had at GPS."  Of course they didn't!  They had only been in college for a few months, while they had had seven years to develop friendships at GPS.

Most college freshmen don't think about the social adjustments they will have to make, but I think this blogger has some great insight and suggestions for how to approach this new phase in your life. 

Now that the decisions have arrived, what do you do next?

First, take a deep breath.  If some of the news has been disappointing, allow yourself a day or two to be disappointed, but then pick yourself up and move on. There is a college out there that loves you and wants you on its campus, so rejoice in that.  If you fortunate enough to have several options, remember that you must make your decision by May 1.  My friend, Scott Chrysler, offers some excellent advice on what to do next, but I want to particularly highlight two of his suggestions.

One, do not accept more than one offer! Not only is it highly unethical, but it can backfire on you.
And two, your senior year is not over.  Read those acceptance letters carefully.  Your acceptance is contingent on you finishing your senior year successfully.  You can do it!

If I'm counting correctly, you only have 47 more days until graduation!