On another note...Standardized Tests

Rather than talk about cheating, I'd rather talk about standardized tests.  A recent survey of over 300 college admissions officers found that it can be to your advantage to submit both your SAT and ACT test scores if they're both strong. But this brings up something else that some students don't take advantage of, and that is the number of colleges that are test optional. A complete list of those institutions can be found at www.fairtest.org

Can you rationalize cheating?

Apparently some of the students at Stuyvesant High School in New York could, calling it in some cases a "necessary evil" in order to get ahead and into the right college.  Even some of the teachers looked the other way, acknowledging the stress they believed their students to be under. I'd love to know what some of our GPS girls think.

Is your daughter a "First Global?"

Read this article to see what a "first global" is, and then you can decide whether or not your daughter fits the description.  But then this and his previous article begs another question: how important is it that our students have a "global competence?"

Friday Wrap-Up

There are days when I feel like there's no good news in higher education, but this report highlighting colleges with improved graduation rate of minority students was notable.  Virginia Commonwealth University is one such school, and in today's The Choice, the education blog of The New York Times, the director of admission for the department of music offers some great advice on applying to a performing arts school.

Now for some of our own advice.  As we've said before, pay attention to work and character limits when completing your applications. While some sites may allow you to go over by a few words, you don't want your essay to get cut off right at the finish.

Also, we have a great list of schools visiting GPS during the day and at the GPS/McCallie college night next week.  Please check your email or Naviance to see who's coming.  I believe you'll find there's something for everyone.

Last but not least, there is a lot of talk these days about how students are changing and how colleges need to change to meet their needs. This commentary touches on that very subject.

Is college worth the investment? The debate continues.

The debate continues over whether or not a college degree is worth it. Today's Chattanooga Times Free Press has several articles that seem to suggest a (four year) degree might not be worth the investment, while Monday's New York Times posted an article (complete with graphs) that indicate it is indeed worthwhile. I still believe it is as well.

Demonstrated Interest

Whether you think it's fair or not, we've often said that demonstrated interest (showing a college you're interested by talking to the rep when he/she visits campus, visiting the campus yourself, emailing the admission rep with questions, etc.) can play a part in the admisssion process. As the article states, why would you not take advantage of the strategy just in case?  After all, we all like to feel wanted and appreciated.

GPS is fortunate to have many colleges and universities visit our campus. Students should take advantage of those opportunities, not only to express their interest, but to let the college know a little something about themselves.

How important is a college degree?

The cover story in this week's Newsweek asks a provacative question: "Is College a Lousy Investment?"  Perhaps because I am a high school college counselor, I would still say yes, partly because most of the studies I've seen confirm that college graduates still make more money than those without a degree.  I do agree, however, that some things have to change.

Saying Goodbye to the You You've Always Been

If you are at all apprehensive about saying goodbye to all your friends and family when you leave for college, this is a wonderful article that puts it in perspective. No, things may not ever be the same again, but there is a whole world waiting for you somewhere else, and if you'll just give it half a chance, you'll love it!

Defaulting On Student Loans...the Price You Pay

While some of this news on student loan debts is depressing, it is worth noting that there are debt repayment options based on your income (make sure you ask about these), and the Department of Education is working on changes that would require debt collectors to offer borrowers an affordable repayment plan.  We also couldn't help but note that students who attend for-profit colleges often end up having the hardest time repaying their student loans.

Leaving for College

Even though my students are (almost) always ready to leave GPS by graduation, the actual leaving for college is much more emotional and fraught with problems than they can imagine.  But my friend and colleague, Marie Bigham, who is a college counselor at the Green Hills School in Texas, has some personal and astute advice on how to handle the transition.

Do college students cheat?

Did you know that according to one survey, nearly two-thirds of college students have admitted to cheating?  Many of our own alums have told us how shocked they were at the amount of cheating they saw in a college classroom and how thankful they were for the ethics the GPS honor code instilled in them.

Does the Harvard Cheating Scandal Say Something About All of Us?

Is this what we've come to now?  Do we live in a world where lying on one's resume or ignorning unethical and dishonest behavior is all the norm?   Forget for a moment that this scandal happened at Harvard.  Are you willing to turn someone in for cheating, or are you willing to do almost anything just to be successful?  These are important questions that we should all consider.

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