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.