PrepPoint

The Upside of Rejection: Your Safety School Might Be the Smarter Choice

anne — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:00:46 +0000

Kayla Webley, staff writer for TIME, writes, “[The] good news is, as painful as rejection is, in terms of long-term success, getting into a prestigious college doesn’t matter much. A study released in March by Alan Krueger of Princeton University and Stacy Dale of Mathematica Policy Research shows students who are rejected by highly selective schools go on to bank the same average earnings as Ivy League graduates. Krueger tells TIME his study shows too much attention is paid to the schools and not enough to the students. ‘Students can get a good education at many places,’ he says. ‘What matters most is what students put into their education — how seriously they take their studies and how much work they put in.’ It’s what he calls the ‘Spielberg effect.’ (Steven Spielberg, one of the most famous directors of all time, was famously rejected twice from the University of Southern California’s film school. He went on to attend California State University at Long Beach, a less selective school.) ‘Even if students don’t get in, the fact that they are confident enough to apply indicates they are ambitious and hardworking, which are qualities that will help them regardless of where they go to school,’ Krueger says.”

Who really gets into the Ivy League schools?

anne — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:00:57 +0000

Cristiana Quinn of GoLocalProv.com writes, “Ivy League admission statistics have been released for the Class of 2016. And the while acceptance rates don’t differ significantly from last year, the profile of the entering classes is eye opening. A strikingly high percentage are valedictorians, many are students of color, a significant percentage are first generation students, quite a few are international, and the children of alumni still make up a generous portion of the entering freshmen.”

How Colleges Really Make Admissions Decisions

anne — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:00:26 +0000

Kayla Webley, staff writer for TIME, writes, “Shrouded in mystery, the college admissions process often leaves students and parents puzzled as to why some gain admittance while others receive the dreaded rejection letter. Most colleges say they review applications holistically, taking into account a student’s grades, test scores, essays, recommendations and activities. But do they really?

“A new study from Rachel Rubin, a doctoral student in education at Harvard University, sheds light on the admissions process at the U.S.’s elite colleges, which admitted record-low numbers of students this year. Rubin found that when it comes to selecting an incoming freshman class, some schools are much more holistic than others. Rather than whittling down the pile of applicants by GPA or SAT scores, Rubin found that admissions officials at some of the 75 elite colleges and universities she surveyed (which were granted anonymity) use a much vaguer measure called institutional fit to decide who gets in and who doesn’t.”

Register for the June 2nd SAT by May 8th

anne — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:00:21 +0000

Remember to register by May 8th to take the SAT on June 2nd. Late registration is also available through May 22nd. You can sign up online at www.collegeboard.com.

Register for the June 9th ACT by May 4th

anne — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:00:45 +0000

Remember to register by May 4th to take the ACT on June 9th. Late registration is also available through May 18th. You can sign up online at www.actstudent.org.

Results are available for the April 14th ACT

anne — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:00:36 +0000

Results from the April 14th ACT are now available online at www.actstudent.org.

UC Non-resident Admission Soars

anne — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:49:59 +0000

Nannette Asimov, staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, reports, “The number of non-Californians accepted as freshmen to the state’s premier public university has nearly doubled in just two years, the University of California reported Tuesday.

“New admissions data show that UC has steadily increased its freshman admission offers to students from other states or nations, with nearly a quarter of all those admitted this fall – 23 percent, or 18,846 students – coming from elsewhere. Two years ago, just 14 percent of offers went to non-Californians, or 9,552.”

When bad friends happen to good kids

anne — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:00:12 +0000

Valerie Frankel of Good Housekeeping writes, “As parents, obviously we want to steer our kids away from toxic friendships. But sorting out which are the rotten apples, opening our kids’ eyes to what concerns us, and phasing out a dangerous friendship is tricky. So what, if anything, can we do to protect our children from the Maleficents of the world?”

Is your child an innovator?

anne — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:00:49 +0000

C. M. Rubin of Educationnews.org writes, “Welcome to the Innovation Age. Today’s world will reward the most innovative young people. World leaders, business executives, educators, and policy makers have joined in the global debate on how we create the next generation of innovators. Even parents are asking themselves the question: ‘Is my child an Innovator?’

“How do you train an innovator? Which schools are doing it better than others? Are teachers equipped with the new skills required to educate students in this decade? Are curricula incorporating the essential content that will help young people become more innovative? Are parents playing their part so as to ensure their children can face tomorrow’s challenges and ultimately lead richer, fuller lives?”

Beware of preferential packaging

anne — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:00:23 +0000

Lynn O’Shaughnessy of The College Solution writes, “Since funds are limited, colleges typically reserve their so-called preferential financial aid packages to the students they really want. If you read marketing materials from colleges, however, you usually won’t get the sense that financial aid is heavily determined by a college’s excitement or lack of enthusiasm for an applicant. Financial aid realities are a topic that admission officers rarely broach with families.

“In nearly all cases, a student with a 4.0 GPA and commensurate test scores is going to receive a better award than one who has a 3.6 GPA or a 2.9 GPA.”