A just released Pew Research Center Survey highlights a growing gender gap on how female and male college graduates view their college experience. Selective survey results follow.

Is A College Education Money Well Spent?
50% of women say yes versus 37% of men

Did College Help You Mature and Grow As a Person?
74% of women say yes versus 64% of men

Did College Increase Your Knowledge and Help You Grow Intellectually?
81% of women said it was very useful in this regard versus 67% of men

Conclusion
Disparate gender attitudes on higher education are manifested in a growing disparity in college completion rates. As of 2010, 36 percent of women 25 to 29 years of age had achieved a bachelor’s degree whereas 28 percent of men in this age bracket had done so, a gap which has increased since 1992. In an era in which a college education is increasingly a precondition for a middle class life-style, the repercussions of this discrepancy are far-reaching for family stability and national prosperity.

David Dickson is a counselor at Top Test Prep which offers tutoring and test preparation with admission experts who help you gain admission to your top schools. Call 800-501-7737 or visit TopTestPrep.com today to learn more.

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Ten Factors to Consider in Your College Search

High School juniors should be picking up their college search and seniors should be putting it into high gear. What should you be looking for? Important factors in your search follow for those applying to colleges.

Factors in Your College Search

1. Liberal Arts College or Research University: Do you want a liberal arts institution with a teaching mission or a research university which may offer more majors and course options? US News and World Report’s annual “Best Colleges” issue offers this breakdown. It is important, however, to assess individual institutions since a growing number of research universities have honors colleges where teaching is a priority.

2. Region and Climate: This is worthy of attention, but keep in mind that some of the best institutions are in colder climates. You are applying to school for an education, not a locale for a spring vacation.

3. Type of Environment: Urban, small town, or rural.

4. Academic Profile of Freshman Class: Are their GPA’s and standardized test scores comparable to yours?

5. Composition of Student Body: Are you comfortable with the gender, geographic, and ethnic diversity of the school?

6. Attrition and Four Year Graduation Rates: Stronger institutions will retain a high percentage of their student body beyond the freshman year, and the vast majority of their students will finish in four years. This important statistic is chronicled in US News and World Report’s “Best Colleges” issue and provides insights into institutional support services and the quality of the student body.

7. Class Sizes in Your Possible Areas of Study: It is important that you go beyond institutional averages in class size since there may be departmental variations. Contact the departments of possible majors as you narrow down your search. Ask about class size in required courses.

8. Institutional Financial Aid Options

9. The Types of Clubs and Extra-Curricular Activities are Available on Campus

10. Post Graduation Placements in Professional/Graduate Schools and Jobs: Make an inquiry with the Career Counseling and Placement Office about the percentage of students who enter quality higher degree programs and jobs. It is legitimate to ask about the types of jobs and salaries of graduates.

Conclusion

It is in your interest to go well beyond a virtual college search and to visit campuses where you can talk to students, staff, and preferably professors in your possible majors. Arrange for class-room visits and drop by the cafeteria and campus hangouts to get a feel for the institution. Set up interviews where they are recommended. Top Test Prep offers tutoring and test preparations with admissions experts who can assist you in gaining admission to your top schools.

David Dickson is an admissions counselor with Top Test Prep; for more information on Top Test Prep, call (800) 501-Prep today.

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Here’s some information on rankings of engineering undergrad programs…

Lists of majors offering the most opportunities and the best pay in the job market invariably include engineering. For students who are strong in the sciences and math, what are the best engineering programs in the country? US News and World Report’s peer assessment survey using deans and senior faculty at institutions with accredited engineering programs provides an answer. Schools were ranked on a scale of marginal (1) to distinguished (5). Rankings for undergraduate engineering programs where the doctorate is the highest degree and where a bachelor or master is the highest degree follow. Schools with a doctorate often include a wider range of undergraduate engineering courses.

Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs Where Doctorate Degree is Highest Degree
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 4.8
2. Stanford, Stanford, CA 4.7
2. University of California/Berkeley, CA 4.7
4. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 4.5
4. Georgia Institute of Technology, Athens 4.5
4. University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign 4.5
7. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 4.4
8. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 4.3
8. Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 4.2

Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs Where Doctorate Is Not Offered
1. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN 4.5
2. Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 4.4
3. Cooper Union, New York, NY 4.1
4. California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo, CA 4.0
5. US Military Academy, West Point, NY 3.9
6. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Needham, MA 3.8
6. US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD 3.8
8. Bucknell University, Lewiston, PA 3.7
8. US Air Force Academy, CO 3.7
10. Villanova University, Villanova, PA 3.6

Conclusion
The payoffs of an engineering degree are high, but competition for the strongest programs is stiff. Top Test Prep offers private tutoring and test preparation with admissions experts who will help you gain admission to these programs.

David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep; for information on Top Test Prep’s programs call (800) 501-Prep today.

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A recently released study by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and The Work-Force traces median life-time earnings by highest educational attainment. Results of this study follow.

Median Life-Time Earnings by Highest Educational Attainment:

Less Than High School $973,000
High School Diploma $1,304,000
Some College/No Degree $1,547,000
Associates Degree $1,727,000
Bachelor’s Degree $2,268,000
Masters Degree $2,671,000
Doctoral Degree $3,252,000
Professional Degree $3,648,000

Conclusion

Earning a bachelor’s degree and advanced degrees provides their recipients with much higher earning potential than their counterparts with less education. Top Test Prep offers tutoring and test preparations with admission experts who help you gain admission to your top schools.

David Dickson is an admissions counselor with Top Test Prep, which provides educational counseling and test prep for students applying to the best schools. Learn more by call (800) 501-7737 today.

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A Ranking of Best Classroom Experience across All Colleges:

Based on student assessment of professor’s teaching abilities and recognition in their fields, the integration of new practices in the curricula, and the intellectual level of their classes.

1. US Military Academy, West Point, NY
2. Stanford University, Stanford, CA
3. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Needham, MA
4. Reed College, Portland, OR
5. University of Richmond, Richmond, VA
6. Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
7. Mt Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA
8. Bard College, Annandale on Hudson, NY
9. Williams College, Williamstown, MA
10. Pomona College, Claremont, CA

Where Professor’s Get High Marks:
1. Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
2. Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA
3. Reed College, Portland OR
4. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Needham, MA
5. Kenyon College, Gambier, OH
6. Colby College, Waterville, ME
7. Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY
8. Millsapps College, Jackson, MS
9. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, IN
10. Hamilton College, Clinton NY

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David Dickson is a counselor at Top Test Prep which offers Job Application and test preparation with admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools.

If you’re applying to the best colleges in the country, get in touch with Top Test Prep’s team – (800) 501-Prep.

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Researchers Kevin Carey and Eric Dillon from the think tank Education Sector have come up with a new way of measuring college success using a “borrowing to credential ratio” which sheds light on the dual problems of dropouts and debt. For each college they take US Department of Education data showing the total amount of money borrowed by undergraduates and divide that by the total number of degrees awarded.

The Problem with College Debt
The American education system is plagued by high levels of dropouts and debt. Only half of the students who start college get a degree within six years, and graduation levels at less-selective colleges often hover at 25 percent of less. In addition, student loan debt is at an all-time high with rapidly rising loan default rates. America is falling behind its international competitors in educating its populace and creating productive citizens.

Results
-Nationwide, the overall borrowing to credential ratio has increased sharply in recent years
-Certain sectors of the higher education industry-in particular, for-profit colleges- are racking up far more student debt per degree than others. For profit universities generated $43,383 in debt for every degree.
-State policies matter a great deal, with different public university systems achieving disparate results for students. The ratio of debt to degrees at public four year universities was $16,247.
-Among elite colleges and universities, some are faring well on their pledge to help low and middle-income students graduate without major financial burdens while others are riding a wave of student debt to fame and fortune. Private non-profit colleges and universities produced $21,827 in debt for every degree. Princeton was at the low end among elite private institutions with a borrowing to credential ratio of $2,385. In contrast, New York University’s ratio of borrowing to debt was $25,886.

Solutions to College Debt
States and colleges can direct their financial aid policies toward the neediest students. More attention to counseling and support for students who are at risk of dropping out is imperative. States who have managed student debt poorly like Iowa can learn from more successful states as Florida. Moreover, regulations like the “gainful employment” rules implemented by the Department of Education can curb the excesses of for-profit colleges that place students in financial jeopardy.

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David Dickson is an admissions expert with Top Test Prep, which offers private tutoring and test preparation with admissions counselors who help you gain admission to your top schools. Call Top Test Prep today at (800) 501-Prep to learn more.

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According to a new study of freshman, students who include SAT scores in their applications have higher GPA’s their first year than those who don’t do so. The study tracked students at Bowdoin College where both SAT and ACT scores are optional for applicants, and Barnard College, Colby College, Carnegie Mellon University, and Georgia Institute of Technology where students may submit one or the other.

At Bowdoin, students who did not submit standardized scores received grades in the first year which were .2 lower than those students who submitted scores. This pattern carried over to Barnard, Colby, Carnegie Mellon, and Georgia Institute of Technology for students who submitted ACT as opposed to SAT scores.

The study suggests that the SAT may predict academic performance in a meaningful fashion, though it must be expanded to additional schools to produce a more definitive conclusion. It also takes place against the backdrop of an increasing number of colleges who have decided to make the submission of selective standardized test scores optional.

David Dickson is a counselor at Top Test Prep which offers private tutoring and test preparation with admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools. Call Top Test Prep to learn more at (800) 501-Prep.

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Change in Question on Test Scores on the Common Application

The Common Application, now accepted by 415 schools, provides students with the opportunity to submit one application as opposed to individual applications for each school. This year’s version of the Common Application went live on the web on July 31 and includes a change in the section in which applicants are asked to self-report their standardized test scores to the colleges to which they are applying.
Applicants will now be given the option on the Common Application to report only their “best scores (so far)” as opposed to being compelled as in the past to report all scores.

The change was made in response to a feature introduced last year by the College Board called “Score Choice.” Through Score Choice, applicants can direct the College Board to withhold some SAT scores from the colleges they are applying to as long as those colleges do not require the submission of all scores. The administrators of the Common Application didn’t create Score Choice, but they have to deal with much of the confusion generated by the policy. One source of confusion is the all-inclusive way the question was phrased in the Common Application, which was seemingly at odds with the philosophy of Score Choice. Colleges use applicant’s answers on test scores to speed the processing of their applications before official scores arrive. Applicants have the right to leave this section of the form blank and the form will still go through.

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David Dickson is counselor with Top Test Prep which provides Ivy League Admissions Counseling as well as private tutoring and test preparation to help you gain admission to your top schools. Call (800) 501-Prep for more information today.

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High School Junior Year College Application To-Do List

As the academic year approaches, it’s time for rising juniors to start thinking about their college application to-do list. A list of steps to be taken follows.

Throughout your junior year:
-Find a test preparation and college advising service such as Top Test Prep to begin early prep.
-Keep your grades high and your courses as challenging as possible.
-Get information packets from the colleges you’re considering through their web-sites or admissions departments.
-Look into scholarships with your counselor, and at online sites like Fastweb.
-Attend college fairs, financial aid workshops, and career days at your high school and in your region.
-Start college visits over the duration of the year.

Fall of Junior Year (checklist)
-Meet with your advisor to make sure that you’re meeting graduation requirements and that your classes will assist you with the colleges you are considering.
-Register for and take the PSAT.
-Schedule dates to take the SAT(collegeboard.com) and ACT(actstudent.org) at least once this year.
-Look into financial aid programs.

Winter
-Review your PSAT results with your testing preparation service and your advisor.
-Register for the SAT, ACT, and SAT II tests. If you are applying Early Decision and want to take them a second time, arrange to take the SAT and ACT again in June.
-Think about what classes, volunteer work, programs, and camps you want to take or attend in the summer.

Spring
-Compile writing samples and put together portfolios for the colleges and scholarships you are interested in.
-Take AP courses for AP classes you have completed.
- See your advisor for an NCAA clearinghouse form if you want to play sports in college.
-Look for a summer job related to your intended college major.

Conclusion
Applying for college is a major task, but with these tips you’ll go far. Top Test prep can assist you by providing private tutors and test preparation with admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools.
David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep. Call (800) 501-Prep to learn more about Top Test Prep’s programs.

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An article on how college admissions has changed over time.

In an era when America’s most competitive colleges have admissions acceptance rates in the single or low double-digits, a recent article by Alison Cowan resurrects a seemingly simpler time when even elite institutions accepted most applicants. Using classified ads from the late 1800s, the article explains how Harvard and Columbia advertised for students right up to the opening day of the school year. Entrance exams were held the weekend before classes started. In 1870, 210 students took the exam for Harvard and 185 were admitted. Columbia behaved similarly advertising in the New York Times that classes were to resume the following Monday and that students would be received through Saturday. Vassar ran ads offering “posh room assignments” in professor’s houses for those who applied and were accepted.

A look at the fine print, however, reveals that taking entrance exams at these esteemed institutions was not an egalitarian exercise that any aspiring young person could take advantage of. Harvard’s literature for the 1869-1870 academic year observes that freshman were expected to display a command of Latin and Greek “with the accents” and also to demonstrate their understanding of the “whole of Virgil,” Caesar’s Commentaries, and Felton’s Greek Reader. Knowledge of mathematical quadratic equations, ancient and modern geography, English, and history were also pre-conditions for admission. Moreover, it should be kept in mind that in the 19th century few people made it beyond the eighth grade. In short, the applicant pool for America’s most prestigious schools was tiny and for the most part highly privileged economically.

You may be wondering when applicant pools began their climb culminating in a recent figure of 34,950 applicants for Columbia with an admissions figure just under 7 percent compared to Harvard’s 6.1 percent admissions rate? The answer is that competitive admissions at elite schools didn’t begin until the post-World War II period and picked up momentum in the 1960s. Whatever you think of the latter part of the 19th century with its pocket watches and steamship bookings, it was certainly a different world than ours in technology and admissions alike.

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David Dickson is a college admissions counselor at Top Test Prep which offers private tutoring and test preparation with admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools

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