Your middle school grades and activities won’t appear on your college application, but you can use seventh and eighth grades to set yourself up to have the strongest record possible in high school. This will, in turn, increase your prospects of getting into an academically strong college. Additionally, if you’re applying to private high schools, these tips will help you as you begin to prepare for the SSAT and/or ISEE exams.

Seven tips for maximizing your prospects for top schools follow.

1. Work on Building Study Habits
Middle school grades won’t appear on your college application, so you can use seventh and eighth grade to work on time management and study skills. Start longer-term assignments well ahead of time and learn to focus on your work in a quiet setting.

2. Read a plethora of books
The more you read, the stronger your verbal, writing, and critical thinking skills will be. Reading beyond your homework will help you do well in high school, on the ACT and SAT, and in college.

3. Take Challenging Courses
When senior year rolls around, you will want to have taken the most challenging courses available at your school. The tracking of those courses begins in middle school (or earlier). Position yourself so that you can take full advantage of whatever AP courses and upper-level math, science, and language courses your school offers.

4. Work on Foreign Language Skills
Most competitive colleges want to see strength in a foreign language. The more years of a language you take the better.

5. Get Up To Speed in Math and Science
Advanced math and science skills are increasingly crucial in college and in the work place. If necessary, get tutoring help in these areas in middle school so you can excel as you move into high school.

6. Explore Several Extra-Curricular Activities
When you apply to college, you should be able to display depth and leadership in one or two extracurricular activities such as music, athletics, or drama. By figuring out your passions in middle school, you can better focus on developing leadership skills and expertise in high school.

7. Explore and Enjoy
Keep in mind that your middle school record doesn’t appear on your college application. Don’t stress out about college. Instead, use these years to discover explore new things, discover what subjects and activities excite you, and develop good study habits.

David Dickson is an admissions counselor at Top Test Prep; Top Test Prep’s educational programs and academic tutoring, allow students to improve exam scores and gain admission to top private schools, colleges and grad schools. Call TTP’s team today at 1-800-501-Prep.

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The Five Elite Small Liberal Arts Colleges; also, info on Liberal Arts Colleges’ Financial Aid Packages

As college sticker prices seemingly climb into the stratosphere, there are elite small liberal arts colleges which offer a better deal more than They place students in the best jobs and graduate programs while offering generous financial aid packages. Who are they?

Williams College, Williamstown, MA
US News and World Report “Best Colleges” Ranking: #1
Tuition (both instate and out-of-state) $43,000
Average Financial Aid Package: $10,440
Average Percent of Need Met: 100%
Williams College meets 100 percent of the demonstrated financial need of all students eligible for aid including all out of pocket expenses. Required books as well as lab or art supplies are part of the package.

Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY
US News and World Report “Best Colleges” Ranking: #12
Tuition (both instate and out-of-state) $45,000
Average Financial Aid Package: $10,263
Average Percent of Need Met: 100%
Vassar focuses on providing need based aid to its admitted students.

Amherst College, Amherst, MA
US News and World Report “Best Colleges” Ranking: #2
Tuition (both instate and out-of-state) $43,000
Average Financial Aid Package: $10,110
Average Percent of Need Met: 100%
Financial aid awards at Amherst College range from a few thousand dollars to the entire cost of attendance. Transportation costs are covered including airfare for one round trip.

Pomona College, Claremont, CA
US News and World Report “Best Colleges” Ranking: Tied for #6
Tuition (both instate and out-of-state) $40,000
Average Financial Aid Package: $9,259
Average Percent of Need Met: 100%
Pomona offers a work-study program, need-based awards, and merit scholarships to its students.

Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine
US News and World Report “Best Colleges” ranking: Tied for #6
Tuition (both in-state and out-of-state): $43,000
Average Financial Aid Package: $8,867
Average Percent of Need Met: 100%
Bowdoin attempts to avoid loans, when possible, and provide awards that don’t have to be paid back.

***
David Dickson wrote this article on liberal arts colleges; he serves within the admissions team for Top Test Prep.

You can gain admission to the small liberal arts colleges, and thus attend some of the best colleges in the country. Call (800) 501-7737 or visit our private tutoring program and test prep instructors.

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The Basics of Electronic College Applications

What should you know about college applications in the high tech era? A brief explanation follows.

I. How to submit your college applications (options):

The Common Application: With 456 participating schools, it allows you to fill out one application. State schools participating include the University of Michigan and UNC Chapel Hill.
The Universal College Application: The name is deceiving since it includes only 59 schools to whom you can submit a single application.
State and School Specific Electronic Applications: Many large state schools and selective private institutions such as Georgetown and MIT have their own applications that can be found on their web-site.

How to submit your high school transcripts:
An increasing number of high schools are using eDocs through Naviance to send the transcripts electronically to your schools. Paper forms for sending transcripts through the mail, however, can still be picked up at many high school guidance offices.

How to send test scores:
Students must request that test scores be sent to all of their colleges by the deadlines. You can request your scores through Request SAT scores, and Request ACT scores. When you sign up for the ACT’s or SAT’s, use the same legal name and e-mail for all subsequent application materials to avoid confusion.

Follow-Up is the Key
Assume it will take two to four weeks or your application to be processed. If its arrival has not been confirmed in four weeks, call to clarify its status and whether there are any missing pieces.

David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep which offers tutoring and test preparation with admissions experts who will help you gain admission to your top schools. For information on SAT Prep Tutoring, and ACT Prep Tutoring, or general college admissions, call (800) 501-Prep.

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College Applications and Attendance Up As Value of College Degree Grows
Recently released findings from the National Association of College Admissions Counseling and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shed light on the state of American higher education and the continued value of a college degree.

1. College Applications Have Increased
In 2010, 73 percent of colleges saw an increase in the number of applicants. Only 19 percent of schools reported a decrease in applicants.

2. Matriculation is Up
In 2009, a record 20.4 million students were enrolled in a post-secondary institution. This number is expected to reach 23 million by 2020.

3. Overall Acceptance Rates High, but Not At Competitive National Schools
While four-year schools accept 66 percent of applicants on average, this percentage drops to the low double and single digits at the most competitive institutions nationally.

4. Workers with College Degrees Earn Much More and Have Significantly Lower Unemployment Rates
A bachelor’s degree holder earns about $53, 976 annually on average, whereas a high school graduate averages less than $21,454 per year. Moreover, the unemployment rate for individuals with a bachelor’s degree was 5.4 percent in 2010, as opposed to 10.3 percent for those with only high school diplomas.

David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep; To learn more about SAT private tutoring and ACT Private Tutoring, simply call 1-800-501-7737.

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[This article helps students understand the right and wrong reasons for selecting a college.]

As a college faculty member and administrator for more than a generation and the father of a college student, I have seen too many families choose colleges for the wrong reasons. Here are a few common mistakes students make in choosing a college:

1. My Friends Are Going There
College is an opportunity to meet new people and have learning experiences outside as well as inside of the classroom. Broaden your horizons and avoid the temptation to replicate your high school social circle in college.

2. I Like the Climate
Few relish cold weather, but you can do Club Med during your vacation time or following college. Your focus should be on a school’s academics. Moreover, it is not regional prejudice to observe that a disproportionate percentage of America’s strongest colleges are in the relatively cold northeast, upper mid-west, and northwest regions. Freeze now and thrive later!

3. They Have Great Sports Teams
As an ardent college sports fan this is a difficult one for me to concede, but college is an investment in the rest of your life and academic quality must be prioritized. Besides, every sporting event you could desire is only a click away on ESPN or on your computer.

4. It Is Cheaper Than Other Schools
While one must have a consciousness of finances, cheaper can often mean fewer student and faculty resources and academic inferiority. It may be in your interest to make a short-term financial sacrifice so you can go to a more expensive but better school. The payoff will be superior graduate school opportunities and better paying jobs for the rest of your life. Moreover, elite private schools have more generous financial aid programs than their less expensive public or private counterparts. You might even ultimately end up paying less.
***

What should you look for in a college? A short list of factors would include student selectivity, faculty and student resources, retention and graduation rates, and average class size, all of which can be found in US News and World Report’s annual “Best Colleges” issue. Additional factors such as class size in your possible major, and placement rates in strong graduate programs and good jobs will require you to make inquiries with faculty and staff members.

Top Test Prep’s academic counselors can assist you in finding and getting into your top colleges, and its private tutors and admissions programs can assist you in your test preparation.

David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep; Call (800) 501-7737 or visit Top Test Prep education and test prep programs.

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Here are Ten Important College Admissions Trends, for students applying to colleges:

The most recent results from the National Association for College Admissions Counseling’s annual survey of what is transpiring in the world of college admissions follow.

1. College Enrollment Is Up
As of 2009, 20.4 million students were enrolled in college, representing 70 percent of all students who completed high school that year.

2. College Applications Are Up
Almost 73 percent of the colleges responding to the survey reported an increase in the number of applications received.

3. College Acceptance Rates Are Down
Overall national acceptance rates declined from 71 percent in 2001 to 65.5 percent in 2010. The most competitive national universities and colleges have acceptance rates in the low double and single digits.

4. Applications Per Student Are Up
More than 77 percent of freshman submitted three or more applications and 25 percent submitted seven or more applications.

5. Admissions Yield Is Down
Colleges are enrolling increasingly smaller percentages of their accepted student pool, declining in fall 2010 to 41 percent from 49 percent ten years earlier.

6. Admission From Wait Lists Is Down
Colleges accepted an average of 28% of all students who chose to remain on wait lists, down from 34 percent in fall of 2009.

7. On-Line Applications Are Up
On average, colleges received 85 percent of their applications online, up from 58 percent in 2006.

8. Admissions Selectivity Is Up
The national share of colleges accepting fewer than 50 percent of applicants rose to almost 20 percent in 2010.

9. Social Networking Is Up
The proportion of colleges linking admissions web-sites to social networking sites increased from 73 percent to 91 percent.

10. Emphasis on “Demonstrated Interest” is Up
The percentage of colleges attaching considerable or moderate importance to demonstrated interest increased from 48 percent in 2009 to 54 percent in 2010. Demonstrated interest is exhibited in different ways including a willingness to participate in interviews with college representatives.
***

David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep; Top Test Prep’s private tutoring programs allow students to improve test scores on subjects like the SSAT, ISEE (Private School) to colleges (SAT, ACT) to graduate schools (LSAT, MCAT, GRE). Call 1-800-501-7737 to learn more.

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Here’s a better way to write your college admissions essays, so that you avoid the most common mistakes in applying.

Ten Mistakes to Avoid in Your College Essays

It is college essay time and you want this part of your college application package to complement your academic and non-academic achievements, and not distract from them. Ten common mistakes to avoid in writing your college admission essay follow.

1. Writing It At The Last Minute
You have plenty of time to write a carefully considered essay. Deferring your work to the last minute will compound many of the errors which accompany poorly executed essays.

2. Not Addressing the Essay Prompt
Admissions committees formulate questions to elicit information that is important to their decision. A failure to clearly answer a question will be regarded negatively by them.

3. Failure to Have a Central Idea
An essay which does not have a clear thesis will appear to be incoherent to admissions members.

4. Ignoring the Word Limits
If you violate essay word limits, your ability to follow basic instructions may be questioned.

5. Use words wisely
A self-conscious use of flowery vocabulary words when more straightforward language would be fine will undermine the clarity of your essay and the prospect that it will be received favorably. Yes, we encourage the use of SAT words even, but you have to use them wisely and appropriately in order to make your essay flow for the admissions officers.

6. Dredging Up an Overused Topic
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel in your essay, but try to write a distinctive essay which reflects your distinctiveness as a person.

7. Incorporating Embarrassing or Politically Offensive Material into Your Essay
Certain topics including locker room humor or politically divisive subjects may turn off your readers.

8. Including Unnecessary Material
Get to the point in your essay and don’t include extraneous material which isn’t pertinent to the topic.

9. Not Writing in Paragraphs
Essays presented as undifferentiated blobs or curt single sentences in paragraphs will not help your cause.

10. Grammatical and Structural Errors
Have an experienced editor or reader proofread your essay to ensure that it isn’t error-prone. You can even contact us at Top Test Prep get college application help.

Conclusion

College application essays are vehicles for explaining your academic and non-academic strengths in a personalized fashion, which explains why you would be a good fit for a specific college. Avoiding common mistakes in formulating them could play a significant role in a favorable admissions outcome.

David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep. Get in touch with Top Test Prep today, by visiting TopTestPrep.com or calling (800) 501-Prep.

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As applications continue to climb for the most competitive colleges and acceptances sink to the single and low double digits, it is crucial that students and their families be conscious of trends which will impact upon their prospects. Four college admissions trends follow.

1. Challenging High School Courses Are a Must But in Moderation
While colleges look favorably at Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate courses, your stress should be on performance not quantity. Better to take two AP courses in a semester for which you have a passion and can earn high grades than four AP’s for which you will be over-extended with a commensurate decline in your performance.

2. Students Are Expected to Think Globally in Course Selection and In Their Experiences
In an era of growing international economic, political, and cultural ties, competitive colleges are looking for a cosmopolitan student body. Intense language study extending over a period of years, and if possible, an international exchange experience will enhance your credentials with prospective colleges.

3. Basic Quantitative Skills Are a Necessity
You need not be a math whiz, but you can’t escape the need to establish a foundation of solid quantitative courses. This applies to potential non-science majors as well as science majors. Quantitative skills as statistics and economics are in great demand in the work place as a whole and it all begins with those high school math courses.

4. Depth in Extra-Curricular Activities is Important
It is a good idea to sample a number of extra-curricular offerings as you begin high school. However, colleges will treat students positively who have displayed a commitment to a high school or community activity or two over a sustained period of time. The nature of that activity is less important than persistence and consequently achievement.

Conclusion
You can enhance your prospects of getting into colleges of your choice, but prudent planning is a pre-condition. Top Test Prep offers tutoring and test preparations with admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools.

David Dickson is an admissions counselor & expert with Top Test Prep. To learn more about Top Test Prep’s admissions counseling and private tutoring experts, call 1(800) 501-Prep.

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Conventional wisdom from friends and family on the college admissions process is often wrong. Four common college admissions myths and the truth follow.

College Admission Myth One: It Doesn’t Matter Where You Go to College

A common refrain from peers and sometimes parents is that education is basically the same everywhere and you will get out of it what you put into it.
Reality: Colleges vary enormously in resources available for students and faculty, the quality of teaching, and placement rates in good jobs and graduate programs. Examine peer reviews of colleges and institutional resources as reported in US News and World Report’s annual “Best Colleges” issue. Moreover, ask prospective colleges about post-graduation placement rates.

Myth Two: Class Size Does Not Affect the Quality of the Learning Experience

Reality: Smaller classes taught by full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty increase the probability that you will receive direct attention and feedback from your professor. Figures on class size and the percentage of full-time faculty can be found in US News and World Report’s annual issue.

Myth Three: Attending an In-State Public Institution is Much Cheaper than Attending a Private Institution

Reality: This is at best a partial and highly qualified truth. Elite highly rated private colleges generally provide more financial assistance than public institutions. Moreover, they will put you in better higher paying jobs and stronger graduate programs than most of their public counterparts.

Myth Four: Large Hub Public Universities Will Provide a Better Education in the Sciences Than Quality Small Liberal Arts Schools

Many people presume that the hub public institutions with their research faculty and science facilities will do a better job of teaching science to undergraduates than small liberal arts schools.

Reality: Public hub universities generally tailor their science programs to graduate students and the research faculty themselves. This has become somewhat less pronounced at select schools which have developed undergraduate science honors programs. Nonetheless, faculty at the most competitive small liberal arts schools must conduct research for tenure, but are also rewarded for their attentiveness to teaching. Moreover, these schools often do a superb job of placing their science graduates in highly ranked graduate and professional schools.

Conclusion
As you embark on the college admissions process, it is crucial that you separate legend from reality. Top Test Prep will facilitate this and provide you with tutoring and admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools.

David Dickson is an admissions counselor for Top Test Prep. For information on Top Test Prep’s private SAT and ACT Tutoring, call us at (800) 501-Prep.

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(Highlights of College Admissions Directors Survey)

A new survey of senior admissions officials at 472 nonprofit colleges and universities reveals an emphasis on finding full-paying students in a period of financial uncertainty. Selective results of the survey follow.

Survey Results from Admissions Directors:

(1) For many colleges, a top goal of admissions directors is recruiting more students who can pay more. The runner-up strategy was providing more aid for low and middle-income students.
(2) Among all sectors of higher education, there is a push to recruit additional out-of-state students (who at public institutions pay significantly more) and international students.
(3) At public doctoral institutions, the gap between admissions directors citing the recruitment of full-paying students as an admissions strategy and those who prioritized aid for low-income students was 47 percent to 40 percent. At public master’s institutions, the gap was 45 percent to 38 percent.
(4) The interest in full-pay students is so strong that 10 percent of four-year colleges report that the full-pay students they are admitting have lower grades and test scores than do other admitted applicants.

Conclusion
Maximizing your prospects for admission at America’s most competitive colleges is a multi-faceted process. Top Test Prep offers tutoring and test preparations with admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools.

David Dickson is an admissions counselor at Top Test Prep. For more information on Top Test Prep, give us a call at (800) 501-7737 or fill out our complete contact form today.

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US News and World Report’s widely disseminated ranking of American colleges came under assault in a recently released report by the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC). The report’s critiques of US News and World Report’s ranking formula and the rebuttal follow.

1. Should Standardized Test Scores Be Included in Rankings?
The NACAC report called for the removal of standardized test scores of admitted students from the US News ranking formula, asserting that they are not a complete measure of student quality and that their use discounts other aspects of admissions. US News, which assigns 7.5 percent of its overall rankings to test scores, dismissed this critique with the observation that they would only do so if the schools themselves discounted this measure in the admissions process. A recent survey revealed that 71.7 percent of all four year institutions will continue to require standardized tests for undergraduate applicants.

2. Are Peer Assessments by College Presidents a Valid Appraisal of Institutional Quality?
The NACAC called for reducing the weight of the US News peer assessment index, which counts for 22.5 percent of an institution’s overall score, on the grounds that it is highly subjective and is disproportionately influenced by social factors marginal to institutional quality. In short, college presidents do not understand the undergraduate experience at other institutions and sometimes downgrade other institutions to enhance their own. US News responded that there is no research based evidence that this is the case.

3. Are College Rankings Themselves helpful?
The NACAC report challenged the national rankings themselves arguing that the ranking criteria and the weights assigned to them by US News are arbitrary. Instead, overall rankings should be replaced by rankings customized to the criteria of individual families and students. US News contends that national ratings provide an essential tool for families interested in the relative merits of schools.
Conclusion

US News college rankings also assign importance to student retention rates, faculty resources, and alumni giving rates, among other factors. While the rankings will continue to generate heat from critics, there is little indication that they will be disappearing in the foreseeable future. Nor will the global competition for seats in America’s best colleges be diminishing anytime soon.

David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep. Contact Top Test Prep today @ (800) 501-Prep or fill out our quick contact form.

Top Test Prep provides students with expert private tutoring and admissions counseling.

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Want to know more about graduate school admissions?

A new study released by the Council of Graduate Schools paints a mixed picture of American graduate school education today. Trends identified by the study include the following.

1. Enrollments in Master’s Degree and Graduate Certificate Programs Are Down, but PhD Program Enrollments are Up

Enrollments in Master’s degree and graduate certificate programs were down 1.6 percent in 2010, fueled by drops of 8.1 percent in master’s degrees in education and 2.9 percent in business. Contributing factors included the hesitancy of prospective students to take on debt or leave jobs, and employers’ reluctance to subsidize employee graduate studies at a time of economic uncertainty. In contrast, PhD enrollments were up 1.5 percent in 2010 as departmental grants for enrollees remained intact.

2. International Student Graduate Schools Enrollments Continued to Climb
Enrollment of international students in American graduate programs was up 4.7 percent in 2010. International students made up a whopping 45 percent of graduate enrollees in math and computer science and in engineering.

3. Women Make up an Increasing Proportion of Graduate Students
The presence of women in graduate programs continues to grow and they now make up 58 percent of graduate students. Women constitute 80 percent of the graduate student body in the health sciences and 78 percent in public administration. Women still make up a distinct minority of graduate students in math and computer sciences with 30 percent of the total and in the physical and earth sciences with 39 percent of students.

4. Latino Graduate School Enrollments are Inching Up as Other Ethnic/Racial Groups Experience Declines
In terms of graduate enrollments of ethnic and racial groups (among U.S permanent residents), Latino numbers grew by 4.9 percent in 2010. Asian graduate enrollment percentages dropped by 0.1 percent for the year while declines were recorded among whites (0.6 percent), blacks (8.4 percent), and Native-Americans (20.6 percent).

Conclusion
Advanced degrees remain the best path to opportunity and prosperity for Americans in the post- industrial era, as borne out in numerous studies, despite enrollment fluctuations in selected fields and a cloudy national economic picture.

****

Top Test Prep offers GRE Tutoring, LSAT Tutoring, and MCAT Tutoring, for those applying to graduate schools. Call (800) 501-Prep to learn more.

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Families are bombarded these days with fancy brochures, slick web-sites, and savvy college representatives singing the praises of their institutions. How do you separate hype from reality and focus on what is really important in a college education? Seven recommendations for choosing colleges the right way follow.

1. Avoid Official Campus Tours and Class-room Visits, and Take Student Comments with a Grain of Salt
You want to be in charge of your own college investigation so there are common approaches to college visits to be avoided or placed in context. The official campus tour is just that, and is designed to manipulate your perception of the college. Skip it, and while you’re at it don’t bother to visit classes since colleges will steer you to those which shed the best light on them. Talk to students, faculty, and staff but keep in mind that they may be unrepresentative of the college as a whole.

2. Find out About Availability of Faculty Members
Look into the number of weekly faculty office hours set aside for students, and survey students on whether they have a faculty mentor. If you can’t meet with professors with regularity outside of the class-room, you are being robbed of the intimacy which is vital to an effective education.

3. Make Inquiries about the Advising System
Ask how often and comprehensively academic advisors discuss course options and academic concerns with their advisees. You don’t want to flounder as you search for the right major or combination of courses.

4. Scrutinize Student and Alumni Satisfaction Levels with Academics and the College Climate
Most institutions survey students and alumni about the quality of education and college life. Request this data including the NSSE(National Survey of Student Engagement:nsse.iub.edu/html/annual_results.cfm) or similar surveys. Moreover, ask about the CLA (Collegiate Learning Assessment: facwww.collegiatelearningassessment.org), which measures whether students’ analytical reasoning skills improve between their freshman and senior years.

5. Look into Campus Health Facilities
We all get sick so make inquiries about health facilities, including those addressing mental health issues. Ask how long it takes to get a routine medical appointment?

6. Examine How Satisfied Faculty Are
How collegial are faculty members and how committed are they to the institution’s missions and values? You can tap into this data through the HERI (Higher Education Research Institute: www.heri.ucla.edu) survey of faculty attitudes. A satisfied faculty will often bring positive energy into the classroom. Morever, scrutinize whether the college has a “learning and teaching center” to help young and seasoned faculty improve their teaching.

7. Request Graduate School and Job Placement Data
You’ll be amazed at how fast four years of college fly. The college should have data for post graduation placement in graduate and professional programs and jobs. Also examine how alumni are faring five, ten, and even twenty years beyond graduation.

Conclusion
If you are stonewalled on any of the inquiries just delineated, then the institution is overlooking a crucial component of the undergraduate experience or the well-being of its alumni. This is a bad sign and it’s time to move on. With strong teaching, advising, health support facilities, and job and graduate school placement, an institution is meeting its student obligations. Without them, your school experience may prove to be an unsatisfying one. Top Test Prep offers tutoring and expert test prep with admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools.

David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep; visit Top Test Prep’s contact page and request more information today or call (800) 501-Prep.

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Background to the Trend and How Families Can Take Advantage of It…

Students and families seeking an edge in the increasing competitive world of college admissions should take note of an emerging trend which has received little publicity. In response to diminishing support from financially strapped state legislatures, many of America’s top public universities have been steadily increasing their admission of higher tuition paying out-of-state students in recent years. Families with the financial wherewithal might consider applying to these institutions whose tuition are still lower than their private counterparts. Moreover, a sizable number of them also exercise rolling admissions policies where applications are reviewed as soon as they are submitted, increasing the odds of acceptance for early applicants.

Illustrations of the Admissions Trend

Elite public institutions across the country have been soliciting out-of-state students. In 2010, out-of- state students made up 20 percent of the University of California, Berkeley’s freshman class, up from five percent five years ago. Moreover, 39 percent of out-of-state applicants were accepted versus 24 percent of in-state applicants. Out-of-state students made up 40 percent of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor’s most recent freshman class, an increase of three percent from five years ago. The University of Virginia, Charlottesville’s percentage of out of state freshman increased to 33 percent from 30 percent the previous year. Notable increases in out-of-state students also included the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign where 27 percent of freshman had this status versus 19 percent five years ago and The University of Washington, Seattle with a comparable upswing over a three year period.

The Ten Public Universities with the Highest Proportion of Out of State Students
The following public universities have the highest percentage of out-of-state students.
***

University of Vermont, Burlington 66%
Indiana University, Bloomington 45%
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 40%
College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA 35%
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta 35%
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 35%
University of Wisconsin, Madison 35%
Penn State University, University Park, PA 34%
University of Virginia, Charlottesville 33%
Auburn University, Montgomery, AL 33%

Conclusion:

Students and families interested in quality public universities should explore out-of-state institutions which are eager to both broaden their geographical base and enhance their financial status. Top Test Prep offers elite private tutoring and test preparation with admissions experts who can help you gain admission to your top schools, whether private or public.

David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep; call Top Test Prep today at (800) 501-Prep.

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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

***

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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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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Reasons why students go to college…and other useful information.

What is the impetus behind the decision of American students to go to college and what do they regard as important in life? The most comprehensive national analysis of college freshman conducted in the last academic year by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA provides answers to these questions.

Reasons for Going to College
The following reasons were “Very Important” in deciding to go to college:
To be able to get a better job 84.7%
To learn about things that interest me 82.8%
To get training for a specific career 77.6%
To gain a general education and appreciation of ideas 72.4%
To be able to make more money 71.2%
To prepare myself for graduate or professional school 60.2%
To make me a more cultured person 50.9%

Life Priorities
Objectives considered to be “Essential” or “Very Important”:
Being very well off financially 77.4%
Raising a family 73.4%
Helping others who are in difficulty 69.1%
Becoming an authority in my field 58.0%
Obtaining recognition from my colleagues for contributions to my special field 54.8%
Improving my understanding of other countries and cultures 49.1%
Adopting “green” practices to protect the environment 42.3%

Conclusions
The monetary and career value of a BA alone is well established with college graduates earning more than a million dollars more in a life-time than their counterparts who just completed high school. Unemployment levels of high school graduates are two and a half times greater than college graduates. Relative financial stability then opens up opportunities for the realization of an array of life goals. Top Test Prep will assist you in gaining admission to your top schools.

David Dickson is an admissions counselor with Top Test Prep. For more information, or to interview and education expert, call (800) 501-Prep.

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A newly released federal report, “2008-09 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study,” confirms the wisdom of going straight into a private four year bachelor’s program immediately after completing high school. The report observes that bachelor’s degree recipients in 2007-08 who began their post-secondary studies at a community college took almost 20 percent longer to complete their degrees than those who started out at four year institutions, and those who began at four year private colleges finished faster than those at four-year public and for-profit institutions. Moreover, students who delayed entry into college by more than a year out of high school took almost 60 percent longer to complete their degrees than those who went directly to college.

Data on the median number of months to complete a bachelor’s degree follows.

Type of Student (time in months)
All Bachelor’s Recipients: 52
Delayed Entry into College: 80
Did Not Delay Entry: 51

First Institution (time in months)
Public 2-year: 63
Public 4-year: 52
Private 4-year: 45
For-Profit 4-year: 57

Institution Where Degree Earned
Public 4-year: 55
Private 4-year: 45
For-profit 4-year: 103

Major (time to complete in months)
Computer Sciences: 58
Engineering: 56
Biological/physical sciences, math: 45
General studies: 57
Social sciences: 45
Humanities: 45
Health Care: 57
Business: 53
Education: 54

Conclusion
While attending a four year college right out of high school is clearly in the interests of non-procrastinators, the strategy for finding your ideal institution is not as self-evident. Top Test Prep will assist you in finding that school and maximizing your chances of admission.

David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep which offers private tutoring and test preparation with admissions experts who help you gain entry to your top choice prep schools, colleges and grad schools.

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An article on how to select a college, and factors you should consider…

You worked hard during the academic year and you just want to chill out this summer. You can make that trip to the beach, however, and still get the ball rolling on your college search. What criteria should you use for creating your college list? The guidelines which follow are intended to assist you in that process.

1. Financial Fit and Aid
Discuss college finances with your family. Federal, state, and college scholarships and assistance are worth exploring, though keep in mind that the most competitive colleges nationally often have the most generous financial aid packages.

2. A School’s National Academic Status Relative to Other Schools
Undergraduate schools rankings are often indicative of the quality of undergraduate life from classroom experiences to facilities and support services. Moreover, they count in the real world when you apply for graduate school or explore the job market. US News and World Report’s annual “Best Colleges” issue is worth examining along with alternative ratings produced by Forbes magazine and Kiplingers.

3. College Majors
Find out whether a school offers the academic subjects you are most interested in. As your college search progresses, you can contact academic departments to find out about class size and the percentage of courses taught by full-time tenured and tenure track professors.

4. Placement in Graduate/Professional Schools and Jobs
Pose questions to schools and departments of possible majors about how their students fare in their graduate school applications and in the job market.

5. Academic Environment
The location and size of the campus and surrounding community and the weather should be considered.

6. Your classmates
The composition of the student body including the male/female ratio, and student attitudes on studying, leisure activities, and even politics can be pertinent.

7. Programming and student life
Honors programs, academic advising, internships, health services, and job counseling are worthy of examination.

8. Extracurricular Activities
Clubs, inter-collegiate sports, intra-murals, and community service opportunities are areas of inquiry.

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Conclusion

As you winnow down your college list, find out if there are alumni in the area that you can talk to. Plan college visits where you can arrange for an interview, meet staff and faculty, and informally talk to students. A college counseling and test preparation service can assist you with the logistics of finding the right schools and tailoring your applications to them.

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

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Here’s some information on Forbes Magazine’s Twenty Best Colleges in America:

Comparative assessments of America’s institutions of higher learning have become a hot commodity as embodied by US News and World Report’s widely circulated rankings. Forbes magazine has thrown its hat into the evaluation arena with its own distinctive approach. Its evaluative criteria include listing of alumni in “Who’s Who in America” (25 percent); student evaluations of professors from RatemyProfessors (25 percent); four year graduation rates (16 2/3 percent); enrollment adjusted numbers of students and faculty receiving nationally competitive awards (16 2/3 percent); and average four year accumulated student debt of those borrowing money (16 2/3 percent). Forbes most recent college ratings follow.

America’s Top-Ranked, Best Colleges:

1. Princeton University, NJ
2. California Institute of Technology
3. Harvard University, MA
4. Swarthmore College, PA
5. Williams College, MA
6. US Military Academy, NY
7. Amherst College, MA
8. Wellesley College, MA
9. Yale University, CT
10. Columbia University, NY
11. Northwestern University, IL
12. Wabash College, IN
13. Centre College, KY
14. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
15. Bowdoin College, ME
16. US Air Force Academy, CO
17. Middlebury College, VT
18. University of Chicago, IL
19. Smith College, MA
20. Pomona College, CA

Conclusion

Finding the best college fit in an increasingly competitive admissions environment is a full time job. Top Test Prep’s admissions experts offer counseling, tutoring, and test preparation to assist you in gaining admission to your top schools.

David Dickson is an admissions counselor with Top Test Prep. Top Test Prep provides private tutoring and expert test prep for students applying to top private schools, colleges and graduate schools. Call (800) 501-Prep to learn more.

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At a time of rising college costs and skepticism about the merits of a college education, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine has tackled the topic of institutions which offer the best educational value to their students. Its rankings measure academic quality and affordability with quality accounting for two-thirds of the total. Kiplinger’s ranking criteria for four year institutions with a broad based curriculum, and the rankings themselves for the 2010-2011 academic year follow.

Ranking Criteria for Best Public and Private Universities:

SAT or ACT: shows the percentage of the freshman class that scored 600 or higher on the verbal and math SATs, or 24 or higher on the ACT.
Students per faculty: the average number of students per instructor.
Graduation rate: the percentage of freshman who earned a bachelor’s degree within four years or five years.
Total cost for the current academic year: includes tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, and estimated expenses for books.
Cost after need-based aid: the total cost minus the average need based aid amount (excluding loans).
Aid from grants: the percentage of the average aid package that came from grants or scholarships.
Costs after non-need based: the cost for a student with no demonstrated need after subtracting the average non-need based aid amount (excluding loans).
Non-need-based aid: the percentage of all undergraduates without need who received non-need-based aid.
Average debt at graduation: the average amount owed by graduates who took out education loans.
To break ties, academic quality scores and average debt at graduation were used.
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Best Values in Public Universities
1. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2. University of Florida, Gainesville
3. University of Virginia, Charlottesville
4. The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA
5. University of Maryland, College Park
6. State University of New York at Binghamton
7. State University of New York College at Genesco
8. University of Georgia, Athens
9. University of Wisconsin, Madison
10. University of Washington, Seattle

Best Values in Private Universities
1. Princeton University, Princeton, NJ
2. Yale University, New Haven, CT
3. California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
4. Rice University, Houston, TX
5. Duke University, Durham, NC
6. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
7. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
8. Columbia University, New York City
9. Brown University, Providence, RI
10. Dartmouth College, Hanover, MA

Best Values in Liberal Arts Colleges
1. Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA
2. Pomona College, Claremont, CA
3. Williams College, Williamstown, MA
4. Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA
5. Davidson College, Davidson, NC
6. Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME
7. Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA
8. Amherst College, Amherst, MA
9. Hamilton College, Clinton, NY
10. Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY

Conclusion
A more comprehensive and detailed analysis of the best values among institutions of higher learning can be found at Kiplinger’s website. Navigating the application process for these institutions can be facilitated through a private college counselor.
David Dickson is a private counselor at Top Test Prep which offers tutoring and test preparation with admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools. For information on private tutoring and admissions counseling, call (800) 501-Prep.

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Here are some guidelines for parents who want to assist their kids in the college app process:

The media have recently highlighted “helicopter parents” who seize control of the college application process from their kids. They fill out their college applications, sit in on college interviews, and attend college events designed only for prospective students. However, the Harvard Family Research Project reports that teenagers whose parents play an active role in their education do better in school and are more likely to enroll in college. The College Board and the Art & Science Group reveal that approximately 30% of college-bound seniors wished their parents were more involved in the college application process. How can parents assist their children in the application process without taking it over? Guidelines for doing so follow.

The Right Way to Help Your Child in the College Application Process

(1) Do an Honest Self-Appraisal of Your Ability to Assist Your Child, and How You Can Do So

If you went to college ask whether your experiences are still applicable, and for what types of schools? What did you do well and poorly in the application process and in college? Consider hiring a private independent counseling service, such as Top Test Prep, with up to date information on the application process and the perspective that non-family members bring to the process.

(2) Serve as a Coach and Facilitator to Your Child in the Application Process

Don’t dictate your child’s college application strategy or adopt roles your child should be playing such as writing college essays. You are an advisor and sounding board for your child as they move through the process. Remember that it is an opportunity for them to become more independent and be resourceful in seeking information.

(3) Supplement Your Child’s Initiatives on College Applications

It is appropriate to help your child in organizing application material, researching colleges and financial aid, and editing their essays for grammar and sentence structure. Offer to take them on trips to college then step aside as they talk to students and staff while getting a feel for the campus.

(4) Offer Your Child Emotional and Moral Support During the Process

This is where you put on your conventional parent’s hat. Anxieties, frustration, and disappointment are a natural part of the application process. Be on the lookout for signs of these emotions by your child. Emphasize that you will always be there for them, regardless of the outcome of the process. They will perform better as a result.

Conclusion

As an educator for more than a generation and the father of a college student I have seen the full gamut of behavior by the parents of college bound students. You can help your child during this process by assuming an active, but supporting role. It will not only enhance their chances of succeeding, but contribute to the establishment of a foundation for a healthy adult relationship.

David Dickson is a college counselor at Top Test Prep which offers tutoring and test preparation with admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools. For more information on college counseling call (800) 501-Prep.

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How Foreign Language Study Can Help Students Get Into College and Launch A Career

About 44 percent of US High School students are taking a language. Spanish with 69 percent of students engaged in language study and French with 18 percent far outpace the less than one percent of students enrolled in languages the government characterizes as crucial to national security. These languages include Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

What are the benefits of language study?

(1) Language Study Leads to Higher Cognitive and Analytical Skills

Wilburn Robinson (1992) reviewing 144 research studies over three decades on the relationship between second language learning and cognitive skills observes that experience with two languages leaves students “with a mental flexibility, a superiority in concept formation, and a more diversified set of mental abilities.”

(2) Language Study Contributes to Higher Standardized Test Scores

A study by Armstrong and Rogers (1997) demonstrated that students taking a language for only one semester displayed significant gains in math achievement. Thomas Cooper in 1987 found that high school students who studied a foreign language scored significantly higher on the verbal section of the Scholastic Aptitude test than peers who did not enroll in language classes.

(3) Languages Broaden Your Understanding of Foreign Cultures In A Shrinking World

Languages offer a window into the nuances of other cultures. Through language study, students gain insights into world societies which cannot be fully understood through other academic disciplines.

(4) Colleges and Work Places Seek Out Individuals Who Display Intellectual Curiosity Beyond Their Immediate Environment

In a world with widespread cultural cross-fertilization, students with foreign language competencies are seen as assets by universities and work places. Private sector economic competition and public sector security interests are enhanced by workers who have immersed themselves in foreign language and cultures.

Conclusion

China, Korea, and many of the European Union countries mindful of the future and the need for a cosmopolitan and informed citizenry mandate school language instruction. The US government isn’t likely to take that step, but proactive families and students can take advantage of language study programs. The earlier the better, but it is never too late. The benefits will extend from the class-room to the work-place and beyond as students prepare for what is becoming a world without borders.

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

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