The topic of today’s blog post is comparing a school’s reputation versus cost and majors – extremely important factors that go into making your college choices.

With nearly 6000 higher education institutions in the United States, college-bound seniors have quite a few choices of colleges and universities to sift through to pare down their choices to a (relatively) manageable number. Nobody wants to write a hundred different essays. Save that for your writing courses (kidding, but not really).

I can unequivocally say that the importance of your school’s reputation depends on many factors. While there is always a certain amount of pride being able to put down on your resume (insert Ivy League, Duke, Stanford, MIT…), the question is, is it worth it? Chances are that twenty or thirty years down the road, the college you went to will only matter to you. Your success at 40 won’t depend much on what college you went to – it’s up to your own ingenuity, ambition, hard work with a little luck sprinkled throughout (isn’t it always?). However, are bragging rights worth having student loans at 40? The average student today graduates with nearly $30,000 of undergraduate debt, and this can take decades to pay off.

Our goal is not to say whether an Ivy is better than a top ranked state school like UC-Berkeley – rather it’s to show you that with each you can accomplish great things and further that you absolutely should consider all three: cost, majors and reputation of a college.

What’s the difference between a private institution that costs upwards of $40,000 per year and a public one about 10-15 per year? Some of you live in states with phenomenal state schools that can compete with the very best Ivies or just a fraction of their cost – like Virginia, Texas, California, (begrudgingly) North Carolina and Michigan, to name a few. To those who live in those states, if you can get into those respective schools, then more power to you.

There are certain majors and fields where reputation matters more, though more applicable for graduate program reputation like PhDs, MBAs, JDs and MDs. And those exactly are the fields where reputation might come into play – business, law, and medicine. The graduate program you went to will be more important in getting that first job. However, that isn’t to say that where you go to college doesn’t matter – it’ll help you get into the dream graduate program (applications will never end). There are a number of things that come into play with your undergraduate “stepping stone” into good business, law or medical schools. Above all, you need to do well. Remember that if you go to one of the top tier schools, you’ll have pretty stiff competition – we’re talking about the top 1% of students from all over the country. Can you compete? A 4.0 and good ranking in your class is valuable no matter where you went. A mediocre 2.0 from an Ivy? How do you (or an employer, or graduate school) begin to interpret that? You always take the chance.

Ivy institutions and their brethren have resources. And generally speaking, lots of it. But while they have some of the nicest buildings and newest toys, that doesn’t mean YOU get to use them. Having a cast of Nobel Laureates on faculty sound great, but I guarantee you they didn’t get a Nobel based on their teaching ability. Fun (or sad) fact – many of them find teaching bothersome because it gets in the way of their ability to secure research grants and conduct the research that they are passionate about.

Go to the best school you feel confident that you can get good or preferably great, grades. Go on college visits, sit in on a class or two in your potential field of interest (seminars and big lectures). Preferably go during fall or spring semesters (the summers tend to be average representations at best) to see if you can hack it. See what student engagement is like, and whether you feel like you’d fit in.

We recommend you think about a school’s value on the whole – considering reputation alongside cost and majors. Hope that helps you when choosing a college.

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Verne wrote this essay; he’s an admissions counselor and private tutor at Top Test Prep. For more information on getting into top schools, call (800) 501-7737 today.

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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.

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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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Here are some numbers for the 2012 – 2013 early decision/early action admissions cycle:

As the deadlines approach for early decision and early action applicants at America’s most competitive universities, a few institutions have released application figures. They indicate significant increases in applications over previous years. Early decision university applicants are contractually required to attend that school, whereas early action applicants can apply to additional schools early action or regular decision. Early decision and early action applicants at elite schools have an acceptance rate which is, on average, two to two and a half times higher than regular admissions applicants.

Early decision applications to Duke this fall have increased 23 percent over last year’s early decision applications.

Johns Hopkins early decision applications have experienced an eight percent increase over this period, and Dartmouth’s applications in this area are up two percent.

Princeton, which just re-instituted its early admissions option after a four year hiatus along with Harvard, revealed that 3,547 students had applied by its early November deadline, nearly triple the size of its freshman class.

Early decision and early action applications by students with their early deadlines, not only increase the odds of getting into the most competitive universities, but often increase the probability of receiving financial assistance.

The total pool of available money diminishes by the regular admissions deadlines at the start of the calendar year.

David Dickson is an admissions counselor at Top Test Prep which offers private tutoring and test preparation prep. Call (800) 501-Prep today.

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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.
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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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College interviews are often an integral part of the application process at colleges with competitive admissions processes. College admissions interviews don’t have to be tough! Here’s some help for that all important admissions interview.

Four ideas for a successful admissions interview follow.

1. Be an Interesting Interviewee by Getting Out of the Typical Teen-Age Comfort Zone
Check current events for a week or two prior to your interview, read a great book, and see a worthwhile film. You will be speaking to an adult who will be evaluating your maturity and perspective on life.

2. Research the College You Will Be Interviewing With
Look into prospective majors, college internship and exchange programs, and what makes the college you are interested in unique.

3. Have Specific Questions prepared for the Interviewer
Be prepared with three to five questions on the college which can’t be addressed by looking at the college web-site. Academics, student activities, and post graduation opportunities are legitimate areas of inquiry.

4. Be Prepared to Discuss Your Academic and Non-Academic Achievements
Reciting information from your transcript is not enough. Be prepared to discuss why you had a passion for certain courses and why a non-academic activity or experience was meaningful in your life.

Conclusion
Strong colleges are interested in thoughtful students who have a perspective on life and can explain how their institution will facilitate your goals. Careful preparation for you interview is a necessity if you are to excel!

David Dickson is a counselor at Top Test Prep which offers test preparation and tutoring with admissions experts who will help you gain admission to your top schools. Or you can call (800) 501-7737 to learn more about college admissions counseling programs with experts.

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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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Recommendations for a Successful College Fair Visit
As we transition into the fall, the college fair season is also upon us. How can you make the most of this opportunity? The following recommendations should be of assistance in this area.

1. Organize Before You Go
Review a list of the participating schools, usually available online or at your high school guidance office. A reasonable approach would be to target two to three schools in each of three categories: stretch schools, reasonable schools, and back-ups.

2. Prepare Questions for College Representatives Ahead of Time
Examine college web-sites to help you formulate questions on a variety of topics including your major, financial aid, internships, and graduate school and job placement rates.

3. Print Pre-Addressed Labels to Bring With You
Save time filling out interest cards by using pre-printed address labels with your name, address, e-mail address, high school, possible majors, and when you will start college.

4. Collect Business Cards from College Representatives
This will give you the opportunity for follow-up questions and a personal contact as you consider the institution.

5. Strategize With a Map of the College Tables
Pick up your map as you enter the fair so that you can use your time productively.

6. Arrive Early
If you get there early, before it gets crowded, you will have more time with the college representatives.

7. Review College Materials Carefully
Highlight what you like about schools, and write down questions to e-mail to college representatives.

8. Place Schools You Are Still Considering in a File
Add additional information to your files as it becomes available.

Conclusion
The college fair is only one stage in your college search, but an important one. Take advantage of this opportunity. Top Test Prep offers tutoring and test preparations with admissions experts who will help you gain admission to your top schools.

David Dickson is an admissions counselor with Top Test Prep. Call Top Test Prep at (800) 501-Prep or contact our team today.

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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.

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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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Want a four year plan for getting into the best colleges? If you wait until your junior or senior years in high school to prepare for college, you’re behind the curve and the challenge of finding the right institution can be elusive. A four year plan for getting into college and maximizing your potential follows.

What do do Freshman Year
-Enroll in rigorous courses. Generally, colleges recommend a minimum of four years of a foreign language, science, math, and history. Go beyond the call of duty and consider honors, and eventually advanced placement or International Baccalaureate course.
- Look into SAT Subject Tests shortly after you have finished a subject. Some colleges require them.
- Conduct an informal visit to a college to get a feel for college life.
-Make a commitment to an extra-curricular activity and community service. The depth of your commitment over a sustained period of time is looked upon more favorably by colleges than a laundry list of activities.
-Explore how scholarships work and what the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is.
- Consider a test preparation and college counseling firm. Top Test Prep offers tutoring with admissions experts who can help you gain admission to your top schools.

What to do Sophomore Year
-Think about when to take the practice SAT or ACT college entrance exams. The preliminary SAT, called the PSAT, is given in October and is combined with the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
- Start to explore what you might want to study in college.
- Bolster your transcript with strong grades and continue with your extra-curricular activities.

What to do Junior Year
-You should have a list of ten to 20 colleges that you would like to find out more about and to tour. On-line virtual tours will suffice for some, but plan selective college visits with your family.
- Request information packets from schools on your list.
- Communicate with students or alumni from schools which provoke your interest through friends, family members, or recruiter visits to your area.
-Schedule the SAT (October, November, December, January, March, May, or June) or ACT (September, October, December, February, April, and June)
-Keep a journal focused on what makes you distinctive to assist you with your application essay. Consider formulating a rough draft of the essay.
- Continue your research on financial aid including merit based and need based aid as well as accessing grants and loans

What to do Senior Year
-Make a master calendar to keep track of test dates, fees, and deadlines for Advanced Placement courses and retakes of the SAT and ACT.
- Flesh out your college essays.
- Follow-up on scholarships and complete the FAFSA form.
- Determine whether you will be applying to schools early decision (binding if you’re accepted) or early action (non-binding, but a preference).
– Even as you complete the items on your master calendar, don’t celebrate prematurely. Your grades still count and even poor second semester grades could convince a school to rescind their acceptance.

David Dickson is a college admissions counselor with Top Test Prep; David also help with the overall admissions expert team with private school, college and graduate admissions advice.

For more information on Top Test Prep, go to our Quick Contact and Request a Free Consultation. You can also call 1-800-501-7737.

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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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US News and World Report has just released its widely distributed annual listing of the top national universities and liberal arts colleges in the country. Its evaluative criteria include academic reputation, retention rates, faculty resources, selectivity, financial resources, graduation rates, and alumni giving rates. The top ten lists of colleges ranked is below:

The Top Ten National Universities
1. Harvard
1. Princeton
3. Yale
4. Columbia
5. California Institute of Technology
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
5. Stanford
5. University of Chicago
5. University of Pennsylvania
10. Duke

The Top Ten National Liberal Arts Colleges
1. Williams
2. Amherst
3. Swarthmore
4. Pomona
5. Middlebury
6. Bowdoin
6. Carleton
6. Wellesley
9. Claremont McKenna
10. Haverford

Conclusion
Students from around the world now compete for admission to America’s best national institutions of learning. Top Test Prep offers private tutors and expert test preparation with admissions experts who help you improve your exam scores.
David Dickson is an admissions counselor with Top Test Prep; Contact Top Test Prep today to learn more at (800) 501-7737.

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So, what are the standards for choosing students to gain admission? And how do the best colleges select applicants – what criteria is applied in the admissions process?

There are different college application admissions systems, but elite national institutions generally use the following criteria:

1. Grades and Rigor of Course Work (Honors, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate)
This criterion is based on the courses students take over time and the grade trend. Good grades and challenging course work are looked upon favorably.

2. Standardized Test Scores (SAT, ACT, SAT Subject, and AP exam)
Some colleges use an average of the highest SAT scores, while others use the highest in a single setting, and still others use the best scores achieved by a student. Keep in mind that schools may note the number of times you took an exam, despite their denials.

3. Extra-Curricular Record (Brag Sheet)
The duration and level of involvement in activities inside and outside of school are significant. Highlight activities such as community service, employment, summer experiences, hobbies, and honors.

4. Teacher and Counselor Letters of Recommendation
Colleges assess the quality of these reports.

5. The Admissions Essays
This includes essays and short responses that students are responsible for. The essay which asks why a student has chosen to apply to a college is of particular importance.

6. Extra-Credit Points
Additional factors in admission, though controversial, include legacy status, ability to pay, minority or first generation college status, and special gifts in athletics, music or another pursuit.

Conclusion
For the most selective elite schools nationally, strong grades and test scores may count for 70 percent of the admission decision. The other indicators may be used to distinguish between those who meet grade and test score standards. Top Test Prep offers tutoring and test preparations with admissions experts who help you gain admission to your top schools.

David Dickson is an expert admissions counselor with Top Test Prep; call Top Test Prep today (800) 501-Prep or visit us online at Private Tutoring and Test Prep Homepage.

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Here are some helpful tips for high school freshmen:

You have just entered high school and you’re overwhelmed by the number of students, all of those course options, and more clubs than you could have imagined. Settle down a little and after you’ve found your feet, it’s time to start preparing for the future. An important part of the future is college if you want to reach your full potential and enjoy the opportunities which are out there. What pre-college steps can you take as you transition into your freshman year.

Take Your Academic Work Seriously
As your academic work load increases, it is important that you stay on top of it and meet those deadlines. Reach out to your teachers to talk over an assignment or discuss a lecture. Seeking help when material isn’t clear is a sign of maturity.

Join Clubs
Explore extra-curricular activities. You can take your interests to a new level and discover new ones by attending club meetings. With time you will identify a couple of clubs that you want to devote your time to.

Begin Your Community Service, earlier than later..
Share your skills with the community. If you’re into environmentalism, you could formulate ideas for making your school more environmentally efficient. If you’re an athlete, offer your knowledge to disadvantaged or disabled young people.

Create A Four Year Academic Plan
Identify mandatory and optional high school courses with your counselor and family. Ensure that you are on the rights track for those Advanced Placement math or English courses you want to take during your final two years.

Enjoy Your High School Years
This is a challenging period, but you can make it an intellectually gratifying one with great friendships and the opportunity to contribute to your community if you choose. The path to college and a successful and productive life begins now.

David Dickson is a academic counselor and admissions counselor with Top Test Prep whose admissions and testing experts can assist you with test preparation and gaining admission to your top private schools, colleges and grad schools. To learn more about TTP’s private tutoring and admissions programs, simply call (800) 501-7737.

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In recent years, many colleges including the most competitive have been filling 30 to 70 percent of their freshman class through early decision or early action. Consequently, students who wait to apply during regular decision are competing with far more students for a smaller number of seats. Last year, the University of Pennsylvania filled about 50 percent of its freshman class through early decision whereas Johns Hopkins University and Williams took 40 percent of their freshman from the early round. Disparities between the prospects for acceptance of early decision applicants and regular decision applicants are often stark. Columbia University’s early decision acceptance rate for the class of 2015 was 20 percent versus six percent for regular decision applicants. Last year, Cornell accepted 35 percent of early decision applicants and 16 percent of those who applied through regular decision, while Brown’s figures were 20 percent in the early round and seven percent through regular decision.

Applying Early Decision
Students can only apply to one college early decision and if accepted they must attend. Deadlines generally fall in November and students are typically informed by the latter half of December of their application status.

Pros:
-Significantly higher acceptance rates
-Many early decision schools have sizeable need-based financial aid programs

Cons:
-You can’t change your mind
-You can’t compare college financial aid packages

Applying Early Decision II
It often falls a month or two after Early Decision I. In some cases if a student is rejected Early Decision I at one school and receives a letter of rejection, they may apply Early Decision II at a second school. Acceptance statistics are still unclear on this new practice.

Early Action and Priority Plans
Students can apply to several institutions under these rules, and have until spring to inform a college of their intentions. Deadlines in November or December are the norm and admissions decisions take a month or two.
Pros:
-Higher acceptance rates than regular admissions
-Families can exercise all of their financial aid options at a number of schools, and more favorable aid packages may be available earlier in the admissions process
-You aren’t compelled to attend

Cons:
-Lower acceptance percentages than early decision

Conclusion

Early decision and early action applications may enhance your admissions prospects and are worthy of exploration. Familiarize yourself with the admissions policies of every school to which you apply since they can vary. Top Test Prep offers tutoring and test preparations with admissions experts who can help you gain admission to your top schools.

David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep. To learn more about applying early or getting help with college admissions counseling, call (800) 501-Prep today.

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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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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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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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Recent years have witnessed a proliferation of university and college evaluation systems using criteria which differ from the highly visible and academically geared US News and World Report ratings. Washington Monthly magazine has come out with an interesting ranking system focused on which colleges do the most for the public good. The three broad criteria it uses are social mobility (recruiting and graduating low income students); research (producing cutting edge scholarships and PhD’s); and service (encouraging students to give something back to their country). The top ten national universities and liberal arts colleges by their contributions to the social good in 2010 with their overall scores follow.

Top Ten National Universities
1. University of California, San Diego 100
2. University of California, Berkeley 97
3. University of California, Los Angeles 93
4. Stanford University, Stanford, CA 87
5. University of Texas, Austin 83
6. University of California, Davis 81
7. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 79
8. Syracuse University, NY 78
9. Harvard University, MA 78
10. College of William and Mary, VA 77

Top Liberal Arts Colleges
1. Morehouse College (GA) 100
2. Bryn Mawr College (PA) 94
3. Swarthmore College(PA) 89
4. Berea College (KY) 89
5. Amherst College (MA) 85
6. Harvey Mudd College (CA) 80
7. Williams College (MA) 79
8. Spelman College (GA) 77
9. Wesleyan College (MA) 76
10. Wellesley College (MA) 76
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Students and their families are encouraged to examine alternative evaluative systems for institutions of higher learning when deliberating on colleges. This should be supplemented by college visits and meetings with faculty or staff in possible majors to discuss class size, the percentage of professors teaching who are tenured or tenure-track, and graduate school and job placement success.
David Dickson is a counselor with Top Test Prep which offers private tutoring and test preparation with admissions experts who help you gain admission to top schools. Call (800) 501-Prep to learn more.

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