College Admissions Weekly Roundup August 20 2011
20 Aug
Yes, the green tea is having it’s dual energizing and yet mellowing effect already! I’m so much better off the coffee, but to each his/her own, and enjoy the java if it moves you!
This week I’ve come across several good articles and blog posts in the college admissions realm, and I’m thinking that perhaps we are all waking up from our dream-like summer siesta – and getting on with the writing!
We are getting close to the start of classes for high schoolers – those in the warmer climates may have already started! And as such we are all so busy! Just wanted to remind you, though, not to forget to register for the standardized test of your choice in the fall! The deadline for the September ACT has passed, but you can still pay a late fee and register up until August 26 – next Friday! Also, you have until Sept 9th to register for the October SAT and SAT Subject tests…
The first article this week appears in The Daily Beast, “The Out-of-State Admissions Edge“, by Steve Cohen (author of Getting In!) gives a great description of the landscape for admissions at State Colleges outside your own state. Because of budget crunches, many state colleges and universities are accepting more out-of-state applicants than ever before! Read this article to get the full scoop…
Our next article appears in the StudentAdvisor blog(blog.StudentAdvisor.com. “The Best College Admissions Twitter Accounts You Aren’t Following,” by Sam Coren, brings some very detailed info on the Twitter accounts of individual colleges you may want to follow. University of Florida, Drexel, Tufts, WPI and LSU are just some of them. Even if you’re not interested in the specific schools, following the Twitter accounts can give you real insight into the world of college admissions, and what is on the minds of admissions officers! Don’t miss the article – and if you’re a high school student (or parent thereof) preparing for the college admissions process – Twitter is a place you’ll find an abundance of college admissions and applications information, get on it!
Our last item of interest isn’t an article at all, but a series of letters published on the NY Times Opinion Page, in response to an article we’d mentioned a couple of weeks ago, “For a Standout College Essay, Applicants Fill Their Summers“. Many of the responses to the original article were visceral, and I think you’ll find it interesting to note that although the author of the original piece surely mentions that overseas trips are not necessary for college applications – many readers did not interpret the article this way! Many college admissions counselors will tell you that impressive trips to exotic locations will be awesome on your resume. AND they will also tell you that in the absence of such, SO WILL a part time job where you’d learned something, volunteering at a food pantry (where you presumably also learned something!), or even following the Florida Highwaymen for a day (where there is MUCH to be learned!), as mentioned in the original Times article.
So fret not, parents and students, because we’ve found it is your passions, persistence and learning experiences which college admissions officers are looking at!
Until next week! The little Roundup Man bids you Happy Trails (Don’t forget to click play below!).
