School's Out For Summer!

I hope everyone has a summer full of sunshine, popsicles, friends, family, and fun!

Stay tuned to the blog. I hope to keep updating it every week or so. But, I will likely save some of the better posts for the Fall when more people will be reading.

As always, please feel free to email me over the summer.

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Recommended Read

I've been making my way through the books in the college office library and recently finished The Gatekeepers by Jacques Steinberg. If that name sounds familiar to you, it is because he is a writer for the Education section of the New York Times.

The Gatekeepers is an in-depth look at a year in the life of the Wesleyan Admissions Office during the Fall of 1999 and Spring of 2000 to recruit the class of 2004. This also happens to be the year that I myself was a senior in high school, so the book resonated for me even more.

As a former Admissions Officer, my respect for Wesleyan only grows given how transparent they were willing to be and the access they were willing to grant. Their candor is refreshing. I know how confusing admissions decisions can seems. In all honesty, many people will probably still be confused when they read the book, because the system doesn't seem 'fair.' But if you are willing to read this book with an open mind, what I hope you will realize is that there is a Wesleyan out there for every student. What I mean by that is that there is a place with an admissions office that is willing to take chances, go "off-profile" and fight for applicants they believe in. The process is a human one and "mistakes" are undoubtedly made each year, but as I've said here before: life hands you gifts and challenges and both are valuable.

This book is not meant to be the final word on the admissions process. It can speak only to the way the process is done at Wesleyan, and ten years ago at that. But, it can hopefully illuminate how students are considered in the context of their environment. It also addresses how nuances that make one student land in the admit pile and an equally qualified student land in the deny pile are impossible to predict.

If any students, or parents, decide to read this book I hope you come out of it with the same conclusions that I did. Admissions is stressful, for both the colleges and the students. Empower yourself by doing what you can to understand the process, and doing even more to understand yourself. Wesleyan is part of a small percentage of schools that do have the luxury of turning away highly qualified and capable candidates. Balance your options by considering some schools that may have more straightforward admissions criteria or places that are looking for students just like you.

If nothing else, turn to page 161 and read the essay submitted with Jordan Goldman's application. It is a great example of a well written personal statement that illuminates the character of the author and keeps the attention of the admission officer.

Happy Reading!

Congratulations Class of 2010!

This afternoon we will bid farewell to the Class of 2010. We will hear from many talented speakers, but I figured it is appropriate to add one more to the mix here. 

I wish this year's senior class nothing but the best. I know it was hard to pick up with a college counselor in the Fall of Senior year; thank you for welcoming me with open arms.

To Loan or Not to Loan . . .

A few weeks ago the NY Times had an article that I think is worth reading (click on the link). It speaks to the dilemma that many people find themselves in when they take out large loans to go to a 'top' college and then find themselves unprepared to repay the investment. I found the article to be a frank analysis of the issues faced by both students and colleges when it comes to navigating making college affordable.

On the one hand, loans are a realistic part of most financial aid packages. As, I would argue, they should be. But taking large loans, in the case of Cortney Munna (picture above) that end up totaling $100,000 is probably a bad decision in the long term. Colleges too are put in a precarious position because the majority of institutions do prefer to keep Financial Aid and Admissions relatively autonomous. As colleges strive at admit students based on their potential for success academically, they then open the door to offering admission to students that can only realistically attend with a significant loan. With the luck of finding a stable and well paying job and some financial restraint, loans are not always a bad thing. But as we are seeing now with a tight economy, people really must look themselves in the mirror and look even more closely into their finances to see what loan repayment will really look like.

I am convinced there are ways to make college affordable. But that does mean sometimes being open to trying a school that is 'off the beaten path' and willing to offer a lower total price tag. Or, at the very least, being committed to staying financially solvent after graduation with a combination of other life sacrifices that make loan payments feasible.

Image by Noah Berger, NY Times

Thanks Cooper Union!

Last Thursday I was able to participate in a Counselor event at The Cooper Union (not pictured above, sadly there was no confetti). I got to hear from many individuals, including the Admissions staff and each of the three academic departments (Art, Architecture, and Engineering), and I was lucky enough to see first hand the amazing views from the 8th floor terrace.

The Cooper Union may be, I think, one of the last schools around that has truly stuck to its original mission. They know who they are and after 150 years they don't need to change. It was put best during the presentation by Dean Lipton where he alluded to the fact that Cooper Union isn't going to be attracting students because of a rock climbing wall; students are attracted to Cooper Union because they want to push themselves to be problem solvers, to think critically, and be surrounded by dynamic minds.

The fact that they remain able to provide all admitted students with a full tuition scholarship only proves further that they really do walk the walk.

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NYCDOE meets Facebook

New York City is launching a new website for public school alumni (www.nycgrads.org) as a way for the city to better keep in touch with its graduates (and I assume eventually for graduates to stay in touch with one another).

Best part? The first 75 members of the Class of 2010 in the city to register get a $1,500 gift certificate to Staples. Get on it!

Chancellor's Day - Use it or Lose it!

A common concern of students and families is that they have to visit campuses during weekend mornings or in the heart of summer when there is very little happening on campus. One potential fix to this dilemma is taking advantage of Chancellor's day to complete a college visit that is within one day's driving distance. As a mid-week school day, it is a wonderful time to try and get the best of both worlds. It allows you to visit a college when professors are possibly there and the Admissions Office is open without having to have an unexcused absence from school.

Below I have done just a very quick search of some schools that are within driving (or MTA) distance and would allow students to see a campus before the end of the year.

This is just a short list - feel free to explore Admissions websites and see what other schools are offering tours and information sessions. Click on the name of the school and it will take you to the visit website for that school.

Thursday, June 10

NYU - 10:00 am Tour

Marist - call to inquire 845-575-3226

Tufts - 9:15, 11:30, 2:30 Tours (yes, I know Boston is a stretch for a one day drive. Go Jumbos!)

Wesleyan 9:00 am , Noon, 3 pm Tours

Clark 12:30 pm Clark Conversations 1:30 pm Tour

SUNY Purchase - 10:00 am Tour

City University of New York - CUNY - 11:00 am Tour

Drew University - 10:00 am, Noon, 3:00 pm Tours

Google your own!

Remember, even if a parent/guardian had to work students will (hopefully) be going to college all on their own. Taking a trip to one of these more local campuses (especially in the five boroughs) can be done all by yourself. Be sure to register ahead of time if you can. All city students will be off school, so it could be crowded!

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Testing!

Did your heart rate just jump after reading the header to this post? I hope that even if it did, you can take a few deep breathes as I describe a little bit about the best way to approach testing.

First, as I've said before- I think it is ideal for all Juniors to sit for both the ACT and the SAT between January and June of their Junior year. This way they can make an informed decision about the test that fits them best and that will allow them to put their strongest testing foot forward. I would then re-test for the test that was stronger to see if any (or all) of the sections can be improved.

Some people know that they cannot prepare for the test on their own. Some people feel that their potential is not being fully reached. For these people, a test prep class is a great way to have a structured study method that will both reduce test anxiety (through repetitive mock exams) and provide test taking strategies for how to improve your performance. ElRo partners with Revolution Prep to offer test prep in our building. If students find an option that fits for them through another company that is fine too. I am of the opinion that the commitment to studying, repetitive mock exams, and formal time allotted to prep are where the most significant score improvements are made. The brand you choose is less of the issue than is the commitment you are willing to make and the time you are willing to devote.

A mailing recently went out describing the summer test prep options at ElRo. I know, at the time, that these courses were not yet live on the Revolution Prep website. I apologize for that error, the letters should not have mailed without the site being up to date. However, the good news is that the site is now accurate and you can register for the courses online (fastest way to find the course is to enter our Zip Code: 10021). We are offering something new this year: an ACT prep course. For students that did better on the ACT (check out the conversion table here), an ACT prep course may help you become more familiar with the exam set up.

I cannot emphasize enough - the summer 2010 courses are intended for RISING SENIORS ONLY. I know the mailing went out to the class of 2012, but this was an error. Obviously, any family can opt to enroll in test prep whenever they see fit, but in my experience, the test prep is most effective when students start it no earlier than January of their Junior year.

You will also notice that the prep classes have a 'refresher' session prior to the test. This bonus session is designed to help students get back into testing mode since the actual exams are offered in September (ACT) and October (SAT) after summer prep courses have already finished. With holidays, summer vacations, the start of school, and all other scheduling conflicts, it was hard to pick the exact dates and times, but hopefully these will work for rising seniors that want to commit to prep during the summer. There will be additional prep courses offered at ElRo through Revolution Prep during the Fall Semester if summer is not convenient.

Finally, the main reason we partner with Revolution Prep is their reasonable prices. For students and families that show demonstrated need, there can be generous discounts to be had. See me right away for a scholarship application if you think your family may qualify. The discounts are determined based on a sliding scale of household income and outside factors like Federal Free/Reduced lunch status and family illness.

Remember - not everyone is an amazing test taker. But, there are amazing colleges that don't care. Check out the full list of Testing Optional Colleges (Schools that do not require any testing to be submitted) at www.fairtest.org.