Unigo's Best Kept Secrets

I'm not always a huge fan of internet lists (or ranking-type-things in general) because I find it challenging to ever determine which schools are 'best' and the follow up discussion inevitably devolves into asking 'where is X school' or 'how could Y school not be on there' but in this case I'm going to make an exception. One, because it gives me an excuse to plug my pet project of getting an ElRo student to enroll at Wabash* (pictured above), but also because Unigo.com was founded by one of the students featured in the book The Gatekeepers, which was the focus of one of my earlier posts. I'm a sucker for when things connect.

The list of Unigo's 'Best Kept Secrets' includes a nice mix of places with different features and strengths. The one thing they have in common is that they focus more on student education and less on branding and publicity. Check out the list for yourself and see if anything peaks your interest. In addition to Wabash, this list includes Sarah Lawrence and Bard, two schools I visited this summer (more connections!) and bunches of schools from the CTCL list.

While I certainly wouldn't say these schools are perfect for everyone, I would be thrilled if I had a student enroll with them.


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*Wabash is a Men's College but don't worry girls, I'll be over the moon if one of you decide to deposit in the Hoosier State. Check out Notre Dame, DePauw, IU, Purdue, Butler, or Earlham!!

Thanks Bard!

Recognize the building above? Would you believe me if I told you it was located at Bard College in upstate New York? This past Saturday I spend the day at Bard at a Counselor Appreciation Day event that culminated in a concert at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts. Sadly I didn't stay for the evening concert, but I include the photo above to remind everyone that colleges are doing some amazing (and sometimes unexpected) things on their campuses.

The bulk of the day was spend in a writing workshop, similar to the Learning and Thinking workshop that Bard incoming Freshman complete in the weeks before the Fall semester. (New this year, Freshman will also complete a similar seminar in Science during the January Term.) We also had a chance to have an unvarnished (his words, not mine) conversation with Dr. Leon Botstein, the President of Bard.

I enjoy visiting campuses, and counselor events, because I think you can tell a lot about the school through these types of experiences. Case in point: despite being on Bard's campus for over six hours with a group of guidance counselors, the Bard staff never once mentioned admission rates, testing, GPAs, or recruitment. Instead, they exposed us to the essence of a Bard education and the values that they hold dear. There was no glossy Admissions pomp and circumstance and no over-the-top giveaways. Our incentives for attendance were the tickets to the concert that evening, the chat with Dr. Botstein, a writing workshop, and upon arrival a copy of an anthology of Bard published writing called Conjunctions. That alone says more about the culture of the college than any Information Session.

And lest you think that the whole campus looks like Bilbao, never fear, the gorgeous Hudson River views and historic buildings still abound. Thanks Bard for hosting me!

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My Summer Reading

Full confession: I'm not very good at reading in my free time. Working at a school that values reading so much, I had a goal this summer to make use of the New York Public Library and I've had an awesome time reading some really interesting books. (Side note: NYPL is amazing. It is seriously amazon.com for zero dollars. Check it out! Pun intended).

The one I just finished is called The Big Test by Nicholas Lemann. The Big Test is a really fascinating look at the history of testing (and its implications) on our educational system and society as a whole. Granted, I'm a sucker for non-fiction, but I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in understanding how a small exam ballooned into a full fledged industry (complete with industry offshoots like test prep) that has had such a deep and lasting mark on higher education.

Happy Reading!

Hey Seniors, Slow Your Roll

I know how tempting it is to want to get working on college applications. Right? Well, there are two camps of students: those that answer yes and those that answer no. If you said yes, I'm here to plead with you to please resist the urge to press submit right now. As you can read for yourself in this New York Times article (click here), even the Dean's at these colleges want to remind you that applying over the summer gives you absolutely no advantage over the rest of the pool. As stated in the article, by author Jacques Steinberg, ". . . there is no reason to apply five months in advance, let alone two, and that they [the colleges] are far more inclined to put a premium on thoughtfulness and contemplation than speed."

Keep in mind, submitting an application now will do nothing, because the college will still need to wait for your school transcript, letters of recommendation, and at the majority of schools your test scores from the testing company. All of which won't be happening for at least another month or two.

And don't get me wrong, it isn't your fault. The barrage of mailings sent to you from colleges does give the impression that there needs to be a Tazmanian Devil-esque frenzy around the application process. The 'Priority Applications' makes it seem like the colleges are doing you a favor by asking you to apply. Trust me whey I say the only thing 'Priority' about them is that they want to make their school your priority, not the other way around. Just take your time, be thoughtful, and file your application by the stated deadline.

ElRo Seniors, the rule in the past has been that you should not be submitting any college applications until AFTER your senior meeting. Or, at the very least until after our Senior College Assembly. This does not mean you cannot start working on the applications or that you can tell your parents that Ms. Cohen said there was nothing college related to do until after the meeting. I just ask that you don't press submit until we chat so that we can all be on the same page. With all of this said, if you feel you have the most time during the summer and want to take a look at the application, fill out the basic name/address/info on the Common App and generally organize your application 'to do' list, you have my blessing to proceed.

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Revolution Prep Fall Classes Registration Now Live

For students interested in taking a Revolution Prep ACT or SAT prep course this Fall, class sign up is now live on the Revolution Prep website. Seniors and Juniors will be getting a mailing about the offerings in a few weeks, but I wanted to be sure and give everyone the information with the maximum amount of advance notice.

Things to Remember:

1) Test Prep is not required for all students. It is just an option for students that need a more formal and structured test prep schedule. In addition, while ElRo partners with Revolution Prep, students should feel free to use any company they find affordable and appropriate to their needs.

2) Juniors have PLENTY of time for test prep. I only make you aware of the offerings so that you can familiarize yourself with the options. Juniors should pay particular attention to: the Mock ACT in September (a great way to make a small investment and get more practice with the less familiar of the test options, the ACT). If you decide you prefer the ACT, we will also be offering an ACT prep class for the December ACT. It is reasonable to consider that class if it fits with your schedule. There will be courses offered in the spring as well.

3) The fastest way to see the offerings is to enter ElRo's zip code, 10021, into the main page. This will take you to the course schedules. Please note that the SAT and ACT courses have their own tabs. To see the ACT options (including the Mock) click on the ACT tab at the top of the page.

4) Revolution Prep does offer need-based scholarships. If you think you qualify for one, email me and I'll be sure to get you an application. Do not register online if you plan to apply for a scholarship.

5) There is a new bonus with Revolution Prep class registration - online booster classes for the exam of your choice, including SAT IIs. Learn more about booster classes here.

6) Signing up for a prep class does not automatically sign you up for the actual exam. Visit www.collegeboard.com or www.actstudent.org to register for the SAT and ACT, respectively. Email me if you qualify for a fee waiver. Spots fill up VERY quickly and many test centers are already full.

7) As always, if standardized testing is not your strength and you do not feel it is an accurate representation of your ability, consider schools that are testing optional and will instead focus on your high school transcript.

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