Building Your College List

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Building Your College List

This article is reprinted from A+ Test Prep and Tutoring's monthly newsletter. http://aplustutoring.com/ I am quoted several times throughout. Finding a college that is the right fit for a student can be a long and time-consuming process. Starting early can relieve some of the stress, and will likely result in a better choice. Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz's Huffington Post blog "Seven Steps to Putting Together a Great College List," got us thinking about this issue. We reached out to a few Philadelphia area college admissions consultants for their thoughts on building a robust (but manageable) college list. Here are some of their suggestions: 1. Self-reflection should be the first step, and should continue throughout the entire college search process, Tina Gregor, founder and owner of College Pursuit advises. "A student needs to understand more about what she wants and who she is before she can decide where she wants to spend the next four years of her life," she says.    2. Gregor recommends students make a list that divides college characteristics into the following categories: non-negotiable, preferred, very important, and not relevant. Sometimes "non-negotiable" items are based on incorrect assumptions. For example, a student may believe he must attend a public university since the cost will be less. Parents may have different views, which is why Gregor encourages families to complete the exercise separately. Students may consider many factors during this initial review, such as geography, weather, college size, religious affiliation, social life, academic programs, sports, affordability, and special needs, according to Hannah Bookbinder, a college admissions consultant and academic coach for Academic Ally. 3.  Students and their families need to budget ample time for researching colleges. Making lists to track progress and likes/dislikes is a good way to stay organized. Golda Steier, an independent college admissions consultant and owner of Precision Admission in Doylestown, provides her students with a worksheet to guide them through the process. In addition, a number of online resources are available to help.   Helpful websites:   •  Compare a large number of schools based on student GPA and test scores: The College Board's 'big future' College Search is a great tool for generating a large list of schools based on specific criteria. •  College websites: Look at how the school is divided into colleges, majors, programs and clubs, Steier recommends. •  Student reviews: Steier agrees with Hansen Shaevitz that collegeprowler.com and unigo.com are the best sites to research student reviews of the different colleges. •  Graduation rates: Researching graduation rates, "especially today with the cost of college, is a smart thing to do," Steier says. "It's a good measure of quality, especially relative to selectivity. Low graduation rates or a high transfer-out rate should be a red flag." To determine rates visit collegeresults.org. •  Financial estimations: Use the College Board's Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Calculator and the Net Price Calculators on college websites to determine the costs, Steier and Hansen Shaevitz both recommend. •  Interesting lists: Collegexpress.com is a fun site to browse. This website generates unique lists such as "Colleges that embrace your nerddom with open arms" and "Colleges with great equestrian programs." •  Specific data for each school: Collegedata.com may not be as exciting, but can be a helpful resource for information on cost, admissions, and demographics.  4. It's necessary to dedicate time for additional self-reflection. "Consider if this research supports your own needs for education," said Hannah Bookbinder. "Too often students get caught in the trap of what everyone else is doing--where their friends are applying, the name brand schools, Ivies, and upper-tier schools--without taking into consideration exactly how these schools may, or may not, meet their own needs."   5. Create a list of schools to visit, starting close to home. Visiting nearby colleges with different characteristics (small/medium/large, urban/rural, etc.) can help a student get a sense of the size, setting, and student body at each school. This will help the student define his/her preferences and narrow down the number of schools that a student may want to travel to visit, thereby saving both time and money, Steier suggests.    All three consultants we interviewed for this story agree with Hansen Shaevitz's recommendation: "Depending on your family financial resources, visit as many colleges on your list as you can." For information on questions to ask when you visit colleges, see the A+ article on Questions to Ask During College Tours.

CollegeBoard Backs Down on Special Offer to the "Rich and Gifted"

CollegeBoard had plans to administer the SAT outside the normal, academic year, but only to students attending an expensive, three-week summer camp at Amherst College, called University Prep.  The college preparation program costs $4,500 and is sponsored by The National Society for the Gifted and Talented.   Citing concerns about access and equity in education, the CollegeBoard pulled the plug on the pilot program, but only after pressure from a number of professional associations and advocacy groups.

The offer of a summer SAT test date to the "rich and gifted" raised a number of troublesome issues.  First, there are many students who would benefit from the opportunity to take the SAT in the summer without the distraction of homework, sports, lessons, etc.  For example, student athletes or those who are heavily involved with work and/or extracurricular activities, are among those who would find it advantageous to have a summer test date available to them.  Second, studies show that students from higher socio-economic backgrounds already outperform other students.  This special opportunity would have given further advantage to test-takers from wealthier families.  In addition, attendees of the camp would have been able to send their scores to colleges and universities before students taking the SAT in October.  Not to mention, their test scores would have been labeled June, 2012, which aside from being untrue, would make them indistinguishable from other June, 2012 scores. 

Part of the summer program included test preparation by The Princeton Review, a for-profit organization.  The CollegeBoard has said that expensive, private instruction is unnecessary for improving test scores.

A summer SAT test date would be welcomed by many counselors, students and families!  However, offering this pilot program only to an elite group was viewed as unfair.

HECA, along with the National Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest), the National College Advocacy Group (NCAG), and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) had protested against the CollegeBoard's plans to offer the special, summer test date to attendees of the high-priced camp.  Specifically, one of HECA's very own members, independent college consultant Elizabeth Stone, wrote a letter to CollegeBoard and rallied other members of HECA to do the same.

I am very proud to be a member of HECA as well as NACAC!

Campus Closeup: Lehigh University

Lehigh University, located in Bethlehem PA, is a medium-sized institution, combining the best of both worlds – the resources, programs, and opportunities of a larger university with the smaller, more intimate feel of a liberal arts college.  Programs of study are organized into 3 undergraduate colleges: Business/Economics, Engineering, and Arts and Sciences.  The hilly campus provides beautiful views of the town of Bethlehem and the Lehigh Valley below. 

Lehigh University’s scenic campus is situated in the 3^rd largest metropolitan area of Pennsylvania, which comprises the towns of Bethlehem, Allentown, and Easton.  Once a thriving steel town, the area surrounding campus now shows some wear and tear, but a number of restaurants and shops can be found nearby.  Events like First Friday in Bethlehem draw students into town.  In any event, everything a student could possibly need can be found right on campus. 

Speaking of Lehigh’s campus, its Gothic architecture, meticulously maintained grounds, and church bells chiming in the background surely reduce the desire to ever leave.  Some prospective students fear those hills, but campus residents say they are easy to get used to, and actually prevent freshmen from gaining the dreaded 15.  For those who are still concerned, a shuttle is available to take students up or down the mountain.

The 4,766 undergraduate students at Lehigh appear to be fit, athletic, clean, and preppy. Over one-third of the student body participates in the Greek system, although many social opportunities abound.  For example, every Friday and Saturday evening, there is a Movie Night with free popcorn.  Typically, the featured film is a movie that is no longer appearing in theatres but not yet available on DVD.  Intramural, club, and varsity sports are popular.  The Lehigh Mountain Hawks compete at the Division I level in the Patriot League, and there is a long-standing rivalry with Lafayette College.  The school fields 20 varsity teams.  The wrestling team is usually nationally ranked, and the football and basketball teams have enjoyed much success in recent years.  Students come from all 50 states and 51 different countries.

Many Lehigh students are career-oriented, and Lehigh proudly boasts that the average earnings of its graduates is right up there with the Ivy League schools.  Graduates experience an 88% admission rate to medical school, and an 87% admission rate to law school.  96% of graduates are employed, attending graduate school, or enrolled in the military within 6 months of graduation.

Housing is guaranteed for freshmen and sophomores.  All freshmen live together in dormitories, mostly in double occupancy rooms. Fun Fact: At Lehigh, resident advisors are called “griffins” rather than RAs.  Most juniors and seniors choose to go off campus or live in fraternity/sorority houses.  Off-campus housing may be found within the 3-4 block radius surrounding campus. However, if an upperclassman really wants to live on campus, he or she is usually able to do so.

As far as academics, Lehigh offers 90 undergraduate programs and majors.  Students apply to a particular college, but can transfer within the university at a later date.  The engineering school is the most selective.  As a result, it is most difficult to transfer into engineering; therefore, students are advised to apply to engineering if there is any chance that is what they are interested in studying.

Lehigh offers a number of interesting programs that offer classes across different colleges.  The Integrated Degree in Business and Engineering (IBE) Honors College is a rigorous program that accepts about 50 students per year.  The Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts & Sciences (IDEAS) program is an interdisciplinary honors program that accepts about 25 students per year. The South Mountain College is a residential academic program in the College of Arts and Sciences.

At Lehigh, there are additional unique opportunities for interdisciplinary work:  the Integrated Product Development program (IPD) and the Computer Science and Business Program (CSB).  The IPD brings together students from a variety of disciplines including engineering, business, and the arts, to work on projects sponsored by outside companies.  The CSB Program enables students to receive a BS Degree in Computer Science and Business.  The Arts and Engineering program is a 5-year course of study which enables students to obtain dual degrees in engineering and another field.

Lehigh offers several opportunities for students to receive a graduate degree.  The Teacher Education program offers students the opportunity to obtain both Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in 5 years of study at Lehigh.  In addition, students may apply to one of three accelerated programs:  BA/MD Drexel University, BA/DMD University of Pennsylvania, and a BA/DD SUNY.

The student:faculty ratio at Lehigh is 10:1, and 72% of the classes have less than 30 students.  All freshmen are required to take English 1 and English 2.  Engineering students take an introductory class that exposes them to all areas of engineering.  Business students are required to take Business 1 and Business 2 freshman year to introduce them to the various areas they might study. 

Lehigh University utilizes the Common Application, requires SAT or ACT test scores (which are both superscored), official high school transcript, a guidance counselor recommendation, and one teacher recommendation.  Interviews are recommended, especially to show a student’s interest in attending Lehigh, and are informative.  Subject Tests are not considered for purposes of admission, but a 790 or higher on Chemistry will result in course credit.  Admission is very selective with a 33% acceptance rate.  The median scores of admitted students are as follows: 610-710 (SAT Critical Reading), 660-750 (SAT Math), 29-32 (ACT).  Lehigh does not consider the writing portion of either the SAT or the ACT.  However, the application essay is considered very important. 

Both the FAFSA and CSS Profile are required in order to apply for financial aid.  The University meets 96% of financial need, with a larger proportion of aid given as grants than loans.  52% of students had 100% of their financial need met. 

With a freshmen retention rate of 96%, and a 6-year graduation rate of 88%, Lehigh students are happy and successful.  It’s no surprise, given the amazing facilities, picturesque campus, and numerous practical programs of study to choose from.