tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21537594410577801312024-02-07T00:22:24.180-05:00Educational Cents - Your College ResourceA higher education financial strategies and admission resource for students and families.Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-88469561718977765572019-03-21T14:35:00.002-04:002019-03-21T16:35:25.343-04:00College Admissions - Lessons in a Scandal<br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Last week’s disclosure about the extent to which families will go
to buy their kids’ way into college raises the anxiety around school admissions
to a new level. While the news is disturbing and unsettling,
conditions have long been ripe for abuse. Coinciding with the timing of
March college decisions, the news broke as we brace for this year's
announcements of record high applications and new lows in admission
rates. It's no wonder that the frenzy around getting in grows more
feverish with each cycle. There is much uncertainty and little
transparency around admission decisions, making the terrain a breeding ground
for novel ways to game and as we now know, even criminally exploit the system. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Not surprisingly, admissions is far from a fair and transparent
process. Imagine yourself an admission officer with marching orders to admit a
class using criteria stacked with competing priorities: improve access for
less privileged students and increase diversity (not one and the same), field
competitive sports teams, and keep alumni, an important development source, happy. And
somewhere in there is a goal to enroll an well-balanced class that meets certain academic
standards while managing to stay within a limited financial aid budget. No
wonder the system is rife with inequities. What this means for the majority of
smart, high achieving students is that they are competing for increasingly
fewer available spots, after other “institutional” priorities have first been
met. <o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The situation increasingly encourages those who have influence to
use it, whether making a substantial monetary gift to a school or using
well-placed connections. While these actions may not skirt the law, they
sometimes push the boundaries of ethical standards to improve a student’s
chances. I would include in that category buying access with eyebrow-raising
donations, and misrepresentations made by unscrupulous college admission
consultants charging egregiously priced fees while instilling fear to
convince parents of their worth. Sadly, some individuals lacking a
moral compass have taken it a step further. They recognized and acted on an
opportunity to illegally secure <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">certainty
and prestige</span> in an otherwise unpredictable environment. <o:p></o:p></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Working with students and families, I constantly hear and feel the
anxiety around college admissions. The response I wish to offer, though
rarely do for fear of how it might be taken is simply, breathe! Breathing
grounds us so we can refocus on what’s important: the mental and physical
well-being of both our children and ourselves. This is core to the values
embraced by the majority of counselors and educational consultants guiding
students, those who are affiliated with associations that hold them to a high
set of standards like the National Association for College Admission Counseling
(NACAC), the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) and the
Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA). We emphasize “fit,”
avoid stoking fear and make no guarantees. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It’s easy to lose
perspective when winning a spot at a prestigious college becomes the
primary objective, overshadowing admission to a place where our children will be appropriately
challenged and supported, and where they will ultimately feel good about what they achieve.
I hope and believe that families hire me to help them make student-focused,
appropriate choices, whether it’s my input for the courses their
child should take or the colleges I recommend they target. I seek to
enlighten them to the many wonderful colleges that accept more than 20-25% of
their applicants, below which a school is no longer an outcome to count on for most students. I also hope they'll come to realize that selectivity is not a measure of quality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I worry about the message being sent to many young people today. There
is less emphasis on helping youth develop grit and build resilience, teaching
them how to pull themselves back up after experiencing failure or
disappointment. When kids observe their parents stressing about
whether particular colleges will accept them, they are more likely to interpret
and internalize the message to mean one thing: </span><i style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If I don’t get in, I
will be a disappointment</i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">. Or worse: <i>I've failed.</i> The news media doesn’t help either. While my
intent is not to bash the press or colleges that tout their low admit rates and
the diminishing odds of being accepted, this kind of reporting only fuels the
panic and anxiety. We need instead to embrace Angela Duckworth’s
message in her book, </span><i style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Grit: The Power of
Passion and Perseverance</i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">, and dial back the focus on the latest record
highs in college applications (which of course translates into lower acceptance
rates and more disappointment). Wouldn’t we rather raise children who are
motivated to keep trying in the face of disappointment rather than likely to
give up and conclude that life is unfair?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And here's the clincher. It doesn't matter where you go...really! It matters what you do where you end up and how you seize and take advantage of the opportunities offered. In the words of Frank Bruni (and title of his book), <i>Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be</i>. The college does not make the person. If you still have doubts, check out the class profile for the students who entered</span> <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/jdadmissions/apply-to-harvard-law-school/undergraduate-colleges/%C2%A0">Harvard Law School</a> </span><span style="font-size: 18px;">last fall. You might be surprised by the range of undergraduate colleges from which students hail and the many non-household name schools. </span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The scandal that has rocked the college admissions world exposes
the extent to which greed and entitlement can fester when values are skewed and
priorities misplaced. One of the many shames of the college
admission scandal is how the parents and other guilty parties hijacked the
process, and in doing so, brought shame upon their kids. On a far
different scale, the tendency to stress over and control the college admission
process, though coming from a caring place, may not be what’s best for our children.
Teach them how to be resilient instead. Whatever behavior we model, our
children are watching. </span><br />
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<br />Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-13830162709852816732018-03-20T13:55:00.004-04:002018-03-20T15:01:41.209-04:00March Madness – It’s Not Just about Basketball<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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What does college admissions have in common with basketball?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may think not much, but for many hopeful
high school seniors, the nervous excitement in anticipation of a
spot at their first choice school creates the same frenzy as March Madness. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>March is the month many applicants will
finally learn their fate in the maddening college admission process. After
months of visiting colleges, taking standardized tests, completing applications,writing essays...and waiting, they will know if their hard work is rewarded with making the
final cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The critical moment may not be a three point nail biter at the buzzer, but during the seconds it takes to open
an email, log-into an account or tear open a thin or thick envelope students
experience the same adrenaline rush and excitement. The metaphorical buzzer determines whether they're a winner or loser, and students and their families, the equally anxious fans, will either
feel ecstatic or deflated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But unlike the tournament ending loss for a college
basketball team, the season is not over for the graduating senior. There is
another equally worthwhile match to get charged up about, even if the student has not
yet embraced it. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Viewing college admissions in March Madness terms is not
just about the frenzy. It's about accepting the fact that despite all of the time, effort, qualifications and skills, we don't always get the desired results. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>While the disappointment of not getting into
one’s top choice school is natural and expected, it’s never beneficial to wallow in self-pity
too long. A good coach doesn’t berate team members after a loss, nor let
them indulge in defeatism. Rather, the smart coach finds the lessons in the experience to better lead the team the following season, armed with new insights and perspective.
The coach understands the importance of helping the team and individual players tap
into their well of resilience to confidently move on and prepare for the next challenge. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For graduating seniors faced with disappointment, that new perspective
means letting go of a fixation on the dream school and falling in love with another, one that is attainable and no less worthy. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are also lessons to be gained by the short-lived, but history-making victory of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, which handily defeated number one ranked Virginia. The dream run for U.M.B.C. unfortunately ended during its very next
game, but the upset that inscribed the university in the
record books also put them on everyone’s radar. In the press reports that followed, we learned that U.M.B.C is as
much a powerhouse in producing PhDs as it is on the basketball court. That’s a lot to
feel good about, despite the team's second round exit. </div>
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<br /></div>
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U.M.B.C must certainly have been disappointed to leave the tournament so soon after it's stunning defeat of a team that by most measures, was out of its league. Not getting into a first choice school
for a college applicant is similarly disappointing but not a disaster. As parents, we should urge our kids to see
their glass as half full and to turn their focus enthusiastically to a school
that is among their options.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now is the
time to get reacquainted with the things they found appealing about their acceptance schools when they initially applied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Colleges invite students to experience their campuses first-hand before
making a final decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Encourage your child to attend
accepted students days to see one or more schools with fresh eyes and to connect
with other perspective students. Disappointment ultimately fades. The half-full
glass attitude means choosing to identify the positive and get excited about the opportunities, both offered and those we make for ourselves. </div>
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<br /></div>
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How we choose to respond to challenge is what will
determine our success and happiness, not the perceived prestige of the college we attend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without
disappointments we would never develop resiliency. It's our constant reminder that if we encourage our
kids to see setbacks as opportunities for personal reflection and growth, the experiences will only makes them stronger. College
admissions is not personal, but it’s not completely objective either. Like a college basketball game, the outcome in an admissions office on a different day,
in a different year, might not be the same. Colleges have their own ever-evolving
institutional needs that factor into creating a desired class. Most often
those directives are not communicated to the student applicants or the public at large, so we never know exactly why one student gets admitted and someone equally qualified is denied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, all the decision factors such as grades,
course rigor, test scores, extracurricular involvement and character do matter.
But like March Madness, there are lots of uncertainties in college admissions. And
just like the teams that don’t fulfill the dream of reaching the final four, students
who are initially disappointed in their admission outcome need to get back into
the game. It's an opportunity to approach their options with new hope, perspective and excitement. </div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-15435707913349180232017-08-23T21:44:00.002-04:002017-08-23T21:44:25.259-04:00<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-aece6026-11d1-0da5-731d-61bfc8857465" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Touring Colleges in Pennsylvania and Discovering a Sense of Place</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-aece6026-11d1-0da5-731d-61bfc8857465" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This summer I participated in my eighth College Counselor Bike Tour, cycling with eleven colleagues from college to college in central Pennsylvania. If you aren’t familiar with this part of the state, you may not know that central PA is filled with rolling hills and even some small mountains, expansive farmland, and yes, colleges! Over the course of the week, we covered 260 miles and visited seven schools: mostly small, private liberal arts colleges, but also the state flagship, Penn State. As an independent educational consultant, I visit colleges to see the campuses and surrounding area, learn about specific programs, feel the campus vibe and uncover other qualities that might appeal to students. Traveling to and experiencing a college on two wheels means slowing down the pace; the landscape no longer whizzes by. Mules pulling a farm tractor and a pint-size pony and buggy with equally pint-sized passengers were moments to relish while taking in the Amish country scenery. My senses are often heightened when I am cycling. I am more keen to the scents, sights and sounds the region, local area and even colleges have to offer. These nuances are central to grasping that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sense of place</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> and distinguishing one college from another. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We started and finished our week at Dickinson, and in between rode to Susquehanna, Bucknell, Penn State, Juniata, Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg and back to Carlisle, PA where we started. I did not coin the phrase </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sense of place</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> in connection with the colleges we visited. Rather, the term was emphasized at Gettysburg College, the last stop on our trip, where the battles and events that changed the course of the Civil War are very much a part of the campus mindset. Yet </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">sense of place</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> prompted my thinking about how all these colleges connect with and embrace their location or history, and how it drives mission, purpose and campus life. It comes from knowing and building upon who they are, and distinguishing themselves from other similarly sized colleges.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this bucolic part of Pennsylvania, it is no wonder that several of the colleges are especially focused on sustainability, and seek ways to preserve the natural resources in their own backyards while conducting research in pursuit of that goal. Dickinson is one of only six colleges nationally in the EcoLeague Consortium and its sense of place is experienced in the many ways sustainability is practiced and woven into every part of the curriculum. Students take advantage of the college’s Organic Farm, a classroom, research facility, and also food source for the school dining services and local community. The connection to place ethos even extends to study abroad in the way students engage fully within their adopted global communities. All Dickinson programs involve homestay in locations far removed from capital cities so students can truly experience full language and cultural immersion.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Susquehanna University, the small liberal arts university 65 miles to the northeast, embraces its ties to the river that bears the same name. Two years ago the university opened its Freshwater Research Initiative to study the health of the neighboring Susquehanna River and the wildlife and surrounding tributaries. Even graduate researchers from Penn State travel north to take advantage of this unique freshwater laboratory. Susquehanna has also built upon its well-established strengths in music, theater, creative writing, and its most popular major, business administration. It is one of a small handful of colleges that requires all students to have a cross-cultural experience. A follow up course upon return to campus challenges students to reflect upon and discuss their experience, articulating how it may have altered their values and perspectives. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Don’t be fooled by the rolling hills and farmland on the way to Bucknell, the largest of the liberal arts colleges on our tour, with 3,600 students. The charming and historic town of Lewisburg is a short walk to a campus buzzing with the energy and enterprising spirit of its students. Bucknell’s sense of place and purpose is rooted in its three distinct colleges, each with its own admission entry to the university: Arts and Sciences, Engineering and the newest, Management, which was until recently housed within Arts and Sciences. Now with three separate schools, Bucknell can give proper gravitas to its two strong pre-professional programs without losing the liberal arts emphasis university wide. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">There are only two land, sea, space and sun grant university in the U.S. and Penn State proudly wears the distinction of being one of them. It means the University has access to funding and research that not only benefit the residents of Pennsylvania by providing affordable education; it offers more than 160 majors across 12 academic colleges, has 17 undergraduate programs in engineering alone, its largest college, and 50 life science majors, to cite just two areas where it is an academic powerhouse. It is also renowned for its Shreyer’s Honors College. As one of six sun grant universities, Penn State partners with the federal government to develop sustainable and environmentally friendly bio-based energy alternatives. State College is the quintessential college town, nestled in a pastoral setting. No visit to campus is complete without a trip to Penn State’s on-campus Creamery, a favorite gathering spot best known for its homemade ice cream made with fresh locally sourced ingredients. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Just over 30 miles to the south of State College and on the other side of a mountain, lies Huntingdon, PA, home to Juniata College which is perhaps best known as one of the 40 plus </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Colleges that Change Lives</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. Like many of its Pennsylvania peers, Juniata enjoys a special connection to its location and surroundings. Haystown Lake, a 20 minute drive from campus, is home to a fully residential research field station where students can choose to study and live for a semester or even a year. With no majors, but instead 67 existing interdisciplinary Programs of Emphasis, like Peace Psychology and Behavioral Ecology of Religion, students can explore and even create new POEs that connect multiple interests in one course of study. The Sill Business Incubator encourages students to be young entrepreneurs while engaging with the community and exploring ways to promote economic development and opportunities in Huntingdon. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Inventor Ben Franklin and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall would likely be pleased with the college that now bears their names, following the merger of two eponymous institutions in 1853. Today Franklin & Marshall preserves that sense of a connection to history and practices its founders’ commitment to the arts and sciences, with emphasis on personalized and seminar style learning. The College House System creates living-learning communities to which students belong throughout their four years. F&M has been one of the leaders in promoting access and affordability, and is one of very few colleges today that fully meets demonstrated need, having jettisoned merit aid. The effect of this strategic objective can be seen in the campus’ ever increasing diversity and growing international population. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sense of place and history are not lost on the students at Gettysburg College. That connection begins early in freshmen year with the First Year Walk; all first year students proceed together to the battlefield cemetery to recreate history and experience the reciting of the Gettysburg Address. No wonder history and political science are popular majors, though the college is one of very few small liberal arts colleges to have a music conservatory. A little more than an hour from D.C., Gettysburg students take advantage of the proximity to the nation’s capital. The legacy of former Gettysburg and US president Dwight Eisenhower lives on in his Eisenhower Institute where students enhance their undergraduate experience by studying leadership and public policy, and reflect on the lessons of history to become informed future leaders. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Whether students are seeking a liberal arts or pre-professional experience, they may very well find their own <i>sense of place</i> at one of the colleges in central Pennsylvania. One does not have to be a student of the Revolutionary or Civil Wars to appreciate their profound impact in this region and its history. It’s also not necessary to be guided by a calling to preserve the environment to find a connection to the culture, philosophy or feel of these meccas for higher learning. The place to start is with a visit. Two wheels is enthusiastically recommended, though not required. </span></div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-83690298654195219312017-03-07T09:34:00.001-05:002017-03-07T09:34:35.504-05:00The New Reality of College Admissions<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The downward trend in college acceptance rates at the most
selective universities may not be a revelation or newsworthy, but it does beg
the question: how much lower can admission rates realistically go? Getting
into many highly selective colleges has indeed entered a new stage;
admission to these lofty institutions is now more random than predictable.
What was achievable for students even five years ago is essentially like
playing the roulette wheel for applicants today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The class of 2020 saw the lowest acceptance rates in history
at the most selective colleges and there are no signs of this trend reversing soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most recent admission data show that 12
colleges, including six non-Ivies, had acceptance rates under 10%.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another 24 schools accepted fewer than 20% of
the students who applied.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Putting these
numbers into context and paraphrasing the words of one Ivy League admissions
officer, the average high achieving student in the applicant pool faces
discouraging odds for admission. According to this admission officer, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">typical</i>
applicant has high test scores and is taking AP calculus, and usually the more rigorous BC course, has at least three years of language and will complete the science
triad of biology, chemistry and physics, with at least one and probably more at
the AP level. Possessing these things makes a student average in that
university’s and presumably its peers’ applicant pools; even with such impressive
academic accomplishments, the majority of these candidates will not be
accepted. To be competitive a student
must have something truly special in order to stand out. In the realm of
college admissions today that can take many forms: national recognition for
science research, an exceptional talent, adding diversity that is highly sought and under-represented or something less tangible like an insatiable curiosity that
manifests itself in unique and compelling ways (vague…I know).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even possessing those factors offers no
guarantee. Being smart and gifted is no longer an admission ticket to the most
selective colleges.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
My reason for sharing this sobering news is not to instill
panic. Rather, I hope it will help parents and students reorient their expectations,
acknowledge the new reality of college admissions and re-evaluate their notion of
value. Adjusting our thinking can actually be liberating. If we know the deck
is stacked against us, recalibrating expectations might even reduce the anxiety that accompanies the long wait for potentially disappointing news.
The reality of college admissions hopefully motivates us to redefine success
so that it is no longer measured by acceptance rates that are akin to winning at the
blackjack table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth is that the selectivity
of a college is not a reliable measure of quality; it says nothing about what
happens over the next four years. Getting
in should not be the endgame; at best it puts one on the launch pad. What a student is able to accomplish, wherever he
or she enrolls, will have far more bearing on future success than the institution’s
name embossed on the diploma. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
If you don’t believe me, look at the undergraduate colleges
and universities of the entering class at <a href="http://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/class-profile/Pages/undergraduate-institutions.aspx">Harvard Business School</a>. You’re probably surprised to see so many colleges you’ve never heard of or
perhaps some you might have assumed were of lesser quality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently HBS did not think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also highly recommend Frank Bruni's best-selling
book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be.</i>
It’s not hype that students who excel, wherever they go, will have equally if
not more promising futures than those who do not distinguish themselves at a
more selective college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
So if increasingly more students are turned away from the
most selective colleges each year, where do they end up going?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shifting landscape of college admission
means that many institutions further down the selectivity chain have become more competitive
too. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That school you once assumed was a
safety may no longer be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take a look at
it with fresh eyes and an open mind, and see it for what it is: an opportunity
awaiting rather than a consolation prize. It has most likely raised its own bar,
as those students who formerly saw it as a back-up college are now prominently represented
among the student population.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br />
Acknowledging and accepting the new reality of college
admissions will hopefully shift the focus so that the process feels less like
buying a lottery ticket and becomes more about finding a great fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not suggesting it’s easy to alter
expectations, but I will guarantee that doing so will reduce anxiety and make
the process less stressful, perhaps even fun. Once we can truly embrace the
notion that success in life is not determined by the college name on the
diploma, it’s easier to celebrate our children’s success should they end up at
a college which accepts more than 20% of its students. Who knows. That student
who finds the fit and stands out at the less selective college may be headed to
Harvard Business School. </div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-9445494679905802052016-09-08T15:06:00.001-04:002016-09-08T15:07:36.247-04:00New FAFSA, New Timing<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">New FAFSA, New Timing</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Imagine
shopping for a new car and having no clue until the moment you pull out your
credit card or sign the lease agreement what the vehicle will cost. College list
prices, like those for cars, are readily available on websites, but what a
family will actually pay is often a mystery until only a few weeks before a student must
make a decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lack of
transparency in the cost of attendance has been a common gripe among families
of college going students. This year the federal government decided on a simple
though limited fix: move the availability date for filling out the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid, or <a href="http://www.fafsa.gov/">FAFSA</a>, from January 1<sup>st</sup> to
October 1<sup>st</sup> of the prior year. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Submission of the FAFSA is required in order to be
eligible for all federal aid, and many colleges also use it as the primary
determinant for allocation of their institutional need-based aid. The change
goes into effect on October 1, 2016, just a few weeks from now. The actual
impact on colleges and families is still not fully clear, but the change in
timing should make filing the FAFSA easier and less of a scramble.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What eases the
burden of completing the FAFSA is the move to prior
prior year income reporting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No longer will parents
be pressed to estimate adjusted gross income in January for the calendar year
just ended, often weeks before receiving W-2s and other necessary statements for filing
taxes. Families of students applying for financial aid for fall 2017 will be
asked to report their 2015, or prior prior year income instead. Most filers can
take advantage of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and, by merely clicking the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Link to IRS button</i> on the FAFSA, populate
the required fields with their income data.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The timing of asset reporting will not change, meaning that parents and students will still report balances as of the date the FAFSA
is submitted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The change in FAFSA timing accelerates some, but not all aspects of the college process. Applying for financial aid is now done concurrently with applications
to colleges rather than two or three months later. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Families will benefit by no longer having to
estimate income and update the FAFSA at a later date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The earlier date also encourages students and
their parents to address financial need and expectations earlier in the process.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yet the
question remains: will the advent of prior prior year income and the early
FAFSA availability actually accelerate financial aid decisions to truly assist a
family’s college planning? It’s too soon to tell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many colleges are moving up their deadlines
for submitting financial aid forms to coincide with the FAFSA and CSS Profile’s
October 1 availability date (the CSS Profile is an additional form required by
roughly 400 primarily private colleges).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But are families really likely to know their financial aid packages
sooner? Not unless admission decisions are accelerated as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Financial aid awards generally accompany or
follow notification of acceptance. Clearly more will have to change than merely
making it easier for families to complete and submit the FAFSA earlier. Under
the current system, it’s unlikely that the timing of financial aid notification
will change materially. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nevertheless,
families would be wise to take advantage of the earlier filing date and get the
forms submitted as soon as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Checking
financial aid requirements on each college’s website is necessary in order to confirm
and meet the anticipated earlier deadlines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It will probably take a few more tweaks to the process before families will
be able to truly gauge the cost of college well in advance of making a final
decision.</span></div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-2557340796680549542015-08-08T19:59:00.002-04:002015-08-08T20:09:07.246-04:00Grit: Discovering Our Mental Toughness<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
While ascending the never-ending sequence of climbs in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains last month, I wasn’t thinking about grit. I was purely determined to
pedal my way to the crest of each hill and be that much closer to my
destination: the next college on our itinerary. Cycling with six college
guidance counselor colleagues in Virginia, I spent the week traveling from school
to school on a bike fully loaded with the clothes and supplies I would need for
the week. We college-bound road warriors biked 360 miles in six days, but one
day in particular truly tested our stamina as we cycled 81 miles and climbed
nearly 7,000 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will not lie. When
we arrived at our Lynchburg College destination just before sunset, I was done,
sure I would not have been able to complete one more rotation of my pedals if
my life depended on it. In retrospect, I see that grit got me there. It allowed
me to keep going, even when I was exhausted, parched and had no idea what ascents
might lie ahead.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Merriam-Webster defines grit as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mental toughness and courage</i>, but I also like the Wikipedia
definition: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perseverance and passion for
long-term goals</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Time horizon
matters, as grit demands the drive to follow through even when the rewards are
not easily within our sight or grasp.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we begin another application season, I often ask students
about their motivation. I want to know the things that excite them, their
aspirations and goals, and how they hope to achieve them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where does college fit into these plans? Though
I firmly believe that 17 year olds need not have everything figured out, I am
curious about what inspires them to persevere, even when the path isn’t clear
or the challenges seem insurmountable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How and when are they mentally tough because they are driven by
something that requires focus and effort, even when rewards don’t come easy, contrary
to the short-term pleasure of immediate gratification?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While some people are naturally driven, I don’t believe
one is necessarily born with grit. It develops over time as we find a purpose
or an interest that engages us to persevere over the long-term. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Some kids find their passion early, whether it
is discovering an artistic talent, a natural athletic ability or an academic
curiosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But having an interest is
only the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What keeps us going, drives
us to delve more deeply and fuels our desire to set and work towards a challenging
goal is an understanding for how grit feeds our soul. Rarely does this happen
when the goal is within our grasp and comes too easily. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More often we develop grit and find our motivation
when we take a risk, push ourselves, occasionally fall short but regain our
mental and physical toughness to overcome the inevitable obstacles. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only then can we see the true rewards from the
toughness, courage and perseverance that got us there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Though I have enjoyed cycling on and off since the age of six,
my infatuation with biking was kindled through a discovery of my love for
colleges. It had been 30 years since I last owned a road bike, but I was
determined to reacquaint myself with the sport and get myself into cycling
shape to join and keep up with a group of counselor cyclists who found a way to
combine these seemingly unrelated interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What I discovered on that hot July day somewhere around mile 70 when I
was thirsty, weary and battling possible defeat at the sight of each new hill
is that it wasn’t just about getting to the next college; it was about getting
to the top of the mountain without giving up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-16022631099638064432015-03-09T21:24:00.003-04:002015-03-10T11:26:31.802-04:00Studying in the UK - An Option Worth Exploring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Walking into the sunlit classroom, the first thing
I noticed was the castle. The art studio we had just entered offered one of
the best views of Edinburgh’s 12<sup>th</sup> century fortress perched high above
the city. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Artistic inspiration sat just beyond
the classroom windows and I envied the students who created their own
masterpieces with this treasure as a backdrop. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many U.S. colleges draw students with their state-of-the-art
facilities, teacher-to-student ratios and abundant school spirit. The
University of Edinburgh, one of six ancient universities in the United Kingdom,
offers some similar but also a few quite distinctive selling points: the
opportunity to study at a world class university with renowned academics in a
medieval city rich in history, culture and beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that’s just scratching the surface!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the primary purpose of my trip to the UK was to
participate in the University of Edinburgh two day college counselor program, I
took advantage of the opportunity to extend my escape from the New York bitter
cold and snow and toured six universities located in both quaint medieval towns and in the urban capital city, London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spent the week learning about academic offerings and social life while discovering the essence of each
university and factors that would lead to a good fit and positive student experience.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
An important thing for students to know if contemplating study
in the UK is the emphasis on depth over breadth. The concept of pursuing a broad
liberal arts education is virtually non-existent, though a few universities
such as the highly selective University College London, King's College London and
Durham University have each introduced their own version of a liberal arts
course of study. In contrast to the U.S. where many students do not declare a
major until the end of sophomore year, students at UK universities enter
directly into a field of study to which they devote much if not all of their
academic focus. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Despite our different approach to higher
education, the U.S. actually owes its liberal arts foundation to Scotsman John
Witherspoon, an Edinburgh graduate, Declaration of Independence signer, and the
sixth president of Princeton University who introduced the Scottish syllabus to
the venerable New Jersey institution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Today the U.S. system of higher education remains most closely aligned
with that in Scotland where programs are typically four years and include foreign study in year three, much like our junior year abroad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though students in Scotland apply directly
into their major(s), or Honours, opportunities
to take some courses outside one's concentration provide a foundation and
flexibility to switch should a student change his mind within the first two years. The three year degree common
elsewhere in the UK makes changing course far more difficult, but the
financial trade-off can be substantial. In addition to the shorter program
length, tuition for most programs throughout the UK is significantly lower and can be as much as
$15,000-20,000 less per year than at most selective private universities in the
U.S. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Citizens or permanent residents of
the U.S. are also eligible to take advantage of the Stafford federally guaranteed loan
program to cover costs up to the annual and total borrowing limits.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Going to college in the United Kingdom has the potential to be
a challenging transition for many students educated in the U.S., but it does offer
an exciting and culturally rich alternative for American students who are primed to work
independently, seek a more globally diverse and academically focused
experience, and know what they want to study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While support services exist for all students,
including an assigned personal tutor and smaller seminar sections with professors for every
course, the onus lies with the student to self-pace and master the material in order to sit for semester and year-end
exams or submit papers which will likely be the only assessments. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the academic demands, students do find
time for recreation. Class-free Wednesday afternoons are dedicated to sports
and societies, what we more commonly refer to as clubs, providing a way to get involved in the social and non-academic life on campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
The concept of fit is important in the UK too and students similarly should consider factors such as academics, social life and
location to find the optimal collegiate environment. Campus life will feel very different in an urban center like London
than in the ancient small town of Durham where university students form communities through their residential colleges and typically eat all meals as
well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<br />
Fortunately for anyone thinking
about studying in the UK and trying to decipher the alternatives, the process is relatively
transparent; even international students can readily determine each university’s admission
criteria and find a plethora of information about the student body, housing and of course, the
requirements for a given course of study through the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/">The Complete University Guide</a> which is updated annually. Admission to a university is based primarily<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span>on exam results in related coursework or standardized test scores for non-UK
students including APs, a personal statement that speaks to and substantiates a
student’s academic interests and a teacher/counselor reference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To identify and compare the strength of specific programs, students
can access the official <a href="http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings">League Tables</a>, an important source for choosing where to apply.</div>
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<br />
The process of applying to a UK university is seemingly more
straightforward than navigating the application process in the U.S. Students complete and submit one application, the UCAS, which is accepted by all universities, write one personal statement and can apply to a maximum of five
universities. They are cautioned to limit reaches to two schools and to have an
“insurance” option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given the availability
and transparency of each university’s criteria, students should have no doubt about which schools would be their sure bet
choice. Even the cost of the UCAS application,
like the price of the education, is a bargain compared to the fee in the U.S. The
£23 one time application fee is less than $40 at today’s exchange rate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Going to the UK as an undergraduate is not be for everyone and requires that a student have a clear academic direction and purpose. Yet did I mention that graduate programs, or post-graduate as they are known in the
UK, are typically only one year?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> If your son or daughter is not ready to take the step and enroll as a first year undergraduate student at a UK university, the opportunity will not be lost. There's always graduate school. </span></div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-89459324493955336632015-01-10T12:55:00.000-05:002015-01-10T13:29:32.151-05:00Paying for College - Don't Overlook Financial Aid Forms<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you are the parent of a high school senior, it's time to turn your attention to another
set of online submissions: financial aid forms. With the cost of college
reaching new heights annually, many parents of college students today cannot
ignore the financial aid piece of the college process. In order to qualify for financial aid or even to borrow under a federal loan
program, you will have to complete at least one and perhaps two financial aid applications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Free Application for Federal
Student Aid, more commonly known as the FAFSA, is the form that colleges require students complete in order to qualify for certain types of financial
assistance and for any federal student aid. More than 300 institutions
also require submission of the CSS/Profile form, found on the </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.collegeboard.org/">College Board </a>website, for the allocation of
their own institutional resources. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Completing the FAFSA and;
CSS/Profile (if also required) is the only way you will know for certain
whether you qualify for need-based financial aid. College net price calculators
and other online tools may give you a ballpark figure, but there are too many variables that these simplified calculators won’t capture. While parent
income will be the most significant determinant, there are several factors in
addition to income that influence eligibility including the age of the older
parent, assets owned, number of family members living in the household and the number of
children in college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet the FAFSA is
not only required to calculate demonstrated need. Any student or parent who
wishes to borrow under the federal loan program, regardless of financial need,
must file a </span><a href="http://www.fafsa.gov/">FAFSA</a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This even applies for parents who may choose to cover college costs with a Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students or PLUS loan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A small handful of colleges also require that students complete the FAFSA in order
to receive merit aid awards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The single
best way to find out a college’s documentation requirements is to visit the
financial aid pages on its website where you will also find the college specific deadlines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> They may be as early as February 1.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FAFSA completion is relatively
straightforward, especially for those who have already filed a tax return and meet the<b> </b>eligibility requirements to take
advantage of the </span><a href="http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/help/irshlp9.htm"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">IRS Data Retrieval Tool</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This enables filers to fill in much of the
financial information on the FAFSA automatically by transferring data from the IRS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there is a catch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This feature is not available until two
weeks after processing an electronic return and can take up to eight weeks if you file by
mail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Furthermore, the data retrieval feature will not be active until early February, too late for colleges with February 1 financial aid deadlines. This means you may still be faced with the task of
estimating your prior year income and expenses. A word of advice if you estimate: better to under
than over-estimate earnings since this is what will be used for the initial calculation of the financial aid award.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Y</span>our FAFSA must ultimately be amended with the actual tax
return numbers, so you can take advantage of the data retrieval tool at that time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are certain you will not
qualify for need-based aid yet will complete the FAFSA in order to borrow
either a federal student loan or PLUS loan, you are not constrained by college
financial aid deadlines so file your tax returns first to simplify the
process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I also recommend that you
take advantage of other resources available that can guide you through the form
completion process and shed additional light on the factors that will influence
your eligibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a helpful guide on
filling out the FAFSA form, there are online tutorials such as the <a href="http://www.edvisors.com/fafsa/forms/tutorial">FAFSA tutorial</a> offered by Edvisors, a college financial aid website.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the College Board website you will find the <a href="http://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile">CSS/Profile and tips</a> for completing the form as well as the list of
colleges that require it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Keep in mind that qualifying for
financial aid is not a guarantee that you will receive a lot of free money so
go into the process with realistic expectations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your own estimated need, your formula
determined “demonstrated need,” and the amount of assistance you might actually
receive can and will likely be three different numbers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Financial aid formulas may yield a higher
Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and lower demonstrated need than what you
believe you can afford. The formulas are not frequently updated and
consequently, underestimate today's cost of living, especially for those who
reside in more expensive regions of the country. Furthermore, most colleges won’t
fully plug the gap between the Cost of Attendance and what the formulas determine you should pay. Like many of us managing our personal finances, colleges struggle to equitably allocate a finite pool of resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So embark on this process with tempered hope
and expectations. But don’t put it off. Familiarize yourself with financial aid
requirements and deadlines to give yourself the best chance to receive any </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">aid for
which you may qualify.</span></div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-19760615124589347402014-05-21T09:27:00.000-04:002014-05-21T11:16:26.643-04:00Application Tips from a Graduating Senior<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Gabriola;">Kasey</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Gabriola;">’</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Gabriola;">s Tips for Applying to College</span></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Finish the
CommonApp before summer ends.</i> It’s eighty degrees outside, the beaches are
beautiful, and there’s a party every weekend. The last thing on your mind is
writing an essay about a turning point in your life. At the same time, I cannot
tell you how much stress I saved myself by finishing the CommonApp before the
first day of school senior year. I witnessed my peers as they were on the edge of tears,
feeling absolutely overwhelmed. Not to say I wasn’t busy myself, but when I was
cramming for my AP Calculus quarterly test, I sure was glad that I didn’t have
to worry about finishing the activities section of the CommonApp.<br />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Give the admissions staff plenty of material
to work with! </i>Even the strongest writer may have difficulty conveying his
or her own uniqueness within the allotted word count of a college application essay.
Be sure to ask if you can send in extra work; an art supplement, a short story,
or even a home-made movie can really set you apart from everyone else in the
crowd. Show admissions your true personality.<br />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Visit campus. </i>This one is a biggie.
Before I visited colleges, I thought I wanted a large state
school. This made logical sense; I’m from a small, fish-bowl-y community and
have lived in it since I was three-years-old. But as I visited different
colleges and universities, I realized that smaller schools have offerings that
are very important to me. So if it is a reasonable thing for you to do, take
the time to experience a potential school firsthand. Watch the people who go
there and hear what students and faculty have to say about the school’s
personality.<br />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Take
notes.</i> Do this throughout the whole process. Whether you are on the
computer perusing a school’s website or walking around a campus, write down
your thoughts. What impresses you? Is there something that really bugs you
about the school? Are you confused about something the school advertises or
offers? You will always be able to refer back to these impressions which will
help you when deciding which schools to apply to and will prove to be
especially helpful when it comes time to write supplements.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don’t pull
the early decision trigger unless you are absolutely certain. </i>You may feel
a little left out in December if you choose not to apply early decision
anywhere, but do yourself a favor and don’t commit just for the sake of getting
the application process out of the way. I’ve seen too many of my peers who were
committed to a school by December start to feel anxious as they
had time to reconsider whether or not they are actually going to the right
place. And that’s most definitely not a good place to be in; you want to arrive
on campus full of excitement, not regret.</div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-69519232150162273962014-02-10T09:55:00.002-05:002014-02-10T09:55:38.727-05:00What Football has Taught Me about College Admissions<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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When I want to expand my knowledge of football, I don’t
typically turn to college admissions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet Peter Johnson, Director of Undergraduate Admission
at Columbia University, recently introduced me to the term YAC, though Super
Bowl Sunday was not the topic of conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Johnson was addressing a group of professional members of the Independent
Educational Consultants Association (<a href="http://www.iecaonline.com/">IECA</a>) at an industry retreat. Responding
to a question about the importance one’s high school plays in the college
admission process, Mr. Johnson used <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yards
after catch</i> as a metaphor to form the perfect imagery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His point: Columbia doesn’t admit schools; it
admits students. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where a student goes to
school is the pass; where the student takes that opportunity is what counts. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Think about that for a moment. Johnson just explained how
competitive colleges not only seek to level the playing field, but also
identify the MVPs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Test scores and
grades may put students in the conversation, but it’s their independent intellectual
curiosity that propels them towards the end zone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Though fewer than 7% of applicants will likely be admitted
to Columbia this year, Director Johnson’s message is useful advice for anyone
seeking admission to a highly selective college or university. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is no longer simply about having top
grades, perfect test scores and a plethora of extra-curricular activities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The student who catches the attention of an
admission officer fills a niche and demonstrates a deep commitment to and
measurable success in something that sets him or her apart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can be national or regional recognition
for science research, development and mastery of a talent, or demonstration of a
relentless curiosity through an academic pursuit. Elite colleges are interested
in students who have been carving their niche over time and through their own
persistence. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as President Obama seeks
to include college accessibility for more low income and first generation
students as part of his legacy, colleges will search out the students who have excelled in the absence of certain privileges and advantages. Expect the trend towards measuring the <i>yards
after catch</i> to become even more entrenched in the competitive college admission
process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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I am sharing Director Johnson’s candid message with you not
to discourage, but to add a bit more transparency to the admission process at
the most selective colleges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
insights also dovetail well with the ideas expressed by journalist and author
David Brooks in his February 4<sup>th</sup> <b>New York Times</b> Op-Ed article: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/04/opinion/brooks-what-machines-cant-do.html"><u>What Machines Can’t Do</u></a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the subject of
his piece is not what selective colleges look for, Brooks emphasizes that these same
qualities are valued in life as well as in college admissions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The era of technology no longer rewards
skills that machines can replicate, i.e., mental functions that rely on facts,
rules and the information we are given.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead, our new age society will continue to find more value in and
reward those who are motivated by pure enthusiasm and who possess “a voracious
explanatory drive, an almost obsessive need to follow their curiosity.” Elite
colleges look to build a class of niche players who possess this same
independent intellectual curiosity to run the distance with the ball.</div>
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<br /></div>
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While Peter Johnson’s talk was specific to Columbia
admissions, I think it is safe to say that the top tier colleges in terms of
selectivity (not to be confused with quality) all employ their own version of
YAC in how they admit students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coming
to terms with what these colleges want to see is not a cause for despair; it
might just be a reason to broaden the focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are many fine colleges and universities that realize students don’t
necessarily develop their interests at the same pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead these colleges hope to provide the
opportunities and stimulation to facilitate that discovery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes
that means we must reassess our own goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Today’s world and the one our children will encounter in the future will
value, as David Brooks noted, enthusiasm that drives their intellectual
curiosity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now is the time to encourage our kids to not only catch the ball, but also find the college or university that
will excite their desire to run with it.</div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-72494139923274278372013-03-01T12:06:00.002-05:002013-03-01T12:06:31.350-05:00Why Visit Colleges?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Before heading to New Mexico last week to visit Santa Fe
University of Art and Design (SFUAD), I checked the weather report.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My image of a temperate southwestern climate
was quickly dispelled when I read the forecast: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>snow showers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I put away the t-shirts and packed the parka.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks
to weather.com I was not at all surprised to see the snow covered peaks as the
plane began its descent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet other revelations
were in store. I was already familiar with Santa Fe’s reputation as an artist
haven, yet it never occurred to me that it was also a destination for
filmmakers and winter enthusiasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, the city, at 7,000 feet, is a short
drive to several challenging ski areas and sits at a higher elevation than
Denver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much for preconceived notions; many of my assumptions
about attending college in Santa Fe were tossed before I even stepped foot on
the campus.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Seeing is believing, and getting to know a college is no
exception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Visiting is the one sure way
to get a feel for a university and to imagine oneself as part of its
community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do your research before a
visit so you have some idea of what to expect, but be open to a few
surprises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A trip to a college is the
best way to get to know a university, its offerings, student body, campus feel
and surrounding community. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are
the type of person who needs to experience things firsthand, all the more
reason to plan a visit. </div>
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<br /></div>
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When I scheduled my trip to SFUAD, I did some online
research in advance to ensure that I wouldn’t arrive on campus clueless about
its programs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A college’s website is the
obvious place to start any search in order to gain an initial sense for whether
a school has the right academic fit for a student.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sites like <a href="http://www.unigo.com/">Unigo</a> and <a href="http://www.collegeprowler.com/">College Prowler</a> can also
be helpful in providing the student perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, nothing can replicate the college
visit. It would have been easy for me to make assumptions about SFUAD, a southwestern
college in transition, which had been the College of Santa Fe in a recent
former life. Today a re-born SFUAD, supported by an outside investor and the
city of Santa Fe, has emerged as a niche liberal arts program focused in the
fine and performing arts. On paper (or more precisely, online), its offerings
sound similar to many other art colleges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yet the collaboration, not only among students but also departments,
makes for a truly interdisciplinary artistic experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do I know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw it firsthand: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>theater majors auditioning for film student productions,
musicians involved in multimedia projects, and visual art students exploring
every medium the studio art program has to offer.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Answers to questions such as ‘what type of student thrives
here?’ and ‘what makes this college unique?’ begin to get to the essence of who
might do well on a particular campus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet
the ‘being there’ impression is as important as the answers offered, if not
more so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A college may sound perfect
from the description in the glossy view book, but it’s the campus visit that
will confirm or dispel one’s preconceived notions.</div>
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<br /></div>
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How does one get the most out of a college visit? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With an open and inquisitive mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The feel is not just about physical
beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s also about the intangibles
which are sometimes more difficult to see at first glance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few years back I visited a small Midwestern
college that did not make a compelling first impression; the campus looked
tired and downright sleepy. My colleagues and I reassessed our plan:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>say a quick hello in admissions and leave as
quickly as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three hours later,
we were still there...by choice!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
students we spoke to were smart, passionate and genuinely fired up about the
many cross-disciplinary opportunities available to them and about the
exceptional faculty mentoring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We left
applauding the college’s decision to choose the intellectual investment in the
faculty and students over building a more sensory appealing state-of-the-art
athletic facility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our focus had shifted
from observing the physical setting to seeing the less tangible environment where
possibilities abounded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So take the time
to get out of the car even if the grass is parched from an extended
drought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A college experience should be
more than skin deep. Classroom environment, student engagement, career services,
academic rigor, social scene, and opportunities in one’s chosen major…these are
just some of the many areas that can and should be explored.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Reflecting on my trip to SFUAD, I am reminded that finding
the right fit college is an art, not a science.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Getting to know my students and understanding the vibe of the colleges I
visit are both essential to my assessment for which schools would be
appropriate for each individual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, the decision in the end rests with the student and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is an important decision which warrants as
much firsthand knowledge as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So whether your child sees each campus before he or she applies or just prior to
making a final choice, don’t under estimate the value of a road trip. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-34360738302367474452013-01-30T09:45:00.001-05:002013-01-30T09:45:03.489-05:00Who Should Apply for Financial Aid?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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“If we aren't likely to qualify for need-based aid, should we
file a FAFSA?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is it true that everyone
should complete financial aid forms, regardless of need?” “Do I need to
complete the FAFSA to receive merit aid?” These are questions I often get from
parents who are trying to determine whether there is any benefit to filling out this "black box" form.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Free Application for Federal
Student Aid, more commonly known as the FAFSA, is the federal form that all
colleges require students to complete in order to qualify for certain types of
financial assistance and any federal student aid. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Nearly 400 colleges also
require submission of the CSS/Profile form, found on the <a href="http://www.collegeboard.org/">College Board</a> website, for the
allocation of their own institutional aid). You will need to fill out the FAFSA
to receive need-based aid, but that is not the only reason to spend the time and
effort.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Who should complete the FAFSA?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone who believes he or she
may qualify for need-based aid should invest the time; filling out the form is the only way to know
for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no maximum income
or set amount which precludes one from qualifying. Rather, many factors in addition to income influence eligibility including the age of parents,
assets owned, family members living in the household and number of children in
college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet the FAFSA is not only
required to calculate demonstrated need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Any student or parent who wishes to borrow under the federal Stafford
loan program, regardless of financial situation, must file a <a href="http://www.fafsa.gov/">FAFSA</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This even applies if a parent chooses to take out a PLUS
loan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A handful of colleges require that students complete the FAFSA in order to receive merit aid
awards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The single best way to find out
a college’s documentation requirements is to visit the financial aid pages on its
website.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Completing the FAFSA is relatively straight forward for those who
have already filed a tax return and meet the eligibility requirements to take advantage of the <a href="http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/help/irshlp9.htm">IRS Data Retrieval Tool</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This enables filers to fill in much of the financial information on the FAFSA automatically
by transferring data from their tax return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But here’s the Catch-22:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You must
wait approximately 2 weeks if you process your return electronically, or 6-8
weeks if you file by mail before you can access this feature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By then the college financial aid deadline
might well have passed (check individual college websites) so you may still be faced with the challenge of estimating your prior year tax information (a word of
advice: better to under than over-estimate earnings).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> For those who </span>estimate, you will ultimately have to amend your FAFSA
with the actual numbers, and can take advantage of the data retrieval tool at
that point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> If you are certain you will not qualify for need-based aid yet will</span> complete the FAFSA in order to borrow
either a Stafford student loan or PLUS loan, you are not constrained by college
financial aid deadlines so file your tax returns first to simplify the
process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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For a helpful guide on filling out the FAFSA form, you may
want to view the <a href="https://www.finaid.ucsb.edu/Media/FAFSASimplification/index.html">7 Easy
Steps to the FAFSA</a> tutorial before you get started.</div>
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Keep in mind that qualifying for financial aid is not a guarantee that you will receive lots of free money so go into the process with realistic expectations. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I have emphasized in many of my blog
postings, your personally estimated need, your FAFSA determined “demonstrated
need,” and the amount of assistance you might actually receive can and will
likely be three different numbers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Financial
aid formulas may yield a higher Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and
lower demonstrated need than what you believe you can afford. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The FAFSA is not frequently updated and consequently underestimates today's cost of living, especially for those who reside in expensive regions of the country. </span>Furthermore, most colleges won’t fully plug
the gap between the Cost of Attendance and what you are expected to pay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like many of us managing our personal finances, colleges struggle to judiciously allocate a finite pool of resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So embark on this process with tempered hope and expectations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-88900855267502973352012-12-09T17:44:00.003-05:002012-12-11T08:29:14.583-05:00Need-Blind, Need-Aware and College Admissions<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Does financial need factor into the college admission
decision and if so, how does it affect applicants and to what extent?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adding to the anxiety about college
admissions is the question about how to handle and interpret application questions
on financial aid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Parents, especially
those who are not sure whether they will qualify for assistance, often ask
whether checking “yes” to the need-based aid question might negatively impact a
student’s chance for acceptance. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like many questions related to college admission, the answer
is rarely so straightforward. Students, of course, want to maximize the
probability of admission without jeopardizing their opportunity to receive
financial aid for college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some schools
profess to be need-blind, meaning that they do <i>not </i>consider ability to pay in the
admission decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That may sound like
good news; however, it does not necessarily mean that the college will provide
adequate financial aid to enable the student to attend once admitted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>New York University, a need-blind university,
does not claim to meet demonstrated need and generally comes up short by more
than 30% of the cost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Admitted students
are counseled by admissions, only after acceptance, that attending the
university might not be a sound decision if it requires excessive
borrowing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Certain <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need-sensitive</i>
colleges take a different approach to college admission, choosing to give more
aid to fewer students rather than put affordability out of reach for many. Several
of the more selective need-sensitive colleges, in fact, admit most <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">though not all</i> students without regard
to their ability to pay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it comes
down to the final 2-20% of the admission decisions (depending on the college), ability
to pay becomes the deciding factor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this more palatable than offering a spot in
the class without providing the means to pay for it? Wesleyan University believes
so, yet met with protests from students, parents and alumni when it switched
from a need-blind to need-aware or need-sensitive policy this past May, stating
that it would now consider ability to pay when filling the last 10% or so of
the class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The college chose to alter
its admission approach so that it would still be able to meet the demonstrated
need of every admitted student. A list of the small group of <a href="http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/2012/02/16/colleges-that-claim-to-meet-full-financial-need">Colleges-that-claim-to-meet-full-financial-need</a>
was published by U.S. News & World Report earlier this
year.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Whether a college is need-blind or need-aware, families
should have an understanding about what they can afford to pay and what amount
of borrowing is manageable, even before the applications are submitted. The
unfortunate truth is that need is an unavoidable topic in most college
admission offices. Colleges do not have unlimited financial aid budgets and most
have to factor this into the equation. You can decide to try to game the system
and avoid checking the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will you apply for
need-based financial aid?</i> box, but if you honestly do not have the ability
to pay, you are not doing yourself or your child a favor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That being said, it is a good idea to
understand the likelihood of your receiving aid as you work through the
process.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Here are some guidelines on how to think about the
application financial aid question to help you evaluate its potential impact on the
admission decision for your child:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>Is the school in question a reach, mid-range or
likely for your child? If he or she is not at the high end or at least in the
upper half of the admitted student range in terms of academic performance or
some other compelling factor, having a financial need probably works against him/her
in the admission process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A student with
money and the same academic qualifications has a better chance of being
admitted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>The most selective colleges reserve their
financial aid for qualified students with demonstrated need rather than those
with the best academic record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At places
where admission is less selective, merit tends to rule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many colleges use financial aid as the carrot
to lure the most desirable students, whether they need financial assistance or
not. In search of ever-improving rankings, colleges essentially pay to attract
the high performers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>More schools “gap” than do not; they expect that
you will fill the balance of your need with student or parent loans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So even if your Expected Family Contribution
or EFC is less than the cost of attendance, don’t just assume that the college
will make up the difference with a grant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One major caveat: some colleges disingenuously qualify loans as
financial aid; since loans must be paid back, be advised to distinguish them
from grant money which is a gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it
is not clear whether a financial aid “award” includes borrowed money, ask.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.25pt;">
The best way to find out how need
factors into the admission decision at a particular college, if in doubt, is to
pick up the phone and call the school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep
in mind, however, that a need-blind policy will not necessarily work in your
favor if tuition is high and the financial aid policy is to gap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Net price calculators which can be found on
every college’s website are another tool at your disposal to estimate your
actual out-of-pocket cost per year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
can also use <a href="http://www.blogger.com/nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/">College Navigator</a>, a
Department of Education site, to get a sense for what families in your income
range typically pay at a given college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With these tools, you will be better informed
before checking the financial need box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.25pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.25pt;">
<br /></div>
Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-33010635024721970712012-06-29T11:16:00.000-04:002012-06-29T11:16:39.046-04:00Cycling My Way through a Tour of Colleges<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The lazy, hazy,
crazy days of summer are officially here, which for me means the three “Cs:”
colleges, cycling and camaraderie. The beginning of summer has become my time
to venture to a new region of the country or revisit a familiar one to tour colleges
by bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look forward to what has
become an annual journey of discovery with my two-wheeler colleagues, an energetic
group of school counselors and independent consultants who share a sense of
humor and our love for cycling and colleges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This year our trip takes us to western Michigan, Indiana and Chicago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The colleges on our list comprise an eclectic
group of household names and lesser known gems: Calvin College, Hope College,
Kalamazoo College, University of Notre Dame, Valparaiso University and
Northwestern. And if time allows before our tour officially begins, I will fit
in two more Chicago schools, regretfully by means of public transportation! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all, we will cover 255 miles in five days. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not a wimpy group; we transport our own
gear in panniers and hope to get some rest after long days of cycling and college
touring, retiring most nights in campus dorms on extra-long, well-worn twin
mattresses. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I should
mention that barely nine months ago I toured half of the colleges on my upcoming
trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The campuses were teeming with
students and showing off the colors of their brilliant autumn splendor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet “been
there, done that” was no excuse to take a pass on this year’s bike trip. It’s
not just about my love for cycling and the camaraderie of being with summer biking
pals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I relish the opportunity to revisit,
even the campuses I have walked before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The schools, no doubt, will be more tranquil in July than during the
school year, and I expect that they will show very differently under the haze
and humidity of early July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No college
can be captured in just a few snapshots; nor should that be the sum total of my
experience on a particular campus.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The first
trip to a college is an opportunity to get a feel for the landscape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to see the big picture: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the essence of the academic experience, the social
life, the character of the student body and the feel for the surrounding
community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A return trip allows me to
delve deeper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I see a campus,
I discover something new, an unusual major I had overlooked before or some
specific aspect of the admission process that may make a difference for a
particular student.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Building upon what I
already know reinforces my understanding of what makes a college special and
who would thrive in that environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I sometimes
stop to ponder what I love so much about what I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today I would state my job description this
way:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>my role is about discovery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether it is getting into the mind and soul
of each student or uncovering the unique qualities of a particular college, I
am challenged to find matches that will enrich a young person’s life over the
long term.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next week I will have another
opportunity to pursue that mission:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on a
bike!</span></div>Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-91757254267114642582012-06-01T11:43:00.000-04:002012-06-01T12:07:07.569-04:00Does That Price for This College Make Sense?<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The cost of
college today has put affordability truly out of reach for most Americans,
including many who are comfortably middle class. I am not stating anything that anyone who is
currently putting children through college hasn’t realized. While higher education has always come at a
cost, it has reached a price point that now exceeds the pain threshold for most
Americans. As President Obama, Congress
and colleges wrangle over how to fix the problem of runaway tuition increases,
I sadly am of the opinion that the situation has no satisfactory solution that
doesn’t involve drastically changing the delivery of higher education in this
country. But that is a subject for another day.
Right now I am consumed by the decisions families make with respect to
cost and choosing a college. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The question
that has been weighing on my mind is how much is too much to pay for college,
specifically for schools that heavily discount tuition. Anyone who follows the news about rising college
costs probably is familiar with the difference between the “sticker price”
(what a college publishes as its total cost) and “net price” (what its students
actually pay, on average). In recent
year, most colleges have made a practice of offering merit aid to students they
wish to lure away from more selective schools.
Colleges do that by “discounting” the sticker price so that students
feel like they are getting a real deal…but are they? The discounting of tuition, in fact, is one
of the main drivers of higher prices.
Colleges are able to offer select students sizable discounts by charging
everybody else more. So should you pay
full price for a college that uses your tuition dollars to subsidize other
students? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The question
has no simple answer. What makes sense
for one student and family may be impractical for another. My goal here is to provide a framework for families
wrestling with this question as they help their children make the all-important
decision about where to attend college. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Have the family
discussion and a joint understanding about affordability before the
applications go out and the acceptances come in. </span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is okay to apply to the dream college, but be clear with
your son or daughter about what kind of financial aid package, either need or
merit-based, will make it feasible to attend.
Setting expectations early may mean avoiding future heartache.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Recognize that loans
may make it possible to attend the college of choice today, but that excessive
borrowing will feel like an albatross around the neck once graduation has
passed and the loan payments come due. </span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Borrowing a reasonable amount to pay for college makes
sense, but knowing what is affordable requires planning and forward
thinking. How much will the student
and/or parents probably have to borrow over four years? What will be the approximate size of the future graduate's monthly payments and how long will it take to pay off the loans? Given a student’s career plans, what will he
or she likely earn, and will that be sufficient to comfortably meet debt
payments while still covering other living expenses? A good rule of thumb is to keep debt payments
at or below 8% of gross income.
Calculators such as those available on </span>the website <a href="http://www.mappingyourfuture.org/">http://www.mappingyourfuture.org/</a>
enable one to project future debt payments, based on expected borrowing and
interest rates. The calculators will also help you determine what a person should earn
in order to comfortably pay back a given balance in student loans. If you are
looking for a way to estimate average salaries in a specific field by region,
you might want to check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics site: <a href="http://www.bls.gov/">http://www.bls.gov/</a>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Think it through before you pay the sticker price at a college that
heavily discounts tuition. </i></b>It is important to find out what percentage
of students receives some type of merit aid and the amount of the average
award. If a school discounts tuition for
a significant number of students and you are not one of them, you are probably
overpaying and subsidizing someone else’s child who has better grades and test
scores. When is it okay to do this? 1) If it’s the dream school and you can
afford it without borrowing, 2) if the student wants to pursue a unique major or
program for which the college is renowned, 3) when the college offers some
merit aid, but most students pay full fare (e.g., the “subsidizing of other
students is not significant) and 4) in cases where other less expensive options
truly do not meet the academic needs of the student.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Have your child include schools on the college list that that will likely
offer tuition discounts based on his or her test scores and GPA. </i></b> For the most part, you can figure out which
colleges these are. Are the test scores
and GPA at the high end of the school’s range?
In all likelihood, the college will offer some discount as an incentive
to entice your student to attend.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Weigh the emotional against the practical. </i></b> Does it make sense for the middle income family
that receives no need-based aid to choose the Ivy League or highly selective university
over the state school option? Given the
emotions wrapped up in these types of choices, I find it difficult to advise
others on the right and logical decision.
Choosing the highly selective,
name brand college may indeed change the student’s life, but at a high cost if
excessive borrowing is involved. This is
especially true if a student has plans to go on to graduate school. I know.
It’s hard to turn down Harvard or Yale, nor am I saying that you
should. However, graduating debt-free or
with limited loans is anything but over-rated.
Do well as an undergraduate anywhere and you can spend the bigger bucks
on graduate school. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Deciding what a college education is worth is a complex
analysis, yet unlike an integral calculus problem, there is no single right
answer. My hope is that having a
framework to evaluate this decision and a list of questions to ponder will help
each family come to the answer that is appropriate for them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-81301360276349214342012-03-19T19:29:00.004-04:002012-03-19T20:11:49.141-04:00Study in Ireland - A Hundred Thousand Welcomes!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:donotshowinsertionsanddeletions/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> 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font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" > </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Céad míle fáilte romhat! A hundred thousand welcomes to you!</span><span style=""> </span>Our group of 21 college counselors touring the seven Irish universities discovered the sincerity of this welcome and the true meaning of Irish hospitality.<span style=""> </span>We were on a mission in early March to learn all that we could about higher education in Ireland.<span style=""> </span>After a week visiting the seven campuses, I understand the appeal of studying in this country so rich in culture, history, scholarship and generosity. </span></strong></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > The charm and splendor of the universities mirrors the radiance of the Irish people.<span style=""> </span>Even in early March, each campus showed well, flowers in bloom and several sporting brilliant shamrock green quads…three weeks before the official advent of spring!<span style=""> </span>However, my objective was to leave Ireland not only with the digital and mental pictures, but with a deeper appreciation for its approach to higher education, the essential differences between a U.S. and an Irish university experience, and an understanding of the mindset of the American student who decides to venture to the Emerald Isle to live and study.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > Our journey began on the east coast in Dublin, where we spent two days touring <a href="http://www.tcd.ie/">Trinity College Dublin</a>, <a href="http://www.ucd.ie/">University College Dublin</a> and <a href="http://www.dcu.ie/">Dublin City University</a>. We discovered, among other things, how much better Guinness tastes on the other side of the pond and the sheer beauty of traditional Irish music when performed by a cappella voices in perfect harmony.<span style=""> </span>The next stop was <a href="http://www.nuim.ie/">National University of Ireland Maynooth</a>, located in the eponymous medieval town just 30 minutes west of Dublin.<span style=""> </span>Spending the night in a monastery was a personal first, only to be topped by a photo opportunity at dinner with members of the Irish national rugby team!<span style=""> </span>After a three hour drive the next morning we reached the west coast and the picturesque city of Galway, home to the <a href="http://www.nuigalway.ie/">National University of Ireland Galway</a> and a center for theatre and art.<span style=""> </span>On our final two days we headed southeast to the <a href="http://www.ul.ie/">University of Limerick</a> and then on to the <a href="http://www.ucc.ie/">University College Cork</a> before returning to Dublin. Both universities regaled us with traditional Irish music and dance performed by students in their acclaimed music programs.<span style=""> </span>If you are ever in Cork, take a page from the Ireland itinerary of Queen Elizabeth II and be sure to savor the tastes, smells and bustle of the English Market!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > Getting the flavor for life in and around the university locales was an integral part of our education.<span style=""> </span>Yet most of our time was spent on the campuses, learning about the literally hundreds of subjects offered, the undergraduate entry programs in disciplines that are exclusively graduate level at home such as medicine, law, dentistry and veterinary medicine, Co-op programs similar to those in the U.S., the difference between a society (student club) and a club (a sport), the student union (an organization, not a place!), tutorials (the Irish equivalent of a U.S. university lecture review session), joint honours degrees (a double major), study abroad through the Erasmus programme (a student exchange program), and a whole host of other features, some of which needed to be translated or explained for American educators.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > Much of what we heard from faculty, staff and students about the appeal of studying in Ireland came as no surprise.<span style=""> </span>Americans students seek the international experience and global perspective that living in the gateway to Europe offers; yet they know they will still have the familiarity of hearing and speaking their native English.<span style=""> </span>It’s a cultural immersion that feels a little less foreign.<span style=""> </span>Yet there are some significant differences in the educational experience in Ireland that attracts a special type of international student.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > Studying in an Irish university is more about depth than breadth.<span style=""> </span>The emphasis on pursuing one or two subjects rather than exploring a true liberal arts curriculum means that students graduate with a genuine expertise in their fields.<span style=""> </span>(University College Dublin offers a program that is an exception, having developed a Liberal Art & Sciences Program modeled after U.S. higher education which allows students to explore various disciplines before declaring a major.)<span style=""> </span>The more common Irish approach is focused, but not narrow.<span style=""> </span>In fact, many programs are inter-disciplinary.<span style=""> </span>A course (major) in European Studies will delve into the history, philosophy, arts and sciences, religion, psychology and linguistics of the region, thereby providing an education that can, indeed, look very much like one pursued at a U.S. liberal arts college.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style=""> </span>Those from the United States who do choose to study in Ireland might be surprised by the degree of responsibility placed on students to budget their time and self-pace their studies.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>One or two exams during the year is the norm rather than continual assessment throughout the semester, as is common in the U.S. <span style=""> </span>Professors do not regularly provide progress feedback in the form of tests or papers.<span style=""> </span>Yet students are not left to fend for themselves. Irish universities provide dedicated support for international students to ensure that they succeed academically and adjust to their new social and cultural environment.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" > Attending a university in Ireland means being part of a larger community.<span style=""> </span>The notion of town-gown is not part of the mindset in Ireland; students easily mingle with residents and feel very welcome as part of the local community. The warmth, hospitality and welcome of the Irish people is unmatched.<span style=""> </span>Go into an Irish pub or shop and don’t be surprised if you are drawn into a conversation.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style=""> </span></strong></span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >“School spirit” as we know it in the U.S. is a bit of a foreign concept on campuses in Ireland.<span style=""> </span>Instead, students connect and feel part of the university by joining societies and clubs or team sports, many of which are competitive.<span style=""> </span>Involvement in these cultural, academic, social and athletic organizations is viewed as an important dimension to the university experience, and furthers a mission to educate the whole person.<span style=""> </span>On Irish campuses, students rule.<span style=""> </span>All societies and clubs are student organized and run.<span style=""> </span>Every university has a union comprised of student-elected representatives who take a year off from their studies to oversee many aspects of university life. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style=""> </span>Those who choose to attend an Irish university know they will have the best of both worlds: a university campus endowed with state-of-the-art academic, research and athletic facilities which is either located in or within a short distance from a major city, yet easily accessible to the magnificent countryside for which Ireland is well renowned.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" ><span style=""> </span>I returned from my visit to Ireland convinced that self-directed and motivated American students willing to think broadly about higher education options would do very well to consider any of the seven Irish universities for a degree program that’s highly regarded worldwide and a great value.<span style=""> </span>I would be remiss if I made no mention of the cost.<span style=""> </span>Though tuition and fees vary by program of study, the cost of attendance on average is the U.S. dollar equivalent of about $30,000 per year, a bargain when compared to private colleges and even some public options in the U.S.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > For the adventurous, directed student seeking an international and cultural experience that cannot be replicated in the U.S., consider Ireland.<span style=""> </span></span><strong style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Céad míle fáilte romhat!</span><span style=""> </span></span></strong><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" ></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" > </span></p>Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-16218165406360784992012-03-01T10:28:00.004-05:002012-03-01T11:01:12.987-05:00Education Ireland – An International Alternative to U.S. Higher Ed<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:donotshowinsertionsanddeletions/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> 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Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">In just two days I will be boarding a plane for Ireland, excited to be taking my first trip to the Emerald Isle.<span style=""> </span>I must confess I feel a tad guilty that I, the only member of my family with no trace of Irish ancestry, must leave my husband and daughters behind.<span style=""> </span>However, this is a business trip, not a vacation, and I will get to do one of things I enjoy most about my profession:<span style=""> </span>I will have the opportunity to visit all seven national universities, walk the campuses, see the students, hear from professors and administrators, and learn as much as I can possibly absorb in one week about the Irish higher education system. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I am especially primed for my upcoming trip, not only in anticipation of visiting historic cities and universities and taking in the beautiful surroundings and Gaelic culture.<span style=""> </span>I am thrilled to see firsthand these world-renowned universities which I believe provide a genuinely worthy and interesting alternative for American students. Irish universities offer quality academics and an approach to education that is probably closest to what we have in the U.S. in terms of curriculum, prestige, and career advising and support.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">My purpose here is not to exalt the virtues of studying in Ireland (I expect to do that after my trip!), but rather to present some of the reasons why thinking beyond a 180 mile radius exposes families to options they otherwise might not have considered.<span style=""> </span>Granted, spending three or four years studying in another country and living within a foreign culture best serves students open to new experiences and those truly seeking to broaden their horizons. But some of the persuasive reasons for thinking beyond one’s borders may be enough to compel students to consider less conventional choices.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Here is a typical wish list that I often hear from students and families:</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Many academic options</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Access to a city, but also a nice campus</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>A mid-size university; not too small</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Lots of clubs and activities<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Career advising</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Affordable!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.25pt;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.25pt;">Here is what I do currently know about the Irish higher education system:<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>All seven universities are research institutions offering bachelor, graduate and doctoral programs</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The campuses are primarily city-based with easy access to explore the rest of Ireland</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Several are what we consider mid-size universities, with 7,000 to 12,000 undergraduate students<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">- The Irish system offers both a U.S. type curriculum where students can study liberal arts and sciences, but also a British style curriculum that offers specialization in the first year</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Club and activities abound; the Irish universities provide many of the student life amenities found on U.S. campuses<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The admission process is very much focused on “fit” and employs a holistic review (academics, recommendations, personal statement)</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>International students are not left to fend for themselves; they participate in an extensive orientation program and have access to dedicated support for foreign students, both academic and career focused, throughout their years at the university</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>A degree from an Irish university is recognized internationally; the seven institutions draw students from all over the world</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>The cost of attendance for the highly recognized educational experience is approximately US$36,000 per year, comparable to that of the public universities in the United States; many programs are just three years which provides considerable cost savings over a U.S. degree</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 20.25pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style=""><span style="">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>U.S. citizens and residents can use federal student aid (Stafford and PLUS loans) to help finance an education in Ireland; all of the universities also offer some merit aid.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.25pt;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.25pt;">To be fair, the Irish universities are experiencing many of the cost structure issues that also plague U.S. institutions.<span style=""> </span>The Higher Education Authority in Ireland has been very proactive in addressing this and has recently proposed strategic plans to better align missions and eliminate duplication among the universities.<span style=""> </span>Getting a better understanding for the structure of the Irish system going forward is one of my key objectives for this trip.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.25pt;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 2.25pt;">As always, I welcome your comment.<span style=""> </span>If you have any specific questions you would like me to pursue on this explorative journey, please send them my way!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-83247125183986069042012-02-17T13:54:00.000-05:002012-02-17T14:52:53.093-05:00Managing a Chronic Illness in College<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> 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semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">When I was diagnosed with Type I or juvenile diabetes at the ripe old age of 30, I wondered what it would have been like to self-administer insulin shots and cope with the disease as a child or teenager.<span style=""> </span>I knew then just how fortunate I was. I did not have to manage a chronic illness while navigating the transition to adulthood, the social and academic landscape, and the temptations of college life.<span style=""> </span>Nevertheless, I am well aware of the unique challenges that a chronic condition presents for a young person dealing with a major life change, away from home for the first time, and facing the responsibility of taking care of oneself.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Last week an NYU student with Crohn’s Disease wrote a wonderful piece for The Choice blog of the New York Times on this very topic:<a href="http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/college-chronic-illness/?pagemode=print"> </a><a href="http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/college-chronic-illness/?pagemode=print">http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/college-chronic-illness/</a>.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>The various challenges she has had to confront illustrate that managing a chronic condition in college is not easy.<span style=""> </span>This young woman had not considered her illness when she enrolled at a college far from her home, a decision she now recognizes was probably foolish.<span style=""> </span>For this reason, she decided to share her experience and offer advice for other college age students balancing teen life with a chronic illness.<span style=""> </span>Her five main points are 1) find a doctor either before leaving for school or soon after; 2) keep a complete set of medical records; 3) inform your professors; 4) stay in touch with your parents; and 5) know when it is time to seek help or even go home.<span style=""> </span>I want to piggyback off of her sound recommendations and offer a few points of my own for any student with a chronic illness.<span style=""> </span>1) You are now an adult; take responsibility for your health; 2) let others know about your health issues and help them understand your illness; 3) seek out support groups beyond just your health professionals; and 4) most importantly, set yourself up for success, not failure.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="">Most college students have already turned 18 or are about to reach this milestone birthday.<span style=""> </span>This means that under the <span style="">Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, otherwise known as HIPAA, they are recognized as adults with full rights to medical privacy.<span style=""> </span>Along with that comes the responsibility to manage their own health issues.<span style=""> </span>As scary as that may be for parents, we must acknowledge that the time has come for our “adult” children to take primary charge of their care and habits, especially since family members may not be close by. <span style=""> </span>We can offer guidance on their decision making, but they must learn to advocate and make smart choices for themselves.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">For most teens with a chronic health issue, the first challenge is accepting that the illness requires constant attention, something that fellow classmates may not fully understand.<span style=""> </span>The late night eating and other college rituals which are probably not healthy for any student can be seriously harmful to someone for whom moderation is a necessity. <span style=""> </span>Yet even for the most outgoing student, sharing something as personal as a chronic illness, especially during the first weeks of college, may feel uncomfortable. The desire to fit in often compels students to take part in all of the activities that their newly acquired friends are doing, whether wise or not.<span style=""> </span>It is easy to slide into a state of denial.<span style=""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>If sharing something as personal as a chronic illness is difficult, here is a helpful reminder to anyone coping with a health issue: you are not your disease.<span style=""> </span>Students need to first separate their personal identity from the illness (I have diabetes; I am not diabetic!). That will hopefully make it easier to share the facts about a medical condition with a few close and trusted friends, and remove the mystery and possible stigma associated with it.<span style=""> </span>Friends will probably have questions: What are the signs that you are in trouble and need assistance? What should we do to help you and under what circumstances?<span style=""> </span>When should we call for help?<span style=""> </span>The better informed they are, the easier it will be to confide in them and seek support when it is most needed.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Knowing the difference between healthy and harmful choices is one thing; having the discipline to always choose wisely, especially for a teenager, is another. A chronic health issue can wear on anyone’s emotions and resolve. With parents not in close proximity, students should seek out support groups on campus.<span style=""> </span>The college health center is a good place to inquire.<span style=""> </span>If there is no established campus group, seize the opportunity to start one.<span style=""> </span>Having the support of schoolmates dealing with similar health challenges can provide encouragement to stay on track and make healthy lifestyle choices.<span style=""> </span>There is a reason support groups exist; most of us can’t do it alone.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I advise anyone with a chronic illness to wear a medical bracelet or necklace, and certainly if there is the risk that at some point emergency medical attention may be required.<span style=""> </span>The bracelet could be a lifesaver, especially if one is in an unfamiliar place without the usual support network.<span style=""> </span>An insulin reaction, for example, might easily be mistaken for drunkenness or drug use. If you end up in an emergency situation, you don’t want your symptoms to be confused for something else. <span style=""> </span>Carrying a card in one’s wallet is fine, but thanks to HIPAA, searching through a purse or wallet is off limits.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">College students with chronic illnesses are forced to grow up faster.<span style=""> </span>Taking responsibility and making mature lifestyle decisions come with the territory.<span style=""> </span>How can we assist kids through this maturation process?<span style=""> </span>Help them to see their own strengths and limitations.<span style=""> </span>A student who suspects she is weak in self-discipline needs to assess how to avoid the temptation, and may want to inquire about the types of support facilities in place before choosing a college.<span style=""> </span>More and more college campuses offer substance-free housing.<span style=""> </span>While these dorms are not necessarily for students managing a chronic illness, they offer a smart way to set oneself up for success in maintaining a healthy lifestyle while still taking full advantage of the college experience.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Success in managing a chronic illness is easier when a student has the right support network (professionals, support groups, friends) and feels empowered to make smart decisions which will not compromise his or her health.<span style=""> </span>Like most things related to choosing a college and making good choices, it comes back to <span style="font-style: italic;">right fit</span>. <span style=""> </span>It starts with finding a comfortable college environment where a student feels encouraged to make good choices and put health first.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>Jane 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locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >News broke last week that the <i style="">U.S. News & World Report</i> ninth ranked liberal arts college, Claremont McKenna College, has been fudging its reported incoming student SAT scores by ten to 20 points for the past six years.<span style=""> </span>While you might not think that such a nominal overstatement in test performance would move the ranking needle materially (test scores are weighted 7.5% in the ranking formula), the inflated scores helped Claremont McKenna rise through the pack and break into the coveted top ten in 2011.<span style=""> </span>Why such pressure on colleges to improve their place in the rankings pecking order, even to the extent that a highly recognized and respected admission dean would risk his job and career by perpetuating a fraud all of these years? A higher ranking translates into an increase in applications and higher yields (the number of accepted students who actually matriculate).<span style=""> </span>Once colleges figured out that rankings can directly affect admission outcomes, the temptation to game the system became too much for some to resist.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >After reading the Claremont McKenna news and speculation that many other colleges are finding ways to manipulate their numbers, I was struck by a thought; the group that most influences the rankings are not the colleges themselves, but rather the segment of the population that has come to rely on these rankings: parents and students. As much as I try to dissuade them, I do understand why parents focus and obsess over the low and still falling acceptance rates of the most selective colleges. <span style=""> </span>Nevertheless, I encourage them to broaden their scope to include the many quality schools that are lower ranked and more robust in their admission numbers.<span style=""> </span>Every time we rely on the <i style="">U.S. News & World Report</i> rankings as the quality standard bearer, we are perpetuating the misconceptions about excellence and motivating the actions that affect rankings.<span style=""> </span>While reader perception of worth does not have its own separate weighting in the <i style="">U.S. News & World Report</i> formula the way that college peer opinion does, <i style="">we</i> are the ultimate drivers.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Think about this.<span style=""> </span>If I use the rankings as my guide about where to apply, I, like everyone else who is employing the same skewed logic, will actually contribute to the ranking frenzy.<span style=""> </span>The “top” colleges will draw more applications (good for rankings), have to reject a greater number of students (a huge boost for the rankings), which drives down their acceptance rates (a rankings game changer) and ultimately jacks up their yields (rankings home-run!). Never did I think that I would feel amazingly empowered by the realization that if I read and react to the <i style="">U.S. News & World Report</i> I could exercise such influence!<span style=""> </span>Unfortunately, I am just one person.<span style=""> </span>It is our collective action that will change this game.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" > </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Following Claremont McKenna’s disclosure last week, the finance magazine, <i style="">Kiplinger</i>, removed the school from its list of best buy colleges.<span style=""> </span>One man erred in judgment and now this highly respected academic institution is no longer a smart educational investment?<span style=""> </span>How can that be?<span style=""> </span>Did anything else change at the school since last week?<span style=""> </span>Sure, the average SATs are slightly lower than we thought and that, no doubt, will cause the college to fall in the 2012 rankings.<span style=""> </span>Have we all been duped into thinking that Claremont McKenna was a better school than it really is?<span style=""> </span>Perhaps…if you buy into the rankings.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" > </span></p>Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-84230346521407179362012-01-30T18:27:00.000-05:002012-01-30T18:39:55.252-05:00The High Cost of Higher Ed – Do We Really Need the Climbing Wall?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:donotshowinsertionsanddeletions/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> 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priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Last week I called a business school buddy, my annual homage to his birthday.<span style=""> </span>When I asked about his kids, he shared his relief and joy at writing the final tuition check with the last of his crew graduating from college this spring. I must confess; I was suddenly struck by “final college tuition payment envy.” With twelve semesters of tuition payments left to pay (and counting!), assuming my three daughters stick to the four-year plan, I am singing the middle class college cost blues.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Like so many others looking for a ray of college affordability hope, I was wishful that President Obama would propose something truly revolutionary to help all Americans afford the dream of sending their children to college.<span style=""> </span>I can’t fault our president that his proposal announced last week will barely make a dent for lower income families struggling to afford college and will provide little if any relief for the middle class.<span style=""> </span>The cost of college is so alarmingly out of control that increasing the availability of Perkins loans for lower income families is like trying to protect a gaping wound with one of those pinky-size band aids.<span style=""> </span>The cost of college today has put affordability out of reach for most Americans, including many who are comfortably middle class.<span style=""> </span>Nothing short of a complete and drastic overhaul of the higher education system will adequately address the issue.<span style=""> </span>But for that to happen we need to understand how we’ve enabled this craziness.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Colleges and universities are now on the defensive, having for years fueled an arms race enticing students with state-of-the-art athletic, academic and dining facilities, deluxe dorms, and the best amenities that their spiraling tuition and fees could buy.<span style=""> </span>But before we place all of the blame on colleges for escalating costs, ask yourself if you weren’t wowed by the climbing wall and yes, lazy rivers (!) that are becoming the hallmarks of college athletic facilities across the country.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Have we inadvertently sent the message that this is what we value in a college education?<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When I meet a family for the first time I ask both parents and the student to prioritize their wish list for college; reputation, cost, academics, dorms, location, school spirit, Greek life, athletics, etc…what is truly important for a college experience?<span style=""> </span>Why aren’t academics always at the top of the list?<span style=""> </span>As the total bill at the most expensive colleges approaches $250,000, shouldn’t we be asking ourselves if our students really need the climbing wall?</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">No amount of government assistance can even begin to make a dent in this pricey behemoth we know as higher education.<span style=""> </span>President Obama can threaten to cut off federal aid to colleges that do not meet certain cost reduction expectations.<span style=""> </span>However, colleges have already been through several rounds of layoffs.<span style=""> </span>For many colleges, reducing faculty further will have a detrimental impact on the quality of education that they deliver.<span style=""> </span>And let’s not lose sight of the fact that most academicians teach for the love of it, not the money...they are not raking it in.<span style=""> </span>(However, some college presidents’ and coaches’ salaries, in my opinion, should be fair game for the chopping block.) The more practical option for schools is to think more strategically about programs.<span style=""> </span>Are colleges becoming too creative and stretched thin by the panoply of majors that they offer just to keep up with the latest trends led by their academic competition (another arms race)?<span style=""> </span>Why haven’t more schools considered forming consortium with neighboring institutions as a cost effective way to continue offering many academic options, similar to the collaboration established by Wellesley (liberal arts), Babson (business) and Olin (engineering) two years ago? </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Colleges will have to be creative in figuring out how to trim down their cost structures burdened with many fixed expenses.<span style=""> </span>We, the consumers, can help by sending a message to the colleges about what we really value.<span style=""> </span>Free laundry, palatial dorms and yes, that ubiquitous climbing wall are all nice-to-have, but not the reason we send our kids to college.<span style=""> </span>The next time you are impressed by the over-the-top athletic facilities on a college campus, especially if your child is not athletic, catch yourself and ask this question instead.<span style=""> </span>How will this enhance the investment return on my child's four year college education?<span style=""> </span>When put in those terms, the climbing wall is no longer so impressive.<span style=""> </span></span></p>Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-19108780110320055722012-01-15T17:14:00.000-05:002012-01-15T18:00:58.031-05:00Come February 1st, Filing Your FAFSA May Become Easier<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 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unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">FAFSA</span> and<span style="font-style: italic;"> easy</span> are not two words that one generally finds in the same sentence.<span style=""> </span>However, come February 1, families that have filed their tax returns might be able to take advantage of the IRS Data Retrieval tool which should simplify the process and allow them to complete the FAFSA form by accessing data from their 2011 return.<span style=""> </span>This is good news for those who are organized and fortunate enough to receive all of their W-2 and 1099 statements early.<span style=""> </span>The ability to use tax returns when completing financial aid forms is just one of several things families should know as they begin the 2012-2013 financial aid process for their students who will be enrolled in college next fall.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >If you are new to the financial aid process, then you may only first be learning all of the buzz words and acronyms such as FAFSA, SAR, EFC, COA and CSS/Profile.<span style=""> </span>Here’s a quick primer for beginners and a review for the financial aid veterans:<span style=""> </span>All colleges require that students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to qualify for federal aid.<span style=""> </span>It is available January 1 each year at <a href="http://www.fafsa.gov/">http://www.fafsa.gov</a>. Both student and a parent must complete and sign the form and each must apply for a pin (<a href="http://www.pin.ed.gov/">http://www.pin.ed.gov</a>) which serves as the electronic signature. Once the form is submitted, preferably electronically, families will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) which notifies them of their Expected Family Contribution or EFC, deemed to be the amount they can afford to put towards the Cost of Attendance, or COA.<span style=""> </span>Some private colleges may also require a CSS/Profile form for allocation of their institutional aid.<span style=""> </span>This form is administered by the College Board and can be found on its website: <a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/">http://www.collegeboard.com</a>.<span style=""> </span>Whether you must complete the FAFSA, CSS/Profile or both, you will be required to present parent and student income (prior year only for the FAFSA, two prior years for the Profile) and assets (as of the date of filing).<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >When is the right time to complete financial aid forms?<span style=""> </span>If you are hoping to be considered for need-based aid, the time is now!<span style=""> </span>And before you put this off any longer, visit the websites for each college to which your son or daughter is applying and check to see which forms the school requires as well as the submission deadlines.<span style=""> </span>They may be as early as February, so do not delay!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Pressure to simplify the financial aid process has led to the development of the IRS data retrieval feature for the FAFSA.<span style=""> </span>However, before you get too excited, take note of the drawbacks which may preclude you from taking advantage of this easier filing method.<span style=""> </span>Married couples must file jointly, have filed their taxes at least two weeks before the college financial aid deadline (which may mean as early as January), and any subsequent amendments to the return will not be captured.<span style=""> </span>If like mine, your 1099 statements inevitably arrive late in February or even March, you may be out of luck.<span style=""> </span>For those up against tight deadlines, you will need to estimate your income for 2011 and amend your financial aid documents after you file your taxes. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" > </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" >Even if you do not qualify for need-based financial aid, you will still need to file a FAFSA if your child will borrow through the federal Stafford loan program or if you plan to take out a PLUS loan.<span style=""> </span>Though neither of these loans requires that students demonstrate need, they are part of the Federal Direct Loan program (Note that some colleges also require the FAFSA for their institutional merit aid).<span style=""> </span>A college’s posted filing deadline does not apply for non-need based federal aid so timing is less critical. <span style=""> </span>Therefore, I recommend waiting and submitting the FAFSA after filing a tax return to avoid having to estimate income.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" > I welcome reader questions and specific topics you might want me to address (<a href="mailto:jane@klemmerec.com">jane@klemmerec.com</a>). <span style=""> </span>Check back here for future posts regarding financial aid changes and updates.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:12pt;" ></span></p>Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-26112127993018240152011-12-05T17:09:00.000-05:002011-12-05T21:04:38.596-05:00Making College Affordable - Time to Speak Up<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> 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style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >I’ve been reading a lot about the cost of college lately. <span style=""> </span>The talk these days is often about how to improve transparency.<span style=""> </span>Thanks to a recent government mandate, families can now go to the website of any federally funded college and try out the school’s Net Price Calculator. This new online tool will ostensibly help families and students estimate their out-of-pocket costs for a college education. <span style=""> </span>That’s the good news.<span style=""> </span>Yet, net cost naturally leads to a conversation about how middle and lower income families will come up with this elusive figure which is still far beyond many family budgets.<span style=""> </span>In fact, Education Secretary Arne Duncan asserts that three-quarters of all Americans believe college is too expensive for most people to afford.<span style=""> </span>The fact that none of this has dampened the year-over-year rise in applications is indeed mind-boggling.<span style=""> </span>Even Penn State’s applications are up this year, but that’s a topic for a different post.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >College has become so far out of reach for so many families that last week Mr. Duncan implored higher education officials to make college costs an urgent priority and asked that they think creatively about ways to address this profound issue for our college-going population.<span style=""> </span>Meanwhile, students and families still reach for the golden ring to attend expensive and elite four year colleges, often putting themselves in debt beyond their probable ability to repay.<span style=""> </span>The most recent statistics on student debt show that seniors are graduating with average loan balances in excess of $25,000.<span style=""> </span>Some of this is eligible for Obama’s income-based repayment plan for federal student loans, but more and more students are forced to borrow private loans to close the gap.<span style=""> </span>Interest and principal on these loans will have students repaying their student obligations for much of their adult lives, perhaps forcing them to forego or postpone putting a down payment on a home or making contributions to retirement funds.<span style=""> </span>Forget about funding their own children's education.<span style=""> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >Today the <i style="">Chronicle of Higher Education</i> published a special report, <a href="http://chronicle.com/article/What-Private-College/129979/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en">What Private College Presidents Make</a>, which shows compensation for the leaders of our nation’s colleges and universities, and also compares the president's salary to each institution’s pay scale for its faculty.<span style=""> </span>At some, not all, the gap is staggering, not unlike the discrepancies we find on Wall Street.<span style=""> </span>The report is quite timely given Mr. Duncan’s remarks last week.<span style=""> </span>While cutting college chief executive pay won’t in and of itself make college affordable, focusing on leadership compensation seems like a great place to start.<span style=""> </span>Suffice it to say that not nearly enough has been done to stop this runaway train so that we, as parents, are not further mortgaging our own futures and watching our children do the same.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >We read about the steady rise in student loan balances and defaults each year, but nothing concrete has really been done to stem the rise of what will, without a doubt, be our next sub-prime crisis. I think about this everyday as I advise families on paying for college.<span style=""> </span>For many it is not really a question of whether the funds are accessible; lenders are still eager to make student loans, and there is an even more tenuous link to affordability than there was in sub-prime mortgage lending where presumably some collateral existed. <span style=""> </span>It is all too easy to hide our heads in the sand and hope that miraculously our children will be able to repay the loans when the time comes and still be able to live the American Dream.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-size:100%;" >I am not suggesting that everyone go to the nearest computer and sign the Occupy Student Debt Campaign online petition which calls for student debt forgiveness, free public education and greater transparency at private colleges.<span style=""> </span>However, this product of the Occupy Wall Street movement has prompted me to think about my own responsibility to my children and to the families I advise.<span style=""> </span>For the first time, I am encouraged to write to my representatives in Washington and ask that they make college affordability for all students a priority. I am hoping that I can persuade others to do the same.<span style=""> </span>I look down the road and wonder what will happen when college is only accessible to the truly privileged in this country while the majority is saddled with student loans they will never be able to repay.<span style=""> </span>The image is painfully clear and I'm not liking what I see. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:100%;" > </span></p>Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-23908268653150801072011-09-10T18:27:00.000-04:002011-09-10T18:43:15.340-04:00When Early Decision Makes Sense<p class="MsoNormal">One of the greatest misconceptions perpetuated each application season is that the best way to improve your chances of getting into college is to apply Early Decision (ED).<span> </span>Yes, I am fully aware that colleges such as Bucknell accept double the number of applicants ED versus regular decision and that UPenn fills 50% of its freshman class with students who apply under the binding early admission process.<span> </span>My beef with clinging to the notion that ED will always improve your chances is that it is not so black and white, but rather depends on several factors. One must look behind the pure percentages to truly understand what drives the numbers and who is actually getting accepted early.<span> </span>I am not disputing some very compelling evidence; I just want students and families to understand when it makes sense to apply early and when it does not.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>Here is what the numbers don’t tell you.<span> </span>Many in the ED pool, especially at Division III and Ivy League schools that have Early Decision, are recruited athletes.<span> </span>Since these colleges are forbidden to “pay to play,” coaches encourage recruits to apply early so they can assemble their teams with greater assurance.<span> </span>While coaches cannot guarantee acceptance, they often have a liaison in the admission office to vet athletes before they get too far into the process.<span> </span>Legacies, as well, <i>may</i> have an edge especially if they apply early, so this probably encourages a disproportionate number of applications from those with family ties. <span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">That may not leave as many spots as you first thought for non-athletes and those with no prior connection to a school.<span> </span>However, don’t despair.<span> </span>Colleges like students who demonstrate interest and what better way to do that than to apply ED?<span> </span>Moreover, a higher proportion of Early Decision acceptances improves a college’s yield, or the percentage of students who accept an offer.<span> </span>The yield for ED accepted students is theoretically 100% so the more students admitted under this program, the higher yield a college can report.<span> </span>Yet schools also want to maintain or raise their standardized test score and GPA averages which ultimately translate into better rankings.<span> </span>In other words, they must balance the management of yield with showing stable or improving student academic ranges.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Who should apply to college under a binding Early Decision program?<span> </span>Students who are certain beyond any doubt that this is where they want to go AND who are within the college’s range of accepted students for both test scores and GPA are most likely to benefit from applying ED.<span> </span>True, a student at the low end of the range may have a better chance of admission applying early, but that individual usually offers some other desirable attribute. If an applicant is below the college’s ranges, an early application will likely meet with an early rejection which never feels good, especially if friends are bubbling over with news of their acceptances.<span> </span>Not only is this wasting a possible ED option, but it means that potentially the first response from colleges will be a negative one.<span> </span>If a student has not completed his or her other applications, it may be tough to get motivated, a real problem if the deadlines are now only two weeks away.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Early Decision is generally not a good plan for a student who hopes to improve his or her grades.<span> </span>If the first semester senior year grades are especially important for showing maturity and growth, then better to wait and be considered in the regular pool of applicants.<span> </span>A positive trend will be favorably noted.<span> </span>Applying early will mean that the student gives up an opportunity to share this important piece of his or her story.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Finally, ED may not make sense for students who are dependent upon financial assistance.<span> </span>More and more colleges are gapping, as they are unable to fully meet demonstrated need.<span> </span>If there is a concern about whether the financial aid will be sufficient, I advise students to apply regular decision to be in a position to compare offers.<span> </span>In some cases, this might even give the student leverage with a first choice college should the package for a <i>comparable</i> school be materially better.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Deciding where to apply to college will likely be a young person’s most significant life decision to date.<span> </span>Choosing to apply Early Decision should be made with the care, deliberation and thorough evaluation of all the factors that such an important decision warrants.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-59647420435341434612011-07-19T21:19:00.000-04:002011-07-19T21:30:40.094-04:00Tour de North Carolina - A Great Way to Visit Colleges<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;">The first week in July I discovered that touring colleges by bike with a group of college counselors is an ideal way to experience the warmth (both literally and figuratively) and charm of the South.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Towels, box lunches, water bottles, granola bars and power gel greeted us at the schools.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We dined like kings and queens during our stay and were treated to accommodations worthy of upper classmen students!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Though campuses are quieter during the summer months with far fewer students, we took advantage of the trade-off: lots of face time with admission deans and directors, faculty and even a college president.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A chance to hear what’s on the minds of the deans can give one an interesting perspective on a university, its mission and goals.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It provides a different lens into the heart and soul of a college.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">North Carolina</st1:place></st1:state> is home to wonderful state and private universities.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>My trip took me to eight of them, ranging in size from under 1,500 students, up to the largest, NC State, which enrolls 25,000 undergraduates.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is difficult to identify anything that all of these colleges share in common, but I managed to find that one thing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Red brick!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>With no exception, every college we visited sported stately brick-paved walks and old <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">Virginia</st1:place></st1:state> red brick structures. The ubiquitous red buildings and lush greens added a certain charm and gentility to many of the campuses we visited.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We started our tour at NC State in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Raleigh</st1:place></st1:city> which occupies a 1900 acre campus dotted with historic buildings along side modern state-of-the-art facilities.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The recognized university for “techies” in the Tar Heel State, NC State offers 18 engineering majors and boasts strength in textiles and design. The university, well regarded for its basketball, is eager to make known its academic brawn too, and attract more students from outside <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">North Carolina</st1:place></st1:state>. Students who get their applications in by the November 1 early action date will automatically be considered for merit aid.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Leaving NC State, we headed west to UNC Chapel Hill. One of the newcomers this year to the CommonApp, Chapel Hill is anticipating a 20% increase in applications, making this highly selective school all that more competitive, especially for out-of-state students for whom enrollment is capped at 18%. There is better news for transfers, however, where the cap does not apply.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Despite the university’s selectivity, Steve Farmer, Associate Provost and Director of Undergraduate Admissions, emphasized that they do not seek out the highly competitive Type A personality students.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“A lot of smart kids and a great heart” is how he would characterize the student body which has an especially high commitment to community service. UNC Chapel Hill is now encouraging students to take a gap year with its newly formed Global Gap Year Fellowship Program, made possible with an anonymous $1.5 million grant, giving 30 admitted students the opportunity to do a year of international service.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At this most prestigious UNC, every student gets a liberal arts education, regardless of field of study.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For financial assistance, the university describes itself as “need conscious,” meaning that it makes every effort to make UNC affordable to admitted students who would otherwise be unable to attend.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We arrived at Elon after a 40 mile ride and just ahead of sunset which meant we had to wait until the morning to explore this beautifully lush and expansive campus.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A midsize university with just over 5,000 students, Elon has a clear mission, founded on five principles: leadership, research, internships, international and service.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Like UNC Chapel Hill, Elon is also encouraging accepted students to consider a gap year with its newly formed program that includes a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) experience and a service learning component in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Costa Rica</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Also new at Elon is its spring admit program for a select group of students who were not accepted for fall term. Academics are strong in many disciplines, though perhaps the university is best known for its fine business, communications and performing arts programs.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A new multi-faith center is on the drawing board.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Elon offers academic, community service and performing art scholarships.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Towels and bottles of ice cold water never looked better than those that greeted us at <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Guilford</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place> in midday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A Quaker school of just over 2,000 students, <st1:city st="on">Guilford</st1:city> is a bit of an anomaly in <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">North Carolina</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>More hippie than preppie, the students are passionate about their causes and at the top of the list is the environment.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sustainability is the buzz word here and appears to drive every decision and practice.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Since many of its building are included in the National Historic Register, <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Guilford</st1:place></st1:city> has gone to great effort to preserve the history while upgrading facilities to meet its “green” standards.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We toured the expansive organic gardens and viewed the composting process. How many colleges do you know that have their own bike shop?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Students can rent bikes for a nominal fee while also reducing their carbon footprint. Not surprisingly, two popular majors are Peace and Conflict Studies and Justice and Policy Studies.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Our final destination day 2 was <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">High Point</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> located in the furniture capital of the world. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Every building on this pristine campus of mostly new construction is adorned with beautiful furnishings, and students have exceptional facilities available to them. Calming classical music can be heard outdoors throughout the day as one strolls past benches with seated statues of historic figures in science, literature government and the arts. The focus on the physical surroundings is by design; <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">High Point</st1:place></st1:city> believes that exposing students to fine service and beautifully appointed facilities will foster a stronger sense of respect and responsibility among its graduates. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">High Point</st1:place></st1:city> is in a growth phase, both for its physical plant and in student population.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>With just 400 freshmen a few years ago, the university will grow to 5,000 undergrads over the next few years, while also expanding programs and majors. “Undecided” is the second most popular major, yet business, communications and education are big draws, and interior design is surely a signature major.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">High Point</st1:place></st1:city> offers many academic scholarships and the cost of attendance of approximately $40,000 is substantially less than the most expensive private colleges.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However, the college admittedly “gaps” students, so it may be difficult for students to attend who have significant financial need.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">A hilly route to <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Wake</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Forest</st1:placetype></st1:place> gave us a sense of things to come as we headed west…more hills!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This test optional private university of just over 4,000 undergrads has a small community feel, while being part of a larger research university with professional schools in law, medicine, business and theology.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Wake’s application process in a word: thorough!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At a time when many colleges are dispensing with evaluative interviews, Wake has moved in the other direction and now requires them for all applicants, in person or by Skype.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Intellectual curiosity, passion and an awareness of the world outside the individual’s own sphere are what they seek to uncover through the comprehensive process.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><st1:placename st="on">Wake</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Forest</st1:placetype> wears proudly its often used moniker: “Work” <st1:place st="on">Forest</st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Students don’t mind telling you that they study harder than most, but they play hard too.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Greek life permeates the social scene and sports, especially basketball, are big at this Division I school. If you happen to visit the campus after a big athletic victory, don’t be surprised to find the Quad blanketed in toilet paper, as students partake in “rolling the Quad” to celebrate the event.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While Wake has many strong academic programs, business and political science are the most popular majors.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Construction of a new business school will break ground this year.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:placename st="on">Catawba</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">College</st1:placetype>, with just 1300 students, may not be well known outside of <st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">North Carolina</st1:place></st1:state>, but don’t overlook this theatre and music powerhouse.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The music department is one of only 12 in the nation that offers popular music as a major, with an emphasis on songwriting and performance in every type of popular genre, as well as the business side of music.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The theatre department is all encompassing, with strength in both performance and production. I am not a fan of rankings, but I feel compelled to share that Princeton Review ranks its musical theatre program #1 in the country.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Other popular areas of study are business and athletic training.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Center for the Environment has recently spearheaded a program for clean air.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Catawba is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and still enjoys a strong relationship with the church, though religion courses are not required, nor is the weekly worship service.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Students do take advantage of the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Lilly</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Center</st1:placetype></st1:place> for Vocation and Values which encourages self journey to find the right life vocational calling.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Despite the religious affiliation, the college has more of a community spirit than religious feel.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">On my final full day we cycled to <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Davidson</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place> located in the heart of the charming and quaint town that bears its name.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Davidson straddles two identities.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>With just 1,800 students, Davidson looks and feels very much like a small <st1:place st="on">New England</st1:place> liberal arts college.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However, the Davidson Wildcats compete with far bigger rivals in Division I athletics and are most recognized for the basketball team that reached the final eight at the NCAA tournament in 2008. Davidson’s celebrated honor code governs all aspects of academic and student life and is a declaration embraced by students and faculty alike.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Despite the economic downturn, the college remains committed to the Davidson Trust and its philosophy that the college’s education should be available and affordable for all qualified students.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Davidson was one of the first colleges to dispense with loans for students demonstrating financial need, and claims that it will not back away from this policy though others have as endowments have suffered. The college also awards merit aid to approximately 10% of students, with grants ranging in size from $1,000 to full cost. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">There is no substitute for visiting college campuses, but nothing compares to a taking that journey on a bike, carrying one’s own gear and spending the night in the college’s dorms.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It takes a little more effort and preparation, including the physical training, but the perspective that one gets on each school is unique and personal.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I can’t think of a more enjoyable or enlightening way to visit colleges!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2153759441057780131.post-22484478593349845602011-06-22T14:50:00.000-04:002011-06-22T15:42:56.390-04:00Hobbies are not just for College Applications<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;">When it comes time to fill out college applications many students panic at the thought of having to list their extra-curricular activities. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They question whether they have enough activities, the “right” ones, and if their list will persuade the admission staff of their commitment to these pursuits.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“If I don’t have a passion, will colleges even consider me?” is the unproductive thought that plays repeatedly in many students’ heads. Sometimes I wonder if the pressure to pursue “extra-curricular activities” actually discourages less confident or rebellious students from getting involved. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The shame of it is that engaging in activities often becomes more about impressing college admissions than finding pleasure and meaning in one’s non-academic pursuits. The focus on figuring out what colleges want to see is misguided; the more important question is: are you developing and exploring interests and hobbies that provide personal satisfaction and which will continue to enrich your life, even beyond college?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">We engage in hobbies for a variety of reasons, but largely for personal fulfillment and to give purpose to our lives. It’s about choice, not obligation. Whether social or solitary, active or sedentary, philanthropic or artistic, the things we do that are individually meaningful can trigger the release of pleasure-inducing dopamine or lead us to form new social groups with people who share our interests. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But one of the best things about hobbies is that it is never too late to discover new ones.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Take it from me; last year I more or less traded in my running sneakers for cycling shoes. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I signed up for a college counselor bike tour in southern California because it seemed like a great way to visit colleges, share the experience with colleagues and get some heart-pumping outdoor exercise.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What I had not anticipated is that I would become hooked on cycling.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>This summer once again I am participating in the college counselor bike tour. Our destination is to the south: <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><st1:state st="on"><st1:place st="on">North Carolina</st1:place></st1:state> colleges and universities. Last year at this time I was marking off the days to the trip, filled with a mix of excitement and trepidation.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>New to cycling, I had concerns about keeping the pace, conquering hills, carrying my own gear and releasing my toe clips with sufficient time before a stop to avoid falling. I had premonitions of an embarrassing Arte Johnson moment, toppling over on my bike in a klutzy move reminiscent of the Laugh-In tricycle routine…a self-fulfilling prophesy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>With just 12 days until this year’s trip (and counting), I have no anxiety and feel only the excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I have already experienced the adrenaline rush that for me comes with the joy of cycling and sharing the ride with other adventurous counselors. Hobbies can also motivate us to challenge ourselves and improve our skills. I am a stronger rider today and therefore, more confident. I am happy to report that I no longer get stuck in my toe clips. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Many of my friends from last summer have also decided to participate again this year, anticipating another action packed week of great cycling, plenty of laughs and lots of support. The cycling trip takes us to Duke, NC State, <st1:placetype st="on">University</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename st="on">North Carolina</st1:placename> at Chapel Hill, Elon, <st1:city st="on">Guilford</st1:city>, <st1:city st="on">High Point</st1:city>, <st1:placename st="on">Wake</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Forest</st1:placetype>, Catawba, Davidson and <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Queens</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We carry our own clothes and gear, and stay in dorms; it will be as close as possible to a true college experience.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I actually visited many of these colleges as recently as two years ago, traveling by bus with a group of independent educational consultants. Even so, it never occurred to me to pass up this bike trip.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The cycling, the camaraderie, the exercise, and yes, the professional benefits inspire me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I always gain something new from subsequent campus visits, whether it’s a different perspective or the reinforcement of something I had previously learned. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This time around my vantage point will be different; after all, I will arrive on each campus by the power of my well-trained legs, my bike and my determination.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p>There is no one path to uncovering our passions and interests. I first happened upon the counselor bike tour and took up cycling after reading a posting on a college related listserv. One’s interests are sparked through exposure, receptiveness to new things, a suggestion from a friend, but most importantly, through self knowledge and an understanding for what makes us happy.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When the interest is genuine, the commitment and endorphins will follow.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> T</span>hat’s what will get a college’s attention.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Jane Klemmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17869663363063633462noreply@blogger.com0