As a test prep tutor and college consultant, I personally work with dozens of students every year to improve their college applications. For some of my students, I help them shore up shaky resumes and make a four-year university a reality. For others, I aid their already tremendous applications by refining their essays and interviews and helping them find the best schools for their selected fields.
Yet, one thing remains constant for every student I work with regardless of his or her dream: High School grades matter. A lot.
To start, I've helped dozens of students over the years get into college on the basis of grades alone. Arizona State, University of Kansas, and University of New Mexico are just three examples of schools where all you need is a 3.0 Core GPA and a smile! Most students don't realize that for students who select these colleges, the SAT and ACT are significanlty less important. Instead these universities put the focus on grades, a proven indicator of college aptitude.
In fact, recent studies have confirmed that high school grades are more predictive than the SAT or ACT, meaning that grades almost always matter more than standardized test scores. As I noted in an earlier post, colleges are becoming more and more aware that SAT and ACT scores are not indicative of future succes. That realization has prompted people like Richard C. Atkinson, president emeritus of the University of California, to continually call into question the value of the tests to the college admissions process while simultaneously reaffirming the usefulness of high school grades:
The most intriguing aspect
of this research, however, is not what it says about tests but what it
says about that old-fashioned admissions criterion, high-school grades.
The studies concluded that a student's performance over four years of
high school remains the fairest and most meaningful measure of his or
her accomplishments and the most reliable indicator of future success
in college.
- Forbes, "Beyond the SAT"
As more and more schools like Wake Forest turn to testing-optional programs, students are going to see colleges intensify the focus already placed on high school grades.
This shift is happening at all levels, but will have the greatest effect at highly selective universities. ASU, KU, and UNM may admit students solely on the basis of grades, but highly selective schools (like the Ivies) are starting to prioritize grades in a time where the smallest differences between applications matters tremendously.
And there's no sign of slowing in the increase of applications or the decrease in test score relevance. I predict that the (Freshman) Class of 2012 will face a very different college admissions reality than today's Seniors.
So keep that GPA up to at least a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale. Take classes that are challenging and earn A's and B's by doing the work and learning the subject. Hire a trained academic tutor if you need one. Colleges do like to see an upward trend in grades throughout high school, but they like to see A's from day one even more!
In short, make your high school grades are an asset instead of a liablity. You'll thank me when it comes time to apply to college.
Earlier this month, the LA Times reported that The College Board will be launching a new PSAT in 2010 for 8th grade students. Currently only 10th and 11th grade students take the PSAT, a standardized test that has no real bearing on college admissions for the majority of students. The addition of the 8th Grade PSAT will bring the wonders of the SAT into the middle schools and junior highs of America for the first time.
To which I say "Blech!"
The public director of Fair Test sums up my feelings quite well:
"Now we're going to have a preadmission test to get ready for the
preadmission test? Get ready to get ready to get ready?" said Robert
Schaeffer, public education director of Cambridge, Mass.-based
FairTest, which is critical of standardized testing. "To believe you
need an eighth-grade test on top of the PSAT and SAT is just insane."
College Board is claiming that the new test will help to identify students who should focus on college preparatory classes during high school. I think it's far more likely that they want to compete with the ACT and generate additional revenue.
By their reasoning, students who will score well on the 8th Grade PSAT
will score well on the actual SAT and should be on a college bound
track. That relationship will probably hold up to scrutiny, but only because they are designing both exams. In addition, success on other standardized tests is plenty of notification already for parents and students to arrange for college prep classes.
ACT currently has a middle school test titled EXPLORE. I personally don't find the test to be particularly worthwhile, but it doesn't advertise itself as any sort of signal for future ability on the ACT. Instead, it's one of many diagnostic tests that administrators can give to help students understand their future choices by focusing on students interests, abilities, and values.
The new PSAT, however, is already being marketed in a way that makes parents and students who don't plan on taking the exam feel behind. It's not a diagnostic exam that will help students understand their choices. It's a marketing ploy designed by College Board to attach kids to the SAT brand while charging schools for tests that mean nothing.
Sound crazy? Here's what the LA Times says one administrator is already doing:
Cortines said he welcomes the new test, as it will focus families and
teachers on what students need to succeed. The deputy superintendent
said he has asked the board to budget $125,000 for eighth-grade PSAT
tests in the coming school year.
That's right. $125,000 of taxpayer money is going to go toward a test that is completely unproven to test anything. Just because College Board, a company that has no official relationship with colleges beyond supplying the SAT, says the test matters.
Blech.
I'm never a big fan of interviews with college admissions staff. No matter who is doing the interviewing, the whole subject ends up being a rehash of every other interview ever given and nobody learns anything new about the staff member or the process. Earlier this month, Ted O'Neill, dean of admissions at University of Chicago, gave an interview to the Chicago Tribune that was really typical...except for one fascinating part:
Q: What's your favorite part of the process?
A: More than a few
parts are very pleasing. I like the ritual of sitting and signing 3,400
admit letters, and appending notes going to the students I have come to
know. That brings me pleasure, and I know the letters bring them joy.
Wow. The admissions dean for a major American University writes notes to the students he knows? He actually takes the time to say "Thanks for applying, but it's not going to work out" or "I can't wait to see you in the fall"?
Of course he does!
Students and parents constantly forget that the admissions officers at the colleges they are applying to are real people. They have feelings, desires, and motives all their own. Most of them like their jobs and most of them genuinuely want to see every student succeed.
And because of that desire, reaching out to them is an extremely successful way to improve your application. They love to hear from students who are excited about their university and eventually grow to like applicants who are successful at networking and expressing their desire. When it comes time to make admissions decisions, that emotional reaction can definitely influence their choices...
So call the school. Let them know you are serious. Visit and ask to talk to the admissions staff. Make an appointment to have an interview if possible. Just make sure they know who you are and that you really, really want to attend. Be genuine!
It's your job as the applicant to get the school to like, know, and trust you. You can do that by acing your standardized tests, working toward a solid GPA, and filling your application with professional and interesting information. But nothing will convince them that you are serious about their school until they get to know you and recognize your genuine desire to attend their institution.
If you're smart about it, maybe you can get a note from Dean Ted too letting you know that he's excited to see you at the U of Chicago next semester. If you convince him that U of Chicago is your top priority, it will significantly help your chances.
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What have you done to let schools know you are serious? Ever stalked an admissions director? Worried that they will file a restraining order if you call them? Let us know in the comments!
It isn't often that I'm jaw-droppingly surprised by college admissions news articles. Usually it's just a mix of College Board's inane half-truths, press releases from colleges that won't take effect for 4+ years, and fluff pieces that get students worried that they will never go to college. In fact, I consider reducing student anxiety about those kind of news pieces to be one of the primary focuses of Omniac Attack.
However, my jaw dropped this week when I was looking over an article from Inside Higher Ed titled "New Ethics Rules for Admissions Consultants." In the article, IHE reveals that:
The Independent Educational Consultants Association
has changed its ethics code to bar people who work in college
admissions from also working as private college admissions consultants.
And also that:
Gifts from colleges to admissions consultants may no longer exceed a
$50 value. In addition, it will now be official association policy that
Web sites and other promotional material must be designed to decrease,
rather than encourage, anxiety over the admissions process.
Le sigh.
Let me be clear: I'm all for the change in rules. In fact, I'm shocked that it has taken the IECA this long to implement these kind of ethical restraints. It's obvious to me that we shouldn't allow independent college consultants to advise students about getting into college while serving on the admissions board that is looking at student applications! It's obvious that we shouldn't allow colleges to offer large ($50+) gifts to college consultants! And we certainly shouldn't encourage consultants to create additional fear and apprehension about the college process!
So before you hire a local college consultant to help you find and get into the college of your dreams, here are some questions I would recommend asking:
1) Are you currently serving on the admissions board for a college or university?
The answer should be "No." No exceptions. Anyone who is sitting on admissions board while offering their services directly to students for money is behaving inappropriately.
2) What's the largest gift you've received from a college?
The answer should be "I've never accepted a gift from a college." While it may have been acceptable in the past, remember that you are paying your consultant to help you find a school. If they are taking money from schools as well, they aren't putting your interests first.
3) How do your promotional materials discuss the difficulty of getting into college?
The answer should be "My materials discourage anxiety and help students understand the overall process." If the consultant gives you information that makes you feel like you need them to go to college or you will die in a ditch, eaten by wild dogs...don't trust them.
The saddest part of this whole story is that the new rules on promotional materials only apply to new members. Consultants who have already been accepted by IECA will "eventually" have all of their materials reviewed, but for the moment only new members are coming under scrutiny.
So keep these questions in mind when shopping!
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Anyone had an experience with a college consultant that's worth sharing? Any questions I've missed? Leave us a comment!
Every summer colleges and counselors debate the usefulness of the SAT and ACT to the college admissions process. With students gone for the break, everyone involved feels that they can ask a few tough questions, suggest a few alternatives, and generally poke and prod at the whole process. And, of course, College Board always chimes in with sunny but useless data that continues to try to convince everyone that the SAT can determine everything about your future success.
Yet when summer ends, everyone goes back to the business of telling students in no uncertain terms that the SAT and ACT are super important regardless of their usefulness in determining college aptitude.
This leads to an unpleasant situation by the time we meet with a student for the first time at the beginning of the school year to discuss the ACT. They know that standardized tests are part of the college process that shouldn't reflect on their overall intelligence, but they are still convinced that their score reflects poorly on them. Many are sure that they are the worst test taker they know. Some students are even convinced they have test anxiety, doomed to fail every version of the ACT ever constructed.
Yet, while most students need help preparing for the ACT, I've never met a student with actual test anxiety.
Gay Brock over at the Miami Herald published an excellent article at the end of July about a student who did have test anxiety. Here's how he describes the plight of his own daughter:
The morning of her first SAT test, my daughter Cate Falkowski left our
Weston home with a No. 2 pencil and a predictable amount of
apprehension.
With
a 3.8 GPA and all the required credits, she was poised for admission to
her college of choice, Purdue University. Her only hurdle was a
respectable SAT score -- or so she thought.
She had been gone about an hour when the home phone rang.
''I couldn't do it,'' Cate said. ``I threw up and left.''
In
the weeks and months that followed, we realized Cate's biggest
challenge was no longer the SAT; it was full-blown test anxiety.
Cate suffers from a condition that is extremely rare. Real, actual test anxiety
is characterized by physical and mental symptoms that go beyond simply
being scared and struggling a bit. Students who are suffering an onset
of test anxiety are prone to vomiting, fainting, and hyperventilating.
Needless to say, it's hard to take a test when you're in the restroom
for the first thirty minutes throwing up.
If these symptoms describe you...then you've got full-blown test
anxiety and you need to consult a psychologist. Cate conquered her
symptoms with a combination of Xanax and psychotherapy; it's likely you
will have to do the same.
But as I said earlier, you probably don't have any of these
symptoms. Most students we work with describe the test as a scary
obstacle and we are all too happy to help them conquer it without
medication. Preparing for the test is usually the best cure for any student who is afraid of the ACT or SAT.
I have found that the majority of students I talk to know that they need to diversify their college applications and apply to a variety of schools. They know that they should apply to at least one (1-2) Safety school, a few (2-3) Target schools, and a couple (1-2) of Dream schools and already have the schools picked out. Most families are even prepared to pay for the 6-8 college applications this would require, despite the fact that most applications are around $50.
The only problem is...the students only like their dream schools.
While it's most common among my students who want to apply to a dozen schools, I encounter a good deal of students who are literally padding their application process with schools they don't like. There are thousands of 4-year institutions in the US, but students seem to consider the categories a reflection of how much they should like the school. They routinely find Dream schools they love, Target schools they find tolerable, and Safety schools they can barely stand.
This inevitably leads to a sad turn of events. The student doesn't get into their Dream school or finds the Dream school cost-prohibitive and ends up with a selection of Safety and Target schools they hate.
Hate seem a bit strong? Imagine that you just found out that you aren't going to Princeton, Harvard, or Yale despite the fact that you've wanted to go there for your entire life. Doesn't that make you hate the Safety school you are being forced to settle for just a bit?
So before you whittle down your list of colleges this summer, take a few minutes to throw out any school that you don't absolutely love. Redefine your categories not by how much you like the school, but instead by how likely you are to get in to the school.
Here's a guide to help you out:
Guarantee Schools (Apply to at least one)
This category includes any college at which you are absolutely, positively, 100% guaranteed admission. Most community colleges fall into this category, as does your local state school if you have the appropriate ACT/SAT scores and GPA. For example, University of New Mexico will automatically admit any student that graduates from an New Mexico high school, has a 2.25 overall GPA, and a 21 on the ACT.
Safety Schools (Apply to at least two)
Contrary to popular belief, these are not schools that you will settle for if you can't go to schools you really like. Instead, they should be colleges you love where your application will fall into the top 25% of all applications. In other words, they would be lucky to have you at their institution and might even offer you a scholarship! In fact, your Safety schools are the most likely to offer merit-based aid, since your application will stand out above the general population.
Target Schools (Apply to two or three)
As the name implies, Target schools are the colleges that will consider you an average applicant because you fall into their target applicant population. Your GPA and ACT/SAT scores will match the range that the school publishes as their "average" scores, meaning that they admit students just like you all the time. Admission at a school like this isn't guaranteed, though. You will still need to write a killer essay, carefully document your extra-curricular activities, and find good letters of recommendations from teachers to stand out enough to get admitted.
Dream Schools (Apply to two or three)
It's likely that you already have your Dream school(s) picked out. These are the college where you fall into the bottom 25% of applicants and your GPA and ACT/SAT scores are significantly below the average range for the school. You are unlikely to be admitted to these schools, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Remember that the most exclusive schools, such as Ivy League schools, are always Dream schools since they take less than 10% of students that apply!
While it's likely that your Dream schools will be your favorite colleges, they don't have to be the only ones you care about. If you invest the time and energy into finding a few great Safety and Target schools, you can absolutely fall in love with schools that aren't as exclusive as your Dream schools. And that means that when it comes time to make a decision, you don't have to grin and bear a school you hate.
Over the last two years, Omniac Education has embarked on a number of different projects to help kids understand the college admissions process. We've held free ACT and SAT exams, hosted college nights, and traveled far and wide to explain the mystery that is financial aid. And while we've always had a focus on preparing students for the ACT and SAT, we see it as our primary mission to aid college bound kids with the entire process.
Yet, I see time and time again that students have difficulty making the college process a priority early enough to make a difference. This is especially true during the summer months of July and August. Between summer jobs and the start of the next school year, most students watch summer vanish before they've had any chance to use it!
We know kids can make a difference for themselves over the summer. We know it requires just the smallest push to make it happen. So...we're going to give away some prizes to kids who are willing to use their summer in a way that will make their college apps great.
Today we are launching Commit 2 College, a free program that enters students in a drawing to win an iPod Touch when they complete some basic college preparation. Entering students will need to take a free ACT/SAT, fill out a basic college questionnaire, and meet with an Omniac College Consultant to talk about their options for college. There's no purchase required to win, nor do students have to pay for any part of the college prep we are offering.
So head on over to http://www.commit2college.com/ to enter if you are a New Mexico/Arizona High School student in the Class of 2009 or 2010. We'd love to see your test score and help you understand the whole process!
It's time to commit!
Once upon a time, the makers of the SAT and ACT published a table that showed how scores from one test compared to scores from the other test. They called this a Concordance Table, and it was beloved throughout the land. Students would be able to take both tests and then compare their scores to learn which one they were naturally stronger at taking.
Unfortunately, in 2005 the SAT screwed it all up by adding a new section (Writing) and reworking some parts of the Math and Verbal sections. While recent studies have proved that the new sections didn't really change anything of importance, the previous Concordance Table was rendered out of date. Everyone was very sad and students no longer could accurately compare scores from both exams without guesswork.
This week, the ACT and SAT released a new Concordance Table in an attempt to make students happy again. Guess what? It's not the same kind of table...and very few people are going to be happy with it.
The new tables no longer contain a straight score to score comparison. Now they show you two distinct tables:
- The SAT Critical Reading + Math vs the Whole ACT
- The SAT Writing vs The ACT English + Writing
Le Sigh. As my loyal readers know, I'm not a fan of the College Board or the ACT. They both have a unique way of providing data that is not just useless, but frustrating. This is a classic example. Todd Johnson does a decent job explaining what the College Board has provided, but I think these tables are really just a waste of time.
Students should not be comparing the Whole ACT against just the SAT Math and Reading; it's not an accurate picture. It's also silly to have a separate table to examine how well students did on the Writing section of the SAT alone. Finally, nobody is really ever clear on how to calculate the ACT English + Writing anyway, so understanding that score is really difficult for most students and isn't something they want or need to compare.
A Concordance table needs to provide test takers with a clear picture of which test they did better on, not a confusing algorithm that makes the test seem important.
So, for the good of students everywhere, I submit to you a "Simple ACT/SAT Concordance Table." We use this with our students and it's proven to be very effective at helping them understand their score quickly and easily. It's based on the percentiles provided by College Board and ACT Inc and will help students to understand not just which test they scored better on, but also how college admissions officers will view their score...
This past weekend I began working with my rising seniors on their college essays. Although it may seem strange to start in July, one of the best ways to write a great essay is to get started early!
With that in mind, one of my students and I sat down to read over and discuss a few sample essays. The first one can be found here. Take a minute to read it! The second was a more traditional essay documenting a student's trip to Africa and the great life lessons she learned while she was there.
After my student took a few minutes to read over both works, we had the following conversation:
Me: What did you think of the two essays?
Student: I thought the first one was funny and interesting, but the second one was deeper. So I think the second one is a better essay.
Me: Really? Why?
Student: Because it shows how the writer thinks. She cares about the people in Africa and she's a good thinker. She's traveled a lot, so I bet colleges will like her. I don't know much about the writer of the first one.
Me: Okay...what can you tell me about his personality?
Student: He's funny and creative. He's also pretty weird. He's really brave. There's no way I'd send in an essay like that.
Me: Why?
Student: Because the college wouldn't know what you've done.
Me: Do you think the college cares about what you've done? Do you think your experiences are unique enough for them to admit you because you've won an award or gone to a different country?
Student: *blink*
Me: High school experiences are kind of universal. Everybody has won something important, gone somewhere interesting, or met someone special. That stuff doesn't matter.
Student: So even though he just made all that stuff up, he told the college all about who he was?
Me: Yup. He's a creative, dynamic, intelligent student. Although both essays are really strong, his will definitely stand out in the crowd. Trips to Africa are commonplace. Good writing isn't.
Student: My mind is blown.
Most essays that college admissions officers read are incredibly boring explanations of some accomplishment that the student thinks will impress the school. Schools want just the opposite! They want to know who you are and what you care about. They want to hear your voice ring through and feel confident knowing that your will add something new to the student body.
Anything you write that reeks of "college essay" is probably dull, uninteresting, and repetitive. They've read it before. If you want to stand out, write something worth reading. Then they remember you!
This week the National Association of State Student Grant and Aid Programs released their annual report that examines the amount of aid that states are handing out to college students. The report is a dense and lengthy read, but InsideHigherEd.com does a decent job of summing it up:
The annual report [...] shows that need-based grants made up about the same proportion of total grants awarded in 2006-7 as they did in 2005-6. Need-based grants constituted about 72 percent of the total grants awarded last year, which was actually down slightly from 73 percent in 2005-6.
The association's report comes as a growing chorus of critics call on states (as well as private institutions, for that matter) to place their grant dollars in programs that might help needy students enroll in college who might not otherwise, instead of merely changing the enrollment patterns of those who could still otherwise afford a college education. Grant aid, which is measured in isolation within the report, is particularly coveted for needy students because it does not have to be paid back.
But even that is a tad confusing. Let's see if I can make it even simpler:
1. Some people want schools to put more money into need-based aid instead of merit-based aid. Need-based means that the money goes to students whose parents can't afford to send them to school. Merit-based means that the money goes to students who have high ACT/SAT scores and a good GPA, even if their parents can pay for them to attend school.
2. The critics that are pushing for more need-based claim that merit-based aid simply rearranges where students go to school instead of allowing more students to go to school. For example, if you got into Yale and Arizona State, you might pick ASU because they would give you money. The aid from ASU wouldn't make it more possible for you to go to college. It just changes where you go college.
3. The report notes that while the amount of money given out went up across the country, merit aid still accounts for more than 25% of all grants given out. That means the previously mentioned critics didn't make a difference in the 2006-2007 admissions cycle.
This makes me doubtful such a push exists.
Of course, the article quotes the lovely, brainwashed employees of the College Board. They lovingly issue more statements that fly directly in the face of scientific data:
Sandy Baum, senior policy analyst for the College Board, said she's seeing more institutions stress need-based aid - even if seismic shifts aren't reflected (at least so far) in the national figures compiled by NASSGAP.
"I do think that there is increasing consciousness of the importance of need-based aid," said Baum, a professor of economics at Skidmore College. "I think there is some movement in that direction."
That movement is yet to be seen. For the moment, colleges will still throw tons of money at students who will make their institution look better on paper by raising their ACT/SAT and GPA averages. While the College Board might like to think that changes are coming soon, the data doesn't support that a bit.
That's because the financial aid that isn't grants still gets plenty of students the help they need to attend school. Loans may not be pretty, but they get the job done. Until someone can prove that schools are locking students out of the system by giving money through merit-based aid, the merit-based aid is still going to be a priority.
Sigh. I hate writing about the College Board. I promise the next post will be about kittens or something.