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    Chapter II

  Choosing a College

Page 38  (NEW OR REVISED)

Early Decision vs. Early Action Plans

In September and October of each year, a limited number of colleges and universities begin reviewing applications for the following fall semester. Early decision applicants may have an advantage, especially if the student would otherwise be marginal based on his or her credentials.  In some cases, 50-60 percent of students apply under early decision rules. If accepted, early decision candidates must firmly commit to attending the school and immediately withdraw all other college applications.

The reason some colleges make early decisions is primarily economic.  The college or university knows by mid-December how many students are securely committed for the following fall and how many openings still remain.

Not all schools participate in early decision programs.  Both Harvard and Princeton announced recently that they are doing away with their Early Decision cycles. As a result, some colleges accept only Early Action applications in lieu of early decision.  They are the same except that early action plans are not binding.  Students can choose to commit to the college immediately, or wait until the spring.  Under these plans, students may also apply early action to other colleges and wait until spring to let the college know the final decision.

Early admissions programs can be very advantageous to college applicants, depending on their profile and situation. High school students who are sure of what school they want to attend, and whose junior year grades, extracurricular activities, etc., are strong enough to secure admission, can benefit from early admissions.

The most attractive aspect of early admissions programs is that colleges and universities tend to admit a significantly higher percentage of the early applicant pool than they do of the normal applicant pool – in other words, there is the possibility that your chances of being accepted as an early admissions candidate are better than they would be as a regular applicant. The most selective colleges currently admit 25% to 50% of their total students from the early admissions pool. In recent years, as many as 40% of freshmen at Ivy League schools have been early admissions applicants.  For more on this, contact Early Admissions.

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Projected College Costs: (UPDATED)

The following projections include the cost of tuition, room, board, books and living expenses. Add to these figures any special meal plans, unusual lab fees, additional student fees and long distance travel. The cost indicated for the 2-year public or community college reflects tuition, books and local transportation.

            SCHOOL            2010/11       2011/12        2012/13        2013/14      2014/15 

            4-Yr Private          $44,600           $50,800         $54,100        $56,800         $59,600

            4-Yr Public           $22,725            $24,600         $27,550        $29,200         $31,000     

            2-Yr Public           $ 4,900             $ 6,100           $ 7,150         $ 7,750          $ 8,075

               * Estimated figures adjusted for inflationary factors and tuition increases.

Page 41

“Because colleges award different amounts of credit for each test, most students end up missing out on the tests that could result in the largest tuition savings. Tuition-savvy students should take the classes and exams that result in the most savings,” writes Ben Kaplan at Scholarship Coach.

Page 42

Often the biggest hurdle in selecting a college is cost. As you continue through TheCollegeTrap, you’ll find many ways to save college costs and avoid financial bondage when you graduate.  In addition to saving money by 1) attending a community college your first 2 years, and 2) receiving college credit for passing several AP® exams, you may be able to eliminate some of the required courses through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP

For a report on other ways to increase your financial aid and avoid the student loan trap, check out FinAid from Mark Kantowitz.

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*  Tour the campus, including the dorms, bookstore, and library with a guide.

*  Speak to an admissions officer and attend an information session.

*  Speak to the financial aid administrator.

*  Observe a class in session.

*  Speak to a professor in your probable major.

*  Speak to a coach or athletic director (if applicable).

*  Read student publications.

*  Eat where the students eat.

*  Interview students and ask what they like or dislike about the college.

*  Explore the campus alone.

                                  Excerpts from www.nelliemae.com

Pages 43-44

Today less than 25 percent of students graduate in 4 years.  Studies indicate that the main reason is because students change majors as many as 3 times while in college. This increases the number of years needed to graduate and adds 20-33 percent to the total cost of the education.

One way to avoid this dilemma is to do research on various college majors from Accounting to Zoology. That alone could save a year of college spending. Interested students should log onto Book of majors and Choosing a major.  For students shopping colleges based on a specialty career path, the following 2 sites will help you locate a college that meets your needs: ClassesUSA and My Career.

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Many private and state schools offer tuition and room & board scholarships to exceptional incoming students. Some rely solely on ACT® and SAT® scores, but all are based on academic achievement.  See Guaranteed Scholarships.

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The Princeton Review offers courses in major cities to help students be more competitive in their PSAT®, SAT®, SAT II® or ACT® scores. In addition, they publish the average test scores for incoming students at hundreds of colleges and universities across the country.  Interested students may contact them on the Web at Review or by calling 800-2REVIEW. Internet active students can also check out the Kaplan Educational Center for books on testing preparation at Kaptest.

 Pages 51-53

               OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITIES

BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
Choosing the right school for you is a crucial step toward building the college experience you've always wanted.  For more information, log onto BCS.

GPA vs. NATIONAL TEST SCORES (NEW)

With many students now scoring top grades in AP classes, the colleges face a new challenge.  Writing for AP News, Justin Pope notes that of the over 47,000 recent applicants for the freshman class at UCLA, nearly 21,000 had GPA's of 4.0 or above, making it difficult for the more selective schools to zero in on their incoming class.  With the expanded length of the SAT along with recent scoring problems, "...there is a growing movement to lessen the influence of standardized tests," writes Pope.  "A number of schools have stopped requiring test scores, to much fanfare.  But lost is the fact that none of the most selective colleges have dropped the tests.  In fact, a national survey shows overall reliance on test scores is higher in admissions that it was a decade ago.  "It's the only thing we have to evaluate students that will help us,'" said Lee Stetson, dean of admission at the University of Pennsylvania.  

SAT® TEST PREP ONLINE
Need help preparing for the national tests? A high school senior in the Atlanta area scored a perfect score on her SAT® test last year and attributed much of her success to practice exams. Check out the Princeton Review web site and take a demo exam of the newest version.  Writing for Fox News, David S. Hirschman reports that students are stressing out and looking for ways to boost their scores.  "The changes to the test have caused a lot of confusion and consternation," said Jennifer Karan, national director of SAT® and ACT® programs for the Kaplan test preparation company. "The result has been a large jump in the number of students taking practice tests and enrolling in courses and private tutoring," Karan also reported that in the last year the number of students taking Kaplan's free practice test has jumped 78 percent.  For more, log onto Petersons, Kaplan and the Princeton Review.

ACT TEST PREP ONLINE

Log onto ACT for important details about the American College Test, along with a free ACT prep test. There's also an ACT® prep course available at Prep Course, and a study guide at Test Prep.

MATH PREP ONLINE
One of the key factors in qualifying for a scholarship rests on the student's math scores.  A Georgia company is promoting a fee-based online math program available 24/7.  Check out iCoachMath for additional information.

CHOOSING A MAJOR
Studies indicate that many students change majors as many as three times while in college increasing the number of years to graduate and upping the cost of education from 20-33%.  One way to avoid this dilemma is by first reading up on various college majors from Accounting to Zoology.  Just that alone can save a year of college spending.  For more, log onto Book of majors & Choosing a major.  

COLLEGE SEARCH

The Internet has multiple links to help you research different colleges. For details, log on Embark,or Peterson's or Campus Tours.  For students shopping colleges based on a specialty career path, the following two sites will help you locate a college that meets your needs: ClassesUSA and My Career.  

HOMESCHOOLERS AT CEDARVILLE
Located just north of Dayton, Ohio; Cedarville University is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. Many of the 2,800 students from around the world are former homeschoolers in such fields as engineering, broadcasting, Bible, music, communications, nursing, criminal justice, and multimedia technology. The University also offers both Air Force and Army ROTC scholarships for those who qualify. To learn more, call 1-800-CEDARVILLE. For a complete list of CCCU member schools, see Christian Colleges.

THIS COULD CHANGE YOUR MIND ABOUT COLLEGE (NEW)

There is new wave in the number of students that want to become Entrepreneurs. Check out New Wave for a list of the colleges offering classes specifically related to the subject.  Then click on "New Hot Major" for a very informative video clip.

FULL SCHOLARSHIP BIBLE COLLEGE
A liberal arts Christian college in Moberly, Missouri offers every full time student a scholarship to cover tuition.  Students must still pay for student fees and room and board.  Federal student aid is available including Pell Grants for those who qualify.  For more information, click on Central Christian.

VETERAN'S BENEFITS HIGHLIGHTED

For the brave men and women who have just left the service and are looking for educational benefits, log onto Veterans for scholarship updates.  (This is a non-government site.)

COLLEGE & CAREER TIPS
Founder and CEO, Brian Ray, at CareerTips.net has some outstanding suggestions for high school and college graduates.