https://www.college-path.com/ – Page 13 – Get College Bound with Dr. Chris

Quick Tips for Prepping for Standardized Tests

Start soon enough to make a difference. The student should give themselves an adequate amount of time to prepare for the various subject areas. Sufficient preparation will leave the student feeling less rushed and reduce their anxiety. Various test preparation tools are available such as study guides, flashcards, Internet programs, and CD’s produced by the testing companies. Be sure to get enough sleep the night before the test. The student should read, read, read to build your reading comprehension skills.

Check out links for free test prep: number2.com, ineedapencil, collegeboard.com, act.org, sparknotes test prep, grock it, and khanacacdemy.com.

How Should You Apply to College: Early, Regular, Rolling…

The application deadline is the date by which all completed applications are due to the college. In some cases the date will be a postmark date; in others it will be a date by which all material must be received. It will be helpful to read the section called, “How to Apply” on each college’s website.

Early Action – Early Action is an admission plan offered by some highly selective colleges which allows the most qualified students the comfort of a letter of acceptance in December. The student does not have to withdraw other applications and does not have to accept or refuse the EA offer of admission until May 1. Read more about Early Decision, Rolling Admission, Regular Decision, and the Waitlist.

Hello College Freshman – Top Ten Tips

College not only poses a need for academic adjustment, but an adjustment to a new lifestyle. Juggling a new schedule and expectations that go along with it can take its toll on freshmen emotionally, physically, and academically. Many colleges are attuned to this transition and offer support to freshmen in a variety of ways.

Dorms have trained personnel called resident assistants or RA’s assigned to help students with everyday issues including roommate issues, school rules and guidelines, activities, and other school community issues. “Meltdowns” or emotional distress can occur due to grade pressure.

Mental health centers on campus offer counseling services from licensed psychologists and psychiatrists for counseling issues such as depression, eating disorders, anxiety, chemical dependency, and so on. If students need medical attention, the medical centers on campus can handle those requests. There are a variety of spiritual centers that can also offer support to students who want to continue involvement in their faith life, attending retreats, and community service opportunities. Career Centers are open to students interested in career exploration, internships, resume building, study abroad opportunities, and applications to graduate school. The following list includes a collection of suggestions made by upperclassmen for incoming freshmen. Read Top 10 Tips by clicking here!

Don’t Sweat the Essay this Summer: Make a Plan!

You’ve heard the college application essay is a big deal. Now that you are officially a rising senior, it’s time to figure out what to write about.

Are these dreaded essays going to hang over your head all summer? Most aren’t even due until late fall or even January anyway. So what’s the rush?

In my opinion, there’s no rush. But if you are smart, you will give yourself a deadline now. And make a plan. Otherwise, the pressure will start building in the back of your mind, and the anxiety of what you “should be doing” could hurt the fun you are having.

Some college counselors and essay “experts” advise students to simply start thinking about their essays over summer, and casually brainstorming ideas, and reflecting on themes such as, “What makes me unique?” or “Who am I?”

I don’t think active introspection can hurt, but I believe it’s more effective to make a specific writing plan, with deadlines, and stick to it. Worrying about these essays is the worst part.

To see the new essays for the 2016-2017 Common Application, click here. http://blog.commonapp.org/2015/03/31/2015-2016-essay-prompts/

The GET IT DONE Plan of Attack – Read the two week approach – make a plan.

The Common Application 2016-2017 Essay Prompts

The summer break from school offers rising seniors time to focus on college planning tasks such as the college essay. Here are the essay prompts for the 2016-2017 Common Application. Take some time to review, mull over your ideas, and begin to develop your response to your choice.

The Common Application Announces 2016-2017 Essay Prompts

The Common Application has announced that the 2016-2017 personal statement essay prompts will be the same as the 2015-2016 prompts. By conducting a review process every other year, rather than annually, we can hear from admissions officers, as well as students, parents, and counselors, about the effectiveness of the essay prompts.

These prompts are designed to elicit information that will strengthen the other components of the application. “We want to make sure that every applicant can find a home within the essay prompts, and that they can use the prompts as a starting point to write an essay that is authentic and distinguishing,” said Scott Anderson, former school counselor and current Senior Director for Programs and Partnerships for The Common Application.

Among the more than 800,000 unique applicants who have submitted a Common App so far during the 2015-2016 application cycle, 47 percent have chosen to write about their background, identity, interest, or talent – making it the most frequently selected prompt; 22 percent have chosen to write about an accomplishment, 17 percent about a lesson or failure, 10 percent about a problem solved, and four percent about an idea challenged.

With the release of the essay prompts and the announcement that student accounts created now will roll over to 2016-2017, counselors can introduce their juniors to the Common App now, or whenever they are ready.

2016-2017 Essay Prompts
1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

Find The Right College Fit

Even before you begin your college search, you need to think about what would make a college the right fit, the perfect match for you. Start by answering a few questions: Why would you continue an education? Do you want to fulfill your dreams? Have fun? Meet new people and exercise your mind? What about learning more about what you love to do and learning how to get paid doing it? To do this, you need to understand your strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Think about your potential to succeed by reviewing your grade point average, standardized test scores and coursework, while verifying what the admissions requirements are to specific colleges.

Tips For Writing Your College Essay

Recently, I read an article by an admissions representative from St. Mary’s College of Maryland regarding the college essay. Their advice seemed worthy of repeating so here it goes. When asked about the length of the essay, the representative explained that “the ones that got read at our college, the ones that really showed the admissions committee the real person, and the ones that jumped out at us and caught our attention were the ones that: 1) were from the ‘heart’, 2) were ‘student-written’ (you would be surprised how many have ‘adult hands’ on them…and you can tell the difference when you read them), and 3) told us why they are special; not necessarily if they were special. If students can do that and it happens to be a little over 500 words, don’t sweat it.” Read more tips for writing the college essay.

2015 Diversity Fly-In Visit Program List: Seniors to Visit This Fall!

Many colleges are hosting diversity college fly-in visit programs this fall. Some deadlines have passed, but if you’re interested still APPLY. Below is the beginning of a list of Fall 2015 Diversity Fly-In Visit Programs and are worthy of printing. This list is by no means complete, so if you are interested in a particular college, check their websites for more information or better yet, contact a college admissions representative directly.