Continue reading »]]> Listen to how admission counselors pick students.

“We don’t want a classroom of people that all look alike and all agree with each other, it’s going to be boring. You’re not going to learn from each other…. Schools are looking for different things.”  As an independent college admission consultant I assist students in highlighting themselves in ways that stand out to college admission committees.

When I work with high school students, I help them highlight what makes them special!  This can make a big difference in their acceptance to a college of their choice. Watch the video and read more here:  http://bit.ly/Ialq2I

Continue reading »]]> You must watch this!!! This is what good college essays are made of!

Video of 9 year old boy’s DIY cardboard arcade!  This has all the elements of a superb college essay!

Passion, following your dreams, creativity, ambition, determination, ingenuity, imagination, perseverance, entrepreneurship, patience, great attitude… This beats paying thousands for a summer program! Look what this says about this young boy and what he can accomplish!  Click here!

Continue reading »]]> The college admissions season has come to an end for the Class of 2012.  This New York Times Choice Blog concludes on some results.  Admissions at some schools have been the toughest in history!  The results show excitement for many and frustration for some. Students are now choosing where they will spend the next chapter of their lives. I work with students to analyze their choices to make that final decision.  Check out some advice here.

Here are a few published preliminary statistics for:
Harvard admits 5.9%
Brown admits 9.6%
Yale admits 6.8%
Princeton 7.86%
Columbia 7.4%
Dartmouth 9.4%
Northwestern University 15%
Georgetown 16.5%
Barnard College 21%

“The public University of California, Berkeley, had a record number of applicants – nearly 10,000 more than last year – and admitted only 19.5 percent, down from 25.7 percent last year.”

Now more than ever, students are flocking to independent educational consultants to help them shine on their applications. See more on this at  www.CollegeSearchExpert.com .

Join us for a free presentation on what 9th,10th and 11th graders need to know about high school and college plans.

Temple Avodah, 3050 Oceanside Road, Oceanside, NY 11572 on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 7:30PM.

Continue reading »]]> In an effort to keep you up to date with the latest events in education and college admissions, I am letting you know of some very important information for students interested in Cal State schools. This is an example of the economy’s impact on school enrollment, course selections, and graduation rates, especially with respect to state institutions.

“Facing uncertain budget prospects, California State University officials announced plans to freeze enrollment next spring at most campuses and to wait-list all applicants the following fall pending the outcome of a proposed tax initiative on the November ballot.” Click here for more.

Continue reading »]]> Is a Liberal Arts Education For You? Is it Affordable? Famous People Attending Liberal Arts Colleges

A study has been recently released regarding a liberal arts education. In addition, affordability is addressed in this article. Click here. Continue to the bottom for some of the many famous people who attended liberal arts colleges.

“Conducted by higher education consulting firm, Hardwick Day, the study is based on a total of 2,700 telephone interviews made in 2002 and again in the summer of 2011. It is one of only a few studies that explore the lasting effects of college in such areas as career preparation and advancement, skill development, development of personal and professional values and attitude, and community involvement. Among the study’s career-related findings:

• Seventy-six percent of liberal arts college graduates rated their college experience highly for preparing them for their first job, compared to 66 percent who attended public flagship universities;

• Eighty-nine percent of liberal arts college graduates reported finding a mentor while in college, compared to 66 percent for public flagship universities;

• Sixty percent of liberal arts college graduates said they felt “better prepared” for life after college than students who attended other colleges, compared to 34 percent who attended public flagship universities.

• Liberal arts college graduates are more likely to graduate in four years or fewer, giving them a head start on their careers.”

Did you know?

A CBS News report states: “Per capita, liberal arts colleges produce twice as many student who earn a PhD in science than other institutions. This shouldn’t be a surprise. Liberal arts college provide the sort of research experiences that universities often reserve for grad students.“

Some of the many famous people who attended liberal arts colleges:

Andy Rooney, humorist on TV’s “60 Minutes”- Colgate College, Hamilton, NY

Bob Woodruff, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist – Colgate College, Hamilton, NY

Dean Rusk, United States Secretary of State (1961-1069)- Davidson College, Davidson, NC

Michael Eisner, former CEO of Disney- Denison University, Granville, OH

B.F. Skinner, Psychologist – Hamilton College, Clinton, NY

Paul Newman, Actor winner of Emmy Award and Academy Award – Kenyon College, Gambier, OH

Reuben Mark, former CEO of Colgate-Palmolive -Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT

James Michener, historical novelist- Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA

Hillary Rodham Clinton, US Secretary of State and former Senator from New York- Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA

Continue reading »]]> Common Application Update!

I recently received an update from The Common Application, Inc. It’s important to note that [Guidance] Counselors can now opt out of providing a recommendation for students.

“Opt-out for counselor recommendation: Counselors who indicate they cannot provide a written evaluation due to caseload demands will be able to submit the School Report without uploading a recommendation.”

This has all kinds of implications in the college admission process. As we already know, guidance counselors have an increased number of students in their caseloads. Public school guidance counselors are not the only ones feeling this increased demand. Private schools are also feeling it.

Many school counselors are struggling with lack of time, lack of detailed and personal knowledge of a student and his or her abilities.  It is one of the many reasons why more parents are hiring independent educational consultants.