SCHOLARSHIP FOR TALL STUDENTS

If you are a tall student who will enter college in the fall, you may be eligible for a scholarship worth up to $1000.  Height requirements are 6'2" or taller for males and 5'10" or taller for females.

The scholarship is funded by Tall Clubs International .

Applicants satisfying the height requirement must also be under 21 years of age and entering their first year of college in the fall (2015).

Deadline for applying is February 15, 2015.
********
For full information about the college application process in general, see Dr. Droge's book, College Admission (click here).





SCHOLARSHIPS FOR BEST 30-SECOND VIDEOS

If you can make a 30-second video with your smartphone or other equipment, you may win a scholarship.  Here's the information to follow-up on:

What: Make a 30-second video that might be used as a TV commercial to target the dangers of underage/teenage drinking.  Several scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 will be awarded to the best.

Who:  The competition is open to American and Canadian high school students in grades 9 to 12.  Entries may be from individuals or a team.

When:  The deadline is Thursday, February 12, 2015.  (Don't wait until the last minute.  Start now.)

Where:  To read the official rules and to find out more about the competition and sponsors, click here

HARVARD PRESIDENT EXTOLS WORTH OF COLLEGE EDUCATION, OTHER THAN HIGHER SALARIES

Drew Faust, President of Harvard University, extols the benefits of a college education in an article for USA Today.

Though acknowledging the financial advantages in the job market offered by a college degree, Faust focuses in the piece on other benefits more difficult to measure:

"College takes students to places they've never been before."
"College introduces students to people they've never met before."
"College teaches students the virtue of slowing down."

Faust talks of how colleges help students to explore themselves and the world around them, to open their minds, find a passion, choose a field to work in.  Yes, salaries are important, Faust says, but the value of a college education involves so much more.

xxxxxxxx
For information about Dr. Droge's helpful book, COLLEGE ADMISSION: A Simple, No-Nonsense Guide To Getting Into The College Of Your Choice, CLICK HERE.

BRIGHTEN UP

Brighten Up: Smart Tools to Excel in Reading, Writing, Memory, Vocabulary, Spelling, Notes, and English Usage




COLLEGE ADMISSION CHECKLIST: WHAT SENIORS SHOULD DO IN OCT-NOV


--Register for SAT (https://www.collegeboard.org/ ) or ACT (http://www.act.org/ ), if necessary – last chance to take test that will get scores to admissions offices before they begin to review applications – SAT test date Dec. 6, 2014 (registration deadline Nov. 6); ACT test date Dec. 13, 2014 (registration deadline Nov. 7). Be sure to check online to confirm these dates and all deadlines, including late registration deadlines and fees.

--Attend “college night” events at school or in community.  Meet with admissions representatives that visit school.

--Finalize your list – Which colleges will you apply to?  What are their deadlines?  What is required for each?

--If you are applying “early” to any colleges, get all materials together ASAP.  Check deadlines – (many colleges have a November 1 deadline).  Do not wait until very last minute to apply, if possible.

--Check with each college to determine if any SAT Subject Tests are required – check registration deadlines for tests at www.collegeboard.org .

--Check deadlines and apply for local and national scholarships.  (e.g. see sites like http://www.fastweb.com/  or http://www.zinch.com/ )

--Confirm with teachers about recommendations and with school counselors about school reports that will be sent to colleges on your final list.

--Complete application essays.

--Study hard and do your best work in every course.  The grades you earn this term are important to the college admissions offices.

WHAT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS OFFICES WON'T TELL YOU - WSJ


According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal supplement, there are (at least) "10 Things College Admissions Won't Tell You".

The piece makes observations about several aspects of the college admissions process - for example: that colleges give more weight to grades in college-prep courses; that reviewers are aware that some essays they receive may be "ghost-written"; that a fair number of colleges are having second thoughts about requiring the SAT or ACT; that class rank is not as important as it used to be, with colleges preferring to take a "holistic" approach these days.

The piece also points out the importance of getting a good teacher recommendation and the weight colleges give to candidates who are children of alumni.  In addition, it cautions that the admissions office monitors the status of accepted candidates' grades and conduct through graduation and beyond.

xxxxx
For a simple, no-nonsense look at the college admissions process, and a guide to getting into the college of choice, see Dr. Droge's helpful book, College Admission - CLICK HERE




http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/SUN_-A003.pdf




BETTER TO WRITE NOTES LONGHAND THAN TO USE LAPTOP, STUDY SAYS

In a recent study, researchers found that the use of laptops to take notes may be “harming academic performance.” 

According to the psychologists who conducted the study, college students who had written their notes in longhand were more successful in answering conceptual questions about the material than students who had taken their notes with a laptop.

According to the study’s authors, Pam A. Mueller of Princeton and Daniel M. Oppenheimer of UCLA, using a laptop to take notes “results in shallower processing”.

The research was published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association of Psychological Science.

For tips about note-taking, see BRIGHTEN UP - CLICK HERE