LOTS OF COLLEGES STILL HAVE OPENINGS FOR THE FALL

Numerous colleges in US, UK, and Canada still have openings for Fall 2014.

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COLLEGE ADMISSION GUIDE

COLLEGE ADMISSION: A Simple, No-Nonsense Guide To Getting Into The College Of Your Choice

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CLASS OF 2018 - ADMISSION STATS – SAMPLE OF SELECTIVE COLLEGES: TOTAL APPLIED, ACCEPTED, ADMIT RATE

College – Total Applications – Total Accepted – Admit Rate

Stanford – 42,167 – 2,138 – 5.07

Harvard – 34,295 – 2,023 – 5.9

Yale – 30,932 – 1,935 – 6.26

Columbia – 32,967 – 2,291 – 6.94

Princeton – 26,641 – 1,939 – 7.28

MIT – 18,357 – 1,419 – 7.7

Brown – 30,432 – 2,619 – 8.6

Penn – 35,868 – 3,551 – 9.9

Dartmouth – 19,296 – 2,220 – 11.5

Cornell – 43,041 – 6,025 - 14

EARLY DECISION, EARLY ACTION, REGULAR DECISION, AND ROLLING ADMISSIONS - BASIC DIFFERENCES

Colleges open their admissions windows at different times to receive applications – the “early” window, the “regular” window, or the “rolling” window.  In an early decision or early action program they will entertain applications submitted early in the academic year, such as early fall, with a deadline usually set in or before the first week of November. In a regular decision program they will accept applications in the middle of the academic year, usually with a deadline in late December or early January.  And in a rolling program they will accept applications all year long, with rolling deadlines.

In turn, the dates when admissions decisions are rendered depend on the type of program the college uses and the application deadlines set in that program.

NOTE WELL:  No matter whether applying in a program that is “early” or “regular” or “rolling”, students should always check with the individual colleges involved for exact deadlines and application requirements.

Early Decision and Early Action

The two primary modes of “early” programs are known as Early Decision and Early Action.  Generally, if a college uses an early program, it employs either one or the other. 

Early Decision – An important stipulation connected to this type of application is that candidates agree that if they are accepted, they will attend.  And, upon acceptance, they must withdraw any outstanding applications to other colleges.  This is a binding commitment and often the candidate signs an official agreement.  Candidates usually apply before November 1 and get notified of the decision sometime in December.  Some colleges have two or more rounds of Early Decision, with the primary difference being different deadlines and notification dates. 

Early Action – Very similar to Early Decision in terms of deadlines and notification dates, with one major difference – candidates are not obliged to attend if accepted – there is no binding agreement. (But always check with the individual colleges to be certain.)

Often, colleges stipulate that students applying “early” may do so with only one college at a time.  In other words, students should not have two or more “early” applications of any form submitted to different colleges concurrently.   That is not to say, however, that students who apply “early” to one college may not apply at the same time to other colleges using a “regular” or “rolling” program.  (Again, check with individual colleges to be certain of specific requirements.)

Regular Decision

Candidates applying “regular decision” usually submit by a designated deadline before mid-January and are notified of the decision on or before April 1.  There are no obligations to attend if accepted with this application process.  Accepted students usually have until May 1 to tell the college if they will attend or not.

Rolling Admissions

Colleges that employ this type of program will accept applications on a “rolling” basis at any point during the year, consider them quickly, and render a decision in a matter of weeks.  Applications will be considered until all openings are filled.

For a more complete look at the college admission process, see COLLEGE ADMISSION: A Simple, No-Nonsense Guide To Getting Into The College Of Your Choice. CLICK HERE

COLLEGE ADMISSION GUIDE

COLLEGE ADMISSION: A Simple, No-Nonsense Guide To Getting Into The College Of Your Choice by Dr. Edward Droge

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ADMIT RATES AT HIGHLY SELECTIVE COLLEGES FOR CLASS OF 2018

If it's the end of March or beginning of April, one thing is sure - many colleges are sending decision letters or e-mails to applicants, signifying accept, reject, or wait-list.

With most colleges in the nation experiencing increased applications in recent years, it has been getting more and more difficult - statistically, at least - to get admitted.  Highly selective schools in particular have been receiving so many applications for a fixed number of openings that admit rates have sunken to record lows. Stanford applications, for example, jumped nearly nine percent this year, to a total of 42,167.  Of those, the college accepted 2,138.

Here are the admit rates (percentages) from some of the highly selective colleges for the Class of 2018:

Stanford:  5.07
Harvard:  5.9
Yale:  6.26
Columbia:  6.94
Princeton:  7.28
MIT:  7.7
Brown:  8.6
Penn:  9.9
Dartmouth:  11.5
Cornell:  14.0

FINANCIAL AID BASICS - AND VALUABLE TIPS

FINANCIAL AID BASICS

You may have thought that there were only two things we can be certain of – death and taxes.  But you forgot to include rising college costs.  Despite softer increases in recent years, the total expense at some private colleges - including tuition, fees and expenses, room and board – is more than $60,000 a year.  Do the math – for those big-ticket institutions that’s almost a quarter of a million dollars for the 4-year degree.  Most other private colleges and virtually all public colleges are less expensive, but the overall cost still promises to be quite formidable.

Not surprisingly, most students and their parents apply for financial aid.  The types of aid available, and the requirements to obtain it, vary from college to college, but for those students and parents just starting to explore this area, here are the basics:

- Most colleges offer financial aid of some sort, and the amount offered may be based on the level of demonstrated need (need-based) or achievement (merit-based).  The aid may come in various forms, for example, grants, scholarships, loans, or work-study arrangements, and may derive from various sources (college, government, bank, etc.).

- The differences:

Grant – this is, essentially, a gift that does not have to be repaid.

Scholarship – this, too, is a gift, usually based on achievement or need.

Loan – funds backed by the government, the college, the bank, or some other resource, will be provided, but you will be required to pay it back – with interest.

Work-Study – the student gets a funded job, usually on campus and part-time, and the money earned may be used for school expenses.

-         Not surprisingly, there are forms to fill out.  Most often the work is done online, but paper forms may be provided upon request.  Applicants will be required to show need, based in no small part on the information recorded on their tax returns.

-         One of the primary forms to be filled out is a FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid – along with other forms of the particular college. Some colleges may also require a form called a CSS/Profile, which provides additional need analysis.  For information about the FAFSA visit https://fafsa.ed.gov/ .  For information about the CSS/Profile visit http://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile .

-         The nuances and resources of financial aid may vary from college to college.  Students and parents should always check with the individual colleges to determine exactly what they require.

TIP#1 - NOTE WELL:  Some colleges, like the Ivies, have substantial endowments that permit offering significant financial aid, especially in the form of grants.  Students and their families should not shy away from applying to an Ivy League school simply because of the apparent high cost.  Often, the financial aid package will make the final expense lower in the end than many other colleges.

TIP#2 - Depending on the college, the initial financial aid offer may not be set in cement.  There may be some flexibility.  If you decide that you cannot attend the college because the financial aid package does not bring down the cost quite enough, do not hesitate to call the college to let them know that.  If possible, speak with the Director of Financial Aid directly.  Make it clear how much you want to enroll, how much you have been looking forward to it, how much it is such a good match – you and the college.  State your case politely but confidently, and ask if there is any way that the package can be improved in order to permit you to attend.

The people in financial aid know that the college admits only those students it wants.  It knows that the admissions office would like you to enroll.  And, so, in most cases, the financial aid office will try its best to find some way to improve the package.  But, in the event that it is not able to do so, at least you know that you – and probably the financial aid office – tried hard to make it happen.  But, no matter the outcome, if you have been accepted, the effort will begin only if you make that initial phone call to the financial aid office to tell them about your difficulty.

 When building a list of colleges to apply to, consider the costs, but do not immediately eliminate any college because it appears to be too expensive.  With a good financial aid package, the annual cost may indeed be manageable.

For a more complete look at the college admission process, see COLLEGE ADMISSION: A Simple, No-Nonsense Guide To Getting Into The College Of Your Choice. CLICK HERE