Parents, teachers, college professionals, and students know the positive and negative effects of college admissions: from the joy of getting acceptances, to the intense pressure in applying, to the unending questions from well-meaning friends and family. Many professionals in the higher education field are also aware of the mental and emotional stress placed on students and the advantage of more affluent students from more well-resourced schools. … [Read more...]
Is College Worth the Investment?
Is that fancy, expensive college degree really worth the cost of several years of tuition, room and board and books? Everyone knows that the cost of education is skyrocketing, but the answer is still YES! Wondering which colleges have the best ROI? Return on investment is the "financial return" from any investment of money, or in this case, the income amount above and beyond what a high school graduate would make. The investment is the cost of … [Read more...]
What You Will Actually Pay at Texas Colleges
There are two prices for every college degree: the sticker price and the net price. The sticker price is the number that most schools list in their brochures. The net price is that very same number less scholarships, grants and financial aid. It is what you actually pay. For an incoming freshman, this net price is the number that matters the most, and until recently, it was also the number that we knew the least about. This month, the … [Read more...]
How To Prepare for the College Interview
Some colleges require an in-person interview with all applicants. Other colleges allow the students to request an interview if desired, and will consider it as part of the admissions file. In both situations, college interviews provide an opportunity to learn more about the college and whether or not the student would be a good fit on the campus. If you are applying to a college that doesn't require, but does allow for, college interviews, you … [Read more...]
Updates for the Common App
Good news from the Common App! Update #1-The system is no longer purging accounts. They used to only allow seniors to create an account after August 1st and then delete those accounts every summer. But NOW, junior students can create an account after Jan 1st, a full year before many college deadlines. NO, you shouldn't submit anything for the first six months, but it will let you poke around, add colleges of interest, see essay and writing … [Read more...]
3 Steps To Take Before the End of 2015 for FAFSA
Applying for financial aid will soon be less of a headache for college students and their families. Beginning with the 2017-2018 academic year, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)—used to determine financial aid from the government as well as colleges—can be filed three months earlier, or as early as October 1, nearly a year before a student would start classes the following fall. This change in timing will allow completed tax … [Read more...]
Best Colleges for Engineering
Engineering is the application of science and math to solve problems. Engineers figure out how things work and find practical uses for scientific discoveries. Scientists and inventors often get the credit for innovations that advance the human condition, but it is engineers who are instrumental in making those innovations available to the world. Engineering is one of the cornerstones of STEM education, an interdisciplinary curriculum designed … [Read more...]
Texas College Crime
Parents are always asking about college and student safety. Unfortunately, many families only base their information on the reputation of the college, its location, or rumors. To help families make more informed decisions, we conducted a data search of Texas 4- year universities with student bodies of more than 5,000 students, excluding for-profit colleges and those without residential housing. We also compiled the data for years 2012, 2013 and … [Read more...]
The New ACT Essay
The ACT Writing section (aka the essay) is new for the 2015-2016 school year. What’s the difference between the old and new ACT essay question? The old essay prompt was relevant to teenage issues and asked students to consider issues such as student dress code, curfew, whether or not students should be required to take PE or arts classes, or even whether or not texting while driving laws should be enforced. In other words, as the ACT puts it, … [Read more...]
Comparing University of Texas and Texas A&M: A Look at the Numbers
University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M at College Station are the best public universities in Texas. Many families have a strong preference for one college over the other. Whether it's the football team, the academics or the legacy, students usually favor one as well. To help families decide which college is right for their students, we'll take a look at the college's statistics and admissions data. University of Texas- … [Read more...]
Changes to the PSAT
Do you graduate in 2017 or after? If so, you’ll be taking the new redesigned PSAT, starting in October 2015, the new PSAT will be given to all juniors across the country. Some 9th-10th graders take this test as well. So what's new about the PSAT? Let’s dive into the changes being made to the redesigned PSAT. Changes in Format The new redesigned PSAT is 35 minutes longer than the old PSAT. It clocks in at 2 hours and 45 minutes, rather than … [Read more...]
Dept of Ed Announces Change Simplifying Application for Federal Financial Aid
Two weeks ago, President Obama announced a significant policy shift that will help low-income students access college financial aid by making the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) simpler to complete. This key administrative change will allow applicants to complete the FAFSA using income tax data from two years prior to the current year. This change is a major win for students, significantly simplifying the aid application … [Read more...]
Best College Business Program Rankings
Here are the rankings for the best undergraduate business programs at US universities in 2016, courtesy of the US News and World Report. Cost of tuition includes tuition and fees, but not room and board costs. OOS= out of state # College/ University Cost of Tuition 6 yr Grad Rate 1 University of Pennsylvania $49,000 98% 2 MIT $46,000 98% 3 University of California- Berkeley $13,000 in state $38,000 … [Read more...]
Factors That Help Students in College Admissions
Your high school grades are the #1 factor in the college admission decision. Other factors count, but the body of work you develop in high school is what matters most—as it should. Colleges do not choose students by the numbers only—they don’t simply take the students with the highest grades and test scores. Colleges use many other factors to add depth to the numbers, and to compare applicants with each other to build a class that fits the … [Read more...]
New College List Ranks by Service to the Community
US News College Rankings is the 'popular' college ranking lists, but since they use questionable data that skews towards the Ivy Leagues, many professionals in the field want more, a better list, more information. Washington Monthly has given that to us. Using new criteria, Washington Monthly has developed a ranking system based on the three issues that are most important to higher education: social mobility, research, and community … [Read more...]
