The College Board, creators of the SAT, just announced major changes to the SAT! These changes won't go into effect until Spring 2016, so will only affect the class of 2017 and younger students. Here are the major changes: The essay will become optional, and will require students to analyze a passage. (Keep in mind that colleges may still require the essay for admissions. The overall scoring will revert back to the 1600 scale, with just … [Read more...]
Doesn’t Anyone Graduate from College in Four Years Anymore?
According to federal statistics on college graduation rates, only 27% of college students who attend public colleges graduate in four years. Private schools have a slightly better track record: 48% of students get their college degree in four years. Private for-profit colleges have even worse graduation rates (don’t get me started on those so-called “schools”). Either way, those are some disappointing figures! Colleges also use their 6 year … [Read more...]
Financial Aid Secrets and 4 Tips
Something interesting happens every summer before high school graduates head off to college. Most people in the higher education industry refer to it as ‘summer melt’. It’s a yearly occurrence when extra financial aid is unclaimed and returned to the college’s pool of resources. It’s a result of students who had previously accepted admissions to that college deciding not to attend, thus leaving their financial aid package on the table. That aid … [Read more...]
Can My College Acceptance Be Revoked?
Can colleges revoke admissions offers? What behaviors can cause this, and how can students protect themselves? It’s the time of year again. No, not tax time. I’m referring to senoritis. The time of year when senior year high school students start getting acceptance letters to college and then, promptly, start slacking off in school. It’s tempting, I know. They already got into college, why bother with maintaining grades or doing homework? One … [Read more...]
Houston Universities Top List of Best College Campuses
Houston has a wide selection of higher education opportunities, from a plethora of community colleges to private and public universities. If you're looking to attend college in Houston, you have lots of choices. The Houston Press is making those choices even harder with a list of the best buildings on Houston college campuses. University of Houston received the most honors, with 4 buildings on the list, including Cullen Building, their … [Read more...]
Top 25 Colleges for Entrepreneurship
Think you've got what it takes to start a business? Time to get educated. To get your schooling underway, Entrepreneur presents the annual Princeton Review ranking of the top 25 undergraduate and top 25 graduate entrepreneurship programs offered at U.S. institutions. 1. Harvard University About the Program Harvard University currently offers 33 entrepreneurship-related graduate courses. Over the last five years, its graduates have started 182 … [Read more...]
The Most Expensive College Dorms
eCollegeFinder is back with another map series, this time looking at which colleges charge the most for on-campus room and board in each state. We all know how expensive college is these days. From massive tuition fees to costly text books, it really burns a hole in the pocket. Aside from tuition, room and board is usually one of the top expenses for each student. This got us thinking, which colleges charge the most for on-campus living? Is it … [Read more...]
Avoid Expensive Errors While Saving For College
It’s just about back-to-school time again. If you have young children, you might be hustling them to the store for backpacks and binders. But if you fast-forward a few years, you can envision driving your kids a little farther — to their college dorms. And when that day comes, you’ll want to be financially prepared. So you’ll want to avoid making costly mistakes when preparing for, and paying, those big bills. Here are some of the most common of … [Read more...]
New College Ranking Lists Published by Money Magazine
For the longest time, U.S. News & World Report was considered THE college rankings system. Every Fall, a "new" list would be released, which would almost always put Harvard was the best college in America. Every once in a while, it would tie with Princeton. Those rankings were based on many factors, including SAT scores, acceptance rates, and graduation rates. But it did not include many other factors that are becoming increasingly important … [Read more...]
What NOT to Write about in College Essays
What NOT to Write about in College Essays: 6 Bad Essay Topics for College Admissions College essays can play a vital role in college admissions. Often times, it is the only way a student can get his or her voice heard. The application itself provides the biographical information: class rank, SAT scores, class choices, and community service. But the essay lets the student really speak to the admissions officials who will be deciding his or her … [Read more...]
SAT Subject Tests and Average Scores
The College Board, the creator of the original SAT, has also created SAT IIs, better known as SAT Subject Tests, to help students showcase their knowledge in certain subject areas. These Subject Tests are the only national college admissions tests where the students get to choose which subject they want to be tested on. SAT Subject Tests allow students to set themselves apart from other applicants and send a “send a strong message regarding … [Read more...]
How Brand College Consulting can help you save time and money
Why Do You Need an Independent College Consultant? 1. “A house may be the most expensive thing most families buy, but college--which is second most expensive--is far more important in the long run. College decisions are actually more crucial because they affect the teenager’s future” College consultants are specialists in helping you make this important investment and decisions. 2. The college application and admissions process is very … [Read more...]
How to Save for College and Start a 529 Plan
Parents of college-bound students know that the costs of college has risen dramatically. The College Board, the creator of the SAT, conducts a survey of average college pricing from universities across the country. For the 2013-14 academic year, the average cost for an in-state public college is $22,826, while the average private college is $44,750. These costs include tuition, room and board, fees, books, and an allowance for personal … [Read more...]
The New SAT Math Section
Explaining the New SAT Mathematics Sections The College Board, creators of the SAT, have decided to completely revamp the test for the Spring of 2016. This will affect current freshmen (class of 2017) who otherwise might have to go into a brand new test that few of us have seen and will be difficult to completely prepare for. Another option is for current freshmen to plan on taking the ACT during the spring of their junior year instead. For … [Read more...]
Upcoming College Tours with Students
We all understand that high school students should visit college campuses before deciding whether or not to apply to that particular college. Since it is going to be their home for the next four years (or longer), they should feel comfortable there, it should offer an educational program that interests them, and it should be in an area or city that offer activities that they enjoy. This is hard to tell from pictures on a college website or … [Read more...]
