As the cost of attending some the nation’s colleges exceed $60,000 a year, many families start looking for scholarships to help cover the cost. However, too many people don’t understand the basics of college scholarships including the source and average amounts. Fortunately, educating yourself about these facts will help you find scholarships that can significantly reduce the cost of a college education. 1. The largest source of scholarships … [Read more...]
Is your high school counselor an expert on college admissions?
Is your teenager’s high school counselor an expert on college? Probably not. In fact, the odds are high that your high school counselor’s knowledge about college admission strategies, standardized testing and scholarships, and financial aid is limited. Ironically, during this period of increasing college costs, financial aid is often the subject that high school counselors know the least about. Many high school counselors are unfortunately … [Read more...]
Conversations for Families with College Kids
For most families with a kid away at college, Thanksgiving is the first time they will return home. This can be a great time to relax, see family and friends, and a great opportunity to have some important conversations. After letting your college kid catch up on sleep and get in touch with old friends, here are some topics to bring up before the whole family arrives for Thanksgiving dinner: 1. Academics By this time into the semester, students … [Read more...]
When should you submit those college applications?
The short answer: as soon as possible. Most colleges start accepting applications August 1 or during the Fall semester of senior year. Even for colleges with Spring deadlines, it is strongly encouraged to submit applications during the Fall semester in order to be considered for scholarships. Plus, students who apply early are usually the ones who get a decision early! New Announcement: The Apply Texas application will open July 1st instead of … [Read more...]
What AP Score Do I Need?
Many students who take AP classes and exams are asking this question: Is my AP score good enough? The answer is complicated. AP scores are on a simple 5 point scale, but colleges are allowed to decide for themselves what score is required to get credit. The College Board defines the scores as follows: 5 - Extremely well qualified to receive college credit 4 - Well qualified to receive college credit 3 - Qualified to receive college … [Read more...]
Assured and Automatic Admissions at Texas Colleges
In 1997, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 588 – also known as the Texas Top Ten Percent Law – guaranteeing automatic admission to all state-funded universities for Texas students in the top ten percent of their public high school class. This law was later amended to allow universities to cap their admissions to the Top Ten Percent students as 75% of their freshmen 'seats'. This has allowed University of Texas Austin campus to restrict … [Read more...]
UT Austin Changes Admissions Requirements
UT Austin announced changes to its admissions process and requirements for students in the class of 2019. These students can begin applying August 1, 2018 using the ApplyTexas application. Essay Requirements All freshman applicants will be required to submit one essay -- Topic A -- in ApplyTexas. Other long-form essays in ApplyTexas (B, C, D, S, etc.) will no longer be needed for freshman applicants to UT (but may be required for other Texas … [Read more...]
Want to Study Abroad in College?
Studying abroad may be one of the most beneficial experiences for a college student. By studying abroad, students have the opportunity to study in a foreign nation and take in the allure and culture of a new land. Here is a list of the top 10 reasons to study abroad! See the World The biggest reason you should consider a study abroad program is the opportunity to see the world. By studying abroad, you will experience a brand-new country … [Read more...]
New College Rankings- 2018
ETC College Rankings Index for 2018 The 2018 edition of our ETC College Rankings Index determines the economic value added, by each college ranked within the system, which is the improvement in earnings and employability of college graduates - measured against the total cost of the education. According to Michael R. Havis, president and founder of Educate To Career, “Other ranking systems are ranking colleges based on the academic caliber … [Read more...]
What Are The Public Ivies?
Public Ivy is a term coined by Richard Moll in his 1985 book Public Ivies: A Guide to America’s best public undergraduate colleges and universities to refer to universities that provide an Ivy League collegiate experience at a public school price High-performing students looking for a top-notch education—without shelling out tens of thousands of dollars—would do well to check out the country’s public Ivy League schools. While getting into a … [Read more...]
