Getting To The Quad

Tips For Choosing A School - Part IV

2009-03-05T21:46:00.000-05:00

Sports Attributes To Consider
A key aspect of college life for many students is sports, so make sure to consider the
following:

Sports (School and Professional) – What kind of competitive sports does the
school compete in? Division I, Division II, or Division III? What is the athletic feel of
the campus? Can you attend professional games nearby?

Wanna Play Ball? – Varsity athletics are monitored carefully. If you’re an athlete, you’ll
have to meet certain testing and grade standards before you can be a college player.
Coaches use the NCAA Clearinghouse to determine an athlete’s initial eligibility, so
make sure to research this during your college application process. Remember that
while college athletics seem glamorous, and it is flattering to be recruited, playing
varsity college athletics takes a huge commitment from students. You had better
LOVE your sport before you make the decision to participate in college. Of the
many advantages to playing sports in college, an important one is that the coach
and athletic department can provide academic support when you need it. First-year
athletes are often required to appear for a certain number of hours per week at a
“study table;” this ensures the athletes are spending enough time on academics since
the team takes so much of their time.

Rec Facilities – Check out the recreation centers on campus. Do they have workout
facilities, basketball courts, tennis court, etc? Do they offer exercise or yoga classes?
You might as well take advantage of these, as the fees are part of your bill!

Club Sports – Club sports are extremely popular with students. These teams
don’t get the media and fan attention the varsity sports do, but they are often
quite competitive and intense. They get less funding than varsity sports, yet many
students feel they are actually more fun than the college teams.

Intramurals – Most colleges offer intramurals of all types, including flag-football,
soccer, ping-pong, and every other sport or event you can imagine. Intramurals are
often very relaxed and fun, as they just require coming out and having a good time.

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Tips For Choosing A School - Part II

2009-03-03T21:37:00.000-05:00

Academic Attributes To Consider
Rather than look at commercial rankings that may not measure what you want,
think about what will make you successful in the classroom, such as these various
elements:

Teaching – Find out things about the faculty. Are they there because they want
to teach or because they want to write and do research? Will you have graduate
assistants or full-time professors? If you need to discuss something with them, will
your faculty be accessible to you?

Class Size & Teacher To Student Interaction – What are your options for courses?
Will you only take huge lecture classes or, if you prefer, will you have the opportunity
for smaller courses? If it’s important to you that your teachers know you and notice
how you’re doing in the class, try observing a class in session and try to evaluate the
faculty/student interaction.

Retention – What is the freshman retention rate? What is the transfer rate, i.e. are
students happy to attend this school? What percent return for the second year?
What was the college GPA for last year’s freshman class? How many students
graduate within 4 years or 5 years? Learn about the career placement office and ask
for facts and figures about what students do after they leave the college.

Grading – Ask current students about what kinds of attributes for grading are
typically used in the classroom. Are there mostly objective tests or are there ample
chances for group collaboration and projects. Will you get experience doing class
presentations and is class discussion both encouraged and active? How often will
you get feedback on your course progress? How much writing will you be required
to do?

Academic Requirements – Known as core requirements, gen-eds (general
education), distribution requirements, etc. These are the classes or categories of
classes that you will have to take in order to graduate, regardless of your major. Learn
about the core course requirements and learn how current students feel about them.
Are the selections interesting and worthwhile or are they a drudgery? Check out the
math and foreign language requirements, especially as these tend to vary greatly.
Teacher To Student Ratio – This number can be misleading and easily manipulated
but you should consider the accessibility and availability of faculty members. Ask
your tour guide, friends you know at the school, or even complete strangers the size
of his/her largest and smallest classes during the first year and later years. Then think
about what environment is best for you.

Academic Services – Find out about academic services. What if you need extra
help? Are tutors/help centers available to everyone? If you’re undecided about a
major, what assistance does the college provide? If you have personal or health
problems, are there accessible services for students?

Major/Minor Offerings – If you change your mind about majoring in chemical
engineering, will there be other options available to you? Are there numerous areas
of academic study? For what is the school well known?

Class Offerings – Read the course listings, often available online. Would you have
enough options in course selection?

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College Prep Courses and The Economy

2009-03-01T21:56:00.000-05:00

Perhaps nothing, except the anxiety before the birth of a first baby, can match the concern parents feel about prepping for college. There is the same desire to control the process and fear that making a mistake can ruin a child’s future.

via the NYT
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Tips For Choosing A School - Part V

2009-03-01T21:49:00.001-05:00

Financial Aid Attributes To Consider
Colleges are generally very generous about awarding financial aid to talented and/
or needy students. As you’re comparing colleges, here are some tips about making
good financial decisions:

Debt – Since much of your financial aid might be in the form of loans, ask yourself
if you are comfortable taking on debt. The loans are often repayable over 10 years,
and are not repayable until you’ve left school, but they are a long-term commitment,
nevertheless. Consider taking out loans as a form of financial management. If you
have investments sufficient to cover your college costs, and those investments are
earning interest, it might make good financial sense to take low-interest loans and
preserve the investment for a longer period of time.

Financial Aid % – Ask your prospective college if they will meet 100% of your
financial need, as determined by the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student
Aid). If not 100%, then what percentage can you expect?

Payment Plans – Does the college have special payment plans? Monthly payments
and pre-payment are plans that can make the bills easier to manage.

Scholarships – Apply for every independently-sponsored scholarship you can.
Make time for them. They are “gravy” in the full spectrum of college financial aid, but
organizations and corporations actively seek qualified applicants for their generous
awards.

Alternatives – If the net costs turn out to be too expensive, look at other alternatives
to the four-year residential college experience: live at home for a year or so, attend a
two-year college first, look into military benefits for college, attend college part-time
and work full-time to save money, take a year off to work and earn tuition money, or
enroll in a college that offers co-op (a program whereby students alternate work,
gaining experience and earning money, with on-campus classes).
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Tips For Choosing A School - Part III

2009-03-01T21:42:00.001-05:00

Lifestyle Attributes To Consider
Colleges can be found in the middle of nowhere or in the middle of a huge city.
They can be in suburbia or in rural counties. This is a time for you to think about
what resources you actually need and would use during your college days. Think
about the activities you have enjoyed in high school and decide whether you’ll want
to continue some or all of those; this might help you focus on the lifestyle you’re
looking for. Consider the following aspects:

Cultural Offerings – What do students do off-campus? What kinds of concert
venues, museums, theater, restaurants, etc. are nearby? Colleges are usually very
good at providing plenty of social and enrichment activities for students, so look at
a student newspaper and look for upcoming events. Stop by the student activities
center and read posters on bulletin boards. Ask current students what activities they
do on and off campus.

Student Body – Consider geographic, ethnic, racial, religious and academic diversity.
Do many or most of the students go home on weekends? If so, you’ll find the campus
to have a different feel at various times. Are most of the students from your region of
the country? If not, decide if you’re comfortable being the sole Hawaiian adjusting
to your first Boston winter.

Student Support – If you get into trouble while you’re in school (physical, emotional,
academic, legal), what kind of support system is available to help you out?
Housing – On-campus, off-campus, antiquated, brand-new. What will your housing
options be during your freshman year and beyond? If you seek a residential
community, evaluate the quality of the residence halls, but don’t dwell on them too
much. They probably won’t be as nice as your home bedroom, but you can decorate
and personalize your room, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can feel good
about where you’re living.

• Past Freshman Year – When all ages of students live on campus, a good sense
of community occurs. Find out if you could continue to live on campus in later
years if you wished to do so. Also, many colleges offer wonderful older student
apartment-style housing, which might be something to look forward to.
• How Are Roommates Paired Up? – It is seldom a good idea to room with a
high school friend. While it would be comfortable to have someone to hang
out with the first few days, college is a time for you to make and enjoy new
relationships, and that can be difficult if your high school friend is also your
roommate. Besides, best roommates are seldom best friends. If the college
invites you to complete a survey about yourself for the purposes of assigning
a roommate, you’ll want to be honest with yourself and about yourself, or you
could end up with a roommate who is totally incompatible with your lifestyle.

Organizations – Can you get involved in many types of activities? What
extracurricular activities do students do? If fraternities and sororities exist on
campus, are they a big part of campus life? Do you want adventures? What activities,
organizations, and opportunities will be available to you? Will there be sufficient
chances for you to try new things? Will you be able to practice your leadership skills
in extracurricular activities?

Safety – Your safety on campus is always important. Get the real story from current
students. Published campus crime statistics can be helpful, but it’s best to learn how
safe students, themselves, feel on a daily basis.

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Tips For Choosing A School - Part I

2009-03-01T21:32:00.001-05:00

The Big Picture
The first step in choosing a school is perhaps the hardest step — getting to know
yourself. Before you can decide if a school is the right place for you, you must first
learn what you need and want out of the college experience. This takes a great
deal of thought and the answer evolves over time. While you’re focusing on selfevaluation,
think about the attributes offered by schools such as:

Price – Consider the price of tuition, room, board, books and living expenses. Think
about financial assistance.

Public v. Private – Consider the differences in the academic experiences.

Reputation – Will your diploma be worth what you “pay” for it?

Size – Do you want a gigantic student body and campus or a smaller, intimate
setting ?

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College Visits - Part V

2009-02-19T22:29:00.000-05:00

Post-Visit

- Journal – Jot down some notes after each college visit. Write down your impression
of the school, what you liked/disliked, things that stand out in your mind. After you
visit several schools you’ll have trouble keeping all those details straight and the
more you can remember about each visit, the better, when it comes time to make
a final decision about which school to attend.

- Thank You Notes – Take the time to write a personal note to anyone you meet on
your visit: admission counselors, professors, students, etc.

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College Visits - Part IV

2009-02-13T22:27:00.000-05:00

Things To Notice On Campus (And Off, Too)

- Residence Halls – Where you live is a pretty big part of the college experience.
Most schools require freshman to live on campus (unless you’re a commuter) so you
should get a good sense of your housing options.

- Dining Facilities – Do you have lots of choices where you will eat your meals? How
does the meal plan work? If you have dietary restrictions (kosher, vegetarian, vegan,
etc.) will you eat well or starve?

- Library – Chances are you’re going to need to do some studying while you’re in
college, so it’s a good idea to check out the library. Is it state-of-the-art and hightech
or is it as ancient and archaic as all those books you’re going to read?

- Athletic Center – If you’re an athlete, this is a must. If you work out occasionally or
just want to root your team on to victory, you’ll still want to see what the athletic
center is like.

- Student Center – This can be the main center for student activity on campus. Is it
vibrant and full of energy or as quiet as the library? The student center can give you
a good sense of campus life.

- Quadrangles – Check out the quads or other student hang-out spots. If you don’t
know where to find them, ask your tour guide.

- Surrounding Area – You will probably spend time off-campus as well, so check out
the area around the school. You may ultimately move off campus, so consider those
housing options, too. Where do students shop? Eat? Play?
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College Visits - Part III

2009-02-12T22:25:00.000-05:00

Ask Questions To…
- Students – It’s okay to walk up to random students and ask them about their
experiences. This is the best way to get candid answers to your toughest questions.
Don’t you want to know why students chose this school and if they are happy to be
there?

- Tour Guide – Ask your tour guide questions that are best answered by a current
student: What do you do fun? What are classes really like? Why did you choose this
school? What would you change, if you could? What are your post-graduation plans?
What did you do last Saturday night?

- Admissions Office – Ask admission counselors questions about academics,
the application process, admission rates, etc. Don’t ask admission counselors any
questions to which you can easily find the answer on a website or in printed literature.
For instance, don’t ask if the school offers a marine biology major. You should have
researched that yourself before you set foot on campus.

- Others – While you’re on campus consider meeting with coaches, faculty members,
the financial aid office, deans, etc. Depending upon the size of the school and your
individual talents, you should try to meet with all the relevant folks. Questions will
obviously vary based on who you are able to meet.
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College Visits - Part II

2009-02-11T22:22:00.000-05:00

The Campus Visit

- Information Session – Generally schools offer a group session in which an admission
counselor (and sometimes a faculty member and current student) discusses basic
information about the school. The presentation is often followed by a question-and answer
session so it’s a great opportunity to learn more about the school.

- Tour – Typically tours are given by current students. Depending on the size of the
campus, the tour can last anywhere from 45 minutes to well over two hours. This is
your best opportunity to get a guided tour of the school. You might even have the
chance to see residence halls and dining facilities.

- Interview – Some schools offer prospective freshmen (that’s you) the chance to
interview during a campus visit. Determine if you can interview while you are on
campus and knock out a couple of birds with one stone.

- Observing Classes – You might be thinking why on earth would I want to sit in on a
class when I’ve planned this whole trip to get out of going to class. Point well taken,
but don’t you want to get a glimpse of what college classes will be like? You don’t
have to stay for the entire class — sit in the back and try to observe for a short time.
Note the interaction between students and faculty and get a feel for college classes.

- Food – Explore the different on-campus food options. You’ll probably end up visiting
over lunch or dinner anyway, so you may as well try out the food while you’re there.
Some schools will even give you a meal on them. Who can pass up free food?

- Staying Overnight – Schools are going to have widely varying policies on the
overnight visit. If you know a current student and can stay with a friend while you’re
visiting, that’s always a good idea. Also, you may be able to arrange a visit through
the admission office. The overnight visit is one of the best ways to really and truly
experience a school. You’ll get to see the campus without parents and get a feel for
what “real” students do.

- Special Visit Days/Weekends – Almost every college and university offers special
visit days/weekends. This can be a great time to visit campus. Just think, you’ll get
to meet tons of potential classmates. Pay attention to your

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College Visits - Part I

2009-02-10T22:18:00.001-05:00

Prior to Arrival
-Research – Before you make hotel reservations and start buying plane tickets, spend
time doing some serious research. Visiting colleges takes time, money, enthusiasm
and a sense of humor. It would be impossible to visit every college you are remotely
considering, so get organized, do your research and visit those schools that will help
you reach your ultimate goal — admission to your first choice school.

- Where To Visit, Part 1– If you are considering applying to any school early decision,
you must plan a visit to campus. How can you sign on the dotted line that you will
attend this school, if admitted, when you’ve never even seen the place?

- Where To Visit, Part 2 – If you are undecided and overwhelmed by all of the college
options available to you, it can help to visit a few schools to get a sense of what you
like/dislike. Visiting a large state school, a small liberal arts college and an urban
campus can give you different pictures of what college can be like. Even if you
ultimately decide against applying to any of these schools you visited for research
purposes, the time will be well spent if the visits help you determine the places you
would like to be.

- Schedule Your Visit, Part 1 – Contact the admission office, via the phone or web,
to schedule your visit. Admission offices want to know that you are coming to visit
so they can help you make the most of your visit. It would be a shame to plan an
entire visit and not realize the admission office is closed for the day. Plan ahead!

- Schedule Your Visit, Part 2 – It is best to visit campus when school is in session
and students are not frantically preparing for final exams. Summer is a popular
time to visit colleges, but remember that the campus won’t be buzzing with normal
activities or current students over the summer months.

- Coordinate Multiple Visits – Let’s say you’ve decided to visit Ultimate University,
your first choice school. It would be smart while you’re in Ultimate City, or on your
way to Ultimate City (if you’re driving), to also visit a couple other schools. Make
the most of your travels and try to see as many schools as you can, especially for
comparison sake.

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Interviewing for College - Part III

2009-02-04T21:44:00.000-05:00

The following is from Getting To The Quad

Do’s And Don’ts

Do Come Prepared – Before your interview spend some time researching the school.
Learn basic information about the institution so that you don’t need to spend time
asking those questions of your interviewer. Formulate several questions that you
can ask. Remember, an interview isn’t just about being asked questions, it’s about
asking them too.

Do Arrive On Time – It would be a shame to start an otherwise fantastic interview
off on the wrong foot. No one likes to be made to wait for someone else, so make
sure to get there with time to spare. Know where you’re going and when you need
to be there.

Do Dress Appropriately – Think business casual. You are a high school student, after
all, so wearing a three-piece suit will look ridiculous. A nice outfit, even a clean pair
of jeans and nice top would be appropriate. Something along the lines of what you
would wear to the theater (not the movie variety) or a nice dinner would fit the bill.

Do Come Ready To Chat – The whole purpose of an interview is to have a
conversation. If you engage the interviewer and dive head first into the questions
he/she poses, your interview will be more of a conversation (good) and less of a
question-and-answer session (bad).

Do Ask Questions – A good interview will involve a nice give-and-take, a volleying
of questions and answers by both the interviewer and the interviewee.

Do Engage The Interviewer – Find some way to connect. An interviewer may
interview numerous students in a row, so it is important to find a positive way to
stand out. If you are able to connect with your interviewer by finding some sort of
common ground, whether it be a love of sports, art or movie, you will best make
yourself memorable.

Do Write A Thank You Note – After the interview, write a personal note to the
interviewer. This small touch can have big gains for you. Even if the interview is
average, at least the interviewer will remember that you have good manners.

Don’t Have An Interview If You Aren’t Interested In The School – If you have no
interest in your dad’s alma mater, don’t waste the interviewer’s time by scheduling
an interview. Your disinterest will be immediately obvious and the interview will be
a bomb.

Don’t Have An Interview If You Are Painfully Shy Or Unbelievably Uncomfortable
Around Strangers – You know who you are. If the thought of chatting with a
stranger makes you want to run to the hills, do yourself and the interviewer a favor
and think twice about having an interview. Remember, at most schools interviews
are optional, so a negative interview can be extremely detrimental.

Don’t Chew Gum – Even if you are the daintiest gum chewer or a world class
bubble blower, when you get nervous, you’re going to chew like a farm animal and
subconsciously blow bubbles. Spit the gum out before your interview.

Don’t Interrupt – No one likes to be interrupted. If you are nervous or get really
excited during the interview you might start to interrupt your interviewer. Don’t do
it — it’s rude.

Don’t Wear Apparel From Another University – Tsk tsk, how could you wear a
Michigan sweatshirt to your Ohio State interview?! Eeek!

Don’t Wear Anything Provocative – If you don’t want to create an uncomfortable
situation, leave that skimpy top, mini-skirt or other risqué clothing at home. You’re
interviewing for college, not hitting the clubs.
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Interviewing for College - Part II

2009-02-03T21:42:00.001-05:00

The following is from Getting To The Quad

Mandatory v. Optional Interviews
Some institutions, especially smaller colleges that draw from a more local population,
require interviews. Other schools require interviews for certain majors or fields of
study. The vast majority of schools encourage students to have interviews, either
on or off-campus. If a school offers interviews, it is in your best interest to take
advantage of this opportunity. While you cannot be penalized for not interviewing,
you can certainly augment your application by having an interview.

More posted tomorrow
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Interviewing for College - Part I

2009-02-02T21:35:00.002-05:00

The following is from Getting To The Quad

Purpose Of Interview
The interview is your opportunity to allow the admission committee to learn things
about you that they may not be able to find anywhere else on your application. It
is your forum to discuss the topics you care about, convey various aspects of your
personality and really “sell yourself” to the admission committee. Honestly, don’t we
all come across better in person than on paper?

Informative Or Evaluative?
Interviews are informative, evaluative or a combination
of both. The interviewer wants to learn as much as possible about you in the short
time you have together. But remember, it is also an opportunity for you to learn
about the school from a person who has firsthand experience.

On Or Off Campus?
Interviews are generally held on-campus with an admission
counselor, current student or another member of the university community (professor,
dean, advisor, staff member). Off-campus interviews are usually performed by
university alumni who have received widely varying levels of preparation. Typically
both types of interviews “count” the same for the admission process.

More posted tomorrow

Some helpful links

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TED - Talks

2009-01-28T14:03:00.002-05:00

Definitely should check out TED - it's a great resource for inspiration

Here's a great video on Education

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity

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AllTop

2009-01-28T13:42:00.002-05:00

Not sure if you're familiar with Alltop, but it's the creation of Guy Kawasaki. It's a great tool to use for research, general knowledge, or even just killing some time.

"Alltop is an “online magazine rack” of popular topics. We update the stories every hour. Pick a topic by searching, news category, or name, and we’ll deliver it to you 24 x 7."

Here's their tutorial video

Here's their Education page

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Where do they go?

2009-01-28T13:32:00.002-05:00

Where do students go once they get in? Colleges can have a ton of admittees, but a real test of a college is where they go once they're admitted - check out this article from US News & World Report

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