The College Board just announced a change in its score reporting policy. In the past, a school received all of a student's SAT Scores. If you took the test 3 times, a college received all 3 scores. The new policy will allow test takers to select which SAT scores a college receives.

Reduced Stress from Taking the SAT

The shift in policy was intended to "reduce student stress and improve the test-day experience", according to the College Board. With the new policy, you would know going in that if you screwed up royally on the SAT, you could always take it again and the college would never see your poor score.

Is the New SAT Policy Unfair?

Some people worry that this new policy may help higher-income families disproportionately. They have the money to cover the cost of the multiple SAT exams. If you could afford to, you could keep on taking the SAT until you got a score that you liked and only show that score to colleges.

More about the New SAT Score Reporting Policy

The policy does not kick in until the March 2009 test date. However, once it's in effect, it will apply retroactively, meaning you could choose to send your March 2009 score to a school and not your November 2008 score (even though the November 2008 test date was before the start date of the policy).

The new score reporting policy is "opt-in". You will need to actively choose this score reporting option or all of your test scores will be sent to colleges and universities.

Labels: college, SAT, Test

The age-old dilemma of in-state vs. out-of-state... stay close to home or venture off away from your family... save some money or go to the best college possible.

Many of you are going to grapple with this question, and it's not always an easy one to answer. We're going to share a few thoughts on the benefits of both staying close to home at an in-state college and going off to an out-of-state college.

The Benefits of In-State Colleges

In-State Colleges Make Financial Sense

So the main reason most high school students opt for an in-state college is the cost. You typically get a really good deal on tuition when you go to a public school in your home state.

Easier to Get Into In-State Colleges

You'll typically have an easier time getting into the state schools in your home state. Fore example, the bar is much higher for a New Yorker to get into the University of California, Berkeley than a Californian.

There May Be Money In It For You

A number of scholarship opportunities at public colleges and universities are reserved for in-state students. Many states want to encourage top high school students to stay close to home, figuring that they are much more likely to work in that state after graduation.

The Benefits of Out-of-State Colleges

See a New Place

One of the biggest benefits of venturing off to a college far from home is your newfound independence. You'll experience a new place that may open your eyes to new ways of looking at things. Going to college in Massachusetts is likely a very different experience than going to college in Florida (if nothing else, the weather will be dramatically different).

Meet New People

You'll also meet a whole new set of people. That was a big draw for me as I looked at colleges. I lived within a 2-mile radius my entire life and I wanted to meet people from all over the place. That's not to say there won't be a diverse crowd at most in-state schools, but it's likely that the majority of students will be from that state.

Go to the Best College Possible

You may have to venture out of state to find the college that has the best program for you. If you're an engineer, you probably can't beat MIT or Cal Tech. If you want to study visual or performing arts, Juilliard or RISD may be the best colleges for you.

Labels: college, college search, in-state, out-of-state

It may still be winter, but it's probably not too early to start thinking about what you want to do this summer. If you wait too long, you may find yourself sitting on the couch all summer or working at a job you don't really like. A little research and some planning ahead could help you make your summer a really valuable experience... and a big plus on your college application.

First off, it's important to take some time to consider what you want to get out of the summer. Do you want to make some money so you can put a little aside for college? Do you want to look for an exciting internship, getting a taste of the working world and exploring your career options? Do you want to take summer classes at a college campus, feeling out what university life is like?

For many of you, a summer academic program may be on your radar screen. No, we're not talking about summer school, where kids retake classes they may have failed the previous year. We're talking about hands-on academic experiences where you're likely to learn inside and outside the classroom. These summer programs can be a great option and offer some major benefits.

A Taste of College

Summer academic programs can be a great way to see what college life is like before you set foot on campus as a freshman. Many take place on major college campuses, have you living in actual college dorms, and taking classes from real college professors. It's almost like you get to take a test drive of college. You'll likely be tackling challenging academic topics and gaining a much better sense of the additional demands placed on college students. It's also a great way to really delve into an academic area like biology, photography, or business that you are passionate about.

A Real Plus on Your College Application

High school transcripts, admissions essays, SAT scores... they are all used by college admissions committees to determine if you will be a student who will excel at their college. But what better way is there to show you can do well in a college academic setting than by doing well in a college academic setting? Taking on the challenge of a college summer program may help you overcome an SAT score that is on the low end of the scale for a college or a little stumble on your high school transcript.

Actual College Credit

Not only could a summer program help you get into college, it may give you a head start once you get there. Many summer programs offer academic credit at the host college. You will need to check with whatever college you end up attending to see if you are able to transfer this credit.

Cost Can Be an Issue

Cost can vary pretty significantly from program to program. A summer college program can often cost thousands of dollars. But don't be discouraged if you can't afford that price tag. Many programs offer need-based scholarships. You might also take a look at Governor's Schools that many states have. These are typically free or very affordable summer residential programs for high-achieving students. Upward Bound programs might also be great options for lower-income students.

Summer Program Resources

We've provided links to a few sites that may be helpful in your search for some great summer programs:

• http://www.summerfun.com
• http://www.mysummercamps.com
• http://www.4starcamps.com

We've also included links to summer programs at some of the top colleges:

• Northwestern
  http://scs.northwestern.edu/collegeprep/
• UCLA
  http://www.summer.ucla.edu/
• Harvard
  http://www.dce.harvard.edu/ssp/
• Michigan
  http://www.umich.edu/summer_prog.php
• University of Virginia
  http://www.virginia.edu/summer/
• Cornell
  http://www.sce.cornell.edu/sc/
• Yale
  http://www.yale.edu/summer/
• University of Maryland
  http://www.summer.umd.edu/s/ysp/

Labels: admissions, college, summer

So you're wondering how many colleges you should apply to? How do you decide when you've filled out enough applications? Much of this decision depends on what type of colleges you are applying to. When doing your college search, it's important that you have a sense of which of the following three categories each of the colleges you are considering falls into.

Reach Colleges

Are there certain colleges on your list of colleges where you think to yourself "You never know... they may love my admissions essay" or "I don't have an 1800 SAT score, but I really would love to go to college there"? You've probably identified a reach college for you. Reach colleges are schools that may be a stretch given your high school "resume." For these colleges, your SAT scores may be on the low end of the range or your GPA may not be quite up to snuff.

You can probably come up with a dozen reasons not to apply to a reach college: it's one more application to complete, the application requires an additional essay, or it's going to cost another $50 to apply. If it's a college you really want to go to, and you think you've got a shot (even if it may be a long shot), why not apply? What do you have to lose? For these colleges, you're likely going to need to put some extra work in on the essays to really knock them out of the park. If they offer admissions interviews, definitely take advantage of the opportunity. It's these additional factors that are going to help the admissions committee make a case for admitting you even though your academic stats may be on the low end.

Safety Schools

Is this whole college admissions process making you nervous? Are you really stressing out about where you are going to get in? Applying to one or two safety schools can really help calm the nerves. Safety schools are colleges where you are going to be at or near the top end of the applicant pool and your chances of admission are extremely high. State colleges can often serve as really good safety schools since they usually offer preferential admissions for in-state students. It's even better if your safety school has rolling admissions or non-binding early action admissions so you can find out early on whether you got in somewhere. It will be a huge relief to know you got into a college you'll be happy at, even if it may not be one of your top choices. And, at the very least, you'll know you're headed off to college next year.

Safety schools can also serve another purpose. They can give you options when it comes to financial aid packages. If you can avoid it, you don't want to leave yourself evaluating just one financial aid award package. The cost of college can often be a major factor in the college decision and having a few choices certainly can't hurt. Often times, you may be eligible for honors scholarships at your safety school, meaning that it may end up being significantly more affordable than your other options. In a worst-case scenario, you may even be able to use a financial aid award package from one school to highlight shortcomings of a package from another school.

You can use our Financial Aid Award Evaluator to compare packages side-by-side.

Good Matches

So good matches are the middle ground between reach colleges and safety schools. These are colleges where you likely fall toward the middle of the applicant pool. Checking out the profile for last year's freshman class can often help you make a call on whether a college is a good match for you (at least academically). You're likely not a shoo-in at a good match school, but you also won't be surprised if an acceptance letter comes your way.

Planning Your College Applications

Once you have some sense of where the colleges you are considering fall within these categories, you can take this knowledge and use it to craft your own college admissions strategy. Your ultimate goal is to get into a school you'll be happy at. A mix of colleges in each of these categories can help ensure you receive a fat admissions envelope from a few colleges, while also allowing you to take a chance applying to a few long shots.

If you are looking to apply to 5-7 colleges, it might be a good idea to shoot for the following mix of colleges:

• 1-2 safety schools
• 2-3 good matches
• 2-3 reach colleges

A little bit of strategy can help make the whole process a little less stressful and may even end with you receiving an acceptance letter from a college you considered a real reach.

Labels: college, college search, safety schools

We've talked a lot about the cost of college in previous blog entries, but we don't want you to forget about the value of a college education. Unless you happen to be Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg and develop a billion dollar company in your dorm room at Harvard, getting a college degree is likely a good investment.

College Graduates make more money

For those of you focused on dollars and cents, we won't mince words about the value of college. In pure financial terms, college graduates make nearly 80% more money per year than high school graduates. According to the U.S. Census, adults 25 and over with a college degree earned an average of $56,740 in 2006 compared to only $31,664 for those with only a high school degree. If you're thinking about getting even more education than a bachelor's degree, adults 25 and older with an advanced degree (Masters, Professional, or Doctorate) earned an average of $80,417. That's pretty good money.

Take a look at the Value of College Calculator on the College Toolkit website to run some of your own numbers and calculate the value of a college degree.

A College Degree Leads to More Than Just Money

For some of you, it may not be all about the money (although you may not be against a well-paying job). That's fine. In fact, we think that's great that you're thinking about more than just the bottom line. As it turns out, getting a college degree carries with it a number of additional benefits as well.

1. Lower Unemployment Rates

You're less likely to find yourself unemployed if you have a college degree. According the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for college graduates was 2.3%. For high school graduates, the unemployment rate was 4.3%. So a college degree doesn't just mean more money, it means you are less likely to be without a paycheck.

2. Better Benefits

A college degree tends to lead to jobs with better benefits, including better health coverage and pension plans. A study by the Economic Policy Institute found that employees with bachelors degrees were more likely to be covered by employer-provided health insurance than high school graduates (67% of college graduates were covered compared to 51% for high school graduates). And this gap has been growing over the last few decades.

The numbers are pretty much the same when you look at pension plans. About two-thirds of employees with college degrees are offered employee-sponsored pension plans while just over half with a high school degree receive this same benefit. This may make life more difficult for high school graduates when they retire (or it may mean they need to work longer before they can retire).

3. Greater Job Mobility

Spend some time looking at job postings in your local newspaper. We bet a lot of them require a college degree to be considered. I doubt you'll find any that say high school graduates only... no college graduates considered. College graduates tend to have more career opportunities available to them, meaning they are less likely to be locked into a job they don't like. Don't underestimate the importance of having this ability to transition to a new job or even a new career.

These are just a few of the benefits of a college degree. College graduates are more likely to have better working conditions (e.g, indoors with air conditioning and heating). They're children are more likely to go to college as well. They are even more likely to have leisure activities and hobbies like playing sports or going to museums.

So what are you waiting for? Start your college search!

Labels: college, degree, salary, value, wage

A few months back, the 2008 U.S. News College Rankings were released. Princeton topped this year's list, edging out Harvard and Yale. As usual, the release of the U.S. News rankings sparked considerable debate about whether they help or hurt students' efforts to find colleges that are a good fit.

Some argue that high school seniors get caught up worrying about where a college is ranked rather than focusing on their own preferences and finding a college that matches these preferences.

Proponents counter that the U.S. News college rankings can be used as one of many tools to help high school seniors and their parents assess the quality of colleges.

How You Can Effectively Use College Rankings

We do not recommend basing your college decision solely on the U.S. News College Rankings or any other ranking system (unless you've devised your own personal ranking system). However, these rankings can often have significant value for you in your research. If you take some time to look beyond the actual ranking of a college and look into the underlying data, you can uncover some very useful information.

First, these rankings can often serve as a quick barometer for how competitive a college will be to get into. The top colleges on the list will generally be the most selective colleges in the U.S. Colleges further down are generally a little easier to get into. That can be a huge help as you start narrowing down the list of colleges you want to apply to. You should be thinking about whether a college is a reach, a good fit, or a safety school. You ideally want to have a school or two in each of these categories when you are applying to colleges.

Second, the U.S. News College Rankings, as well as other rankings, often provide quick snippets of data in a single location on a number of colleges. The U.S. News College Rankings can be a useful place to go to find SAT Scores for the 25th and 75th percentiles of the incoming freshman class. The Washington Monthly does their own college ranking, scoring colleges on what they are "doing for the country". These rankings provide interesting data for students who might be interested in ROTC or public service. You can find out which colleges have the most graduates go on to serve in the Peace Corps or which university work-study programs have the most money going to community-service efforts.

Finally, a major bi-product of rankings efforts is that they encourage colleges to share information. The Common Data Set, an effort to standardize data reporting and data sharing by colleges, was largely a result of the proliferation of college rankings. All college-bound students have benefited from this data being more readily available.

Create Your Own College Ranking System

We've created a tool that allows you to come up with your own college ranking system. Our College Scorecard lets you to decide what criteria are important to you and then allows you to rank up to 4 colleges using these criteria. You'll end up with your own personal college rankings... which are the best college rankings of all!

U.S. News College Rankings - Top 50 Colleges with Links to their College Profiles

1. Princeton University (Private)
2. Harvard University (Private)
3. Yale University (Private)
4. Stanford University (Private)
5. California Institute of Technology (Private)
5. University of Pennsylvania (Private)
7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Private)
8. Duke University (Private)
9. Columbia University (Private)
9. University of Chicago (Private)
11. Dartmouth College (Private)
12. Cornell University (Private)
12. Washington University in St. Louis (Private)
14. Brown University (Private)
14. Johns Hopkins University (Private)
14. Northwestern University (Private)
17. Emory University (Private)
17. Rice University (Private)
19. University of Notre Dame (Private)
19. Vanderbilt University (Private)
21. University of California-Berkeley (Public)
22. Carnegie Mellon University (Private)
23. Georgetown University (Private)
23. University of Virginia (Public)
25. University of California-Los Angeles (Public)
25. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Public)
27. University of Southern California (Private)
28. Tufts University (Private)
28. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (Public)
30. Wake Forest University (Private)
31. Brandeis University (Private)
31. Lehigh University (Private)
33. College of William and Mary (Public)
34. New York University (Private)
35. Boston College (Private)
35. Georgia Institute of Technology (Public)
35. University of Rochester (Private)
38. University of California-San Diego (Public)
38. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Public)
38. University of Wisconsin-Madison (Public)
41. Case Western Reserve University (Private)
42. University of California-Davis (Public)
42. University of Washington (Public)
44. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Private)
44. University of California-Irvine (Public)
44. University of California-Santa Barbara (Public)
44. University of Texas-Austin (Public)
48. Pennsylvania State University-University Park (Public)
49. University of Florida (Public)
50. Syracuse University (Private)
50. Tulane University (Private)

Labels: admissions, college, college search, rankings, selective, U.S. News