The methodology that U.S. News has developed to collect data is deeply flawed, and has been since the magazine starting compiling its college rankings. The problem is that the data that U.S. News uses to rank colleges is submitted by the colleges themselves.
Colleges Falsify Data to Boost their Ratings in U.S. News? Call Us Not Surprised
February 04, 2012
Getting into College Made Easy: Handling College Alumni Interviews
January 26, 2012
If you’re applying to a college that offers you a chance to have an interview with an alumnus or alumna who attended the school, should you schedule one? The answer is, yes. Alumni interviews can only improve your chances of getting into a college. They represent an opportunity that is all upside, with no downside.
Barbarians at the Gates! More Foreign and Public School Students (Gasp) Are Using Early Admission to Get Into Elite Colleges
January 24, 2012
As recently as 2005, most of the students who applied early admission to Ivy League and other top-tier American colleges were from prestigious prep schools and top public high schools. Now that has changed. According to “As a Broader Group Seeks Early Admission, Rejections Rise in the East,” a new article in The New York Times by Richard Pérez-Peña and Jenny Anderson, the early admissions process has become overrun by applicants from public and foreign high schools.
Getting into College Made Easy: How to Find the College that Fits You Best
January 19, 2012
Lots of considerations come into play when you’re picking a college. You want a college that you can afford, a college that offers the program of study that you are looking for, and a college that has a good track record of placing graduates in jobs. But there is another critical factor too. It is known as “fit.” It means that you want a college where you feel at home.
Getting Into College Made Easy: Four Critical Questions to Ask
January 12, 2012
Going to the wrong college can be more than disappointing. I can cost you a fortune too. You can find some comments that prove that point from StudentsReview.com, a website where students review hundreds of American colleges.
Getting into College Made Easy: How to Write Your College Admissions Essay
January 05, 2012
Colleges want your College Admissions Essay because they are trying to decide whether or not you would be a good member of their college community if they accept you. Period.
The Late Bloomer’s Guide to Getting into College
January 04, 2012
Are you a late bloomer? If you are, you find yourself in pretty impressive company. After all, many highly successful people didn’t discover their life calling until after high school, and some until they were well into adulthood. They include Steve Jobs, Thomas Edison, Julia Child, Danny Aiello and Rocky Marciano.
What Every College Applicant Should Know as 2012 Begins
December 30, 2011
Misconception #1: You have already missed the deadlines to take the SAT or the ACT tests, so you can’t start college this year. That’s bunk. A number of traditional colleges are now making standardized tests optional. And don’t forget that you can enroll in any course you want at StraighterLine without taking standardized tests ahead of time.
Getting Into College Made Easy: Six Ways to Dramatically Improve Your SAT Scores when Time Is Short
December 29, 2011
I saw this problem arise a lot when I was working as an SAT tutor. With only a month until an SAT test date, for example, a student would suddenly realize that he or she needed to add 100 points or more to each of the three SAT sections in order to get into a particular college. And I have to tell you, it’s tough to boost scores that much in just a short period of time. But here are three strategies than can often get the job done:
Getting into College Made Easy: Understanding Early Action and Early Decision
December 22, 2011
“Should I apply to college early decision, early action, or just file regular old applications,” is a question that guidance counselors hear from students almost daily. No mistake about it, early decision and early action are confusing. Let’s take a closer look.
