College Ranking Issues

Time and time again articles are printed in magazines and newspapers about college rankings. A particular college may be rated number one by a group, but that does not mean it is the best match for the student. Each student will need to look at his or her interests and college characteristics to see if it is a good fit. These rankings hold different meanings for each person, just as the Oscars rate movies, and the Grammys rank music, not everyone will agree with the outcome. It is okay to read the college ranking magazines as long as the student and his or her family review other sources of information to make his or her decision.

News and Notes from The Common App – Essay Prompts for 2015-2016 and Other Application Changes

ScreenHunter_370 Mar. 31 16.56News and Notes from The Common App – Essay Prompts for 2015-2016 and Other Application Changes

2015-2016 Essay Prompts

We are pleased to share the 2015-2016 Essay Prompts with you. New language appears in italics:

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea.  What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

The changes you see reflect the feedback and consensus of nearly 6000 individuals who responded to our recent survey. Among the survey highlights:

  • 197 individual Member responses representing 110 Member institutions

  • 5667 constituent responses (64% school counselors; 14% students; 11% independent educational consultants; 4% parents; 2% community based organizations; remainder = other)

  • 82% of Members and 90% of constituents agree or strongly agree that the current prompts generate effective essays on the whole

  • 62% of Members and 48% of constituents believe the “story/background” prompt is the most effective

  • 76% of Members and 44% of constituents would like to see the “place where you’re content” prompt replaced

  • 35% of Members and 30% of constituents feel that analytical ability and intellectual curiosity (as a combined percentage) are most the difficult attributes to convey through the current prompts

  • 85% of Members and 82% of constituents feel the prompts should be left open to broad interpretation

  • 3% of Member respondents suggested Topic of Your Choice as a new prompt

  • 6% of constituent respondents suggested Topic of Your Choice as a new prompt, with the breakdown as follows: independent educational consultants (47%), community-based organizations (7%), school counselors (5%), parents (2%), other (2%), students (<1%)

2015-2016 Application Changes

In addition to the revised Essay Prompts, next year’s Common Application will include several changes to better serve Members, counselors, and applicants.

Personal Essay Requirement Changes

Beginning next year, our Member institutions will have the choice to require or not require the Common App Personal Essay. To learn more about how we will implement these modifications, we invite you to read our blog post on essay requirement changes. A similar post on recommendation requirement changes will follow shortly.

Applicant Screen Print Option 

In another frequently requested enhancement, next year’s applicants will be able to preview their application screen by screen (Profile, Family, etc.) at any time, not just as part of the submission process. For a sample of what this new feature will look like, read this description.

More changes and additions to be announced 

Later this spring, we will be able to share a comprehensive list of all changes, additions, and revisions to the application and recommender systems for 2015-2016, including information on how we intend to support a college’s choice to require or not require a letter of recommendation. Please be on the lookout for webinars and other training resources to help you prepare to support your students.
If you have questions or ideas for future newsletters, please contact Tania Rachkoskie, Director of Outreach.

December SAT – Reminder for Students Taking Test

Dear Students,

The College Board notes the December SAT® is this Saturday – December 6 . This is a reminder to all of you regarding the importance of sitting for the test.

If you missed the deadline for SAT registration you may still be able to take the test on standby. This means going to a test center on test day with a completed registration form and fee payment. For more information about standby testing, click here.

For answers to other SAT questions, visit the SAT Counselor Resource Center. It’s a one-stop source for all the tools and information you need to help students prepare for the SAT and college success.

We hope the following tips will be helpful to each of you on test day! And after the test, remember you still have nine days to take advantage of their four free score sends. Read more hints for test taking day!

A Few Suggestions for Testing Day

Here are some helpful hints for the day your taking your standardized test for college admissions. Eat well and bring a snack for the break. Bring the right supplies – photo ID, number two pencils. Get to the test center site early. Wear comfortable clothes. Know the procedures. Review the whole test section before you start. Answer easy questions first. In the ACT, answer every question since no deductions are taken for incorrect answers. Identify key words. Rephrase difficult questions. Eliminate answers on multiple choice sections. Jot down your thoughts. Write neatly. Use all of the time given.

Juniors and Seniors – Making Your Plans for to Take Standardized Tests? See Dates for the 2014 – 2015 School Year

Though standardized tests are not the only piece of information an admissions office will review in the application process, it will be important to take the tests if the colleges require them for admission. Register for SAT (http://www.collegeboard.com) and ACT with Writing (http://www.act.org) for the fall. To see if a college has a test optional policy check http://wwww.fairtest.org.

Check out the the testing dates for the SAT, ACT, and TOEFL. Click here for dates and deadlines.

Seniors – Get the Inside Scoop on the College Essay and Review the New Common Application Topics for 2014-15

college essay 2This week, guest blogger Janine Robinson, shares some helpful hints on the college essay. 

Want to know the inside scoop on what makes the best college app essays? It’s called a “slice of life” narrative, where the writer picks one interesting moment, incident or event to start the essay, and then goes on to share what she or he learned from it. They are personal, engaging and the opposite of the formal, pedantic essays that English teachers promote.

But how do you find your best story? And then make sure it’s about you? How can you tell it’s a good one for your college app. essay?

Here are some tips from my short guide to writing college app. essays, called Escape Essay Hell!, on how to find your best stories to showcase what makes you unique–using a story-telling approach to make it interesting:

1. When looking for a great story, start with one of your defining qualities. (Examples: curious, self-disciplined, creative, empathetic, bold…) Then look for “times” or examples of when you either demonstrated or developed this quality, or had it challenged. When your mini-story, or anecdote, is linked to a core quality, you make sure your essay will be about you, and not someone or something else. Click here to read more tips!