Attention senior parents: This is must-know information for you!
Admission decisions have arrived, along with often-confusing (or disappointing) financial packages. What do they mean? What do you do now? And can you appeal the awards?
There are three things you should do right now:
1. Make a decision about a particular school and send in a deposit – or get an extension – by May 1st.
2. Pick up the telephone and make a personal connection with someone in the college’s financial aid office.
3. Start the appeals process.
OK, that leaves everyone a bit breathless. Take a step back; take a deep breath; and realize it will all be fine.
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“You provide the pictures; I’ll provide the war,” legendary newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst often reminded his reporters.
College admissions isn’t war; but it certainly feels darn close to parents and kids living through it. Maybe that’s why over the past few weeks, college admissions trends seemed to dominate the front pages of our (few remaining) newspapers. Pegged to the traditional April 1st notification date – which is becoming less and less traditional – editors seemed to be capitalizing on parents’ and students’ anxiety about college decisions.
As parents of juniors, you have probably been introduced to the first high-anxiety element of the college admissions process: the SAT’s. Perhaps you’ve had – or were recently invited to – a college night by your child’s guidance counselor. Or your kids may have relayed some tale-of-woe about a senior who was a “sure thing” at a particular college and yet was denied admission. In short, whether you’re ready or not, you are about to be immersed in the college admissions craziness.
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Question:
Our son hasn’t gotten in anywhere. What do we do now?
L.C. — Long Island
Answer:
First, calm down. Don’t panic. And don’t play the blame game. (Yes, we know, there‘s lots of finger-pointing going on.)
Your son can certainly go to college in the fall. But it probably won’t be to one of the “name” schools to which he applied.
So now it’s time to re-assess.
First, understand the landscape: this was the largest class of high school seniors ever to apply to college. Add to that the largest-ever influx of international applications. More kids each applying to a larger number of colleges made for a really complicated, competitive situation. So the numbers were working against you.
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Question:
Is it worth visiting colleges during the summer? Aren’t most college kids off during the summer? And will we be getting a real sense of the college?
James R Chicago, IL
Answer:
Visit! You’re right: many colleges have far-fewer kids on campuses during the summer. In fact, many colleges run profitable athletic and academic “enrichment” programs for high school students over the summer.
But there will be some college kids on campus – obviously the kids walking backwards running your tours. And while it is usually much better for your son or daughter to see actual college students (and not what they’ll no doubt refer to as high school dweebs) on campus, they will at least meet some.
One real plus of summer visits is that some colleges only conduct personal interviews during the summer months. That’s because admissions officers are usually on the road in the fall, visiting high schools. So check ahead and see if the colleges you’re considering will schedule an interview.
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Question:
My daughter will be a high school junior next year, and will take the SAT’s. Some of her classmates are already taking test-prep courses. How important to college admissions are the SAT’s; and are these test-prep courses worth it?
M.G. Kansas City
Answer:
The SAT’s are important and so is the course work.
How’s that for a simple answer? OK, now some detail: Yes, the SAT’s are important, but less important than your daughter’s overall academic record; specifically the courses she takes and the grades she achieves. And the SAT scores themselves are becoming (slightly) less important at more and more colleges. In fact, some very good schools – such as Bates, Bard, Bowdoin, Holy Cross, Connecticut College; click here for a full list http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional — no longer require SAT scores.
The flip side, is that some good colleges—such as Arizona State – guarantee admission based on good SAT scores alone.
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