Browsing Archive: March, 2015

2015-16 Common App Essay Prompts

Posted by College Connection on Tuesday, March 31, 2015, In : College Applications

We are pleased to share the 2015-2016 Common Application 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 fr...

Finding Your Niche In The Ranking Of Everything

Posted by College Connection on Friday, March 27, 2015, In : College Planning

Rankings. The best of the best. Top dog. Number one seed.

Whether of colleges, basketball teams, tennis players, or pizza parlors, somebody is ranking them, and everyone is reading about them.

Suspect as they are -- and they are, on so many levels -- we are drawn to rankings like so many moths to a flame (or was that, so many flies to... you get the idea).

Rankings give us a sense -- often a non-sense -- of someone else’s idea of which school, which restaurant, which airline, which dry cleaner...

What You Don't Know About College Admissions Can Hurt You!

Posted by College Connection on Friday, March 13, 2015, In : College Planning

Test prep and fees for APs, SATs and ACTs: $1500
College Application fees: $1000
College tuition, room & board: $60,000

Knowing how to navigate the college application, admissions & financial aid process? PRICELESS!

Okay, so we’re mixing Farmer’s Insurance with MasterCard, but surely you get the message.

The college admissions process, from application to financing, is confusing, confounding, complex, and overwhelming. Getting in the admissions game is one thing. Understanding the rules (where...

In Search Of A "Best" Fit College

Posted by College Connection on Thursday, March 12, 2015, In : College Planning

There are many superaltives bantered about these days. “Best” seems to trump all. “Best” hotels. “Best” restaurants. “Best” haircut. [I once knew a man who only frequented what he believed to be the “best” of everything. He died. As I recall, he had the “best” funeral.]

And then, there are those best of the “best” -- “Best” colleges.

Ahh, yes. The “Best” Colleges In America (or the world. The Universe?) Rankings of the “best” 100, the “top” 25, and th...

Just Because You've Been Accepted. . .

Posted by College Connection on Wednesday, March 11, 2015, In : College Admissions

. . .Doesn’t Mean There’s Not More To Be Done!

Access Your College Web Portals -- Colleges give you web portals for a reason: So you may log on and get additional information, complete forms, check your status, find and accept (or decline) your financial aid award, and so much more. Check the web portal for every college you’ve been accepted to, and do so often!

Update FAFSA -- Submitting your initial FAFSA early is good. Submitting your “Corrected” FAFSA, after you file your tax retu...

Do You Want To Build A Snowman? How About That High School Resume?

Posted by College Connection on Friday, March 6, 2015, In : College Applications

Build that Snowman yet?

Well, snow or no snow, this is the perfect time to begin to build your high school Resume, both on Naviance and on paper.

NAVIANCE: While many college applications have an activities section, most are extremely limited in the number of activities you may list. [ Common App limits you to 10.]

That’s why it is so important to have a “paper” (Word Doc) Resume that may either be uploaded to your college application or sent under separate cover to Admissions.

Naviance all...