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

If there's one thing that's true about the college application/admissions/financial aid process, it’s that IT AIN'T OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER! Soooooooooooo...

Keep Guidance in the Loop -- Let your Guidance Counselor know where you've applied. Ask that transcripts, Letters of Recommendation, the all-important Guidance Report be transmitted to all schools (make sure Naviance is updated, and any forms required by Guidance are completed and returned).

Rea...

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DON'T LEAVE MONEY FOR COLLEGE ON THE TABLE!

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is required by every college for consideration of financial aid, including Federal Student Loans and Grants, college-specific need-based aid, and, in many instances, merit-based awards.

The FAFSA for the 2023-24 school year is now available. Regardless of State or college deadlines, the FAFSA should be completed and submitted as early in the process as possible in order to maximize financial aid, pa...

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COLLEGE CONNECTION, Home of The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, offers comprehensive college planning and counseling. Guidance and support in choosing a college, getting in to college, and finding the money to pay for college, all while taking the stress, the worry, the frustration and the madness out of college applications and admissions.

At COLLEGE CONNECTION, we’ve not only got your back, we’ve got your best moves forward! 

From college matchin...

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COLLEGE CONNECTION VOTED “BEST OF THE NORTH SHORE*”

And while that and $2.75 may only get us on the NYC subway (maybe), it will get you the very best in comprehensive college planning, counseling & support.

College Matching | Admission Strategies

Application Enhancement | Essay Development

Scholarship & Financial Aid Sourcing

Free Telephone Consultation – 516-345-8766 | Virtual Sessions www.collegeconnect.info

...
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IMPORTANT | ACT/SAT TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR FALL 2021

Many colleges have changed or are in the process of changing their testing requirements for students entering in the Fall of 2021. Some are waiving ACT/SAT tests entirely, while others are "Test-Optional" or "Test-Flexible." 

You should check the websites (typically under Admissions/Prospective Students) of respective colleges of interest for specific testing requirements.

While not necessarily the gospel, here is a link to colleges that are...

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COVID-19 Update From College Connection 

***FREE TELEPHONE CONSULTATION - 516-345-8766 | Call Us!***

With the extension of social distancing Guidelines through the end on April, College Connection, home of The College Whisperer™, is continuing to pause in-person college planning and counseling sessions. The free College Planning Workshop, scheduled to take place on April 20 in Garden City, has been postponed.

It is our hope that, as the impact of the Corona Virus is mitigated, we will be able ...

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First and foremost, of course, would be to STAY HOME. Help to flatten the curve of the Corona Virus, not only to keep yourself healthy, but to avoid infecting others, particularly the most vulnerable. Socialize online (teens are experts at that)...

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Don't let the Corona Virus, with attendant quarantines, pauses, and time outs, hamper your college admission plans.

Whether you're in Great Neck or in Guam, time constraints, logistics, social distancing, or simply dollars and cents may make face-to-face, in-person counseling impractical, if not impossible.

That's why College Connection offers E-Planning, a comprehensive combo of online, e-mail, telephonic, and virtual counseling, with a real-live college planning counselor on hand and on call,...

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Colleges once considered “safety” schools have become “reach.” The application process, seemingly simple back in the day, is now overwhelming. And the cost of college, well, let’s just say that arm and leg may not cover it. What’s a high school student (or parent) to do?

On Monday, April 20, 2020 at 7:30 PM, the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island will play host to a free college planning workshop, where high school students and their parents will get the inside scoop on how to...

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Has applying to college - or just thinking about applying to college -- left you dazed, dizzy and down-in-the dumps? Do you go blank when you try to put pen to paper for that college essay? Does worrying about how you're going to pay for it all send chills down your spine? 

COLLEGE CONNECTION, your one-stop source for college planning, counseling and support, has the cure for what ails you!

With the college application season about to get into full swing, and with it, the ang...

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Pssst! Got College Plans? Then you need this guy. . . The College Whisperer™ - That warm and fuzzy teddy bear who comforts you from #college angst, anxiety, and stress.
The College Whisperer™ - That ferocious pit bull, tenacious in getting you into the right college, and helping you find the money to pay for it. The College Whisperer™ - At six pounds four ounces (weight may vary) #Determined #Courageous #Cute


If this is how #college applications, admissions, paying for college, an...
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... Will You Be Ready?

Yes, the 2018-19 Common Application, online portal to nearly 800 college applications, will be rolled out on August 1st. Other college application platforms will follow.

Do you know which colleges are "best" for you? Will your applications get your foot in the door, let alone over that ivy-covered gate? Will that essay "wow" the college admissions team? And what about financial aid, scholarships, and the ins, outs, and in-betweens of the college admissions and financial a...
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...With A Little Help From The College Whisperer™

• For the independent student who simply needs some direction and support. A three-hour in-person session the "need to know" on topics such as choosing colleges, completing the applications, writing the essays, finding scholarships, applying for financial aid, and all the good stuff. [In-Person service limited to Nassau, Queens, and  western Suffolk. Out of area? Ask about working remotely.]

ONLY   $500.00

Check out all of College Connection's co...

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If there is a single question The College Whisperer™ is asked most about the college application process, it is, "Where do I begin?"

My typical response is, "At the beginning, of course!" ;-)

Seriously, though, getting started down that long and winding road to college admissions, as it is with many things in life, is often the most difficult part of the journey.

So, what will follow below is a basic (very basic, as in, just to give you a push) primer -- a "To Do" list, if you will -- to set y...

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College is closer than it appears in the rearview mirror!

 Prelude To The Common App: A Primer To "Getting Started"

 College Admissions & Affordability: It's All About Enrollment

New Meaning To "Safety School?"

 Rankings Matter To Colleges. They Should To You, Too!

Top Ten Tidbits Of Advice For Those About To Embark On The Road To College

And, for those who are absolutely enamored...

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Almost time to stick that Thanksgiving turkey in the oven (and can that Christmas music be far behind?). [By all rights, if the heralding of Christmas (1 day) begins the day after Halloween, the festivities for Chanukah (8 days) should start right after Valentine's Day. Just sayin'... ]

Early Action. Early Action II (like hitting the snooze button?]. Regular Decision.Now is the time to put those finishing touches on the yet unsubmitted applications. Dot the i's. Cross the t's. Answer the optio...

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There are many superlatives 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, an...
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WHAT: College Planning Forum For High School Students & Parents

WHEN: Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 7:30 PM

WHERE: Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island | 38 Old Country Road, Garden City, NY 

WHY: Because the more you know, the better prepared you'll be!

Whether planning for college, applying to college, paying for college, or just thinking about college, this workshop is a must attend for high school students and their parents.

Seth Bykofsky, a/k/a The College Whispere...

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The FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for the 2018-19 school year launches on October 1. [Just like Common App went "live" on August 1, that doesn't mean you should complete and submit the first day, or even the first couple of weeks. Give FAFSA time to work out the kinks, like the issues with the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which was hacked last year.]

YES, you WILL be submitting the FAFSA, regardless of income and assets, real or perceived. Colleges use the FAFSA to calculate...

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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 c...

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Most of those applying to colleges are familiar, for better and for worse, with the Common Application (with 600+ colleges), replete with it's spinning wheels of death, initializing bars of doom, and the very antithesis of commonality, college-specifi...

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Seldom are the words “ethics” and “humanity” heard in the same breath as “college admissions,” but on Wednesday, March 22^nd at 7:30 PM, the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island will play host to a college planning workshop, where high school students and their parents will get the inside scoop of how to choose the “best” colleges, the ins and outs of the application and admissions process, writing persuasive essays, and navigating the maze of financial aid ...

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Yes, FAFSA! Required by every college, not only for student loans, Work-Study, and federal grants, but, in many instances, for institutional aid, including the colleges' own scholarships and merit awards!

FAFSA FACTUAL

FAFSA COMES EARLY FOR 2017-2018! Launch is October 1 of current year, rather than January 1 of next year.

Who must submit FAFSA? YOU must submit FAFSA!

Incoming freshmen/Current high school seniors. Complete and submit your first FAFSA for the 2017-18 school year on or after Octobe...

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Every once in a while, we could all use sage and sound advice from those who have been there and done that.

Here are a few cues that newly-minted college students may well be wise to take, courtesy of The College Whisperer™ -

1. Find your comfort zones, on campus and in the community beyond, becoming involved in and out of the classroom. Then, step out of those comfort zones with an open mind, understanding that, in the real world, there are no "safe spaces" and few "trigger warnings."

2. Get ...
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Just a quick reminder that Early Action deadlines for many colleges and universities are quickly approaching, with some only days away (UNC-Chapel Hill and the Georgia Tech, for instance, have Early Action deadlines of October 15th).
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Just when you thought it was safe to start your college applications, you have to decide where to start them, how to submit them, and who will truly give you the easiest access, the most bang for your buck, and the greatest likelihood of success.

Most of those applying to colleges are familiar, for better and for worse, with the Common Application (with 600+ colleges), replete with it's spinning wheels of death, initializing bars of doom, and the very antithesis of commonality, college-speci...

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Truth: Conformity to fact or reality; exact accordance with that which is, or has been, or shall be. 
                                                                        --Webster's Dictionary

The truth. Seems so hard to come by these days, particularly for those of us who closely follow the political circus in which we are now center ring (enter the clowns in that funny little car).
The truth. Often supplanted by half-truths, untruths, innuendo, misstatements and out and out lies.
The truth....
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In case you were wondering what to do over Spring Break, we’ve come up with a definitive list of the “Top Ten” things high school students (particularly juniors) should be doing to prepare for the coming college application and admission season.

So, in between soaking up the sun on the beach, hitting the slopes, or sleeping until 2 PM, pick up the iPad or Android and have a go at one (and more) of these:

10. Search for “Best” Fit Colleges. [And if you do nothing else in this endeavor,...

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COLLEGE CONNECTION, Home of The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, offers comprehensive college planning and counseling. Guidance and support in choosing a college, getting in to college, and finding the money to pay for college, all while taking the stress, the worry, the frustration and the madness out of college applications and admissions.

At COLLEGE CONNECTION, we’ve not only got your back, we’ve got your best moves forward!

From college mat...

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A word to the wise regarding those college acceptances -- wait until AFTER you receive your financial aid awards from ALL colleges you've been accepted to, BEFORE you say YES to any college!

The next step in the college admissions game (after you've submitted the last of your applications) is to get the money you need to pay for college. 

If you have received that coveted letter (or email, text, Tweet) and you've been accepted to the college of your choice, congrats! Now sit back, relax, an...

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COLLEGE PLANNING FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS & PARENTS

• Choosing Colleges That Are “Best” For You

• Navigating The Application Process

• Admission Strategies

• ​Winning Essays

• Financial Aid Essentials & Scholarship Sourcing

College Connection, Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, offers a FREE College Planning & Admissions Workshop. Open to students and parents alike, this forum will explore such topics as choosing a college that’s a “best” fit for you, the intricacies and nuances of...

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Yes, FAFSA! [Free Application for Federal Student Aid] Required by every college, not only for student loans, Work-Study, and federal grants, but, in many instances, for institutional aid, including the colleges' own scholarships and merit awards!

FAFSA FACTUAL

Who must submit FAFSA? YOU must submit FAFSA!

Incoming college freshmen/Current high school seniors. Complete and submit your first FAFSA for the 2016-17 school year on or after January 1, 2016*.

Those already in college. Graduate students...

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WELCOME TO NOVEMBER!

Almost time to stick that Thanksgiving turkey in the oven (and can that Christmas music be far behind?). [By all rights, if the heralding of Christmas (1 day) begins the day after Halloween, the festivities for Chanukah (8 days) should start right after Valentine's Day. Just sayin'... ] Anyway... Early Action. Early Action II (like hitting the snooze button?]. Regular Decision. Now is the time to put those finishing touches on the yet unsubmitted applications. Dot the i's. C...

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Just the other day, The College Whisperer™ -- also known as "Current Occupant" in certain postal circles, received a piece of unsolicited mail. Not email, mind you, but actual snail mail, at bulk rate, no less.

Keeping with my practice of opening every piece of mail that crosses my desk -- and actually reading it -- I sliced off the top of the envelope and pulled out what I soon realized was an invitation to take a survey. Innocuous, and otherwise destined for the circular file, until I saw,...
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...But The Second Mouse Usually Gets The Cheese!

Yes, Common App, portal to more than 600 college applications, goes "live" on August 1. And so, the college application season officially begins. Or so you thought...

As my colleague, Nancy Griesemer, reports inThe Examiner, some colleges are willing to accept your applications even earlier.
READ, Colleges ready and willing to accept applications for fall 2016

Yes, it's like doing your Christmas/Chanukah shopping in July. You'll buy those presents ...

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If there is a single question The College Whisperer™ is asked most about the college application process, it is, “Where do I begin?”

My typical response is, “At the beginning, of course!” ;-)

Seriously, though, getting started down that long and winding road to college admissions, as it is with many things in life, is often the most difficult part of the journey.

So, what will follow below is a basic (very basic, as in, just to give you a push) primer -- a “To Do” list, if you will...

Continue reading ...

The college admissions process, from application to financing, is confusing, confounding, complex, and often overwhelming. Getting in the admissions game is one thing. Understanding the rules (where there are rules), and actually getting in to a college that is “best” for you, is quite another!

Common App or proprietary college application? Early Action, Early Decision, Restricted Early Action, Regular Decision or Rolling Admissions? ACT, SAT, Test Optional? Deferral or Waitlist? CSS Profi...

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Not all that long ago, college counselors talked about Target Schools, Reach Schools, and Safety Schools.

For those who need a refresher in the terminology:

Target School -- You have the grades, the scores, and pretty much fit right in with what the college is looking for.

Reach School -- Not quite there academically, and perhaps a longshot. A toss of the dice. Why the heck not?

Safety School -- You are breathing and have a pulse at the time of application. Congratulations. You're in!

Fast forward...

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For most graduating high school seniors, the tale has been told. You've applied and been accepted to college, made your final decision, and, hopefully, searched for and found an abundance of scholarship money to pay for that degree.

There are of course those, who, waking up to the fact that high school is now coming to an end, have yet to apply to college. The procrastinators. The "hiding under a rock" gang. The "I only applied to one school and didn't get in" bunch.

Out of luck? Too late? Afte...

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The college application season approaches (and waits for no one)!

Just a brief, yet important, overview as to what high school juniors/rising seniors should be doing at this stage of the college admissions game (batteries sold separately):

1. Naviance - Build that Resume (in the About Me section). Every activity, in school and out; every award, honor, citation, and pat on the back; basically, anything you have done during waking hours from the 9th grade on. [Include senior year activities, etc....

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Much has been bantered about, in social media, on campus, and around the family dinner table, on the subject of paying for college. Rightfully so, at a time when college seems out of reach for all but the uber-wealthy and those living in abject poverty.

So the question is often asked, "Do colleges consider financial need when making admission decisions?"

Many colleges, in fact, most, boast that they are "need-blind" in the admissions process, meaning that they do not consider whether you will n...

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“...How can I be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes? First.. get a million dollars...” -- Steve Martin

The financial aid “gurus” love to tell you that they can lower college costs, get you more money for college, and find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Everything from shifting assets to Aunt Dottie and Uncle Moe, to deferring contributions to your retirement accounts, in the collegiate equivalent of the street corner shell game. Now you see money for college. Now you don’t!...

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

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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...

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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...

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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...

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. . .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...

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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...

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While watching the Academy Awards, trying to second-guess who would win the Oscar and who would get snubbed, slighted, or sacked, it dawned on me -- the awarding of the Oscars is very much like college admissions: Arbitrary, capricious, and pretty much anybody’s guess, educated or otherwise.

Was Birdman really more worthy than The Budapest Hotel? Eddie Redmayne truly a better actor than, say, Benedict Cumberbatch? Why was Feast the “best” animated short film, and not The Bigger Picture? ...

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It is not always -- or even often -- about the story. How you tell it. What it imparts. Where you’ve come from. Where you hope to go. At least not in college admissions, where the difference between acceptance and denial (or deferment and waitlist) is frequently a random act rather than a conscious effort.

Take the case of two students I worked with this year. Both from a prestigious Long Island high school. One with stellar grades, scores, community service, extracurriculars, and an essay t...

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College scholarships. Read as, FREE money for college!

You’ve read about them. You’ve heard about them. You may even get emails, texts, and Tweets to apply for them. But what are you doing to actually get a college scholarship -- or two, or three, or four?

In all likelihood, not much, if anything at all.

“Oh, no one every wins those.” “You have to be poor to get a scholarship.” “Too much work.” “Wait. There are scholarships?”

You’ve heard the excuses. And no, it may not be e...

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You’ve seen them. In the newspapers and magazines. On Internet search engines and online tutorials. Even on your Twitter feed.

“10 Things You Must Do Before Applying To College”

“7 Myths About FAFSA”

“8 Reasons Why Your SAT Score Matters”

“The 5 Best College Dining Halls”

Yes, along with those inane college rankings (the ones that prompt colleges to extend their application deadlines, so they can have more applications to deny, thus decreasing the acceptance rate, and moving them...

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Welcome to February! The Ground Hog has seen your college application and... Okay, you tell me what the Ground Hog said. 

Meanwhile, on the financial aid front, a few tips and critical reminders:

- You MUST submit a “CORRECTED” FAFSA once you have filed your 2014 income tax returns. [The FAFSA Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) is now available. It may be utilized approximately 10-days after you file your federal tax return, if filed electronically.]

- If you will be attending a college physically lo...

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The following posts should be of interest as college admissions decisions begin to roll in:

The Truth About Admissions

For Anyone Who Has Ever Received A College Rejection Letter

Beware Monkeys Throwing Darts!

Remember, very often, it’s not you... It’s them!

Plan. Prepare. PREVAIL!

College Connection on Twitter  Follow Us

The College Whisperer  Like Us On Facebook

Call us at COLLEGE CONNECTION for all of your college planning needs! 516-345-8766.

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As you head down that long and winding road toward college (try to stay behind the salt spreader :-), take advantage of College Connection’s College Cafe.

Information is updated regularly, so check back frequently at College Cafe!

To Do List:

Nag. Nag. Nag. Yup, it’s what we do! LOL

Here are a few things high school juniors should be working on as we move toward the Spring --

1. Naviance -- Begin building/updating your Resume (Under About Me);

2. Take the SAT and the ACT. Repeat the test on whi...

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Just Who Is The College Whisperer™?

The College Whisperer™ is Seth Bykofsky. [Or is it the other way around? No matter! :-)]

Born on the cusp of a new century (1 B.C.), his mother, Frances, was first runner-up to Miss Alternate Universe, while his father, Irving, served as counsel to the Czars. Orphaned at a tender age by the tragic sinking of the Titantic, Bykofsky was home-schooled until the age of 13, at which time he was summarily expelled. 

Joining the French Foreign Legion and rising t...
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Back in the day, when I was a student at Queens College, the jewel in the crown of the City University of New York (CUNY), there was no tuition. A college education was, in fact, “free.”

I remember, when during the course of my tenure at QC, CUNY administrators instituted what they believed to be a modest “consolidated fee” of $250. Oh, the tumult created on campus. The near hysteria. The protests on the quad, orchestrated, as I recall, by the then president of the University Senate, J...

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We were going to title this post, Seth Speaks. . ., but we didn't want to confuse our readers with that great transcendental guru of the 60s, Seth Speaks, as channeled by psychic Jane Roberts, or, for that matter, the truly amaaazing guru of Broadway, Seth Rudetsky, who not only speaks, but sings, acts, and plays the piano with aplumb.

So, we'll just leave it as The College Whisperer™ Speaks... and ask that you pull up a chair, sit back and relax, and listen up for a good measure of sage wis...
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Yes, school is out. HOORAY!

But before (or after) you hit the beach -- or the slopes -- here are a few things “To Do” during the break:

1. High school Seniors: Put the finishing touches on those college applications still waiting to be submitted, and, by all means, SUBMIT! [Be aware of those deadlines. They mean it!]

2. Follow up on submitted applications (most colleges have Application Trackers on their web portals) to make certain they are complete. [Transcripts, letters of recommendation,...

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Be productive during your winter break from high school or college. Search and apply for college scholarships! [Scholarships are not just for high school seniors, or students already in college. Yes, there are scholarships open to high school juniors, sophomores, and even freshmen.] Check out fastweb.com, meritaid.com, and zinch.com, for starters. 

College Prowler, one of the premier college scholarship search engines, is now Niche. More scholarship opportunities. Better matches. Increased opp...

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While many a college application deadline has long ago passed (or is about to), there are literally hundreds of colleges out there still accepting applications for the fall of 2015.

Here are but a few of the ways you can find colleges that have late application deadlines and/or offer "rolling" admissions:

1. Common Application member institutions still open to new applicants may be found by going to the Common App website, scrolling down Member Colleges & Universities, and clicking College Search....

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Getting in to the college of your choice (yes, we'll help you do that) is one thing. Finding the money to pay for college can be quite another matter (and we'll help you there, as well)!

Most high school seniors -- at least the ones we work with -- understand that the bulk of scholarship (read as, FREE) money does not come from either the colleges or the government, but rather, from outside sources such as corporations, foundations, community-based organizations, and the like....

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Just Who Is The College Whisperer™?

The College Whisperer™ is Seth Bykofsky. [Or is it the other way around? No matter! :-)]

Born on the cusp of a new century (1 B.C.), his mother, Frances, was first runner-up to Miss Alternate Universe, while his father, Irving, served as counsel to the Czars. Orphaned at a tender age by the tragic sinking of the Titantic, Bykofsky was home-schooled until the age of 13, at which time he was summarily expelled. 

Joining the French Foreign Legion and rising t...
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Factored into what colleges you should apply to, and, ultimately, which college to attend, must be the cost of four or more years of higher education. [How's that money tree doing?]

So, how does one cut through that seemingly bottomless pit of calculating the true cost of college, let alone comparing the bottom line of one college to another? And, once the cost of college is revealed, where does one find the funds to foot the bill?

First Step, College Cost Calculators. All coll...

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The one word I hear most in my college planning and counseling adventures is "overwhelmed." Followed, in many instances, by "frustrated," "frightened," and "flabbergasted." [The latter probably being a good SAT word! :-)]

How something so seemingly simply (it actually was just that, back in the days when applications were written by hand and submitted via the United States Postal Service) could be turned into something so complex, complicated, costly, and, in almost every respect, inane.

The in...

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Shopping online? [Don't forget to use Ebates, where you get cashback -- for college and anything else.]

But I digress... When you shop online, what is the protocol? You browse. You select the items you want to buy, placing them in your shopping cart. You complete all required information pertinent to your order. And, last but not least, you PAY.

Simple, right? Logical.

In almost every online purchase, the final step is PAYMENT. Not so with your college applications, or at least those you attempt...
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No Big Deal!

Sure, somewhere in the neighborhood of 30% of prospective college students will be accepted via Early Action/Early Decision. Yes, had you applied Early Action, (a) most or all of your college applications would have been completed and submitted before Thanksgiving, (b) you would have increased your chances, though only slightly in most instances, of being accepted by the college of your choice, and (c) you'd typically have an admission decision in hand (or in your email inbox) som...
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Ah, the college essay. Those 250-650 words on the Common App that try the souls of high school seniors (not to mention their already overwhelmed parental units).

First, a few (okay, many) thoughts on the college admissions process, in general, and the college essay, in particular. 

Did you know that the average time spent by an admissions officer reviewing a college application is but 7 1/2 minutes? That’s the ENTIRE application. NOT just the essays and supplemental writings! [when it comes t...

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As college application deadlines loom on the horizon, here are a few pointers to help you complete the process. Remember, there's more to applying to college than simply clicking "Review and Submit" on Common App! Test Scores -- Nothwithstanding the unofficial reporting of test scores to colleges via Common App, prorietary applications, and SSAR (where required), the ONLY test scores considered for admission by colleges are the ones officially submitted via College Board (SAT, SAT II, AP) and ...

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Just a quick reminder that Early Action deadlines for many colleges and universities are quickly approaching, with some only days away (UNC-Chapel Hill and the University of Georgia, for instance, have Early Action deadlines of October 15th. That's next Wednesday!).

Most Early Action Deadlines fall between November 1 and November 15.

Some schools, such as the University of Maryland (November 1), have what is known as Priority Deadlines. While not Early Action, in the traditional sense, apply by...

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Hours (even days) after the Long Island National College Fair at the Nassau Coliseum, I can still see the glazed looks in the eyes of parents and high school students. You know. That deer-in-the-headlights glare as they attempted to traverse the aisles, packed in like sardines, swimming upstream against the current as if salmons on their way to spawn. [How's that for mixed metaphors?The College Whisperer ™ wants to give equal time to all species. Cue the reptiles! ;-)]

Yes, if you attended t...
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Welcome to October! A new month means that it is time, once again, to enter College Prowler's $2000 "No Essay" Scholarship Contest. [And while you are on the College Prowler site, be sure to check out the many other scholarship opportunities!] REMEMBER: If you don't apply, you won't get money! (And scholarships are NOT just for high school seniors!!!) In other news, an "on point" article on college rankings, as appeared a couple of years ago in The New York Times, is just as relevant today. Che...

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As Jews the world over usher in the year 5775 (where does the time go?), The College Whisperer™ pauses to reflect, to refresh, and to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Next year in college!


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Typically, when we mention "money" here at The College Whisperer™, we're talking scholarships -- free money for college. Where to search for it and how to get your hands on it. After all, financial freedom beats student debt every time!

Today, however, we are constrained to blog about the megabucks that is the world of college applications and admissions. A tale of collusion and conspiracy, piracy and profiteering, patting you on the back with one hand, while picking your pockets with the ot...
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First piece of advice when setting out to write your college essay: Keep Calm and Just Write -- It's Only An Essay!

Seems there's nothing more unnerving to students (and, by extension, their parents) than the college essay. What to write? How do I say it? Will it be good enough? Can I tell my "story" in 650 words or less? And what about Naomi?

Indeed, with all the hype and hyperbolae surrounding the college essay (as to form, content, style, and overuse of SAT words), it w...

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Just when you thought it was safe to get into the college admissions game... [Cue the theme from Jaws!] What you know. What you think you know. What they tell you and, sometimes, what they don’t tell you. Let the college applicant beware! 

1. Your Application Is Incomplete. Yes, most colleges have so-called “Application Checkers” which allow you to see (though not always in real-time) what, if anything is missing from your application. Test scores. High school transcript. Supplements. Re...
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A few years ago, a reader inquired as to whether it was worth going to the National College Fair. A number of errant links (they tend to break or disappear over time) aside, the advice on the Fair is certainly as valid today as it was then, and well worth repeating.

L.B. of North Merrick, NY writes: 

There's a College Fair coming up at the Nassau Coliseum. Is it worth attending, for college-bound students and/or their parents?

The College Whisperer™ responds:

A definite maybe. ;-)

In days of old...
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National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Long Island College Fair

Sunday, October 5, 2014

11 AM - 3 PM

Nassau Coliseum

Uniondale, NY

For more information, click HERE

For student registration, click HERE

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At COLLEGE CONNECTION, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward!

Find Us on the web at College Connection
Check out The College Whisperer™ blog
College Connection on Twitter  Follow Us
The College Whisperer™on Facebook  Like Us On Facebook

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From time to time, we present guest posts here on The College Whisperer™blog, offering viewpoints, insights and opinions that may complement or even differ from our own.

Today, we are pleased to bring you a guest post written by Jocelyn Paonita, a recent graduate of the University of South Carolina ("debt free," we might add), and author of The Scholarship System: 6 Simple Steps on How to Win Scholarships and Secure Financial Aid, with some essential pointers on acing that scholarship applic...
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M.S. of East Williston, NY writes: 
Do I really need a college planning counselor for my child? Aren’t the resources available through her high school guidance counselor, the colleges, and the Internet, sufficient? It all seems so expensive. 

The College Whisperer™ responds: 
Back in the day, when the earth was young, and college applications were written by hand and mailed to one or two schools along with a check for $15, a visit to your guidance counselor, along with a thumb-through of the...
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Wow, another school year begins. [Where did the summer go?]

That means a full and hopefully rigorous courseload for high school seniors, aside from dealing with the trials and trbulations of the college application and admissions process.

Yes, senior year is a whole lot more than planning for prom and putting together that high school yearbook. After all, colleges to which you will apply shall see what courses you are taking, your mid-year grades, and the activities you're engaged in this year ...
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Summer draws to a close, and college application season is now upon us.

Along with the usual angst and anxiety that accompanies the madness of the application and admissions process, the twists and turns, minefields and detours, you must be prepared for the unexpected.

Be forewarned that Murphy's Law ("whatever can go wrong, will go wrong") is in full force and effect!

But what could possibly go wrong? 

Famous last words...

Last year, it was the foibles and follies of Common App. Log in fails. For...
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Okay. It’s no guarantee you’ll gain entrance through those ivy-covered gates, but it is the great start you need on your journey down the road to college admission success! 

 

Scan today! Be on your way to college tommorow!

Find Us on the web at College Connection

Check out The College Whisperer blog

College Connection on Twitter 
 Follow Us

The College Whisperer on Facebook 
 Like Us On Facebook

At COLLEGE CONNECTION, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward!

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It is said that "the early bird catches the worm." However, more often than not, the second mouse gets the cheese!" [Think about it...]

As college-bound high school seniors seriously begin work on their college applications -- inclusive of the Common App -- two questions invariably arise: "What is the difference between 'Early Decision' and 'Early Action,' and should I apply under either?"

"Early Decision," simply put, is binding. The end all of decisions. You will go to no other college. If th...
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It's time to apply to college!

Common App is up and running, as is the Universal College Application. Proprietary college applications are coming online.

Are you ready to apply to college? Now is the time to plan and prepare. 
Appointments are being scheduled. 
Questions? Concerns? Ready to get started? Call Us! 
516-345-8766 
COLLEGE CONNECTION 
Home of The College Whisperer™ 
www.CollegeConnect.info 
www.TheCollegeWhisperer.com 
@GetCollege

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L.N. of Manhasset, NY writes:

My son will be a junior in high school this year, and we are considering enrolling him in an online college planning course. The price seems right ($299), and a set of CDs is also available for an additional sum. Any thoughts?

The College Whisperer™responds:

Good for you for wanting to start college planning early. Too many high school students, waiting until the start of their senior year, wish they had gotten a head start in their junior year!

With respect to the...

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"It is life, but not as we know it!" - Dr. Leonard McCoy, Star Trek

The Common Application is up and running (for now). Are you ready to start your college applications?

Before the Common App gets to you, you need to get to us!

COLLEGE CONNECTION. The cure for the Common App.

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Plan. Prepare. PREVAIL! 

The College Whisperer™ is the Trademark of COLLEGE CONNECTION,Official Sponsor of College Admission Success. The road to college begins at COLLEGE CONNECTION! Whether you are applying to colleg...
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If there is a single question The College Whisperer™ is asked most about the college application process, it is, "Where do I begin?"

My typical response is, "At the beginning, of course!" ;-)

Seriously, though, getting started down that long and winding road to college admissions, as it is with many things in life, is often the most difficult part of the journey.

So, what will follow below is a basic (very basic, as in, just to give you a push) primer -- a "To Do" list, if you will -- to set y...
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Pssst! Got College Plans? Then you need this guy. . . The College Whisperer™ - That warm and fuzzy teddy bear who comforts you from #college angst, anxiety, and stress.
The College Whisperer™ - That ferocious pit bull, tenacious in getting you into the right college, and helping you find the money to pay for it.
The College Whisperer™ - At six pounds four ounces (weight may vary) #Determined #Courageous #Cute



If this is how #college applications, admissions, paying for college,...
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Helping students get into colleges that are the best fit for them is Job 1 at College Connection. And right alongside is an endeavor of near-equal import: helping students find the money to actually pay for the colleges they've worked so hard to get into!

Most kids are excited, though somewhat nervous, about the college application and admissions process. Once they start getting into it -- Common App, personal essays, supplements, and all -- most find that what they thought would be an ordeal ...
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As we stare down the barrel of yet another college application and admissions season [where does the time fly?], The College Whisperer™ asks the age-old question: Who's Got Your Back?

Yes, who is looking out for you on that long, winding, sometimes treacherous, and too often nerve-wracking road to college? Well, let's see.

College Board? Sorry. The folks who would have you take a test to get in to the shower may say they're looking out for your best interests (after all, to say otherwise migh...
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They used to say, "there are lies, damned lies, and then there are statistics..."

Today, the code words are Metrics and analytics.

You hear those words often these days. Well, you do, if you watch professional baseball games, or do almost any reading -- or browsing -- of how data-driven we have become in everything from "the shift" to deciding who gets in to college.

Yes, data. The stuff that pushes high stakes standardized test scores to the fore in the minds of the mindless, and takes the mana...
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Or why moving to Iowa (or Bangladesh) may actually improve your chances of getting in to your college of choice!


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The waitlist, more often than not, is that great void known as the Black Hole of college admissions, where applications go to die.

You, as the applicant, must get your applications in by deadline, or else. You must file for financial aid and scholarships by dates certain, or else. You must notify colleges of your acceptance decisions by May 1, or else.

Colleges, on the other hand, are not so much bound by deadlines. Apply Early Action, expecting a definitive answer sometime bet...

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I came across a website recently, by way of Twitter. Suffice it to say it was one of the many SAT preppies out there – an SAT Dude, in fact -- touting the benefits of preparing for the dreaded standardized test. In this instance, MATH. The tricks of the trade disclosed, so to speak.

The title to the particular post intrigued me, as did the post’s content. It was called, How To Solve “Shaded Region” Questions.

Finally. Someone who could show me just how to find the solution to those conf...

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Forlorn? Depressed? Inconsolable?

Read this article by journalist and author Joan Didion on being denied admission to Stanford in 1952. As timely today as it was when first published in 1968 in the Saturday Evening Post!

On Being Unchosen by the College of One’s Choice

“Dear Joan,” the letter begins, although the writer did not know me at all. The letter is dated April 25, 1952, and for a long time now it has been in a drawer in my mother’s house, the kind of back-bedroom drawer given ov...

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Recently, I spent the better part of a day assembling furniture that was “Made in China.” Leaving aside the fact that the instructions were clearly lost in translation, and the pictures of the nuts, bolts and assorted parts looked nothing like the content of the carton (not even the ones that were left over after final assembly), I got to thinking about why we can’t – or simply won’t – make things like tables, chairs, and dressers here in this country.

Could it be, as we are told...

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Seth Bykofsky, better known as The College Whisperer™, takes to the airwaves on Long Island Money & Business (WLIE 540 AM) to discuss college admissions and the application process.

Click HERE to join the conversation. Click HERE to read The College Whisperer™ blog. Click HERE to get started down the road to college admission success!

- - -   
Plan. Prepare. Prevail!  

          FREE College Planning Workshop, March 26th

 When college applications get to you, you need to get to us! 

Contact us ...

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It wasn't long ago that high school students, diagnosed with a Learning Disability -- such as ADHD or Dyslexia -- would go out of their way to avoid any reference to their educational challenges when applying to college. Indeed, many students, throughout their elementary and secondary school careers, would not even seek out professional help, this for fear of being labeled as "LD."

My, how things have changed, and dare I say, for the better.

In this age of transparency and candor -- not to ment...
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The brackets will soon be set in stone for college basketball's 64, with the March Madness countdown to the Sweet 16 and the Final Four, but how about the money you need to foot that tuition bill?

Now that the college acceptance letters are beginning to roll in, The College Whisperer™ is amazed by just how many college-bound students abandon the search for money to pay for college.

Sure, you've filed your FAFSA (hopefully), and registered at Fastweb and other scholarship search engines, but h...
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Jump Start Your College Applications!

When: Wednesday, March 26, 2014,  7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

Where: Ethical Humanist Society -- Auditorium
             38 Old Country Road
             Garden City, New York 11530

Why: Because getting in to college has become more competitive than ever, and the application process increasingly complex. You need to be in the know and prepared to go!

College Connection, Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, hosts a free College Planning Workshop. Open to stud...
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Here they come. Changes to the SAT. 

A New SAT Aims to Realign With Schoolwork

The Story Behind the SAT Overhaul

College President: SAT Is Part Hoax, Part Fraud

Once upon a time, College Board (the folks who stick a No. 2 pencil in one hand, and pick your pockets with the other) owned the field. Now, with market share down around 50%, they're looking to get back in the game.

Yes, it was all fun and games until the folks at College Board, The Once Great and Powerful, realized they weren't making qu...
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When it comes to planning for college, and getting a jump start on those college applications, there are few things -- well, other than that pint of Forbidden Chocolate ice cream -- that can help ease the journey and lighten that burden than college planning workshops, community forums (often in your own school or local library), and, of course, those college fairs that help you sort out which colleges are "best" for you.

Here's a sampling of what's coming up on Long Island and in our own back...
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The college application and admissions process and the entire collegiate industrial complex? Not so much!



Going to college is a great experience. Shouldn't getting there be at least half as much fun?
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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!  

Before college applications, the Common App, CSS Profile, FAFSA, financial aid forms, and the whole college application and admissions process get to you, you need to get to us! 

Whether applying to college, paying for college, planning for college, or just thinking a...

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Well, at least the essay prompts will remain the same on Common App for the 2014-15 college application season!

High school Juniors take note. Begin to think about your Common App essay, and how you will answer those three critical questions inherent in each prompt: (1) Who are you? (2) Who do you hope to become over the next four years? (3) What will you bring to campus, and to the community beyond?

And now, from the folks who brought you the Common App-ocalypse of 2013-14:

THE COMMON APPLICATI...

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One-upping The Most Interesting Man In The World...

The College Whisperer™ is Seth Bykofsky. [Or is it the other way around? No matter! :-)]

Born on the cusp of a new century (1 B.C.), his mother, Frances, was first runner-up to Miss Alternate Universe, while his father, Irving, served as counsel to the Czars. Orphaned at a tender age by the tragic sinking of the Titantic, Bykofsky was home-schooled until the age of 13, at which time he was summarily expelled. 

Joining the French Foreign Legio...
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Ever wonder how college admission decisions are really made? Think the difference between getting in and that rejection letter is skewed toward grades? Could it have been too few hours in the soup kitchen, or that college essay that echoed so little emotion, it wouldn't even have brought a tear to John Boehner's watery eyes?

And who's making those decisions, anyway? A committee (so no one individual will have to own it)? A college admissions officer, barely out of college herself? A monkey thr...
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“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...” 
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Turn college dreams into college reality, with the help of College Connection and The College Whisperer™. 

“You'll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. S...

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While many a college application deadline has long ago passed, there are literally hundreds of colleges out there still accepting applications for the fall of 2014.
Here are but a few of the ways you can find colleges that have late application deadlines and/or offer "rolling" admissions:

1. Common Application member institutions still open to new applicants may be found by going to the Common App website, scrolling down Member Colleges & Universities, and clicking College Search. Indicate that yo...

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Maybe it's time to consider Test Optional Colleges! 
- - -
Plan. Prepare. Prevail! 

When college applications, the Common App, CSS Profile, FAFSA, financial aid forms, and the whole college application and admissions process get to you, you need to get to us! 

Whether applying to college, paying for college, planning for college, or just thinking about college, contact us at COLLEGE CONNECTION, home of The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™...

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First came the Net Price Calculator. Then came the College Score Card. Means of comparing and contrasting college costs, which, all too often, turned out to be akin to comparing the cost of apples to the cost of a brand new Ferrari.

And now, enter the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet, a tool designed to inform students, and their parents, as to the details of their financial aid awards. 

Ahh. Could it be that after slogging through the CSS Profile (enough to make a financial analyst's head spin) an...
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We all know just how important it is to plan for college. Choosing the right colleges to apply to, and, ultimately, that one college that is the right fit for you. Developing and writing a compelling essay. Finessing those college applications and supplement. Conquering the Common App. Avoiding the pitfalls. Navigating the detours. Handling the stress and anxiety. Keeping from being overwhelmed by that crazy whirlwind of a ride they call the college application and admissions game. [Of course...
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College Connection, your one-stop source for college planning, counseling, guidance and support, is now scheduling appointments for the preparation and submission of FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Applying to college for the fall of 2014? YOU NEED TO SUBMIT FAFSA!

Already in college and planning to attend college or grad school in the fall of 2014? YOU NEED TO SUBMIT FAFSA! [Yes, FAFSA MUST be submitted each year for the following school year.]

Been awarded a scholarship fr...
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With all the buzz surrounding talk of Amazon making deliveries by drone, The College Whisperer™ figured, well, why not deliver college applications -- and, for that matter, college acceptances -- by drone?

Given the disastrous year had by Common App, and all of the wild twists, turns, and machinations of the college application and admissions process, the delivery of college applications by unmanned drone could only be an improvement, right? And with all the droning on and on and on during t...
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Well, folks, They've done it again! Sending out letters of acceptance to prospective college students, when they meant to say, "deferred," or worse still, "denied." Ooops!

This time, it was Fordham University, which, through a third party contractor, mailed out 2,500 letters to applicants telling them they had been accepted, when, in fact, they had not.

READ, 2,500 Applicants Get False News of Acceptance to Fordham 

Bummer!

First of all, a third part contractor? Since when do colleges outsource a...
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We've posted on this blog before -- months ago -- about Common App's misleading interface. You know. Where PAYING is the first step. To PAY you hit SUBMIT. And after paying, you hit FINAL. After that, a nonexistent SIGNATURE screen to complete the submission process is supposed to appear, but often does not. [If Amazon worked this way, they would have had to file for bankruptcy protection years ago!]

Now, as the college application season winds down for many high school seniors, Common App, in...
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While applying to college -- let alone actually going -- may seem far away, now is the time to start planning, preparing and gearing up, way before the madness of the senior year of high school. 

So, what can high school juniors (and, in many instances, sophomores), and their parents, start to do now to get ready for the college application and admissions process? 

Well, here is a short "To Do" list to get the ball rolling: 

-Check out the college planning calendar to get an idea...

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For all those with "end of the world" anxieties, here are just a few things that the college-bound shouldn't worry about:

-You missed the Early Action deadline. "It's not the end of the world..." There are literally hundreds of colleges and universities with regular decision deadlines yet to come, not to mention (though we always do) the legion of schools with rolling admissions.

-Your Common App essay lacks formatting and pagination. "It's not the end of the world..." No worries here. If y...

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You've been accepted by the college of your choice. Congrats!

They've even offered you a handsome scholarship (that's free money, folks), if only you'd say yes. Neat!

You consider all offers from the colleges you've applied to, weigh the financial aid awards, and you accept. Way to go!

Come August, as you are packing your belongings for the trip to campus, that tuition bill arrives in the mail (or, more likely, by way of email alert advising that your semester invoice is available for viewing vi...
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That's what is being said about applying to college, getting in to college, paying for college.

It's complicated!

What once was accomplished with relative ease, and without undue burden upon either psyche or pocketbook, has now de-evolved into a seemingly endless charade of convoluted online protocols, mind-numbing contortions of clicks and spinning wheels, and "brother can you spare about $160,000 to help put my kid through college."

It's complicated!

Heck, it used to be easy. Then again, what w...
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Glitches continue to plague CommonApp.org, the private, not-for-profit web portal millions of high school students rely upon to access applications to more than 500 colleges and universities. [READ, Common App Glitches Frustrate Students...]

At the same time, HealthCare.gov, the government website intended to give millions of Americans access to affordable health insurance exchanges, has been crippled by glitches. [SEE, Who's Fixing HealthCare.gov?]

Both sites compete for the dubious distinctio...
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If comic legend Oliver Hardy was a high school senior, no doubt he'd be admonishing Stan Laurel, standing in as the now plaintive Common App, with those famous words, "That's another fine mess you've gotten us into, Stanley!" (or was it, Simon?)

Well, we don't have Laurel & Hardy with us (and do high school kids even know of this iconic comedy duo?), but when it comes to CA4, the latest incarnation of the floundering Common App, if we don't laugh, we will surely cry.

So, with profound apologies...
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SAT  Test Dates Registration Deadline Late Reg Deadline Details DEC 7 Nov 8 Nov 25 Register Jan 25 Dec 27 Jan 14 Register

ACT Test Dates	Registration Deadline	Late Reg Deadline	Details
DEC 14	Nov 8	Nov 9-22	Register
FEB 8	Jan 10	Jan 11-24	Register

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While the dates to apply Early Action to a few colleges (UNC-Chapel Hill, Georgia Tech - both extended to 10/21) may have passed, most are yet to come (typically, November 1 - December 15), and quite a few deadlines have been or are likely to be extended as a result of the continuing Common App fiasco. [Check college websites for actual deadline dates and extensions, if any.]

So, if you can get your applications ready (not just done, but complete, accurate, and showing you at your scholastic b...
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Not long after the dawn of the nuclear age, with foreboding prospects of mutually assured annihilation looming on an uncertain horizon, Albert Einstein was asked what weapons he thought would be used to fight the next war. Einstein responded, "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." Perhaps a prophesy, yet to unfold...

On a less weighty front (after all, it's only college), and given the flaws, foibles and incomprehens...
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Are you and your parental units confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed by the college application and admissions process? Do you break out in a cold sweat at the mere mention of the Common App? Is having to write that college essay a fate worse than a sudden outbreak of acne?

You, and your unsuspecting parents, may be suffering from that dreaded and most feared malady known as CAS (College Application Syndrome), and not even know it. And yet, you need not suffer the debilitating side effects of ...

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FREE College Planning Workshop [And who doesn't like FREE?]

When: Wednesday, October 16, 7 PM - 8:30 PM

Where: Harborfields Public Library, 31 Broadway, Greenlawn, NY

Why: Because getting in to college has become more competitive than ever, and the application process increasingly complex. You need to be in the know and prepared to go!

Harborfields Public Library hosts a free College Planning Workshop. Open to students and parents alike, this forum will explore such topics as choosing a college t...
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If you thought last year's Common App made submitting college applications second in difficulty only to a quadruple backward flip off the uneven parallel bars while sticking the landing from 1000 feet above the ground (Check out, So, You Think You Submitted The Common App. . .), read on... 

For anyone attempting to submit a college application through the new and congenitally defective Common Application, please read the following --

As you watch that spinning wheel spin (with due respect to th...
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First piece of advice when setting out to write your college essay: Keep Calm and Just Write -- It's Only An Essay!

Seems there's nothing more unnerving to students (and, by extension, their parents) than the college essay. What to write? How do I say it? Will it be good enough? Can I tell my "story" in 650 words or less? And what about Naomi?

Indeed, with all the hype and hyperbolae surrounding the college essay (as to form, content, style, and overuse of SAT words), it would seem to be a...

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Part and parcel of the college planning and counseling process is helping you find -- and apply for -- the money to pay for college.

Some have already started searching and applying for "outside" scholarships (bravo!), while others will do so over the course on the ensuing weeks and months. [Alas, most will never bother to mine for the money, and many who do, without an assist, will be looking to chisel in to the mother load with a toothpick!] 

Aside from scholarship searches (and actually ...

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Not that we would have this blog become a diatribe against the Common App, but we couldn't help chuckle out loud when we read the following on Common App's Facebook timeline:

"APPLICANTS: Do not try to trick the system into letting you create two accounts. If you succeed, you have no idea of the potential mess that awaits you: confused colleges, confused counselors and teachers, mismatched records, incomplete applications....and that's just the beginning. For your own good, please don't go dow...
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Our friends and colleagues at College Admission Book (you don't have to buy the book. You have The College Whisperer™ and College Connection! :-) have created a step-by-step guide to completing and submitting the Common Application. [Click HERE to view.]

Yes, it is lengthy. True, some of the advice must be taken with that proverbial grain of salt. Agreed, that the round "How To" does not always fit neatly into the square holes of Common App. And yes (sigh), most folks (especially teens apply...

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In response to public comment to The College Whisperer's™ recent blog post, Oops! Common App Has Done It Again!!!, that which has been said -- not to mention all that has been left unsaid -- bears, we believe, repeating.

Below is the commentary, verbatim, for your consideration, pro and con. Your further comments, on either side of the argument (or on the fence, for those who, like Switzerland, choose to remain neutral), are most welcome.

Allow me to simply say here, and for the record, that ...
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In the grand quest to find the college that's the right fit for you, to gain a foothold (if not the upper hand) in the application and admissions process, to develop that winning college essay, and, once accepted, to find the money to pay for it all, who would be best suited to guide, coach and de-stress students and parents alike -- the Long Island Medium or The College Whisperer™?

We asked a panel of experts, comprised of noted academics, intellectuals, rocket scientists, and the intern fr...
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For those familiar with the Common Application, portal to more than 500 college applications, the flaws and foibles of a most imperfect tool are self evident.

To the unsuspecting and newly initiated -- as almost all high school seniors are, it being their first foray into the wild and crazy world of college admissions -- Common App is fraught with pitfalls and hazards, not to mention the occasional stealth essay.

Take, for instance, the Activities section, where a simple click to open, without ...
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Four and a half minutes.

No, not the time you spent actually studying for that recent math test. Not the time it takes to cook instant oatmeal or Uncle Ben's converted rice. Not the time you ran the mile in.

So, what is this four and a half minutes?

Actually, it is the average (as opposed to mean?) time spent by admissions officers reading the typical college essay. Yup. That's it, folks. All of four and a half minutes.

What? You spend weeks, if not months, contemplating. What do I write about? W...
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No, not the retelling of a life's tale. The stuff that a movie fantasy and new Broadway musical are made of. The meshing of imagination and whimsy, with reality and truth. 

Then again, perhaps this is just such a story. The exuberance and optimism of youth. That dreamlike romanticism of life, embraced by every teen who sets out to conquer the world, to triumph over mediocrity, determined not only to dream those dreams that are larger than life, but to make those dreams come true.

Yes, Big Fish....
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Oprah may have taken the "Aha Moment" into the mainstream, but college-bound students, and their parents, are giving new meaning to the term every day, as they make that long and sometimes mind-boggling journey to college admissions.

Here are just a few of our favorite "Aha Moments" of the college application process. Please feel free to tell us yours.

·         -  GPA and test scores aren’t everything. Yes, they count. Do not, however, discount the importance of your extracurricular activit...

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As if the portended changes to the SAT were not enough for us to ponder, let alone digest, word from the once great test-master that the SAT Question of the Day will soon fall by the wayside. 

Much like the VCR and the landline, College Board, the arch nemesis of students and parents alike, will cease to send out SAT Question of the Day emails come month's end. Instead, they will rely upon Twitter (@SATQuestion) and a free mobile app.

Ahh, progress. . .

And so, as we tearfully say hasta la vista...
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All right. We've gotten used to the racial profiling cum Affirmative Action in college admissions. "Are you Hispanic or Latino?" "Indicate how you identify yourself -- American Indian or Alaska Native (does this give Sarah Palin a preference?). Asian? Black or African American? Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander? White?"

Heaven forbid you should identify yourself as neither one nor the other -- or perhaps some hybrid mix, as in, "out of many, one." [Where have I heard that phrase before...
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Well, not quite...

The new and improved version of The Common Application, $8 million dollars and more than a year in the making, launched at Midnight on August 1, giving entree to some 500 of your favorite college applications, and serving as starting gate to the great college admissions game.

And so, at 1:10 AM, your intrepid blogger excitedly clicked on CommonApp.org, in the hope of creating a login, perusing the application, and reporting back to the masses on the highlights, insights a...

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As if the college application and admissions process wasn't confusing and stressful enough! 

This year, the folks at Common App, home of the applications to nearly 500 colleges and universities, is changing things up, with the advent of Common App 4.0. 

Those of you who have been following The College Whisperer™ already know that there are new essay prompts, and gone is that mainstay of the personal statement, "A topic of your choice." 

There is also a 650 word limit on that essay, to be stric...
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If there is a single question The College Whisperer™ is asked most about the college application process, it is, "Where do I begin?"

Our typical response is, "At the beginning, of course!" ;-)

Seriously, though, getting started down that long and winding road to college admissions, as it is with many things in life, is often the most difficult part of the journey.

So, what will follow below is a basic (very basic, as in, just to give you a push) primer -- a "To Do" list, if you will -- to set ...
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Katie of Syosset, NY writes:

I've seen a few ads for intensive, not to mention, expensive, college application events, promising, among other things, a completed Common Application and a fully prepared "suite of essays" in just 4 days. One such "boot camp," held up in Boston, charges $14,000, not including room and board. Is it worth the big bucks?

The College Whisperer™ responds:

Well, let's see. The earth was created in 6 days, so we suppose that creating a winning admissions strategy, no ...
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While the folks in Congress have done absolutely nothing to stop the interest rates on subsidized student loans from doubling (yes, we said DOUBLING, from 3.4% to 6.8% on July 1), students can help themselves reduce, and even eliminate student debt by diligently searching and applying for college scholarships.

Start while you're still in high school (there are even college scholarships that high school freshman can qualify for), and continue throughout your college career (after all, that tuit...
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The College Whisperer™ is often asked, "What is the most important factor in deciding college admission?" Grades? Test scores? The essay? Is it making the right choice of colleges to apply to in the first place? And what about cost? That should be considered in the mix, right?

Kinda like asking, "What's the most important ingredient in Grandma's out-of-this world soup?" Leave one out, or put in too much or too little of another, and it doesn't quite taste the same, does it?

Clearly, getting i...
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Not to pat ourselves on the back -- then again, if you don't toot your own horn, who will? -- College Connection, home of The College Whisperer™, and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, has received yet another feather in its proverbial cap. 

Recognized among the 101 Top Resources on How to Get Into College, and coming in at number 25 (Casey Kasem would be proud), College Connection is privileged to be listed among those college resources designed to "help students of all ages ...
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Never mind the IRS scrutinizing not-for-profit organizations, or the Justice Department tapping phone lines at media outlets. And forget about the NSA mining your phone records and reading your emails. 

No sir. The plot is much more sinister and insidious. It involves information and data so personal that even your own high school can't release it without authorization. Records you believed were safe from prying eyes (not to mention, money-grubbing corporations) being compiled, culled, shared ...
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The dates and registration deadlines for ACT and SAT have been released. Gone are the days of a summer SAT, and even the September SAT has fallen by the wayside. Pity the student who was hoping to have the SAT scores in time to apply for Early Action or Early Decision, which is typically mid-October to early November for most colleges. What were the folks at College Board thinking? [READ, The College Board Drops The Ball.]

Here are the ACT/SAT schedules. Take note and register early. Once spac...
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We recently reported on the efforts of Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to link federal direct student loan rates to the discount rates paid by banks (currently 0.75%).

Now comes Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) with a measure of her own -- one which would permit students to refinance their government loans at 4%.

While we certainly prefer 0.75% to 4%, these rates are better than 6.8% (current rate for unsubsidized loans, and rate to which subsidized loans will climb on July 1 unless Congress a...
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Remember that children's game, Simon Says? If Simon didn't say it, and you did it anyway, you were out.

Well, looks like Simon has grown up, is ready to apply to college, and has become the poster boy of the folks who brought you the Common App.

Yes, boys, girls, and college applicants of all ages, here comes Simon Monks, fictitious test-student for CA4!

In a recent email, Common App announced Simon's debut:

Many of our CA4 resources will revolve around the story of Simon Monks, a fictitious app...
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Imagine that Monsters University was your dream school. The only college you really wanted to go to.  Top choice. None to compare.

And then, your absolute worst nightmare (as if living and dining at Monsters U wouldn't be scary enough): You are notified by admissions that you are on the wait list.

Nooooooooooooo. It can't possibly be. After all, those awful monsters in your AP Bio class got in. And to the School of Science, no less! You visited -- and fell in love with -- the campus. You met wi...
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It's no secret that banks pay ridiculously low rates to borrow money (currently 0.75%, based on the discount rates banks pay to the Federal Reserve). At the same time, college students pay considerably more in interest (3.4% for subsidized loans and 6.8% for unsubsidized) when they borrow money for school under the feds direct student loan program.

Imagine that. Big banks -- the folks who brought our nation's economy to the brink -- get a most favorable, nearly unheard of rate from the feds, w...
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A commencement address with meaning, not just for the Class of 2013 (or for the Kenyon College Class of 2005, to which it was presented by the late David Foster Wallace), but for all of us. . .



Congratulations to the graduating Class of 2013!

Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer™.

Who knows what peril lurks in the college application and admissions process? The College Whisperer™ knows. . .

* * *
Comments? Quest...

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Gap Year. That year between high school and college -- and sometimes, between college and grad school of college and work (if you can find work). A time to recharge, to rejuvenate, to mature, to decide what you want in life and where you want to go.

Always popular in Europe, where a year "on" before university -- traveling, interning, engaging in community service, and, yes, taking courses that often count toward college credit -- Gap Year is gaining greater traction here in the good ole U.S. ...
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Forlorn? Depressed? Inconsolable?

Read this article by journalist and author Joan Didion on being denied admission to Stanford in 1952. As timely today as it was when first published in 1968!

On Being Unchosen By The College of One's Choice

Cheer up. Your very best days are yet to come! :-)

Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of The College Whisperer™.

Who knows what peril lurks in the college application and admissions process? The Col...

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Since the advent of the college Net Price Calculator, parents and students alike, having pretty much figured out which colleges are good fits, are still walking around in that proverbial fog when it comes to figuring out the true cost of college, let alone comparing the cost of college A to college B.

Yes, the College Scorecard helps a bit, but can we say that the fog has actually lifted?

Enter the latest tool in the effort to find the "best" college, calculate and compare costs, and determine ...
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"At South Side Middle School in Rockville Centre, on Long Island, more than half of the eighth-grade class, 134 out of 260 students, opted out of the exams..." So reported The New York Times in an article on New York's standardized English Language Arts (ELA) exam for third and eighth graders. [Standardized Math exams are scheduled for next week.]

The protests, certainly not restricted to Rockville Centre, Long Island, or, for that matter, New York, are not so much aimed at the so-called Commo...
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Boston and New York have always shared a special kinship. Sure, at times it seems like a bitter rivalry. Who will be the best? Which is number one? Yankees vs. Red Sox. South Street Seaport vs. Quincy Market. NYC Marathon vs. the Boston Marathon.

Beneath this nearly transparent tit-for-tat, though, is that which we have come to embrace in common bond. A profound sense of place, as thriving centers of finance, culture, education and civility. An abiding sense of self, ever vigilant but never fe...
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Choosing that "perfect" college -- whether to apply or to attend -- is no easy task. The College Whisperer™ offers some advice on how to find the college that's best for you. 

Lily Herman, college student at Wesleyan University and Co-Founder of The Prospect, writes:   

What do you think is the most important thing for a student to look at when choosing a college? Or, what's an important aspect that many students don't look at or think about but they should?  

The College Whisperer™ ...

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There are many women The College Whisperer™ knows -- and many more he does not -- who are tough as nails. Smart. Courageous. Undaunted by the most pressing challenges of our times.

Take Linda Flanagan. Ms. Flanagan is a freelance writer (frequently, at The Huffington Post), researcher, and editor, specializing in national security issues. Most recently she was Executive Editor for the HELP Commission, a federal body mandated to produce recommendations to reform foreign assistance. Before tha...
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The New York Times published an article that caught The College Whisperer's™ eye -- actually, both eyes. Software Seen Giving Grades On Essay Tests.

Like something out of a Stanley Kubrick film, it seems the computer can not only read the essay, but score it and give immediate feedback to the writer. Wow!

Imagine that. Artificial intelligence, of the likes that places us in orbit and finds breakthroughs in medicine, reading and grading essays. [Is that a demotion for the computer, or what? K...
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Our good friend and most knowledgeable colleague, Randy Levin of WriteToCollege.com will be offering FREE (yes, we said FREE) workshops on writing that perfect college essay.

Believe me, The College Whisperer™, in the scheme of what's critical in the college application and admissions process, the college essay is right up there with the Common App and FAFSA. And when it comes to what to write on those college essays, and how to write it, few people can put it all together like Randy Levin....
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College Connection, home of The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, is offering free, one (1) hour college planning consultations with an independent college counselor to Long Island’s veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, and their immediate families. Services include college matching, admission strategies, the application process, essay development, as well as scholarship and financial aid sourcing.

Understanding the unique needs and special circumstance...
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Special to The College Whisperer™

Hot off the presses comes news of the most selective among the nation's highly selective colleges and universities.

Princeton? Nope. Harvard? Uh uh. Stanford, perhaps? Go fish!

No, this year's most selective college in America, hands down, is none other than Maza State, a small, liberal arts college in the town (formerly city) of Maza, North Dakota.

Ah yes. Maza State. Not on every student's tip of the Common App. Or any student’s, for that matter. And yet...

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Patricia M. of Merrick, NY writes:

I'm the parent of a soon-to-be high school senior and want to know when we can get started on those college applications.

The College Whisperer™ responds:

That would be the editorial "we," right? LOL

The Common Application, which is the starting point for the admission process at nearly 500 colleges and universities, does not go "live" until August 1. Proprietary applications for colleges that are not members of Common App typically come online mid-summer to e...
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Assuming the beaches of Cancun aren't on the agenda for the coming Spring Break, high school students are likely to have some free time on their hands.

Here's a few things high schoolers (and not just Seniors) can -- and should -- do to prepare for college:

1. Visit Colleges. Seniors should visit or revisit colleges to which they were accepted, with a view toward deciding which school(s) would be the best fit. Sit in on a class. Stay overnight in a dorm. Check out the library (you may as well k...
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The news from College Board that they intend to "revamp" the SAT came as no surprise to The College Whisperer™.

After all, back in the day, SAT was the acronym for Scholastic ACHIEVEMENT Test, purporting to test what students had actually learned. It didn't.

As students, parents and college admissions committees began to figure out that Achievement was to the SAT as Water was to Oil, the less than venerable standardized test for college admission was "revamped," and, though it was still the ...
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As college acceptances (beyond those already in hand) begin to trickle in by snail mail and email, thoughts turn from "applying to college" to "which offer of admission do I accept?"

Decisions. Decisions. And all of them good!

Before making any decision [National College Decision Day is May 1], consider your options, giving weight to factors that are important to you and your family (including financial aid, academic programs, home or away), and give a read to an interesting and informativ...

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In a world where there is an App for virtually (pun intended) everything, it's no stretch to find Apps slowly creeping into the already cramped and convoluted world of college applications and admissions.

Yes, there are Apps to match students to colleges. Apps for scholarships. Even Apps to help you on the SAT (Number 2 pencil App not included).

And now, from the folks who brought you Naviance, The Musical comes Naviance, The App. Hold on to your iPhones, iPads and iWhatHaveYous, ladies a...

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No, that was not a mistake. We meant to say 20th Century, though we are now a decade and then some into the 21st.

For all of the complaints about Common App's cumbersome and convoluted three step process for submitting the Supplements, then paying, and then -- oooooops! Nearly forgot -- submitting the common portion of the application [Read, So You THINK You Submitted The Common App...], the folks at Common App have apparently caught on.

Indeed, in an email announcement to counselors and membe...
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G.R. of Old Westbury, NY writes:
My son, a high school junior, is in the process of finalizing his program for the senior year. His Guidance Counselor has suggested he take five (5) Advanced Placement (AP) courses, including Economics, Chemistry and Physics. He is also being offered a college level course, for which he will receive credit from a local college. I'm cool with the college level course, but five AP courses? Seems a bit much to me. What do you think?

The College Whisperer ™replies...
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Every year around this time we touch upon the critical need for students to search and apply for scholarships (read as, FREE money), both from institutional sources (once they know which college they will attend), AND, from outside sources, where billions of dollars in scholarship money lies in wait for the eager applicant.

So this post is well worth repeating, as is the advice contained herein well worth heeding. Keep up that search for scholarship money. Apply. Apply. Apply!

Remember, the dea...
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It all seemed innocent enough. The former Pontiff, waving to the admiring throngs, whisked away in a waiting helicopter (shades of Richard Nixon's departure from the White House? Hmmm.) [Why his Holiness Emeritus would need a helicopter to take him to his newly-built apartment just a block away from the Vatican befuddles us, but we digress.]

The sun rose over the Vatican this morning, Cardinals lounging by the pool in their red velvet Speedos, and then, from the Arch Bishop of St. Louis, Cardi...
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The year was 1961. Then President and former General of the Army, Dwight D. Eisenhower, addressing a nation about to embark upon a journey toward a new frontier, warned Americans to beware the military industrial complex, an interlocking directorate, fueled by blind ambition and unfettered arrogance.

"We face a hostile ideology -- global in scope, atheistic in character, ruthless in purpose, and insidious in method," said Eisenhower, referring, of course, to Communism. Our response, he postul...

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If red is the color of embarrassment, then surely crimson appropriately colors the faces of the true scholars of Harvard University, this on the heels of the appointment of Sarah Palin, Wasilla's Woman of The (15th) Century, Vice Presidential wannabe, and former talking head at Faux News, as "Visiting Scholar."

Read (which, apparently, is something Ms. Palin rarely does), Sarah Palin Appointed Visiting Scholar At Harvard.

Upon learning of the appointment, U.S. News & World Report, the folks who...
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While many a college application deadline has long ago passed, there are literally hundreds of colleges out there still accepting applications for the fall of 2013.

Here are but a few of the ways you can find colleges that have late application deadlines and/or offer "rolling" admissions:

1. Common Application member institutions still open to new applicants may be found by going to the Common App website, scrolling down Member Colleges & Universities, and clicking College Search. Indicate tha...

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Did you miss the Newsday webinar on how to pay for your college education?

No worries. Watch it right here, via the link below.

Use the COLLEGE CONNECTION email address -- info@CollegeConnect.info -- as your login.
- - -
Newsday College Prep Talk Free Webinar on "How To Finance College"
The original event was broadcast on:
Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Time: 8:00 PM EST
Duration: 60-minutes

http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=561393&s=1&k=CE474C5C5481AED2DF6FF6ECDDD9CB49 

Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The...

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Keeping to his State of the Union promise to provide accountability and transparency, and to help families determine “where you can get the most bang for your educational buck,” President Obama has unveiled the so-called "College Scorecard."

The College Scorecard creates a new universal system to rank the educational value of the nation’s colleges and universities, and allows parents and students to view a college’s cost, graduation rate, loan default rate, median borrowing, and employ...
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With the release of Common App's new essay prompts comes the opportunity for high school Juniors to begin thinking about their college application personal statement and assorted (or was that, sordid?) essays. [Note that we said, "thinking about," not stressing over.]

As we've suggested, quite strongly, in past posts, the essay is your opportunity -- perhaps the best opportunity -- to truly set yourself apart from the legion of college applicants soon to join you on the front lines of college ...
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There are three senses students (and, come to think of it, all of us) need to succeed -- in college, in business and in life!

1. A sense of history. If you don't know and understand where you came from, you'll never have a clue as to where you may be going.

2. A sense of perspective. About the world around you and, of no less import, about yourself.

3. A sense of humor. Take what you do most seriously. Yourself? Not so much. Laugh. It truly is the best medicine!

Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

The v...

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Nowadays, it seems as though there's an App for almost everything. Shopping. Banking. Restaurants. You name it.

So, it should come as no surprise that, in addition to those Apps that help you search for colleges (among them, College Confidential), there are Apps that let you find, match, save and share college scholarships. Why, there's even an App to help you find parking on campus! [Clearly, they never looked for parking at Queens College. :-)

For anyone who visits the Apple Store online, or ...
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The reveal of the essay prompts for the 2013-14 Common Application have been released, and although next season's version of the revamped application -- dubbed Common App 4.0 -- will not go live until August 1, today's high school Juniors can get an early start in formulating ideas for their personal statements, the topics of Common App's choice now firmly in hand.

Yes, gone is the essay topic of your choice (shame), and there is now a minimum (250) and maximum (650) word count, to be strictly...
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Getting into college is a challenge. Paying for it?

Well, when it comes to the money you need to cover tuition, room and board, books, not to mention Fraternity or Sorority dues (we never said a word :-), unless you've got a money tree in the backyard, or have saved since your high school kid was in vitro (and even then), you need all the expert guidance and advice you can get.

And so, aside from that which you may glean from The College Whisperer blog™, or through our independent college co...
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Tuesday, April 23 - Spring College EXPO - sponsored by Nassau Counselors' Association. Mack Sports Complex, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY: 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM.

Now is the time for high school juniors (as well as sophomores) and their parents to get a jump start on college planning.

Hofstra University in Uniondale (Long Island) will play host to the 2013 Spring College Expo, sponsored by the Nassau Counselors' Association.

Beat the crowds. Meet with representatives from more than 300 colleges a...
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With billions of dollars of scholarship and grant money (read as, "free money you never have to pay back") out there for the taking, and everyone from Guidance Counselors to financial planners telling you how to get your hands on a good chunk of it (not that you listen :-), we figured we'd tell you how to go about NOT getting any money for college.

That's right. Here's the consummate "How NOT To" when it comes to paying for college!

Just follow these simple steps and you will be guaranteed to g...
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Add this to the list of accolades for College Connection, Long Island's premier college planning service, and home of The College Whisperer™: @GetCollege -- our Twitter site -- was named to the Top 101 College Planning Twitter Accounts for Parents.

Oh yeah. We're up there with the best of 'em. @nytimescollege, @USNewsEducation, @CollegeBlogs and that Holy Grail (or is it Holy Terror of college information, @CollegeBoard. Cue the balloons!

Okay. So we're Number 83 for our first appearance on t...
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January. Those who applied Early Action anxiously await that envelope -- or e-mail, as is often the case in the information age -- the "We welcome you to xyz U, class of 2017" or "We regret to inform you.." from colleges offering the comfort (or further angst) that comes with knowing where you stand -- even if it's on a waiting line.

If rejected, well, there's still time to apply elsewhere. [You didn't want to go there anyway, right? Mom made you apply. ;-)]

Assuming you are accepted, now what?...
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If this had been an actual indicator of how well you'd do in college, rather than a money-grabbing raid on our collective bank accounts, signifying little more than grand theft corporate... If only...

Anyway, with the new year comes new registration dates, test dates, find out your scores dates, for the dreaded ACT and SAT. Open those study guides -- and your wallets...
...

Feb. 9	ACT	Jan. 11 (1/18 with late fee)	Feb. 25	Mar. 1
Mar. 9	SAT only	Feb. 8 (2/22 with late fee)	Mar. 28

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While most high school seniors are submitting FAFSA, and some are putting the finishing touches on the last of their college applications, high school juniors, waiting in the wings, are busy, er, ah, um, busy doing, hmmm... What exactly are high school juniors busy doing?

Dollars to doughnuts (who says that anymore?), while juniors -- and the parents of same -- may have much on their respective plates, preparing for the madness of college applications and admissions (and we mean seriously prep...
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It's time once again to apply for the College Prowler "No Essay" $2000 Scholarship! [Actually, it's that time once every month!]

And speaking of scholarships...

Whether you're in college, applying to college or only beginning to think about college, you should be searching and applying for scholarships, grants and other "free" money via scholarship search engines such as fastweb, MeritAid and Zinch. Remember, you've got to be in it to win it! [There are many other avenues for college gelt shoul...
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For those of us old enough to remember the movie, Bang The Drum Slowly, or, for that matter, the crafty card games of The Sting, TEGWAR is a familiar, if but somewhat unsettling, word.

Yes, TEGWAR -- The Exciting Game Without Any Rules -- where a good old game of Poker turns into a time-honored way of separating suckers from their money.

Oddly enough (and quite the perfect segue, really), that brings us to college admissions. A process where suckers, if not (yet) to be separated from their mon...
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FAFSA. It's where the money is!