The College Whisperer™

Expect The Unexpected!

August 28, 2014

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. Formatting funk. Supplements MIA. Payment and submission paralysis. The spinning wheel of death, supplanted only by the slithering bar of doom!

The year before that, it was Super Storm Sandy. No electricity. No gas for the car. No lights. No way to complete and submit those applications.

So, we say again: To be forewarned is to be prepared! Have a plan. Don't procrastinate. Get organized. Stay focused. Work those applications, essays, supplements. Have an admission strategy for the colleges that are "best" for you!

Don't wait until deadlines approach before realizing, "Hey, I have to apply to college!" Do not put off what you actually have time to do today. Do not pass Go. DO search and apply for those scholarships and collect $200.

This is your time, rising high school seniors. Do not squander the opportunity. Do not wait until tomorrow. And don't just get those college applications done. Get them done correctly, accurately, and in time -- no matter what the unexpected may be!

BE PREPARED! [In a good way...]
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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Planning

Scan The QR Code. Get Into College!

August 25, 2014

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!

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Scan today! Be on your way to college tommorow!

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College Applications: "Early" Is The New "Regular"

August 22, 2014

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 they accept you, you must go. This is it!

You may only apply "Early Decision" to one college, and you, your parents, your high school and, in all likelihood, your pet iguana, must sign-on, agreeing that, should this one college accept you, all other applications will be withdrawn, all bets are off, and your "Early Decision" choice has you, lock, stock and barrel.

"Early Action," on the other hand, is non-binding. You may, in most cases (some colleges will "limit" you), apply "Early Action" to as many colleges as afford you the opportunity to do so, and, should one or more offer acceptance (typically by mid-December, rather than March or April, for Regular Decision), you can still play the field, deferring your admission decision until May 1.

With "Early Decision," you'd better be darn sure that this one college is absolutely, positively the place you want to spend the next four years, to the complete exclusion of the nearly 4000 other colleges and universities that may vie for your attention, if not your application fee.

There is no turning back once you hit that "submit" button and, barring the most extenuating of circumstances, there is no changing your mind.

Cold feet? Buy a warm comforter. Second thoughts? Tough nuggies. Found a school, a program, a football team on your radar screen that more nearly fits your vision of that perfect college? Well, too late now!

"Early Decision" literally closes to door to the possibility of going to a different college. It marries you, for better or worse, to that school.

Don't like the financial aid package (if any) offered by your "Early Decision" choice? There's no negotiation here. [Though you may be able to revoke your decision on financial grounds.] No playing one college's offer against another's, no hedging your bets.

When the warm breezes of April come your way, the "Early Decision" college you selected as the winter winds of November blew in is the school you are destined to attend. Period!

"Early Action," on the other hand, leaves the door (or should we say, "doors") wide open.

You get to send in your applications early (typically mid October to early November. Be mindful of all DEADLINES. They are not the same for every college), and should you be accepted by one -- or more -- of your "Early Action" choices, sit back, kick up your heels, relax and enjoy the holidays. You have until May 1 to make your decision.

"Early Action" gets your foot -- along with your essays, resume and supplemental material -- in the door long before the madding crowd, allowing the admissions officers/committees the opportunity to review your credentials while they are still fresh. Yes, your application will be held up to a light that compares you to other "Early Action" applicants -- many of whom have stellar academic records and outstanding extracurriculars, but this will be a much smaller pool of applicants than that which will likely swamp admissions offices come December and January.

And just imagine. If you apply "Early Action" to a number of colleges, and are accepted by some -- or all -- YOU (not the college) remain in the driver's seat, the master of your own fate, in determining where you will go to college and, in some instances, what that financial aid award will look like.

Are there downsides to applying "Early Action?"

A few. While most colleges will defer their admission decision on those "Early Action" applicants who don't make the cut on the first round, putting the application "on hold" until those applying "Regular Decision" have submitted, a few will preclude further consideration of "Early Action" applicants who have been "denied."

With so many more qualified applicants each year for so few spots in the Freshman class, colleges have the luxury of being extremely selective at every stage of the process.

On the other hand, it rarely hurts to get your application in early (presuming it is complete, accurate, and presents you in the most favorable manner possible), and, more often than not, an early application, prudently prepared and properly completed, will give most students the competitive edge. And who couldn't use that?

As one should never rush to judgment, rushing to decide where you will spend some of the most significant years of your life should never be a snap decision.

Fourth generation legacy who would rather join the French Foreign Legion than go anywhere but XYZ University? If you think you've got what it takes, and know, for sure, where you want to take it -- come Hell or high water -- go for "Early Decision."

Uncertain? Indecisive? "Think you can" but don't really know? Still want to beat the crowd to the admissions office while leaving your options open? Go "Early Action."

Keep in mind, too, that, at many colleges, up to 40% of the incoming Freshman class is selected through the Early Action/Early Decision process. In effect, "early" has become the new "Regular Decision."

Miss the deadline? Got off to a slow start? Couldn't find the submit button on Common App -- or somehow forgot to pay the application fee? Not to worry. There's still plenty of time for "Regular Decision" and "Rolling" applications. Hang in there!

Questions about when to apply, how to apply, or even where to apply? You are not alone! Speak with your Guidance Counselor, your parents (they are really much smarter than you think :-) and your independent college consultant. They will help you decide whether you should apply "Early Decision," "Early Action," "Regular Decision," "Limited Early Action" (wasn't that what they called the Korean Conflict?), "Single Choice Early Action" (what will they think of next?) or "Rolling" right along.

There is no "one size fits all" in either college selection or college admissions. So don't limit yourselves in either options or outcomes, particularly in this early stage of the game.

And remember, even though you may have submitted your application in a timely fashion, it will not be considered complete, and thus, reviewable, by college admissions offices until they have the entire package in hand. So make certain you send your ACT/SAT scores, and your high school submits those all-important transcripts, Guidance Reports and Letters of Recommendation. [Naviance, anyone?]

Now, get to it! Before you know it, "early" will be "late!"
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Stressed? Confused? Bewildered? Overwhelmed?

Let College Connection, the first and last words in college admission success, guide you through the college application process, and help you to navigate that long and winding road to college!

Call us TODAY at 516-345-8766 for a FREE telephone consultation. You've got college plans. College Connection can help!

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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Applications

Please Release Me, Let Me Go (To College)

August 21, 2014

As if applying and getting in to college weren't challenging enough, the law can even stand in your way.

Yes, there is a federal law, commonly known as FERPA (short for Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), intended to protect student information from prying eyes, that could, if you are not diligent, actually keep school records out of the hands of college admissions officers.

As silly as it may seem, even though you are applying to colleges, your high school cannot send transcripts or reports to those very same colleges unless you waive your right of privacy under FERPA.

Do you have to waive your rights? No, of course not. Then again, you do not have to go to college, either! [Pretty soon, you'll need to consult with an attorney before submitting the Common App. If you cannot afford an attorney, well, too bad. College Board will find a way to charge you a fee, anyway! 1/2 LOL]

Many high schools will have you sign their own FERPA release. Colleges that use their own, proprietary applications often provide the FERPA waiver form as part of the application process.

On the Common App, you need to log on and complete the FERPA waiver before you attempt to submit your application. Once accomplished, this authorization will permit your high school to release records to colleges, including transcripts, Guidance reports, and teacher recommendations. This should be done (and can ONLY be done) AFTER you complete the EDUCATION section of the Common App.

Access and sign the FERPA release as follows:

1. Log on to Common App

2. Click on the My Colleges tab

3. Click on the first college listed

4. Click on Assign Recommenders

5. Under FERPA Release Authorization, click on the highlighted link, release authorization

6. Check off that box next to "I have fully read and understood..."and press Continue

7. Check box next to "I authorize every school... to release..."

8. Click the circle next to "I waive my right to review..."

9. Check the box next to "I understand that my waiver. . ."

10. Type your full name in the box next to Signature

11. Click Save

Done! You only have to sign the FERPA waiver once (unlike those annoying Supplements, where every college asks you the same inane questions, ad nauseum, and then complains that they have too much reading to do. Which part of "common" don't they understand?).

College applications may seem like little more than filling in the blanks. To some extent, that is true. Be careful, though. There are nuances and subtleties that require a certain finesse. Particularly so in an admissions environment that, with each passing year, seems to become increasingly competitive and (how is this even possible?) all the more highly selective.

Don't just get your college application done. GET IT DONE CORRECTLY!
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A High School Resume Speaks Volumes

August 12, 2014

While the "common" section of the Common App no longer provides for the upload of a formal Resume, most colleges continue to welcome same, and many, including those on Common App, provide the opportunity to upload a Resume, either via the Common App Writing Supplement, or their own proprietary applications.

READ, Common App members and others welcome your resume.

If you would like a sample high school resume, simply email us at info@CollegeConnect.info, and we will wisk one off to you. Feel free to adopt as your own and modify accordingly.

SEE ALSO, I Am My High School Resume.

Remember, anything you can do to give yourself an edge in the college admission process definitely helps!

Questions? Concerns? Chocolate chip cookies? We are always here for you!

P.S. If this is August, it must be time to apply for the monthly College Prowler $2000 No Essay Required Scholarship! Just sayin'...

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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Applications

Live from The Common App

August 12, 2014

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
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www.CollegeConnect.info
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Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Applications

Nothing Beats Up Close And Personal

August 7, 2014

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 online fare, it seems that nowadays almost anything can be done online, including college itself. [When online dentistry arrives, count me in!]

Call me old-fashioned, but when it comes to college counseling, there's absolutely nothing like face-to-face, mano-a-mano, up close and personal.

Give and take between student and counselor is an integral part of the process through which the student truly achieves college admission success. Yes, online lectures, guides and tutorials can point both students and parents in the right direction, and online resources, such as scholarship search engines and virtual campus tours, can be invaluable, but beyond the online interface, most of the online programs (and their CD/DVD counterparts) tend to leave you on your own in the critical steps involved during the application and admissions process.

"How-to" sessions are, indeed, helpful tools, as are comprehensive essential links and resources, compiled to be in one place and always at hand. A good college counselor can easily -- and painlessly -- direct students to those links and resources, eliminating the guesswork.

Beyond the rote and the mundane (in other words, the stuff most students and parents already know), online counseling sessions, while often a good source (among many) of resource material and a great supplement to having a personal guide through the process, rarely fill the gap between application and admission, leaving most users wanting, if not needing, more.

True, the price is right, but like those "how to get rich" DVDs of infomercial fame, you typically get just about what you pay for, at best, or taken for that $299 (plus shipping and handling), at worst.

Can you find solace, comfort, and, ultimately, admission to the college of choice through online and/or CD/DVD counseling sessions? To be sure, so long as you understand that what you are getting cannot possibly be custom tailored to the needs of the individual student, any more than a suit bought online is likely to be that perfect fit.

College is, to put it lightly, a huge investment -- in time, in life choices, and, of course, in money. When considering college counseling, choose wisely, and always remember, while you don't always get what you pay for, as a general rule, when you buy cheap, you get cheap.

Besides, when it comes to getting into college, up close and personal trumps the dull glare of the computer monitor every time!

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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

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

Contact us at COLLEGE CONNECTION, home of The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, for all of your college planning needs. No one knows college admissions like COLLEGE CONNECTION. No one! 516-345-8766.

Find out why they say COLLEGE CONNECTION is, "The best darn college planner on Long Island!"

For up-to-the-minute news, apps, info and insights on college applications, admissions, scholarships and just about everything college, follow The College Whisperer™ on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GetCollege.

Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Planning

Common App Goes "Live"

August 2, 2014

"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 college, planning for college, paying for college or simply thinking about college, COLLEGE CONNECTION can help! Call TODAY for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766

For up-to-the-minute news, apps, info and insights on college applications, admissions, scholarships and just about everything college, follow The College Whisperer™ on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GetCollege

Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Applications

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

July 9, 2014

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 you on your way as you prepare for the launch of this grand adventure known as the college application season.

Before we run down that list, however, here's a simple, yet critical thought to keep you on track -- if not relatively sane -- during your journey:

Whenever you have or create a login/password combo (i.e., Naviance, CommonApp, College Board/ACTstudent, college websites, scholarship search engines), write it down in a notebook. In this way, you will always have those pesky logins and passwords at hand, and never find yourself saying, "Damn. I thought that was the password..." [HINT: Get yourself a composition notebook. Or, for the environmentally friendly, a decomposition notebook.]

And now, that list:

1. Build that Resume on Naviance. This is first and foremost, and a prelude to the resume you will create on Common App, if not elsewhere. Remember, Guidance and the teachers who will write your recommendations rely upon your Naviance Resume, and colleges, through Common App, will have limited access to it. Find the Resume Builder in Naviance in the About Me section, under Resume. Be sure to include every activity, be it academic, extracurricular or community, since 9th Grade.

2. Complete the Naviance Game Plan. This will help to narrow down your college choices. Find this in the About Me section.

3. Complete Naviance Brag Sheets. Pat yourself on the back a bit and toot your own horn. Complete the Student Brag Sheet, and ask Mom and Dad to complete the Parent Brag Sheet. Important reference tool for Guidance and in completing the application process. Brag Sheets are found in the About Me section, under Surveys To Take.

4. Complete the Naviance SuperMatch College Search. This is a useful tool that will help match your interests, academics, career goals, grades and scores to colleges that are a good fit for you. Not a perfect tool, but a good place to get a feel for your target and safety schools. Find SuperMatch in the Colleges section, under College Research.

5. Get A Dedicated Email Address. Consider getting an email address exclusively for your college applications, scholarships, etc. [Most students find Gmail works well.] You will avoid the spam, lost messages, and the problems often associated with AOL. Something simple like YourName@gmail.com would give you a dedicated portal for everything college. It also appears "professional" and serious to college admissions officers!

6. Sign Up & Register with Scholarship Search Engines.Fastweb.com. Cappex.com. ScholarshipExperts.com.
MeritAid.com. Zinch.com. CollegeProwler.com. All great places to begin your search for FREE money for college. Be sure to complete the profiles on each search engine after you sign up. Then, search and apply for applicable scholarships, both on-site and via the emails you will begin to receive. [Again, a dedicated email address is helpful here!] An early start (as in, yesterday LOL) in the scholarship search could mean real money when that tuition bill arrives. Also, take advantage of the scholarship search tools on Naviance (in the Colleges section, under Scholarships and Money) and on the College Board BigFuture website.

7. Register and Practice for the September 13 ACT and the October 11 SAT. Be sure to register at ACTstudent for the September 13 ACT and on the College Board website for the October 11 SAT as soon as possible. Space will fill up fast for this exam. Then, take as many practice exams as you can between now and then. [Consider a tutor if subject matter, focus and time management are issues.] Practice is truly the best way to raise your scores! [If that old standardized test doesn't prove to be your forte, you may also want to consider "Test Optional" colleges. At least having a couple of these schools on your list, while no guarantee of admission, should increase your comfort level.]

8. Begin to Work on the College Essays. Remember, outside of grades and scores, the essays (personal statement and supplemental essays, if any) are the best way to show college admissions officers who you are, who you hope to become over the next four years, and what you would bring to campus. A strong, compelling essay can make all the difference in the world! [Check out the Common App essay prompts!]

9. Visit Campus. If not in person (that can wait until the fall), then certainly online via virtual tours, such as YouniversityTV.com, CampusTours.com,and ecampustours.com.

10. On August 1, Register at CommonApp. While the Common App launches August 1, there is no rush to submit your college applications before the fall. You should, however, register and complete the online profile. [HINT: Use the same email address as you did for Naviance. In this way, the two can link and share information (the better to stalk you with :-)].

11. Call COLLEGE CONNECTION, your Sherpa Guide through the college application process, and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™! [Hmmmm. Maybe this should have been #1! ;-)]

Again, just a relatively short list of what you should be working on now. More to follow, after the Common App goes "live" on August 1.
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Plan. Prepare. Prevail!

Contact us at COLLEGE CONNECTION, home of The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, for all of your college planning needs. No one knows college admissions like COLLEGE CONNECTION. No one! 516-345-8766

For up-to-the-minute news, apps, info and insights on college applications, admissions, scholarships and just about everything college, follow The College Whisperer™ on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GetCollege

Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Applications

The College Whisperer™ 4.0

June 16, 2014

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, and the #scholarship search process look to you, you need to get to us!

Applying to #college? Paying for college? Thinking about college? You need The College Whisperer™. Find him at http://collegeconnect.info _ _ _

At College Connection, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward!

Contact us at COLLEGE CONNECTION, home of The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success™, for all of your college planning needs. No one knows college admissions like COLLEGE CONNECTION. No one! 516-345-8766.

Find out why they say COLLEGE CONNECTION is, "The best darn college planner on Long Island!".

For up-to-the-minute news, apps, info and insights on college applications, admissions, scholarships and just about everything college, follow The College Whisperer™ on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/GetCollege.

Posted by College Connection. Posted In : College Planning

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