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 and backgrounds choose the right school and nail the application process."

According to Scott Hawksworth, founder and editor of YesCollege.com, "This list is intended as both an information resource and a confidence booster for students going through the rigorous college application and admissions process. There are plenty of counselors, guides, and online resources to help students get into the right college, and we want to help those students find the resources they need. College Connection is a great addition to the list!"

Thank you, Scott. We couldn't have said it better ourselves! [Check out what students and parents are saying about us!]

To add to the honor of "making the list," The College Whisperer™, College Connection's award-winning blog (no daytime Emmy, but we're working on it :-), was given an accolade in the esteemed category of "Get Motivated." And that's a big deal, indeed, given that motivation is so very important in setting out to successfully navigate that long and winding road to college.

Be sure to check out the resources at YesCollege.com, to follow The College Whisperer™ for the scoop on everything from applications to scholarships, and to avail yourself of the expert guidance and support of College Connection, the "Go To" college coach in the college admissions game!

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. . .  
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer™? 
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com 

The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success ™ are Trademarks of COLLEGE CONNECTION.  The road to college begins at COLLEGE CONNECTION! Whether you are planning for college, applying to 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

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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 and, yes, sold, not for the sake of national security, but, chiefly, for the benefit of the private entities that collect such information.

And who, you may ask, perpetrates such an invasive and perverse violation of the Fourth Amendment? None other than the likes of College Board, Common App, and all too many of those sites where you register for scholarships, college tours, online forums, and on and on.

Ever wonder where colleges, lenders, purveyors of all things campus got your email address? How you ended up on the list of hot prospects at a college you've never even heard of? Why, suddenly, a school is looking for "students like you?"

Yes, sometimes it's not paranoia. You actually are being watched.

Every time you complete an online form, you unwittingly provide information that may be shared -- and, in many cases, sold (look, that "not-for-profit" College Board has to be able to pay it's top execs six -- or seven -- figure salaries, after all). 

Ever notice, having searched the Internet for, say, salted peanuts or single-seat kayaks (Father's Day hint :-), your future, unrelated website visits always display ads for salted peanuts and single-seat kayaks? Coincidence? We don't think so!

Students are often admonished to be extremely careful about what they post online. From Facebook to Twitter, what happens on the Internet not only stays on the Internet. It can be and often is viewed by others -- including college admissions officers -- who may not "like" what they see or read.

So, too, must students and parents be vigilant about what information they may unwittingly provide online when completing registrations, applying for scholarships, and even simply requesting information. Much of what is compiled about you can be beneficial, or, if nothing more, innocuous. [Think, email you continue to receive from a school you never applied to, five years after you've graduated from college.] On the other hand, some information, stats, scores and personal data (um, Social Security Number, perhaps?) is best kept personal, and out of the hands of those who would pry -- and perhaps prey -- upon the unsuspecting.

As for the IRS (no doubt reading this missive as we post), how about taking a closer look at the not-for-profit status of College Board? We'd like to be such a "not-for-profit!' Or, as my father-in-law used to say whenever he went to COSTCO, "I'd like to have one of their cash registers for a day!"

Be safe. Be prepared. Be accepted to the college of your choice!

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. . .

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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer™?

Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success ™ are Trademarks of COLLEGE CONNECTION.  The road to college begins at COLLEGE CONNECTION! Whether you are planning for college, applying to 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

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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 space has filled for any particular exam, it's gone! 

ACT test dates:

September 21, 2013 (August 23 registration deadline)
October 26, 2013 (September 27 registration deadline)
December 14, 2013 (November 8 registration deadline)
February 8, 2014 (January 10 registration deadline)* 
April 12, 2014 (March 7 registration deadline)
June 14, 2014 (May 9 registration deadline)

* The February ACT is not available in New York state.

SAT test dates:

October 5, 2013 (September 6 registration deadline)
November 2, 2013 (October 3 registration deadline)
December 7, 2013 (November 8 registration deadline)
January 25, 2014 (December 27 registration deadline)
March 8, 2014 (February 7 registration deadline)
May 3, 2014 (April 4 registration deadline)
June 7, 2014 (May 9 registration deadline)

Best of luck!

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. . . 
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Comments? Questions for The College Whisperer™?

Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success ™ are Trademarks of COLLEGE CONNECTION.  The road to college begins at COLLEGE CONNECTION! Whether you are planning for college, applying to 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

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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 acts).

We need to get a handle on student debt in this country. Our entire economy depends on it. Lowering the interest rates to more manageable levels -- if not what banks pay, then, surely, what common folks pay to secure mortgages on their homes -- would be a very good start.

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 applicant. Simon made his debut last week at our inaugural member conference and quickly became the darling of Twitter. Follow his journey (and learn more about CA4 in the process) at #GetSimonApplied.

"The darling of Twitter," eh? Never mind all of those other, and no less noteworthy, Simon Monks out there, including several already on Twitter. Watch the followers grow by the millions as Simon Monks attempts to go over the 650 word limit on his personal statement or tries to make payment before he submits his Supplements. 

Oh, we can hardly wait until Simon reveals whether he is of Hispanic origin? And will he be applying for financial aid?

Ah, yes. Simon Monks. Was he the fella running through the ballroom at the Common App member conference wearing nothing but a fez? Or maybe he is an international applicant from New Zealand or the UK? Do we "friend" this Simon Monks on Facebook? 

Surely, we jest! What The College Whisperer™ would really like to know is how Simon will take to the new Common App essay topics. What conceivable "background or story that is so central to (his) identity that (he) believe(s) (his) application would be incomplete without" could he possibly have? Will he be able to "recount an incident or time when (he) experienced failure" or "reflect on a time when (he) challenged a belief or idea?" 

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 with the faculty. You even knew which Sorority you were going to pledge for.

What's a high school senior to do?

Well, first off, take a deep breath. In or out, the world doesn't end at the gates of Monsters University. There are other colleges and universities of at least equal stature and certain merit, some of which are willing to welcome you with open arms (not to mention open pockets, to be lined with what seems like your very last dollar).

And perhaps this is as good a time as any to interject here, as you feel that bubble bursting, heart-breaking, gut wrenching knot in the pit of your stomach. Wouldn't you rather go to a college that wants you, needs you, adores you right off the bat, than one that offers, at best, a lukewarm maybe?

But we digress.

Waitlisted. Okay. You send your updated scores and grades to admissions. Let them know about that First Place in the Math Olympiads that somehow escaped your application. One more letter of recommendation. Maybe, to all of those. Perhaps a brief love note reminding them of your keen, if not undying interest, is your best bet. Otherwise, as the name implies, all you can do is, um, wait.

Of course, as they chose not to invite you to the dance straight out, you might just want to tell them, "thanks but no thanks. I've made other plans." We know. That's not a likely scenario for most 17 year olds.

You've given it your all (assuming you want to take a hail Mary shot from mid-court). So, you wait, and wait, and... Well, you know the routine. Or, as The College Whisperer™ often advises his students, you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move on. You're way too good for that indecisive college, anyway!

Assuming, for argument sake, that you reallllllllly want to go to Monsters U. What more can you do? Send chocolates to the Dean of Admissions? Sky write over the campus? Have dear old Dad write a check to fund an endowment for the next hundred years? Well, no.

In fact, The New York Times addressed this very issue in, On A College Waiting List? Sending Cookies Isn't Going To Help. Then again, eating those cookies yourself, or woofing down a half gallon of your favorite ice cream, may not help you get in either, but, hey, nothing like burying that sorrow under mounds of Forbidden Chocolate smothered in hot fudge. :-)

Anyway, for those still waiting to hear from that wonderful college that dared to put you (of all people) on that dreaded wait list (much like Jay Gatsby waiting for that telephone call from Daisy), you can continue to wait (probably not worth it), or you can actually go to that school you already committed to (albeit reluctantly) on May 1. And when you do, it won't take long for you to realize that you landed where you truly belong. At the real dream college. [Just be sure to check for monsters under the dorm room bed!] No waiting required!

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? Questions for The College Whisperer™?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success ™ are Trademarks of COLLEGE CONNECTION. The road to college begins at COLLEGE CONNECTION! Whether you are planning for college, applying to 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

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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, while students -- America's future -- get, well, the shaft.

Add to this the fact that, unless Congress acts, and acts fast (when was the last time they did that), those interest rates on subsidized student loans will rise from 3.4% to 6.8% this summer.

Enter Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), who recently introduced a bill in the Senate to drop the student loan interest rate to that which banks pay to borrow from the government, this for a period of one year, while the feds (hopefully) hammer out a long-range plan for student loans.

READ, Elizabeth Warren introduces bill to shrink student loans rates for one year. 

Some of us remember when interest on student loans hovered around 1%, and payback was nary a burden. [Of course, some of us also recall when gas was 32 cents a gallon. Another story for another post.] How wonderful it would be to roll back rates on student loans, giving students that well deserved jump start on economic freedom, not to mention equal footing with the likes of CitiBank and Chase.

Believe it or not, student debt -- over one trillion dollars of it -- is now the second highest form of debt (mortgage debt being number one) in America. The impact upon our nation's economy, with young people reluctant, or unable to take out car loans or home mortgages, is substantial. And the impact upon family finances, from retirement accounts to putting food on the table, is often devastating.

Let's not forget that while banks borrow at 0.75%, they have no problem charging what would be, if you and I did it, usurious rates on credit cards (12%, 18%, more), as well as all kinds of fees simply for using your own money. 

We need to take back credit in America, and give college students who must borrow money to go to school, if not a fresh start, then, certainly, a less onerous beginning.

Does the Warren bill have a chance in Congress? Well, look at it this way. If our representatives can't make any reasonable and responsible headway on such critical issues as gun control, immigration, and the sequestration, what hope is there for saving college students from a lifetime of indebtedness? 

Still, Congress is supposed to represent us -- We, the People. Not the special interests with the big money. Not the big banks. Not the NRA. Not the Norquististas.  We, the People. That, we presume, would include our children and grandchildren. The stakeholders of America's tomorrows.

The College Whisperer™ encourages readers to contact their representatives in Congress, urging them to consider and pass Elizabeth Warren's bill to lower the interest rate on student loans.

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? Questions for The College Whisperer™?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success ™ are Trademarks of COLLEGE CONNECTION.  The road to college begins at COLLEGE CONNECTION! Whether you are planning for college, applying to 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

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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? Questions for The College Whisperer™?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success ™ are Trademarks of COLLEGE CONNECTION.  The road to college begins at COLLEGE CONNECTION! Whether you are planning for college, applying to 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

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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. of A. Indeed, as more students take advantage of the legion of Gap Year programs, both domestic and international, available to them, more colleges, having accepted said students, are happily offering deferments. Actually, it's a win-win for both student and college. The student, having applied to college, gets in, while the college, assured of having a student in hand and on campus the following year, gains space this fall.

While Gap Years aren't for everyone, and they don't always come cheap, the experience often proves invaluable, opening minds, forging friendships, and giving students that "real life" experience before they head off to the more or less sheltered life of college.

Gap Year programs are legion, and finding just the right one to suit a particular student's needs and financing can be daunting. A bit of research on just what's out there can be helpful in narrowing the field and making Gap Year decisions.

The list of Gap Year programs is exhaustive. With this in mind, here are but a few -- the tip of the iceberg, mind you -- of the Gap Year programs and related readings we've come across in our research. [For a more complete listing, email us.] 

USA Gap Year Fairs | Programs    www.usagapyearfairs.org/programs    The USA Gap Year Fairs website offers a listing of a variety of different Gap Year programs. All the programs listed below are Keystone Programs; they are ...  

Gap Year Abroad | Gap Year Programs with CIEE   www.ciee.org/gap-year-abroad/    CIEE has Gap Year Programs abroad in Spain, France, Japan, China and more. Find the right way to spend your gap year and have the adventure of a lifetime.

Thinking Beyond Borders: Gap Year Programs with Purpose thinkingbeyondborders.org/   TBB's gap year programs go beyond just travel and service. Our students find direction, skills, and community for college and to change the world.

Study Abroad Gapyear - ISA    studiesabroad.com/gapyear    ISA Gap Year programs offer high school graduates the opportunity to study abroad ... ISA Gap Year programs are ideal for students who want to explore their ...

7 Questions to Ask When Considering a Gap Year - US News and ...             www.usnews.com › Education Holly Bull, president of the 30-year-old Center for Interim Programs, the first and longest-running gap year counseling organization in the ...

    Gap Year Programs - Planet Gap Year www.planetgapyear.com/category/gap-year-programs

Check out Expanish in Buenos Aires Argentina, a language school offering 3- month semesters abroad and overseas designed for college students,GAP year ...

The Best Gap Year Programs Are Here « American Gap Association  www.americangap.org/    Gap Year answers; responses to questions for a high school thesis. -- 1. ...

Know of other Gap Year programs? Want to share your Gap Year experience? Comment below or drop us an email. We'd love to hear from you! 

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? Questions for The College Whisperer™?
Write us at info@TheCollegeWhisperer.com

The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admission Success ™ are Trademarks of COLLEGE CONNECTION. The road to college begins at COLLEGE CONNECTION! Whether you are planning for college, applying to 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

 

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