The College Whisperer™ | Navigating The Road To College

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 rank colleges while we rank on the magazine's rankings, immediately dropped Harvard from first to last on its list of Best Colleges In America.

"Visiting," said a U.S. News spokesman, Pat Wisnitzikoff, speaking on condition of anonymity (a word which Palin could not spell if her life depended upon it), "from an alternate universe, perhaps." "Scholar? Only if you characterize an iceberg as 'warm to the touch'."

Asked which Harvard newspaper she would read during her tenure at this heretofore prestigious university, Palin queried, "They have a newspaper?"

Of course, no one could possibly take the appointment of Sarah Palin to be among the academic elite seriously. Or could they?

The reaction from one Harvard undergrad, Maria Litt of Hartford Connecticut, was typical. "She'll either lecture to a room full of empty chairs or empty heads."

Empty chairs? Heck no. That's Clint Eastwood!

Waxing philosophic, a professor at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, Ling Wao, told The College Whisperer™ (through an interpreter, of course), "Only in America do they make celebrities and millionaires out of fools and imbeciles. And having so elevated those who would otherwise fail to rise while sitting on a ton of yeast, we implore them to teach our children."

Right about now, 47% of Americans are applauding Palin's appointment, celebrating ignorance, and hoping that Newt Gingrich makes another run for the White House in 2016. This while another 47% of Americans are shaking their heads and saying, "You've been punked." [The remaining 6% of Americans aren't following The College Whisperer™. Shame on them!]

Punked, indeed. Palin's not going to Harvard. Geez, she wouldn't have been able to find the T-stop. The story, broke by Daily Currant, was a parody.

But could it happen here, in a nation that reveres the dumbing down of the populace (what thinking people would send those folks to Congress?), supports the arming of every student on campus with a concealed assault rifle, keeps millions of our fellow citizens in poverty by refusing to raise the minimum wage, and considers women as second class citizens in the workplace? You betcha! 

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™ 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 

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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 that you’re looking for First Year and Fall 2013, and complete the deadline box according to your interest. If you’re looking for colleges with a deadline on or after February 25, 2013, you’ll be rewarded with a list of 237 institutions.
   
2. For the Universal College Application, you’ll need to create an account indicating that you are applying as a “first year” student for the fall of 2013. Click on My Colleges and a list of the institutions still accepting applications will appear.
   
3. Using the College Board’s Matchmaker search engine, select your preferences for size, location, majors, etc. At any point, click on “See Results.” Once results appear, go to the dropdown box labeled “Alphabetical," click on “Application Deadline,” and specify “Ascending.” Click on “Sort” and a complete list of colleges reflecting your preferences will appear according deadline.Schools with “no deadline” are listed at the end.
   
4. For slightly different information, check out Peterson’s Colleges with Late & Rolling Application Deadlines. Simply scroll down for a chronological list of application deadlines. Note: Colleges with Rolling Admissions will accept applications until all spaces in the incoming class are filled.

So while the bell has yet to toll, and the college admissions clock continues to tick, for high school seniors who have yet to apply to college, the time is now!

P.S. A reminder that the college scholarship season does not end with your acceptance to college. You still have to pay that tuition bill! Continue to search and apply for scholarships. Today. Tomorrow. Throughout your college career! 

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™ 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

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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 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™ 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

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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 employment. The site also serves as a search engine, permitting students to find colleges based on individual needs, such as location, campus setting, and degree and major programs.

In a statement released by the Department of Education, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said the scorecard was an empowering tool for families. “Too often, students and their families don’t have the right tools to help them sort through the information they need to decide which college or university is right for them. The search can be overwhelming, and the information from different colleges can be hard to compare."

Hard to compare, indeed! Apples to orangutans, in most instances, with even the highly touted college net cost calculators often leaving site visitors confused and bewildered.

Now, with the College Scorecard, one can simply plug in the name of a college or university (or find one by means of searching by location, size, major, campus setting and a host of other criteria).

A perfect tool in determining which college is best for you? Of course not. In many ways, the College Scorecard is still a work in progress. By all measures, however, given the scant, scarce and often misleading information that was out there before the advent of the College Scorecard, suffice it to say that the White House and the U.S. Department of Education are off to a great start!

Along with introducing the College Scorecard, Obama also urged Congress to change the Higher Education Act “so that affordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid.” The Higher Education Act is set to expire at the end of this year.

So far, post State of the Union 2013, its President Obama 1, Congress 0. [Not that we're keeping score, mind you! :-)]

As you begin your college search, looking to compare and contrast, be sure to check out College Scorecard.

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™ 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 

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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 admissions.

Perhaps a snippet from our past post, The College Essay: Striving To Distance Yourself From The Madding Crowd, is in order here:

So, what makes for a winning essay?

Length? Ahh. Brevity is still the soul of wit. And pity the poor admissions officer who, reading your essay at 4:45 PM, had to digest some 100 other "My Experience As A Camp Counselor" or "Building A Habitat for Humanity in Honduras" writings before yours. Indeed, go for more than the minimum of 250 words suggested by the Common App, but please, no War and Peace treatise. [No longer an issue on the Common App, the new platform setting a strict minimum of 250 words and a maximum of 650 words.]

Depth? Who wouldn't want to read about obscure theories in astrophysics or the intricacies of foreign affairs that only a policy wonk could appreciate? [Then again, if you are applying for a specialized program that calls for a recitation of such knowledge, or you can otherwise make an essay about nanoparticles hurtling through an accelerator a fascinating read, hey, go for it.]

Keep it simple, so even the likes of The College Whisperer could understand. Keep it real. Write about what you know and who you are. Incorporate and elaborate upon your own life experiences and passions. What will you bring to campus (aside from your entire wardrobe and a high def TV to be named later)? Why are you the perfect match for this college?

Add a touch of humor (shying away from the stand-up routine for which you are known in high school lunch rooms, far and wide), and a tad of pathos. Humble yet confident. Assured but not a braggart.

Show the world who you are, and who you hope to become as you go through your college career. Tell your story.

What to write about? No idea how to get started? Well, the topic can be about almost anything and practically everything (within the rather broad limits of the prompt). [The College Whisperer wonders whether Jerry Seinfeld's application -- to Queens College -- contained an essay, like his television show, about nothing?] As long as the focus is you, your accomplishments, your goals, and the means you choose to take you from here to there.

Think of this as your JFK moment. Ask not what the college experience can do for you, but what together, you can do for the college community, both on and off campus.

One last thought (for now). Always keep in mind that's it's not only what you say that matters, but also, how you say it!

Be bold. Be creative. Above all, be yourself.

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™ 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 

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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 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™ 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 

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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 iTunes, a simple search under "college" reveals dozens of Apps for the asking, many of them absolutely free. Of course, you often get what you pay for, but still, who could argue with free? [Not to worry, Android fans. Google Apps has colleges covered as well.]

One of the college scholarship Apps that recently caught our eye (or was it, thumbs?) is the StudentAdvisor Scholarship App, brought to you by the folks at The Washington Post. A venerable and reliable source, indeed.

The App gives entree to hundreds of scholarships, and allows you to access, save and share links to scholarship opportunities. Of course, the App has its drawbacks. Just try, for instance, to write a scholarship essay on your iPhone!]

Granted, there's nothing you can't find through one of the many online college scholarship search engines (try Fastweb, MeritAid, CollegeProwler and Zinch, to name but a few), but literally having a scholarship search tool at hand may well give students the incentive (as if getting cold, hard cash for college isn't incentive enough) to actually look and apply for scholarships.

Besides, now when your mother tells you to ditch the iPhone at the dinner table, you've got an excuse (lame as it may be) to keep it nearby -- Gee, mom. I'm searching for college scholarships! Good luck with that.

Download the StudentAdvisor Scholarship App for iPhone and iPad at iTunes. Have some fun with it. Get a jump on those college scholarships, or get an "iTold you so" from The College Whisperer™!

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™ 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

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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 adhered to. And yet, the proferred topics are broad enogh to give students wide latitude in framing a personal statement that weaves a story of who they are and what they would bring to campus, and 650 words (up from the 500 first run up the proverbial flagpole by Common App), should certainly suffice.

So, without further ado, here are the instructions for the 2013-14 Common App essays, together with the prompts, as they shall appear on this fall's application.

Instructions. The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice.  What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores?  Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response.  Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal.  Use the full range if you need it, but don't feel obligated to do so.  (The application won't accept a response shorter than 250 words.)

• Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

• Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

• Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea.  What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

• Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

• Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

There you have it, folks. The dye has been cast at Common App. History is prologue. The rest, as they say, is in your hands!

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™ 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

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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 counseling services at College Connection, there's a resource that should not be missed -- Newsday's College PrepTalk Webinar, "How To Finance College." Best of all, it's FREE!

When: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 @ 8 PM

Come as you are. Even in your PJs. Learn about the DOs and DON'Ts of FAFSA, scholarship opportunities, where to find money for college and how to get your hands on it. All from the comfort of your laptop, PC or MacBook. [And did we mention it's FREE?]

Register for this essential webinar at www.Newsday.com/financingcollege, then just show up at your computer on February 13  at 8 PM.

Be informed. Be enlightened. Be empowered!

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™ 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

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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 and universities. Don't wait until the Long Island National College Fair arrives at the Nassau Coliseum in October. Be prepared to hit the ground running when the college application season arrives!

For more information, visit  http://www.nassaucounselors.org/events/springExpo.php

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The road to college -- and finding the means to pay the tolls along the way -- begins at College Connection. Visit College Connection on the web at www.CollegeConnect.info. Speak with a College Connection counselor at 516-345-8766. 

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