The vastness of the western United States, specifically California, can actually limit our view. Each time I speak with high school juniors about college choices, I hear the aforementioned oxymoron. The diverse geography of California and distance of Northern California to Southern California can entice students to think they’re making a big move away from…
Tag: Private colleges
The Practicality of a College Education
Presented in addition to last week’s post about what faces Class of 2015 Graduates… From Zero Hedge, May 31, 2015
Congrats, Class of 2015?
The Class of 2015’s graduation celebrations may be short-lived. A graduation is often called a commencement, or beginning. So, what can the Class of 2015 expect for their new beginning? 1) The highest average student debt of any graduating class in the last 23 years – $35,000 per student loan borrower. 2) In addition, a…
Internships: The New Entry Level Job
Go to college. Then, get a job. The old adage may have passed its time. Now, the meme may be more like, “Compete to get into college. Go to college; work unpaid internships every semester starting your freshman year, and each summer take more internships, then, hopefully, you’ll get a job by graduation.” According to a…
The FAFSA PIN is Now the FSA ID
When submitting the FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid to apply for financial aid at colleges and universities all over the United States, parents and students have needed a PIN number as their electronic signature. Recently, Federal Student Aid has changed the PIN to an FSA ID, which will serve as an electronic…
The Changes to the SAT
The College Board will give the revised version of the SAT for the first time in March 2016. The revised version of the SAT will still include a Critical Reading, Math and a Writing portion; however, the Writing section will be optional. College admissions offices are slowly addressing the changes in the SAT format, yet…
Decoding College Admissions Decisions
Acceptance*: What it feels like: “YES! OMG!” And, loud screaming. Maybe some tears of joy (and relief). What it means: You still need to pass all classes in Spring semester with a C or better, otherwise the acceptance can be rescinded. Denial: What it feels like: Rejection. A disapproving judgment of where there’s no discussion,…
“Situational Awareness”
Violence periodically erupts throughout history, and college campuses are not exempt from these episodes. Yet, our human tendency to forget painful events as soon as possible can cause us to be gullible and irrationally fearful. However, when we understand the epidemic of violence, we can become proactive agents in our everyday lives, through developing a…
#CommunityServiceMatters
Yes. The reasons for completing community service matters… Cartoon credit: The New Yorker Magazine
Wait…I Have Student Debt?!?
In a recent survey published by the Brookings Institute, current college students with student debt were unaware of the exact loan amounts, as well as what they’d eventually repay. At $1.2 Trillion and growing daily, total student debt may be more complicated than we, as a society understand. Highlights of the findings are below: At a public four-year…
Living with Mom & Dad?
Is the trend shown in the chart below, caused by the increase in student loans, as seen in the following chart? Charts Courtesy: Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research & Zero Hedge, October 26, 2014
On Writing
The writing process is not simple nor are perfect college essays developed in one draft. The following is an excerpt from a recent New York Times Magazine article, “Old Masters“: Lewis Latham on writing: When I was 6, I delighted in the act of writing, at 12, in the expecting that by the time I…
Where the Young Live
The following graph shows the top American cities with growing populations of young adults and recent college graduates – indicating growing jobs and features attractive to today’s generations. As cities gain popularity, college applicants may be wise to research the location in order to determine the potential job opportunities and quality of life for after…
September 2014 ACT Scores Available Online
September 13, 2014 ACT test scores are now available online. The mailed copies of test scores will arrive in the next 2-4 weeks. Often, the online score report is missing the Combined English/Writing section score, as ACT readers are still evaluating the essays. Fear not: the Combined English/Writing score will be posted online within the…