How Do You Know What College To Go To

Dual Credit: How Much Is Too Much

Dual credit is kind of like kale and Christmas decorationstoo much of a good thing is indeed… too much. It is easy to get carried away earning college credits that wont ultimately apply to your chosen degree. But how many should you take?

Advanced Placement courses or dual enrollment are two great options for earning dual credit in high schoolbut which is better for your student? In this article, we discuss the differences between them to help you answer this question.

Frequently Asked Questions About Choosing A Major

It depends on the school. Some students enter their first year with a declared major, while others can wait until their junior year. Individual departments may set their own rules, so make sure you ask.

If you can’t decide on a major, you have several options. Taking classes from different disciplines can help narrow your choices, as can meeting with your academic advisor to review the pros and cons of the options you’re considering.

Yes, you can always change your major. That said, if you complete a significant number of classes related to one major and then switch to another, you may need to stay in school longer to meet the credit requirements of your new major.

Definitely not. Colleges want students to think carefully about their decisions and not rush into any major if they’re unsure.

What To Do If You Get Rejected From Your Dream College

You’ve sent out your applications and can’t stop envisioning yourself at your top-choice school. But then the unthinkable happens: you get a college rejection letter. You start to wonder: what went wrong? What do I do now? Is it still possible to attend my top-choice school?

The truth is that I’ve been in this exact same situation. In 2008, I got rejected from my top-choice school, Stanford. Though the rejection letter hurt, on the plus side, it taught me a lot about what I did wrong, both in my application and my overall high school career.

In this article, I use my own rejection experience as a guide to explain how likely a college rejection is for you, how to avoid getting rejected from college, and the steps to take in case your top-choice school just isn’t that into you.

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Tips For Choosing A College

Grace Chenhigh school seniorsConsider What You WantTalk to OthersNational Public RadioThink about Social NeedsCompare SizeHuffington PostLook at the StatsNational Center for Education StatisticsList Possible MajorsHuffington PostAsk Good QuestionsU.S. NewsSchedule an OvernightLook at the Price TagColumbus DispatchCompare Financial Aid Packageshigh schoolers

Who Is Applying To College

Howard Greene was one of the most prominent educational consultants in the country and he cautioned that parents should be concerned when they find themselves dragging their teen through the college process. When parents are managing their kids college application and hauling along their passive or even resistant teen, they need to reflect on whether their student will thrive in college the following year.

encourages parents to begin the college discussion with their high school freshman and sophomore not by asking which college interests them, but if college interests them. By the time the actual college admissions process begins teens need to feel that the next step in their education is their own decision.

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First Semester Classes Might Not Be That Great

For your first semester, you’re probably taking a first-year seminar, some gen-ed classes, and perhaps a big 100-level lecture class. Some of the big, mostly first-year classes aren’t the most engaging, and first-year students at big universities are frequently taught by graduate students rather than professors. If your classes aren’t what you had hoped for, keep in mind that you will soon be in smaller, more specialized classes. Once you pick your major, you can start with the major-specific classes as well. Even if you’re undecided, you’ll have a wide range of classes to choose from, with everything from upper-level science courses to creative fine art studios. Just remember to register as soon as you can before the classes fill up!

Sat And Act Test Scores

According to The National Center for Fair & Open Testing , over 815 colleges and universities do not use the SAT I or ACT to admit substantial numbers of applicants, and that number is growing. While wed like to think its because of their altruistic concern to holistically admit the best student body, there could be another reason. SAT/ACT scores are one factor in almost all rankings, so it stands to reason that schools will want to report the highest average scores to improve their rankings.

This is, perhaps, one reason that colleges will super score or choose your highest Critical Reading from one test date and Math from another. Consider the effect of making test score submissions optional in the admission process. Those with solid scores will likely submit them. Those who think their scores wont help their cause will likely choose to leave them out of consideration. The overall effect on an institutions average standardized test scores, then, is a likely increase which in turn may help their ranking.

Clemson University landed in the middle of a media frenzy in June 2009, when an institutional researcher presented a session at a professional conference indicating the myriad ways in which the university was attempting to raise its ranking into the top 20. Needless to say, the university denied many of the allegations leaked by one of their own but were not able to articulately refute all of the unethical charges of manipulation against them.

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Check Out Comments On The College Confidential Website

Visit the forums to learn more about the schools you’re considering. On some forums, current students have offered to answer questions, so take advantage of this offer. And if you don’t see a thread for the college you wantâor if there’s not a current student answering questionsâfeel free to start a new thread or post your question to see who responds .

Can A 13 Year Old Attend College

There is no minimum age to attend college, though there IS a minimum age for college or private accommodation. Usually, someone qualifying for college at an early age is either living at home or lives with someone acting as a guardian during their college years, often a parent. Homeschooling and SAT.

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The Story Told By The Campus Newspaper

When you visit colleges, you hear messages carefully crafted by college admissions offices intended to appeal to visitors. Tour guides, often the cream of the schools crop, are instructed to be honest. But, theyre often the students who are genuinely happy with their school and adept at expressing their enthusiasm.

So, how do you get the real view of what goes on at a school? No college is perfect. In a visit that often only lasts a few hours, it can be hard to get the whole picture. Youre going to spend a lot of time and money at whatever school you choose. Its important to get all of the information you can.

The campus newspaper can provide a great window into the real-life on campusthe good, the bad and the ugly. Campus newspapers are uncensored by the administration. Some examples of how the campus newspaper can give you the real scoop:

One college, trying hard to shake its image as a party school, sported a large article in the student newspaper entitled, Best Places to Buy Booze Part 2. Did it take two parts? What might that say about life on campus?

Another newspaper gave front-page space to the debate on gay marriage, calling The National Organization for Marriage one of the only organizations in existence that is still fighting for discrimination in the 21st century. This points to a politically active campus open to the idea of gay marriage.

How Strong Is Your College Application

The other major factor that affects your chances of getting rejected from college is the strength of your application.

A strong college application usually has the following features:

• A high GPA and rigorous, challenging course load
• An impressive resume/CVparticularly one that showcases your ongoing commitment to a particular field
• A high class rank

For the Ivy League and other highly competitive schools, you’ll definitely need to stand out from other applicants. And the best way to do this is to create a big spike in your application. A spike is essentially something you’re passionate about and have continuously striven to master. It could be anything from a love of writing short stories to a passion for chemistry.

Most importantly, your spike should be a field you’re truly committed to and for which you have sufficient evidence to prove your commitment.

If you have a spike as well as high test scores, a high GPA, etc., you’ll have a much better chance of being a top-choice candidate for your school.

All of this also means that you should avoid aiming for a well-rounded application. This can put you right in the crapshoot of college applications, significantly reducing your chance of acceptance .

For more tips on how to put together a strong application, look at a real Harvard application and acceptance letter, supplied by our resident perfect SAT/ACT scorer.

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Where Should I Go To College Quiz

Wondering about where should you go to college? College is around the corner for most of us and still very probable for the rest. Whether or not this is your preferred path, what would best suit you? While you may have your major in mind, you must also remember that the size and location of your school factors into your experience. If you’re not comfortable with both or just one, it could throw off your studies entirely. Which is right for you? Take the quiz and find out.

• How important are sports to you?
• A.&nbsp

• I enjoy watching but I don’t play.

• C.&nbsp

  Are you kidding? Sports are my life.

• D.&nbsp

  I’d rather just play sports video games but they don’t completely bore me.

Does Your Teen Know When And How To Seek Help

When our kids live at home it is all too easy to tell them when they need to see a doctor or suggest to them that they seek extra help from a teacher. Once they are in college they will need to decide for themselves when to seek psychological services or tutoring.

Teens who have not learned to both assess their own problems and then seek appropriate help may falter when faced with inevitable problems.

Dr. Routbort emphasizes that freshmen need to have shown in high school that they can both learn and rebound from their failures and that they do not fall apart when they have setbacks.

She notes that it is important that students going to college can recognize when they are in some sort of trouble , asses the severity of their problems and that they are capable of reaching out for help on campus.

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Attend One Or Two College Fairs

College fairs are often high school students’ first taste of the college admission experience. Theyre big, loud, exciting, and overwhelmingbut theyre a great way to dive into the college search process. If there is a National College Fair in your area, go to it, because there will be lots of schools there. Talk to as many college representatives as possible and ask informed questions. Stop at the schools youve never heard of before. Gather as much literature as your arms can carry, and have fun shopping for a college.

When Do I Declare A Major

Typically in your sophomore or junior year, but the answer varies across schools and programs. Some colleges ask you to list your expected major on your college application , but don’t require you to declare definitively until later.

If you are interested in a major that requires a lot of classes, or classes that are limited to students in that major, then it is better to declare early. Some majors demand a strictly regimented order of courses, and if you fall behind, you may have to extend your college stay by a semester or two.

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Talk To Advisers And Professionals

The best source of college advice is your school counselor. Theyve helped lots of students who are making the same decisions you are. Your school counselor can tell you more about college majors and program offerings. Here are five questions you might want to ask a counselor.

Check out BigFuture for a list of 20 questions to ask your counselor to get the conversation started.

You can also reach out to professionals working in the field youre interested in. They can talk to you about how they got from college to where they are now. Whether theyre your parents, guardians, family members, or people you interact with professionally, set up a time to interview them. Be prepared with a set of questions to ask.

Guide To Choosing College Majors

We know that choosing a college major can be overwhelming.

But have no fear! Your choice of major will not lock you into a specific career for the rest of your life. That said, you WILL spend a lot of time whatever subject you choose. Heres what you need to know about college majors before you commit.

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How To Make Your College List

Okay. You have worked your tuchus off and used all of the college search criteria in this guide to find schools that meet all or most of your needs.

First, high five! Second, its time to come up with a list of 515 colleges that seem like a good fit for you. If you have far more options than that, keep digging with your research to eliminate choices that dont feel right or dont check off all your boxes.

Otherwise, this is the time when your college search spreadsheet becomes your best friend, hero, and favorite thing ever.

Why Attend College Abroad

Most students study abroad for only one academic term or year. Theyre still enrolled at their home university in the US during this time, and that home university often helps them manage the logistics of academic planning, housing, and support before, during, and after their time abroad.

Attending college abroad is a longer-term commitment that allows students to more deeply immerse themselves in the culture and lifestyle of wherever theyre studying. Its not an educational trip; its actually living and working in a new place for four years.

There are a wide range of reasons why a student might attend college abroad. You might be looking for an adventure, or you might want to access the resources of a particular school that happens to be outside the US. You might have family or friends in your country of choice, or you might want to pursue a career in which international experience is valuable. Whatever your reasons, youre not alone in your interest; a UNESCO study in 2014 found over 60,000 students from the US temporarily living in other countries and attending school there.

Given the number of interested students, procedures and resources exist to help make attending college abroad possible. Even with these guidelines, theres a lot to think over and prepare for, and there are many logistical and personal hurdles youll encounter along the way. Next, well go over some of the specific topics youll need to consider when making your plans.

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Career Services And Other Campus Support

For many students, college success means tutoring. Others might need counseling for dealing with homesickness or other emotional issues. And most college students need at least some guidance as they conduct their first internship and job searches.

Thats why colleges and universities have ample resources to support you throughout your time on campusand often long after you graduate.

Questions to ask

• How will the school help me determine and achieve my career goals?
• What is their postgraduate job placement rate like ?
• What does the career services office offer?;
• What kinds of experiential education opportunities, such as internships, co-ops, and volunteering, exist on and around campus?
• What academic services are available, such as tutoring?
• What health and wellness services are available, such as mental health counseling and fitness facilities?
• Are any of these services available after graduation?

Can I Change My Mind

Definitely. One of the most exciting aspects of college life is that it introduces you to new subjects and fosters new passions. You might enter undergrad enjoying physics but discover a burgeoning love for political science. However, keep this mind: Every major has requisite coursework. Some require you to take introductory courses before you move into the more advanced classes. Also, some classes are offered in the fall but not in the spring, or vice-versa. If you change your major late in the game, it may take more than the traditional four years to earn a degree.

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