Dont Let Your Announcement Get In The Way Of Your Friendships
This advice might not be necessary for students who come from collaborative environments where those around you will be genuinely happy for you instead of jealous, but announcing college acceptances can be a delicate process for many. At the end of the day, you are under no obligation to share your news of; admission, and respecting others feelings does not mean you have to suppress your own joy! Whats most important is getting ready for the next step in your life and enjoying the last months of high school with your friends!
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Maintain A High Gpa While Also Challenging Yourself
Most students probably know this, but you’ll need a pretty high GPA to keep from getting rejected. Why? Well, a high GPA proves that you’re not only responsible and studious but also capable of performing consistently well in a variety of disciplines. By excelling in several classes, you’re providing direct evidence of your deep commitment to learning and academic success.
So what constitutes a high GPA? The answer to this will depend on the school you’re applying to. If you’re applying to a top-25 school such as Stanford, aim for a 4.0 or pretty close to it.
If you’re not sure how high of a GPA your school expects, try looking on the school’s website for any information or data about the average GPA of admitted applicants.
That being said, getting a high GPA alone isn’t as important as getting a good GPA and taking a challenging course load.
Here’s what I mean by this: when applying to top colleges, a 4.0 unweighted GPA is no doubt great. However, you’ll be a much more competitive applicant if you have, say, a slightly lower 3.8 GPA and have also taken loads of challenging AP/honors courses.
This means that you could get mostly As and a couple of Bs in challenging AP courses and still have a higher chance of getting accepted over someone who got all As but took only easy classes. This is because colleges like to see that you’re continuously challenging yourself.
How Long Does It Take To Get Accepted Into College
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Why is my acceptance letter taking so long! I went through so much trouble to fill out my application, now can somebody please just tell me: how long does it take to get accepted into college? Well, the short answer is that it depends on the college and admissions option that you applied for. Does the school admit students on a rolling admissions basis? Did you apply “early decision” or did you go through the traditional application process?
I’ll walk you through each of these and give you some time frames as to when you should expect to hear from the schools that you applied to.
Rolling Admission – What is rolling admission mean anyway? The phrase “rolling admission” means that students are admitted on a continuous basis. Usually these types of admissions programs have large windows . The window closes when there are no longer any spots for the program. This process usually goes pretty quickly. You will usually receive a response within a few weeks of them receiving your information.
Traditional Admission – If you applied through the schools regular admissions process, then you should have been required to submit your application sometime between January 1st and February 15th. You should expect to receive a response by March or early April.
I understand that waiting around for acceptance letters can be pretty stressful. Hopefully these timelines helped and gave you some indication of how long does it take to get into college.
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Confirm That It Made You A Better Person
Colleges want their students to be well-rounded individuals. It is in this department where you can make your suspension an asset.
Did it make you a studious high schooler? Did it turn you into a respectful person? Did it encourage you to create a club? Did it inspire you to help with the community?
The more dramatic the changes that happened because of the suspension, the better your chances of winning the college admissions officers hearts.
Changing Your Confirmation Of Acceptance
You may receive more than one offer of admission, depending on the number of colleges and / or programs to which you have applied.
You may accept only one offer at a time. However, if you change your mind or receive another offer that you prefer, you may change your acceptance as long as the offer has not expired. Your current acceptance will automatically cancel your previous acceptance.
Note that you may only confirm an offer once per day. If you have already confirmed an offer and change your mind later that day, you must wait until the next business day to confirm the new offer.
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Here’s What To Do While Waiting For Admission Decisions
Tips for keeping track of your submitted college applications:
You have undoubtedly worked hard to complete your applications and finally they are submitted! Now what? For the next few weeks, you may feel the anxiousness of the notorious college waiting game as nerves build and decision time gets closer.
Have the colleges received my application? An email is generally sent by the colleges confirming that they have received your application. If you do not hear back,contact the admissions office to confirm that they have received your materials. Every university has their unique admission requirements. So, do check and make sure you have followed all directions. If your application is incomplete, this could delay their review and your decision.
How can I check the status of my application? How often should I check it? There are applications status links on most every college website. Use the same log in information you used for your application and you should be able to access the university websites. Receipts of transcripts, letters of recommendation, and test scores are sometimes on these status pages, so feel free to check back as often as you like.
When should I be concerned if I have not heard from a college? Don’t wait more than three weeks to contact colleges if you have not received a confirmation. If you haven’t received a response, call or email the admissions office to check your status. You can also check the application status link on their websites.
What Is The Difference Between A Technical And A Pre
A pre-university DEC program is a two-year program, geared more towards students who intend to pursue further studies in university in a comparable or related undergraduate program. In general, pre-university programs are more theory-based than technical programs, and are offered at both fall and winter sessions.
A technical DEC program is a three-year program, geared more towards students who wish to enter the job market right after the completion of their DEC. Technical programs are also referred to as career programs, and generally provide students with practical hands-on competencies, in preparation for a career in a given discipline. New admissions to technical programs take place only during the Fall of each academic year .
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Before You Send That College Application To The Admissions Office
Colleges want to know whether or not applicants were suspended. Such is evidenced by the presence of a yes-no question on a college application form about the matter, as well as an extra space where a student may provide more information on being suspended, if applicable.
However, just because an applicant was suspended does not mean that he or she will get rejected right away.
So, in other words, if you got suspended in high school, it should not stop you from going to college. Depending on the grounds for the suspension and how it has changed you, it may not keep you from being accepted.
A college may take into account your suspension. But do take note that it is not the only thing that the college admissions officers will consider when coming up with a decision.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the College Reality Check. Ryan Smith
I graduated with BA in Nursing and $36,000 in student loan debt from the UCF. After a decade in the workforce, I went back to school to obtain my MBA from UMGC.
Rejected Heres What To Do If You Were Not Accepted To College
Once again, many colleges and universities reported record-high application numbers for the class of 2021, and record-low admission rates. Unfortunately, rejection in the college admissions process is a hard reality that many students must face. In some cases students can be left with few college options, but there are actually a number of routes that students can take to ultimately fulfill their college dreams.
According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling the average acceptance rate across all four-year institutions in the US is around 65%. Even though this average has been steadily declining over the past few years, it has recently stabilized. But for students seeking admission to highly selective colleges and universities, the statistics are often not in their favor.
This year, Columbia University admitted just 5.8% of applicants to the class of 2021 down from 12% just 10 years ago. The University of Chicago has consistently admitted less than 10% of applicants over the past few years, which is a dramatic decline compared to the schools 35% admission rate in 2007. The University of Pennsylvania reported an admission rate of 9.15% for the class of 2021 down over 10 percentage points from its 20% admission rate in 2007.
However, dont apply just to apply. Do your research and make sure the colleges you are considering submitting some last-minute applications to are good fit schools for your social, academic, and financial goals.
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Dont List Middle School Suspensions
Should you also talk about any suspension in middle school?
There is no need to do so. In fact, colleges do not care about your grades, conduct, and other academic and behavioral matters before you set foot in high school. When applying to a college, your high school performance is the only thing that matters.
At Least Give Yourself Credit For Trying
Putting yourself out there is a brutally vulnerable process. You welcome critique, judgment, and assessment Worst of all, you invite the possibility of failing.
However, in trying, you also open up the possibility for success.
I tell this to students all the time: by not trying something, you automatically cancel out the possibility of success. So if you want success, you can never stop trying.
Consider this quote from one of my favorite films, Little Miss Sunshine, in which Olive Hoover, child beauty pageant contestant, begins to doubt herself. In a heartfelt scene, she cries to her grandpa: I dont want to be a loser.
Grandpa responds with: Youre not a loser! Where’d you get the idea you’re a loser? You know what a loser is? A real loser is somebody that’s so afraid of not winning, they don’t even try. Now, you’re trying, right? *Olive nods.* Well, then, you’re not a loser.;
This quote highlights a key reason Im so proud of my studentsand all students who undergo such a strenuous college application process. It is tough business. You have to try real hard. But to those of you who show up, ready to put yourself out there and make great things happen, a sincere tip of the hat.
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What Can Go Wrong
College admissions jealousy is real, and friendships can become strained over admissions decisions. If youre unsure about how your closest friends or the person youre dating will react to the news of your admission, wait and tell them in person, not via an all-caps text message. Meet up face-to-face, and feel out their mood along with how worried they are about their own chances. Then decide whether or not to wait longer before sharing your news. Make sure to inform anyone you tell that youre keeping your news private for now parents especially can be eager to share news of their childrens acceptances with their own friends, which can quickly spread to your peers.
Additionally, telling numerous people about the colleges you have been accepted into can result in unnecessary pressure and unwanted advice. You may be choosing between two or three options, and hearing others opinions may complicate the decision making process. For example, you may have been accepted to a top school and received a full-ride to a school thats less prestigious. Choosing to attend the top school may place a crippling financial burden on you and your family.
Take Your Timedon’t Rush The Application Process
Whether you’re applying early action/early decision or regular decision, it can be tempting to rush through the application process, especially since most students are extremely busy at the start of senior year.
Even though this is a stressful time, try your best not to rush through your application to your top-choice school. Simply put, don’t write your personal statement the day before the deadline, and don’t ask for letters of recommendation from teachers at the last minute.
Why is this so important? If you spend too little time working on your application, you run a much higher risk of doing the following:
- Misreading application instructions
- Forgetting to submit a required document/application component
- Turning in subpar materials, such as a poorly written essay
I advise spending at least a few months on your college applications. And while all applications are equally important, it’s OK to spend a little extra time on the application for your top choice, if only because it’s the school you’re most interested in.
Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions by emailing or calling the school. For example, confused about application instructions? Send an email. Not sure what a “supplementary document” is? Call the admissions department. Better to make sure you’re following the rules than to risk getting your application disqualified because you made a huge mistake.
Got rejected? It’s OK to get a little dramatic.
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Do Universities Only Look At Your Top 6
All university programs require a total of six Grade 12 courses, but they generally dont dictate exactly which six courses you must have. Of course, if you only take six credits, all six will be used. It is only in the event that you take more than six credits that you have the pick of your highest elective marks.
How Will You Influence The World
At the University of Houston, youll find degree programs that will pave the way to the future you envisionwhether you want to build the physical foundations of the future as an engineer or architect, shape young minds as an educator, or study how far humanity has already come as an anthropologist. These are just a few of the areas of study available at UH, taught by world-renowned faculty members.
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Why Defer College For A Gap Year
The period between high school and college is a delicate time, one where teenagers are transitioning from being children in their parents homes to adults on their own. Its a time for self-discovery and exploration when you can learn who you are, what you want, and what your place in the world might be.
A pre-college gap year is a chance for you to spend some time doing things that dont require you to ask, how will this look on my college application? Its a chance to travel, take a break, look around you, meet wonderful people, try new things, and figure out what you want to do.
Many people come back from gap years changed — they’re worldlier, more focused, more compassionate, and more self-reliant.
Its no coincidence that many students come back from their gap year and change their intended major or have a more tangible career goal to apply to their studies. A gap year is about dedicating time to focus on you and clarify your academic, career, and life objectives.
What Is A Gap Year
While a long-time British tradition, the gap year is becoming increasingly popular globally. Americans are learning what Europeans have known for generations: taking some time off before or during college can lead to rich experiences, more profound knowledge of oneself, and a better, more focused collegiate career.
Many people come back from gap years changed — they’re worldlier, more focused, more empathetic, and self-reliant.
A gap year can take many forms. For some, its a solo backpacking trip around the world. For others, it might be participating in a formal, structured program like GapForce’s Nepal and India adventure. Often, a gap year takes young people to places theyve never been before or places of which they have never even dreamed.
But why take a gap year? A gap year is a chance to experience the world at a time when youre most open to it. Its an opportunity to jump whole-heartedly outside of your comfort zone and see where you land. It’s a time to press the refresh button, learn something you could never have learned in school, and — if you do it right — even become more successful once you enter college.
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Why Do Colleges Reject Good Students
The application is incomplete. Missing test scores, recommendation letters and other application materials will delay the review process for applicants. Colleges are likely to ask students to submit missing pieces of their application before the deadline, but its better to double-check the requirements first.