Category Archives: College freshmen

What Out-Of-State Colleges Attract the Most Students from California??

College freshmen, Undergraduate, ,

Twenty-two percent of California college bound students are headed for out-of-state colleges. The Sacramento Bee has identified the top colleges that draw them away from California and the states around the country that have the most California students. Not surprisingly students from the state are heading to Oregon and Arizona on the west coast. They are also leaving for Idaho and Hawaii. Read the dull article here https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/education/article264096766.html?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%20Weekly%20Roundup:%20Higher%20Ed%20Dive:%20Daily%20Dive%2008-06-2022&utm_term=Higher%20Ed%20Dive%20Weekender

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Show’em What You Know: AP Exams

Advanced Placement Exam, AP Exam, College freshmen, Entrance Exams, Undergraduate

Getting College Credit For Your Knowledge And Experience

Whether you are a high school student or an adult considering a college degree, there are options for you to earn credit for courses and knowledge you have acquired.  The advantage to these are a shorter time in college and as a result reduced cost of your college degree.

High school students may be familiar with Advanced Placement or AP Courses. These are  advanced classes taken in high school that equate to introductory college level courses. Once students have completed the AP courses, they can then register for the individual subject matter tests. AP tests are scheduled in the spring. There are 38 subject matter tests offered by the College Board.

Here is a sample list:

  • Art History
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Calculus
  • Chinese Language and Culture
  • French Language and Culture
  • German Language and Culture
  • Government and Politics (Comparative)
  • Government and Politics (US)
  • Psychology
  • Studio Art Drawing
  • US History
  • World History

Scoring on the AP tests range from 1-5 and colleges generally award college credit for students who score 3-5 on their individual tests. Colleges their own policies regarding the awarding of credit for AP tests. The fee per test is $94. However, if you have a financial hardship, you may qualify for a $32 Fee Reduction per test.  For more information about the AP exams, practice tests and registration go to APTEST.

Too Late to Change Fall Plans?

College freshmen, Financial Aid, Undergraduate, , , , ,

It’s late July and all your friends are busy prepping for their first semester at college, while you are still trying to find a job or working in a job you know you don’t want to spend years at. You are beginning to regret not applying to college and are wondering if it is too late.

If this is your situation, know that you still have options for attending college in the fall.

First be aware that many colleges public and private, have Rolling Admissions. Rolling Admissions means that the institution accepts applications generally through the first two weeks of the semester. However, if you are looking for on-campus housing, acceptance in to a highly competitive program, or need significant financial aid, you will probably be out of luck.

That being said, you should talk to an admission counselor, financial aid counselor, or your private college planner as soon as possible.

Here are some tips to help you get into college this fall.

Apply as soon as possible for admissions and financial aid. The sooner you complete the application process, the sooner they can review and accept your application.

Find out if you need SAT or ACT scores. You may not need either if applying to a community college.

If you can’t decide on a major, consider General Studies or Liberal Arts. This particularly true if you need financial aid, as you must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program to be eligible for financial aid.

If you can’t afford to attend full time, take a course or two (whatever you can afford). Then you can take your time and work with a college planner to outline a plan to start fulltime in the Spring term or the next academic year.

Even taking a course or two at a local two year or four state college, can be used to your advantage when applying to college or university you want to attend full time. It shows you are: 1) capable of college level work and 2) you can manage your time effectively, especially if you are balancing work and school.

So take heart, you still have options if you want to start college this fall. Now get moving!! And good luck.

FAFSA 2016-2017 IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE

College freshmen, Financial Aid, Uncategorized

The holidays have ended and high school students are back at school. Seniors are awaiting their acceptance letters or finishing up last minute admissions applications. But that does not mean that the college planning workload is over. In fact the second phase of the process has just gotten underway. The FAFSA became available January 1st.

These tips will make he process smoother for students and parents.

1. Know the deadlines for filing for financial aid for es h college you apply to for admissions. Generally they are anywhere from February 1st to March 1st.

2. The student AND one parent must apply for a FAFSSA ID at FAFSA.ed.gov before you can complete the inline application.

3. If you do not have you W-2s or your federal tax teturn completed for 2015, estimate with your last pay stub for 2015. If your income is fairly consistent estimate based on your 2014 federal tax returns. You WILL need to update the application once your 2015 tax returns are filed.

4. Keep a file with all documents and correspondence from the financial aid offices you are dealing with.

5. Be sure to print the students’s name and social security number on any documents submitted, especially if the student’s last name is different then the parent’s.

6. If you have an usual family situation —loss of a job, foreclosure, bankruptcy, divorce/separation or death of a parent, contact each individual college AFTER the FAFSA is submitted to ask what their Professional Judgement or Appeal Process is.

7. Read your Award Letter carefully. Know what action you must take. Do you need to accept and return a copy of the award letter? Do you need to complete a Federal Student Loan Promissory Note online? Do you need to complete a Student Loan Entrance Interview?

Follow these tips and you should have a little trouble with applying and receiving financial aid for which you are eligible.

Top Engineering US Colleges for 2015

College freshmen, Graduate School, Uncategorized, , ,

If you are considering a degree in engineering the. You have to take a look at the USAToday article reporting on the top engineering colleges in the US. When looking at a potential engineering program, though, you need to go further than the highlights given on a y of these lists.

Questions to consider:

1. What courses and grades will I need to take in high school to be competitive in the college’s admissions process? Think sciences and math.

2. What opportunities are there for internships?

3. What is the job placement in my field at the colllege and at what companies /organizations are graduates hired?

4. Does the career I aspire to require a graduate degree? If so,  I should put this college on my graduate school list and see what undergraduate colleges their grad students graduate from? This could save you money if you attend state college or university for your ungrad degree and receive your graduate degree from a top ranked college or university.

REMEMBER where you receive your graduate degree will carry more weight than your undergraduate degree, as it will be focused on your profession/career field.

http://college.usatoday.com/2015/08/28/top-engineering-colleges/