Posts Tagged ‘university admissions’
Not All College Freshman Classes Are Filled Yet
May 1st has historically been the day that college admissions have the best idea of who will make up their freshman classes. This is still traditionally true for elite private institutions and some public universities.
Still, according to a recent article from Inside Higher Ed, there remains another group of schools, generally private schools without massive endowments, that have not filled their freshman class. In some cases, they are trying post-May 1 tactics to fill their class, and not just to persuade admitted students to enroll, but actually seeking out new applicants for the fall.
This gives college-bound students a unique opportunity since some of these schools are making moves to attract more students. For example, the University of the South announced that it’d be discounting tuition, fees and room and board by 10%, which definitely increased the number of deposits it received this year.
A lot of these schools also depend on the “melt” from other schools’ waiting lists. And if you’ve read our earlier blog post about waiting lists, that melt could be a significant number of students! Just the waiting list at Duke University included 3,382 applicants. That means the chances of getting into schools off the waiting list their currently on is very slim. Why not go to a school that really wants and needs you?
Here are some colleges that still have availability for the fall:
Here’s the complete list of schools that have not yet filled their freshman classes yet.
Have an opinion on this post? Comments and share!
5 Unsentimental Things to Do Before Leaving for College
At some point before you graduate high school, you will inevitably run into–whether on Facebook Chat or at the farmer’s market–an older friend who’s home from college. That person will congratulate you on graduating, get you excited for college, and then proceed to give you a list of things you just have to do before heading off to college.
That list might include making a scrapbook of you and your BFF’s, ditching a class for “Senior Ditch Day” or scribing your initials into a bathroom stall to leave your “legacy”–whatever you need to do to feel emotionally prepared to leave your home and friends for a new place.
But there are also some things you’ll need to do logistically before you head off to college:
1. Clean your room
Not only will your parents appreciate the effort, but after 18 years of stuffing teddy bears and gifts from your grandma under your bed, you might find something you could actually use in your college dorm room–maybe it’s a poster, a blanket or a pair of slippers. Whatever you wind up discovering in the ether of your walk-in closet or bottomless drawer, sorting through your inventory can keep you from buying things you already have and save you some money.
2. Cook a meal in the microwave
A time will come in your college life when you will discover that for any number of reasons–strange hours, cold weather, etc–the trek to the cafeteria or a local restaurant is not worth your time. In that case, to stave off your hunger, you’ll have to compose something in your dorm room with nothing but a microwave. There are plenty of microwavable meals out there, but you can get creative too. Teach yourself some microwave lessons before you head off. Here’s one for a pizza bagel, and here’s one for Rice Krispy treats.
3. Save/transfer files on you computer
Many students use different computers when they head off to college. Sometimes they get brand new ones, other times they use their school’s state-of-the-art computer labs. Either way, you might have some files–like pictures, papers, music, etc.–you want to keep with you in college. Make sure to either transfer those files to your new computer, a hard drive, flash drive or even email certain things you might want–like that picture of your dog in a Halloween costume.
4. Get a check-up
College means freedom! It also means your mom’s not going to be there to bring you chicken noodle soup the minute your temperature climbs to 99 degrees. So, just to play it safe, get a check-up before you head off to school. Make sure you’re healthy and/or that you have the prescriptions you’ll need for college. You’d be surprised how many college-bound high school seniors don’t even know how to unscrew the lid to get a Flinstones vitamin, so make sure you’re healthy and ready to take care of yourself in the fall.
5. Practice living on a budget
The most popular game in college is going as close to $0 in your bank account without overdrawing. All the kids are playing it! If this game doesn’t sound that fun to you, draw out of budget plan for yourself before you head off to college. Practice using it and sticking to course. The more rehearsal you have with the budget, the less you’ll feel like a fish out of water when you actually implement it your first semester.
Do you have any other tips? Comment and share your thoughts!
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10 Most Economically Diverse Colleges
The Chronicle of Higher Education reported on whether colleges and universities are living up to their economically diverse stance for their student body.During the past decade, the country’s wealthiest and most elite colleges have faced heightened pressure to serve more low-income students. So are they doing it?
The Chronicle looked at which schools the students receiving Pell Grants–federal aid for students who generally come from families with annual incomes of less than $40,000–are attending, and the news is that Pell Grant students are still significantly less represented at the wealthiest colleges than they are at public and nonprofit four-year colleges nationwide
Here are the 10 most economically diverse colleges and the percentage of Pell Grant recipients attending each one according to the Chronicle:
1. University of California Los Angeles – 30.7%
2. Smith College – 23.6%
3. The University of Texas at Austin – 21.4%
4. Michigan State University – 18.8%
5. Ohio State University – 17.8%
6. University of Washington – 17.4%
7. Case Western Reserve University – 17.3%
8. Texas A&M University – 16.2%
9. Amherst College – 15.9%
10. University of Southern California – 15.6%
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What Does Your College SAT Score Mean?
Today, the students who took the March SAT will finally be able to refresh the CollegeBoard website and see their scores.
But now everybody’s wondering, “What does my score mean?”
According to College Board, SAT scores are on a scale from 200-800, with additional subscores for the essay (ranging from 2-12) and for multiple-choice writing questions (on a 20-80 scale). You probably knew that already, though.
So what you really want to know is what these scores mean to college admissions?
Here’s what CollegeBoard.com says about your score:
Your SAT scores tell college admissions how you did compared with other students who took the test. For example, if you scored close to the mean or average — about 500 on SAT critical reading and 500 on SAT mathematics — admissions staff would know that you scored as well as about half of the students who took the test nationally.
But this is also probably old news to you–of course your SAT score will help admissions officers see where you stand among your peers. You want to know what your SAT score means for your college search: Where can you get in? What’s a safety school? What’s a reach school?
While an SAT score can help you navigate your college options, it’s not the end-all be-all of your college career. If you score kinda low the first time, don’t get down on yourself, tear out all of your hair and announce to the world that you’re never going to get into college. Just don’t.
Do, however, take time going over your exam. Use your resources at school and online to see what you can improve. If there’s a will, there’s a way. Find the option that fits your goals and financial capabilities. There are SAT tutors, classes, books and even very helpful online products to help you increase your score. Then, take the test again.
So after you get a score you’re content with, what can you do with it?
Option #1: Tape your score to the wall beside your bed so you have something beautiful to wake up to every morning.
Option #2: Apply to college.
Since most of you will probably opt for #2, you should find where you score fits into different colleges. Every college has a different average of accepted students’ SAT scores, so it can get pretty confusing. Making a Cappex profile will make this process super simple by showing you your chances at each school based on historical data.
And now that you found that colleges you want to apply to, your’e probably asking, “but how much of admissions in based on the SAT score?”
Again, for each college it varies. One college might value the SAT dramatically more than another. If you’re super curious, speaking with college admissions departments will give you a better idea about what they’re looking for.
While it’s difficult to speak for all schools, we’re gonna go ahead and put an umbrella statement out there because the questions about SAT scores are pouring down on us: There’s more to your college application than your SAT score. A score can show aspects of your intelligence, but it barely cuts the surface of a student’s personality, wisdom or drive.
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Traditional Language Programs in Universities Have Declined Steadily Over Decades
Bonjour! Hola! Ciao!
Fewer and fewer undergraduate students are saying “Hello” to the Romanic Language majors. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education college undergraduate majors in German and the Romance languages have been vanishing from American higher-education:
In the 1970-71 academic year, Romance-language majors were offered by close to 76 percent of American four-year colleges. But by 2005-6, only about 59 percent offered them. German programs saw a similar decline: In 1970-71, about 44 percent of colleges offered the major, but in 2005-6, just under 27 percent did so. Leaving aside “secretarial science,” those are by far the largest relative declines discovered by the Riverside scholars.
Would you ever study the romantic languages?
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3 Valentine’s Day Ideas a Student Can Afford
Happy Valentine’s Day! Here are some Cappex words of wisdom on how to woo your Valentine on a serious student budget.
3 Valentine Ideas for College or High School Students on a Budget:
1. Snail Mail – Not even college admissions use the ole’ U.S. Postal Service anymore. Everything is digital, even college acceptance letters! But, receiving a sweet letter in the mail that is not a bill is definitely a treat. So make your own card, buy a stamp, write your heart out to your Valentine, and you’ll only be out 44 cents!
2. Cook a Dinner at Home – You don’t have to go out to enjoy a decadent Valentine’s dinner with your Valentine. If you’re a college or high school student on a budget, you don’t need to impress your Valentine with a fancy French dinner, just cook up something at home! Not only will you save moolah, but you will impress your Valentine with your new found culinary skills. *Hint* Easy recipes are as simple to find on the Internet as scholarships are using Cappex.com!
3. Picture You Two Together - If you want to present your Valentine with a nicely wrapped gift but still stay on your college or high school student budget, a picture frame is the way to go. You can find affordable picture frames at tons of places. Plus, the most personal part of the gift is the picture you place inside. It’s an affordable gift that has meaning to it, and it’s definitely better than your other affordable and personlized option: the illustrious mix-tape.
So happy Valentine’s Day! And if none of the above options work for you, why not find some scholarships to save your Valentine money on college? That’s probably the best Valentine they’ll ever get!
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College Application Rates 2011: Which Schools Saw A Decline?
We heard before that with the economy the way it is, more and more people have been on the college search train and that application rates have actually seen a staggering increase at colleges and universities across the country. But, the The Huffington Post informs that some schools have seen the opposite. What do you think this means for admissions? Do you think applying to a school with a lower application rate will help with you get in? Or applying to a college with an increased application rate will make it harder for you?
Here are the colleges that saw a decline in applications for the 2015 class:
- Tulane University: -13.65%
- SUNY Stoney Brook: -11.91%
- Grinnell College: -7.61%
- Wesleyan University: -6.07%
- Elon University: -6.06%
- Lafayette College: -3.16%
- Rutgers University: -2.29%
- University of Maryland College Park: -1.69%
- Colgate University: -1.37%
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Crazy College Stories: College Professor Sticks A Camera in His Head Only to Find Camera is Not Wanted
It’s time for, drum roll please, a crazy college story! College and university life is definitely the time for trying new things, but where does it go too far? 
Would sticking a camera in your skull suffice to say the experience has “gone too far”? At New York University, arts professor Wafaa Bilal, recently implanted a camera in the back of his head only to realize his body did not want it. According to The Huffington Post, “[Bilal] underwent surgery on Friday after his body rejected one of the titanium posts anchoring the device to his skull.” The article goes on explaining:
Late last year, Bilal had the digital camera inserted into a two-inch hole drilled into the back of his head. According to The Chronicle of High Education, the body-modification artist who performed the surgery also installed three posts between Bilal’s skin and skull to root the setup in place.
Bilal intended to wear the camera around for a year as part of an art project, titled “The 3rd I,” commissioned for the opening of the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, reports the AP. “But the setup caused constant pain, because his body rejected one of the posts, despite treatment with antibiotics and steroids,” The Chronicle now writes.
The troublesome post has been removed, but the other two remain. “I’m determined to continue with [the project],” Mr. Bilal said, according to The Chronicle.
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5 Things Every College-Bound Senior Needs to Do Before Spring Break Ends
With some quality time off of school, make sure you take advantage of this low-stress period to accomplish some big priorities, like, COLLEGE.
Here are 5 things every college-bound senior needs to do before Spring Break ends:
1. Visit Your Schools in Question: If you’re unsure about which college or university is the right match for you, you might to avoid simply flipping a coin. “Heads? Okay, State it is!” Make an informed decision, not a random one. If the schools in question are in close proximity to you, take a mini trip during Spring Break to remind yourself why you liked them in the first place, or even, why one school might actually be a better fit.
2. Contact Current College Students: By Spring Break your senior year, you’ve probably done considerable college research already. But since the deadline to making a decision is approaching, finding out about nitty gritty stuff might help your decision-making. Send an email or a Facebook message to a friend, or a friend of a friend, or person you had gym class with junior year who’s already enrolled and attending a school you’re interested in. Ask questions about the social life, how much homework they have, where they like to hang out on campus. For many, college is a passion and they’d be more than willing to chat with you about it.
3. Find Scholarships!!!!: A break from a school gives you the perfect opportunity to dig up as many scholarships as you can. If you’ve already received your financial aid award letter, you’ll know how much more of your tuition you’ll have to cover. Finding scholarships is a great way to cover a big portion, if not all, of your tuition. There are easy-to apply-to-scholarships out there, especially on Cappex.com, so get going!
4. Talk with Your Family or Guidance Counselor: Flesh out your college or university options with people who are looking out for your best interest and education. Go over your choices, the different tuitions, locations, and find out what your biggest advocates think about your college choices. Since higher education is such a big and important decision, and a costly one, listening to input from people who want to see you succeed can help you make the right choice.
5. Avoid Going Crazy Waiting for an Acceptance Letter: The final word of wisdom we hope to instill in you is to avoid mental breakdowns over an acceptance letter. Many acceptance letters arrive over Spring Break, so try to avoid biting your nails off or freaking out your friends with your anxiety. Getting into a school or not will not make or break you. No matter where you land, you are in charge of making your college career what it is. So relax ,and enjoy your Spring Break.
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New Report on Minority Students and AP Programs for College Credit
Advanced Placement exams give college-bound high school students a leg up in their undergraduate careers, allowing these college students the opportunity to pass out of intro classes and start working toward their college major from the get-go–granted they score the necessary 3, 4 or 5 that are required for college credit.
A new report written about in The New York Times higher education blog The Choice illustrates that more minority high school students are making the grade on AP exams, but still remained underrepresented overall in the nation’s AP classroom.
More than 853,000 public high school seniors in last May’s graduating class, or 28 percent of the class, took at least one A.P. exam. Some 59 percent of those who took the tests earned a grade of 3, 4 or 5, which are required for college credit.
Trevor Packer, vice president of the Advanced Placement program, said that while the report shows that more students across the country enroll each year in classes to prepare them for the exams, there are some signs that improvement is not consistent among some groups and in some subject areas.Over the past decade, the number of minority students graduating with a successful A.P. experience has more than doubled, according to the report.
“A focus on access and equity is resulting in greater percentages of students going into college with A.P. scores that qualify and result in higher college performance,’’ he said.”
But the gap between how those students performed, compared to nonminority students, is still great in most states in the country.
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