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| financial aid and early decision: The College Solution Lynn O'Shaughnessy, 2008-06-06 “The College Solution helps readers look beyond over-hyped admission rankings to discover schools that offer a quality education at affordable prices. Taking the guesswork out of saving and finding money for college, this is a practical and insightful must-have guide for every parent!” —Jaye J. Fenderson, Seventeen’s College Columnist and Author, Seventeen’s Guide to Getting into College “This book is a must read in an era of rising tuition and falling admission rates. O’Shaughnessy offers good advice with blessed clarity and brevity.” —Jay Mathews, Washington Post Education Writer and Columnist “I would recommend any parent of a college-bound student read The College Solution.” —Kal Chany, Author, The Princeton Review’s Paying for College Without Going Broke “The College Solution goes beyond other guidebooks in providing an abundance of information about how to afford college, in addition to how to approach the selection process by putting the student first.” —Martha “Marty” O’Connell, Executive Director, Colleges That Change Lives “Lynn O’Shaughnessy always focuses on what’s in the consumer’s best interest, telling families how to save money and avoid making costly mistakes.” —Mark Kantrowitz, Publisher, FinAid.org and Author, FastWeb College Gold “An antidote to the hype and hysteria about getting in and paying for college! O’Shaughnessy has produced an excellent overview that demystifies the college planning process for students and families.” —Barmak Nassirian, American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers For millions of families, the college planning experience has become extremely stressful. And, unless your child is an elite student in the academic top 1%, most books on the subject won’t help you. Now, however, there’s a college guide for everyone. In The College Solution, top personal finance journalist Lynn O’Shaughnessy presents an easy-to-use roadmap to finding the right college program (not just the most hyped) and dramatically reducing the cost of college, too. Forget the rankings! Discover what really matters: the quality and value of the programs your child wants and deserves. O’Shaughnessy uncovers “industry secrets” on how colleges actually parcel out financial aid—and how even “average” students can maximize their share. Learn how to send your kids to expensive private schools for virtually the cost of an in-state public college...and how promising students can pay significantly less than the “sticker price” even at the best state universities. No other book offers this much practical guidance on choosing a college...and no other book will save you as much money! • Secrets your school’s guidance counselor doesn’t know yet The surprising ways colleges have changed how they do business • Get every dime of financial aid that’s out there for you Be a “fly on the wall” inside the college financial aid office • U.S. News & World Report: clueless about your child Beyond one-size-fits-all rankings: finding the right program for your teenager • The best bargains in higher education Overlooked academic choices that just might be perfect for you |
| financial aid and early decision: adMISSION POSSIBLE Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz, 2012-04 Admission Possible doesn't just describe college admissions--it shows exactly what to say and do every step along the way from freshman through senior year of high school, using fully illustrated examples and checklists. |
| financial aid and early decision: College Admission Robin Mamlet, Christine VanDeVelde, 2011-08-16 College Admission is the ultimate user's manual and go-to guide for any student or family approaching the college application process. Featuring the wise counsel of more than 50 deans of admission, no other guide has such thorough, expert, compassionate, and professional advice. Let’s be honest: applying to college can be stressful for students and parents. But here’s the good news: you can get in. Robin Mamlet has been dean of admission at three of America's most selective colleges, and journalist and parent Christine VanDeVelde has been through the process first hand. With this book, you will feel like you have both a dean of admission and a parent who has been there at your side. Inside this book, you'll find clear, comprehensive, and expert answers to all your questions along the way to an acceptance letter: • The role of extracurricular activities • What it means to find a college that's the right fit • What's more important: high grades or tough courses • What role does testing play • The best candidates for early admission • When help from parents is too much help • Advice for athletes, artists, international students, and those with learning differences • How wait lists work • Applying for financial aid This will be your definitive resource during the sophomore, junior, and senior years of high school. |
| financial aid and early decision: The Price You Pay for College Ron Lieber, 2021-01-26 Named one of the best books of 2021 by NPR New York Times Bestseller and a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice pick “Masterly . . .represents an extraordinary achievement: It is comprehensive and detailed without being tedious, practical without being banal, impeccably well judged and unusually rigorous.”—Daniel Markovits, New York Times Book Review “Ron Lieber is a gift.”—Scott Galloway The hugely popular New York Times Your Money columnist and author of the bestselling The Opposite of Spoiled offers a deeply reported and emotionally honest approach to the biggest financial decision families will ever make: what to pay for college—a decision made even more confusing because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sending a teenager to a flagship state university for four years of on-campus living costs more than $100,000 in many parts of the United States. Meanwhile, many families of freshmen attending selective private colleges will spend triple—over $300,000. With the same passion, smarts, and humor that infuse his personal finance column, Ron Lieber offers a much-needed roadmap to help families navigate this difficult and often confusing journey. Lieber begins by explaining who pays what and why and how the financial aid system got so complicated. He also pulls the curtain back on merit aid, an entirely new form of discounting that most colleges now use to compete with peers. While price is essential, value is paramount. So what is worth paying extra for, and how do you know when it exists in abundance at any particular school? Is a small college better than a big one? Who actually does the teaching? Given that every college claims to have reinvented its career center, who should we actually believe? He asks the tough questions of college presidents and financial aid gatekeepers that parents don’t know (or are afraid) to ask and summarizes the research about what matters and what doesn’t. Finally, Lieber calmly walks families through the process of setting financial goals, explaining the system to their children and figuring out the right ways to save, borrow, and bargain for a better deal. The Price You Pay for College gives parents the clarity they need to make informed choices and helps restore the joy and wonder the college experience is supposed to represent. |
| financial aid and early decision: The Best 387 Colleges, 2022 The Princeton Review, Robert Franek, 2021-08-31 Make sure you’re preparing with the most up-to-date materials! Look for The Princeton Review’s newest edition of this book, The Best 388 Colleges, 2023 Edition (ISBN: 9780593450963, on-sale August 2022). Publisher's Note: Products purchased from third-party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality or authenticity, and may not include access to online tests or materials included with the original product. |
| financial aid and early decision: You Got Into Where? Joi Wade, 2016-06-17 You Got Into Where? is the first college admissions guide written by a student who is fresh out of the college admissions process. Learn how I was admitted to schools like the University of Southern California and New York University with full tuition scholarships. The guide features copies of my admissions essay, writing supplement, and activities resume that I used to apply to college the fall of my senior year. Get advice on all the secrets of the admissions process from start to finish. I can't believe that a 17 year-old has written a college admissions books that is so well-written, clear and accurate. No wonder USC jumped at the chance to have her become their student. My sense of things is that mostly parents read college admissions books; high school students just don't want to take the time. Given what she says and how she says it, I truly believe that teens will rush to read You Got Into Where? It is well worth their time. -Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz Author, adMISSION POSSIBLE |
| financial aid and early decision: The Early Admissions Game Christopher Avery, Andrew Fairbanks, Richard Zeckhauser, 2009-07-01 Each year, hundreds of thousands of high school seniors compete in a game they’ll play only once, whose rules they do not fully understand, yet whose consequences are enormous. The game is college admissions, and applying early to an elite school is one way to win. But the early admissions process is enigmatic and flawed. It can easily lead students toward hasty or misinformed decisions. This book—based on the careful examination of more than 500,000 college applications to fourteen elite colleges and hundreds of interviews with students, counselors, and admissions officers—provides an extraordinarily thorough analysis of early admissions. In clear language it details the advantages and pitfalls of applying early as it provides a map for students and parents to navigate the process. Unlike college admissions guides, The Early Admissions Game reveals the realities of early applications, how they work and what effects they have. The authors frankly assess early applications. Applying early is not for everyone, but it will improve—sometimes double, even triple—the chances of being admitted to a prestigious college. An early decision program can greatly enhance a college’s reputation by skewing statistics, such as selectivity, average SAT scores, or percentage of admitted applicants who matriculate. But these gains come at the expense of distorting applicants’ decisions and providing disparate treatment of students who apply early and regular admissions. The system, in short, is unfair, and the authors make recommendations for improvement. The Early Admissions Game is sure to be the definitive work on the subject. It is must reading for admissions officers, guidance counselors, and high school seniors and their parents. |
| financial aid and early decision: Creating a Class Mitchell L Stevens, 2009-06-30 In real life, Stevens is a professor at Stanford University. But for a year and a half, he worked in the admissions office of a bucolic New England college known for its high academic standards, beautiful campus, and social conscience. Ambitious high schoolers and savvy guidance counselors know that admission here is highly competitive. But creating classes, Stevens finds, is a lot more complicated than most people imagine. |
| financial aid and early decision: Filing the FAFSA Mark Kantrowitz, David Levy, 2014-01-31 Every year, more than 20 million students and parents file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the gateway to federal, state and school financial aid. Families often worry about making costly mistakes, but this step-by-step guide provides expert advice and insights to: · Maximize eligibility for student aid · Avoid common errors · Complete the form quickly, easily and accurately Praise for Filing the FAFSA: I found Filing the FAFSA to be an up-to-the-minute, accessible and readable resource for those with a keen interest in the current federal application for student financial aid. –Nancy Coolidge, Office of the President, University of California Families need a guide that breaks down the application form into logical sections. Filing the FAFSA is an important tool in removing some of the mystery surrounding the financial aid process. –Verna Hazen, Assistant Vice President and Director, Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Rochester Institute of Technology With the plethora of information on the subject of completing college financial applications, it’s reassuring to find a guide that students, parents and even guidance counselors can look to for useful and accurate information. –Carlos Adrian, Associate Director, Financial Aid Compliance, Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs, Syracuse University As a long-time financial aid professional, I am always looking for helpful tools to assist families in understanding the sometimes overwhelming process of applying for student financial aid for college. Filing the FAFSA is a tool that successfully combines the presentation of detailed information with easy to follow flow charts and summary boxes to guide families through the application process. It is filled with helpful hints and is a valuable resource for families navigating the complicated world of financial aid. –Diane Stemper, Executive Director, Office of Enrollment Services, Student Financial Aid, Ohio State University |
| financial aid and early decision: The Federal Student Aid Information Center , 1997 |
| financial aid and early decision: College Essay Essentials Ethan Sawyer, 2016-07-01 Let the College Essay Guy take the stress out of writing your college admission essay. Packed with brainstorming activities, college personal statement samples and more, this book provides a clear, stress-free roadmap to writing your best admission essay. Writing a college admission essay doesn't have to be stressful. College counselor Ethan Sawyer (aka The College Essay Guy) will show you that there are only four (really, four!) types of college admission essays. And all you have to do to figure out which type is best for you is answer two simple questions: 1. Have you experienced significant challenges in your life? 2. Do you know what you want to be or do in the future? With these questions providing the building blocks for your essay, Sawyer guides you through the rest of the process, from choosing a structure to revising your essay, and answers the big questions that have probably been keeping you up at night: How do I brag in a way that doesn't sound like bragging? and How do I make my essay, like, deep? College Essay Essentials will help you with: The best brainstorming exercises Choosing an essay structure The all-important editing and revisions Exercises and tools to help you get started or get unstuck College admission essay examples Packed with tips, tricks, exercises, and sample essays from real students who got into their dream schools, College Essay Essentials is the only college essay guide to make this complicated process logical, simple, and (dare we say it?) a little bit fun. The perfect companion to The Fiske Guide To Colleges 2020/2021. For high school counselors and college admission coaches, this is an essential book to help walk your students through writing a stellar, authentic college essay. |
| financial aid and early decision: Who Gets In and Why Jeffrey Selingo, 2020-09-15 From award-winning higher education journalist and New York Times bestselling author Jeffrey Selingo comes a revealing look from inside the admissions office—one that identifies surprising strategies that will aid in the college search. Getting into a top-ranked college has never seemed more impossible, with acceptance rates at some elite universities dipping into the single digits. In Who Gets In and Why, journalist and higher education expert Jeffrey Selingo dispels entrenched notions of how to compete and win at the admissions game, and reveals that teenagers and parents have much to gain by broadening their notion of what qualifies as a “good college.” Hint: it’s not all about the sticker on the car window. Selingo, who was embedded in three different admissions offices—a selective private university, a leading liberal arts college, and a flagship public campus—closely observed gatekeepers as they made their often agonizing and sometimes life-changing decisions. He also followed select students and their parents, and he traveled around the country meeting with high school counselors, marketers, behind-the-scenes consultants, and college rankers. While many have long believed that admissions is merit-based, rewarding the best students, Who Gets In and Why presents a more complicated truth, showing that “who gets in” is frequently more about the college’s agenda than the applicant. In a world where thousands of equally qualified students vie for a fixed number of spots at elite institutions, admissions officers often make split-second decisions based on a variety of factors—like diversity, money, and, ultimately, whether a student will enroll if accepted. One of the most insightful books ever about “getting in” and what higher education has become, Who Gets In and Why not only provides an unusually intimate look at how admissions decisions get made, but guides prospective students on how to honestly assess their strengths and match with the schools that will best serve their interests. |
| financial aid and early decision: College Admission 101 The Princeton Review, Robert Franek, 2018-06-12 This friendly, helpful Q&A book from the editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review presents simple answers to your toughest questions about the college admissions process, figuring out financial aid, and getting into the university of your choice! As The Princeton Review’s chief expert on education, Robert Franek frequently appears on ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX to share his insider expertise on the college admissions process. Each year, he travels to high schools across the country, advising thousands of anxious students and parents on how to turn their college hopes into reality. Now, with College Admission 101, the best of Rob’s wisdom has finally been collected in one place! From standardized tests to financial aid, Rob provides straightforward answers to 60+ of the questions he hears most often, including: · Should I take the ACT or SAT? · When should I start my college research? · How many schools should I apply to? · Will applying Early Decision or Early Action give me a leg up? · Which extracurricular activities do colleges want to see? · How does the financial aid process work? · What’s more important: GPA or test scores? |
| financial aid and early decision: Soundbite Sara Harberson, 2021-04-06 Crack the code to college admissions and help students craft the ultimate statement of self-identity and get into their school of choice with this groundbreaking guide from America's College Counselor. On average, an admissions committee takes seconds to decide whether to admit a student. They must sum up the student in one sentence that will tell them if a student is going to be a good fit for their program. What is the best way to transform this admissions process from a stressful, pressure-cooker arms race into an empowering journey that paves the way to the best individual outcome? Written by a college admissions insider turned consultant, Soundbite guides parents and students through the admissions process from start to finish. Armed with her knowledge of how the system works, Sara Harberson shares tried-and-tested exercises that have helped thousands of students gain admission to their school of choice. The soundbite, her signature tool, presents an opportunity for students to take the reins to craft their ultimate statement of self-identity and formulate their own personal definition of what is best. With this soundbite in place as their foundation, students achieve maximum impact when they present themselves to colleges. In doing so, the tables are turned: the student's fate no longer rests on a soundbite composed by an admissions officer. Instead, the student employs their own soundbite to define themselves on their own terms. Soundbite shifts the way we talk about the admissions process—from Getting You In to Getting the Best You In. |
| financial aid and early decision: Higher Education Opportunity Act United States, 2008 |
| financial aid and early decision: Admission Matters Sally P. Springer, Jon Reider, Joyce Vining Morgan, Nancy Griesemer, 2023-08-22 The most up-to-date version of the best-selling guide to college admissions for over twenty years Newly revised and thoroughly updated, the fifth edition of Admission Matters continues to be the go-to guide for students and families seeking help with the college admissions process. Higher education experts Sally P. Springer, Ph.D., Joyce Vining Morgan, Ph.D., Nancy Griesemer, M.A., and Jon Reider, Ph.D., deliver a practical and accessible roadmap for a successful admissions outcome, whether the student is a high school freshman or a senior about to apply to college. Reassuring and easy to read, Admission Matters provides deep insight into a process that has become increasingly complex and unpredictable with each passing year. In the fifth edition, readers will learn how to build a balanced college list, when to apply, what goes into crafting a compelling application, how colleges make decisions, how financial aid works, and more. Admission Matters offers real-world expert advice for all students, whether they're aiming for an Ivy or a state school close to home. The book provides practical guidance for students and families whether they come from an under-resourced background or one that has provided abundant opportunities. Admission Matters also includes much-needed information for students with special circumstances, including students with disabilities, international students, transfers, and non-traditional students. Athletes, artists and performers, and homeschoolers will also have many of their questions answered as they plan for and apply to college. Admission Matters also provides the latest information on: The shift to test-optional or test-free admissions at many schools and what that means for you The transition to an adaptive, digital format for the SAT Changes to the federal process for financial aid What selective colleges are increasingly looking for when faced with growing numbers of applications Differences among colleges and how to choose the best fit schools Early decision and early action applications and when they make sense And much more... The latest edition of Admission Matters remains the gold standard in guides to the ever-changing and often intimidating process of college admissions. |
| financial aid and early decision: How to College Andrea Malkin Brenner, Lara Hope Schwartz, 2019-04-23 The first practical guide of its kind that helps students transition smoothly from high school to college The transition from high school—and home—to college can be stressful. Students and parents often arrive on campus unprepared for what college is really like. Academic standards and expectations are different from high school; families aren’t present to serve as “scaffolding” for students; and first-years have to do what they call “adulting.” Nothing in the college admissions process prepares students for these new realities. As a result, first-year college students report higher stress, more mental health issues, and lower completion rates than in the past. In fact, up to one third of first-year college students will not return for their second year—and colleges are reporting an increase in underprepared first-year students. How to College is here to help. Professors Andrea Malkin Brenner and Lara Schwartz guide first-year students and their families through the transition process, during the summer after high school graduation and throughout the school year, preparing students to succeed and thrive as they transition and adapt to college. The book draws on the authors’ experience teaching, writing curricula, and designing programs for thousands of first-year college students over decades. |
| financial aid and early decision: How to Get Into the Top Colleges, 3rd ed Richard Montauk, Krista Klein, 2009-08-04 The ultimate guide for getting into the country's most elite colleges- with insider tips straight from admissions directors. Now fully revised, How to Get into the Top Colleges is the definitive resource for students determined to stand out in the crowd of applicants and join the ranks at the country's most prestigious schools. This book is an in-depth and targeted resource, which shows students just what it takes to make the grade at the nation's leading private and public colleges by taking them step by step through the entire application process. Includes exclusive, invaluable, and revealing interviews with the country's leading admissions directors. |
| financial aid and early decision: How to Appeal for More College Financial Aid Mark Kantrowitz, 2019-01-11 College financial aid is not like negotiating with a car dealership, where bluff and bluster will get you a bigger, better deal. Appealing for more financial aid depends on presenting the college financial aid office with adequate documentation of special circumstances that affect the family's ability to pay for college.This book provides a guide for students and their families on how to appeal for more financial aid for college and how to improve the likelihood of a successful appeal. This book also discusses techniques for increasing eligibility for need-based financial aid and merit aid.The topics covered by this book include corrections, updates, special circumstances, writing an effective financial aid appeal letter, adequate documentation, professional judgment adjustments, unusual circumstances, dependency overrides and the differences between the FAFSA and CSS Profile forms. |
| financial aid and early decision: Funding Education Beyond High School United States. Department of Education. Federal Student Aid, 2007 |
| financial aid and early decision: College Admissions and the Public Interest Brainerd Alden Thresher, 1989 |
| financial aid and early decision: Admission Matters Sally P. Springer, Jon Reider, Joyce Vining Morgan, 2017-05-01 Make sense of college admissions and prepare a successful application Admission Matters offers comprehensive, expert, and practical advice for parents and students to guide them through the college admissions process. From building a college list, to understanding standardized tests, to obtaining financial aid, to crafting personal statements, to making a final decision, this book guides you every step of the way with clear, sensible advice and practical tips. This new fourth edition has been completely updated to reflect the latest changes in college admissions. including new developments in standardized testing, applications, financial aid and more. Questionnaires, interactive forms, checklists, and other tools help you stay focused and organized throughout the process.. With the answers you need and a down-to-earth perspective, this book provides an invaluable resource for stressed-out students and parents everywhere. Applying to college can be competitive and complex. Admission Matters offers real-world expert advice for all students, whether you're aiming an Ivy or the state school close to home. It also includes much needed guidance for students with special circumstances, including students with disabilities, international students, and transfer students. In addition, athletes, artists and performers, and homeschoolers will find valuable guidance as they plan for and apply to college. Understand how the admissions process works and what you can and cannot control Learn how to build a strong list of good-fit colleges Craft a strong application package with a compelling personal statement Get expert advice on early admissions, financial aid, standardized testing, and much more Make a final decision that is the right one for you Whether you think you've got applying to college under control or don't even know where to begin, Admission Matters is your expert guide throughout the college admissions process. |
| financial aid and early decision: Postsecondary Education for First-Generation and Low-Income Students in the Ivy League Kerry H. Landers, 2017-10-03 This book examines how previously excluded high-achieving, low-income students are faring socially and academically at an Ivy League college in New England. In the past, research conducted on low-income students in elite schools focused mainly on the admissions process. As a result, there is a dearth of research on what happens to low-income students once they are admitted and attend classes. This book chronicles an ethnographic study of twenty low-income men and women in their senior year at Dartmouth College and follows up with them four and twelve years post-graduation. By helping to bring visibility and self-awareness to low-income students and expose class issues and struggles, the author hopes to encourage elite institutions to change their policies and practices to address the needs of these students. |
| financial aid and early decision: The Early Admissions Game Christopher. Avery, Andrew. Fairbanks, Richard J. Zeckhauser, 2004-12-30 Each year, hundreds of thousands of high school seniors compete in a game they'll play only once, whose rules they do not fully understand, yet whose consequences are enormous. The game is college admissions, and applying early to an elite school is one way to win. But the early admissions process is enigmatic and flawed. It can easily lead students toward hasty or misinformed decisions. This book--based on the careful examination of more than 500,000 college applications to fourteen elite colleges, and hundreds of interviews with students, counselors, and admissions officers--provides an extraordinarily thorough analysis of early admissions. In clear language it details the advantages and pitfalls of applying early as it provides a map for students and parents to navigate the process. Unlike college admissions guides, The Early Admissions Game reveals the realities of early applications, how they work and what effects they have. The authors frankly assess early applications. Applying early is not for everyone, but it will improve--sometimes double, even triple--the chances of being admitted to a prestigious college. An early decision program can greatly enhance a college's reputation by skewing statistics, such as selectivity, average SAT scores, or percentage of admitted applicants who matriculate. But these gains come at the expense of distorting applicants' decisions and providing disparate treatment of students who apply early and regular admissions. The system, in short, is unfair, and the authors make recommendations for improvement. The Early Admissions Game is sure to be the definitive work on the subject. It is must reading for admissions officers, guidance counselors, and high school seniors and their parents. Table of Contents: Introduction: Joining the Game 1. The History of Early Admissions 2. The State of the Game 3. Martian Blackjack: What Do Applicants Understand about Early Admissions? 4. The Innocents Abroad: The Admissions Voyage 5. The Truth about Early Applications 6. The Game Revealed: Strategies of Colleges, Counselors, and Applicants 7. Advice to Applicants Conclusion: The Essence of the Game and Some Possible Reforms Appendix A: Median SAT-1 Scores and Early Application Programs at Various Colleges Appendix B: Data Sources Appendix C: Interview Formats Acknowledgments Tables and Figures Index Reviews of this book: Applying to an elite college through an early-admissions program can improve students' chances of getting in by as much as 50 percent over their odds during the regular admissions cycle, a difference that is the equivalent of scoring 100 points higher on the SAT...Based on an analysis of admission data at top colleges, as well as interviews with over 400 college freshmen [The Early Admissions Game] challenges the official line of college admissions deans, who have long held that applying early does not give prospective students an advantage over regular applicants. But the research confirms what many high-school counselors already suspected, and it is likely to fuel debate over whether early-admissions programs favor wealthy and well-connected students and should be eliminated or reformed. --Jeffrey R. Young, Chronicle of Higher Education Reviews of this book: [This] important contribution to the college-admissions process should reduce the general anxiety that pervades today's transition to college and, in particular, help level the playing field for students who lack access to adequate college counseling. The book may also prompt needed reform of contemporary admissions practices...The authors' goal...deserves acclaim for helping inner-city and rural students and those in other understaffed districts to pursue admission on a much more even footing...There is a wealth of information in this well-organized, clearly-written book which will enable students to make better college choices. --William R. Fitzsimmons, Harvard Magazine Reviews of this book: Readers seeking solid information about elite colleges will find The Early Admissions Game refreshingly frank. Other readers concerned about restoring some equity to the process will also appreciate the book's generosity of spirit and suggestions for reform. The authors present a devastating portrait of elite college admissions--and early admissions in particular--as an elaborate and complicated game...[where the winners] tend to be privileged students who have access to highly skilled counselors with information pipelines to elite college admissions offices. --Peter Sacks, The Nation Reviews of this book: Avery and his colleagues describe college admissions as a casino on Mars: you have to guess the rules of the game you are playing, and the rules can change while you are playing it...[Their chief finding] is that applying early significantly increases the chances of acceptance...Colleges argue that the early-admissions pool is stronger than the regular pool...[but the authors] dispute that claim...The Early Admissions Game is intended as an exposé, for high-school students and their parents, of the realities of college admissions, but it is also a protest against the practice of early admissions. The authors believe that these programs benefit privileged students...[and] cheat disadvantaged students. --Louis Menand, The New Yorker Researching and applying to colleges is a demanding, confusing, and stressful time for both students and parents. This book provides context and guidance to admissions professionals, to college counselors, and to families as they confront today's highly competitive, and often controversial, college admissions scene. It offers an insightful and authoritative explanation of the strategic choices that await those seeking to enroll at the nation's leading colleges and universities. It can help a student decide whether, when and why to apply early. Most important, it can give applicants the confidence to focus less on the game and more on the truly critical factors in choosing a college: the level of intellectual challenge and vitality in the curriculum, the strength and accessibility of the faculty, and the student's individual sense of fit with a particular campus environment and culture. --Nancy Vickers, President, Bryn Mawr College The Early Admissions Game explains clearly and comprehensively the many forces that have made early applications a prominent - and much misunderstood - feature in the high-pressure arena of college admissions. The authors clear away the hype and speculation, then offer refreshingly sane, sensible guidance that will greatly help students make intelligent decisions about their college applications. --William D. Wharton, Headmaster, Commonwealth School, Boston Avery, Fairbanks, and Zeckhauser offer clear and compelling evidence that the college admissions process needs repair. Their findings have already inspired steps toward reform. --Richard Levin, President, Yale University This is an exceptionally interesting and intelligent book-one with real 'news' to report. The authors present their important findings with great clarity. I expect that this volume will have a significant and favorable impact on policy discussion of early admission programs at elite colleges. --Michael McPherson, President, Macalester College Anyone involved in the college admissions process -- students and parents, counselors and admissions officers, top officials at high schools and at colleges -- should read this important book. It will help them achieve their objectives. The authors also present a number of suggestions for reforms in the admissions system that are worthy of debate across American higher education. --Lawrence H. Summers, President, Harvard University |
| financial aid and early decision: Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be Frank Bruni, 2015-03-17 Read award-winning journalist Frank Bruni's New York Times bestseller: an inspiring manifesto about everything wrong with today's frenzied college admissions process and how to make the most of your college years. Over the last few decades, Americans have turned college admissions into a terrifying and occasionally devastating process, preceded by test prep, tutors, all sorts of stratagems, all kinds of rankings, and a conviction among too many young people that their futures will be determined and their worth established by which schools say yes and which say no. In Where You Go is Not Who You'll Be, Frank Bruni explains why this mindset is wrong, giving students and their parents a new perspective on this brutal, deeply flawed competition and a path out of the anxiety that it provokes. Bruni, a bestselling author and a columnist for the New York Times, shows that the Ivy League has no monopoly on corner offices, governors' mansions, or the most prestigious academic and scientific grants. Through statistics, surveys, and the stories of hugely successful people, he demonstrates that many kinds of colleges serve as ideal springboards. And he illuminates how to make the most of them. What matters in the end are students' efforts in and out of the classroom, not the name on their diploma. Where you go isn't who you'll be. Americans need to hear that--and this indispensable manifesto says it with eloquence and respect for the real promise of higher education. |
| financial aid and early decision: Reading in the Humanities Dele Afolabi, 2002 |
| financial aid and early decision: The Enlightened College Applicant Andrew Belasco, Dave Bergman, 2023-05-15 Deluged with messages that range from “It’s Ivy League or bust” to “It doesn’t matter where you go,” college applicants and their families often find themselves lost, adrift in a sea of information overload. Finally—a worthy life preserver has arrived. The Enlightened College Applicant speaks to its audience in a highly accessible, engaging, and example-filled style, giving readers the perspective and practical tools to select and earn admission at the colleges that most closely align with their academic, career, and life goals. In place of the recycled entrance statistics or anecdotal generalizations about campus life found in many guidebooks, The Enlightened College Applicant presents a no-nonsense account of how students should approach the college search and admissions process. Shifting the mindset from “How can I get into a college?” to “What can that college do for me?” authors Bergman and Belasco pull back the curtain on critical topics such as whether college prestige matters, what college-related skills are valued in the job market, which schools and degrees provide the best return on investment, how to minimize the costs of a college education, and much more. Whether you are a valedictorian or a B/C student, this easy-to-read book will improve your college savvy and enable you to maximize the benefits of your higher education. |
| financial aid and early decision: Getting In: The Zinch Guide to College Admissions & Financial Aid in the Digital Age Michael Muska, Paulo de Oliveira, Anne Dwane, Steve Cohen, 2011-12-15 From the college admissions experts—where to go, how to get in, and how to pay for it Zinch.com is the largest online social network connecting students with colleges and scholarship opportunities. With 2.5 million student profiles and more than 800 universities—from Yale to Stanford, and American University to community colleges—Zinch offers students an efficient, relevant, and effective way to find the right- fit school, how to get in, and how to pay for it. Getting In: The Zinch Guide to College Admissions & Financial Aid in the Digital Age is your college admissions how-to guide, written by experts with insider guidance to the entire college admission process. Leveraging the power of Zinch.com, it covers every aspect of the college application process, from choosing the right (vs.best) schools, visiting campuses, improving your odds with a dynamic application strategy, meeting with a college advisor, working with athletic recruiting, applying for financial aid, knowing what to do if you are on a wait list, and much more. Incredibly well-connected authors Leverages the power of Zinch.com, the largest online social network of its kind Application do's and don'ts If you are one of the 2.2 million high school seniors ready to embark on the next step in your education, Getting In: The Zinch Guide to College Admissions & Financial Aid in the Digital Age is your go-to guide for getting into the college of your dreams—without ever breaking a sweat. |
| financial aid and early decision: Default Prevention Management , 1988 Seminar agenda and description of workshop sessions. |
| financial aid and early decision: The Years that Matter Most Paul Tough, 2019 The bestselling author of How Children Succeed returns with a devastatingly powerful, mind-changing inquiry into higher education in the U.S. |
| financial aid and early decision: Letter from Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King, 2025-01-14 A beautiful commemorative edition of Dr. Martin Luther King's essay Letter from Birmingham Jail, part of Dr. King's archives published exclusively by HarperCollins. With an afterword by Reginald Dwayne Betts On April 16, 1923, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., responded to an open letter written and published by eight white clergyman admonishing the civil rights demonstrations happening in Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. King drafted his seminal response on scraps of paper smuggled into jail. King criticizes his detractors for caring more about order than justice, defends nonviolent protests, and argues for the moral responsibility to obey just laws while disobeying unjust ones. Letter from Birmingham Jail proclaims a message - confronting any injustice is an acceptable and righteous reason for civil disobedience. This beautifully designed edition presents Dr. King's speech in its entirety, paying tribute to this extraordinary leader and his immeasurable contribution, and inspiring a new generation of activists dedicated to carrying on the fight for justice and equality. |
| financial aid and early decision: A Is for Admission Michele A. Hernández, 2010-10-28 A former admissions officer at Dartmouth College reveals how the world's most highly selective schools really make their decisions. |
| financial aid and early decision: The Privileged Poor Anthony Abraham Jack, 2019-03-01 An NPR Favorite Book of the Year “Breaks new ground on social and educational questions of great import.” —Washington Post “An essential work, humane and candid, that challenges and expands our understanding of the lives of contemporary college students.” —Paul Tough, author of Helping Children Succeed “Eye-opening...Brings home the pain and reality of on-campus poverty and puts the blame squarely on elite institutions.” —Washington Post “Jack’s investigation redirects attention from the matter of access to the matter of inclusion...His book challenges universities to support the diversity they indulge in advertising.” —New Yorker The Ivy League looks different than it used to. College presidents and deans of admission have opened their doors—and their coffers—to support a more diverse student body. But is it enough just to admit these students? In this bracing exposé, Anthony Jack shows that many students’ struggles continue long after they’ve settled in their dorms. Admission, they quickly learn, is not the same as acceptance. This powerfully argued book documents how university policies and campus culture can exacerbate preexisting inequalities and reveals why some students are harder hit than others. |
| financial aid and early decision: The Gatekeepers Jacques Steinberg, 2003-07-29 In the fall of 1999, New York Times education reporter Jacques Steinberg was given an unprecedented opportunity to observe the admissions process at prestigious Wesleyan University. Over the course of nearly a year, Steinberg accompanied admissions officer Ralph Figueroa on a tour to assess and recruit the most promising students in the country. The Gatekeepers follows a diverse group of prospective students as they compete for places in the nation's most elite colleges. The first book to reveal the college admission process in such behind-the-scenes detail, The Gatekeepers will be required reading for every parent of a high school-age child and for every student facing the arduous and anxious task of applying to college. [The Gatekeepers] provides the deep insight that is missing from the myriad how-to books on admissions that try to identify the formula for getting into the best colleges...I really didn't want the book to end. —The New York Times |
| financial aid and early decision: The Promise of Adolescence National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Board on Children, Youth, and Families, Committee on the Neurobiological and Socio-behavioral Science of Adolescent Development and Its Applications, 2019-07-26 Adolescenceâ€beginning with the onset of puberty and ending in the mid-20sâ€is a critical period of development during which key areas of the brain mature and develop. These changes in brain structure, function, and connectivity mark adolescence as a period of opportunity to discover new vistas, to form relationships with peers and adults, and to explore one's developing identity. It is also a period of resilience that can ameliorate childhood setbacks and set the stage for a thriving trajectory over the life course. Because adolescents comprise nearly one-fourth of the entire U.S. population, the nation needs policies and practices that will better leverage these developmental opportunities to harness the promise of adolescenceâ€rather than focusing myopically on containing its risks. This report examines the neurobiological and socio-behavioral science of adolescent development and outlines how this knowledge can be applied, both to promote adolescent well-being, resilience, and development, and to rectify structural barriers and inequalities in opportunity, enabling all adolescents to flourish. |
| financial aid and early decision: Unacceptable Melissa Korn, Jennifer Levitz, 2020-07-21 FORBES TOP 10 HIGHER EDUCATION BOOKS OF 2020 The riveting true story behind the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal, a cautionary tale of parenting gone wrong, the system that enabled families to veer so far off course, and the mastermind who made it all happen. When federal prosecutors dropped the bombshell of Operation Varsity Blues, it broke open the crimes of exclusive universities and wealthy families all over the country, shattering the myth of American meritocracy. In Unacceptable, veteran Wall Street Journal reporters Melissa Korn and Jennifer Levitz dig deep into how otherwise smart, loving parents became caught up in scandal, led through the side door by one man: college whisperer Rick Singer. Unacceptable traces how, over decades, the charismatic Singer easily reeled in parents hoping to guarantee top educations for their children, and exploited a system rigged against regular people. Exploring the status obsession that seduced entitled parents in search of an edge, Korn and Levitz unfurl a scheme that entangled more than fifty conspirators, from wealthy CEOs to famous actresses, leading to imprisonments, ruined careers, and terminated enrollments. An eye-opening account of corruption in America’s most exclusive institutions, Unacceptable tells the story of helicopter parenting, coddled teens, and the man who thought he couldn’t be caught. Detailing Singer’s steady rise and dramatic fall, Korn and Levitz expose the ugly underbelly of elite college admissions, and the devastating consequences of buying success. |
| financial aid and early decision: Better Off After College Sabrina Manville, Nick Ducoff, 2020-01-28 A step by step guide for families who want to enjoy all of the benefits of a college degree - with less anxiety and student debt. Every parent knows that sending their child to college can provide life-changing opportunities. But every day students graduate with too much debt, starting their adult lives with a heavy financial burden. You don't need to pay all cash for college. You don't need to scrounge for rock-bottom prices to avoid debt at any cost. You can make great choices at every step of the way to lower your costs and maximize your investment. Written by two higher education experts, this step-by-step guide provides clear explanations and insider tips for how families can make smart savings decisions, maximize their financial and merit aid, and avoid over-borrowing. We'll help you: - Make smart savings decisions - Build a college list that gets you the most financial and merit aid possible - Figure out how much student debt is too much, and what colleges are actually worth the money - Have productive and positive conversations around the kitchen table about this major financial decision Make the right moves now and be better off after college. |
| financial aid and early decision: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Into Top Colleges Ian R. Leslie, Marna Atkin, 2009-06-02 Cruise your way to the Ivy League! It's no secret that it's harder to get into college these days. Ivy League and other selective schools have record numbers of applicants, making the competition even steeper. This must-have guide carefully explores the to-do's to gain admission to a top-tier school. Students and parents will learn about choosing the right school, what college admissions officers really consider when making their decisions, early decision versus early action, and what being on the waitlist means. • Provides sample essays, recommendation forms, resources, and websites • Includes advice from guidance counselors and admission officers of top colleges • Between now and 2015, there will be more than 3 million high school graduates each year |
| financial aid and early decision: Counselors and Mentors Handbook on Federal Student Aid , |
| financial aid and early decision: Colleges That Change Lives Loren Pope, 2006-07-25 Prospective college students and their parents have been relying on Loren Pope's expertise since 1995, when he published the first edition of this indispensable guide. This new edition profiles 41 colleges—all of which outdo the Ivies and research universities in producing performers, not only among A students but also among those who get Bs and Cs. Contents include: Evaluations of each school's program and personality Candid assessments by students, professors, and deans Information on the progress of graduates This new edition not only revisits schools listed in previous volumes to give readers a comprehensive assessment, it also addresses such issues as homeschooling, learning disabilities, and single-sex education. |
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