As a college consultant part of my job entails helping students become an appealing college applicant. The key to winning admission into a choice school is apearing to be an attractive candidate. I'm sure that many students ponder what makes them an attractive candidate to a school. Schools are always looking for students who can add to the overall student body. Schools are looking for students who can fill a void and offer the school something they don't already have. For instance, a school may not have a fencing club. Are you a fencer? Great. Then convey to the school of your intentions to start a fencing club when you arrive on campus. Do you play the oboe? Excellent. Be sure to exhale your oboe-playing ability to the admisssions committee. Schools are like companies they are always looking to improve the overall campus life. So peruse the campus website and look for empty areas on the campus. Then think abou if you could contribute to strengthening the campus. Find away to convey this in your essay, activity sheet or interview.
www.apluscollegetips.com
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Thursday, April 12, 2007
So the envelopes have arrived
www.apluscollegetips.com
For high school students:
So the envelopes have arrived. You have received your acceptance and gulp rejection letters from the colleges. Now, the dilemma you are faced with is which offer to accept. You have until May 1 to pick a school and mail in the deposit. You don’t have much time to spare, so you must think quickly, but carefully.
First of all, lots of schools have receptions for admitted students. I would definitely recommend attending. For one thing, it’s the one time you are going to receive VIP treatment and good food at the college. It is also a good way to gauge what the other admitted students are like. Check out if they are people you see yourself associating with for four years. Also, observe the looks of the campus. How many students are there with blue hair? How many students are studying? Are the surroundings rowdy or silent? Receptions for admitted students are a great way to get to know the campus. Definitely attend the receptions if you haven’t visited the school already and are considering it.
Second, consider the financial aid offers you’ve received. Remember that grants are better than loans. Loans have to be repaid and grants don’t. If one school gave you a better offer than another but you would rather attend the latter, bargain with your preferred school. Tell them you need them to re-evaluate their offer. If you feel that the FAFSA forms didn’t take into account special circumstances, inform them of those circumstances. Crying helps a lot. Take into account your initial preferences when you applied for schools in the fall. Intuition is often accurate, but contemplate whether your needs and priorities have changed since you applied in the fall. This is rare. Avoid panic and avoid jumping on the bandwagon of always talking about your choice with your peers. This gets you more anxious about the decision. Talk to a select few, such as your guidance counselor, your parents, and your close friends and relatives. Most importantly, stock up on t-shirts and other fun stuff from the colleges that accepted you.
Word to the wise about the wait list
Being placed don the waiting list is probably the most anxiety provoking news to hear. It is an ambiguous decision- you aren’t in but you aren’t out either. You have to make a decision whether or not you want to remain on the waiting list. If you do stay on the waiting list and then earn acceptance status, you risk losing your deposit for another school. You wont find out if you are off the waiting list until after you have to make your deposit. So you have to decide if losing the deposit is worth the chance to go to a school you really love that wait listed you. The other tormenting thing is that you may not find out whether you are off the wait list until the middle of the summer. The uncertainty adds up. If you do decide that you want to subject yourself to being in limbo (by remaining on a waiting list) here are some things you can do to improve your chances of getting off that wait list. Convey to the college that you wish to stay on the waiting list and are very interested in the school. Try to find out if they have ranked the students on the waiting list and where you sit. Some rank students, some don’t. Inform the college of any notable achievements that were not mentioned on your application. Avoid repeating accolades that they already know about you. Ask your guidance counselor or college counselor to call on your behalf. Don’t take extreme actions such as camping out by the admissions office or constantly calling the admissions office.
If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. Every college has some advantages and some disadvantages. Relax. You’re worth it!
For high school students:
So the envelopes have arrived. You have received your acceptance and gulp rejection letters from the colleges. Now, the dilemma you are faced with is which offer to accept. You have until May 1 to pick a school and mail in the deposit. You don’t have much time to spare, so you must think quickly, but carefully.
First of all, lots of schools have receptions for admitted students. I would definitely recommend attending. For one thing, it’s the one time you are going to receive VIP treatment and good food at the college. It is also a good way to gauge what the other admitted students are like. Check out if they are people you see yourself associating with for four years. Also, observe the looks of the campus. How many students are there with blue hair? How many students are studying? Are the surroundings rowdy or silent? Receptions for admitted students are a great way to get to know the campus. Definitely attend the receptions if you haven’t visited the school already and are considering it.
Second, consider the financial aid offers you’ve received. Remember that grants are better than loans. Loans have to be repaid and grants don’t. If one school gave you a better offer than another but you would rather attend the latter, bargain with your preferred school. Tell them you need them to re-evaluate their offer. If you feel that the FAFSA forms didn’t take into account special circumstances, inform them of those circumstances. Crying helps a lot. Take into account your initial preferences when you applied for schools in the fall. Intuition is often accurate, but contemplate whether your needs and priorities have changed since you applied in the fall. This is rare. Avoid panic and avoid jumping on the bandwagon of always talking about your choice with your peers. This gets you more anxious about the decision. Talk to a select few, such as your guidance counselor, your parents, and your close friends and relatives. Most importantly, stock up on t-shirts and other fun stuff from the colleges that accepted you.
Word to the wise about the wait list
Being placed don the waiting list is probably the most anxiety provoking news to hear. It is an ambiguous decision- you aren’t in but you aren’t out either. You have to make a decision whether or not you want to remain on the waiting list. If you do stay on the waiting list and then earn acceptance status, you risk losing your deposit for another school. You wont find out if you are off the waiting list until after you have to make your deposit. So you have to decide if losing the deposit is worth the chance to go to a school you really love that wait listed you. The other tormenting thing is that you may not find out whether you are off the wait list until the middle of the summer. The uncertainty adds up. If you do decide that you want to subject yourself to being in limbo (by remaining on a waiting list) here are some things you can do to improve your chances of getting off that wait list. Convey to the college that you wish to stay on the waiting list and are very interested in the school. Try to find out if they have ranked the students on the waiting list and where you sit. Some rank students, some don’t. Inform the college of any notable achievements that were not mentioned on your application. Avoid repeating accolades that they already know about you. Ask your guidance counselor or college counselor to call on your behalf. Don’t take extreme actions such as camping out by the admissions office or constantly calling the admissions office.
If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. Every college has some advantages and some disadvantages. Relax. You’re worth it!
Friday, March 30, 2007
Getting Good Grades in HighSchool
Grades are the number one consideration in college admissions decisions. Since colleges show consideration to students who take honors and advanced placement courses, take some – and get good grades in them! (If your teacher denies your request to take these classes, query it with the principal. Remember that you and only you are in charge of your course selection.)
Ok, so now you have been admitted into the honors classes. How are you going to succeed? Here are subtle, yet simple ways that people often neglect.
-Sit near the front of the class. You will hear more and be able to catch subtle hints from teachers (such as intonation, pointing at something, or animation) that may indicate that information is important.
-Always have an extra pen/pencil in case your pen breaks. You never know.
-Take careful, but not verbatim notes. Try to think about what is important. Write down explanations – not just dates and facts. This will make it easier to study your notes from a test. For instance don’t just write down war of 1812- write down why the war of 1812 was important.
-Date your notes; that way, when it comes time to review the notes you will be able to see which pages you need to look at.
-For math problems, write down the steps of solving a problem and the nuances; don’t just write down the problem and the answers. The more detailed your notes, the more helpful they will be for reviewing.
-If at the end of class you realize that you didn’t catch something, ask the teacher. Ask right away. Don’t wait to ask because then you will forget what you needed to know.
-Every night - review your notes for 10 minutes, so that when the test comes around you have already been studying the information. Also – by reviewing your notes each night you will realize what you need to clarify and be able to ask while it is fresh in your head.
-For reviewing notes, try Read, Cover, Recite. Read the notes, cover them up, recite what they say. Then, try to do it without looking. Also write out one sentence describing what you learned that day.
Homework completion is an essential part of your success in classes. Failure to complete your homework can cause you to drop as much as one whole grade. Make it legible, accurate, and correctly spelled. Take the phone number of someone in the class who can fill you in on missed notes or lost hand-outs. Don’t skip doing the homework because you didn’t have the materials; that’s a silly way to loose points. Also, if you are unsure, you may want to contact someone from class for help. Hey- if you have a crush on someone in class this could be your excuse for calling them and getting close to them!
Ok. So you have reviewed your notes each night and you complete your homework. Think you’re done? Not a chance. You also have to study for tests and score big points on the test. Here are some pointers for studying for the tests. Begin studying when the test is announced. Review portions of the material each night. Increase the amount of information you review in increments. For instance, review Chapter 1 the first night, then review chapters 1 and 2 on the next night. Some study methods are read cover recite- see above. Also, drawing pictures is helpful to grasp understanding of a concept. Draw a web map. In the center put the main topic and then draw legs out with the sub topics. Also try outlining material. Think of potential test questions. Ask yourself these questions and then write down the answer. Review the explanation for the answer. For math problems review steps and review rationale for solving problems.
Now comes test taking. You studied really hard. You took copious notes. Yet, still you can’t score top grade on the exam. Why? Chances are you suffer from test anxiety. You make careless errors. You can’t finish on time. Here’s the secret recipe. First – budget your time. Think of how may questions there are and how much time is allotted. Second, cover up the other questions so that you only focus on one question. Don’t think about questions while you are working on one question. If you don’t know how to do one question move on to another question; don’t waste too much time. Also forget about it; it will come to you later. Don’t let it ruin your ability to answer the other questions. If you don't understand a question, ask. (Don’t ask a question in order to confirm your thinking. Teachers get resentful if you try to suck answers out of them.) You don’t want a misunderstanding of what is expected to cause you to loose points. Check your answers when you are done. If you have enough time, work the problems twice. If you don’t get the same answer, do it a third time. Finally, check that you entered everything correctly on to the answer sheet. There’s nothing more frustrating that having the right answer CORRECT in the margin of your test booklet, but incorrectly filled in on your answer sheet.
When you get the test back- check that you didn’t loose points unnecessarily. If you didn’t do well try to figure out where you messed up. You will be tested on this material later- so it’s worth it to relearn.
Writing papers. Everyday read material. Take notes. Write paper section by section. Leave enough time to edit it.
www.apluscollegetips.com
Ok, so now you have been admitted into the honors classes. How are you going to succeed? Here are subtle, yet simple ways that people often neglect.
-Sit near the front of the class. You will hear more and be able to catch subtle hints from teachers (such as intonation, pointing at something, or animation) that may indicate that information is important.
-Always have an extra pen/pencil in case your pen breaks. You never know.
-Take careful, but not verbatim notes. Try to think about what is important. Write down explanations – not just dates and facts. This will make it easier to study your notes from a test. For instance don’t just write down war of 1812- write down why the war of 1812 was important.
-Date your notes; that way, when it comes time to review the notes you will be able to see which pages you need to look at.
-For math problems, write down the steps of solving a problem and the nuances; don’t just write down the problem and the answers. The more detailed your notes, the more helpful they will be for reviewing.
-If at the end of class you realize that you didn’t catch something, ask the teacher. Ask right away. Don’t wait to ask because then you will forget what you needed to know.
-Every night - review your notes for 10 minutes, so that when the test comes around you have already been studying the information. Also – by reviewing your notes each night you will realize what you need to clarify and be able to ask while it is fresh in your head.
-For reviewing notes, try Read, Cover, Recite. Read the notes, cover them up, recite what they say. Then, try to do it without looking. Also write out one sentence describing what you learned that day.
Homework completion is an essential part of your success in classes. Failure to complete your homework can cause you to drop as much as one whole grade. Make it legible, accurate, and correctly spelled. Take the phone number of someone in the class who can fill you in on missed notes or lost hand-outs. Don’t skip doing the homework because you didn’t have the materials; that’s a silly way to loose points. Also, if you are unsure, you may want to contact someone from class for help. Hey- if you have a crush on someone in class this could be your excuse for calling them and getting close to them!
Ok. So you have reviewed your notes each night and you complete your homework. Think you’re done? Not a chance. You also have to study for tests and score big points on the test. Here are some pointers for studying for the tests. Begin studying when the test is announced. Review portions of the material each night. Increase the amount of information you review in increments. For instance, review Chapter 1 the first night, then review chapters 1 and 2 on the next night. Some study methods are read cover recite- see above. Also, drawing pictures is helpful to grasp understanding of a concept. Draw a web map. In the center put the main topic and then draw legs out with the sub topics. Also try outlining material. Think of potential test questions. Ask yourself these questions and then write down the answer. Review the explanation for the answer. For math problems review steps and review rationale for solving problems.
Now comes test taking. You studied really hard. You took copious notes. Yet, still you can’t score top grade on the exam. Why? Chances are you suffer from test anxiety. You make careless errors. You can’t finish on time. Here’s the secret recipe. First – budget your time. Think of how may questions there are and how much time is allotted. Second, cover up the other questions so that you only focus on one question. Don’t think about questions while you are working on one question. If you don’t know how to do one question move on to another question; don’t waste too much time. Also forget about it; it will come to you later. Don’t let it ruin your ability to answer the other questions. If you don't understand a question, ask. (Don’t ask a question in order to confirm your thinking. Teachers get resentful if you try to suck answers out of them.) You don’t want a misunderstanding of what is expected to cause you to loose points. Check your answers when you are done. If you have enough time, work the problems twice. If you don’t get the same answer, do it a third time. Finally, check that you entered everything correctly on to the answer sheet. There’s nothing more frustrating that having the right answer CORRECT in the margin of your test booklet, but incorrectly filled in on your answer sheet.
When you get the test back- check that you didn’t loose points unnecessarily. If you didn’t do well try to figure out where you messed up. You will be tested on this material later- so it’s worth it to relearn.
Writing papers. Everyday read material. Take notes. Write paper section by section. Leave enough time to edit it.
www.apluscollegetips.com
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Tips for high school students preparing for college - www.apluscollegetips.com
Someone asked me about the steps a high school student should take in preparing for college. There is not a simple answer. One might think the answer is that one should enroll in certain courses and activities or associate with alumni or connected people for recommendations. An alternative answer is that a high school student should focus on developing certain skills and traits. There are specific skills that will trigger success in college and impress admissions officers. General independence skills such as study skills, organizational skills and initiative are crucial to achieving a high quality college experience. Interviewers look for these traits while interviewing candidates and reviewing essays. One activity that will develop independence skills in high school students is staying ahead in classes. This includes reviewing your notes on a daily basis and intentionally trying to make sense of the material, setting yourself a schedule for completion of homework tasks, and practicing different techniques for learning the material- rather than simply hoping you remember what the teachers said in a class lecture . It is important for students to develop these skills while in high school because they will need these skills in college. In college, students are allotted more freedom for handing in assignments and thus need to discipline themselves. Students are also tested less frequently and thus need advanced study skills to attain high grades.
I would also encourage people to develop their independence by orchestrating projects such as organizing a trip or a fundraiser and doing household chores on their own. People should also develop their own voice- whether it means speaking up for a cause you believe in or campaigning for something. High school students should make a habit of taking a stance on ideas that are not necessarily popular and are independent of their peers. This will help you when developing a strong voice for essays. Admissions officers read thousands of essays and are looking for essays with ingenuity and originality. It will also help you in college when deciding what activities to join. Activities in college are not as visible and therefore students need a clear vision of what they are looking to do outside of class.
In essence, students should try to develop a strong sense of self to prepare for college. Students should have beliefs they are willing to arm wrestle for, a strong work habit and a sense of urgency.
For more info see www.apluscollegetips.com
I would also encourage people to develop their independence by orchestrating projects such as organizing a trip or a fundraiser and doing household chores on their own. People should also develop their own voice- whether it means speaking up for a cause you believe in or campaigning for something. High school students should make a habit of taking a stance on ideas that are not necessarily popular and are independent of their peers. This will help you when developing a strong voice for essays. Admissions officers read thousands of essays and are looking for essays with ingenuity and originality. It will also help you in college when deciding what activities to join. Activities in college are not as visible and therefore students need a clear vision of what they are looking to do outside of class.
In essence, students should try to develop a strong sense of self to prepare for college. Students should have beliefs they are willing to arm wrestle for, a strong work habit and a sense of urgency.
For more info see www.apluscollegetips.com
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Internet Entrepreneur Launches New Website with Innovative Twist
Internet Entrepreneur Launches New website with innovative twist.
Esther Forrester
www.apluscollegetips.com
Internet entrepreneur Esther Forrester recently launched a website for her college admissions coaching business. She explains in the following paragraphs the origination for her site.
“My intention was to use the web to publicize my business. I pondered a while about what was the niche of my business. I asked myself what feature of my business set me apart from other existing college admissions coaches. I realized it was two things: the motivation for starting my business and my identity.
I began my college consulting business because of my experience in college tennis. College tennis had a tremendous impact on my collegiate experience. Through college tennis, I made long lasting friends, improved my discipline, and augmented my strength and agility, and most importantly my tennis game. I learned about teamwork, cooperation, accepting harsh criticism and rebounding from disappointment. My tennis experience shaped who I am today. I am someone who is aggressive, ambitious, treks after goals, and never relinquishes them. I am someone who is focused and loyal. After I graduated school, I felt lost without having the structure of college tennis. I tried other careers before I realized that I could make a living on what had fueled me through college. I believed that other people should be informed about the college tennis experience. They should know what to expect from their experience, how to prepare for their experience, and why they should play college tennis.
I believe that I am different from other college athletics advisors. I am not an incredibly accomplished athlete. I was not a highly touted recruit. I was not nationally ranked. I did not attend a top 10 school. Although I do not normally boast about my shortcomings, I feel in this case my achievement levels help me. In spite of all my shortcomings, I played four years of college tennis and was in the starting lineup the entire time. I had a winning record and remain on my schools all time wins list. This demonstrates that no matter what adversity you encounter, you can make the college team. I can figure out a way to for students who aren’t on everyone’s radar to earn a spot on the team roster. In addition, I have a realistic view of college tennis. Only a small fraction of players will end up playing for big time programs. Most of the college athletic advisors primarily speak about their experience in a big time program. A NCAA tournament team. But the majority of athletes are not going to participate in such a program and need a clear picture about the college athletics experience in a non big time program.
On the same token, I can also offer valuable advice to blue chip recruits. I can help them deal with coaches, as I have a good sense of how the coaches operate. I can also help them with negotiating skills and motivation.
I don’t want to be pushy or strict. I simply want to help others make the best decision. I want to build trust with the students I serve and aid them in realizing their potential, being content and proud of their college choice.
I decided to branch out and offer my services to all high school students. I felt that anyone – talented athlete, artist, or future EMT should be guided on how to make his or her college experience meaningful. I believe that anyone can shape their college experience so that they can become involved in an activity that is meaningful, boasts their esteem, develops skills and gives someone something to live for. “
Esther Forrester has successfully helped numerous students select an appropriate college, find a niche at the school. She works with students on essay writing, activity sheet preparation, interview preparation, and managing interactions with coaches.
Please check out her website www.apluscollegetips.com. You may contact Esther Forrester at : director@apluscollegetips.com or esther.4.esther@gmail.com. You may also contact her by phone (631) 948 1103 or by mail 220 Sheldrake Ave. Port Jefferson, NY 11777.
Esther Forrester
www.apluscollegetips.com
Internet entrepreneur Esther Forrester recently launched a website for her college admissions coaching business. She explains in the following paragraphs the origination for her site.
“My intention was to use the web to publicize my business. I pondered a while about what was the niche of my business. I asked myself what feature of my business set me apart from other existing college admissions coaches. I realized it was two things: the motivation for starting my business and my identity.
I began my college consulting business because of my experience in college tennis. College tennis had a tremendous impact on my collegiate experience. Through college tennis, I made long lasting friends, improved my discipline, and augmented my strength and agility, and most importantly my tennis game. I learned about teamwork, cooperation, accepting harsh criticism and rebounding from disappointment. My tennis experience shaped who I am today. I am someone who is aggressive, ambitious, treks after goals, and never relinquishes them. I am someone who is focused and loyal. After I graduated school, I felt lost without having the structure of college tennis. I tried other careers before I realized that I could make a living on what had fueled me through college. I believed that other people should be informed about the college tennis experience. They should know what to expect from their experience, how to prepare for their experience, and why they should play college tennis.
I believe that I am different from other college athletics advisors. I am not an incredibly accomplished athlete. I was not a highly touted recruit. I was not nationally ranked. I did not attend a top 10 school. Although I do not normally boast about my shortcomings, I feel in this case my achievement levels help me. In spite of all my shortcomings, I played four years of college tennis and was in the starting lineup the entire time. I had a winning record and remain on my schools all time wins list. This demonstrates that no matter what adversity you encounter, you can make the college team. I can figure out a way to for students who aren’t on everyone’s radar to earn a spot on the team roster. In addition, I have a realistic view of college tennis. Only a small fraction of players will end up playing for big time programs. Most of the college athletic advisors primarily speak about their experience in a big time program. A NCAA tournament team. But the majority of athletes are not going to participate in such a program and need a clear picture about the college athletics experience in a non big time program.
On the same token, I can also offer valuable advice to blue chip recruits. I can help them deal with coaches, as I have a good sense of how the coaches operate. I can also help them with negotiating skills and motivation.
I don’t want to be pushy or strict. I simply want to help others make the best decision. I want to build trust with the students I serve and aid them in realizing their potential, being content and proud of their college choice.
I decided to branch out and offer my services to all high school students. I felt that anyone – talented athlete, artist, or future EMT should be guided on how to make his or her college experience meaningful. I believe that anyone can shape their college experience so that they can become involved in an activity that is meaningful, boasts their esteem, develops skills and gives someone something to live for. “
Esther Forrester has successfully helped numerous students select an appropriate college, find a niche at the school. She works with students on essay writing, activity sheet preparation, interview preparation, and managing interactions with coaches.
Please check out her website www.apluscollegetips.com. You may contact Esther Forrester at : director@apluscollegetips.com or esther.4.esther@gmail.com. You may also contact her by phone (631) 948 1103 or by mail 220 Sheldrake Ave. Port Jefferson, NY 11777.
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