84% of students apply to fewer than 7 colleges. What should your number be?
21% of students are denied admission to their first choice college. What good is a first choice college?
Of those admitted to their first choice school, 40% didn't end up attending. Why?
About half of all students go to college within 100 miles of their home. What about you?
These issues were discussed the morning on the KARE 11 Sunrise show. Here's Kim Insley's interview with Valerie Broughton, College Connectors.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Rigor Matters
Students are getting the message that the rigor of their high school courses matters.
The College Board administers Advanced Placement tests each spring to high school students. most all of whom enrolled in the corresponding Advanced Placement course in their high school during the school year.
Students who study subjects with the AP curriculum enjoy several benefits. First of all, when admissions personnel review their transcripts, the admissions staff are assured that students have taken the most challenging coursework their high school has to offer. Success in rigorous high school curriculum is the #1 item selective colleges consider in selecting their freshmen class.
Another advantage accrues to students who earn a score of 3 or higher on their AP exam. Many colleges award college credit to students who score a 3, 4, or 5 on an AP test. The range of exam scores is 1-5.
Lastly, a recent report found that success on these AP exams predicts college success, especially freshman to sophomore retention.
Nationally, there's been a 6% increase in the number of public school students who "pass" AP exams and in the state of Minnesota, that increase is 8%. Currently, 16.8% of high school seniors in Minnesota take and score at least a 3 on at least one AP exam.
We're thrilled that students are getting the message that there's value in challenging themselves by taking rigorous courses in high school.
The College Board administers Advanced Placement tests each spring to high school students. most all of whom enrolled in the corresponding Advanced Placement course in their high school during the school year.
Students who study subjects with the AP curriculum enjoy several benefits. First of all, when admissions personnel review their transcripts, the admissions staff are assured that students have taken the most challenging coursework their high school has to offer. Success in rigorous high school curriculum is the #1 item selective colleges consider in selecting their freshmen class.
Another advantage accrues to students who earn a score of 3 or higher on their AP exam. Many colleges award college credit to students who score a 3, 4, or 5 on an AP test. The range of exam scores is 1-5.
Lastly, a recent report found that success on these AP exams predicts college success, especially freshman to sophomore retention.
Nationally, there's been a 6% increase in the number of public school students who "pass" AP exams and in the state of Minnesota, that increase is 8%. Currently, 16.8% of high school seniors in Minnesota take and score at least a 3 on at least one AP exam.
We're thrilled that students are getting the message that there's value in challenging themselves by taking rigorous courses in high school.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
How far would you go to take your ACT?
I read an interesting brief the other day in this week's issue of Bloomberg Businessweek. Not typical reading for an Independent Educational Consultant, I know. Never know where you're going to stumble on a bit of helpful information.
The story describes the path Chinese students take to reaching acceptance into American colleges and universities. You see, the SAT isn't offered in mainland China. I suspect the ACT isn't either. So, Chinese students need to fly to Hong Kong or South Korea or somewhere it is offered in order to meet the testing requirements for U.S. Colleges and Universities. That made me wonder, how far would a typical American teenager would go to prepare himself for his college applications?
The point of this post is that U. S. students should know who they're competing with during the college admissions season. A student would need to be pretty determined to be willing to hop on a plane to take a college entrance exam. Or they'd need to be pushed pretty hard(can you say Tiger Mom?) and/or they'd have to have the cash to fund the trip.
Fact is, the number of Chinese undergraduates in the U.S. is 400 % higher than it was 5 years ago. Bloomberg Businessweek reports that U.S. college admissions personnel are working hard to recruit China's best-qualified, full-paying applicants. Did you know that Chinese families with high school aged children are limited to only one-child? Thus, middle class families In China might be able to afford tuition that exceed what an average American family can afford.
Colleges and testing companies see students living on mainland China as a huge untapped market. The number of high school graduates in the U. S. is declining. Know your competition!
The story describes the path Chinese students take to reaching acceptance into American colleges and universities. You see, the SAT isn't offered in mainland China. I suspect the ACT isn't either. So, Chinese students need to fly to Hong Kong or South Korea or somewhere it is offered in order to meet the testing requirements for U.S. Colleges and Universities. That made me wonder, how far would a typical American teenager would go to prepare himself for his college applications?
The point of this post is that U. S. students should know who they're competing with during the college admissions season. A student would need to be pretty determined to be willing to hop on a plane to take a college entrance exam. Or they'd need to be pushed pretty hard(can you say Tiger Mom?) and/or they'd have to have the cash to fund the trip.
Fact is, the number of Chinese undergraduates in the U.S. is 400 % higher than it was 5 years ago. Bloomberg Businessweek reports that U.S. college admissions personnel are working hard to recruit China's best-qualified, full-paying applicants. Did you know that Chinese families with high school aged children are limited to only one-child? Thus, middle class families In China might be able to afford tuition that exceed what an average American family can afford.
Colleges and testing companies see students living on mainland China as a huge untapped market. The number of high school graduates in the U. S. is declining. Know your competition!
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