Getting in to the college of your choice is harder than ever these days. Competition is stiff, and space is limited. Colleges have the difficult job of hand selecting their prospective freshman classes, and unfortunately have to reject thousands of talented and bright students. The result? A mass number of rejection letters, often hitting kids harder than a break-up.

Rejected: photo via WSJ.com

“Even with impressive test scores and grades, abundant extracurricular activities, good recommendations and an admission essay into which ‘I poured myself heart and soul,’ Daniel Beresford, 18, netted 14 rejection letters from 17 applications.” Beresford was denied by Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins and the University of Chicago. (He’s bound for one of his top choices, Pepperdine.)

Here are some of the cruelest and kindest rejection letters from colleges and universities. Read the rest of this entry »

You don’t need any more pressure, right? Well kids, the clock is ticking. May 1 is Decision Day for high school seniors to notify the college they’ve chosen to attend. For some it can be a complicated choice, having received several acceptance letters. For others, checking the box might be one of the simplest choices they’ve ever made. But they have to make it. Today!

For parents of these indecisive college-bound students, be supportive. You might have a personal bias toward or against one college or university, but the choice should ultimately lie in their hands. This is where they will prepare themselves for the real world and really test and learn who they are as a person. They’ll no doubt thrive if it’s a place they love. Read the rest of this entry »

While my final college decision didn’t have to be mailed and received by a college till May 1, I figured the smartest thing to do would be to make my decision fast. I put in the mail my intent to enroll form with my housing form and deposits for the University of Tulsa this last weekend and I can’t remember the last time I felt this good about a decision and so relieved.

The reason that I decided to make my decision earlier was to get my finances in order. After figuring out everything I had received financially from Tulsa and other various scholarships, such as a $3,000 scholarship through scouts, I then started finding student loans. Of course, this was not too difficult considering I went to Google and typed in “student loans” and got a huge number of sites offering student loans. After looking at a few options, I finally found a loan and finished my application last night for the loan. Read the rest of this entry »

Through April 1 is the most anticipated times of the college application process. While it may be the most anticipated part of the college application process, it can also be the hardest. Dealing with rejection can be a very difficult thing to go through, especially if you get rejected from one of your top choices.

For me, it was inevitable to be rejected from a fair share of my schools because of the fact that I applied to so many. I wasn’t expecting to get into every single one of my colleges, and I think having that expectation is ignorant when you apply to a higher number of colleges. It is hard to balance time evenly between all your schools and make sure everything is perfect for each school. And some schools, after they have reviewed all your application materials, just feel you wouldn’t be the strongest fit, or their school just isn’t the place for you. Read the rest of this entry »

After a VERY long process, I can finally say that I am completely done with the college application process. It has obviously been a month or two since I completed all the applications, but today I finally got all my financial aid information sent in the mail. A huge weight seems to be lifted off my shoulders because now I realize I am done. Unless I hear back from one of my schools, saying they need something else, everything is complete and turned in.

Now I can actually sit back, relax, and wait to hear from all my schools. I will finally know about all my schools by April 1. Then by May 1, I will have to have told whichever school I plan on attending and pay my down payment to ensure my spot in their freshman class. This is the day I have been waiting for for a long time and I think many of my friends are also looking forward to these dates because I think it will be interesting to see where everyone ends up next year.

And while this may be an exciting opportunity, this will also be a sad time to face because we will be split apart after being with some friends for only a few years, and others since elementary school. So with the college decision comes many other things that all of us will face and although these decisions may be scary, the idea of them also excites me. I am ready to face something new and completely different.

When trying to meet a college’s financial requirements, there are many things to keep in mind. But there are five things that really jump out that seem to be the most important.

1. Get everything turned in on time. And preferably all at once. Check websites for any extra forms (if the schools have their own forms to fill out) and be sure to send everything to the correct address. Sending everything in at once just makes it easier for the college to know what you have and have not turned in.

2. Fill out the forms correctly. Double-check all the forms once you have filled them out. You want to be sure everything is accurate so you can get the correct amount of aid and not miss out on any opportunity to receive financial assistance. Read the rest of this entry »

How to Get into the College of Your Choice

The advantages to a college education are obvious and well documented. But if you need more convincing regarding its value, in 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that adults with a bachelor’s degree earned over $20,000 more annually than adults with only a high school diploma. If you’ve decided that college is for you, how do you get into the one you want? Here are five tips that will help you secure your future by getting into the college of your choice.

1. Try working closely with your high school guidance counselor. Your counselor can do a number of things to help optimize your chances of getting into the college of your choice. First, they can help advise you on which classes you should take while still in high school. They can also help you with college options, and even your overall strategy for success. It’s also great that they can write recommendations and communicate with colleges about your applications. Read the rest of this entry »

Not to be confused with early decision, Early Action is an application option for many colleges that is non-binding. The only difference between this and regular decision is that you know the college’s decision earlier and you more than likely will not know financially how things may work out.

Depending on the school, most Early Action deadlines are December 1. Some schools, such as The University of Chicago, have an Early Action deadline of November 1. Although it may seem extremely rushed, these deadlines are in fact are easily met.  This is a benefit of building your college list early. If you know your colleges early in your senior year and realize you have these opportunities to apply early, then take advantage of these earlier deadlines! Not only will you know much sooner whether or not you are accepted, you will also have that school out of the way. Read the rest of this entry »

Finally, I am able to say all my college applications are completed and turned in! Now all I can do is sit back, relax, and wait to see who offers me a spot in the class of 2013. I will be hearing in a few days from one of my schools, another on February 1, but all the others I will not here from until sometime in April. This wait for many can be extremely hard.

I, although would like to know, am not going to be worried about which colleges decide I am a best fit until the day comes when I am supposed to find out from all my schools. My college advisor has told me multiple times, as have other students who are now freshmen in college, to not worry. Why worry, because worrying won’t get you into the schools. Let the schools review the applications and let them decide while you try to push your application out of your mind until you hear a decision. If you are in the same spot as I am, which I hope a lot of seniors are at this time, don’t worry! Let the colleges decide and allow yourself to attempt to push the apps out of your mind for some time.

Sit back and relax if you have finished your apps! No point in worrying because its no longer in your hands. Just hope for your best.

Today was the last day of break and I must be honest, I’m not ready to return to school and my routine I have during the week. Break has allowed me to go to sleep and wake whenever I want, do whatever I want, and be with friends and family constantly. Now school begins in less than 12 hours and I’m torn between returning and not leaving my break.

The hardest thing during second semester, that almost all seniors deal with, is senioritis. While many of us may have felt it once or twice, I can tell it’s starting to grow and I know it will be much harder to go through my second semester. While I know I’ll be dealing with senioritis, I also realize I cannot allow for it to get the best of me. Read the rest of this entry »