Many students think of the ACT and SAT as tests they have to take to get into college. They study a little bit, take the test, and then apply to the schools where their scores are deemed acceptable. However, the world of college admissions is changing and these tests might not hold as much sway in the future.

Currently, there are 850 colleges and universities in the USA that have an SAT/ACT optional admissions policy. This means that students do not have to take these standardized tests in order to be accepted. Some of the schools that have adopted this policy include Indiana State University, Johnson & Wales University, and Kansas State University.

Some people are in favor of this new trend concerning college admissions because they argue that the tests are “a cocktail of trickery [that do not allow] enough time, and [require] idiosyncratic ways of thinking,” as Anthony Russomanno of the Princeton Review said. The SAT and ACT were originally designed to create a bell-curve distribution of test scores, but opponents say that this does not prove the tests are fair. Instead, they say that the tests would be fair if students could study for them in a similar way that students can study for other tests, such as AP and IB exams. Read the rest of this entry »

It is by far the scariest, most difficult, and all-around-worst part of applying for admissions to a college or university. I know this might seem a little extreme, especially when you consider all of the time-consuming documents that you have to prepare and collect for your application for admissions (think FAFSA, the SAT, recommendation letters, etc.), but I am secure in my belief that this one part of the process is the part that makes many people avoid applying until the final deadline is upon them. What am I talking about? The personal statement or application essay, of course.

Many schools require applicants to submit a personal statement as part of their admissions application. This essay is supposed to sum up, in three pages or less, why you are an amazing person and worthy of attending their school. So, obviously, there’s a little bit of pressure to get it right. After all, you only have one chance to make a first impression on the admissions committee and this is it.

Recently, students have began using YouTube videos as substitutes for the traditional essay. Although this is a cool, new alternative that might become mainstream in the future, it currently is more of the exception than the rule. Unfortunately, that blank piece of paper is still the most common format for college admission essays. Read the rest of this entry »

For many high school seniors, applying to several schools used to seem like quite a daunting feat because of the numerous different essay questions that each school asked. Luckily, a Common Application was created as a way to cut down the amount of time and effort involved in applying to various schools.

In the past year, there were some technical issues that made the Common Application somewhat difficult, and at times even more stressful than traditional applications. However, it now seems that these bugs have been worked out and a mobile version is available for students to access via their smartphones.

The new mobile site allows high school seniors to use their phones to check on the status of their applications, payment, and any other materials that might be required. Currently, 456 colleges are accepting the Common Application, but most of these schools also require addition application materials.

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Do you remember that movie, The Perfect Score? It came out in 2004 and was about six high school seniors who stole the answers to the SAT test in order to ace it and get into Princeton University. Well, I’ve often heard that life imitates art, but a new story makes this phrase seem way too real.

Seven people were arrested recently for being involved in a SAT cheating scam in Long Island, New York. Samuel Eshaghoff, 19, was the oldest student who was arrested; the other six students are minors, so their names are not being released. Eshaghoff faces felony fraud charges and the others face misdemeanor charges.

Prosecutors claim that Eshaghoff impersonated six students at Great Neck North High between 2010 and 2011. He charged each student between $1,500 and $2,500 to take the SAT test for them. He then would go to a testing center that was not the students’ own school so that authorities would not realize he was using a fake form of identification to impersonate the other students.

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It’s no secret that college admissions officers are allowing more creativity in the applications that they will accept. Last year, YouTube application videos were all the rage. This year, some schools, like the University of Iowa, are incorporating Twitter into the decision-making process.

The University of Iowa is offering a full scholarship to their business school. This means that around $37,000 is hanging on a 140 character tweet. This tweet is being used by the school to replace the second essay that is normally required in their application.

Some critics think that incorporating Twitter in the college application process is a bad idea.

“They’re devaluing their future,” said Jaron Lanier, author of You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto. “They’re identifying themselves with a fad rather than something more long term. It comes off as a school trying so hard to be cool.”

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This offer is expired. See current offers from The Princeton Review here.

Applying for college can be extremely stressful. There are so many things to consider: SATs, ACTs, your GPA, writing essays for applications, asking for letters of recommendation. Here to help you find your way through the college application maze, is Rob Franek, the author of The Best 373 Colleges. Hosted by The Princeton Review, Franek is giving a free “Getting In” online seminar.

The free webinar will cover everything you need to know about getting into college and financing your education. Franek will discuss all the aspects of the college admissions process. You’ll also be able to ask him any lingering questions you may have.

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Advanced Placement classes can bolster a high school transcript and improve one’s chances of being accepted into competitive college programs. They’re also good preparation for the rigors of college workloads. Some colleges will let you use a high score from an AP test to place out of entry-level courses.

But is it worth taking an AP course if you don’t know that you’ll get a good grade? Do honors courses carry less weight than AP courses? Because honors courses are usually considered less rigorous than AP courses, you should take an AP class if you think you can get an A or B. But if you think you may get a C+ or lower, you should probably stay in the standard level or honors course.

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Famous Harvard Reject: Warren Buffett

I remember applying to my dream school, then anxiously awaiting the letter. I knew it would be a good letter if it arrived in a big envelope. And if it came in a small envelope, I knew it would be a bad one.

College hopefuls around the country know this feeling. And unfortunately, many receive the small envelope, or the rejection letter, in case you are not familiar with the stereotypical acceptance or rejections letters. However, if you do receive a rejection letter, do not let it get you down or make you give up your dreams. In fact, take it as a blessing in disguise, and remember than many famous people, including Warren Buffett, Lee Bollinger, and Harold Varmus, were once rejected from their first choice schools.

Here are their stories.

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I wanted to apply to colleges across the country, but I had no idea how to contact those colleges nor did I want to drive to four different states. I ended up applying to only a few colleges, and only after I talked with college advisors for at least an hour each. It was a stressful, time-consuming process.

College Week Live is trying to make this process easier for students. College Week Live allows students to get college application tips and advice from college admission officers from the USA, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, all in one web-based location. College Week Live features college application experts who give presentations on everything from preparing for the SAT to paying for college. There are also actual college students available for video chat, so prospective students can hear what campus life is really all about. Read the rest of this entry »

Some schools have more of an open door policy than others. The Ivy League, private schools or some of the more elite and respected universities in the country will be the hardest colleges to get into. Most state schools, while no pushovers, make a college education more accessible. State colleges and universities by all means have standards, rich traditions and reputations that should be upheld. Otherwise, how much is that piece of paper really worth?

There are those, however, that are more accessible and less selective. Some of these include:

Weber State University - 100 percent acceptance

University of Texas San Antonio - 99 percent acceptance

University of Texas El Paso - 99 percent acceptance Read the rest of this entry »