College Application Time is Approaching for Seniors

It is that time of year for high school seniors to get to work on college applications. Seniors should be getting their applications, essays and recommendation letters together now. Hopefully, they have already been involved in a number of diverse activities and community service opportunities throughout their high school career. If not get to work setting yourself apart from the average student. These activities are very important for their application to stand out from the crowd. In addition , many high schools over students the option of taking college credit courses. Seniors can actually earn an associates degree and a high school diploma on graduation day. This allows a student to apply to colleges as an incoming sophomore or junior where there is a much better chance of getting into the college of your choice.

There are several application opportunities that increase your child's chance of getting into a college of their choice. The first is Early Decision. If you are both set on a particular college this may be for you. Completing this type of application locks them into going to this college if they are accepted so they must be positive. Application need to be submitted in early November and a response may be received in December. There is a much smaller application pool for this type of application which greatly increases your child's chances of getting accepted.

Early Action differs from  Early Decision in that it is not binding (meaning if they are accepted, they are not locked into going to that school. Your child could apply to several different colleges. Deadline for these applications is also in early November, application pool is also smaller and they should find out about their acceptance in December.

Early Admission is another option, but the number of applicants is larger which decreases your child's chances of getting in to the college of their choice. Early Admission applications are usually due in January and they should find out about acceptance in February.

When it comes down to apply to colleges, earlier is definitely better.

Too Much Pressure to Do Well on Tests...Are We Pushing Our Children to Cheat?

Are we as a country putting too much pressure on our children to do well on standardized tests like the SAT, the ACT or whatever yearly test is required where you live? My answer is YES. Evidence of children breaking under the pressure of these tests can be seen in the recent arrest of a SAT Cheating Ring. Reports from the test administrators that cheating like this has never happened before need to pull their heads out of the sand and take a closer look around. Cheating on these exams go on all the time.

I am not sure what the results of exams like these really tell administrators about what a student is like and how they are likely to do in the future. I have seen several "A" students do poorly on these tests because of test anxiety or poor test taking skills. I have also seen failing students do quite well because they guess well or have great test taking skills. I think it is important for schools and colleges to take a look at the whole student, rather then test results that provide just a snapshot of the student. We all know that snapshots can be deceiving.