Aug
17

Which College Application Should I Use?

By Trung Le

Parents and students should know that many college and universities use what is called the Common Application. It is an application that is shared by hundreds of colleges and universities, both public and private. What this means is that students will only need to fill out one application when applying to any number of colleges and universities that are on the member list.  For more information on the Common Application including the member list, visit http://www.CommonApplication.org.

For California Universities, the ten campuses of the University of California system also use only one application. The ten campuses of the UC system are: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. For more information, visit http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu.

The California State University system, which consists of 23 campuses, also uses one application. Applications would go to CSU Mentor to apply to any of these campuses. The web site is http://www.csumentor.edu. More information on the CSU can be found on their main web site at http://www.calstate.edu.

About the Author:

Trung Le is a college admission counselor at Bay Area College Consulting, which serves residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. He has worked with clients outside of the Bay Area including the East Coast, Canada, the Middle-East, and Southeast Asia. More information can be found on his web site at http://www.BayAreaCollegeConsulting.com.

Aug
17

The College Admissions Process

By: Michael Fleischner

Do you have a son or daughter that’s getting ready to think about life after high school? They probably think the rest of their life hinges on their upcoming quest to find a college, and in a way, it does. But, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here is what you need to know to help them make the right decisions along the way.

First things first, you need to get your son or daughter signed up to take the SATs, ACTs, or possibly both. Look at the required testing for admission consideration for each school. Remember, it is better to over-test than under-test. If their chosen schools want to see either the ACT or the SAT, it may be a good idea to take both tests.

In fact, your son or daughter may want to take the tests more than once, since schools accept your highest scores. If your son or daughter scores higher on the math section and lower on the writing section, they can take the test again and use the highest score on each section to calculate their cumulative score. Since the tests are offered multiple times each year, it’s best to start early and test often to get the best test scores you can. SAT and ACT prep classes are also available, and many helpful hints can be found online.

Your son or daughter should also start considering what their high school transcripts are going to do for their odds of acceptance during the admissions process. Adding an honors or advanced placement class, just so long as it won’t damage their overall GPA if the class is too difficult for them, is a great idea. Encourage your child to get involved in student government or other extracurricular activities. Admissions departments love well-rounded applicants. Community service, hobbies and jobs can also count in your child’s favor when it comes to extracurricular activities. However, make sure their grades stay top-notch while they are diversifying their interests.

The last variable in the college admissions process is in the admissions essay. This is the part of your son or daughter’s application that lets admissions officers get to know them better as a person. It is critical that the essay has no grammar or punctuation mistakes. A great essay lets you hear the writer’s voice clearly. It is best to have the essay proofread by a few different people, if possible. An English teacher and a guidance counselor would be ideal as proofreaders.

It is also important to remember one last vital element to the college admissions process: your emotional support as a parent. High school students have a lot of social pressure on their shoulders to begin with, and the college admissions process is a huge step in their lives. Make sure your son or daughter knows that they can turn to you for support, regardless of whether they’re going to an Ivy League school or a community college. Your support will help them make the most out of their potential.

Author Resource: Michael Fleischner is the Managing Director for EssayEdge.com and a marketing expert with more than 12 years of professional experience. He has appeared on The TODAY Show, Bloomberg Radio, and other major media. For additional help with your college admission essay or personal statement visit http://www.essayedge.com

Article From Article Directory

Aug
16

What is the difference between the SAT and ACT for college admission?

What Is The Difference Between The Sat And Act?

By: Susie Watts

The SAT and ACT often cause more stress and worry than any other part of the college admissions process. Parents and students know that for most schools, test scores are an important factor for both college admissions and scholarships.

The SAT and ACT are college entrance tests for students who are planning to attend most 4-year universities or colleges. They are not required at all schools.

So, what is the difference between the two tests?

The SAT is a 10-section exam lasting 3 hours and 45 minutes. One section of the test is experimental (not scored) and is used by the College Board to determine new questions to be asked on future tests. It can be an extra section of Math, Critical Reading, or Writing. There is no way for students to know which section is experimental. The SAT is made up of 171 questions, almost all of them multiple-choice. There are ten math questions that students work through and then grid-in their answers. The SAT is more of a reasoning and logic test. While there is a small penalty for guessing on the SAT, students need to know where and how to guess in order to do well. A perfect score on the SAT is 2400 or 800 on each of the 3 sections.

The ACT is a 4-section exam lasting 4 hours including the essay. It is aligned more with the high school curriculum and some feel it is a more straightforward test than the SAT. It has four sections, including English, Math, Reading, and Science. The Math section includes some trigonometry. The ACT also has an essay at the end of the test which is optional for students. Some colleges require the ACT essay and some do not. Guessing is not penalized on the ACT. Scores for each section of the ACT are averaged together to create a composite score. Scores range from 1 to 36. A perfect score for the ACT is a 36; however, the writing section is given as a separate score.

Some students may do better on one test than the other. For this reason, high school students are advised to take both the SAT and ACT in the spring of their junior year. This gives them a chance to see which test seems to fit their learning style the best. Students may take the tests more than once to improve their score (only the highest score will count). Many students take the tests two or three times. Colleges will accept either the SAT or ACT. Students should schedule their test dates far enough in advance so that they have at least two months to prepare for the tests. Students can register online for both the SAT and ACT.

About the Author

If you want to help your student become a stronger college applicant, go to http://www.collegedirection.org. Susie Watts is a college planner who helps students with their college search, applications and essays, and great college advice.

(ArticlesBase SC #2146379)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ – What Is The Difference Between The Sat And Act?

Aug
16

What the Best Colleges and Universities Want in Their Applicants

What the Best Colleges and Universities Want in Their Applicants

By Trung Le
College Admission Consultant
http://www.BayAreaCollegeConsulting.com

Why are some colleges and universities so competitive for admission? The best colleges and universities cannot accept every single student that applies simply due to a finite amount of spaces and resources. Therefore, they want the most qualified candidates and they reject the rest.

What exactly do these colleges and universities look for? Parents and students often think that a high (or even a perfect 4.0 GPA) is good enough. This is simply not the case. These colleges are not only looking for students with book-smarts, they are also looking for students with a strong extra-curricular background and leadership background. These are determining factors that will tell the college admission committee as to whether the candidate, if they are admitted, will benefit the campus community. They want students who will be active on their campus and someone who others can benefit from. They also want students who are more likely going to give back to society once they graduate from college.

High school students should spend at least two to three years building up their profile to be a more competitive applicant. Every student should build up his or her academic background, extra-curricular background, and leadership background.

Academic background

Having an impressive academic record does not simply mean maintaining a high GPA throughout high school. The admission committee wants to see the candidate enrolled in challenging courses, such as high level math, honor courses, or AP (Advanced Placement) courses. It is, therefore, not advisable for students to take easy courses simply to maintain a high GPA to impress colleges. Students can also attend major universities such as Stanford University, UC-Berkeley, UC-Davis, Columbia University, and Harvard University during the summer prior to their senior year. What most parents and students do not realize is that these prestigious universities are open to the public during the summer term. It is open to all high school students in their junior and senior years, contingent upon good academic standing and a recommendation from the high school counselor. Summer programs are also open to visiting college students (students from other colleges). This is a great way to show the admission committee that you took a college level course at a prestigious institution and that you can do well in the college setting.

Extra-curricular background

The admission committee also wants to know if the applicant is actively involved outside of academic life, especially community service. An active student is a well-rounded student. Extra-curricular activities include volunteer work, such as volunteering at a local hospital, homeless shelter, or animal shelter. Other activities includes being involved in sports or personal hobbies such music, art, dancing, and clubs such as academic clubs or social clubs. Volunteering at your local church also counts. Students should spend as many years as possible to develop this area of their application. The longer the involvement and the higher the number of hours devoted to these activities will show the admissions committee a higher level of commitment. Students should not wait until the months of September, October, and November of their senior year to build up their extra-curricular background. Volunteering for 3 hours a week at a homeless shelter for 3 months is not as impressive as volunteering for 3 hours a week for 3 years. Students must show that they are committed.

Leadership background

The admissions committee also wants candidates who can take initiative and possesses leadership skills. They do not want candidates who have the herd mentality – students who just follow what other people are doing.

The best colleges and universities want to graduate students who will give back to society by becoming the next politicians, entrepreneurs, inventors, intellectuals, philanthropists, and others who will contribute to society in a significant way. Students can build up their leadership skills by being the President of a club on campus, creating a web site that can benefit the local community, or being the Editor-in-Chief of a student or community newsletter or journal. These various activities involve taking the initiative and playing the management role by overseeing other people. High school students who lack a leadership background will likely be rejected by the best colleges and universities even if they have a strong academic background and extra-curricular background.

It is important that high students start early rather than waiting until their senior year. The duration of involvement shows the admissions committee the candidate’s level of commitment. Sophomore and junior years are the ideal years to work on these, but high school students can begin as early as their freshman year. Senior year is not the year to slack off either. Seniors must continue with a rigorous academic course schedule and their extra-curricular and leadership involvements, at least until all of their applications have been submitted. Would Barack Obama become the President of the United States if he delayed his presidential campaign until 3 months prior to the November general election? Of course not, and therefore, students should not wait 3 months prior to the November 30th application deadline to build up their extra-curricular and leadership backgrounds either.

About the Author

Trung Le is a college admission consultant in the Bay Area, helping high school and college students build up their academic, extra-curricular, and leadership background to gain admission into competitive colleges and universities. He also assists students with the general college application process, including personal statements. Mr. Le is also a faculty member at De Anza College in Cupertino, CA and Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA. He has taught over 1,000 students and has read over 20,000 pages worth of college-level assignments. Mr. Le is also a member of the Western Association of College Admission Counselors (WACA).

http://www.BayAreaCollegeConsulting.com

Aug
16

10 Things to Include in your College Personal Statement

10 Things to Include in your Personal Statement – Undergraduate, Graduate & Beyond

By: Kristie Lorette

Whether you are applying to enter undergraduate school, graduate school, or applying for a job, you may be asked to include a personal statement with your application. A personal statement is a supplement to your application that allows you to elaborate on your skills, experience, etc. Some personal statements ask you to respond to a very specific question, while other personal statements may ask a general question, which gives you a little more leeway on what should be included.

Writing your personal statement is your opportunity to shine. It is your opportunity to describe yourself, list the reasons you are interested in becoming part of the institution you are applying for, and the goals that you have set for yourself to achieve. The personal statement is also your platform for elaborating on the abilities that you possess that are not reflected in the standard form questions that you complete on an application. Finally, by completing your personal statement, you are showing the review board that you have the ability to organize your thoughts and that you can write clearly and effectively.

10 Things you should include in a personal statement:

1. List and thoroughly explain your personal experiences and qualifications. Be as specific as possible. Your experiences may be related to school, extracurricular activities, community service, or work experience.

2. Explain what makes you special, unique or impressive. Set yourself apart from your competition. Explain why you should be chosen over the other applicants that are volleying for your position in the institution.

3. List and fully explain the specific reasons that you are interested in attending this institution. It may be that they offer a course of study that no other institution does. It may be that they have the top medical school in the country and you want to me the top brain surgeon in the country. Also include how you came to know of the institution and/or field of study that you are interested in pursuing.

4. Explain and describe any work experience that you may have as it applies to your interest in your course of study. Relevant work experience may be what sparked your interest in pursuing this line of study or the line of work that you would eventually like to take on as a career. For example, maybe you volunteered in a battered women’s shelter and this has sparked your interest in becoming a social worker. You feel that studying social work will prepare you for a career in social work, which will allow you to help try and change or better certain aspects of society.

5. Describe your career goals. Be as specific as possible. For example, don’t just say that you want to be a doctor, when what you really want to be is a pediatric researcher. Explain the rationale behind you choosing to set these career goals for yourself. Maybe what sparked your goal was that your baby cousin died of a rare disease and you want to be able to conduct medical research, specifically for children, to try and find new and innovative cures for certain diseases that affect kids.

6. List the skills and achievements that you have accomplished. Provide supporting evidence as to how you accomplished the achievements or why you received the awards that you have listed.

7. Describe your most prominent characteristics and attributes. Again, provide supporting evidence to show how these attributes are beneficial to your growth and to their organization.

8. Fully describe some responsibilities that have you taken on and what you learned from them.

9. Describe some difficulties in life that you managed to overcome. Describe how you were able to overcome these difficulties and what you learned from these difficult times or incidents.

10. Make sure that you have written a complete personal statement that includes a strong and attention grabbing opening paragraph. This should be followed by the main section of your personal statement, spelling out all of the details that are listed above. Finally, you should have a strong conclusion which ties the entire essay together. Also be sure to reiterate your interest on becoming part of their institution.

Remember that having to write a personal statement is your opportunity to shine like the sun. Be sure to include these 10 items to ensure that you submit a complete personal statement. And most importantly, be sure to put a positive spin on everything that is on your list to include. You are painting a picture of yourself with words and you need them to impress the reader enough to see you in the positive light that you are standing in!

About the Author

Review more industry related articles by Kristie Lorette at CareersandEducation.com. Kristie Lorette is a CareersandEducation.com feature writer that often covers topics relating to Campus and Online Degree Programs and Career Planning.

Aug
16

National University Rankings

These are the universities that offer a full range of majors and degrees, and are known as the leading research universities. These rankings are for 2010 according to U.S. News. Bay Area College Consulting can help students to develop a competitive background to increase their chances of gaining admission into competitive colleges and universities.

1. Harvard University, MA
1. Princeton University, NJ
3. Yale University, CT
4. California Institute of Technology, CA
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), MA
4. Stanford University, CA
4. University of Pennsylvania, PA
8. Columbia University, NY
8. University of Chicago, IL
10. Duke University, NC
11. Dartmouth College, NH
12. Northwestern University, IL
12. Washington University in St. Louis, MO
14. Johns Hopkins University, MD
15. Cornell University, NY
16. Brown University, RI
17. Emory University, GA
17. Rice University, TX
17. Vanderbilt University, TN
20. University of Notre Dame, IN
21. University of California – Berkeley, CA
22. Carnegie Mellon, PA
23. Georgetown University, Washington, DC
24. University of California – Los Angeles, CA
24. University of Virginia, VA
26. University of Southern California, CA
27. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
28. Tufts University, MA
28. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
28. Wake Forest University, NC
31. Brandeis University, MA
32. New York University, NY
33. College of William and Mary, VA
34. Boston College, MA
35. Georgia Institute of Technology, GA
35. Lehigh University, PA
35. University of California, San Diego, CA
35. University of Rochester (NY)
39. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL
39. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
41. Case Western Reserve University, OH
42. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
42. University of California, Davis, CA
42. University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
42. University of Washington, WA
46. University of California, Irvine, CA
47. Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
47. University of Florida, FL
47. University of Texas, Austin, TX
50. Tulane University, LA
50. University of Miami, FL

Aug
16

Essay Writing Tips

Essay Writing Tips for High School and College Students

By Trung Le
Director and Head Consultant
Adjunct Faculty Member: De Anza College (Cupertino), Diablo Valley College (Pleasant Hill), and San Jose City College

http://www.BayAreaCollegeConsulting.com

A variety of college courses and timed essay writing exams such as the SAT, GRE, CSU WST and LSAT will require an essay writing component that is usually persuasive or argumentative in nature. Presented here is an explanation on how to write a good essay for your college class or for your next major essay writing exam.

There are five major factors to consider in writing a good essay. The first is creating a paper outline. The second is having a clearly stated thesis statement. The third is proper organization, grammar, and sentence structure. The fourth component is to support your thesis statement with several arguments, and ideally, address some criticisms against your thesis and your response to the criticisms. The fifth is to have a good conclusion to end the essay. Let us explore each essay component in greater detail.

Before you start writing your essay, whether on a timed essay exam like the SAT or a term paper for your class, you should always begin by writing a brief outline. This is important because it will help you to organize your ideas and it will structure your essay. All you have to do is briefly write down your thesis statement, which is your personal argument on the essay topic that was assigned to you. Then briefly write down 3 – 4 reasons to support your thesis. If you have time, you should also write down some criticisms against your thesis. Discussing criticisms may not be possible on a timed essay exam. Your outline should be less than one page long. It is very important to take the first 5 – 10 minutes on a timed essay exam to do this. Doing so will make the whole writing process much more efficient and it will lead to a well organized paper.

The second component in writing a good essay is having a clear and concise thesis statement, which is the main argument of your essay. This argument usually belongs to the author of the essay, but it can also be an argument that is originally from another author that you agree with. Your entire essay is revolved around the thesis statement. The purpose of your essay is to provide supporting reasons to convince the reader that your thesis statement is correct. Failing to have a concise thesis will also lead to an unorganized essay because you will lack focus while writing your essay. Without a clear thesis, your ideas and arguments will be all over the place and your essay will fail to flow in a proper and smooth direction.

A good essay also needs to be well organized. The basic structure of the essay is the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The introduction contains the thesis statement, as mentioned above. The introduction should also contain the purpose of your paper and the order in which you will present your arguments in your essay. For example, you can state, “I will first present three reasons to support my thesis, and then three criticisms against my thesis and my response to these criticisms.” The introduction can be written in one or two paragraphs. Do not spend too much time on this, especially on timed essay exams. Be clear and concise and do not bring in irrelevant or unnecessary information.

The bulk of the essay is the body. It contains the arguments, criticisms, and a general discussion of the paper topic. Spend one or two paragraphs to present each argument to support your thesis. Do the same for each criticism against your thesis. How much time you should devote to each argument will depend on the official requirements and the time frame that you have to write the essay. An adequate essay should have at least three or four arguments to support your thesis, and ideally the same number of criticisms. If you are taking the SAT, GRE, CSU WST, or LSAT, your essay should be around 3 – 5 pages in length if it is handwritten. If you are writing a term paper or research paper for a class, your essay should be around 6 – 10 pages long, depending on the official requirements of your instructor. Term papers will require a more detailed explanation of each argument or criticism as well.

A well written essay should contain a proper conclusion. There are many ways to write a conclusion. One way is simply to summarize the main arguments you have already presented throughout the essay. A better way is to discuss why your paper topic is significant and why the reader should be persuaded by your thesis statement. A conclusion is simply a way to wrap up your discussion. Do not end your paper abruptly. Devote one to two paragraphs to do this.

Once you are done writing your essay, proofread your paper to make sure that you have correct spelling, proper sentence structure, and proper grammar. Make sure that you have transition statements. These are statements between paragraphs to introduce the new idea. An example of a transition statement is as follows: “The first reason I am against capital punishment is..” You should spend at least 5 – 10 minutes on timed essay exams to proofread your paper. Proofreading your term paper is a longer process, and ideally, you should have another person read over your paper before you write and turn in the final draft to your instructor. Failing to proofread your essay can result in a failing score on timed essay exams and a letter grade reduction on term papers. For this reason, it is extremely important to proofread your essay if you want to write a good essay.

About T. Le

Mr. Le is a college philosophy instructor who helps students to achieve academic success and helps them realize their potential in life. He was educated at San Jose State University and at the University of California at Berkeley, and has taught philosophy at San Jose State University, CA, De Anza College in Cupertino, CA, Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA, and San Jose City College, CA. He is the founder of Bay Area College Consulting.

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