By Sarah M. High school is a great time to explore your interests and start connecting them to possible careers. You don’t need to know exactly what you want to do yet, but the clubs and activities you choose can give you clues about your strengths, passions, and future opportunities. Think of your extracurriculars as mini test runs for different career paths. Here are a few ways to start exploring
By Jennifer L. With application deadlines fast approaching, many students are excited to hit “submit” early—a smart strategy that can reduce stress and prevent last-minute issues. But before you finalize your application, it’s worth slowing down to double-check the details. Small mistakes can create confusion for admissions officers or misrepresent your accomplishments. Here are a few key areas to review carefully before submitting your application: 1. Accuracy in Personal Information
by Jennifer L. The SAT and ACT remain important opportunities to showcase your academic strengths and enhance your college application profile. Several prestigious institutions have reinstated standardized test requirements, making strong scores an essential part of the admissions process. For instance, Harvard University has reintroduced the SAT/ACT requirement for applicants starting in the fall of 2025. Similarly, Stanford University, University of Texas-Austin, MIT, Caltech as well as the University of
by Jennifer L. When building a college list, it’s easy to get caught up in rankings. While those numbers might offer a general sense of prestige or competitiveness, they don’t tell the full story—and they definitely shouldn’t be the only factor guiding your decisions. Here are five often-overlooked elements that matter just as much, if not more, when choosing the right college fit. 1. Academic Programs That Match Your InterestsNot
by Abby G. Professors who engage in pre-college programs are more than just experts in their fields; they’re your first glimpse of what it’s like to learn in a college environment, and they’re one of the most valuable resources you’ll find. Here’s what I’d advise any student looking to get the most out of their time:
by Tony T. Junior year is critical in building up your college admission profile, and getting you ready for your upcoming college application. Following is a brief list of areas that IvyBoost may help you with to boost your profile in junior year: Grades: Junior year grades are the most recent grades that colleges see when you apply. IvyBoost will monitor your GPA, help you manage your time more efficiently,
by Jennifer L. Applying to an Ivy League school is notoriously challenging. With acceptance rates as low as 3-5%, the competition is intense. Applicants are not only competing with top students from across the country but also from around the world. These prestigious institutions are known for their rigorous academic standards, distinguished faculty, and strong alumni networks. However, they are not the right choice for everyone. So, when is it
by Jennifer L. Receiving a college waitlist notification from an institution can be both frustrating and hopeful. Recognize that being waitlisted is not a rejection! It means the admissions committee sees the potential in your application, but needs to wait to make final decisions. While the continued uncertainty is challenging, there are a few steps and 3 tips you can take to navigate the situation effectively. Tip 1: Follow Instructions
by Aaron L. Attending medical school at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine was a transformative experience that shaped my medical career in profound ways. One standout aspect of Vanderbilt was the emphasis on personalized learning. The school recognized that every student had unique interests and career goals, and they encouraged us to explore those passions. This approach allowed me to delve deeply into my chosen field of radiology. Whether it
by Jennifer L. In a rapidly evolving world driven by technological advancement and specialized careers, the concept of a liberal arts college might seem like a relic of the past. However, these institutions continue to hold tremendous value, offering a holistic education that fosters critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability. At its core, a liberal arts college provides a well-rounded education that encompasses a wide array of disciplines, including humanities, social
by Sarah M. With thousands of colleges in the United States, it can be overwhelming decided which ones to apply to. One way to make this decision easier is to break all those schools down into categories. The most basic way to do that is to separate the public colleges from the private ones. What is a public college? These are government-funded through their states. The University of Illinois, the
by Jennifer L. While last week’s post discussed the basics you should consider for your college list, how do you actually go about researching and building it in detail? With over 5,000 degree-granting universities in the United States, how do you decide which one is the right fit for you? Step 1: Reflection The college search process starts with you understanding yourself and your college goals. Once you have an
by Jennifer L. Vising a college campus is one of the most important ways of discovering which campus is the best fit for you. You can experience the school behind the website and social media posts and truly get the “vibe” of the school. By visiting and looking at a college through your eyes, you begin to determine what college meets your specific needs. What is important to you in
Last week, Trump’s travel ban against people from certain Muslim-majority countries stirred strong reactions across the U.S. The ban affected travelers entering the U.S. and those involved in the visa process. How has the ban affected colleges? The NACAC has made a list of recent news on the issue and the stories that students, professors, researchers, and others in higher education have to tell about their experiences. (Source: NACAC)
Out of all the UC campuses this year, the Washington Post reported that UCLA is the first campus to have over 100,000 students apply as freshmen applicants. Additional data also noted that UC campuses in general attract more applications than some other universities; for instance, UC Irvine and UC Berkeley both received more than 80,000 freshmen applications. As college admissions continues to increase in competitiveness, it remains even more vital
Besides Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan have helped create another way to make new connections. The announcement of the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub will connect UCSF, UC Berkeley, and Stanford University with an exciting new science research center. The Biohub is intended to provide needed materials for scientists, such as lab space and project funding. On the Biohub, Professor DeRisi of UCSF has said: “We have three great research powerhouses
Besides changes to college application options, this year, some significant changes were also made to financial aid. For students applying for financial aid, they will be able to start on the FAFSA early in October. As a result, the U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to colleges to specifically request that schools not set earlier deadlines for financial aid. With all the news surrounding college applications and financial aid
Students who have concerns about long to-do lists for college admissions may soon be able to get some help. Up Next, the recent text-messaging service released this week, promises to give students handy reminders on college deadlines straight to their phones. With a student’s busy schedule, these text reminders should be useful for organizing their time. (Source: NACAC)
A recent music video with Michelle Obama and Jay Pharoah stresses the value of college to students. A link to the video can be watched here on The Chronicle of Higher Education.
The NACAC has posted a recent summary of the Supreme Court’s discussion on college admissions and race in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin.
Although the UC application usually closes by November 30, this year, the transfer student deadline has been moved to January 4, 2016. For additional details, students can go to the UC admissions website.
According to Inside Higher Ed, the winners for the 2016 Rhodes Scholarship have recently been announced. The students who win a Rhodes Scholarship are offered an opportunity to study at the University of Oxford.
As a continuation of the Corinthian Colleges investigation last year by the U.S. Department of Education, an Inside Higher Ed article has announced that based on new info, as many as 85,000 Corinthian students may be able to have their loans cancelled.
Recent news has reported a number of student protests on college campuses like the University of Missouri and Yale. The Chronicle of Higher Education has provided a helpful summary of the different protests and the conversations they have started on race and diversity in higher education.
According to Inside Higher Ed, there has been some good news recently for veterans who are planning to attend college, like the announcement of a veteran-specific tool for comparing colleges and new protections for GI Bill benefits.
According to the LA Times, there may be an increase of 10,000 in-state students added to UC campuses by 2018. The plan would “boost in-state enrollment of freshmen and transfer students by 5,000 next fall and then 2,500 more in each of the two following school years.”
Recently, the Department of Education released an announcement that high school students who want to take college classes through dual enrollment may soon be able to use Pell Grants towards dual enrollment. This experiment has been reported as a way to increase opportunities for high schoolers with low-income backgrounds, as dual enrollment seems linked to benefits like “better grades in high school, increased enrollment in college following high school, [and]
The Institute for College Access and Success recently released a report on student loan debt in the U.S. The average student loan debt was reported at $29,000; the report also examined student debt by state and discussed factors involved for any changes in averages, such as the college’s cost of attendance and the available financial aid. New Mexico and Utah were reported as states with particularly low debt.
For students who are steadily checking off their list of college application materials, financial aid may be just one of the many boxes that provides a cause for worry. Even if I am accepted, how can I possibly pay for tuition and all my other costs? Luckily for students, the College Board has a summary available on financial aid listing out the basics on financial aid terms and options.
Michelle Obama, the First Lady, recently announced the start of Better Make Room, a campaign to inspire students to college. The Better Make Room website, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, seems to be appropriately designed for sharing stories about college-going students to other younger students.
Besides keeping on track for their academic progress and browsing through major choices, students and their families also need to think about how they will pay for college. In that case, this article from the Huffington Post offers some tips to help families of future college-goers get started on saving up for higher education.
As students and families struggle with questions on college affordability, the relation between cost and education is a huge concern on everyone’s mind. This Huffington Post article presents a detailed discussion of college pricing and the factors people need to take into account in order to have a better understanding of a college’s cost. For students with concerns on financial aid or other aspects of college, IvyBoost’s College Counseling prepares
Whether you are a new freshman or a continuing college student, one big topic at the front of your mind may be paying for the next school year. However, if your financial aid does not seem enough for your college costs, what can you do? There are 3 tips that may help you from the New York Times article “How to Appeal College Financial Aid Offers”: 1. If you can
All your college letters have arrived in the mail and you are excited by your acceptances. Congratulations to you! It’s good to know how your hard work during high school and the application period has paid off. So after you have decided on your college, you can relax and look forward to summer after your final round of finals, right? The truth is, after your acceptances have come in, there
Recently, it was announced that the Rhodes Scholarship, which selects a number of promising students every year to study at Oxford, will soon also open to students in China. Usually, the Rhodes Scholarship chooses 32 U.S. students, as well as scholars from other countries. For the first group of students from China, about 3-6 students will be chosen for the scholarship. Students in countries outside of the U.S. who have
If you are a high school student who is fascinated by politics or cultures of different countries, studying international relations could be the right choice for you. The Ivory Tower Survey of 2014 asked scholars around the U.S. what they thought to be the top schools for international relations. Some schools on the list included well-known institutions like Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego. The full list and
A recent article in The Atlantic looked at the reasons of students who decided not to apply for selective colleges. More specifically, low-income students who scored in the top 10 percent of the SAT or ACT. Their application decisions were found to have resulted from a lack of information on college aid and college programs. However, once students of that profile received more detailed info on colleges, they had a
According to the LA Times, Gov. Jerry Brown and UC President Janet Napolitano will soon meet as a committee to go over the costs and the spending of UC campuses. Their first meeting is reported to be scheduled for January 26. Besides college costs, some other issues which may also be discussed include teaching loads and time needed to earn an undergraduate degree. In a more recent LA Times piece,
With growing concerns on tuition, room and board, and other necessary expenses, how can future college students keep a handle on all of their financial matters? Students may be glad to know that throughout January, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has worked on a Safe Student Account Scorecard. The scorecard is intended for colleges to use to get a clear picture of the most student-friendly banking accounts. Some colleges
Curious about the average student debt for college in your state? You can find out on this map. As reported by the Huffington Post, the top 3 states with the worst student debt are New Hampshire. Delaware, and Pennsylvania. The 3 other states with lower student debt are Nevada, California, and New Mexico. As students and their families continue to worry about the cost of college tuition, keeping an eye
When President Obama announced a plan last week to make 2 years of community college free for students who could meet certain requirements, the usual spirited discussions followed about the purpose of higher education and student goals, and the ways and means the plan would be put into place. The U.S. News pointed out that previous programs similar to President Obama’s plan had been created before. Other articles, like this
In a recent article from Bloomberg News, in 2014, tuition and fees at 4-year public colleges and private colleges have risen from around 3 percent to 3.7 percent. For an in-state student at a public college, tuition with room and board can come up to $18,943 and at private colleges, the cost comes up to around $42,419. In related news, a chart from the Bureau of Labor Statistics displays an
Interested in studying at Oxford for 2 or 3 years? You may want to consider applying for the Rhodes Scholarship! What is the Rhodes Scholarship? The Rhodes Scholarship was established after Cecil J. Rhodes’s death to bring together students from different countries to Oxford. His requirements for Rhodes Scholars included attributes such as literary & scholastic attainment, courage, and moral force of character. Cecil Rhodes hoped that the Rhodes Scholarship
On Thursday, the proposal for increasing UC tuition was approved by UC Regents, according to news sources such as LA Times and Newsweek. The proposal to increase UC tuition by 5% each year was first announced at the beginning of November. Under this proposal, by 2019, UC tuition could be as much as $15,564. The UC tuition increase was stated to be a response to budget concerns, the increased student
On Monday, during the first day of his trip to China, President Barack Obama announced a new policy on visas between the U.S. and China. Originally, U.S. visas such as business visas and student visas were only valid for one year. Under the new policy, business and tourist visas will now be valid for up to ten years. Student and exchange visas will be valid for five years. The new
Originally, the tuition for UC colleges had been frozen for the last 3 years. However, a few days ago, the UC system announced a plan to raise tuition by as much as 5% for the next few years. What is the increased tuition supposed to cover for UCs? Costs for employees Costs to cover a greater number of Californian students How will the UC tuition change if it
Last week, a furious debate broke out over the role of athletics in college after the results of an investigation at UNC-Chapel Hill were revealed. For twenty years, about 3,000 students took classes at UNC-Chapel Hill which did not require them to attend lectures or turn in any major assignments. Roughly half of the students in these classes were also athletes. Some of the athletes named in the investigation played
Most colleges see great benefits in having a mix of in-state and out-of-state students. However, due to increased fears about college admissions from Californians, the University of California colleges are taking another look at the number of out-of-state students on their campuses. So what are the benefits and the disadvantages of out-of-state students in UCs? Pros Greater diversity of voices and cultures on campus Stable funds for school budget (in-state
Stanford University has just added a new page on their website to help students understand their major options. By using the new major-comparison tool, Stanford students can better research the range of majors offered, from Aeronautics and Astronautics to Urban Studies. Along with majors, students can also look at joint major options, minor options, and co-term options. A co-term at Stanford lets a student start on a master’s degree while
What’s bright and blue and shiny all over? Professor Shuji Nakamura could probably tell you. Shuji Nakamura is a professor of materials and of electrical and computer engineering at UC Santa Barbara. Last week, he was given the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for the invention of blue light-emitting diodes. These blue light-emitting diodes are valuable because they allow for a greater energy-saving light source. The Nobel Prize in Physics
In the year 2020, UC Davis expects an increase of 5,000 undergraduate students to its campus. In-state, out-of-state, and exchange students are all counted in the 5,000 student figure. To prepare for this expected increase of students, some significant changes were recently made to the UC Davis campus: 1. For housing, 150 triple rooms were added to the residence halls of Tercero 2. An additional 800 seats were added in
The Big Ten is a collection of colleges with a focus on intercollegiate sports; currently there are 14 member universities in the Big Ten. Members of the Big Ten include schools like Northwestern, Purdue University, and Rutgers University. On October 8th, the Big Ten released news of a scholarship policy which would “guarantee 4-year scholarships for athletes.” Previously at many colleges, a student’s athletic scholarship could be taken away after
This year, 68 QuestBridge scholars entered Columbia University. Why is it so significant? QuestBridge is a nonprofit organization which “connects low-income students with opportunities at elite colleges.” Those admitted to Columbia through QuestBridge can also find common understanding and mentoring from fellow students in the Quest Scholars Network. In order to be accepted into the QuestBridge program, 12th grade students must turn in their applications by September. If selected as
Last Sunday, two important bills were signed in California regarding higher education. The two bills signed by Gov. Jerry Brown were Senate Bill 850 and Senate Bill 1210. After the approval of Senate Bill 850, some of California’s community colleges will be able to give out bachelor’s degrees to their students. The program for 4-year degrees from community colleges is intended to start during the 2017-18 academic year. Through Senate
The Pell Grant does not require repayment and is awarded to millions of low-income students each year to help them attend college. However, based on a report from the New America Foundation, many colleges only admit a few Pell Grant students, or do not offer enough support for Pell Grant students who cannot meet their college costs. The colleges researched in the report included 828 private colleges and 598 public
You’re fully prepared. You’ve carefully narrowed down your list of ideal colleges, filled in all the applications by the deadline, and have drafted and revised all your essays. Now you just have to wait for the results. But wait. Have you remembered to look at the financial aid for each college? What kind of questions should you ask a financial aid officer? According to the U.S. News, below are some
As summer melts into fall, students around the country will be heading off to college, looking forward to new classes and new learning experiences with great anticipation. But some students may greet the new school year with worry instead of excitement. What if a student’s financial aid falls short of their college costs? What can they do? The U.S. Department of Education suggests to those students to do the following:
Princeton University took on a grading policy in 2004 which was meant to provide students “consistent grading standards in different departments” and “clear signals from their teachers about the difference between their good work and their very best work.” The policy suggested that each department give A-range grades for only 35% of course work. In August 2014, a committee of Princeton faculty met to discuss the effects of the grading
Despite the general affordability of community college, some students struggle to pay without federal student loans, the New York Times reports. Based on a report from the Institute for College Access and Success, the tuition average of community colleges is $3,260 per year. However, necessities like textbooks and housing can bring up the total cost to $15,000. Nationwide, about 9 percent of community colleges do not offer federal student loans;
The U.S. Department of Education has announced that Corinthian Colleges Inc. has agreed to an operating plan which will ease the process of closing down its campuses. In early June, Corinthian Colleges was placed under “increased financial oversight” by the Department of Education since Corinthian had failed to submit required data about enrollment and job placement. Concerns were also brought up about Corinthian’s marketing practices to prospective students. Programs owned
Do you know which public 4-year college has the highest tuition? Do you know which private 2-year college has the lowest net price? As The Chronicle of Higher Education noted today, the U.S. Department of Education just released new lists of the most expensive and least expensive U.S. colleges. The new lists are based on tuition data from the 2012-2013 school year. The lists allow the public to view tuition
A memorandum about student loans was signed last week by President Obama on June 9,2014. The new student loan regulations are intended to make the loan repayment process easier for borrowers. After graduation, many students who rely on loans for college find it difficult to do things like buy a home, support a family, or start a business. The biggest change proposed by the plan was that it would allow
