Getting Into College Is No Longer A Numbers Game!Written by Reecy Aresty
Sending your kids to college has never been more difficult or more expensive, and outstanding grades no longer guarantee admission! Student competition is at an all-time high and families now face toughest admissions committees in history, soaring tuition costs, and a financial aid system designed to eliminate all but most knowledgeable and persistent applicants.America is knee deep in an unsung higher education crisis that is affecting families from all walks of life. Most high school parents are not skilled in college admissions, and vast majority of those braving financial aid process without professional help fall victim to a system plagued by complication and confusion. According to Dept. of Education, overwhelming majority of those applying for financial aid are initially rejected for errors and inconsistencies! Adding to problem is rampant misinformation, even from so-called reliable sources. Yet, despite these obstacles, and contrary to what most college-bound families believe, regardless of financial resources, paying for college is not your main concern! Getting accepted to college is number one priority! All of financial aid available is useless without an admission ticket! To ensure a student’s college education, planning must begin early - no later than 9th grade! This may seem premature, but starting any later could be higher education suicide! The student must be made presentable to schools, and that cannot be done overnight. It takes lots of planning, patience, and most importantly, student must be motivated to succeed. Year after year, there are far more qualified applicants than all of our colleges and universities have room for. In school year 2001-2002, Princeton University received approximately 19,000 applications, but only had enough space for 1,200 freshmen. They rejected 18,000 students! The University of Florida for college year 2002-2003, received approximately 24,000 applications, but only had room for 6,500! They turned away over 17,000 students! In both cases, majority of rejected students were qualified applicants!
| | Most Colleges Require Letters Of RecommendationWritten by Reecy Aresty
I cannot overemphasize importance of developing strong relationships with high school teachers and counselors as early as possible. An extremely well written, all-telling letter can absolutely make difference of being accepted or rejected to any college.Students at top of one or more of their classes should first ask those teachers to write a letter of recommendation (LOR). However, if a teacher balks, is least bit hesitant or shows no enthusiasm about prospect of writing such a letter, another teacher, one who is likely to make student shine, should be approached instead. A less than exemplary LOR is virtually worthless! Chose wisely. I often review LOR’s for content and grammar, and am constantly amazed at how careless and lax some teachers, counselors and other well-intentioned people can be with a letter of such great importance! Choose teachers who have expressed a genuine interest in student’s future. Most schools require LOR’s from guidance counselors, and some ask for one or more from student’s English, Science and/or Math teachers. Additional LOR’s, letters other than those requested on school’s application, are also recommended. I suggest no more than two extras, unless a third is absolutely extraordinary. Unless student is an athlete, any teacher is preferable to a coach unless coach actually teaches a core or standard subject such as English, Chemistry, History, Math, or Language. In some cases, writer actually asks student for an outline of what they should write! Each letter should be from someone who knows student well, such as: •A college professor (excellent) •A high ranking military officer (also excellent) •A member of clergy •Chairman or officer of a major corporation •A member of a volunteer organization where student worked •The parent of a handicapped student from volunteer work, i.e. Special Olympics
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