Here’s a list of action steps that will help students stay focused and on track.

1. Start researching colleges by visiting, attending information sessions, reviewing websites, attending college fairs and getting on college mailing lists. While attending local college fairs, find some that appeal to you. Start considering criteria such as academic programs, location, cost, and size of school, retention rate, campus life and housing. Check and see if your colleges of interested are on Social Media websites (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest). Much current information can be accessed in this way.

2. Next fall, keep your grade point average up. Take courses that are challenging and part of a strenuous curriculum. See what your high school offers and take harder classes that are part of a college prep curriculum. If you have exceeded what your high school offers, see what enrichment programs are approved by your high school. There may be advanced courses at a local community college or online that would work. You may decide to take a course over the summer.

3. Learn about community service and internship opportunities in your area that are in your field of interest. Talk to other students and adults to see if they have additional ideas. Network with those you know.

4. Make sure you get to know your school counselor in the fall, as he/she will be writing college recommendations for you. Think about questions you want to ask, visit their office and see what materials are available. Most school counselors are extremely busy with little time so set an appointment if necessary.

5. Take the SAT/ACT in your junior year. Test date calendars can be found at www.collegeboard.com and www.act.org. Do practice and prepare. Summer is a great time to do some practice tests or perhaps take a test prep course. Some colleges require SAT Subject Exams – so you should become familiar with those and learn the admission requirements of the colleges where you are applying

6. Discuss money. Will you need financial aid? Has your family saved money for your college education? Remember, the college will determine the true cost of college where you will attend. Some private colleges give their own scholarships and grants so you want to investigate the options. Visit our free scholarship search here: http://www.college-connections.com/college-financial-planning.html

7. Stay involved in extracurricular activities. Just select a few that tie in with your interests – Do things you like and stick with it – depth and continuity are impressive on a college application. Volunteer, but not with too many organizations.

8. Us your summer months for some college visits. Although campuses may be quieter during the summer, tours are offered and you can still “get a feel” for the college.
College visit tips:
- Sign up and take a campus informational tour
- Set up an interview with an admission officer
- Audit a course, if available
- Speak with a professor or representative at the department in your field of interest
- If you are pursuing athletics, talk to a coach in your sport
- If possible, stay overnight in a dorm with a friend or relative
- Pick up the campus newspaper
- Spend time in the Student Union and eat in the cafeteria
- Speak to students and ask questions
- Find the center of campus and have a seat for 30 minutes
- Take a look at the college bookstore
- Ask a student what he/she loves and hates about the college
- Tour the community surrounding the campus
- Ask a student if you can see their dorm room
- Ask yourself if you could feel at home at this college
- Take lots of notes and pictures

Enjoy yourself!

9. Practice writing in the first person, keep a journal and brainstorm possible college essay topics. Write a few rough drafts.

10. Spend time with your family!

Don’t wait..
Contact: http://www.college-connections.com/contact.html
Email us at: info@college-connections.com with any questions or concerns!

Here are 50 questions to get you started:
1. What is the four-year graduation rate for students at your school?
2. What is the five-year graduation rate?
3. What is the six-year grad rate?
4. What are the main reasons why students don’t graduate on time?
5. How many students transfer out of your school?
6. What are the major reasons why students leave?
7. If you are exploring transferring in ask: what percentage of transfer credits does the college take annually?

Professors and academics
8. What is the percentage of professors who are tenured or on the tenure track?
9. What percentage of the faculty is full-time?
10. What is the average class sizes for the major you are interested in pursuing?
11. What is the average class size for lower-level classes?
12. What is the average size for upper-level classes?
13. Do you have a learning community or other freshman experience?
14. What percentage of students study abroad?
15. How much interaction, if any, will the typical undergrad have with tenured professors? Will it largely be confined to lecture halls?
16. How widely are teaching assistants used?
17. How many undergrads get to conduct research?
18. What departments offer undergraduate research?
19. Are there restrictions on any major?
20. Are the admission standards higher for certain majors?
21. Is it possible to double-major at your institution?
22. How much reading and writing is typically assigned in class?
23. Does the school have an honor college?
24. What are the requirements to get into the honor college?
25. Do seniors complete a capstone experience or project?

Jobs and graduate school
26. What is the job placement rate?
27. How is that job placement rate calculated? Are the figures self-reported?
28. What percentage of students go on to graduate school or professional schools?
29. What are your school’s feeder institutions for graduate and professional degrees?
30. What can I expect from your school’s career services office?

College costs and financial aid
31. At what annual rate has the tuition been rising at your institution in recent years?
32. What percentage of financial aid need does your school typically meet?
33. What is the typical breakdown of loans versus grants in your aid packages?
34. Does your institution dispense merit awards, and what about talent scholarships?
35. What are the requirements to receive these awards?
36. What are the requirements to keep these scholarships?
37. Does the percentage of aid that you meet typically shrink after freshman year?
38. Does your net price calculator provide an accurate estimate of what your school will cost me?
39. What is the average student loan debt that graduates leave with?
40. Does your institution give out athletic scholarships?
41. What is the student loan default rate at your school?
42. What is the average amount of debt that students graduate with?

Campus life
43. What percentage of students are in the Greek system?
44. What health and counseling services are available?

Questions to ask current students
Here are five more questions to ask students during a campus visit or via phone or email:

45. Why did you decide to attend this school?
46. If you could change anything about the school, what would it be?
47. What do you like best about your school?
48. What do you like least?
49. What kind of students succeed at your school?
50. What students end up not fitting in?

Thank you @cbsnews @moneywatch for these helpful questions!

If you choose to double deposit, you are taking a spot away from a student who has definitely decided to attend that college and perhaps taking a spot away from a student on the current waitlist. Colleges, too, will reserve housing and hire faculty based on the students they expect to attend in the fall.

Morally, double depositing is wrong and dishonest. Some may view this as a way to protect a student. However, this does lead colleges into thinking a student will attend when in fact they have no plan to do so.

Character is one of the most difficult things for admission officers to measure when evaluating applicants. Should they discover that a student is partaking in this scheme, their sense of honor would be at stake. Colleges do reserve their right to rescind an admissions decision and would most likely do so should they discover a dishonest act such as double depositing.

You may wonder how colleges will know if you double deposit. High school counselors may report this and at times, colleges may share information with other colleges. It is not worth the risk.

If you have been waitlisted at a college in which you are still interested, do notify that college of your continued interest. But, get your one deposit submitted to your college of choice by May 1st. If you do this right, you will know that you will be attending one of your top choices and not taking a spot away from another student.

There is no doubt that learning can be both rewarding and fun, but it is also a serious business, particularly at college level, when students are expected to have a mature approach and to be dedicated to their chosen field of study. College work is demanding, however, and many students find they have other commitments, such as family or work, which make time management essential if they are to fully benefit from their period of study. Here are tips for making the most of a college education by managing time more effectively.

Motivation and Communication

Motivation can flag when there are strict requirements to attend classes or meet at specific times with a tutor. Therefore, when mapping out a schedule always build-in adequate time beforehand to prepare for set periods of study and also afterwards, to follow up on assignments and essays.

Communicating freely with tutors and other students can be difficult in classroom situations, particularly when they are both moving between one class and the next. To improve matters try to set aside time just for this by using online resources where they are available; they are relatively quick and easy to manage. Post on message boards, arrange videoconferences – for example about group assignments – and use email for sending questions to tutors or dispatching responses to their queries.

Being Organized and Avoiding Distractions

Sifting and sorting information can really help when it is important to organize tasks and data. While paper filing systems are useful, online folders and databases can be invaluable for fast and accurate information retrieval. Being good at prioritizing is a big help; when coursework deadlines are looming, think about how much they contribute towards grades and respond accordingly.

When working to a schedule that includes fixed classroom periods it is all too easy to stray into daydreaming mode, especially when other things come to mind. Building in a little ‘freethinking’ time might help to alleviate this and assist students in dealing with extraneous issues so they will not interrupt study periods that should be dedicated to focusing on learning.

Perhaps the most important advantage of taking a college course is having the ability to choose what to study, making it possible to gain a new qualification and new career opportunities. For example, a computer science qualification that requires a certain amount of hands-on training, such as a Network Administration Degree, equips students with the technical skills they need for a career as IT professionals, to which their valuable Network Administration Degree will open the door.

Making an informed and correct college choice is crucial. Here are things to keep in mind.

There are a variety of ways that each person goes about making their final decision. Factors in selecting a college may vary from person to person. However, there are some common questions that should be taken into consideration.

Eliminate colleges that you would not consider attending. This may reduce your acceptance list and make the college choice a bit easier
Proceed with caution if you have not visited the college. If you have not had an opportunity to visit and still have time before the final decision, then make time. It’s not a good idea to accept an offer of admission if you have not visited the college. If you don’t want to visit, then this college should most likely be removed from your list. First deposits are due May 1st, so there is still time.
Academically, make sure your college has a host of opportunities especially if you have not decided on your major. You will want to explore different courses and make sure you have lots of options
Most colleges do have lots of extracurricular activities. However, if you have special interests in activities in which you would like to partake, make sure your college has this available or that your choices of activities are nearby
Consider the location of the college. If it’s close to home, you should still not visit home within the first few months to give yourself a chance to acclimate to your new surroundings. You may gain that sense of independence quicker if you don’t live at home and visit too frequently
Social relationships in college are important. Don’t make a decision based on where your friends are going to college. Your college years will be a great time to make many new and lasting friendships
Although your family loves you and wants the best for you, the final college decision should be the student’s decision. If you listen to your parents and it winds up not working out, there could be resentments. Parents should set some boundaries and discuss finances, but stay out of the decision.
Accept a period of transition when you start college. Know that you will grow, learn and change regardless of where you attend. The right college choice does have an impact on your life and perhaps your eventual career, so give it lots of thought and be thorough in your research.
Finances do play a major part in your final college decision. Students should discuss this with their families as some may need to take loans and others may choose to live at home for a period of time. You can call the financial aid offices of the various colleges to see how they can help.
Contact: www.college-connections.com Ph: 866.348.3393 for additional help with making your final decision, what to do if you’re waitlisted or should you decide to defer.

Here are some questions to ask:

- Ask about orientation, the dates, location, agenda
- Learn more about campus safety
- Ask to see a calendar of semester events
- You may want to know how you obtain credit for AP, IB and/or college level courses completed
- Learn about the career center & job placement services offered
- You may want to know how diversity is promoted on campus
- Ask how prompt academic feedback is received on student performance
- Learn if students participate in community based projects & get real world experience through internships
- Ask how students with similar interests meet each other
- See if there are any hidden costs

Things to do on your visit once admitted:

- Visit the college (major) to which you were accepted at the campus – see if they provide honors courses
- Preview dorms, locations, specialties, learn how roommates are assigned –pay housing deposit early when you choose a college If you visited once, review what you missed – recreation center, student union, counseling center, health care facility
- Talk to other students – if not on campus use social media
- Audit a course
- Eat a meal on campus
- Look through recent issues of the campus newspaper

Remember that if you are an accepted student, that college wants you. Go ahead and ask any questions that will ultimately make you more comfortable, happy and successful at your chosen college.

Contact us for additional guidance:
www.college-connections.com
ph: 866.348.3393
info@college-connections.com

You have undoubtedly worked hard to complete your applications and finally they are submitted! Now what? For the next few weeks, you may feel the anxiousness of the notorious college waiting game as nerves build and decision time gets closer.

Have the colleges received my completed application? An email is generally sent by the colleges confirming that they have received your application. If you do not hear back in about a week, contact the admissions office to confirm that they have received your materials. Every university has their unique admission requirements. So, do check and make sue you have followed all directions. If your application is incomplete, this could delay their review and your decision.

How can I check the status of my application? How often should I check it? There are applications status links on most every college website. Use the same log in information you used for your application and you should be able to access the university websites. Receipts of transcripts, letters of recommendation, and test scores are sometimes on these status pages, so feel free to check back as often as you like.

What should I do while I wait? This is a good time to make universities aware of changes or additions to your files. Have you moved? Changed schools? Improved grades? Won any additional awards not posted on your application? Participated in additional and/or relevant activities? Also, you could do additional research on the colleges on your list so you can make an informed decision when the time comes.

How are admissions decisions made? It’s hard to be certain about why a particular applicant gains acceptance as there are so many variables that enter into the decision making process. Some universities divide up applications based on geographical region and regional representatives review those applications. Other colleges may have several admission committees who make the final choices. In addition to your transcripts, essays, recommendations, completed applications, test scores (where required) and anything else you have toiled over, your high school will send a high school profile. This is information about the curriculum offerings at your high and perhaps its college acceptance history

When will I find out? If you applied for early decision, you were notified around December 15th. If you applied to colleges where there is rolling admission, it generally can take six to eight weeks to receive a decision. Regular admission deadlines are around the 1st of the year and those decisions are revealed in March and April. You can obtain more specific information by visiting the colleges’ websites.

When should I be concerned if I have not heard from a college? Don’t wait more than three weeks to contact colleges if you have not received a confirmation. If you haven’t received a response, call or email the admissions office to check your status. You can also check the application status link on their websites.

Can I find my admission decision online? Most colleges send decisions electronically through the application status link and follow up with a letter.

What if I am accepted to one of the more likely schools on my list before I hear from one of my top choices? You generally have weeks before you need to respond to a college with your decision whether to attend or not. Don’t respond right away. This is a huge decision! Give yourself and your family time to receive all your acceptances so you can make the best choice. Have faith that you have completed the best applications possible and now it is out of your hands.

For additional guidance contact us at: info@college-connections.com
www.college-connections.com

Best of luck!

Just what is “Senioritis?” Basically, it’s not caring enough about academic performance second semester of senior year. There are those seniors who figure that once they have been accepted to college, they can sit back and relax – not true!

Seniors who decide to miss classes and tests, let their grades drop and are absent from school too much, could be in for a rude awakening when colleges decide to withdraw offers of admission.

Seniors need to understand that record numbers of applications are submitted and many applicants hope to get off waitlists. Colleges would certainly prefer accepting those serious students who maintain excellent academic performance throughout high school. Colleges generally accept more students than will attend. If colleges feel they have overenrolled their incoming class, they may be more likely to drop students that do not meet their academic standards and offer admission to those who meet their standards of excellence.

Remember, at the end of the school year, a final report of your grades is due to the college where the student plans to attend. In addition, to falling grades, colleges will look for any negative behavioral issues like plagiarism, substance abuse and cheating.

So, what can students do if they suspect they have less than stellar performance? Take action before the dreaded letter has arrived. If there is a change in the academic record or a significant problem, students should notify the college where they plan to attend. The student not the parent should inform the college and hopefully provide good reason for their problem. The student should also discuss what they are doing to improve the situation. Colleges do evaluate extenuating circumstance from illness to injury to family problems and take all of this into consideration. The bottom line is don’t wait for admission to be
rescinded. Once that happens, it is rarely overturned. Read letters of admission carefully. Many state that admission to that university depends on maintaining strong academic performance through the end of senior year.

It is essential to take second semester senior year seriously. Students have worked so hard to gain acceptance to colleges of their choice. Although tempting to “chill” once admitted, think carefully about the potential consequences.

Colleges want to accept students they believe will become actively engaged on their campuses. Once students have the required grade point average and test scores, admission officers look for those items that will set a student apart and enrich their incoming classes. Colleges want students who will explore and take part in many campus activities. Their goal is to create a well-balanced class with students who have exceptional talents.

Although not everyone is a leader, it is important for students to have activities that encourage them to take on responsibilities, create new clubs and bring innovative ideas to campus. High school students may start out as a member of a club and rise to be president by the time they are seniors, for example.

Students who are active on campus tend to enjoy their college experience more with few if any reasons for transferring to another college. Colleges want to establish strong retention rates. So, they like students who remain productively engaged in campus activities. Colleges consider involved students as eventual alumni who may be potential contributors to that college.

Students should know that if their high schools do not offer the types of activities that interest them, there are countless community resources that can be researched. Remember that although grades, scores, essays and recommendations count, it’s also the student’s participation in things that the transcript does not reflect that also matter in admission decisions. Activities do not need to be directly related to the high school. Colleges want to know what students like to do in their free time. It is okay to list hobbies in which students are involved whether building computers, photography, cooking, learning magic or anything that demonstrates learning, enthusiasm, initiative and continuity.

The purpose of the activity resume is to give college officers better insight on the student, as they do want to learn as much about them as possible.

http://www.college-connections.com

info@college-connections.com

Below are some helpful tips:

Admitted Students:
First of all, Congratulations! Take a deep breath and relax! Understand that if are an accepted student via the Early Action or Restrictive Early Action Programs you have until the May 1st deadline to inform colleges whether you will attend as these programs are nonbinding and you do not have to attend if admitted. If you are certain you will attend, do notify that college and withdraw your applications to any other colleges. Once you receive all admission decisions, you can weigh the pros and cons of each, evaluate any financial aid awards and make your final choice.If you are not sure, continue to submit any remaining applications.

Early Decision Students:
You signed a moral agreement when you applied that if accepted, you would attend. So, you must enroll if you are an admitted student. Make sure you contact any other colleges where you have applied and withdraw your applications. You are done with your college process. However, do not fall prone to “senioritis”. Your college will see your final transcript and admission decisions can be rescinded. You must complete senior year in good standing as your acceptance is based on excellent completion of your senior year. Check the housing programs at the college where you will attend – Early deposits can mean better choices. Check and see if your school is on Facebook and Twitter as much can be learned from current postings. Do thank those who have provided guidance during your college process.

Deferred Students:
A deferral during this early round means your applications will be given a second review. There is no need for a new application. However, there are some things you should do if a college that has deferred you remains a first choice school.Make sure you update your applications with new information. This could include additional resume items, latest test scores, recent awards or acknowledgements and any new developments in your life since you applied. Make sure you let the college know you are still interested in attending by sending an email or letter by postage. You may also be able to send a recent essay or art supplement and request an interview providing the college allows it. Some colleges permit one new and additional recommendation to be sent as well. Do complete and submit the rest of your applications by the stated deadlines and begin to learn more about other colleges of interest.

Students Denied Admission:
Occasionally colleges do have an appeal process specific to that college where denied students can request a review of their materials. However, for the most part a denial is a final decision. If you are denied during the early plan, you cannot reapply during the regular decision period in the same year. It is difficult to accept denial but it is best to immediately focus on the other colleges where you choose to apply. So, make sure you meet all other deadlines and drum up enthusiasm for the other colleges on your list. Note that some colleges offer an EDII round that you could select if denied from your first ED selection.

Regarding Financial Aid:
ED students cannot compare offers from different colleges but may receive an approximation of their award from the college after they are accepted. The individual college financial aid offices can specify how their institutions run their financial aid programs. Some colleges do not release their financial aid awards until early spring.

College Connections, LLC wishes all students the very best of luck!
Contact us: info@college-connections.com www.College-Connections.com