Pursue Your Interests

Use a summer program to develop a talent or interest in the arts, humanities, or sciences. For example, the California State Summer School for the Arts, held on the campus of the California Institute for the Arts (CalArts) in Valencia, has programs in film and video, creative writing, visual arts, animation, dance, music, and theater.

Meanwhile, the Michigan Tech Summer Youth Program allows you to participate in week-long “explorations” in engineering, math, science and technology, ecology, outdoor adventure, and a variety of social sciences and humanities areas. To stay closer to home, check out your local performing arts centers, science museums, and parks; many have summer programs where you can get hands-on experience, ranging from set design to environmental education.

Gain Experience Outside of the Classroom

Summer school programs often involve a lot more hands-on learning than you’ll find in your regular classes. Many residential summer school programs include sports, travel, and social activities in their curricula. Personal development and leadership skills are also major themes.

Improve Your High School Transcript

Attending a challenging summer school program can increase your chances of getting into a competitive college. In fact, some summer school programs are as competitive as colleges, requiring an extensive application complete with SAT® or PSAT/NMSQT® scores, teacher recommendations, and a personal essay.

While attendance at a high-powered summer school like Harvard’s Secondary School Program (SSP) does not guarantee that you will get into an Ivy League school, it does add a certain luster to your college applications. Nonetheless, a cutting-edge internship or a job that requires responsibility and leadership can look just as good on your college applications.

Experience Real College Work

If you’re craving more in-depth study of a subject you’re interested in, and high school classes leave you wanting more, college-level classes may be the answer. Or, if you simply want to explore a particular school, or experience college classes, it’s a great preview.

Most colleges welcome anyone who wants to learn into their normal college-level classes. Of course, they give priority to students who are enrolled full time, but more often than not, space is available. Call the colleges on your wish list and ask if they have a summer semester—and get them to send you a catalog. If you are motivated and able, it’s also possible to enroll in college classes during your normal school year. But make sure the extra workload won’t interfere with your high school work.

What’s The Cost?

Private summer schools can be expensive, but the good news is that Governors’ Schools and similar programs supported by state and federal education funding tend to be less so—some are even free of charge, and most offer financial aid based on need.

If you come from a low-income family or you’ll be the first member of your family to attend college, you may be eligible for an Upward Bound TRIO program, in which you could spend part of your summer at a nearby university or college, essentially getting a preview of campus life while building skills and meeting other students from across your region. Private summer schools, like the program offered at Harvard, also offer a limited amount of financial aid, so don’t cross them off your list just because they carry a hefty price tag.

Summer School Tips

When looking for a summer school program, here are some important factors to consider:

• How much of the summer do you want to commit to school? Programs can range from five days to eight weeks.
• What do you want to get out of summer school? Do you want to turbo-charge your academics? Act in a play? Teach young children? Learn how a political campaign is conducted? Polish up a second language? Work with engineers in the computer industry?
• Where do you want to stay? Do you want a residential program where you live in dorms with other students, or would you prefer to live at home, attending school only during the day?
• Can you get high-school (or college) credit for summer school courses? Receiving credit depends on both the school where you take the course and on your home school.
• How much can you spend on summer school? If the answer is nothing, are free programs available in your state or school district?

The Bottom Line

When evaluating whether summer school is right for you, the real questions are: What do you aspire to learn, and what type of summer program will provide you with the best experience?

If you’re seriously considering a summer program, talk to your high school counselor, and visit these websites for more info:
www.explo.org
www.mysummercamps.com
www.BestSummerEver.com
www.internaldrive.com
www.acasummer.com

For a summer learning experience, a gap year adventure or a school year program go to www.EnrichmentAlley.com.

Source: www.collegeboundguide.com

What Types of Aid are Available?

There are hundreds of scholarships available in the form of private, public, and federal awards; however, it can sometimes be difficult to know what types to choose. A financial aid advisor can assist in choosing the best financial options for you from a scholarship database. For example, if you have made a difference by volunteering in your community, you could win several awards that include a volunteer work component.

Some grants award funds to cover your housing and books—and some even cover the full cost of college tuition.

Stay Organized and On Track

While applying for scholarships, it is important to be precise and to pay close attention to details. Form errors have the potential to keep you from the financial assistance you need. Be sure to follow all instructions on the applications. Additionally, it is wise to have someone review your applications and essays prior to submission, as two sets of eyes are always better than one. Due to the constant change in deadlines and amounts from one award to the next, it is important to continually research new scholarships and financial aid options.

By receiving aid and financing your pursuits of a degree you will be able to successfully fulfill your goals. Deadlines for financial aid from your state, school, and private sources are usually earlier than those for federal aid. Make sure that you keep a log of each scholarship or grant that you apply for and highlight the deadline on your calendar. If you put in the time and effort in the application and essay process, success can most certainly be yours.

Regional Tuition Reciprocity Programs

This type of program offers out-of-state students a reduced tuition rate that can amount to thousands in savings each year. Here are a few to check out:

Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP): Participating public colleges charge no more than 150% of the in-state rate; private colleges offer a ten percent discount. MSEP covers nine states: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE): Students in the 15 states of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education can apply for a reduced rate (150 percent of resident tuition) at participating two- and four-year colleges through WUE. Member states are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

DC Tuition Assistant Grant Program (DCTAG): Residents of Washington, DC, can go just about anywhere in the country through DCTAG. The program offers tuition discounts at all public universities nationwide, at all public and private HBCUs nationwide, and at all private universities in the DC area. Discounts are higher for public universities (up to $10,000 per year) versus private universities (up to $2,500 per year); there’s even a discount for two-year schools (up to $2,500 per year).

Major-Specific Programs

If your ideal major isn’t offered in your home state, check out these programs that can get you the education you want at a lower cost:

Academic Common Market: If you live in one of the 16 states of the Southern Regional Education Board, you can pursue your hard-to-find academic passion out of state and still pay in-state tuition. Participating states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia. Special note: Florida, North Carolina, and Texas participate at the graduate level only.

Professional Student Exchange Program (PSEP): The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education helps students find the advanced programs they need in medical fields such as dentistry, optometry, veterinary medicine, and occupational therapy. Students in PSEP pay reduced tuition—usually the in-state rate at public universities or the reduced standard tuition at private universities. Participating states are: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

New England Regional Student Program (RSP Tuition Break): This program of the New England Board of Higher Education encompasses more than 700 undergraduate and graduate degree programs at New England’s 82 public colleges and universities. Through RSP Tuition Break you will pay no more than 175 percent of the in-state tuition rate. The six participating states are: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Be the Early Bird

Many of these programs require a special application, apart from your application to the university itself, and the deadlines can come pretty early—so this is one to-do item you can’t procrastinate about! The programs above aren’t the only ones that exist. Schedule a meeting with your high school counselor to learn more about reciprocity programs specific to your state.

If You’re Just Starting to Apply…

Plan ahead to get good news first. If your safety schools offer rolling admissions, submit those apps right away. Getting an early acceptance or two can reassure you that you will have a new college home come the fall. If you’re applying EA or ED to your dream school, go ahead and complete your safety/reach apps as well; that way, if you get a rejection or deferral, you won’t have to worry about writing a new round of essays when you’re not in the best state of mind.

Create a brag board. Post your acceptances when they arrive. Having a continual visual reminder that there are colleges eager to welcome you can be a great ego boost.

Know the facts. Research the acceptance rates at schools you’ve applied to. Knowing that a school accepts only 15% of applicants can take a little of the sting out of a rejection.

If the Rejections Are Already Rolling In…

Make a plan of action. It may be cathartic to shred or burn any rejection letters you receive. You might even approach your counselor about creating a “rejection wall” at school—you’ll quickly see that you aren’t the only one getting the dreaded thin envelope. Remember, Steven Spielberg was rejected (twice!) from the University of Southern California’s film school. If he kept those letters, he could use any of his three Oscars as a paperweight to hold them down.

Know the five stages of grief. Being rejected by a college is not the end of your life. Even so, the five stages of grief can come into play here: you might experience denial, anger, bargaining, depression, or acceptance (and not necessarily in that order). Today host Meredith Vieira was depressed over her rejection from Harvard, spending weekends hanging around the campus and thinking of what might have been. Ultimately she embraced her her studies at Tufts University, where she met the mentors who helped her get her start in journalism.

Turn that frown upside down. Take the attitude that it’s the college’s loss for not admitting you. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who got a big fat “no” from Harvard Business School, is a big believer in turning negatives into positives. So be like Warren and focus on what you have to contribute to the world. You can be successful no matter what school you attend.

Revisit your options. Schedule another visit with the safety school that accepted you—you might view it differently now that you’re not considering it as a back-up plan. You might even fall in love!

If Every Letter is a Rejection…

First, don’t panic. Are there other schools you considered initially that might still be accepting applications? Did you think about local community colleges? What about a gap year program or a job related to your intended field of study? There are always options, you just have to find the right one.

Grub Without Guilt

Eating on the go is as much a reality of campus living as it is a downfall. The solution? Before leaving home or your dorm, grab a healthy snack—such as a piece of fruit, rice cakes with peanut butter, or yogurt—to stave off midday hunger.

You’ll also want to start making healthy adjustments to your diet now that you’re living on your own. After all, college-age metabolism is generally not as forgiving as it was in high school.

Eat this > Not that

o Reduced fat or non-dairy milk > Whole or 2% milk
o Frozen yogurt > Ice cream
o Diet soda > Regular soda
o Egg whites > Egg yolks
o White or light meat > Red meat
o Baked whole-grain crackers > Fried, oily chips
o Brown rice > White rice
o Whole wheat pasta > White flour pasta
o Thin-crust veggie pizza > Thick-crust pepperoni pizza
o Stevia, agave, or other natural sweetener > Processed sugar or aspartame-based sweeteners

Everyday Exercise

You don’t have to wear yourself out on a treadmill to get exercise—although if you are into gym fitness, be sure to take advantage of the health and recreation centers that most campuses offer. Elsewhere, there are hundreds of ways to incorporate movement without shaking up your routine. Here are a few:

- Get to steppin’.
o Take the stairs between classes instead of waiting for crowded elevators.
o If you’re a commuter, park farther away than normal.
o Visit friends and professors in person instead of calling or e-mailing.
o Walk to stores, libraries, and restaurants whenever possible.
o Synchronize your routes to and from class (or the library, or weekend entertainment spots) with those of friends so it feels more like fun than fitness.

- Pull your weight.
o Challenge yourself—slowly!—to carry loads of groceries and laundry up and down stairs instead of using the elevator.
o Put small hand weights in your backpacks and handbags for added resistance.

- Clean house.
Did you know that dusting can burn 173 calories? And vacuuming, a whopping 200? Haul out the cleaning supplies and get your place spic-and-span while working on your waistline.

- Get in the game.
Join an intramural basketball team, or meet up with friends for outdoor activities in your area such as canoeing, skiing, and sand volleyball. If organized sports aren’t your thing, you’d be surprised how quickly a casual game of “Keep the Balloon from Touching the Floor” among roommates can get competitive—and sweaty! Look for ways to turn everyday activities—from Wastebasketball to organized campus clean-up projects—into a fun and physical challenge.

1. In his dorm room at Harvard, Theodore Roosevelt kept a small menagerie of pets that included lobsters, snakes, and a tortoise.
2. At the time of its founding, Brown was the first Ivy to welcome students of all religious faiths.
3. Cornell is actually a branch of the—gasp!—State University of New York.
4. Nassau Hall at Princeton served as the United States capitol for approximately five months in 1783.
5. In the late 1970s, a cache of nude photos—whose purpose is still up for debate—was uncovered, featuring incoming freshmen at Yale, Harvard, and Princeton, among other schools.
6. One of Dartmouth’s most famous alums is Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.
7. The first Chinese graduate of a Western institution came to Yale in 1850.
8. Columbia was originally named King’s College after its founder, King George II of England.
9. In the absence of an official mascot, students at Dartmouth adopted Keggy the Keg, a life-sized keg of beer, in 2003.
10. A midnight campus recital of death-themed organ music is attended by Brown students each year on Halloween.
11. In 2010, Harvard reported the largest endowments of any institution in the world at $27.4 billion.
12. The University of Pennsylvania has a long history that was shaped in part by nine signers of the Declaration of Independence and 11 signers of the Constitution.

More applicants + uncertain economic times = More wait-listed students

What Is a Wait List and How Does it Work?

Forty-eight percent of universities indicate that they employ wait lists, and that number is rising in response to the rapidly growing applicant pool.

Instead of the usual thick or thin envelope indicating acceptance or rejection, students who have been extended a spot on a school’s wait list may just receive a postcard to return. Students must accept wait-list placements in writing.

Most schools don’t rank their wait list—but it’s important to ask if yours does. A lower ranking indicates a greater likelihood of acceptance. A school that doesn’t rank its wait list will often seek students who meet various demographics. For instance, a school that had fewer civil engineering applicants than it expected may seek to wait list students for this major.

Before You Accept a Wait-List Spot…

1. Make sure it’s a school you really want to attend. Have you been fully accepted to another school that you’d be just as happy with? If so, don’t accept a wait list offer, since doing so and then not attending would take that opportunity away from a student for whom the school is a first choice.

2. Ask questions. Only 28 percent of wait-listed students are ultimately accepted. Ask the school the percentage they admitted the previous year as an indicator of your odds. Recently, MIT went through a four-year stretch where not a single student was admitted from the wait list. In 2010, Oberlin accepted 15 students from the list, but none to the College of Arts and Sciences.

3. Consider your ability to pay for the school without aid. The pool of accepted applicants may cut into available financial aid, leaving wait-listed students with little to no funds. Furthermore, a college may consider a student’s ability to pay full cost of attendance when deciding whether to admit them.

If you do decide this school is your first choice, be prepared to possibly wait until after May 1st. To increase your chances, do the following (but don’t become a pest):

• Send updated grades and ACT or SAT scores, if you are on an upward trend
• Write a brief letter indicating why you are an excellent fit for the school and your intent to attend if accepted
• Notify the school of recent additional awards or recognitions
• Don’t send more than one additional letter of recommendation

Do Your Homework

You may be limited on the number of schools you can visit, so carefully choose where you’ll go. Next, thoroughly research each school before you go. Search College Navigator for important information such as retention and graduation rates, as well as average net price paid to attend and degrees offered. You also don’t want to ask a question on your visit that could have been easily answered on the school’s website. See what students are saying about each school on College Confidential. Keep digging for as much information as you can find.

Schedule a Tour… and More

Often tours and classroom visits must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance. Call the admissions office to book not only your tour, but also to see about sitting in on a class or two related to your major(s) of interest. If you get time before or after class, chat up the professor and try to get a feel for whether the department will be a good four-year fit for you.

When you are on the tour, ask questions of your tour guide and other students you meet along the way. Find out what attracted them to the school and their likes and disappointments along their journey.

Ditch the Beaten Path

When your tour concludes, break away from the group to see more of the campus such as the older buildings, not just the new shiny ones they show you on the tour. Check out the library. You’re a fitness buff? Head on over to the workout facility to see what it has to offer on a blustery day when the last thing you want to do is go for an outdoor run.

Sample the Commodities

Whether you spend just half, or the recommended full day on your visit, be sure to eat on campus. You never know, the quality/convenience of food just might be the tie-breaker between school A and school B on April 30th of your senior year. Additionally, schools will often allow students, particularly seniors, to spend the night on campus giving you a deeper look at what the culture holds for you.

Take a Minute

Shortly after your visit concludes, be sure to reflect and gather your thoughts and impressions about the school. You will be surprised how quickly your memories will fade after the visit, especially after hitting a few more campuses. Journal or create a spreadsheet to rank schools as you go.
Make the most of your college visits so you are equipped to make the best decisions in the future!

Make a smart travel plan.

• If you are driving, plot your route carefully, sticking to major highways, using GPS where available, and filling up when you reach no less than a quarter-tank.
• Reserve enough funds for the return trip.
• If you are flying, know your itinerary and flight numbers as well as exact departure and arrival times. You should have directions and prearranged transportation between the airport and the hotel.
• Have at least a general idea of what your group plans to do each day. Walking around aimlessly signals to people (and not always the best people) that you are a tourist.

Stick to your group.

• Don’t wander. Individuals walking alone or who appear to be lost tend to stand out as potential targets.
• Set a game plan before heading out for the night. When/how will everyone get back? Where should you meet up if someone gets separated from the group? Will you need a designated driver?

Keep your phone handy.

• Carry a fully charged cell phone at all times.
• Your phone should contain the following: three or more properly labeled emergency contacts, cell phone numbers for everyone in your party, the name and number of the hotel where you’re staying, and the name and number of a local cab company.
• Use a free smartphone app, such as ICE (In Case of Emergency), to record important contacts, allergies/medical conditions, insurance numbers, and other vital info.

Don’t flash cash or credit cards.

• Alert your bank prior to leaving the state or country, and set up fraud alerts for purchases over a certain amount/outside a certain area.
• Always carry some cash for emergencies, but spend it discreetly. Keep large bills tucked beneath smaller ones.
• Use ATMs only during the daytime, and use your free hand to cover the keypad as you type your PIN.
• When signing credit card receipts, carefully review all charges and the total—especially at the end of your hotel stay.

Think before you drink.

• Drinking too much is a bad idea, period. Know your limits if you plan to imbibe.
• Never leave your drink unattended.
• Be ready to leave with your party, no matter what. Never accept a ride from someone you don’t know, even if they claim to be a local resident/know your friends/work at the club or resort/etc.
• Remember: Being drunk in public is not only illegal, but it can make you an easy target for criminal activity.

Choosing rigor can start as early as eighth grade when many students have the opportunity to get a head start by taking courses for high school credit. If you are ready for that level of work, go for it! Keep in mind that grades earned in these courses will, in most cases, impact your high school GPA and class rank, which eventually will be of paramount importance for college application.

Once in high school, students have a choice on what course level to take. College prep, accelerated, honors, dual-enrollment, and AP are among the choices for increasing level of rigor. This is where there really is not one right fit. While a student may be honors or even AP material in math, for instance, he may never be ready for anything beyond college prep in English. That is okay. Do not feel pressured to take on more than you can handle. Getting in over your head can result in lower grades and a stressful year. It’s not worth it.

Are you ready for more “rigor”?

If a student is getting straight A’s in college-prep classes, the admissions’ team will be left wondering why the student didn’t throw in an honors class or two to challenge herself. In many cases, the college would rather see a student earn a B in more challenging, weighted courses than straight A’s for taking on less challenging courses. Make a point to ask while on your college visits.

For juniors and seniors who are considering taking AP courses, it can feel like jumping off into the deep end wondering if you can thrive or survive. There are several factors involved in this decision. First is your current teacher’s recommendation. Ask her if you are AP material. Your teacher sees who you are every day as a student and should know the expectations of the AP courses in her department. In 2009, ACT Research released results of a study that provided PLAN (the little sister to the ACT) score benchmarks for potential success in AP courses. Finally, if in addition to the PLAN test you’ve taken the PSAT, Collegeboard identifies students at your school with AP potential. Just ask if you were identified, or read the 2006 report here on Collegeboard.

In the end, do what is right for YOU and your educational goals. It is the rare student who can take four AP courses and not be part of the 56% identified as being “in over their heads” in a 2009 Thomas Fordham Institute study. Balance is what you’re striving for.