Myth#13 About Choosing a College

Myth #13 About Choosing a College

This is the final myth that says"A good college is hard to get into"

Steven says NO. There are lots of good colleges. The secret is not to find a good college but a good match college.

A brand name college is often hard to get into but does not necessarily mean it is a good match for you.

 

Stay tuned for next blogs on the 14 Factors weighed for Admission to University of California (UC).

 


Myth#12 About Choosing a College

Myth 12 says "If I don't know what career I'll pursue, I can't really choose a college"

Steven say there's only one chance in 10 that a person will be doing anything connected to their major, 10 years out of college. If you know what you want to major in then it narrows down choices but if you do not know your major it is perfectly OK.  Think along the lines of what kind of academic experience you want in college or what type of social experience or what are the kids like at your ideal college?

High school is a good time to consider career choices and explore those possibilities, do research in the field you might want to study, shadow your ideal job.

Steven add that college is not only about life after college. It is also about life during college and he suggests you find a place where you will be happy.

Stay tuned for the final myth #13- "A good college is hard to get into."


Myth#11-About Choosing a College

"Relying on magazine lists of "Best Colleges" is the best way to determine whether a college is right for me."

Some students give too much weight to college rankings from magazines and newspapers but fail to realize that colleges are multifaceted and one size does not fit all. There is no ranking that considers the "feel" of a college, its atmosphere and student life.

No ranking of colleges consider every academic field. They also do not measure the student life on or off campus. Steven says its better to rely on the people than the resources such as The College Handbook, Fiske Guide,  Insiders Guide or Princeton Review. Stay tuned for Myth #12: If I don't know what a career I'll Pursue, I can't really choose a college."


Myth #10-About Choosing a College

"Some secret strategy can get me admitted to college."

Steven says "No way." There is no strategy or secret that can unlock the admission door. He suggests that you disregard books that say otherwise.  Students think if they get a letter of recommendation from a Senator (who doesn't really know them), join clubs to just add to their portfolio but enjoy it, or do community service just to add that to their profile are just fooling themselves.

Some student agonize over essay for days without realizing it's not the topic that matters. The key is to be yourself as you go through the admission process. Avoid gimmicks, says Steven and do not try to package yourself in wrappings that are not you. One thing to keep in mind is that college admissions counselors read thousands and thousands of applications and they can see right through these misplaced energies. Steven says to choose colleges that fit, not colleges where you feel your fate depends on sophisticated application strategies.

Stay tuned for Myth#11- "Relying on magazine lists of "Best Colleges" is the best way to determine whether a college is right for me"


Myth #9- About Choosing a College

"I'm a failure if I don't get into College X"

This is not the appropriate way to look at the admissions process.  There are many reasons why you may not be accepted to a particular college: the major is impacted, your grades may not be strong enough, or College X may be looking for particular traits that you do not have-through no fault of yours.

An example of this may be if a college is looking to tuba players or a student from a rural background and you may play the piano and be from the city.

You want a college where you can be socially emotionally happy and be challenged in academia. If you plan well, you can have a wonderful college with such choices.

Stay tuned for Myth #10-"Some secret strategy can get me admitted to college"


Myth #8-About Choosing a College

"There is only one perfect college for me."

Steven says that perfect colleges rarely exist. Almost every college has good and bad points and all vary in attractiveness for any individual student.  The goal should not be to find the best college but rather several colleges that are the best fit for you and meet your needs.

Stay tuned for Myth#9-"I'm a failure if I don't get into College X."


Myth #7-Choosing a College

"Test scores are the most important criterion in college admissions"

 Steven says: Not True!!!! What is valued most highly now a days is the quality of courses you take in your high school and your grades in those courses. Your classes taken in comparison to the high school profile to see if you are challenging yourself is most important. Also what is looked at is your extracurricular activities and college essays.  Some colleges still do the interview process and colleges always want to know what special qualities you will bring to their school.

Most colleges and universities use the holistic approach. They want to see the whole package.

Steven also adds that for some colleges the goal is to admit students who have evidenced tremendous scholarship and who will benefit from the facility while other colleges enroll a freshman class large enough to allow the college to continue to expand and add new departments or programs.

But one thing to keep in mind is that the admission counselors are human beings with a job to do. Steven says historically admission officers existed for the purpose of reading applications and making accept and reject decisions. In recent years this has changed and more focus is on recruiting and attracting students. This has increased the competition to get into selective institutions.

There are many factors they consider in their admissions process and this blog cannot adequately explain each process. Contacting the college prep consultant of this blog will be helpful and the process can be explained in details.

 


Attention All Seniors: Complimentary Session on College Admissions

RSVP ak@collegeprepconsultants.com

Time: 7-9pm

Place: Woodward Park Regional Library

944 E. Perrin Ave.

Fresno, CA 93720


Myth #6: About Choosing a College

"Cost is really important in determining where I can go to college, so I will likely have to attend a local school."

Steven Antonoff says not necessarily.  There are billions of dollars given to students for college and in some cases full tuition is given.  He says that the federal, state and individual colleges and thousands of public and private organizations make  funds  available to college students.

The key is research.  So all you high school students, you must do the research, the money is out there, just sitting and waiting to be collected. 

Here is a list of some books that can help:

 The A's and B's of Academic Scholarships

Loans and Grants from Uncle Sam

Don't Miss Out: The Ambitious Student's Guide to Financial Aid


Myth # 5: About Choosing A College

"The more rigorous the admission standards, the higher the quality of education"

Steven says that there are many reasons why a college might have high admission standards. Some in-state  universities students feel an obligation to their students and therefore out-of-state students face more restrictions. Also if colleges have a Bowl game and is known for their team or if the college was mentioned in a magazine, their restrictions will increase.

Steven also points out that even though some colleges describe their admissions requirements, many students still apply who may not be appropriate for that college.

Finally the point here is that the quality of education is often not directly related to admission standards.