Colleges That Change Lives-Allegheny College,Penn.
This college is located in Meadville, Pennsylvania and founded in 1815. This college has a reputation of producing scientist and scholars but now also business leaders. Allegheny has thirty-six buildings on 72 acres, an outdoor recreational complex of 182 acres. This college ranks top 4 percent in turning out business leaders.
Allegheny College has a new curriculum that is interactive because it involves tutorials, independent study or research, perhaps with a faculty member. There is freedom to design individual majors along with core courses. Part if the new curriculum is having a seminar leader or advisor for fourteen students for two years. This person will provide guidance, and advice in a nurturing, close camaraderie way. Students are not left to feel isolated or alone, there is a sense of belonging.
Everyone has to become informed in sciences, the social sciences and , humanities and everyone has to have a major and minor; they also do a senior independent research project and defend it in an open meeting.
Most of the professor have their doctorates and earlier taught at Ivy League or Big Ten universities. Professor have quoted," By and large, students get a better education here than the larger schools....In the big places the quality of teaching has little to do with getting tenure; here it's heavily weighted in favor of the quality of teaching."
Next college Clark University
Standford Magazine Essay Openers
Here are some open lines used by students who applied to Standford University. The admission counselors where intrigued and it caught their eye. Don't make you essay boring and drowning, try something new. Here is a list of some first lines:
1.While traveling through the daily path of life, have you ever stumbled upon a hidden pocket of the universe?
2.The spaghetti burbled and slushed around the pan, and as I stirred it, the noises it gave off began to sound increasingly like bodily functions.
3.I had never seen anyone get so excited about mitochondria.
4.When I was in eighth grade I couldn't read.
5.My younger sister, Jessica, arrived home one day reeling about the shirt that her friend had worn to school. It had simply read, “Genocide, Homicide, Suicide, Riverside.”
6.Some fathers might disapprove of their children handling noxious chemicals in the garage.
7.As an Indian-American, I am forever bound to the hyphen.
8.I have been surfing Lake Michigan since I was 3 years old.
9.On a hot Hollywood evening, I sat on a bike, sweltering in a winter coat and furry boots.
10.I change my name each time I place an order at Starbucks.
I hope this helps in getting your creative juices flowing.
40 COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES -INTRO
This book is full of research and knowledge by top educators from Ivy League schools, education editors, journalist and experts on admissions. The author Loren Pope, was a Washington newspaperman who led the fight for better schools because he realized how uninformed the public was about colleges. He has written two books: The Right College:How to Get In, Stay In, Get Back In and Looking Beyond the Ivy League: Finding the College That's Right For You
Loren Pope contributes to professional journals and speaks at meetings of the National Association of College Admissions Counselors.
14 Factors Weighed for UC Consideration
Here is a list of what the UC Admissions Office looks at and say when they get your application:
We spend time evaluating your academic achievements in light of the opportunities available to you and your demonstrated capacity to contribute to the intellectual life at UC. The 14 factors we weigh are:
1.Academic grade point average in all completed "a-g" courses, including additional points for completed UC-certified honors courses.
2.Scores on the ACT With Writing or SAT Reasoning Test. (SAT Subject Tests are not required but are recommended by some majors on some campuses.)
3.Number of, content of and performance in academic courses beyond the minimum "a-g" requirements.
4.Number of and performance in UC-approved honors and Advanced Placement courses.
5.Identification by UC as being ranked in the top 9 percent of the your high school class at the end of your junior year (Eligible in the Local Context, or ELC).
6.Quality of your senior-year program as measured by the type and number of academic courses in progress or planned.Read more
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."