Admission Matters : What Students and Parents Need to Know about Getting into College.

Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Table of Contents -- Dedication -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Part 1: What You Need to Know Before You Begin -- Chapter 1: Why Has College Admissions Become So Competitive? -- It Used to Be Simple . . . but Not Anymore -- What Is Selectivity All About? -- Why Is There So Much Interest in a Small Group of Colleges? -- The Rankings Game -- Why Are Rankings So Popular? -- Admissions Rate and Yield and How They Contribute to College Frenzy -- "I'll Make More Money If I Graduate from an Elite College": A Myth -- The Importance of Fit -- Notes -- Chapter 2: What Do Colleges Look for in an Applicant? -- How College Admissions Has Changed -- What Matters Now -- The Academic Record -- Standardized Tests -- Engagement Beyond the Classroom -- Personal Qualities: The Person Behind the Paper -- Hooks and How They Help -- Fitting It All Together -- Notes -- Chapter 3: How Do Colleges Make Their Decisions? -- Who Works in Admissions? -- What Happens to Your Application? -- Tentative Decisions -- How The Final Decision is Made -- A Look Inside the UCLA Admissions Process -- The Special Case of the Most Selective Colleges -- The Role of Your High School Counselor -- How College Access Programs Can Help -- Should You Consider Hiring an Independent College Counselor? -- The Parents' Role -- Notes -- Chapter 4: How Colleges (and Students) Differ: Finding What Fits -- So Many Choices: How Do You Begin? -- Some Questions to Ask Yourself -- Community Colleges -- Liberal Arts Colleges -- Research Universities -- What's in a Name? -- Master's Universities and Baccalaureate Colleges -- Specialized Programs -- Colleges with Special Affiliations -- Earning Your Degree Abroad, in English -- Which Kind of College Is Best for You? -- Majors, Careers, and Curriculum -- How Easily Can You Get Advice and Help?.

Determining Your Priorities -- Notes -- Part 2: Making the Right Choices for You -- Chapter 5: Where Should You Apply? -- Start at Your Counseling Office -- Use A College Search Tool -- Meeting College Representatives -- Read What They Send You (but Don't Let It Go to Your Head) -- How to Narrow Things Down -- The College Visit -- Selectivity and Your College List -- Check out the Data -- How Long Should Your College List Be? -- The Key to a Good College List -- A Word About Finances -- Notes -- Chapter 6: The Big Tests -- What Are the SAT and ACT? -- The Structure of the SAT and ACT -- Content Tested by the SAT and ACT -- Pacing of the SAT and ACT -- How Are the Tests Scored? -- How Much Do Standardized Tests Count? -- How Do the PSAT and PreACT Fit into the Picture? -- Which Test Should You Take? -- How Important Is the Essay? -- How Does Test Prep Work? -- When Should You Test? -- The National Merit Scholarship Competition -- The Case of Special Accommodations -- The SAT Subject Tests -- Test‐Optional Schools -- A Word to Parents About Standardized Tests -- Notes -- Chapter 7: Deciding About Early Decision and Other Early Options -- An Overview of Early Acceptance Programs -- The Pros and Cons of Early Decision -- Early Action in Detail -- Should You Apply Early Decision or Early Action? -- Likely Letters and Early Notification -- The Advantage of Thinking Early Even If You Decide Against Applying Early -- Notes -- Chapter 8: Paying the Bill -- Key Concepts for Understanding Financial Aid -- How Colleges Determine Your Financial Need -- What Forms Will You Have to File? -- Getting an Estimate of Your Financial Need -- What Goes into a Financial Aid Package? -- Why Need‐Based Packages Can Differ from College to College -- Will Your Need for Financial Aid Affect Your Chances for Admission? -- How Merit Aid Works.

Financial Aid for Veterans and Their Families -- Other Scholarship Sources -- Financial Aid and Your College List -- Evaluating Aid After You've Been Accepted -- Another Word About Early Decision -- Planning Ahead When Your Child Is Young -- Notes -- Part 3: Tackling Your Applications -- Chapter 9: Applying Well, Part I: The Application and the Essay -- Getting Off to A Good Start -- Application Choices -- Writing an Effective Personal Essay -- An Important To‐Do List -- Notes -- Chapter 10: Applying Well, Part II: Advice to Parents and Students -- Getting Great Letters of Recommendation -- Shining in Your Interview -- Showing That You Are Interested -- Highlighting What You've Accomplished -- The Canadian, British, Irish, and Dutch Difference -- You've Finished Your Applications-What's Next? -- Notes -- Chapter 11: Making the Most of Your Special Talents -- The Student Athlete and Athletic Recruitment -- Options for the Student Artist -- Notes -- Chapter 12: Students with Special Circumstances -- Students with Disabilities -- Tips for Homeschoolers -- Making a Change: How to Successfully Transfer Colleges -- Notes -- Chapter 13: Advice for International Students -- The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being an International Applicant -- What Are Colleges Looking For? -- How Will Your Application Be Reviewed? -- Where Should You Apply? -- The Role of Standardized Tests -- Tests to Show Proficiency in English -- Getting the Application Completed -- Paying for Your Education -- Special Circumstances -- The Bigger Picture -- Notes -- Part 4: Bringing the Process to a Close -- Chapter 14: Making -- How Will You Be Notified? -- The Special Case of Early Decision -- What You Can Do If You Are Deferred -- When It Is Your Turn to Decide in the Spring -- Dealing With Disappointment -- Spring Admits -- Taking Another Look -- Revisiting Financial Aid.

How Wait Lists Work -- Deposit Ethics -- Should You Consider a Gap Year? -- A Word About Senioritis -- Celebrate and Enjoy! -- Notes -- Chapter 15: What Matters Most -- Some Parting Thoughts for Parents -- Some Parting Thoughts for Students -- Appendix A: College Research Worksheet -- Appendix B: Essay Prompts, 2017-2018 -- Common Application -- Universal Application -- Coalition Application -- Cappex Application -- Appendix C: Financial Aid Shopping Sheet -- Appendix D: Cost of Attendance Worksheet -- College Preparation Time Line -- Freshman Year -- Sophomore Year -- Junior Year -- Senior Year -- What if you are Beginning Your Search in Senior Year? -- Resources -- General Admissions Information -- Reference Guides to Colleges -- Narrative and Evaluative Guides to Colleges -- Special Focus Guides -- Test Preparation -- Essay Writing -- Advice for Artists -- Advice for Athletes -- Special Circumstances -- Financial Aid -- International Students -- Gap Year -- Studying in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Holland -- About the Authors -- Index -- End User License Agreement.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.