Myths & Realities

Do not believe you’re in until you receive your acceptance letter from the college admissions office. Frequently a student will be “dangled along” and then rejected by the admissions office. Occasionally the student fails to apply to other schools and finds him or herself in April of senior year with nowhere to go and must begin scrambling.

It is better to apply to schools where you have a fairly good chance of acceptance and where you have a good fit.” Then add the Ivies even though they are probably long shots. The acceptance rate at the Ivies has decreased dramatically each year with most now accepting barely 10% of their applications. The number of Ivy applications is NOT proportional to chance of admission.

A major disadvantage of applying Early Decision, if you need financial aid, is that you won’t be able to compare financial aid packages from other schools. All colleges package their aid differently and vary widely among merit aid, loans and grants. On the other hand, many schools give the same aid packages whether a student applies Early or Regular Decision.

The sticker shock from a private college can be daunting. Many of them, however, have substantial endowments which can reduce the cost of attending and make them less expensive than a public university.

We encourage our clients to apply to a wide variety of schools so they have choices. Frequently the financial aid package is substantial enough that, a client does not need to worry about how he or she will manage the debt.

Applying Early Decision is binding, meaning if you are accepted, you MUST attend. With schools becoming increasingly more competitive each year, some accepting as few as 8-10% of their applicants, it’s tempting to think you can improve your chances by applying early. Many schools do accept a large number of students who apply early, however, many prefer waiting until the Regular Decision applications are in to compare candidates. If you are an A++ student with significant ACT/SAT test scores and outstanding activities, applying Early Decision may be a benefit. If you are right on the cusp as a candidate, applying early may even get you accepted. If this is a reach school, it is unlikely you will be accepted. Above all, never apply early if you’re not positive you want to attend.

The days of the ‘well-rounded” student with a huge laundry list of activities since freshman year are no longer. Nowadays colleges are looking for students who are committed to a few significant activities. They are also looking for innovation and leadership. Forget joining a bunch of clubs that don’t interest you and pursue something that really engages you.

Nonsense. The goal of the college search process is to find the BEST FIT for a student academically, socially and environmentally.

We recommend that every family fill out the FAFSA. There are many factors which go into a student’s evaluation for need-based aid. The only sure way to find out is to fill out the form.

It’s actually too early for you to apply but too late for a new college freshman. If your College Invest 529 has been funded for at least two years, you can apply for the scholarship before heading off to college. The July deadline for this has past for this year. This scholarship can be used for in-state and out and is renewable for four years. It can add up to a substantial sum.

Actually there are probably over fifty colleges and universities where you can be happy and find success academically, emotionally and socially.