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The year is rapidly drawing to a close. Many students have submitted applications by now. They have also mailed off their financial aid forms. Many are studying to deliver a huge SAT result in December. Others are test optional for now. it will all come down to their essays, I think and their overall applications, interests, clubs, extracurricular activities. What are the colleges and universities looking for?
1) Grades
A supreme factor. When looking at International students, they are looking at grades, first and foremost.
2) Who are You? The essay reveal that, gives us a third eye into the soul of the student. They had better bring them in so they can see you the student clearly.
3) Your extracurricular activities. How well do these align with the interests of that particular university? Do they want a trombonist? A dancer? A coder? A problem-solver? They are looking to align their interests from the sea of applicants, to make their campus stronger...
4) Special Gifts: Artistic or Athletic...These special gifts go a long way! Think Usain Bolt or Michelle Herah....
5) Against all that mounting pile of candidates, just how do you stand out? Important reminder, whatever the outcome, do not feel dismayed or too elated, it really is the luck of the draw....but what do I know after 26 years in the business? That the early bird always catches the worm.... So do not procrastinate....
UPENN
UPenn has an interesting invite for students, this week. Try to be present.
University of Southern Mississippi may host a Zoom session with students this week. Tune in....
See you all next week
Hi Caldwell University is excited to announced the “Caldwell Commitment”, program dedicated to providing scholarship and grant funding to more students entering the University beginning in 2022. Caldwell is offering full tuition to New Jersey resident students who receive both a Federal Pell Grant and the New Jersey Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) and have at least a 3.0 high school GPA. The Federal Pell Grant program awards need-based grants to low-income undergraduate students. TAG is a need-based financial aid program for full-time undergraduate students who reside in New Jersey and are enrolled in an approved degree or certificate program. Additionally, the University is implementing a transparent scholarship model awarding scholarships based on levels of academic achievement for students regardless of where they reside or grant eligibility. A sliding scale based on academic achievement is available on the University’s website. There will be no SAT or ACT requirement for these scholarships. Students who want to take advantage of the Caldwell Commitment are urged to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid known as FAFSA no later than February 1, 2022 in order to determine eligibility. Students may go to www.fafsa.gov to complete the FAFSA.
For students who are not eligible for the program, Caldwell University provides other generous financial aid packages with significant need-based assistance in addition to the merit scholarship program to help make a university education affordable. To find out more, contact the Caldwell University Admissions Office at admissions@caldwell.edu Jan Marco Jiras Director, Undergraduate Admissions
There’s still time to apply Early Decision or Early Action to Reed! Here’s a handy breakdown of the upcoming decision rounds and some virtual events to help get your application in the best possible shape.
Early Decision vs. Early Action: What’s the Difference?
The deadline for Early Action and the first round of Early Decision is coming up on November 15. Here’s what you need to know:
Early Decision (ED)
ED is a great option for students who are sure that Reed is where they want to be.
Applying ED lets students focus on their senior year with the added security of having selected a college.
Students who apply ED have a greater chance of being admitted.
The financial support you receive through ED is the same as the support you will receive in Early Action and Regular Decision.
Submit your application by November 15 and receive your decision in December.
Early Action (EA)
EA is a great option for students who want to apply early and hear back from the college much sooner.
Decisions are released in January and February for those who submit all materials by November 15.
Early Action is the most popular non-binding round. It gives students the chance to relax, since they know that they have already gained admission to a school as they continue applying to other colleges through regular decision.
Upcoming Virtual Events
Understanding Financial Aid – Saturday, November 6, at 11 a.m. PT: You’ve got your application filled out and ready to send. But what about financial aid? Sandy Sundstrom, Reed’s Director of Financial Aid, will explain what financial aid is, how it works, and how to apply.
Is Early Decision Right for Me? – Tuesday, November 9, at 6 p.m. PT: If you want more guidance on what Early Decision is all about, then this is the session for you. We’ll walk you through the pros and cons of Early Decision and answer any questions you might have.
Student Panel – Friday, November 12, at 3 p.m. PT: This is your chance to hear from the people who know Reed best: our students! Current Reedies will discuss academics, residence halls, student life, clubs, organizations, and Portland. Have your questions answered live and learn about life at Reed.
Application Study Hall with Milyon Trulove – Saturday, November 13, at 1 p.m. PT: Need some last-minute application advice before you hit submit? Milyon Trulove, Reed’s Vice President and Dean of Admission & Financial Aid, will answer your questions and give his advice on finishing your application.
Schedule a Virtual Interview
An interview is a chance to have a casual conversation with one of our admission counselors or student interns. Although it’s an optional part of the Reed application process, it’s a great way for us to learn more about you—your passions, goals, and driving influences. If you’re worried about interviewing before the November 15 deadline for Early Action and Early Decision, we want you to know that we don’t start reviewing all parts of your application right away. You can schedule an interview up through December 10 and still have it considered as part of your full application materials.
Sandra,Happy November! I know you have been juggling a lot with application deadlines, letters of recommendation, and all of your other responsibilities at school, home, and in your community. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
As you would expect, we've received a lot of questions from applicants about Georgia Tech's test score requirements for first-year admission.
Here are three things to know:
Georgia Tech, and all other public universities in our system, are requiring test scores to be considered for admission this year.
We do allow students to self-report test scores, even after applying, via their applicant portal.
Test scores are only one factor of our holistic application review process. We continue to prioritize course choice, rigor of curriculum, contribution to community, and institutional priorities as we make admission decisions to enroll our class.
Frequently Asked Questions
If a student has not yet taken the SAT or ACT, is there still time to take a test and receive an admission decision? Yes. We will accept scores from the December SAT and ACT test date. Students can self-report their scores in their admission portal as soon as they receive them. Visit our website to learn more about testing deadlines. If a student has taken the SAT/ACT but is not satisfied with their scores, how will this impact their application? They're not alone! Testing has been significantly impacted during the pandemic and many students have scores that are not quite what they hoped. Students' grades, course choices, and impact outside of the classroom are the primary factors we consider in our holistic application review. Bottom line: test scores are not the deciding factor in admission decisions. How many times should a student take the SAT or ACT for admission to Georgia Tech?
We only require one ACT or SAT score for admission consideration. Pre-pandemic, we recommended testing more than once, but we understand that many of the colleges students are likely considering will not be requiring tests this year. We do not want the testing requirement to be overly burdensome.
Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need us.
Go Jackets!
Rick Clark
Director of Admission
Georgia Apply to College Month Application Fee WaiverNovember is Georgia Apply to College Month! In an effort to reduce the barriers students face applying to college, Georgia Tech and many other public colleges in our state will waive the first-year application fee for Georgia students throughout the entire month.
This application fee waiver is available for all Georgia high school students and Georgia residents who are attending high school outside the state. Students can request the application fee waiver on the Common App in the Georgia Tech Questions section.Enrollment Growth Reflects Inclusive ExcellenceOver the past five years, Georgia Tech has strengthened its commitment to inclusive excellence by enrolling record numbers of undergraduate students from around the state, nation, and world. Read more about Tech's undergraduate enrollment growth.Georgia Tech Admission is Now on TikTok!In an effort to reach more students across different platforms and educate them on Georgia Tech and the admission process, we joined TikTok last month! We'll be answering students' admission questions, sharing application tips, and giving glimpses into life at Tech. Follow us on TikTok.
Sandra,
You're invited to take a behind-the-scenes look at the application review process at NYU. Through our virtual session, NYU Admissions Case Studies, you'll get an insider's view on how our admissions counselors assess candidates' fit for a variety of academic programs, and gain actionable insights to help you support your students in their applications. During this interactive, one-hour session, we'll review six sample applicant profiles and walk you through the factors that went into their admissions decision.
NYU Admissions Case Studies Wednesday, November 17th, 7:00 - 8:00 PM EST
Don't miss your chance to connect with our admissions counselors and get your questions answered about NYU and the application process. We hope you'll be able to attend, and we look forward to sharing more about NYU with you. Sincerely, Jonathan B. Williams Assistant Vice President for Undergraduate Admissions
Greetings from MCI!
The beautiful autumn colors of Maine have come and gone during the month of October. The humid days and nights of summer have also given way to crisp mornings and cool evenings with pleasantly warm days. Here on campus our fall athletic teams have had great success with all teams competing in post-season events. Our weekends have been full with activities including an outdoor movie, BINGO on campus, a coffee house event in the student center, a trip to a Maine fair, trips to corn mazes and apple orchards, pumpkin picking and carving, go-karting, several hikes in the beautiful Maine woods and mountains, along with plenty of movie, shopping, and restaurant trips. Our Halloween sit down dinner was a fun way to bring October to a close and several of our students even dressed up and went out "trick or treating" in the local neighborhood on Halloween night. The first quarter of school has also come to a close. It ended with our annual Fall Community Service Day where students go out into the community with their advisor groups and help local families and organizations with yard cleanup and projects. Two weeks ago our first Patterson Lecture Series speaker, Former Secretary of the United States Navy James Webb, addressed our student body with a message of the importance to be focused on the future but to remain flexible and resilient as you never know where life will lead you.
As we look ahead to November and our upcoming Thanksgiving break, there will be plenty more adventure, fun, and opportunities for students to participate in fun activities while balancing the demands of doing as well as possible academically. Winter athletics will begin, our Bossov Ballet Theater will be gearing up for their performance of The Nutcracker in December, and our drama group will be gearing up for their fall performance, "The Story Seller's Tale by Christopher Pankratz." There is so much for our students to become involved in right here on campus and so many opportunities to get away from campus and enjoy activities each weekend.
Sincerely,
Tom Bertrand
Dean of Student Life