Officials Blame Math Test For Decline

This informative Baltimore Examiner article by education reporter Kelsey Volkmann focuses in on Maryland students' performance on the SAT and includes a quote by Craig Meister of Tactical College Consulting, LLC.

Earlier Admissions May Be Back For Colleges

By Bill Schackner of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

What's Up With The SAT?

Scores are down, but the reasons why are up for debate.

The article from the San Francisco Chronicle's Matthew B. Stannard.

Further discussion in "Meaning of dip in SAT scores debated" by Peter Smolowitz and Ann Doss Helms of the Charlotte Observer

Welcome, Freshmen — Grab a Toga

Can you guess which college boozed its way to top of The Princeton Review's annual list of country's top party schools? The answer, via Fox News.

Paying With Less Pain

"There's Still Time For Students To Improve Their Chances Of Earning An Affordable Degree" via USNews & World Report and CBS News

Time To Think Globally

"Study Abroad Can Be Great, But Do Your Homework To Avoid Nightmares" via USNews & World Report and CBS News

US News Rankings Released

They are out, the yearly bible for so many. Make of them what you will - they generally do reflect the degree of selectivity of the colleges and universities at the very top of the heap.

Top National Universities

Top Liberal Arts Colleges

Top Business Programs

Top Engineering Programs at Doctoral Universities

Top Engineering Programs at Non-Doctoral Schools

More...

Need Extra Help? Don't Be Afraid To Ask

"Learning Disabilities Don't Need To Hold A Student Back At College" via USNews & World Report and CBS News

It Begins!

Another college admissions season is upon us. The casual observer can tell by the increase in college-themed editions of magazines such as Newsweek (on news stands now) and US News & World Report (upcoming), but to the admissions professional, it comes in the form of a deluge of calls with questions about everything from "Should I take the ACT/SAT again?" to "How soon can I get that application in?"

Included below is a sampling of Newsweek's wall-to-wall (some might say hyperactive and alarmist) coverage of another year in college admissions. When reading them, consider the source (Newsweek is owned by the same parent company of Kaplan test prep centers) and try not to get too wrapped up in the hype.

For students in need of personalized attention and comprehensive guidance, call the most trusted name in college admissions counseling services: Tactical College Consulting, LLC. 410-526-2558.

Newsweek's 25 Hottest Schools by Jay Mathews - Essentially fluff and important only to the colleges mentioned

The Search for Authenticity by Bruce Poch - A leading admissions dean (Pomona) explains what colleges really want. It's all about getting the complete picture of a student without packaging by consultants (furthering the myth that all consultants are trying to airbrush clients or get them into schools "undeservedly").

I'm Counting Every Penny by Chima Nwankwo - Many of his classmates are rich (gasp!). He's not (really?). A Berkeley student from Nigeria explains how he handles the financial challenges of American education (it can be done!).

Is Your Campus Safe? by Andrew Murr - Many colleges have new security systems in place. But students and parents still need to do some detective work.

After Virginia Tech by Daniel McGinn - A tragedy showed the risk of underestimating mental-health problems. Now schools are intervening sooner (according to Newsweek).

One Family's Road Trip by Howard Fineman and Daughter Fineman - A Newsweek father and daughter find that the campus visit is a journey of discovery—about schools, life and how one generation can best guide another (this one strikes me as particularly nauseating - let me count the ways...among them, that Meredith seems not to have gained much so far from Annenberg).

The Green Campus by Anne Underwood - How to teach new respect for the environment? The 3 R's: reduce your carbon footprint, reuse and recycle (I wonder why Newsweek's circulation is down?)

In Study Abroad, Gifts and Money for Universities

The New York Times' Diana Jean Schemo exposes just the tip of the iceberg of nefarious activities surrounding the world of study abroad. All students who have an interest in studying abroad must do almost as much homework into vetting programs as they did for vetting colleges to attend after high school.

As a former Study Abroad office employee and as a student who chose to work abroad and study abroad, my best advice is do your research early. Many colleges will only accept courses from "approved" partner universities. Still others will have their own satellite campuses run by their own faculty.

A major problem students run into is studying in the local language. If you know when you are applying to colleges that you will want to study in a foreign country in English rather than in the local language, it is important to ask admissions representatives and even Office of International Programs employees how many English-centric programs are available (FOR CREDIT) in non-English speaking countries.

Some schools (like NYU) have many such programs, while others (like Penn and Columbia) have relatively few. At the later type of college, students first must attain a proficiency in the foreign language before they can apply to study in a country (let's say Spain), then the must only take classes offered in the local language once they arrive (in this case, Spanish).

Ask questions early and you won't be disappointed later!

More Are Taking a Rain Check on College

Do you want to join "the ranks of maverick students who take a "gap year" -- time off between high school and college..?"

"Some do it to find enlightenment and introspection, others to learn something new or pursue a passion."

More from Ian Shapira in the Washington Post

Update: Following the publication of the article, the Washington Post held a live online discussion forum for those wanting to explore the issue of "gap" years in more depth. Included in the conversation were Ian Shapira, the original article's author, Marlyn McGrath Lewis, director of admissions at Harvard College and Holly Bull, president of the Center for Interim Programs with offices in Princeton, N.J., and Cambridge, Mass.

Slow Summer Days Are Busy Time for College Tours

By Genevieve Marshall, The (Allentown, PA) Morning Call, via the Arizona Republic