Emily takes her SAT again today. Before she took it the first time, I purchased online prep from Kaplan for $77. That turned out to be a waste. The whole thing frustrated her, so she didn't spend enough time at it. She may not have completely understood how to use it, but apparently when you take the practice tests, you don't get specific feedback on what to work on. You just get a score. Turns out the College Board practice books are more useful.
This time, she used the practice tests in conjunction with the book Up Your Score: The Underground Guide to the SAT. It was written by some Ivy League students who provide helpful tips and strategies. The authors say that taking lots of practice tests is the most important thing you can do. So she would take a test, score it, and then read about the kinds of questions she missed. The book is pretty engaging. We'll see how useful it is.
Before she took it the first time, I was prepared to send her to one of those $1,000 prep courses, but she wasn't up for the time commitment. I still think it would have been helpful, but kids make choices. Actually, I have to say that while I don't think Emily spent enough time preparing on her own, she spent more than I would have when I was her age. It's a good investment for kids who won't do it on their own.
It's hard to tell how much the SAT's will affect Emily's chances to get into her top choice school. It's been such a long time since I posted anything, you have to know that has all changed. The top two schools are now 1) UCSD and 2) UCSB. UCLA is out of the running because they're phasing out their undergraduate art history program. Sorry UCLA, maybe you'll get a shot at grad school. Ha!
I'm nervous about the whole UCSD thing. I think I want Emily to go away more than she wants to go. I'll be okay with it if she lives on campus, and works on or near campus. But I really don't want her trying to continue to live her pre-college life and fit school into it. I personally think UCSB is the better fit. Would it be evil to hope her scores don't go up too much?
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
It's Coming
It’s almost September. My children have been in school for an entire grading period. So here’s where we are:
Senior year consists of AP English, AP Gov’t, Honors Anatomy & Physiology, Spanish 3 and Health (district graduation requirement). No math class this year. I hope I don’t live to regret my part in that. At this point, it looks as though Emily has straight A’s, which will raise her ultimate GPA, but doesn’t mean much when it comes to applying for college. SAT round two is October 9 (round one didn’t go so well in math), and then it’s time to apply! She is already applying for scholarships, hoping to get herself a laptop before the year is up.
But we also have a freshman in the house, so it’s all starting over. Get this! My little laissez-faire baby is hovering between a 3.8 and a 4.0 right now. That’s so cool! She’s also joining the golf team! I couldn't get Emily to even consider athletics, but Hannah wants to try. I'm so glad she goes to a newer school that is just forming their teams. Amazingly, she can be a beginner and be on a high school team. There has already been friendship drama, but Hannah just picks herself up and moves on. I’m so proud of her, and so excited to see how this all plays out.
As for my part in this process, I have recently been up Highway 99 to the Sierras, and then down Highway 101 from Santa Cruz. It makes me hope that Emily chooses UCSB over UCSC. That’s a long haul!
Senior year consists of AP English, AP Gov’t, Honors Anatomy & Physiology, Spanish 3 and Health (district graduation requirement). No math class this year. I hope I don’t live to regret my part in that. At this point, it looks as though Emily has straight A’s, which will raise her ultimate GPA, but doesn’t mean much when it comes to applying for college. SAT round two is October 9 (round one didn’t go so well in math), and then it’s time to apply! She is already applying for scholarships, hoping to get herself a laptop before the year is up.
But we also have a freshman in the house, so it’s all starting over. Get this! My little laissez-faire baby is hovering between a 3.8 and a 4.0 right now. That’s so cool! She’s also joining the golf team! I couldn't get Emily to even consider athletics, but Hannah wants to try. I'm so glad she goes to a newer school that is just forming their teams. Amazingly, she can be a beginner and be on a high school team. There has already been friendship drama, but Hannah just picks herself up and moves on. I’m so proud of her, and so excited to see how this all plays out.
As for my part in this process, I have recently been up Highway 99 to the Sierras, and then down Highway 101 from Santa Cruz. It makes me hope that Emily chooses UCSB over UCSC. That’s a long haul!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
I’m back. There hasn’t been much to post lately. But now, U.S. News and World Report has released its new college rankings (http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges). I found the online version somewhat difficult to navigate because there were three relevant lists to browse. I’ll go buy the print version today, but here’s some basic information. The criteria were retention, graduation rates and strength of staff (I don’t know how that’s measured).
One of the things I noticed is that SDSU is the only CSU that made it into the top 200 on the national list. It’s 183rd, but it’s in there with some good schools. I think one of the reasons is that they have stopped accepting students in need of remediation. The students they accept are more college ready, and therefore more likely to graduate.
Anyway, here is how the UC’s did in the national ranking. I was a bit surprised at how high UCSB is and how low UCSC was.
UCB 22
UCLA 25
UCSD 35
UCD 39
UCSB 39
UCI 41
UCSC 72
UCR 94
The regional ranking covered the entire western half of the United States, which is sort of ridiculous. Here’s how the CSU’s fared there. Remember, SDSU isn’t included on this list.
Calpoly SLO 6
CSULB 24
CSU Chico 30
Calpoly Pomona 32
Somoma State 35
CUS Fullerton 37
Humboldt State 37
CSU Fresno 44
San Jose State 44
CSU Stanislaus 48
SFSU 51
CSU Sacramento 62
CSU San Bern. 62
CSU Northridge 77
CSU San Marcos 84
The rest are considered “Tier 2” schools. The only thing that stood out there was that San Francisco State is so low. I wonder what it was in years past. I can’t help but think they are losing students because they can’t get classes. But then, that’s probably affecting most of these schools. I’ll see if I can find some more interesting information later.
UCB 22
UCLA 25
UCSD 35
UCD 39
UCSB 39
UCI 41
UCSC 72
UCR 94
The regional ranking covered the entire western half of the United States, which is sort of ridiculous. Here’s how the CSU’s fared there. Remember, SDSU isn’t included on this list.
Calpoly SLO 6
CSULB 24
CSU Chico 30
Calpoly Pomona 32
Somoma State 35
CUS Fullerton 37
Humboldt State 37
CSU Fresno 44
San Jose State 44
CSU Stanislaus 48
SFSU 51
CSU Sacramento 62
CSU San Bern. 62
CSU Northridge 77
CSU San Marcos 84
The rest are considered “Tier 2” schools. The only thing that stood out there was that San Francisco State is so low. I wonder what it was in years past. I can’t help but think they are losing students because they can’t get classes. But then, that’s probably affecting most of these schools. I’ll see if I can find some more interesting information later.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The Just-Right School
I found a report about why students don't complete college (see link at right called "From Access to Success"). I thought I knew what it was going to say, but I found something surprising.
Obviously, the report discusses the fact that many students are academically underprepared (for example, in California there have been reports about students who enter the CSU system having met the minimum entrance requirements, and end up dropping out). But I hadn't heard about the phenomenon of "undermatching." These are students who don't select the very best college for which they are eligible. It suggests that,
"Many students and families choose less-selective institutions because of the price of attendance, proximity to home or similar factors that may seem reasonable—yet graduation rates are actually lower for individual students who enroll in less selective schools, rendering a seemingly cost-effective choice ultimately quite costly."
That's huge, especially in today's economic climate. It does seem more intuitive to save money by starting out in a community college or a local university that is more affordable than effective. But if students don't thrive intellectually, they may not stick with it.
I can't wait to show this to my husband!
Obviously, the report discusses the fact that many students are academically underprepared (for example, in California there have been reports about students who enter the CSU system having met the minimum entrance requirements, and end up dropping out). But I hadn't heard about the phenomenon of "undermatching." These are students who don't select the very best college for which they are eligible. It suggests that,
"Many students and families choose less-selective institutions because of the price of attendance, proximity to home or similar factors that may seem reasonable—yet graduation rates are actually lower for individual students who enroll in less selective schools, rendering a seemingly cost-effective choice ultimately quite costly."
That's huge, especially in today's economic climate. It does seem more intuitive to save money by starting out in a community college or a local university that is more affordable than effective. But if students don't thrive intellectually, they may not stick with it.
I can't wait to show this to my husband!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
More on Money
One of the linked articles on that Kiplinger’s site is called “Smart Ways to Pay for College.” In it, editor Janet Bodnar outlines five strategies, and I have to say I was annoyed when I read them. Three of the five are completely unhelpful to us (through no fault of Bodnar or the magazine).
Number five suggests skipping a four-year degree. Sorry, not an option in our family. It's a must-do. Number two suggests starting in community college. Even my husband agrees that’s not what Emily should do. Those of you who know me know this was a hot household argument when Emily was in middle school. Brian and I both went to community college before transferring to a university. He has always been happy with his decision; I wish I’d done it differently. Now the argument is moot because Emily has made it very clear that she’s a great candidate for a university.
Suggestion number one warns against taking on a huge debt for a private education “when you can go to a good public university for less than half the cost.” First of all, this isn’t necessarily true in California. Once upon a time, San Diego students had the option of living at home and going to San Diego State. But that isn’t an option for many anymore. SDSU no longer gives priority to local students. It has become much more competitive. It seems to me they’ve gotten away from their original purpose. There is no local, affordable university for the average San Diego student, except for CSU San Marcos, and budget cuts are taking a toll there.
Bodnar cites the article on the “100 Best Values in Public Colleges.” UC’s are the only California schools on that list, and they are no longer half the cost of private schools. In fact, for middle-income families, you can get a better deal at some private or out-of-state schools (providing you can get in). I hate the idea that a UC might be inaccessible because of cost.
So this leaves two relevant suggestions: AP credits and private scholarships. Yep we’re on it. Some universities are changing their policies about AP credits, but it seems like the schools Emily is looking at mostly offer credit for AP scores of 3, 4, or 5. For scholarships, Emily registered on fastweb.com, which matches students to scholarship opportunities. I hear that thousands of dollars in scholarships go unclaimed every year because eligible students don’t take the time to apply. I can’t believe how much easier it is for students to gain access to these scholarships than it was before the Internet.
Next spring, when we know where Emily has been accepted, and how much assistance we can get, we’ll have to make those serious decisions about cost. I’d love to be able to tell her that she should do what she wants and we’ll make it work. She has worked hard, and deserves that. But I don’t know how realistic that is. Nothing to do now but wait and see.
Number five suggests skipping a four-year degree. Sorry, not an option in our family. It's a must-do. Number two suggests starting in community college. Even my husband agrees that’s not what Emily should do. Those of you who know me know this was a hot household argument when Emily was in middle school. Brian and I both went to community college before transferring to a university. He has always been happy with his decision; I wish I’d done it differently. Now the argument is moot because Emily has made it very clear that she’s a great candidate for a university.
Suggestion number one warns against taking on a huge debt for a private education “when you can go to a good public university for less than half the cost.” First of all, this isn’t necessarily true in California. Once upon a time, San Diego students had the option of living at home and going to San Diego State. But that isn’t an option for many anymore. SDSU no longer gives priority to local students. It has become much more competitive. It seems to me they’ve gotten away from their original purpose. There is no local, affordable university for the average San Diego student, except for CSU San Marcos, and budget cuts are taking a toll there.
Bodnar cites the article on the “100 Best Values in Public Colleges.” UC’s are the only California schools on that list, and they are no longer half the cost of private schools. In fact, for middle-income families, you can get a better deal at some private or out-of-state schools (providing you can get in). I hate the idea that a UC might be inaccessible because of cost.
So this leaves two relevant suggestions: AP credits and private scholarships. Yep we’re on it. Some universities are changing their policies about AP credits, but it seems like the schools Emily is looking at mostly offer credit for AP scores of 3, 4, or 5. For scholarships, Emily registered on fastweb.com, which matches students to scholarship opportunities. I hear that thousands of dollars in scholarships go unclaimed every year because eligible students don’t take the time to apply. I can’t believe how much easier it is for students to gain access to these scholarships than it was before the Internet.
Next spring, when we know where Emily has been accepted, and how much assistance we can get, we’ll have to make those serious decisions about cost. I’d love to be able to tell her that she should do what she wants and we’ll make it work. She has worked hard, and deserves that. But I don’t know how realistic that is. Nothing to do now but wait and see.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Financial Aid
It's way too early to worry about FAFSA, but I found a great article in "Kiplinger's" on the pitfalls of the application. I've included the link here on the right under "Financial Aid." One thing I learned is that we need to get our taxes done as soon as possible in February as you need the information for the FAFSA application. Apparently the funds (not that we'll get anything except loans) are distributed first come, first served; and if you wait until April there won't be any left.
In the article are links to other interesting articles about college. One is a list of 100 public universities in the country that provide the best value (based on academic and cost factors). University of Washington is #7. UCSD is #11. Most of the UC's are in the top 70, but no CSU's made the list.
Did you know that UC covers your fees if the household income is under $70,000? I didn't know that. CSU doesn't do that, do they? That really makes the UC's a good value for low income families.
In the article are links to other interesting articles about college. One is a list of 100 public universities in the country that provide the best value (based on academic and cost factors). University of Washington is #7. UCSD is #11. Most of the UC's are in the top 70, but no CSU's made the list.
Did you know that UC covers your fees if the household income is under $70,000? I didn't know that. CSU doesn't do that, do they? That really makes the UC's a good value for low income families.
Roadtrip!
In “Junior Year Redux,” I forgot to mention one of the most important things: college visits! This has to be one of the most fun parts of the whole process, and one of the most motivating, as well. I don’t care if your kids don’t think they want to leave home, or if they’re set on a particular school. Visit as many campuses as you can! It changes the mindset, and seems to make it more real.
During spring break of Emily’s junior year, I took both girls on a trip to tour various campuses, especially the frontrunners. Going in, Emily thought she wanted to go to UC Irvine because of its dance program and proximity to home. By the end of the trip, Irvine was off the table (too focused on science with only a nod to the arts); UC Santa Cruz and UC Santa Barbara (even though we didn’t even go to UCSB) were at the top of the list, and she had identified a major for the first time (art history). Not only, that, but it hooked Hannah as well.
To schedule a tour, go to each school’s admissions site. Shoot for a time when school is in session. If there’s a particular program or aspect of the school you’d like to see, find out how to get a special tour of that. In a couple cases, we had friends/family members provide the tours. That was great! We felt like we were getting the inside scoop on college life.
Remember, though, you don’t have to see everything before senior year, unless your child is dismissing something out of hand that you think he or she needs to see. We still have several visits we want to do this year.
If nothing else, it’s a great excuse for a roadtrip!
During spring break of Emily’s junior year, I took both girls on a trip to tour various campuses, especially the frontrunners. Going in, Emily thought she wanted to go to UC Irvine because of its dance program and proximity to home. By the end of the trip, Irvine was off the table (too focused on science with only a nod to the arts); UC Santa Cruz and UC Santa Barbara (even though we didn’t even go to UCSB) were at the top of the list, and she had identified a major for the first time (art history). Not only, that, but it hooked Hannah as well.
To schedule a tour, go to each school’s admissions site. Shoot for a time when school is in session. If there’s a particular program or aspect of the school you’d like to see, find out how to get a special tour of that. In a couple cases, we had friends/family members provide the tours. That was great! We felt like we were getting the inside scoop on college life.
Remember, though, you don’t have to see everything before senior year, unless your child is dismissing something out of hand that you think he or she needs to see. We still have several visits we want to do this year.
If nothing else, it’s a great excuse for a roadtrip!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)