Pre-college prep: Be true to yourself and keep a healthy balance

The most important advice I would give students and families embarking on the pre-college preparation is to be true to yourself - to focus on areas of interest and not do things or take classes because “it would look good in the application”.   This mantra will help you succeed both in and out of the school as you put your energy on areas you are passionate about.    In addition, I would recommend you “do the best you can” in school and in activities, keeping a healthy balance in your day-to-day life.  

The truth of the matter is that academics rule in college admissions and that your transcript would be the most important piece of the application.  Studies (Clinedisnt, Hurley & Hawkins, 2012)  show that  grades in college-prep courses, strength of the curriculum and test scores are the most important factors in the admissions decision.    I recommend that if students can handle the workload and succeed, they should plan to complete college-prep classes based on their high school’s curriculum and student’s performance.    AP, IB and Honors classes would be expected at elite colleges (some say +7 for the most selective).  In the end, colleges want to see students taking the hardest classes they can take in their respective high schools.  Colleges based their decisions on research that shows that performing well in rigorous high school curriculum is a good predictor of academic college success.   

 Importantly, timing is of essence so that starting in 8th and 9th grade, students should start planning and mapping out their curriculum.  Also, they should pay attention to grades, not so much because these would be part of the college admissions GPA but because they lead the foundation to an academic track in their high schools.  In fact, some colleges may re-calculate the student’s GPA, and may choose to not even count 9th grade classes as well as Art, PE or other electives.   So the student’s focus should be on performing well and taking college level classes in the 5 core areas (English, Math, Science, Social Studies and Foreign Language).    It would be ideal to take advanced classes in the areas of interest - if for instance the student in interested in STEM majors s(he) should target to take AP Calculus senior year and lab based science classes including a few AP/Honors science classes junior and senior year.

Despite the growth of Test Optional schools, SAT/ACT test scores continue to be an important admissions factor - a screening factor in many instances - for a majority of colleges.  Noteworthy, a few schools - eg. CUNY, McGill, others - place a lot of weight on test scores for admissions.     This is a great source of stress to students and care should be taken to not lose perspective and balance in their lives.  I would recommend a common sense testing plan - spreading out the testing and not overdoing it.

Last but not least,  it is important to stay on top of  the soft aspects of the application.  All “best fit” items -- extracurricular / leadership activities,  recommendations,  college essay and special talent / background -- will provide the ammunition to complete the colleges holistic evaluation.     When students ask which extracurricular activities to engage in, I would steer them  to the areas of interest or that they want to explore.  This an area where “depth versus breadth” is what colleges are looking for, thus it would be best for students to to get deeply involved in a few areas - in a consistent manner throughout their high school years.  The  colleges are not only looking for the contribution the student would bring into campus, but also a general level of commitment and involvement toward the community.  In the end, colleges want to populate their campus with students that will help the meet the college’s mission (ie cultural, diversity, etc.). 

 In sum, balance is one of the hardest things for students and families to keep in check during high school and the college application process.   Understanding the process and requirement  helps students and families organize themselves and put this in a framework so that it doesn’t take over their lives. 

Bruni "Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be" Review

Bruni makes a solid case for students to go for a right fit school and encourages everyone to end the elite school craze.   He backs his thesis with plenty examples:

1. There’s no pattern on elite schooling for the executives of top 100 corporations in the Fortune 500 list.  In fact the vast majority of schools attended by these CEOs were not elite and many were public state schools, which are regional in nature and a great foundation for local politicians (senators, representatives, governors and even presidential nominees)
2. There’s also no pattern of elite schooling for winners of the Pulitzer prize, (PECASE) Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers) recipients, or MacArthur Foundation “geniuses”
3. There’s no pattern among those successfully hired for entry level positions. Some employers look at GPA as barometer of work ethics, rather than school reputation.  In Krueger and Dale study, they found  no difference in the endpoint among two top high school students who chose to attend Penn State and UPenn, respectively.   Both ended up in the same entry level consulting job despite having very different college experience.  

Finally, Bruni quotes the Platinum Study in which ⅔ of corporate leaders did not attend elite institutions for undergrad. But ⅔ of those who attended grad school went to a top 10 school in their field. This reiterates the point that students may thrive in a non selective institution or small liberal arts college facilitating their admissions to more selective graduate programs later on.  USC and Oberlin were noted as good feeder schools.

I agree with Bruni that the student does not necessarily need to choose the most selective college s(he) is admitted to.  Factors such as major selection, college culture and financial packages all should be considered as well during the Admit weekend college visits.  These will determine the  right fit school where we hope the student will thrive and be happy, providing the foundation for graduate programs or employment.

Which English proficiency test should I take? What are the similarities and differences?

There are more similarities than differences among these 3 English proficiency tests TOEFL, IELTS and PTE.  There’s no doubt that the historically leading test TOEFL is facing some good competition and even less conventional one like Duolingo, an app based learning program which I personally use to brush up my French!

The main similarity among the TOEFL, IELTS and PTE tests is that all test proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking English skills. In addition they are pricey (US$160-250) depending on the test and location. Thus, determining if these tests are necessary is step 1.

In regards to differences,  the length and format of the test differs with TOEFL being the longest at 3.5 - 4 hours, creating a challenge for some students.  Both the IELTS and PTE are closer to 3 hours long. Another key difference is the format with some relying 100% on computer testing while the IELTS adds handwriting and personal touch with one-on-one speaking session - normally scheduled one week within the main test.  This one-on-one colloquial conversational test may seem more realistic than the TOEFL where the student responds to 6 questions into a computer microphone after  reading and/or  listening to the questions. Additionally, the actual content of the tests which can be general and/or academic, yet  the TOEFL tends to include primarily academic subjects like in the reading area, where it only includes textbook passages.  Finally, the IELTS seems to ask questions in varied formats (fill in the blanks, multiple choice, etc)  while both the TOEFL and PTE seem follow exclusively the multiple choice format.   In sum, the TOEFL and IELTS seem interchangeable - it is a matter of personal preference once it is determined that the university requires the test for admissions.  

Regarding a recommendation, I would recommend that you determine if you have a strong preference with any of the issues above since that would tilt the decision.  If still undecided, you can always take sample tests to determine which one you do better and feel more at ease.

So you want to study Game Design

You love playing video games but more than that you love the creative aspects of the game: the storyline, the characters, the artistic production, the musical score. You participate in boards and write your own code to improve the playing experience.  This is your passion and you tell  yourself: why not work in this industry and do what I love for fun?  

What are the job prospects?

The good news is that the industry is flourishing at $17 billion dollars and there are plenty of job opportunities. However, experience is a must, thus it is recommended that you map a college path that includes internships and projects that would provide you with the experience and network needed to land a job.  

So what major should I study?

Since employers do not require a specific game design major nor even a college degree, it is more important you study the area of Game Design you are most interested in.  For starters, you can do a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts in Game Design.  These programs take different views on Game design from the most technical with intense programming to the most artistic with product concept, writing, musical score & creative elements.   Independent on which Bachelor degree you decide to go for, you should have a solid understanding of programming so that you can work with programmers in all your design elements.   This means that even if you do a Bachelors of Arts you should aim to complete several programming classes or even a Computer Science double major or minor.

“Learn programming! A band manager doesn’t need to play guitar, but still needs to understand music.  An understanding of programming is key to success in the gaming business” - Russell McDonald

What else can I do with a game design major

A game design major will provide you with a set of skills that are transferable to other industries:  programming, product development, production.  Game design majors who combine the technical with the artistic use both sides of the brain, bringing their abilities to a new level.  In addition, employers put a lot of value to arts majors because of their creativity and ability to think out of the box.   In sum, there are a large number of jobs outside the gaming industry  that would be a good match for game design majors.  

What are the best schools to get this major

The question is not what is the best school but what is a good fit school for me?  Just from an academic point of view, you should decide if you will pursue a BS, BA or BFA.  The BA/BS you can get at large universities and liberal arts colleges. You would need to meet the general academic requirements for admissions.   However the BFA is a specialized arts major which requires a more complex set of requirements such as a portfolio and interviews.  Once you determine which of these degrees is of most interest we would look at other important criteria like location, financials and social criteria to start drafting a well balanced college list.

How do I get Learning Disability Support at College?

If you are  wondering how can you get the support that you have in your high school, you must understand  a) that the level of support depends on the structure of the Disability program at the college you would be attending and b) that unlike high school, in college you must self advocate.  Let’s break this down in pieces.  

Structure Spectrum of Colleges Learning Disability Programs

Due to the American Disability Act (ADA) federal regulations, all colleges must be compliant.  On one end of the spectrum, you colleges that offer a minimal amount of support and on the other end, you have colleges providing comprehensive and structured support as illustrated below.  The kind of accommodations will also depend on the resources of the program:  distraction reduced environment, note taking, assisted devices, extra testing time are a few.  In addition more structured programs offer individualized tutoring and executive/study skills coaching among other services.

In addition to these programs, there are some LD programs at college level or via Adult Transition programs that provide very hands on support not only in college academics and executive skills, but in social and independent living skills.   

Self advocate

There is a big difference between college and high school when it comes to getting support for Learning Disabilities.  The most important one is that in college students must self advocate.  Not only must you do the work to get approved for accommodations, you must follow up to ensure that these are implemented as approved by the Disability office.    So how do you go about this?  Assuming you are attending a “Moderate” school as noted above we recommend you:

• Make a visit to the Disability office as soon as you are admitted and find out what are the requirements to request accommodations.  More than likely they will require a psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation, not older than 3 years. In addition, they may require a recent diagnosis and your high school’s transcripts, test scores and IEP/504 plans.
• The Disability counselor may decide to conduct further testing before deciding on the accommodations.
• You will have to let the faculty know of the accommodations and you will be responsible to ensure these are implemented as planned.  Only you can determine if this is the case and should let the Disability counselor know if you get into any hiccups.

In sum, you will be able to continue getting the support you need to thrive in school. Yet, you will have to choose the level of support you need and follow through to make your college career a success.  Just remember, take one step at a time and reach out for help when you need it!

FAQ: I am international student and want to study in the US. What’s next?

International students and American students living abroad may think that applying to U.S. universities is a daunting experience but it does not need to be so.    It is true while there are 3200 schools to choose from, most students seem to be focused on getting into the same 20 “brand name” schools, driving admissions rates down to record rates in the single digits.  However, key to finding a good fit school is to step back and understand that it is a personal process – one that requires you to think deep and determine what are your goals and aspirations – before you embark in the college admissions process.  

Academic Program

Unlike many international universities, you do not need to decide on a program upfront. In fact, it may surprise you to know that in the US a large percentage of students are “undecided” majors and in fact, do not need to declare a major until the end of the sophomore year in many schools.   Still, this does not mean that you can be aimlessly studying in the university.   It is always a good idea to narrow down your academic interests –  science, engineering, humanities, social sciences or art – as this may determine what kind of school and program to apply.  Depending on the school, you may have to apply to a department from the get go,  like engineering or neuroscience,  to get started on serial courses early on that are needed to complete the graduation requirements in a 4-year timeframe.

University or College?

There are many kind of schools that you can consider – which provide you with a bachelor’s degrees in arts or sciences.  You probably are most familiar with large universities – like Yale or UC Berkeley – that have large student bodies comprised of both undergraduate and graduate students.   While the freshmen class tend to be upwards 1,500 students,  class sizes vary depending the school, program or course.  These large universities tend to offer  large number of programs, course selection, activities and events.   On the flipside, it may be harder to find your way around and establish your community.  Liberal arts colleges may be smaller with 300-600 students per class providing a  great opportunity for you to get to know professors and  work directly with them in research projects since there are no graduate students nor teacher’s assistants.  Some colleges offer both liberal arts and engineering programs allowing you to study a wide variety of  dual major/minor combinations. Many students opt to be the "big fish in the small pond"  for their bachelors degree and then apply to larger institutions for graduate  school (including Med / Law school).  Whatever kind of school you decide to consider, bear in mind that having a supportive community - in the form a dorm, club or organization - may be pivotal to your transitioning into college. 

Are you Ready to Apply?

Depending where you are in your high school career, you may want to make some adjustments to your academic and extracurricular activities.  It is not surprising to hear Admissions officers state that academic performance should be your priority number 1, 2 and 3.   Schools want more than anything to bring in a class that will contribute to the school community and will thrive and graduate.   Therefore, they look very carefully into your transcript, grades and course selection, to evaluate your academic abilities vis a vis other applicants.  Secondarily, they may consider testing scores, essays and other pieces of the application.    Therefore, to be ready to apply, you would need to put together the pieces - transcript, resume, testing, essays, recommendations - that would provide schools with a good idea of  who you are and what you will contribute to the university.  You can be assured that many schools will value your contribution - just need to find the right fit schools and present your application effectively!

The Key is in the Detail

While the college admission process from afar may seem overwhelming, the key is in the detail.  Once you draft a list of good fit schools, you need to be on top of the admissions requirements and timing of the application.   Some nuances that you need to be aware are:

• Deadlines are not negotiable.  It is critical that you mark in red all deadlines related to each application including the last possible date to take standardized testing.   Given the many deadlines related to Early Action/Decision, Regular and Rolling admissions & financial aid it is recommended that you build a chart to stay on top of these deadlines.

• Test optional schools can benefit international students.  There a growing number of  schools that do not require SAT/ACT testing scores especially for international students.  In lieu of these, they may require writing samples and/or Test of English proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB).   This could be of interest if you are not able to make the testing timeline.

• Transcript translation needed?  You may not think that it is a big deal but your application can be delayed if your school transcript needs to be translated in a time crunch. 

• Have you lined up your letters of recommendation?   In the US, it is recommended that students pick a junior year teacher to write the letter of recommendation in addition to the school counselor.   If for any chance, you do not have this resource in your school, you need to look for alternatives that would provide with a thoughtful recommendation that would help schools understand more about you.

• Do you need financial aid?   Many universities provide financial help in the form of merit aid and/or need based aid.  When you draw your college list, you should look for schools that provide financial aid to international students or dual nationals.  An excellent resource has been put together by J. Kent and J. Levy for undergraduate financial aid.  I would recommend you  call the schools and confirm that your application would be considered.    
• Net, there is no need to panic.  Just step back, organize all pieces and pace yourself through the process. The fun will come when you have options to choose from on the other end of the journey.  So let's get going and start today!   

How Can You Help Your Child with the College Essay

Parents have the best intentions when it comes to  helping their children with college applications, but if there’s an area where they should let their children be is in the college essay.   The college essay is the most personal item of the application - one that requires self reflection and excellent writing.  The essay should tell a great story and provide insights about  your child’s values and background.   It is a great opportunity to bring the application to life and let the college know what will be his/her unique contribution to the campus community.   Therefore, there’s no right or wrong here and you can help your child if you keep these in mind:

• How to get started?  Rather than re-invent the wheel, I recommend you learn about this on your own before getting started.  There are plenty of free resources you can tap on the internet.  Some of the websites with simple to follow tips that I recommend you review with your child before  starts are as follows:
• https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/college-essay
• https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/8-tips-for-crafting-your-best-college-essay
• http://www.collegeessayguy.com/personal-statement

  

• How can you help?  I would like to suggest you can help by helping your child be organized and strategic.  There are plenty of deadlines and essays prompts to respond to, so just keeping abreast of this and being ahead of the game reduces the stress level for all involved.   If your child allows you to help him in choosing a topic, you can help brainstorm unique topics that would be complementing to the application relaying insights and values to the Admissions Committee.   The articles noted above list some great brainstorming tools to get you started.  Once your child has done a good draft,  you can also help edit the document but keep in mind that there’s a fine line between editing and  completely re-writing parts of  the essay.  When you edit, please focus on grammar & structure but not actual writing. It is imperative that your child essay has his/her voice and not yours!

• When to get outside help?  All of this is easier said than done and some parents choose to get outside help in the form of a relative, teacher or independent consultant to help with this process.   This is certainly an option but not a requirement for a student to achieve an  excellent essay.   Remember that your child will have some help at this school - at a minimum, his school counselor will give him some feedback and depending on the size of the school, this may be thorough and sufficient to move forward.  Nevertheless,  I recommend that at least a pair of other independent eyes see the essay - perhaps someone who is not that close to your child - to get a fresh perspective on the value of the essay on its own merit.  

A good fit for you or your child?

A lot has been said of what makes a college a good fit.  The thing is what makes a college a good fit for the student may not be the same for the parents.  How many times do you hear someone saying that they are living vicariously through their children’s lives?  Or that they wished their child attend x or y school, if they get accepted.  The danger is what sounds like an aspiration turns into expectations that may bring added stress and anxiety to the college admissions process.  If you realize that this is starting to happen in your own family - please stop, take a step back and let your child lead the way.

What makes a college a good fit?   Experts1 recommend students research themselves key aspects within the following areas:

• Academic - a good fit college must provide the programs your child is considering to pursue.  Even if your child is “undecided”, s(he) should narrow down the choices and ensure the school of choice provides all options.  To note, some colleges require the student apply to a particular college/department and may require that the student transfers internally if s(he) declares a different major.   Secondly, the level of rigor should be one that your child can thrive on.   While getting into a rigorous “stretch”  program is a great accomplishment, a greater one is to graduate with strong GPA which could open employment and graduate work. This is particularly true of Medical Schools which overemphasize GPAs for admissions or selective employers that state minimum GPA requirements in the college career centers.   Therefore, understanding how your child learns best  is key in selecting good fit schools.  Will s(he) thrive in a small class setting where you get more attention but also have more participation expectations?    What will be the day to day interaction with professors and/or teacher assistants?    Will there be research opportunities at undergraduate level?   All of these learning style factors must be researched and verified during the college visit.

• Social -   colleges have distinct values that shape the social and cultural environment.   Just recently, when I visited NYU, you could feel the diversity value in its DNA- you do not need to read their marketing material to appreciate it throughout the school campus.  A good fit college is one that will value what your child has to contribute.  Likewise, studies have shown that most students thrive when they feel a sense of community.    This community comes in many forms -  dorms, clubs, sport team, greek system, experiential programs, diverse groups - and should be explored. Importantly, you should look at what’s life like after freshman year - do students move off campus? Where do they socialize? It may be helpful to talk to current students or young alumni to get a better understanding of this important issue - this can be arranged through the Admissions office or school visit.  Some websites like niche.com and unigo.com also provide some of this perspective.

• Physical - the school’s size, location and weather conditions have a great impact on the quality of life of the student:  large, mid or small college in an urban, suburban, rural  or international setting. While large universities universities may provide great variety of course/major selection they may rely on graduate students to do much of the teaching - especially in the introductory classes.    On the other hand, there may be a plethora of cultural activities and performance opportunities in large urban institutions that your child may love to have access to.  Likewise, your child may love the outdoors and be surrounded by nature loving students near ski areas or hiking trails, for example. Much has been said about the value of a small liberal college which not only gives individual attention to students- academically and socially - but may also be a feeder school to excellent graduate school programs. Lastly, while not many students venture beyond a 300 mile radius from their home,  a note should be made not only of the distance from home but also for the change of weather that that may bring for for the first time in your child’s life.   

• Financial -  last but not least the financial situation must be one that’s a good fit not only in year 1 but throughout the duration of college.   The high cost of college may seem daunting but the vast majority of families pay a fraction of the cost after they learn to navigate the financial aid process and other scholarship opportunities.  Depending on the school financial aid policy, the financial aid may include need based as well as merit aid,  in the form of grants, scholarships, loans and work/study program.  In addition, your child’s profile may have a significant impact on the amount of aid you get. For example, some well endowed schools are known to offer merit based scholarship to encourage high achieving students to enroll in their institutions.  Yet, for the majority of students it is a question of sustainability.  If there is a financial gap, can your family afford the this cost without creating a major burden in your child’s future or your own retirement plans?  Importantly, what are the requirements to maintain this level of financial aid for year 2 and beyond?  

In sum, nothing is black or white, and one must weigh the pros and cons on the factors that make a college  a good fit for your child and your family finances.  

1.  See Springer, Reider, Vining “Admissions Matters”, chapter 4, for a more detailed discussion.