As the creator of College Path and a college counselor, I believe that every family should have access to information that helps them earn admission to the college that is right for their child.  This is why I built College Path.  I am always happy to share other resources that families can use to make informed decisions that make this process easier and less stressful.

​If you are looking for definitive information about what test scores and GPAs are needed for admission, not just the applicant averages, try College Confidential. College Confidential is a forum for students and parents navigating the college admissions process. For highly selective colleges such as Harvard or Stanford, where applicants outnumber places by ten to one, it’s important to look beyond the SAT/ACT averages since there is so little variance between those admitted and those that are not. It is helpful to assess your odds of admission by looking at who was admitted in the prior year and identify any students with scores and demographics similar to your own.

Members active on College Confidential may also be able to provide you with suggestions for identifying colleges that are a great fit, tips for reducing the cost of college through scholarships, and even peer review of personal statements.

There is no magic formula to earn admission. Remember that test scores and GPA alone are not enough to earn admission to many of the most selective colleges in the United States. Whether it is Boston College or UC Berkeley, admissions officers are looking for the next generation of students that are passionate and can make a difference on campus. To stand out, demonstrate that you are a leader capable of propelling the college forward in a field or area that matters to you.  Whether that is a cause, an orchestra, a sports team—the choice is yours.  Follow your passion and excel where you can.  Admissions officers will notice. 

To visit College Confidential click here. 

That is a great question, and it really depends on where you are applying.
 
Does it matter when you submit?

This will hinge on the school’s application policy.  It is critical for you to understand how schools review their applications.  Do not rush an application just to apply early.  If your essay is not as polished as it could be, or you are taking the SAT or ACT at a later date when you will be more prepared, applying early will not make up for a lower test score; so apply when your application is complete and as strong as possible. 

Here is some helpful information on the different types of application policies to help you decide when to apply: 

Early Decision I/ Early Decision II

Early decision is a binding application program, where an applicant agrees to apply to one college and submit all application materials by November 1st.  The application is binding; this means that if an early decision applicant is admitted, she is obligated to attend that university and withdraw any outstanding applications to other colleges.

Colleges notify early decision applicants by mid-December as to whether they have been accepted, rejected, or deferred to regular decision review.  If an applicant is deferred, it means that applicant will be considered again as part of the regular decision applicant pool and find out by April if she will be offered a place. 

Some colleges offer an Early Decision II application program in addition to an Early Decision I program.  Early Decision II is very similar to an early decision program, but has a January deadline.  Early Decision II may be a better fit for an applicant that is able to commit to attend one college but needs additional time to complete the college application, take the SAT an additional time, or submit grades from the first semester of senior year to strengthen her application.

The difference between early decision and regular decision admission rates is somewhat misleading.  Many of the colleges listed above require recruited athletes to apply early decision.  Some colleges also require applicants that have alumni legacies to apply early decision if they want their alumni legacies to be considered in the application process.

Early Action

Early action is a nonbinding early application program.  With an early action application, an applicant submits her application, usually by the beginning or middle of November, and is notified whether she has been accepted, rejected, or deferred to the regular decision applicant pool by the middle of December.  If an applicant is accepted under an early action program, she can continue to apply to other colleges and decide by the regular decision deadline whether she will enroll or not.
 
Regular Decision

Regular decision refers to applications that are due as early as the end of November and usually no later than the beginning of January.  Regular decision is the normal application process and offers no particular advantages over other application programs a college may offer.  If your child plans to apply to a college that offers a priority or preferred application deadline, your child MUST submit her application by the preferred or priority cut-off date.  Failing to do so will severely harm your child’s odds of admission, as many of the available slots will be allocated before admissions officers review your child’s application. 

Rolling

Some colleges offer rolling admissions, which means they either admit or deny applicants as the applications are received.  The more slots available, the higher your child’s odds of acceptance will be for that college.  Furthermore, some colleges have much higher admission rates for early decision or early action application programs, which your child should capitalize on as well. 

The high cost of college is a well-publicized fact: private schools now approach $300,000 for four years including room and board, and public schools can cost as much as $120,000 for tuition, room, and board.  This can seem like an insurmountable price tag without scholarships or financial aid.   

Many families are caught off guard with the high preparatory costs even to get into college, so in this blog I’ll give some pointers on what you can expect and how these preparatory costs can be offset.  Today, a college application can cost $50 to $75 dollars.  Each application also requires you to submit test scores and official transcripts, which can cost another $25 per school.  With each application costing up to $100, applying to ten colleges will set your family back $1,000 or more. 
For families where these costs present an undue financial hardship, discuss with your high school counselor about fee waiver programs.  These are typically available for applicants that received fee waivers for the ACT or SAT. 

Many colleges across the country offer free college applications to entice applicants to apply to their establishment.  Many of these same schools offer generous merit and need based financial aid as well.  If concerned with the high cost of college and the application process, consider a partial sampling of schools that offer fee-free college applications.  Many of these schools are both regionally and nationally recognized colleges that offer students incredible job prospects. 
In an era where crushing student loan debt prevents college grads from living on their own, and their parents from retiring, it is critical to keep an open mind and reduce the cost of a college education.  Seek programs that empower you to be healthy, happy, and financially independent after graduation.  That is the true measure of success.  Adopting a low cost application strategy is a great start.  As part of that strategy, enjoy investigating what the following schools have to offer:
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1. University of the Pacific (California)
2. University of Hartford (Connecticut)
3. Florida Institute of Technology (Florida)
4. Loyola University Chicago (Illinois)
5. DePauw University (Indiana)
6. Valparaiso University (Indiana)
7. Grinnell College (Iowa)
8. Tulane University (Louisiana)
9. Colby College (Maine)
10. Smith College (Massachusetts)
11. Carleton College (Minnesota)
12. Lewis & Clark College (Oregon)
13. Reed College (Oregon)
14. Marquette University (Wisconsin)
15. La Salle University (Pennsylvania)

 
A sound strategy to make college more affordable includes making the application process less expensive as well.  Be mindful of all costs associated with this journey. 

The only thing scarier than getting into college is figuring out how to pay for it.  With public universities now costing more than $120,000 for tuition, room, and board for four years, and private colleges costing upwards of $300,000 all in, most families need a plan, and many need all the help they can get. 

Consider the following to help defray the cost of college:

1. Fill out the FAFSA by October 31, 2017 (if you are a senior in high school).  FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid and is almost universally used by colleges when determining need-based financial aid awards.  FAFSA asks families to include information about family finances including assets, debts, income, expenses, etc.  You must fill out this form to receive need-based financial aid, and at many schools aid is awarded on a first come, first served basis. Said differently, if you miss the deadline and apply late, the college you enroll at may have already exhausted its financial aid funds. 
2. Apply for financial aid – you may qualify for it even if you think you won’t.  Many colleges offer grants covering the cost of tuition to families whose income is less than or equal to $150,000 per year.  Keep an open mind when it comes to financial aid.  Even if your family makes more than this, if there are extenuating circumstances affecting your family’s ability to pay, be sure to document them in the financial aid application.  Financial aid officers are not mind readers.  They need to be educated about your family’s finances. 
3. Apply for outside scholarships.  Scholly (app), www.scholarships.com, The College Board’s Big Future, and your high school guidance counselor are all great resources for searching for and applying to third party scholarships that can help reduce the cost of college.  Our general rule of thumb is to apply for smaller ones that are less competitive.  Dedicating one hour per month could yield incredible results over time.  Try to reuse essays from your other scholarship applications to the extent possible, and look for local scholarships, ones that match your demographic background or plans for the future.
4. Apply to private safety colleges.  Many families think private colleges are too expensive and do not want their kids to apply to them.  However, if you are at the top of the applicant pool for one of them based on GPA and test scores, they may offer you a full tuition scholarship to improve their class’ profile (which goes into their US News Ranking).  Be open minded with schools where this may apply to you as they may end up costing less than a public school.
5. Talk to a financial planner specializing in college funding.  There may be special tax programs in your state, or ways to title any college savings plan in an advantageous way when the time comes to apply for financial aid. 

Remember: Understanding the potential financial resources available to you is part of the equation.  Educating yourself about the resources and applying for the appropriate ones in a methodical and timely fashion can hopefully take the sting out of this task and replace it with inspiration for what you can achieve.