SENIOR STUDENT COME AND GAIN US EDUCATION!

Chào các bạn,
Hiện nay ước mơ đi du học Mĩ với một suất học bổng toàn phần đang là của rất nhiều người và cũng rất nhiều người đã thành công. Du học sinh Việt Nam cũng đã có mặt và học tập rất xuất sắc tại các trường nổi tiếng như Harvard, Yale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cornell University,New York University, Stanford University, Brandeis University - với học bổng và trợ cấp tài chính. Không phải họ đều là những học sinh ưu tú đã đạt huy chương vàng trong các kì thi quốc tế, nhưng họ đều đã được nhận vào các trường trên với phần full financial aid - những phần thưởng sau cuộc cạnh tranh gắt gao với các sinh viên quốc tế khác trên TG. Họ làm được tại sao chúng ta không? Chính vì vậy hôm nay tớ lập topic này mong mọi người cùng trao đổi những kinh nghiệm, những khó khăn khi apply và cũng là để những anh chị đi trước nếu có điều kiện có thể giúp đỡ.
Bắt đầu là những kinh nghiệm về quá trình apply
What colleges want in every freshman class
Going the extra mile may help students get noticed
With over 2,600 colleges and universities in the United States, it''s hard to believe every single one of them would want some of the same things in a freshman class - but they do. Here are three things nearly every college is looking for, and what you or your student can do to fill the bill:
Challenge yourself
Participate in your community
Reveal your unique personality
CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Every college wants to admit students who will make the most of the experience of going to college - in the classroom, on campus, and in the community. More often than not, admissions officials will try and decide if you''re that kind of energized, committed student by looking at your accomplishments in high school. They''ll compare your transcript - the courses you actually took - with your high school''s profile, which lists the classes your high school offers. Admissions officials are trying to decipher whether you took advantage of your school''s more challenging course offerings. Of course, colleges will also look at your grades to see how you did in the classes you took.
These two attributes, course selection and grades, are the biggest factors in most college admission offices. Other factors vary greatly from college to college, but they can include the quality of writing you send to colleges in a personal statement, the letters of recommendation sent to colleges by teachers who know you well, and the activities you participate in outside of the classroom and in your community.
Some colleges will compare what you''ve done in high school to what other applicants have done in high school. Many colleges will take your grades and compare them to the grades of other students from your high school - this process, called ranking, is used to compare how well you''ve done in high school with how well others have done with the same course choices. In ad***ion, many colleges (but not all) will ask you to take some kind of national standardized test. Your results on these tests - usually the ACT or the SAT - are compared with the results of other students from throughout the world who want to go to the same college you''re interested in.
What Can You Do
Take challenging courses: If it''s challenging courses they want it''s challenging courses you should take! Before you register for your classes each year, take the time to meet with the school counselor and discuss what classes you''ll take - make sure these courses are the most challenging courses you can handle, and be ready to devote appropriate study time to do well in them.
Take Advanced Placement courses: Be sure to ask your counselor about honors and Advanced Placement (AP) classes-if your school offers these classes, you can sign up for them when you register for your classes as part of the regular scheduling process. These classes (especially the AP classes) are a great way to prepare you for college-level work, and can even prepare you to take AP examinations that can give you college cre*** for work you''ve done in high school. That''s not only a great way to get the most out of high school, it''s a great way to get the most out of college, too - and a reduced cost!
Take a variety of courses: When you meet with your high school counselor, be sure to go over whether you''re taking a good variety of courses. All high schools have graduation requirements - classes you have to take before you can get your high school diploma - but colleges usually want you to take even stronger academic courses than your high school requires.
To Go The Extra Mile
Map out your High School Schedule: If you really want to make sure you''ll have a strong academic record to show colleges, work with your counselor and your parents to map out what courses you''ll be taking for your entire high school experience. If you''re not sure which math class to take in Grade 9, see where each one will lead you by grade 12 - that kind of ?odown the road? vision can make your decision a lot easier.
PARTICIPATE IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Every admission office knows that if it admits students who do the minimum - study and go to class - they''re probably going to end up with a very uninteresting college environment. As a result, most colleges give you a chance to talk about how you gave back to your high school, through community service, debate, music, theater, sports - whatever. Colleges know that these experiences strengthen your ability to do well in your studies. Colleges also know these experiences show your ability to give something back to a school - and that''s an important thing to do.
What You Can Do
Get involved in extracurricular activities: After you''ve put together a strong schedule of classes, find an activity or two (or three - but don''t over do it) you''d like to try, and go for it. You don''t need to be involved in everything, and you don''t need to be good at everything - just let your interests be your guide.

To Go the Extra Mile
Make a long-term commitment: A long-term commitment to an activity can often lead to a special honor or recognition that colleges like to see - team captain, national award winner, scholarship recipient. Also, remember that your city or town has activities for you. Often students who contribute at the local, state, or federal level are seen as leaders and innovators, and colleges notice that, too.
REVEAL YOUR UNIQUE PERSONALITY
Most colleges and universities want to make sure they have a freshman class filled with students who are different from each other. As more than one college admissions officer has said, if every student thinks the same thing and does the same thing, less learning goes on at the college.
What You Can Do
Keep a journal: If you''re taking good classes and contributing to your school community through activities, chance are you''re learning more about who you are, what you have in common with others - and how you are unique. As you go through your high school experience, think about what makes you different and write your ideas down. Remember, there''s more to being unique than being the only girl on the football team, or the only guy in the flute section. You can use these ideas as part of an essay or personal statement you''ll be giving to a college admissions office, which will help them get to know you, and differentiate you from other applicants.
To Go the Extra Mile
Dare to be different: In high school, there are plenty of opportunities you can take advantage of that most people let pass by - a trip overseas, a summer course at a college, an internship or a job-shadowing experience. If you find something you''d like to try that most people turn down, take it on - it could be an experience that helps you identify your uniqueness.







Come away with me in the nightCome away with meAnd I will write you a song....

Putting the admissions process in perspective
Three questions to consider
When students ask about getting in to a good college, they''re usually talking about a college with a good academic reputation that''s very popular. Oftentimes these colleges are hard to get in to - admissions officers have to select which students to admit, when just about everyone who applies to that college has been very successful in high school. To remain competitive, it is important to understand the admissions process in general, as well as the admissions process for a particular school you are interested in.
It''s also important to know that colleges may have some programs that are more selective than others. As an example, Cornell University is considered a selective university, but if you''re interested in applying to the hotel management program, you need to know that program is even more selective. The percentage of applicants admitted to Cornell''s hotel management program is even smaller than the percentage of applicants admitted to the university.
The admissions procedures at these good or selective colleges vary greatly, but each one usually tries to answer these three questions when reviewing a student''s application:
How challenging were the classes you took in high school, and how well did you do in them?
If you''ve taken strong classes in high school and done well with them, chances are you''ll get past this first level so make sure you''re challenging yourself.
How strong is your academic record in high school compared to the academic records of the other students who are applying to that college?
Since selective schools have more applicants than they can admit, they''ll often compare your academic record to the academic records of other students, and determine where you stand. This comparison can be made with other students from your own high school, or with students from other high schools in any part of the country - or the world, for that matter. This is where colleges use the method of ranking students.
The only control you have over this comparison is to do your very best in the most challenging classes you can. You can''t control who else applies to the selective college you want to go to, or how those other students do in high school - all you can do is make sure you are challenging yourself, by taking strong courses in high school, at the local college or university, over the Internet, or through special summer semester classes. Talk to your counselor about some courses that are considered ''strong'' courses.
What qualities about you other than academic performance make you different from the other students who are applying to that school?
Selective colleges often turn to factors other than grades in admitting students. If you''re a good student who also happens to be a great hockey goalie, and the college''s hockey team needs a goalie that year, you''ve got a leg up on a lot of other candidates. If you''re a champion bagpipe player, and the college has a Scottish band, you might have an advantage - unless lots of other students applying are bagpipers, too. If you spent a summer helping take care of a sick aunt, and that experience has changed the way you live your life, the essay you send in as part of your admission package might stand out among the others.
The only control you have here is to consider your interests, and take advantage of what life has to offer you. You might be the only hockey goalie to apply but maybe not. You might be the only person from Nebraska to apply - but maybe not. You will, however, be the only you to apply, and if you can present a record of having lived a very full, rich life and challenging yourself to understand more about you, there will be ample room at a school that is very good for you, indeed.
Come away with me in the nightCome away with meAnd I will write you a song....

A guide to Standardized Tests
Understanding the SAT I, SAT II, ACT, PLAN and EXPLORE tests
Because all high schools have different standards of performance and their own unique grading scale, most colleges use standardized tests the SAT I and the ACT to compare students in the same specific areas of knowledge and on the same skills. Standardized test results are one of a number of factors considered by most colleges in the admissions process.
For large public universities that process thousands of undergraduate applications, test scores and high school grades often enter into a formula that automatically accepts, rejects or defers a student''s application. Only students in the "deferred" category are reviewed by an admission professional.
For the majority of students, there''s no need to take both tests. In 2000, The University of California at Berkeley, for example, used a formula with grades and test scores only, which would make how a student performs on those tests more important than at Bates College, in Maine, where test scores are optional.
Determining which test to take is an important step in knowing how to prepare best for the standardized test piece of the college application. Most students will have natural abilities in either math or verbal arenas; some students will excel in both. Some students perform very well on tests in general; others don''t.
Since most U.S. colleges now accept both ACT and SAT I scores, it makes more sense to prepare for the test that you will perform better on and submit that test score to your college choices. Some colleges may say that they prefer one test more than the other, but they also state that they will accept scores of either test. Take advantage of this by submitting the score reflects his best performance.
Both ACT and SAT offer tests earlier in middle school and high school to help familiarize students with college admission testing. Here is a typical testing timeline:
EXPLORE Test
When to take it: 8th grade
Description: Produced by ACT, this instrument tests the same four skill areas as the ACT - English grammar and rhetoric, math, reading comprehension, and science reasoning - but at a level appropriate to eighth grade knowledge levels.
More info: www.act.org/explore/index.html <http://www.act.org/explore/index.html>
PLAN Test
When to take it: 10th grade
Description: This is another ACT product, testing the same four skill areas that the ACT tests (English grammar and rhetoric, math, reading comprehension, and science reasoning) but with a high school sophomore''s college preparatory curriculum to date covered in the test question.
More info: www.act.org/plan/index.html <http://www.act.org/plan/index.html>
PSAT Test
When to take it: 11th grade
Description: The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test is a shorter version of the SAT I plus a writing component that is given in October. Because the results of this test are used by the National Merit Corporation to determine which juniors are National Merit Semi-Finalists, a prestigious academic honor, the test was redesigned a few years ago to make it more equitable. Along with the tra***ional Verbal and Math sections found on an SAT I, Writing was added. This section is very similar to an ACT English test, requiring students to have a good understanding of grammar and logical sentence structure.
More info: www.collegeboard.com/psat/student/html/indx001.html <http://www.collegeboard.com/psat/student/html/indx001.html>
SAT I Test
When to take it: 11th grade
Description: The SAT I measures only verbal and mathematic abilities in its three-hour, primarily multiple-choice The SAT I, the ACT, or both tests should be taken by the end of junior year.
More info: www.collegeboard.com/sat/html/students/indx001.html <http://www.collegeboard.com/sat/html/students/indx001.html>
SAT II Tests
When to take them: 9th - 11th grades
Description: Some colleges require three SAT II subject tests (formerly called Achievement Tests), usually writing, math, and a third test of the student''s choosing. The SAT II is offered in five broad subject areas: English, Math, Sciences, History, and Foreign Languages. SAT II tests should be taken after a student has completed a course in the subject area that they will be examined (biology, chemistry, or U.S. history, among others).
More info: www.collegeboard.com/sat/center2/html/indx000.html <http://www.collegeboard.com/sat/center2/html/indx000.html>
ACT Test
When to take it: 11th grade
Description: The ACT is a curriculum-based test, consisting of four 35-60 minute tests in English usage, mathematics, reading, and natural science reasoning. The ACT assumes that if Jeremy takes the recommended college preparatory courses through his junior year, namely, English, mathematics, social studies, and science, he will be prepared to take the ACT and demonstrate his academic competency. The SAT I, the ACT, or both tests should be taken by the end of junior year. The ACT is required in Illinois and Colorado. Tennessee requires student''s take either the ACT, SAT or ACT Work Keys.
More info: www.act.org/aap/index.html <http://www.act.org/aap/index.html>
Come away with me in the nightCome away with meAnd I will write you a song....

Express yourself with your college essay
You write, rewrite, rip it up, and write again. You try an allegory, an anecdote, a fictional tale, and a general personal statement. You write it in third person, first person, to your dog, your dad, the admissions officer, and God.
A stellar essay by itself won''t get you into a college if your academic record isn''t up to par, but it can make a difference for a borderline applicant. A poorly written essay, however, can keep a well-qualified applicant from gaining admission.
Your application essay is one of the few pieces of the application that gives an admissions officer insight into you; your personality, interests, and goals. Use the essay as your chance to show the admissions officer who you really are. A very compelling essay will be remembered.
In order to do that, you need to get started. Don''t fret! I am here to help. We will talk about how to go about writing your essay before addressing some specific do''s and don''ts in the college essay.
Looking for Inspiration
This is undoubtedly the hardest part. Like any good writer you just need to get those first few thoughts on the page and the essay will come flowing out of you. But what are you going to write about?
If the essay would like you to address a specific question, answer the question. This might sound like a no-brainer, but everyone out there has been tempted at one time or another to use an essay written for one college... for another college. Don''t do it; they will know. It''s one thing to use a general personal statement to answer a "Tell us about yourself" question; it''s something completely different to use that statement to answer the "Where do you see yourself in ten years" question.
Some specific essay questions may require some work on your part. The University of Chicago, for example, comes up with different essay questions each year, many of which may require students to do some outside reading or research before responding. One of this year''s questions addresses sibling relationships as described in various novels. Answering these questions is adventurous and time consuming, but can garner major points if done well.
If you are required to simply write a personal statement, there are a number of ways to come up with what you may want to write about. Before you start writing, think about who you are, what you''ve done, and where you are heading. List your major activities and find a common theme or discuss the one that is most important to you in detail. Record major traveling experiences. Describe an accomplishment or a challenge you overcame. Use a quote that you have always loved or an inspirational book or song as a theme to your essay.
There are literally thousands of things you can write about. The key is to make that person reading the statement remember yours in particular. Keep in mind that an admissions officer at a large public university may read 2,000 essays a year, why will he/she remember yours? Make your statement personal and from the heart. Don''t necessarily write about BIG topics, such as the Middle East Peace Process, unless of course, you have a compelling, personal story to tell on that topic.
Allow yourself a week to think about possible topics and develop your essay in your mind before putting anything down on paper. Talk about your topics with friends, teachers, counselors, and parents; especially if you feel like you may be going out on a limb with what you are writing about.
Putting Pen to Paper
Once you''ve decided on a topic, start by writing an outline of what you want to address, so that you''re sure to set the essay up properly and address every topic. You may want to try a free form outline where you simply jot down all information on a certain topic that comes to your head.
Once you have completed an initial draft, decide which parts are and aren''t working and modify or eliminate those that aren''t. Do more than simply proof for punctuation and spelling, feel the flow of the essay and be sure that all the parts fit and read well. Ask yourself if you have answered your own question or adequately addressed your topic. If the answer is not quite, keep working on it.
Finally, read your essay as a reader would. Set it aside for a day or two and read it aloud to yourself. Your ears will help you to pick up problem areas and awkward sentences. etc. Trust yourself if a part makes you feel uncomfortable.
Revise, Revise!
Once you''ve got your draft done, show your essay to others. Compare reactions and make sure that everyone who read it got the point you were trying to get across. Remember that admissions officers are just like anyone else. They have different minds and will read essays differently. Ambiguity on your part may mean misunderstanding on the part of the reader.
Take suggestions to heart, but don''t necessarily rewrite your whole essay! You need to make sure that the voice you are using is your own. Too many revisions by outside sources change the tone of the essay. This is especially true when it comes to teachers, parents, and counselors. Adults write much differently than teenagers, and have a completely different voice. Admissions counselors can tell whether or not you wrote your essay, and it makes a HUGE difference.
Tips to Print
1. Allow enough time; don''t rush it!
2. Check spelling grammar, punctuation, etc. thoroughly.
3. Check for the flow of the essay; remember substance over presentation
4. No gimmicks!
5. When in doubt, throw it out.
6. Humor and satire can be powerful tools, if used correctly.
7. Use appropriate language.
8. Don''t be wordy.
9. Keep your essay to the length that is required. If none is specified, try to keep it under two sides of a page.
10. Most importantly, be comfortable with what you have written.
The most important thing to remember about this whole process, and life in general, is no regrets. Write about what you want to write in the way you want to write it. If a school doesn''t admit you because of your essay, then they probably weren''t the right place for you to begin with!
Come away with me in the nightCome away with meAnd I will write you a song....

Tips
Top 13 tips to help you do your best on the SAT I:
Know the test directions. For every five minutes you spend reading directions, you''ll have five fewer minutes available to answer questions. Learn the directions now.
Know what to expect. Questions of the same type are grouped together. Except for the critical reading questions, the easier questions are at the beginning of the section and the harder questions are at the end.
Do the easy questions first. You earn just as many points for easy questions as you do for hard questions.
Know how the test is scored. You get one point for each correct answer. You lose a fraction of a point for a wrong answer, except on the student-produced response questions in the math section. On those questions, no points are deducted for wrong answers.
Guess smart. If you can rule out one or more answer choices for a multiple-choice question as definitely wrong, your chances of guessing the right answer improve.
Don''t panic if you can''t answer every question. You don''t have to answer every question correctly to get a good score. On the practice test in Taking the SAT I: Reasoning Test, you can get an average score by just answering about half of the questions correctly (and omitting the remaining questions).
Omit questions that you really have no idea how to answer. No points are lost for omitting a question. But don''t forget tip number 5. If you can rule out any choices, you probably should guess.
Be careful when filling in the grids on the answer sheet for the math questions that are not multiple-choice questions. (There are some important rules for this, so be sure to refer to Taking the SAT I: Reasoning Test for an example.)
Use your test book to do scratchwork to cross off answers you know are wrong and to mark questions you did not answer so you can go back if there''s time. Be sure to mark your answers on the separate answer sheet, because you won''t receive cre*** for any answers you marked in the test book.
Know your answer sheet. It has four pages, and you need to know what answers go in which section. Again, refer to Taking the SAT I: Reasoning Test, which has a sample answer sheet for you to look at.
Don''t make extra marks on your answer sheet. The answer sheet is machine-scored and the machine can''t tell an answer from a doodle.
Mark only one answer to each multiple-choice question. See examples in Taking the SAT I:Reasoning Test. Also, check during the test to make sure that you are marking the correct oval on the answer sheet.
Take the PSAT/NMSQTđ. It has the same kinds of questions as the SAT I, but it''s a shorter test. If you are a sophomore or a junior, it''s the best way to practice and get feedback as you start planning for college.
Come away with me in the nightCome away with meAnd I will write you a song....

Chăm quá trời ơi
Rất cám ơn bạn về những thông tin này
Q. Dear Counselor:
One of the colleges I''m applying to is asking me a specific question as part of the personal statement, and I don''t have a great answer for it. Can I use the question as a way of talking about something else, or should I put down a really boring answer?
A. Don''t do either!
If a college gives you a question to answer as part of your personal statement, be sure to answer it but don''t be afraid to add personal experiences or your point of view. Sure, the question narrows the field of responses a little-- but only a little! What the college wants to hear about is the way you look at the world--as it relates to the question-- so give them an answer that does that.
For example, if the question is something like "Identify a problem facing our society today", that question is really pretty big -- you could talk about dozens of things. So think about a world problem that matters to you, and write from your passion. Sure, you could say "World hunger," and support that with some statistics you''ve picked up in one of your classes -- but this is also a great opportunity to tell the college why this issue matters to you, or tell them the story of how you became interested in this issue, or what you''ve already done (or will do) to help with this world problem. College admissions officers love to read answers that are stories of your life, so long as they are true, relate to the question, and don''t go on for more pages than they ought to.
Q. Dear Counselor:
The college I''m applying to says "Tell us something about yourself." I hate that question, because it''s way too vague. What should I do?
I hate to do this, but let me answer your question with a question...
What would you do if a college admissions officer asked you this question in an interview -- would you duck under the coffee table and hope for the best? I bet not -- I bet you''d give a great answer.
Well, this question is really your interview. Look at it this way-- if colleges had the money, they''d invite all 15,000 applicants they get (or whatever the number may be) to visit the college and stay for a month or two while the admissions office read applications. This would be great, because the applicants would get a chance to really know the college, and the admissions officers could really get to know you. Since colleges can''t do this, the personal statement is their best chance bto get to know who you are, up close and personal.
Still stuck? Okay, try this -- write down a list of ten things that you love -- things that make your life worth living. Great. Now, circle the ones you''d be willing to talk about with someone else, including an explanation of why you love them -- there''s the start of your essay.
Q. Dear Counselor:
The personal statement for the college I want to go to wants me to name one person I admire, and why. Can I put you down as my answer?
A. Not on your life, pal -- hey, you don''t even know my last name.
Seriously, students make this one tougher than it is-- think of someone you admire, and write down why -- and remember, in telling why, you''re telling a story (that''s true, of course).
Some students feel they have to impress admissions officers with answers that aren''t genuine, for example, if the college asks "What person has influenced your life and why?", many students think they have to answer "Socrates" because it sounds impressive, or "Bart Simpson", because it''s different. If Socrates has meant a lot to you, use him if he hasn''t, don''t. If you''re honest, the essay will flow and make senseܥven if the person who has most influenced you is Bart Simpson (but don''t try and be different for the sake of being differentܴhat doesn''t work, either.) If it''s your next door neighbor, and no one at the college knows your next door neighbor, that puts you in the driver''s seat -- it''s honest, it''s genuinely you, and you''re the expert on the subject. So make an honest selection, and you''ll have plenty to write about.
Today''s Big Tip:
Speaking of being genuine, a word about using essay "resources". There are many sources out there that advertise "winning college essays," claiming that these essays made the difference in getting the applicant in the college. I have to wonder how the publishers really know that the essay was the sole factor that made the difference -- but either way, the essays that are in these publications don''t tell very much about you, because if they did, you''d have written them, and you wouldn''t be applying again, right?
One of the reasons you''ve gone to school all this time is to understand that you have a voice, a voice that speaks many languages, some better than others -- math, history, skateboarding, every single lyric on the new Destiny''s Child album. But the most important (and fluent) language your voice speaks is the language of your soul -- and that''s the voice the college wants to hear in your application, since that''s the voice it will nurture for four years if it admits you.
I''ll say it again -- the reason you go to school is to understand more about your own voice. You have a voice, and a very nice one at thatܴhat''s what needs to be heard in your essay, just as it needs to be heard in each class, in the hallways, and when you say goodnight to the people you live with. So focus, take a deep breath, and speak -- it is the only way you will be fine.
 Jaymee got a gun.. BANG!

Applications: How Will Colleges Recompute my GPA? Q. Dear Counselor:
You mentioned that some colleges recompute a student''s grade point average. What exactly does that mean?
A: First, we should talk about what a grade point average is. A grade point average (GPA for short), is the numeric average of the grades a student has earned-- in other words, it''s a number that gives an idea as to how you do in your classes.
Q: OK. So, if I get 3 A''s and 2 B''s in a semester in high school, what''s my GPA for that semester?
A: Believe it or not, it depends. Many high schools use a basic numeric equivalence system-- every A is worth points, every B is worth 3 points, every C is worth 2 points, and every D is worth 1 point. If your high school uses only that system, your grades would have a numeric value of 16 points (4 points for each of 3 As, plus three points for each of two Bs). You divide that total by the number of classes you took , and you get 16/5, which equals a GPA of 3.6.
Q: Not bad-- but I forgot to mention that one of the B''s was actually a B+. Does that matter?
A: It depends, Some high schools will give you extra points for a plus grade, and a few points less for a minus grade. If this happens in your high school, you probably earned 3.3 points for the B+, which would move your GPA up to a 3.66
Q: OK-- but one of those A grades is an AP course. Does that give me any extra points, since it''s such a hard class?
A: Again, it depends. Some high schools will give you ad***ional points for taking more difficult courses (Honors classes, AP courses, IB classes, etc.) This can vary an awful lot at the high school level-- an A in an AP class at one high school might be worth a grade of 5.0, while the same grade in the same class will be worth a 4.5, or a 4.3.
Q: So different high schools use different points for plus or minus grades, some use different points for hard classes, some use different points for both, and some use different points for neither?
A: Exactly correct.
Q: No wonder colleges recompute GPAs!
A: Right! With all of those different high school grading systems out there, some colleges feel they need to make sure every applicant''s GPA is calculated using the same system-- so they recompute every GPA.
Q: I think I get this! So, what system do the colleges use? Are all classes equally weighted, or do honors classes count more, or do plus and minus grades count differently, or what?
A: Well--
Q: Don''t tell me-- it depends!
A: I''m afraid you''re right. Just like high schools have different views on grading scales, so do colleges. As a result, some colleges give extra points for plus and minus grades, or more challenging classes, while others don''t. Some colleges will recompute your GPA using only the grades you earned in academic classes--
Q: You mean, they won''t use my grades from classes like gym and art?
A; Right-- many colleges don''t use those.
Q: Geez! Any other surprises?
A: Well, there are some colleges that will recompute your GPA without using any of the grades you earned as a ninth grader.
Q: You''re kidding! Why?
A: Many colleges believe that the grades earned in your ninth grade classes don?t really reflect the kind of student you are now. After all, those grades are nearly three years old by the time you''re a senior, and many students don''t really do well in their ninth grade year, since they''re getting used to life in high school.
Q: Are there any colleges that don''t do any of this recomputing stuff?
A: Yes, there are-- but I bet that just confuses you more at this point, right?
Q: It sure does. So, how do I find out what happens to my GPA at the colleges I''m interested in?
A: One of the best sources available is myFootpath''s Inside Admission reports. Though there is a fee, the report will explain exactly how a college recalculates GPA. You can check out Inside Admissions by clicking here.
Or, you can look in the college''s catalog, under admissions requirements. That hunt may not take you very far, so you might need to contact the admission office directly, or ask an admissions officer when they visit your high school. Either way, you''ve got a good first question to start a conversation that will give you lots of good ideas about that college!
 Jaymee got a gun.. BANG!

Cái này là câu hỏi của một đồng chí người Mẽo, có nhiều chi tiết mà ko liên quan đến intl students lắm như FAFSA nhưng nói chung khá là bổ ích
Q: I''''m a senior and I will graduate in June 2004. Although I know that it''''s not too late to apply to certain colleges, I am afraid that my single mom won''''t be able to afford to send me to college. What should I do?
A: It doesn''''t matter if you''''re all done applying to colleges, just starting, or somewhere in the middle of the process-- applying for financial aid should be a high priority for you, even if you''''re not sure about going to college at all.
Q: Why?
A: One of the biggest sources of financial aid is the United States Government, and they will begin to review applications for Federal financial aid for Fall 2004 very soon-- at the beginning of January. In order for the government to consider your request for financial aid, you need to get your application as soon after January 1, 2004, as possible.
Q: Can I send them my application before January 1st?
A: No. If your application is sent before January 1st, it will be returned to you, and you''''ll have to begin again-- and that''''s no fun.
Q: I''''ll say. So what''''s this application, and what kind of information do they want?
A: The first form you''''ll have to fill out is the FAFSA-- that stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It''''s easy enough to get-- your high school counseling office has a paper version, and you can get the on-line version at www. http://www.fafsa.ed.gov The FAFSA asks for some basic information about income level, savings, level, assets, etc., for both you and your parents.
Q: My parents?
A: Yup. The Federal government believes that its role is to help you afford to go to college-- but the main responsibility of paying for college lies with you and your parents.
Q: Is there any way I can be considered for aid without them using my parents'''' income?
A: If you''''ll be 24 or older when you go to college, yes. If you''''ll be under 24, there are some rare cases where this can occur-- you''''ll want to check the FAFSA Web site for details-- but in a huge majority of cases, you''''ll need *****pply the financial information of your parents.
Q: OK, so what if I send my form in , and I don''''t qualify for Federal aid. What then?
A: Whether you qualify for aid or not, you need to make sure the colleges you''''re applying to get a copy of the FAFSA as well. The Federal government will send each college a copy of your FAFSA form-- for a fee. Many colleges use the same information that''''s on the FAFSA to determine how much money they can give you-- so you can see why the FAFSA''''s important.
Q: Will colleges need more information from me about my finances?
A: Some colleges do have ad***ional financial aid forms for you to complete-- those colleges that need more information (and sometimes that includes copies of your income tax forms), will tell you what you need to do-- contact either their financial aid office, or just look on their Web site.
Q: OK, so that takes care of the Federal government and the colleges, But aren''''t their other sources of financial aid?
A: Yes, and lots of them. Many companies (like Coca-Cola), civic organizations (like the Lions'''' club), and individuals have established scholarship programs. There are so many that it''''s tough for counselors to keep track of all of them!
Q: So somebody else does?
A: Exactly. There are some great Web sites that list lots of independent scholarship sources. Your best bet is to start with www.wiredscholar.com-- it''''s a great beginning resource to get started on a scholarship hunt. Also, the Web site is free!
Q: But I keep getting these letters from scholarship services that tell me they will find scholarships for me. Shouldn''''t I pay one of them?
A: NO! NO! NO!
Q: OK-- why?
A: Because there is so much information out there that''''s free, most students with even a basic understanding of the Web can get all the scholarship information they need with about an hour''''s worth of work on the Web. (if you''''re not a computer person, find one who is, and buy them dinner.) Far too many of the scholarship services charge you lots of money to give you basic scholarship information that you can find for free-- for as well meaning as they are, there is an excellent chance they won''''t be able to give you more information than a comprehensive Web site like wiredscholar.com can give you.
Q: What if I''''m in a hurry, and I just want to get some idea as to how much college will cost?
A: Lots of Web sites have a section where you can plug in your income information, and they will give you an estimate of what you''''ll be expected to pay. Remember, that''''s just an estimate, but it''''s a good start.
Q: I recently heard that first generation college students can get more money towards college. Is this true, and how?
A: I haven''''t heard of a program that''''s specifically designed for first-generation students, but it wouldn''''t surprise me if such a program existed. I would suggest you do an on-line scholarship search to see what comes up-- if nothing does, there is usually a help-line on each college''''s Web site where you can direct your question.
Q: My mom says I need letters of recommendation to get admitted to college. Is she right?
A: It depends. Some colleges do require letters of recommendation as part of the application process, others do not. The best way to find out is to check on the college''''s Web site, or look at their application packet.
Q: How many letters are we talking about?
A: Most colleges that ask for letters of recommendation want you *****bmit two letters from teachers who have had you as a student. In some cases, the college will specify which teachers they''''d like to hear from. Many colleges like to hear from English teachers, and a few engineering schools want to hear from a math or science teacher. Most of the time, it''''s up to you to decide.
Q: If it''''s up to me, who should I ask?
A: There are two rules here. First, ask teachers who know you best. Colleges want to hear from teachers who know you as both a student and as a person. If you can find a teacher who can talk about the way you think, give examples of how you learn, or illustrate times when you really made a difference, those are the teachers to ask.
Second, think about the subjects you''''ve studied with these teachers. If you''''re applying to art school, there''''s a good chance the college will ask to hear from your art teacher; if they don''''t, you should think about having the art teacher write a letter anyway. The same thing goes for students who plan on studying history, pre-med, music, etc. If you know what you want to study in college, it often helps the colleges to hear from the high school teachers you''''ve had in that subject.
These two rules sometimes require you to make some tough choices. Do you go with a teacher who knows you well, or the teacher who doesn''''t know you as well, but can speak about what a great student you are in the field you''''re interested in? In this case, see if you can get a letter from one of each. That works, since most colleges that ask for letters will want two.
Q: Can I send more letters than the college asks for?
A: Yes, but be careful. Sending one extra letter means the author of this ad***ional letter sees a side of you that isn''''t covered in the other letters you''''re sending. If you need one extra letter to do that, go for it, but really no more than that. You don''''t want to overwhelm the admission office with information.
Q: Can I send a letter in from someone else who knows me well, but isn''''t a teacher - say, my coach, my rabbi, or an alumnus of the college I''''m applying to?
A: Letters from people other than teachers follow the same rule. If this person sees a side of you that isn''''t covered in the required letters, it''''s perfectly fine to do this. This is especially true if you are an athlete thinking about playing at college. However, don''''t substitute one of these letters for a teacher letter - if the college wants to hear from two teachers, make sure you get letters from two teachers.
Letters from people who went to the college are tricky. Sometimes students ask for letters from alumni who aren''''t in touch with the college very much, and who don''''t know the student very well. As a rule, letters like these don''''t add very much to your application. If the alum knows you well, it''''s a possibility, but proceed with caution.
Q: How do I go about asking a teacher for a letter of recommendation?
A: It''''s good to give a teacher at least three weeks to write a letter of recommendation. If the teacher agrees, thank them, and give them whatever forms the college would like your letter writers to complete. When you give out the forms, you also give the letter writer an envelope addressed to the college WITH POSTAGE ALREADY ATTACHED. The idea here is that the teacher writes your letter, completes the form, and slips it into the envelope - so you''''re making it as easy as possible. Put two stamps on each envelope, just in case the letter and the forms go over an ounce.
Q: Can I use the same letter writers for different colleges?
A: Absolutely, and you should! Make sure your writers save a copy of their letters to use for other colleges. Assuming the letter doesn''''t include the name of the college you''''re applying to, it will serve you well at all of your colleges, and for scholarships that may require a letter as well.
And don''''t forget-- a thank you note after the letters have been sent is a great idea!
<P align=center><FONT color=orange size=5> Jaymee got a gun.. BANG!</FONT></P>
Được jaymee sửa chữa / chuyển vào 18:48 ngày 04/03/2004

Tiếp nhé
Q: As a parent who is trying to sort through the vast selection of schools out there, how do I really put together a list of schools for my son to apply to? He''s coming out of an extremely competitive high school, his grades are average and he doesn''t test well. He has an interest in creative writing but as we all know, kids change their major as time goes by. Is there a source that could narrow the selection down to a dozen or so possibilities? Thanks for your help!
Let me make a couple of suggestions:
* First, there are many college search programs available free of charge. You might want to try www.collegeboard.com- you can put in a great deal of information about what you''re looking for in a college (and you can include a major or leave it out), and get some nice lists of possibilities. Be sure to do two or three searches, and change the information each time-- include location one time, leave it out the next-- you''d be surprised at what you might find. I''d also suggest you leave major blank for one of the searches-- if creative writing is an uncertain major, you want to make sure he looks at colleges that would offer a lot of other choices for major, and leaving a major blank is a good way to get that information.
* Second, if your high school is competitive, chances are you have a high school counselor who has a good understanding of the kinds of colleges that would suit your son well. Even if you or your son don''t know the counselor well, try setting up an appointment to discuss colleges; be sure to provide the counselor with a written list of your questions ahead of time, in order to try and get the most out of the meeting. If your counselor has been at the high school for even a few years, he or she may have some insight into colleges that are a good fit for your son, and may even have some contacts at colleges where test scores don''t matter as much.
*Third, if the testing situation is due to a documented learning disability, remember that your son may qualify for untimed ACT or SAT testing. Again, your high school counselor will have information on how to qualify for these tests-- but if he needs more time, this may be one way he can legitimately get it.
*Finally, if test scores are still not what you''d expected, you need to know that not all colleges require test scores as part of the admission application. A good list of these colleges-- and many of them are considered competitive institutions-- can be found at www.fairtest.org/univ/optional.htm
Q: I''m a junior, and I''ve found two or three colleges I''m very interested in. All three of these colleges offer the early action option, and I''m thinking about applying early at all three. What do I need to do to be ready to apply early to these colleges in the fall?
A: It''s great that you''ve found three colleges you really like. It''s also great that you''re taking the steps now to be ready to apply on an early action program next year, since the deadline of most early programs is November 1st.
One of the most important things you should do is have most, if not all, of your testing taken care of before you end your junior year. To do that, you''ll need to double check the testing requirements for each college-- which ones require ACT, which ones require SAT I, which ones require SAT II (and which parts of the SAT II). In most cases, you''ll be able to take the SAT IIs in the first available testing in the fall of your senior year, and still make the early decision deadline-- but double check.
You''ll also want to call the admissions office of each college to see if their testing requirements are going to change next year. Colleges don''t change their testing requirements often, but if this is the year, you''ll want to know about it-- take a second, and give them a call.
Q: OK, so the testing is important to schedule. What else?
A: It would probably be a good idea to get your letters of recommendation lined up. This doesn''t mean the teachers who will be writing your letters need to have them done soon. To have everything in order, you''ll probably want to talk to the teachers who will be writing letters for you in June. By letting them know you''re planning on applying early, and that you have a November 1st deadline, you''re giving them the summer to think a little about what to include in the letter they''ll be writing for you. This also gives them the choice of actually writing a first draft of the letter in the summer-- this probably won''t happen, but at least they know what you''re up to.
Q: Should I work on my own personal statement as well?
A: Yes. I''m a big fan of having college-bound students write a first draft (at least) of their personal statement in the summer.
There are two advantages to doing this. First, it gives you the chance to think about why you really want to go to college. A good personal statement is a window into your life-- it shows the reader who you are, how you look at life, what you care about, what you''ve done, what you''d like to do, and why college will play an important role in your life. Thinking about those ideas can really help you focus on what you''re looking for in a college, and that''s very good.
Second, writing a rough draft in the summer gives you the chance to think about what you''d like to do during your senior year in high school. If school is important to you-- and that''s one of the reasons why you''re going to college-- you should plan on making the most of the school experience you''re having now. If you see your senior year as a chance to get ready for college, chances are you''ll make the most out of your 12th grade year, enjoy it socially and academically, and avoid the dreaded disease of senioritis.
Q: Is there anything else I should do to get ready to apply early?
A: I''d say two things. First, if you can, visit the campuses of the colleges you''re interested in. If a college requires an interview, it would be ideal to do it on campus as well-- but if that''s not possible, don''t worry. The important thing is to see the place that''s going to be your home for the next four years.
Q: OK. What''s the second?
A: When you call the colleges you''re interested in to double-check their testing requirements, you also want to double check the rules of the college about applying early.
Q: Why would I need to do that? If a college has an early decision program, I agree to attend that college if admitted, and I can apply only to one college as an early decision student-- right?
A: Excellent.
Q: And if I''m applying early action to a college, that only means they''re giving me an early answer to my application-- I don''t have to attend that college if I''m admitted, and I can apply to as many early action programs as I wish-- right?
A: That''s the part you need to check on.
Q: OK-- tell me why.
A: Some colleges are now offering early action programs on the con***ion that they are the only college you apply to through early action. This is a big change in the last few years-- apparently there are so many students applying to so many colleges through early action programs, some colleges want to get a handle on things by limiting the number of early action programs you can apply to. As a result, you need to make sure that the colleges you''ll be applying to through early action programs don''t place any limitations on you. If they do, you might have some tough choices to make-- but for now, get the information first.
Q: I''ve been admitted to the college of my dreams, which was absolutely great until I found out my parents are moving to Europe for a year, as part of my dad''s business. Travelling through Europe for a year would be another dream come true. Is there any way I can make keep both dreams alive?
A: You can certainly try. Many colleges will allow admitted freshmen to defer admission for a year. This means that you are still admitted to the college, but you want to come in the Fall of 2004, instead of the Fall of 2003. One of the reasons some colleges offer this option is because last-minute opportunities come up for some students, and the college wants you to have the chance to pursue that opportunity, but still hold on to you as a student. That''s the beauty of deferral. If the college agrees to defer your admission, you have a spot in their freshmen class for the following year (or, in some cases, semester), and you don''t have to apply again.
Q: Can you defer for any reason?
A: As is the case with most things in college admissions, not every college offers deferral, and many colleges have specific guidelines they use when evaluating a student''s request to defer. As examples, Princeton will allow you to defer for a year in order to purse things like travel or special projects, but they won''t let you defer to attend a different college full-time. Macalester will allow you to defer, but limits the number of cre***s you can bring in as a freshman to 20 so full-time study elsewhere is out. UCLA, as a rule, won''t let you defer, unless you have compelling circumstances, like military service.
Q: What do you have to do to request deferral?
A: If you''ve worked closely with a college counselor, talk to them first. If not, look through the college''s Web site or catalog to find out what their policy is on deferral. If you don''t find it, call them. Deferral is never automatic, so you''ll have to complete a form, or send a letter to the college, explaining in detail why you want to defer. Again, the catalog or Web site should show you what to do. Remember, some colleges will allow you to defer, and some won?t. As a rule, you stand a better chance of being granted a deferral if you have a strong alternative plan in mind, but you never know until you investigate.
Q: I''ve been denied by my three colleges of choice. Is there any way I can appeal their decisions?
A: Just like every college handles admissions decisions differently, every college handles admissions appeals differently. In general though, there are some good guidelines to follow:
Read your denial letter closely. These letters often explain both the procedures you need to follow to file an appeal, and the things colleges look for in reviewing an appeal. If your letter gives you no indication, call the office of admission and ask what their appeal policy is-- and remember that some colleges will not take appeals except in very rare circumstances.
See if you can find out why you were denied admission in the first place. A conversation with an admissions officer may give the college enough ad***ional information about you to form the basis of an appeal. If the college needs more information, you can ask for specific information on what the college would like to see when you write your appeal. Or, in some cases, you can find out if an appeal would not be the best use of your time.
Generally speaking, colleges will look at an appeal closely if you can provide ad***ional information above and beyond what you included in your original application that shows you are a strong and/or unique student. Seventh semester grades, progress reports from your current classes, ad***ional letters of recommendation, a supporting paragraph or two from your counselor, these kinds of things can make a difference.
Remember that a successful appeal depends on a variety of factors- your strength as a student, your continued interest in the college, the number of spaces the college has available, etc. In some cases, continued interest and strong grades may be enough to get you in on appeal. But in some case, it won''t. An appeal isn''t a sure thing, and the extra energy it requires to put an appeal together - not just yours, but the energy of your counselor, your teachers, and the college - can be high at this busy time of year. Before you start an appeal, be sure to think about your chances of success, and your real interest in the college, and let your answers guide you accordingly.
Q I''ve been admitted to the college of my choice, which is 1500 miles away from home. It''s the only college I applied to, but now I''m thinking about staying a little closer to home. What do I do now?
A: More than a few students are thinking the same thing right now. Now that the dream of going to a great school is the reality of a great school, students aren''t sure if this is really such a good idea after all.
The only way you can answer this question is to think it out. As you do so, keep these thoughts in mind:
Don''t worry that you can''t handle the work. A competitive college gets far more students applying for admission than the college can possibly accept. If they''ve admitted you, they''re convinced you can do the work. And they''re not easy to convince, let me tell you. The work may be harder there than it is at high school, and you may have to work harder, and use some new study habits, but if you''re worried you won''t cut it, stop worrying. Use that energy to developing strategies *****cceed, and you should be just fine.
Distance is not everything it''s cracked up to be. Back when I went to college, 1500 miles was a long way from home. Students packed up their dinosaurs and off they went, never to be seen again until Christmas. That''s all changed now; thanks to cell phones with unlimited call plans, free Internet access at universities and public libraries, and even cheap air fares, you can touch base with home directly by the week, the day, even the hour. In the state where I live, we''re 2000 miles from CalTech; but Cal Tech by airplane is five hours closer to home than two of the most prestigious engineering programs in the state. There''s more to distance than math, and more ways to beat it than minimizing the miles.
Think about your life. If this is the only college you picked, you saw something there for you, and something very special, since it was your only college (how did your counselor let you do that?). If your interests have changed, or if your reason for applying had more to do with getting in to a "great" college than your life''s goals, you might need to find another college. (If you need help with that, the National Association for College Admission Counseling will soon be putting together a list of colleges that are still accepting applications for the fall. Visit them at www.nacac.com)
On the other hand, if you still see the same good things in that college, but you''re just not certain it will work out, think closely about you, and all that you''ve achieved, and see if the challenges that lie ahead can be conquered. A student I worked with years ago had to choose between Stanford and the University of Michigan, both very fine colleges. She wasn''t sure if the distance and extra expense of Stanford was worth it, but she headed west, and it changed her life, because she learned how ready she was to take on the challenge of independence.
Selecting a college is about more than who''s going to teach you about English and how good the lacrosse team is. It''s also about how your view of the world will be challenged in the next four years. Your success as a high school student was due to your willingness to take on the biggest challenge you could reasonably manage. Use the same rule when deciding on the right college, and you won''t go wrong.
 Jaymee got a gun.. BANG!

Q. Dear Counselor:
I want colleges to recognize me, but I''m not sure if they will. Right now I''m a sophomore in high school and I''m taking all regular classes. My grades are pretty good we got report cards today and I got mostly A''s and 3 B''s.
What should I do for them to recognize me?
A. I''ll give you the list of things many colleges consider when they look at applications-- but I want to give you a word of caution before you see the list.
The best reason any student can have for wanting to go to a particular college is because they believe that college will be a very good place to learn and grow as a person. In order to make that decision, students have to know a great deal about the college-- but they also have to know even more about themselves.
High school is an excellent opportunity for you to get to know yourself: Who you are as a person; the things that matter to you and what you care about in life; how you perform as a student; what you think you might want to do with your life. Once you begin to get answers to those questions, selecting a college gets easier, because you know what you''re looking for-- you''re looking for a good fit.
In that sense, it''s like buying a CD. If you walk in to the record store and ask for a CD, no one can really help you-- not even you! But once you know what kind of music you like, or an artist you like-- or don''t like-- you can start to narrow things down and make a decisions that''s best for you.
I''m mentioning this to you because students often think the only way to get into a good college, or to get colleges to notice you, is to be something you''re not-- and that simply doesn''t work. Even if you pretend to be something different, and you get admitted to a school other people see as "good", your chances of being happy and successful there are slim, because you''re probably at a college that isn''t right for you.
The moral of this story is simple-- there''s nothing wrong with wanting colleges to notice you, as long as you are showing them who you really are. Don''t try and re-design your life around getting into a good college; take some time to understand who you are, and then build your college plans around that understanding. That kind of knowledge is rare among high school students, and will get you noticed by a lot of great colleges.
OK-- here''s the list:
When colleges review the applications for admissions they receive from students, they consider a variety of factors. These factors can include each of the following:
Grades. The grades you earn in the classes you take are extremely important. Most colleges will use the grades you earn in the academic areas-- English, math, science, social studies, and foreign languages. This is true even if you plan on majoring in something that has nothing to do with, say, social studies; if you''re going to be a pre-med major, your grades in US History are still important to colleges.
Some colleges will also use the grades you''ve earned in other classes, including fine arts courses-- that''s especially true if you''re applying to a college where you''ll study the arts.
Strength of Schedule. Many colleges will want to know if you took the most challenging classes you could while you were in high school. As a result, these colleges-- usually the most competitive colleges-- will ask your high school counselor to send a copy of your school''s profile, which lists how many AP classes your school offers, what honors classes are available, etc. Generally, the more challenging your classes are, the more favorably the college views you-- assuming that your grades in these challenging classes are strong. This also includes any college classes you may have taken while you were in high school-- remember, if your high school runs out of good classes, there are plenty of opportunities to keep challenging yourself by enrolling as a guest student at a college.
Class Rank. Colleges will often want to know where you stand compared to other students in your high school, so they''ll ask you or your high school counselor to tell them how high your grades are compared to other students in your class. For those colleges that use this measure, the higher your rank, the better your chances of getting admitted.
Scores on ACT or SAT. While your scores on these standardized tests usually aren''t what colleges look at first, they do give colleges a way to compare what you know on these tests compared to other students from different schools and different states. Doing well on these tests won''t guarantee you admission to a college-- that''s especially true if your SAT or ACT scores are high, but your high school grades are low-- and there are some colleges that don''t require any tests at all. But good scores on these tests can certainly help your chances of admission at many colleges.
Letters of Recommendation/Secondary School Report. Many (not all) colleges like to hear from your high school counselor, and from teachers, coaches, and other educators who know you well. These letters can help give the colleges a better idea of who you are, how you learn, and how much you''ve contributed as a student at your high school-- and that can help the colleges understand if their college is a good place for you to be.
Personal Statement/Interview. Some colleges ask you to tell them a little bit about yourself through writing or in a face-to-face meeting. Like the letters of recommendation, your personal statement or interview gives the college a better idea of you as a person. It also gives you the chance to talk about things that matter to you, your goals in life, or why you think the college of your choice would be a good fit for you.
Activities. Since there''s much more to college life-- and life in general-- than grades, many colleges will want to know what you''ve done outside the classroom. Being active in clubs, organizations, music, theatre, community groups, sports, -- you name it-- is a great way to learn and to give back to your school and to your community. Many colleges will want to hear about your contributions, since those are an indication of the things that matter to you. In ad***ion, any activities that make you unique-- an unusual hobby, tremendous success as a musician, etc-- can get you noticed as well.
Remember, not all colleges ask for information in all of these areas. Also, don''t think that you have to be perfect in every category to get admitted to a college. Most students who are admitted to even very competitive colleges have areas they can improve in. The most important thing is to consider each of these areas as you continue your education in high school, and give thought to what you want to give-- and get-- out of your experience in college.
End
 Jaymee got a gun.. BANG!