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QUICK-A COLLEGE EDUCATION

By Karen Ray |

High school seniors, cheer up.

If you, or someone you care about, are up against college application deadlines, the whole process may seem like an impossible maze of differing requirements, board exams, essays, high tuition costs, and unsolicited advice, ’lb make murky matters worse, you may be afraid that a mistake now could ruin your future.

True, there can be pressure and uncertainty. But it is also an exciting time, one of the few periods when you can actually chart your own future.

For seniors, now is the time to push sleeves over elbows. College admissions directors and high school counselors stress that sophomores and juniors should be thinking ahead. Parents, perhaps anticipaTing tuition bills, probably have the best foresight of all. (Keep reading and we’ll tell you how to afford the college of your choice. )

The first thing to do is stay calm and lake three deep breaths.

One.

Two.

Three.

Fine. Now don’t touch those college catalogs or application forms yet. The second step is to take a good look not at colleges, but at yourself. Are you a quiet type or an extrovert? Do you want to gel lost in the crowd, or to know everyone on campus? Are sports important? Do you want to join a fraternity or sorority? Have an active social life? Are you certain what you want to major in, or do you want to experiment on campus? Do your parents feel strongly about a particular college or university? How competitive are you? Do you want to live at home, or be as far away as possible?

“A size 8 dress is a wonderful thing, ” says Rhea Wolfram. “But everyone is not a size 8. Some of us are sixes and some of us are fourteens. It’s the same with colleges, you don’t want to buy a ’name’ that sounds nice, you want the best fit for the student. “

Wolfram, a counselor to college bound students for 14 years, recently became a full-lime independent educational consultant. She is one of the first independents to be accredited by the National Association of College Admissions Counselors.

Self-assessment can lead you toward or away from obvious choices. But remember mat there are a surprising number of colleges in Texas and its surrounding states, and more than 1, 500 accredited four-year colleges and universities in this country. And the best school for you may not be the obvious school. For example, if a high-powered liberal arts education at a small campus appeals to you, you may be considering Trinity University in San Antonio. But have you even heard of St. John’s College in Santa Fe. New Mexico?

The best way to find the right campus for you is to learn as much about colleges as you can. At least initially be open to lots of possibilities, public, private, here, there, everywhere. High school counselors arc a good source of information. So are parents and friends. Write the institution for a catalog and visit if possible. If a college appeals to you. talk with both current students and recent graduates. Many universities have local alumni groups, which arc an excellent way to get the kind of information you won’t find in college catalogs.

Books are another good source of information. Barron’s and Petersons are two of the best known college guides. Some, such as The Insider’s Guide to the Colleges, are less complete but more interesting. There are also guides which rank both the overall institution and departments within it.

Obviously you have an advantage if you arc fairly certain of your major and ultimate career goal. Most colleges are proud of their individual departments and at some universities you apply not just for general admission but for entrance into specific programs or colleges.

Individual campuses strengths and weaknesses, in fact, are perhaps the best reason to study die possibilities. Many students ultimately change their course of study- a strong argument tor a good general institution-but if you’ve wanted to be a physicist since you could pronounce the word, it makes sense to concentrate on colleges with strong science programs. Still, you should learn as much as you can about possible majors and professions as you talk with people and study the guidebooks.

If you are one of the fortunate few-with impressive grades and staggering SAT scores -colleges may already be banging on your door. However, if you’re like most of us, there is some possibility that the college you select may not select you.

Admissions officers we spoke with said (hat the return- to basics in education is already having an impact in Texas. Applicants are becoming better qualified, allowing colleges to be more selective and raise standards. University of Texas at Austin, for example, recently reinstated its foreign language requirement. It’s important to remember, however, that there are colleges for everyone. While many universities want applicants from the top quarter of their high school classes, some arc happy with the top fifty percent. There are other colleges thrilled to see a high school diploma.

Standards and averages are well-publicized and often give you a fair idea of how likely you are to be admitted. Paulo De Oliveira and Steve Cohen, authors of Getting In!, recommend dividing institutions into three categories: reaches, possibles, and sure admits.

“Reaches are (hose schools that admit students with grades and board scores substantially above your own. Possibles are those colleges that admit students with grades and SATs near or slightly above your own. ” The sure admit cluster, would include schools that accept students whose qualifications are notably below your own. Sure admits would also include state schools that guarantee admission to residents who meet certain test and GPA standards.

De Oliveira and Cohen recommend applying to no more than about 10 schools, with the bulk falling in the ’’possible” category. Never eliminate a private university simply because of cost. (One of the big secrets is that it may actually cost you less to attend a private university. Keep reading and we’ll tell you why. )

On paper it may look like there’s plenty of time to apply. Not so. There are several advantages to filing your application as soon as possible.

For example, Baylor University’s deadline for freshman applications is April 1. “But if we admit a student applying then, ” an admissions officer told us, “I can guarantee that housing will already be full. ” And again at Baylor, last year’s freshman class was already full by the deadline. Earlier applications may also receive better treatment at the financial aid office. And if there are any uncertainties about an application there is lime to straighten them out.

Seniors who have only recently set their sights on college may be especially guilty of waiting until the last minute-hoping that impressive mid-year grades, or a new set of SAT scores will help them out. Edward G. Boehm, Jr., dean of admissions at Texas Christian University, has one word of advice for seniors waiting until the last minute-“Don’t. “

“We prefer to see an incomplete application, ” says Boehm, “with a cover letter of explanation. There is space on the application to show materials coming, but a cover letter adds a nice personal touch. ” Obviously to be of any help, a cover letter should be well-written. Which points to what every admissions officer or counselor said is the most important part of today’s college application.

If you didn’t take high school chemistry, there’s no way you can change that fact when filling out your application. But with the overall “sameness” of many students on paper, and with the slight deemphasis on board scores – some people believe that high SAT scores just mean someone is a good test taker-the essay had become the new focus.

This emphasis on writing comes at a time of Renaissance in the liberal arts. Business, engineering, and preprofessional majors are still very strong, admissions directors told us, but at some campuses they are passing their peak. “Students are very concerned about entering a technical field that will be obsolete in five years” said counselor Wolfram. “This fear of early specialization has led students to areas which will give them better grounding, and an ability to change with the times. “

Cynthia Driessen, a counselor for the college-bound at Lamar High School in Arlington, also spoke about the return to traditional academics. “The atmosphere has become very competitive here, ” she said. “Students are taking more difficult classes and working harder at them. ” Asked what colleges want today, Driessen didn’t stop for breath, “Admissions people tell us over and over that they want students who can write. “

TCU admissions dean Boehm returned strongly to this point. “It doesn’t matter what the official weighting, the essay is extremely important. It not only shows how a student thinks, it is also the one part of the application that the student can control. ” Boehm went on to define a “good essay. “

“Our readers get tired of the same old thing, ” he said, “they like genuine uniqueness. Don’t try and tailor an essay to what you think a college wants- that always comes through as superficial. Go with yourself. A student is much better off showing how he or she honestly thinks. And don’t try to impress admissions people with an intellectual approach or a polysyllabic vocabulary. ” Spelling, grammar, and sentence structure are such obvious points they are not even mentioned.

The same advice about directness, honesty, and quality goes for recommendation letters. Admissions people told us that they are not impressed by “fine family” letters from legislators. They much prefer a recommendation from someone who knows the student well and can write honestly and in depth about his or her strengths and weaknesses.

After all that work, when the essay gleams, the facts are in their places, and the application fee has been filed, it probably feels like there’s something else you should do. There is. Maybe. Schools are divided on the value of telephone contact during the admissions process. Some say it can iron out problems and help the admissions people remember who you are. Others say that unnecessary telephone calls just annoy admissions people during their busiest hours.

Counselor Wolfram recommends contact, with a caution. “Admissions people in the public sector try hard to do their best, ” she says, “but they are simply overwhelmed by the number of applicants. ” In fact, admissions officers at UT Austin were unreachable for this article. The applicant may or may not have better luck.

Susan Allen, associate director of admissions at SMU, recommends that applicants go out of their way to learn the names of people in the admissions office. “We like to tell students if there’s something they can or should do to improve their application. Also, very often we can give a student a good idea of whether or not he or she will be admitted. We’d rather be bugged and tell them early. “

At first glance, getting accepted into the college of your choice may not be the biggest hurdle. Paying the tuition tab is the real concern. No question, college is expensive. Universities in this area do not approach the $15, 000 per year figures quoted by some east and west coast institutions. However, even the ballpark figures of about $12, 000 at a private university and $7, 000 at a public one, are more than enough to make most people think thrice.

Relatively speaking, however, Texas has some educational bargains. The $8, 100 tuition, room, and board charge at TGU was recently called one of the “best buys in education” by The New York Times. Baylor University is even less. Their projected costs for ’86-’87 are $7, 127. At the higher end in Texas is SMU, with current year bare bones expenses listed at $11, 500. Next year will, of course, cost more.

For a public college the absolute cost is less, $6, 330 at UT, for example. Be careful, though, because sometimes public colleges sound financially attractive because they may leave the essentials-like room and board -out of their quoted figures.

The good news is that you will very likely be able to get someone else -and someone else besides parents -to pay a big part of the tuition tab. The even better news is that it may cost you no more, and may even cost less to attend a ritzy private university over a spartan public one. That is because the private universities often have more private scholarship money available. Their financial aids officers may also be more effective and more aggressive.

In the last academic year federal financial aid programs alone were worth $11. 8 billion. In addition, it has been estimated that colleges provided $3. 6 billion in aid, states about $1. 1 billion, and private sources another $800 million.

Getting your share of those dollars requires patience, planning, and legwork. And, like the application itself, the time to make financial aid forays is now. The process can be complicated, and in fact there are dozens of different programs a student can be eligible to apply for. For the best in big bucks, however, it’s best to concentrate first on the school.

Most colleges which require the SAT use a standard Financial Aid Form (FAF). It is a multi-page monster and filling it out is no Saturday in the park. It requires extensive financial disclosures and cooperation between parents and student. Fortunately, you usually only have to fill it out once, then a brief supplementary sheet for the university in question.

From the FAF the college determines an “expected family contribution. ” That amount is subtracted from the total cost to come-up with an “estimated need. ” If everything runs to plan, the college (hen helps you meet this need with an aid package usually consisting of throe parts: scholarships or grants, low interest loans, and work study programs.

There arc also new low interest loans for families which might not qualify based on need. Even better are scholarships based on merit or some other criteria. Every year, for example. Westing-house gives awards of up to £10, 000 to high school seniors who complete an outstanding science project. And SMU each year selects its best applicants and invites them down -all expenses paid -to compete for about 25 presidential scholarships, which pay all tuition for the full four years.

There are thousands of scholarships out there based on athletic ability, parents’ military service, employer, or other sometimes unusual requirements. One university has a special scholarship program for Eagle Scouts, another for Armenian students. Often these scholarships go begging simply because no one qualified applies.

The financial aid world is complex and it’s a good idea to read up on current information before jumping in.

Depending on your abilities, aspirations, and aptitude, selecting a college can be a straight forward or difficult process. There’s no doubt, however, that regardless of the student or the campus, a college education starts well before you get to college.

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