Need Accommodations for SAT or ACT?

Recently, both the College Board and the ACT announced big changes to their test accommodations policy. Unlike the past, when students seeking accommodations had to pass through a number of hoops, the process has been significantly stream-lined for those needing language support or extended time for testing.

Beginning January 1, 2017, the College Board will automatically approve accommodations for nearly all students who currently receive testing accommodations at their school through either an IEP or a 504 Plan (for public school students) or through other plans sanctioned by private schools. These students will generally receive the same type of accommodations for the SAT, Subject Tests, PSAT and AP exams as they do for school-based testing. Granting of accommodations was reduced to a two-question process:

      1. Is the requested accommodation in the student’s educational plan?
      2. Has the student used the accommodations for school-based testing?

A positive response to both questions provides test-takers with the needed accommodations.

In a similar fashion, the ACT announced that it was aligning its policy with that of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and approving accommodations for those students currently receiving them at their home schools. In addition, the ACT announced that students in a designated English Learners Program could apply through their high school counselor to automatically receive testing support for the ACT. The College Board has matched the ACT policy and will also provide support for students enrolled in an English Learners Program.

It is still a bit more cumbersome to apply for accommodations for the ACT. To be eligible, the disability must be diagnosed and documented by a credentialed professional. The disability must impact performance on the ACT and the student must receive and use similar accommodations at school. Students submit required documents along with a request for either National Extended Time (students receive time and a half to complete the exam) or Special Testing (students require a variety of other accommodations). Detailed instructions for applying for accommodations on the ACT can be found at www.act.org.

Using the Internet to Research Colleges

Searching for college information? The Internet can be a terrific tool for college research. However, with the dizzying abundance of websites related to college admissions, knowing where to look and which websites to trust is key. Here are some tips to help you optimize the Internet as a resource.

Get the most out of college websites. Individual college websites are the best sources of information on the Internet. Start by clicking on the “Admissions” or “Prospective Students” link, then look for details on admissions requirements, application procedures, costs and financial aid, and an overview of what makes that college or university unique. But don’t stop there! Under “Academics”, look for links to individual departments you may be interested in. Use the site search function to find the college’s course catalog and research graduation requirements. Then do a search for the student newspaper and read back issues to get a sense of what life on that college campus is like.

Find the information you need. Google can be a college hunter’s best friend if you use it effectively. Say, for instance, you want to find a list of colleges that offer a specific major or a particular extracurricular activity. Open Google and click on Advanced Search. Enter the major or extracurricular you’re interested in, then specify “.edu” as the domain. This limits the search mainly to colleges and universities, and usually turns up quite a few hits. Another tip: If you’re interested in a specific major or career field, do a Google search using the major or career and the word “Association.” This will usually turn up any professional associations related to the field or major, and, often, you’ll find a wealth of resources on their website.

Consider the source. Unfortunately, while information on the Internet seems unlimited, not all of it is reliable. When you find a useful college website, try to pinpoint who created it and how trustworthy the source might be. Who owns and operates the site? What is their purpose? Is the site a nonprofit venture or a commercial venture with the ultimate goal of selling you products or services? Do they share your contact information and personal data with other sites?

Take discussion forums with a grain of salt. College admissions discussion forums such as College Confidential have become extremely popular. While they can be a useful place to exchange ideas and information, they can also be riddled with inaccurate information and opinions presented as “fact.” If you’re going to participate in a college discussion forum, be especially careful about who is offering advice. Is it another student with no more knowledge than you, or an admissions expert? Also, consider who moderates the forum. Do they attempt
to correct inaccurate or misleading information, or does the site take an “anything goes” approach? Finally, these forums are not always as anonymous as they may seem. College admissions officers do read these boards, so be careful about posting your personal information or preferences.

Trust, but verify. While there’s a wealth of helpful data on the Internet, make sure to always verify important information yourself. If you see a negative report about a college on a review site such as Unigo.com, don’t automatically rule the college out without doing your own research. Most important of all: always believe what the college website says about its deadlines and admissions requirements over anything published on a site that is not run by the college.

Acing the Interview

It’s not unusual to get nervous before an interview with a college admissions officer or alumni representative. Students are afraid that if they are not brilliant, witty and charming, their chances of getting into the college are next to nothing. But the truth is that interviews have little impact on admissions decisions. Admissions directors understand that well-qualified students can be extremely anxious and may not come across well in an interview, and sometimes the chemistry just isn’t right be-tween a student and interviewer. Recommendations from teachers who know you well and well-written essays can have a much bigger impact on admission decisions.

Knowing that it won’t make or break your application should help students feel more relaxed. Schools that do offer evaluative interviews generally use them to confirm the information in other parts of the application. Sure, there are things you can do in an interview that will tank your application, such as spouting racist views. Admissions officers think about how you’ll interact with dorm-mates, so likeability certainly is a plus, but you aren’t likely to ruin a strong application if you’re nervous and not at your best.

Of course, the fact that interviews aren’t a major factor in admissions decisions means that having a great interview won’t get you into a school. But it’s possible that if it came down to two similarly well-qualified students, and one had formed a bond with an admissions officer during an interview, that admissions officer might be more inclined to advocate for that student. So you do want to make the most of the opportunity.

Being prepared will lower your anxiety level and help you create a better interview experience. Have some clear ideas about your strengths, interests and goals that you can communicate during the meeting.

Interviews are usually optional, and only worth having if you’ve done your research. Have several questions prepared so that when the interviewer asks if you have any questions, you’re ready to communicate a real interest in the school. You should be seeking information that isn’t readily available from the website. It’s fine to ask what students do on weekends, but it’s also a good idea to ask about specific academic programs, especially those that are unique to that school.

If you approach the interview as a conversation, where you and the interviewer are exchanging information, it can actually be fun. The more you initiate conversation, the less time the interviewer will have to ask you questions. So relax and enjoy!

Why Study Abroad?

Imagine hopping on the Paris Metro for the first time, after purchasing your ticket with Euros, and zooming off to discover the latest Picasso exhibition at the Louvre; or wandering the ancient streets of Rome and ordering a gelato from a real gelateria, in Italian. Do these adventures sound exciting? Would you consider attending a college semester or a full year in a foreign country? Studying abroad can be one of the most unforgettable experiences you will ever have, and it comes with a myriad of benefits.

Since college is already a transitional phase from childhood to adulthood, time spent abroad during these years can have a particularly positive effect on your self-esteem and confidence. Navigating foreign streets, learning and speaking a new language, and traveling on your own are all great ways to gain independence and self-reliance. By confronting the challenges of exploring the unknown, you will learn so much about yourself.

Another important aspect of studying abroad is that it gives you the chance to see a new side of your major. You will gain a more well-rounded view of your subject by studying and learning about it through different styles of teaching. As society in the United States becomes more multicultural and multilingual, students can greatly benefit from gaining a global perspective.

Not only will you be immersed in a foreign language, which is the quickest and the most effective way to become fluent, but you will also have the opportunity to explore a country’s customs, historical landmarks, people and food. This may lead to newfound interests, such as sports and entertainment that do not exist at home. Have you ever played bandy? What about kubb? These are both popular sports in Sweden.

Studying abroad is a great way to make friends and meet people (and potential contacts) who hail from completely different backgrounds. Many students report that they stay in contact with the people they meet overseas for years to come.

In today’s increasingly globalized society, gaining an international perspective may be one of the most important things you can take away from studying abroad. If you plan on working within the global markets, this experience can set you up to be an ideal job candidate. Learning how to interact with people from other countries is crucial, and building cultural competency will certainly be attractive to future employers. Immersing yourself in a new culture is a great way to learn how to embrace differences, and that’s a great asset in any professional environment. Studying abroad will always look impressive on your CV or resume, not to mention on graduate school applications.

Many universities direct their own study abroad programs, so for more information, contact your school’s study abroad office. Another helpful organization is the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), a non-profit educational community comprised of over 300 universities in more than 50 countries. They can assist with financial and academic issues as well as placement at international universities. Gaining a fresh perspective, learning in a new environment, and making memories that will last a lifetime are just some of the benefits reaped by studying abroad. And who knows? You may return home having made lifelong friendships with young people from your host country -- and with students from other universities in the USA who were on your Study Abroad program!

The Case for Small Colleges

One of the most important considerations in choosing a college is size. A small college of 2,000 students provides a very different experience from that offered by a large university of 20,000 students.

It’s like living in a small town versus a large city. People say hello when they see you. Professors greet you by name and stop to chat. Faculty and staff at small colleges are there to help, and the caring atmosphere can help students feel they belong.

For some, anonymity is more appealing. At a large university, you might be able to go all semester without talking to your professors, but that doesn’t make for the best educational experience. Students get more out of college when they are engaged. That means interacting with professors and students, doing research, and being involved in campus life. At smaller colleges, this level of engagement is built into the system. That doesn’t mean students can’t be engaged at large universities, but they have to take the initiative to create that kind of experience.

Some students believe that if they haven’t yet decided on a major or career, they should go to a large university, where they will be able to sample lots of possibilities and figure out what they want to do. But even small colleges offer hundreds of classes each year. Ironically, students often find it easier to discover their passion at a smaller college, where they get extensive advising from professors who have chosen a small college because they want to teach and interact with undergraduates.

Many students want a college that’s bigger than high school. But every college is physically bigger than a high school. In addition to classroom buildings for art, music, social sciences, and natural sciences, there are residence and dining halls, library, student union, athletic facilities, counseling offices, health services and more. A college campus doesn’t feel as confining as high school.

If students are concerned that they won’t find enough interesting people at a small college, they might be reassured to know that there will be more diversity than in high school. They will find students hailing from different parts of the country along with international students, as well as people from different ethnic, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds. But all of these students chose to attend the same college, so chances are it will be easier to find people with similar interests. It may also be easier to meet more students, because you get to know people in your classes as well as in your residence hall, and you probably won’t have the same students in sociology as in astronomy.

When it comes to extracurricular activities, there may actually be more opportunities at a small college, because there are fewer students competing to write for the school paper or work at the campus radio station. Since smaller colleges generally don’t have graduate students, courses are less likely to be taught by teaching assistants, and there are often more opportunities for students to collaborate with professors on research projects.

While small colleges offer many benefits, they’re not for everyone. Some students thrive on the excitement of seeing thousands of people walking across campus every day. They know what they want and are assertive enough to pursue it. They get to know their professors during office hours and seek help when they need it. They aren’t intimidated dealing with bureaucracy. They will create a sense of community by getting involved in activities. The key to a successful college experience, as always, is finding a good match for each student.