The official e-newsletter of The Equestrian College Advisor.

From the blog:

I’ve written at great length about the college essay in previous blog posts. I’ve discussed the four most common mistakes equestrians make in application essays, listed the five topics you may notwrite about, and even gone in-depth about each one of the prompts offered by the folks at the Common Application. It’s a topic with a lot of fodder for discussion and one that I love – as my undergraduate degree in English can attest. (I often tell students who are nervous to begin the writing process not to worry because the college application essay is kind of my jam.)

Still, every year when it comes time for my soon-to-be-seniors to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard), I find a new way to support their writing process – and new information to share with you in this humble blog. This year is no different and, as I encounter a new crop of nervous students who have but 650 words to share themselves with admission committees and no idea of where to begin (or how to reach the destination once they set out), let me begin by saying that nearly all topics are fair game (the list of topics to avoid still stands, by the way) and that the only way you can truly go wrong is if you commit one of the five cardinal sins of the college application essay. Read More

The beginning of my sophomore year was different.

 It was a huge disappointment for me. I still found myself sitting on the bench, going in the last-minute or so when my team was up big. The basketball season is a grind, and I don’t care what anybody says, winter sports (basketball and wresting) are the most challenging. The weather is cold, it gets dark at 4:30, it’s long, there are 3-4 games a week at times… it’s exhausting. The weak will not survive, and at that time, I was weak. I begged my parents to let me quit the team.

Read More

Many prospective students choose a college for its location, its reputation or even its campus vibe. Here are three reasons to choose a college based on price.

Read More

Related links:NerdWallet: Is College Worth It? Here’s How to Do the Math http://bit.ly/nerdwallet-is-college-worth-it

U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov

U.S. Department of Labor: Occupational Outlook Handbook https://www.bls.gov/ooh/

Campus Visits 101As winter loosens its grip on chillier parts of the United States, many families have begun to plan campus visits to help identify the right college or university for their sons or daughters. For juniors, it might mean a first trip to campus to investigate the opportunities at a school on their radar; for seniors, it might mean a return visit to a few favorites in an effort to reach a final decision.Regardless of class year, how do you make a campus visit as successful as it can be?

• Do your research. Before you ever arrive on campus, use the school’s web site and social media channels to learn as much as you can about its programs and culture. Learn how much tuition costs, what majors are offered, and what type of student excels there. This prior research can help you when it comes to bullet point number two, which is:

• Ask questions. It sounds so simple and yet it’s something that many families forget to do. Swayed by the rhythmic tones of a well-scripted tour guide and distracted by well-maintained buildings, students and parents alike forget that the primary purpose of a campus visit is to evaluate the merits of a particular school; as such, everything is subject to question and faculty, staff, and students alike should be able to provide answers about everything you want to know. If they can’t (or won’t), that could be a sign that the institution isn’t the right place for you.

• Dig deeper. Most campuses will offer a general tour and information session for families to get a first glimpse of their offerings, but it isn’t enough to really get to know a school. Students should seize opportunities to sit in on classes, eat a meal in a campus dining facility, meet one on one with faculty or coaches, and talk with students who are out and about on campus but aren’t tour guides. In short, pretend to be an enrolled student and see if you like it.

• Read. College campuses are covered in flyers, posters, signs, and many even feature sidewalk chalk advertisements for events or organizations. As a visitor, read as much as you can to get a feel for what’s happening on campus and what people are talking about. Pick up a copy of the student newspaper and read it cover to cover – the editorials in particular. Reading as much as you can will give you the most information about what’s important to the student body.

After each visit, be sure you also take down as many pertinent notes as possible. Once you’ve taken two or three tours, the campuses can begin to blur together a bit in your mind and the notes can help you not only keep them straight, but remember what follow up questions you want to ask on a return visit or when it contact with your admission counselor.

Share