In - Your Guide to College Admissions from The Princeton Review

Questions You Shouldn’t Ask College Reps

The college representatives you meet during campus visits and college fairs will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have about their school.

While these reps can be a great resource in your college search, you should keep in mind that they’re also gathering some information—about you. They’ll file your conversation with the admissions office and note whether it was generally negative or positive. This will be part of your application if you decide to apply.

So, before you ask a question of a college rep, take a moment to consider how it will reflect on you as a potential applicant.

Some questions are unnecessary. (If you can find the answer on the college’s website, it falls under this category.) Such questions can make you seem like a less-than-serious candidate.

Others questions are inappropriate. (If you’d be embarrassed to ask it in front of your parents, it might be better to save it for a student at the school rather than an official rep.) Such questions can create doubts about your maturity level.

Writing on The Choice, the president of Lipscomb University recently advised potential applicants to think before asking the following questions of college reps:

• Do you have my major?
• Where am I going to live?
• Who is on the faculty?
• Is this a party school?

Click here to read more about each one on The Choice.

The Alma Maters of Successful CEOs

U.S. News recently identified the colleges and universities from which the current Fortune 500 CEOs have received the greatest numbers of degrees. Click here to check out its list.

The Serious State of Student Debt

The New York Times recently began a new series of articles on student debt in the U.S.

As college costs have risen, so has the prevalence of student loans. According to the Times, 94 percent of bachelor's degree recipients now carry student debt.

Recently, the federal government has attempted to help students to better understand the ramifications of college costs. It has mandated the net price calculators seen on college websites and proposed a standardized form for financial aid offers.

However, the responsibility for paying for college ultimately lies with students.

Students should know the consequences of any student loans they might be considering, including the amount and number of monthly payments involved. Additionally, before they borrow, they should realistically evaluate the job market and starting salaries in their fields of interest.

Click here to read more on the Times.

Separating the College from the Tour Guide

You might find your tour guide funny. Or you might find him annoying. Whatever your opinion of him, Montgomery Educational Consulting says you shouldn’t let it unduly influence your feelings of the college you’re visiting.

After all, the tour guide is just one student. When you visit a college, you should be sure to explore on your own and speak with the other students you see on campus.

Click here to read more on the Montgomery Educational Consulting blog.

A Tale of Two Waitlists

Decision day for college applicants has come and gone, and colleges now have a better sense of which applicants will—and won’t—arrive on campus this fall.

So, are waitlisted students now getting a second look?

At some schools, yes; at others, no.

A recent post on the Campus Overload blog investigates the status of the waitlist at several colleges. While some schools have begun to admit a few waitlisted students, others have not admitted any and have no plans to do so. Click here to check out the post.

If you’ve chosen to remain on a particular school’s waitlist, it’s not a bad idea to contact them at this juncture. Ask whether they are beginning to admit waitlisted students and, if so, how many.

A Student’s View: Decision Time

Jennifer Angelo is a high school senior and a contributor to The Princeton Review’s IN blog.

I always wondered where I would go to college, and, along the way, I pictured myself on many different campuses.

After years of wondering, my decision ultimately came down to two schools: Lehigh and Northwestern. My acceptance to Northwestern was a bit of a surprise; the school was a “reach” for me, so I felt as if I had to consider its offer extra seriously.

Having never visited Northwestern—or even Chicago, for that matter—I made the trip a few weeks ago. I fell in love with Chicago the very first night. It was cold and windy, but it was very easy to see myself living there.

However, when I visited the Northwestern campus the next day, I had trouble determining whether I could see myself there.

“Window Shopping” Colleges

Early in your college search, visiting colleges might be like going “window shopping”; you’re not yet ready to buy, but you’re gaining lots of information about what you want.

Students should try to visit all types of schools (big, small, urban, rural, public, private, etc.) to get a sense of their ideal college experience. These early visits can be close to home to minimize costs.

Click here to learn more on the College Planning Blog.

Colleges that Still Have Seats—and Aid—for the Fall

Sometimes the unthinkable happens and a college applicant is left without a single viable option for the coming fall.

There are many possible reasons for such a scenario. Perhaps the student got into a great school but didn’t receive enough financial aid; or she realized that she doesn’t really like any of the schools that accepted her; or she aimed too high and didn’t get in anywhere.

Whatever the reason, those who find themselves such a position still have plenty of options. According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s Space Availability Survey, 362 colleges still have seats as well as financial aid available for the fall. Click here to check out the full list.

Tip: if you’re interested in submitting another round of apps, do so ASAP—these remaining spots tend to fill up quickly.

When Considering Colleges, Weigh Costs and Resources

The financial part of the college decision is a bit of a balancing act: you don’t want to pay more tuition than you must, but you also don’t want to attend a cash-strapped school with low graduation rates.

Joanne Jacobs, an expert on the community college scene, points out that students who take longer to graduate also wait longer for the increased earning potential of a degree. In this way, a cheaper school can end up costing more in the long run.

Click here to read more.

Applicants: Commit by May 1st to Ensure Your Seat

Tomorrow is D-Day (decision day) for applicants; it’s the last day most colleges will allow you to confirm your intention to enroll and submit the required deposit(s).

To this end, MyCollegeCalendar.org has posted some helpful info on committing via mail or online.

Still torn between two or more schools? Check out the IN post on making the final decision. Our posts on costs and intangible factors could also be helpful.

Congrats again on your acceptances!