Why Are You Applying Here?

The “Why are you applying to our college?” essay prompt on many Common Application college supplements can be more challenging than the longer Personal Essay because it is tough to respond in a way that doesn’t come across as insincere and irrelevant.

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Sarah DohlComment
Getting College-ed: October 2021

Every month, College Solutions features a new edition of Getting College-ed, an editorial cartoon created by College Solutions’ own Lee Ann Gun. Check out this month’s edition below, and sign up to get future editions straight to your inbox.

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Sarah DohlComment
Volunteering Opportunities In the Midst of a Pandemic

In the spring of 2020, many volunteer opportunities came to a crashing halt. Schools closed, clubs stopped meeting, community centers shut their doors and students went inside, behind closed doors, as the authorities attempted to crush the curve of the Covid-19 outbreak. Suddenly, young people who were used to serving meals at the homeless shelter, volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club, tutoring the freshman math students, and helping out their schools’ sports teams, were unable to take on anything outside the house. After the initial shock of the required switch to virtual learning, those same enthusiastic and eager students started to reach out and add community service back into their lives. Here are some great ideas.

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Sarah DohlComment
Financial Matters: The CSS Profile

The bulk of college financial aid money comes from the federal government; this aid is distributed by colleges using information supplied by families when they complete the FAFSA, available October 1. About 400 colleges, universities and scholarship programs, however, use an additional form, the CSS Profile, to gather more information in order to award their own institutional funds to deserving students. Here’s what you need to know.

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Sarah DohlComment
MAJOR SPOTLIGHT: International Relations & Political Science

Although Business is currently the most popular major for college students, the social sciences account for the second most frequently chosen major. The social sciences address the problems and challenges that affect our world today, and the knowledge and skills gained in these areas can be applied to nearly any career path. Our increasingly global society provides numerous opportunities for international relations graduates. Political science studies equip students for leadership positions as well as graduate studies in areas such as law.

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Sarah DohlComment
The Importance of "Likely" Colleges

Most students add a couple of “likely” schools to their college lists without giving these safer colleges much thought, because the applicants don’t imagine they will need to attend one of them. However, students should apply only to colleges that they are willing to attend (and gladly!). Thus, you need to spend as much time researching the schools likely to admit you as you do on the schools likely to deny you. In fact, your safety might just end up being your dream school.

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Sarah DohlComment
Getting College-ed: September 2021

Every month, College Solutions features a new edition of Getting College-ed, an editorial cartoon created by College Solutions’ own Lee Ann Gun. Check out this month’s edition below, and sign up to get future editions straight to your inbox.

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Sarah DohlComment
Early Decision or Early Action?

Over 450 colleges offer Early Decision or Early Action application plans. Some offer both. Before deciding whether you should apply Early Decision or Early Action, it’s important to understand the differences between these plans and applying in the regular decision round. Here are answers to some of the most common questions families have about Early Decision and Early Action.

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Sarah DohlComment
Financial Matters: What to Know About Filing the FAFSA

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the primary form used by colleges to determine eligibility for need-based aid. A small number of colleges will not even consider an applicant for merit aid unless that student has first submitted a FAFSA. The FAFSA should be filed as soon as possible after October 1 of the student’s senior year, and then yearly while attending college.

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Sarah DohlComment
MAJOR SPOTLIGHT: Applied Math

If math has been one of your favorite classes in high school and you love to solve problems, especially those with only one “right” answer, you might want to consider a major in math. Don’t see yourself as a mathematician? Look instead to a study of applied mathematics.

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Sarah DohlComment
STUDENT STORY: A Big Secret

The College Solutions Team recently caught up with College Solutions rising senior Owen to talk about his internship this summer at Big Secret, a company that makes keepsakes out of wood, glass, plastic, metal, and acrylic materials.

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Sarah Dohl Comment
September To-Dos for Students

Back to school time is a busy period for high school students. Every month, College Solutions provides an overview of some of the key college planning and admissions activities for students. Here’s the list for September!

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Sarah DohlComment
10 Suggestions to Engage Your Reluctant Student

Feel like you’re dragging your high schooler through the college stuff? They don’t seem excited about college or the process. When a student is not engaged, to parents it looks a lot like lack of motivation. More likely, though, your student is feeling overwhelmed about the unknowns, confused about major and career interests, and/or fearful – fear of the unknown, fear of moving away, fear of not succeeding and fear of letting family down.

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Sarah DohlComment