Archive for the 'Applying to College' Category

Several experts insist: “Too many Americans are going to college.”

The question, “Is college right for me?”, is a relatively simple one to pose. Unfortunately, while it is easy to construct the question, the answer is extremely complicated.

First, there is the ongoing message from a number of government officials (including President Barack Obama), that to compete in a global marketplace, we need to have an educated populace. Given the recent economic downturn, that idea translates to a more distinct message, to find meaningful work you must have a college diploma.

Backing that assertion is a great deal of data. From higher wages over one’s lifetime to greater job security during economic recessions, those with a bachelor’s degree consistently fare better than those with only a high school education.

But more and more we are learning that the above statement fails to carry the whole message. Today we know that many of those employed and earning higher wages are also struggling immensely because of the significant debt they took on while earning that degree.

Worse yet is the group that made the attempt to follow the American dream but could not complete the coursework along the way. These individuals, many also saddled with enormous college debt, now find themselves without the means to pay off the debt they accrued.

The problem with the college assertion is that officials consistently point towards the traditional, four-year bachelor’s degree program as the answer. The result is that many students who are unprepared for and thus unable to handle the academic rigor associated with such programs are pursuing access to that specific form of higher education.

Given that college has become big business, these students always find some school willing to accept them. These individuals then often borrow vast sums to pursue a degree that is not only well beyond their financial means, it is questionable as to whether they have the academic ability to be able to earn that coveted diploma.

The bottom line, according to a number of experts, is that too many Americans are going to four-year colleges to pursue a bachelor’s degree. That statement is often shortened to a more generalized assertion, “Too many Americans are going to college.”

The Experts

There are a number of critics of the assertion of college for everyone. One of the most outspoken is Charles Murray, a political scientist and scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. In a recent discussion with The Chronicle of Higher Education on this issue, Murray offered this telling assessment.

“It has been empirically demonstrated that doing well (B average or better) in a traditional college major in the arts and sciences requires levels of linguistic and logical/mathematical ability that only 10 to 15 percent of the nation’s youth possess.”

The focus on the need to handle the academic rigor associated with higher education is often overlooked. The fact of the matter is that most college majors are extremely demanding, far more challenging than anything a student faces in high school, and thus many students, once admitted, are simply unable to match the curriculum demands of their program no matter how hard they try.

Murray went on to add the right piece of information, that education in total is not the issue. He further stated:

“That doesn’t mean that only 10 to 15 percent should get more than a high-school education. It does mean that the four-year residential program leading to a B.A. is the wrong model for a large majority of young people.”

Yet another cautionary realist is Marty Nemko. The career counselor based in Oakland, CA was a recent participant in the same Chronicle discussion:

“Students with weak academic records should be informed that, of freshmen at ‘four year’ colleges who graduated in the bottom 40 percent of their high-school class, two-thirds won’t graduate even if given eight and a half years. And that even if such students defy the odds, they will likely graduate with a low GPA and a major in low demand by employers.”

Nemko believes that most students are not provided with in-depth counseling regarding the higher education decision. Prior to application, acceptance and matriculation into a collegiate program, Nemko asserts: “All high-school students should receive a cost-benefit analysis of the various options suitable to their situations: four-year college, two-year degree program, short-term career-prep program, apprenticeship program, on-the-job training, self-employment, the military.”

This sane voice not only cries out amidst the rather simplistic assertions of college for everyone, he is willing to task those institutions wrongfully accepting students.

“A college should not admit a student it believes would more wisely attend another institution or pursue a non-college, post-secondary option,” states Nemko. “Students’ lives are at stake, not just enrollment targets.”

And as for those who insist that the failure to earn a diploma results in a lifelong sentence to unemployment, Richard K. Vedder, director of the Center for College Affordability and Productivity and professor of economics at Ohio University, had this to say to folks at The Chronicle:

“The number of new jobs requiring a college degree is now less than the number of young adults graduating from universities, so more and more graduates are filling jobs for which they are academically overqualified.”

To which Bryan Caplan, associate professor of economics at George Mason University, added: “Most college courses teach few useful job skills; their main function is to signal to employers that students are smart, hard-working, and conformist.”

Shadow versus Substance

Unfortunately, we Americans have consistently sold the shadow in place of real substance. As Murray so aptly puts it, the bachelor’s degree has “become an emblem of first-class citizenship” in our country.

It is a completely misguided focus according to Murray who goes on to add, “We have a moral obligation to destroy the current role of the B.A. in American life.”

Meanwhile, everywhere one turns there is a growing consensus that America is facing a real shortage of skilled tradesman. Whether it is a reliable automotive mechanic or a competent plumber, there are a number of jobs that offer excellent wage potential without the need for a four-year degree. Yet these positions go wanting in today’s push for college for all students.

What has disappeared, likely for good, are highly-paid, low-skill jobs. To be successful today, one does need core academic skills such as the ability to read, to write, and to think. One also needs to have a strong work ethic. But one does not need to attend four years of college to obtain these basic core skills.

In addition, other skills are highly valued, but such skills can be learned in a variety of settings. In addition to the four-year bachelor’s degree option, higher education includes the vocational trades. Instead of blindly following others on the path of the four-year institutions, students should consider viable schools that teach one of the many trades. Becoming a beautician, truck driver, carpenter, mason or plumber involves learning specific skills that are available at these trade schools, often at a fraction of the cost.

Within the medical profession there are also a number of entry-level positions that offer solid career potential. Medical office personnel are in extremely high demand as are personal care assistants and other patient support personnel. Here again, a four-year degree is simply not required though students may need to pursue a two-year associate’s degree for access to the better-paying options.

Who Should Attend College?

We started with the basic question, “Is college right for me?” To answer that question, we note there are a number of students who should bypass the wrongful emphasis on a four-year degree.

First, the figures from Nemko are very telling – if you had trouble with the academic expectations set forth in high school you are truly at risk for not being able to complete a four-year college degree. As Murray notes, the level of difficulty associated with college coursework is a full shelf or two above anything the average high school student faces.

Second, you need to understand your preferred learning style. Traditional colleges rely extensively on book learning, i.e., reading and writing, to introduce material to students. While some schools have shifted to e-learning, higher tech models that offer more in the way of visual and auditory stimulus, the bottom line is much of what you learn at the university-level is done in abstract formats.

If your preference is to learn by doing or by using your hands, then you may want to consider something other the traditional four-year, higher education model. Otherwise you could become frustrated and disenchanted over time by the book learning process. The last thing you want to have happen is to become one of those negative statistics, five and half years of higher education, tens of thousands in debt, yet still without a diploma in hand.

Most importantly, unless you or your family possesses unlimited means, you owe it to yourself and to them to carefully think through the concept of college. The fact of the matter is that too many students are mortgaging their future by borrowing huge sums to be able to pursue that bachelor’s degree.

Today the average school-related debt for college graduates tops $20,000. That figure does not include other debt students might soon incur, whether it is in the form of a credit card, the purchase of that first automobile or ultimately buying a home.

If you are one of the people who will need to borrow such sums, then you must take the time to do the cost analysis described by Nemko. Taking on such a debt level requires a full cost-benefit analysis based on potential future earnings you can expect to receive upon completing your diploma. In too many cases, students have taken on debt levels that require such large repayment schedules that they essentially crippled the very future they were hoping to secure.

College Is Not for Everyone

There is a growing consensus that college, specifically the traditional four-year bachelor’s degree option, is not for everyone. There are many other viable options of higher education that can lead to promising careers, options that feature solid earnings potential and job satisfaction.

As a student, it is imperative that you do not get caught up in the rhetoric or the idea that the only path to career success in America involves a four-year degree program. Instead, assess the various options according to your skills, your interests and your means, then select the path that is right for you.

Students searching for the right college have a variety of sources available that help provide advice during the selection process. In recent years, a good many individuals have come to rely upon the U.S. News and World Report for its well-known college ratings guide.

However, incidents involving questionable reporting by the University of Southern California and the suggestion by folks at Clemson that the U.S. News data can be manipulated have raised concerns with the accuracy of the information provided by this publication.

So it is not too surprising to see the launch of a new site, WhatWillTheyLearn.com, which seeks to provide some additional information about the college landscape.

Interesting Focus

Touted as a guide to provide insight that other rankings and college guides fail to address, WhatWillTheyLearn attempts to determine the schools that “are making sure their students learn what they need to know.” Suggesting that most colleges and universities are using a do-it-yourself curriculum approach, a process leading to graduates “with a thin and patchy education,” the free website is designed to help parents and students determine which “colleges are preparing their graduates to succeed.”

To determine which universities are making sure their students learn what they need to know, institutions are rated on seven key areas of knowledge.

Former Harvard Dean Harry Lewis represents the public face of the site. He notes that the requirements that colleges impose, though specifically designed to make sure students receive a well-rounded education, are actually very misleading.

Lewis notes: these requirements “often simply call for one course in the humanities, one course in social science, and so on.” Unfortunately, according to Lewis, “On some campuses, it doesn’t matter at all what courses are chosen, as long as they are in the right categories. Other schools limit the courses so that they meet some special criteria, but there is little sense of how each individual course relates to the others.”

Lewis is not pleased with this development and goes on to add, “This is deplorable … at its best, general education is about the unity of knowledge, not about distributed knowledge. Not about spreading courses around, but about making connections between different ideas. Not about the freedom to combine random ingredients, but about joining an ancient lineage of the learned and wise. And it has a goal, too: producing an enlightened, self-reliant citizenry, pluralistic and diverse but united by democratic values.”

As for one very specific example of the hodge podge nature of college curricula on college campuses, Lewis touts the studies that reveal many “college graduates are ignorant of the basic principles on which our government runs.” According to Lewis, it is easy to understand why “most cannot identify the purpose of the First Amendment, what Reconstruction was, or the historical context of the Voting Rights Act.

“The vast majority of our colleges have made a course on the broad themes of U.S. history or government optional. This is especially dangerous in America, where nothing holds us together except our democratic principles.”

Grading System Used

WhatWillTheyLearn focuses on a couple of pieces of information often provided in other catalogs including how much schools will be charging and how many of their students earn a degree. But the site also provides information on what a college will expect graduates to study outside their majors.

Essentially, to determine the state of a respective school’s general education program, WhatWillTheyLearn examines whether or not a school requires seven key subjects: English composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics, and science. These are subjects, according to the website, that have become “mere options on far too many campuses.”

To provide a rating for a school, WhatWillTheyLearn looks at very specific course elements. For example, in Composition, the expectation is an introductory college writing class focusing on grammar, style, clarity, and argument. For Literature, the expectation is a course featuring a broad comprehensive literature survey and cannot be simply “narrow, single-author, or esoteric courses.” In the area of Foreign Language, there is a demand for demonstrated “competency at the intermediate level, defined as at least three semesters of college-level study in any foreign language.”

For U.S. Government or History, the expectation is a “survey course in either U.S. government or history, with enough chronological and topical breadth to expose students to the sweep of American history and institutions” while “narrow, niche courses do not count for the requirement, nor do courses that only focus on a narrow chronological period or a specific state or region.” In the field of Economics, the requirement is an introductory course covering basic economic principles in micro- or macroeconomics and to be valid it must be taught by faculty from the economics or business departments.

In Mathematics, the requirement is for a college-level course (advanced algebra, trigonometry, calculus, computer programming, statistics/probability, or mathematical reasoning at or above the intermediate level). And in the Natural or Physical Science field, the expectation is a college-level course in “astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, physics, or environmental science, preferably with a laboratory component” (and must be taught by faculty from within the school’s science department).

Using these criteria, a school is assigned a grade based on how many of these seven subjects students are required to complete while earning their diploma (A: 6-7 core subjects required, B: 4-5 core subjects required, C: 3 core subjects required, D: 2 core subjects required, and F: 0-1 core subjects required).

Liberal Arts Proponent

Some may see the site as having a specific bias as it is sponsored by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA), an independent, non-profit organization that was launched in 1995. According to their website, ACTA is “committed to academic freedom, excellence, and accountability at America’s colleges and universities” and to ensuring “that the next generation receives a philosophically rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price.”

That said, it must be noted that ACTA is a huge supporter of the liberal arts education model. Yet it is interesting to see a proposed model that does not demand a full liberal arts approach, just a more focused curriculum in the general education courses.

Since one can never have too much information, we suggest students check to see how the schools they are considering stack up on this new site. Again, this is not your U.S. News and World Report version (it was astonishing to see Bowdoin College receive an F). Just be forewarned, the site is still in the early stages with only 125 or so schools rated.

As high school students contemplate college and their choice of major, they would do well to consider some of the current buzz about the future of higher education. Many experts are questioning the failure of these institutions to adapt to a changing society.

Last November, Kent Pitman, was one of those folks raising some concerns. In “College: An Overpriced Monopoly” Pitman offered some excellent points as to why the current system may well be outdated.

More importantly, he offered some suggestions for the next generation of students, ideas that reinforce the growth of the online education model even as he suggested the eventual demise of the traditional on-campus, four-year program.

Too Much About the Sheepskin?

The first interesting Pitman assertion is that colleges today are selling degrees to students. But he is not talking solely about those diploma mills that provide a worthless sheepskin for a few dollars.

No, Pitman is suggesting that all colleges are guilty of this endeavor. The only difference is that the established schools ask for a significant commitment from the student before providing that diploma: four years, 120 hours of coursework and tens of thousands of dollars.

Pitman notes that in theory, during those four years students master certain skills and gain the requisite knowledge necessary to be successful in their field and future career. But what has come to matter far more is something other than the knowledge gained.

Instead, all of society has come to support the notion that it is the degree that matters, that without it your future will be far more limited, your earnings far lower, and your chance at a long successful life almost nonexistent.

At the same time, as Pitman notes, we are seeing a very extraordinary development. In what is considered an incredible opportunity for the public at large, “MIT has made its online courseware of about 1800 courses available online for free.” Several other highly-thought of institutions have followed suit.

Now everyone has free access to the curriculum of some of our nation’s finest schools. Learners with an Internet connection have been given the chance to develop significant competencies without so much as shelling out a dollar.

But there is one thing missing. Completing the MIT courses (or those of another school) at home leaves you without the critical component valued by society, a degree.

Pitman insists that this “is a cue that something is amiss.” Looking deeper, Pitman has this to say about the move by MIT: “At the same time as it (MIT) offers knowledge to many, it seems to me to also say, ‘we’re secure in our understanding that our value is in our name, and we’re keeping that just as scarce as it was before, even if the understanding we offer is made ubiquitously available.’

“Of course, they might be saying that the lectures just aren’t good enough to get across the course material and that the real value of their program is in the ability to ask questions interactively. But I somehow doubt that. I think it’s about the brand.”

The Purpose of College

While it may be easy to knock the current structure, there is one thing that must be made clear. Society has come to value the bachelor degree credential so much (right or wrong) that aspiring workers must play the game if they are to have an opportunity in today’s challenging job market.

At the same time, one might ask, what ultimately is the purpose of attending college? Is it solely to earn that sheepskin or is it about a series of life experiences that helps one develop as a person? Should it be all that and more?

Here Pitman speaks bluntly: “The first goal of college must be to get a proper basis for getting started with a job, and preferably a career.” Yet he goes further: “anything beyond that is great, but is not a basic educational requirement.”

Therefore, while it may be nice to be able to set four years of one’s life aside to “really think and grow in ways that don’t even relate to work,” that perhaps has become just too costly for a large number of American families. Today students need credentials; they do not necessarily need the peripheral experiences associated with college.

The key element is that students must first carefully consider how much they are willing to expend to earn the credential. But at the same time, students must determine for themselves what experiences are essential to preparing them for that career of choice.

Pitman notes: “I think the solution is to get more serious about packaging the education part in a way that doesn’t force you to bundle in all the extras.

“Yes, it will be sad for some people to miss out on all the extras. But it will be sadder still if you hold rigidly to the elitist line that college must be all or nothing. Because that kind of statement is spoken by someone who’s used to getting the all, not the nothing.”

The Future of Higher Education

Pitman insists that higher education must change its format moving forward, that the acquisition of knowledge and skills has to become the thing that matters. If he is right, then the time has come for us to determine a way to figure out how to measure whether or not a student has acquired that intellectual background.

But the vast majority of schools are not currently seeking such a path. Instead, according to Pitman, most colleges today “seem focused on selling a particular type of hand-holding at a premium price rather than on maximizing the amount of learning per dollar.”

In contrast, the future will belong to those schools that can deliver their product at a price students can afford to pay.

Add to that notion a rather different development, the notion of a very different, 21st century working world. Whereas once upon a time a single four-year period of education might prepare a person for a lifetime of work, the general consensus today is that future jobs will last only a few years.

With people potentially changing careers several times, the idea of attending school once in one’s younger years seemingly will have to give way to a pattern that features frequent returns for further schooling. That will also mean the development of additional credential forms, a format other than the traditional bachelor’s and master’s degree program, to distinguish this move towards life-long learning.

Online Education Flourishing

Given the developments noted by Pitman it is easy to see why online education has become the choice for so many students. First, it eliminates those bundled extras, focusing instead on the learning. There is no costs for room and board and no athletic fees.

Second, while professors design courses and hold students accountable, there is no hand-holding. Credit comes from demonstrated mastery of the curricula, not some time sitting in a classroom. Students progress at their own pace and do their coursework at a time and place that makes sense for them as individuals.

Lastly, online education is far more attuned to the needs of those with multiple interests and responsibilities. If new credentials are to be earned, most workers are not able to simply stop working to attend classes. Family and work demands are not conducive to on-campus classes or four-year commitments.

Meanwhile, one would think that other models would soon emerge that provide similar flexibility. Such models would need to be constructed with input from a number of different constituent groups: students, business leaders, government officials and college administrators.

Collectively, these groups must create new models that address some very valid Pitman points, particularly the need for new methods of measuring the attainment of knowledge and skills. Most importantly, those measures must lay to rest the basic premise that a four-year bachelor’s degree is somehow the primary yardstick.

Meanwhile, future high school students will likely face some difficult decisions as new forms emerge that seek to compete with the current models. According to Pitman (and others), the current situation is nothing but a monopoly, an overpriced one at that.

Unfortunately, current structures are likely to remain resistant to change unless students begin voting with their feet. If students were to begin to heavily opt for schools that are more in line with the 21st century, perhaps the impetus would be in place for traditional college programs to evolve accordingly.

But if students continue to buy into the current format (such as they currently do) then we can expect very little in the way of changes from higher education.

We see where a New York woman has taken the extraordinary step of suing the college where she earned her bachelor’s degree. Trina Thompson, 27, recently filed a lawsuit against Monroe College seeking to recover the $70,000 she spent on tuition.

Thompson was awarded a degree last April in information technology. She is suing the school based on her failure to attain employment in her field of study, insisting that the college’s Office of Career Advancement did not provide her with the leads and career advice the school had promised.

According to her mother, Thompson is “very angry at her current situation.” Indeed, being without work and with student loans now coming due, Thompson finds herself in a real predicament.

Expected Response

Not too surprisingly, Monroe College took strong exception to being sued on such grounds. College spokesman Gary Axelbank used very strong language in responding to the claim, stating that suit was “completely without merit” and did not deserve further consideration.

We suspect that the response of many other school spokespeople would be similar if their school were to be served with such a legal claim. We also have to say that Axelbank is essentially right on legal grounds.

Certainly a college cannot be held liable simply because one of its graduates cannot find employment. Even if the student successfully completed her academic program and was awarded a diploma, a degree is not a job guarantee, certainly not in this job market.

But while Monroe’s response might be expected, it is interesting to note that there are colleges who take this matter to heart. In fact, one small college in Maine, Thomas College, has what it calls its “Thomas Promise.”

Yes, this school stands behind the education it provides and insists that it will help graduates find a job in their profession. And the school backs it up with real dollars.

The Promise

Thomas College is in Waterville, Maine, sharing the town with one of the nation’s top small liberal arts schools, Colby College. For ten years now Thomas has made a special promise to its graduates: a guaranteed job after graduation.

And we are not talking about summer fill in, part-time work. We mean a real job in the student’s chosen field of study.

If a student is unable to find a job by graduation, he or she continues to meet with a college career advisor to find a permanent job. If the student does not find such a job within six months of graduation, then Thomas College will pay the first year of the student’s subsidized federal loans or until they find employment, whichever comes first.

Perhaps even more amazingly, if a graduate finds employment but does not like their chosen profession, he or she may return to Thomas to study tuition-free. The offer includes the costs of up to two additional undergraduate years to take more courses or half of the graduate courses required to complete a Master’s degree program.

The school does set forth two criteria that students must meet to be eligible. You do have to earn at least a 2.75 grade point average and you must, during your undergraduate years at school, do an internship.

Both requirements make sense. You cannot simply skate by, you need to show decent academic progress. And doing an internship just might be one of the most valuable aspects of any college program as it gives students first hand experience working in their chosen field.

Colleges Should Deliver the Goods

The promise represents an amazing commitment but clearly the school works hard on behalf of graduates. Thomas has a placement rate of better than 90% for the ten years of the program. In 2008, in a normal job market year, the school’s placement rate was 96 percent.

Of course, Maine is a bit unusual as only one in three Mainers has a college degree. So, graduates certainly have enormous advantages when it comes to applying for work.

Though the school is the only one we know of making such promise, the steps taken by Thomas are definitely more in line with what one would expect if colleges were to operate within the business sector. Standing behind a product is something we have come to expect especially if that product represents a significant purchase dollar-wise.

Monroe might be okay with its response in a legal sense. And it may be a bit unfair to pass any judgment on the suit; certainly it must be a collaborative effort between the student and the school when it comes to the job search process and we cannot fairly comment on the efforts made by the plaintiff.

But given the cost of a college education, the overall matter deserves serious thought. In fact, we think that it is time that every school stands behind the product it delivers.

A liberal arts education may sell itself but science, well sometimes you just might need to use the age-old college staples, gorgeous young ladies and that drink of choice.

Such seems to be the case for ScienceCopenhagen, the new YouTube channel from the Videoer fra Det Naturvidenskabelige Fakultet, Københavns Universitet (translation, the Faculty of Science, the University of Copenhagen).

I suppose we should be offended when sex is used to sell education – but we could not help but smile when we first saw this little gem:

And how about those lyrics:

Do you want a piece of me, my creator, I am your creation??

We couldn’t get a specific translation for cafeen but this sure looks like the classic beer bottle domino line – oh, the lengths a student will go through when he is too tired to hoist his own:

And defying the laws of physics, times three. Yes, we did say times three. And the music, another killer track!

Yep, with the right efforts, it seems you can even sell science. Is anybody in America paying attention?

There is clear evidence that familiarity with the types of questions asked on tests like the SAT and the ACT will help students perform better on these important exams. The idea that scores can be improved has led to an entire industry that features various test-prep standardized test coaching models.

However, there is mounting evidence that these extremely expensive test-prep coaching programs do very little for students despite marketing claims to the contrary. A new report by the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that the costly coaching of test-prep firms boosted average SAT scores by a mere 30 points combined on the verbal and math sections (1600 possible) and but one point on the ACT (36 possible points).

Such numbers pale against the claims from these firms that coaching can help students improve by hundreds of points on the SAT or as much as five points on the ACT. When all is said and done, it appears that the gains students make after these expensive coaching sessions (more than a $1,000 per program), on average, could have been obtained in a more cost-effective manner.

Some Shady Doings Alleged

According to critics, some test-prep firms attempt to inflate their impact by giving students mock tests that are actually harder than the true exams. When students take those harder, sample tests, they obtain lower scores than normal. Later, when they take the real test, the students obtain much higher scores, a result that leads these test-prep firms to claim they have significantly helped students.

One such example is cited by John Hechinger writing for The Wall Street Journal. The article tells the tale of Jonah Varon, a straight-A student at Lowell High School in San Francisco, who theoretically scored 2060 out of a possible 2400 on a mock test by one coaching company, Revolution Prep, but later scored a perfect 2400, 340 points higher, on the real test.

Hechinger notes that Revolution Prep offers students a “score improvement guarantee.” The firm stipulates students will improve SAT test results by 200 points – the caveat, students who do not obtain a 200 point or more gain are not given their money back. Instead, they get to take the course a second time for free.

Varon gathered test scores from 15 classmates who apparently had very similar experiences then wrote an article for his school newspaper. Varon contended that either the mock test was scored more harshly or the exam was simply harder than a typical exam.

He concluded: “It seems like dishonest advertising.”

Colleges Feed into the Test-Prep Frenzy

Unfortunately, one key issue fueling the test-prep industry is the number of colleges that continue to place great emphasis on standardized test results and in particular see a 30 point difference among students as significantly relevant. Simply stated, at some schools, even the smallest of gains can be critical in the admissions process.

The report notes that colleges essentially promote SAT-prep courses whenever they establish a baseline score. The report also notes that many schools indicate that the thirty point difference could in fact be the catalyst for that student to be admitted.

So while it seems inconceivable that it would be worth it to spend thousands of dollars only to see a student’s combined math and verbal results go from 1110 to 1140, on the more selective side, the difference from 1310 to 1340 could matter, at least at some schools.

Try a Cost-Effective Approach First

If it just so happens that money is no object for you, utilizing one of these test-prep firms certainly would help you gain familiarity with the format of these exams and the type of questions that would be asked. However, familiarity can be gained in a number of other ways at costs much less than the $1,000 coaching course or the $100 per hour private tutorial sessions offered by these test-prep firms.

In talking with Hechinger, College Board senior vice president Laurence Bunin acknowledged that “familiarity with the SAT tends to provide the biggest short-term gains for students.” He of course recommended the materials provided by the College Board including their $20 study guide.

Other options do exist, each at a fraction of the price of the private test-prep tutorials. Unless money is truly no object, students owe it to themselves and their families to consider the most reasonable options.

When it comes to choosing a specific online program over that of a traditional program, there are essentially three major areas to consider.

The first is a person’s rationale for choosing to study online rather than on a traditional college campus. The second is whether to choose an entirely online program or one of the more innovative hybrid options. Finally, there is the traditional decision for any college selection, the choice of an actual school.

The Rationale for Online Education

The primary reason to consider an online education program over that of a traditional, on-campus study option is the level of flexibility and convenience. Online education offers enormous flexibility making this study option one of the easiest to fit into an already busy schedule that includes work and family obligations.

With online programming, you can do your coursework in your pajamas at virtually any time of the day. Depending on those work or family commitments, you can do your studies in the early morning or late at night or entirely on the weekend.

In addition, these online programs often offer sliding start dates (no need to wait until the fall or spring semester) and at times flexible completion options should a student wish to progress at a faster rate. Lastly, because there is no class to drive to, you can also spend 100% of your time strictly on completing the necessary coursework.

But as with any endeavor, a commitment to school requires time and discipline. Students must determine the actual number of hours they can devote and then compare that with the expectations of the program they select. And while students will not need to free up time every week to meet a class schedule, they will have to find the time to handle the course materials and assignments.

Most importantly, some students have the idea that the online degree format flexibility translates to courses that involve little time or work. Any viable college program that leads to a meaningful degree will place significant demands on students.

Online versus Hybrid Programs

All online programs consist of two options: either the program is 100% available online or students take a combination of online and on-campus courses called a hybrid program. While the first option offers almost complete flexibility, hybrids, because they mix distance learning with specific on-campus learning, require students be available at specific times for classes or seminars.

Because of course expectations in specific areas of study, not all programs can be completely offered online. In such programs, students may be required to attend a monthly seminar, a summer session or some other on-campus option where all online students gather simultaneously.

Though these programs do have specific time constraints, some students find they prefer this mixture of course offerings. They find the chance to meet face-to-face with fellow students and professors periodically a positive motivational tool. In addition, the chance to actually meet with professors and other students interested in their desired field of study often adds a great deal to the overall learning experience.

Of course, to consider a specific hybrid option you must live close enough to the school to be able to travel to the campus at the required times. It can be the perfect option for the student where the program of study they are interested in just happens to be offered at a school close to home.

In simplest terms, the hybrid option is a great step in convenience when compared to the traditional method of taking courses on campus. But these programs are nowhere near as flexible as an option that can be completed entirely online over the Internet from some distant location.

Choice of School

If a student does a Google search using the term online education and then begins surfing sites, he or she will be bombarded with advertisements. Education is now big business and many schools advertise heavily to gain name recognition.

If you are considering online education, start by looking past the school name and search for the academic program that you are most interested in. Some schools focus entirely on business options or the teaching profession while others do seek to offer a more general course of studies.

In other words, some of the biggest advertisers simply may not offer a program in the area you are interested in. Once you have determined the schools that offer the program you want, move on to check the accreditation and program standards for that entity.

Examine both the respective accreditation and program standards the online school indicates that it adheres to. Once you have determined what accreditation standards the school claims, do a quick review of the organization that awarded the accreditation.

There are of course a number of diploma mills that allow students to buy a worthless degree. However, not only should students stay away from these schools, they should also be leery of some legitimate schools that may have failed to earn program licensures in certain fields of study.

Students should immediately look for another option if a school is not accredited or if the program they offer does not ensure a student earns the desired license or certificate that is necessary to enter a specific career field.

One last, additional consideration is the cost of the program. The first thing that students must realize is there are often higher costs associated with online programming. In other words, that convenience and flexibility generally cost money.

At the same time, costs of programming vary significantly among schools and whether or not a student elects to take a program in-state. It is absolutely essential students do their homework here. In certain cases prices may vary two- or three-fold.

Ultimately, cost cannot be the overriding factor when it comes to the other areas. A less expensive, unaccredited program is not worth considering. Nor is a less-expensive school that simply does not offer the area of study you want to pursue.

Online Programming a Great Option

The bottom line is that online programming is revolutionizing education. While traditional college attendance rates are stagnating, online rates are actually growing exponentially.

But remember, there are three keys to ensuring that online programming will work for you. As with all college choices, choosing the right program at the right school is critical.

But be sure to add in the rationale for choosing this educational approach.

Each year, U.S. News & World Report compiles its ratings of American colleges and publishes its summary findings for students. The publication is seen as a must-have for any prospective college student, a factor that makes the annual edition a best seller each and every year.

Because of it’s strong reputation, the magazine is one of the fundamental publications for students and families to review. However, when it comes to the college selection process, many college admissions folks have questioned the validity of the ratings.

Today, officials caution students to contrast this publication with other literature that examines their respective college of interest. To get a sense as to why the US News ratings should not be considered the be-all and end-all, we turn to a recent incident involving a presentation by Catherine E. Watt of Clemson University

Seeking Higher Ratings

It seems Watt, once the head of Clemson’s institutional research office and now the point person for a research center at the school, raised more than a few eyebrows with her presentation at the Association for Institutional Research in Atlanta. Apparently, she was a tad too outgoing with her acknowledgement of the importance of the ratings to schools and her subsequent explanation as to how the school might have been able to manipulate the ratings system.

Clemson has publicly aspired to being considered a top 20 public research university. Some of the actions Watt claims the school took to help it climb rapidly up the ratings system were steps that took advantage of flaws in the U.S. News rating system.

For example, to increase the schools standings, Watt claims the school had lowered class sizes in specific classes below a critical U.S. News threshold. The magic number of 20 was obtained, again according to Watt, by increasing class sizes in other classes that would not harm the school’s rating.

A second element was the astonishing claim that school officials had taken the step of rating other schools lower scores on the reputational rankings survey of other colleges. In other words, the school sought to improve its standing by downgrading the standing of competitors.

A third involved assertions of duplicate salary summaries, with U.S. News perhaps getting a doctored version. Ultimately, her statements were reported in numerous higher education publications and subsequently discussed by bloggers everywhere.

Clemson Officials Take Exception

Needless to say, the comments created a storm of controversy. Therefore, it is not too surprising that shortly after Watt gave her presentation officials at Clemson sought to regain a certain level of integrity.

According to published reports, Cathy Sams, Clemson’s chief public affairs officer, released a public statement that took exception to the comments from Watt’s presentation. Again, not too surprisingly, the gist of the rebuttal focused on the potential that school officials may have engaged in unethical behavior.

Those same sources noted that while Sams gave “alternative explanations for the reduced class sizes and other outcomes” there was no direct evidence to challenge or contradict Watt’s assertions about the steps related to class sizes. In other words, Clemson had in fact definitively raised its percentage of classes containing 10 to 19 students while decreasing the percentage that held 20 to 29 students.

One area where Watt was rebutted centered on the notion that Clemson might have cooked some books regarding faculty salaries. In that area, Watt asserted that the school may have provided U.S. News a set of faculty salary numbers that were not entirely accurate. Clemson officials unequivocally denied that assertion.

Bloggers also noted that the university was essentially silent in its public statement regarding the claim that Clemson officials had rated the programs at other institutions below average.

Indirect Evidence Provides Some Answers

While the school took the extraordinary step of providing a written rebuttal to Watt’s assertions, the ultimate assessment of the situation is that Watt is still employed by the school. In fact, when the school was reportedly asked if Watt might face disciplinary action, Sams indicated otherwise.

Therefore, though the school has insisted that their employee did not accurately represent the school, the fact that they did not take action against the employee speaks volumes. If it was as simple as school officials insisted, it is hard to imagine that the institution would not have taken some form of disciplinary action.

Regardless of the hoopla and whether or not Clemson specifically sought to game the system, the revelations of Watt appear to match those of others who insist that the ratings can be manipulated.

Meanwhile, U.S. News insists it is one step ahead of those seeking to game the system. Still, Clemson climbed from 38 to 22 making us wonder whether they are indeed one step ahead.

Ultimately, we think the lesson for students is that they should look well beyond the placement of a school within the U.S. News college rankings when considering their choice of college.

To enhance one’s college admissions chances, there once existed a longstanding belief that the more activities a student could list on their application the better. However, in recent years that myth has been clearly debunked.

An unending list of activities is now seen as potentially backfiring, being viewed primarily as a list constructed so as to impress college admissions officers. Instead, most admissions officers see such lists as demonstrating that a student has no real idea what they are truly interested in.

Instead, today’s teaching point for students is to become deeply involved in one or two interests. Spending time on certain activities demonstrates a passion for the activity. Moreover, a resume built on a record of the student’s involvement in that activity will go a long way towards helping admissions officers learn who you are, a critical component in the decision process.

Leadership Component

In addition to extensive involvement in one or two activities, the general sentiment is that developing a leadership role within these endeavors is a key component of rounding out that resume. That idea is accurate, a leadership position within one of these activities can be very helpful during the admission selection process.

But in true American-selling fashion, the importance of leadership credentials has led to a whole new industry, one that is formed around the idea of leadership training.

Diana Jean Schemo recently took a look at this industry for the New York Times. Her piece, “Congratulations. You Are Nominated. It’s an Honor. (It’s a Sales Pitch.)” clearly articulates that students need to be aware of a number of come-ons that are nothing more than sales pitches.

And they represent sales pitches of the worst kind: playing on a student’s inner emotions and their goals of higher education.

They come in the form of a letter that appears to be awarding the student recognition. As the title of the article suggests, these letters begin with congratulations, assuring the student they have been selected based on their record of achievement.

Specifically, they invite students to leadership seminars, offering them a chance of a “lifetime advantage” and “valuable addition” to his/her resume. The letter uses words like “elite,” “distinguished,” and “select.”

The power of positive feedback makes the recipient feel “unique and gifted” but then plies on that new push: the one that says students need to develop their leadership skills if they want to assure themselves the best chance at admissions.

The seminars are real and many students decide to attend. And all-in-all, participants who attend report they are satisfied with the experience. Many also later recommend friends.

Unfortunately, according to Schemo, these seminars appear to be nothing more than a marketing scam. The number of students who attend at the prices set by these companies allow these for-profits to make significant sums of money off the students.

In most cases, parents pay $2,000 to $3,000 for students to attend these multi-day programs that turn out not to be as elite as they portray themselves to be.

For one particular conference cited by Schemo solicitations “begin filling mailboxes, virtual and real, as soon as children reach middle school, and continue coming through college. In a variety of settings, from Congress to Caribbean beaches, programs advertise their ability to cultivate leaders.”

The selection offers such statements about those selected as “the nation’s most highly acclaimed students” and “most promising young leaders of tomorrow.”

There’s the National Student Leadership Conference with a program fee of $1,600 to $3,000 and the LeadAmerica’s Congressional Student Leadership Conference “which also advertises college credit” for the experience. Schemo insists that most universities will not accept it.

There’s the People to People Ambassador Programs which has had to apologize to families for sending invitations to deceased children and in one instance, a deceased family pet.

But the poster child according to Schemo is the Congres­sional Youth Leadership Council, a program that boasts more than half a million student attendees. The company, once a nonprofit, now is purely a business despite the fact that it retains its web “”.org” label.

Grossing $56 million, they returned a mere pittance in scholarships and grants to students (less than one million). Parents basically cover the costs while needy students are encouraged to fundraise their way to the conference.

Not the Real Deal

Ultimately, no experts report evidence that these programs have a lasting effect on the students who attend though parents often insist that their child comes back with greater self-confidence.

Meanwhile, Envision, the sponsor of the aforementioned Congres­sional Youth Leadership Council had 28 unresolved complaints as of April 8; they ranged from advertising practices to contract disputes to program quality.

But what students most need to understand is that such seminars are relatively meaningless as resume builders, at least in the eyes of college admissions officers. They insist “a leadership conference is no more or less likely to enhance college applications than, say, soccer camp.”

Real honors, say college admissions folks, generally do not come with a price tag. Schemo refers to Susan Garrity Ardizzoni, director of undergraduate admissions at Tufts, who notes that some students invited to these sessions are clearly not of the caliber she would call leaders.

“For us,” she says, “activities or essays are most meaningful for students where there’s an established track record or interest.”

Students should keep these factors in mind as they consider shelling out two to three thousand dollars for such an experience. These seminars are not as selective as their sponsors lead students to believe.

Students might find these programs enjoyable – in fact, they well should at $2,000-3,000 a pop. But as for giving students additional resume material for admissions, it appears that this money certainly could be better spent.

Facebook is a splendid example as to how online social networks can enhance our ability to communicate with one another. Once created, other entrepreneurs immediately began working on programs that would allow Facebook to connect with other useful applications.

Today, there are a number of such options that can provide Facebook users access to information about colleges, the courses offered and the professors teaching those courses. One of the applications provides info from the famous US News and World Report college ratings publication while others seek to connect students within schools, with course information and professor ratings.

Any readers using these or other applications?

Gradzilla

Gradzilla is an application featuring some of the data compiled by US News and World Report. With Gradzilla, students can gain access to information on all aspects of selecting a college including information on majors, athletics, extracurricular activities, tuition, and student body size.

With Gradzilla, students can search for schools by name, location, major, tuition, size, setting, extracurricular activities and intercollegiate sports. The results can then be easily bookmarked for a second review later.

College Planner

This Facebook interactive application allows you to research information on more than 5000 colleges. The application was created by Embark.com, a company that has “helped more than 15 million students research, organize, and apply to the schools of their choice.”

With College Planner, users can create their own personalized profile. In conjunction with the site’s advanced school finder, the profile can then generate suggested schools that meet your personal criteria and interests.

And all the while you do your research, you can share everything with other Facebook friends.

SkoolPool

SkoolPool seeks to connect college applicants to one another and to current students at respective schools. The first primary objective is to help students find the right school.

Through the site you can meet existing college students and theoretically get unbiased information from them about their school. Given that these individuals may attend your final school of choice, the site also allows you to connect with potential classmates.

Courses

Courses is designed for both students and instructors. Using Facebook with the Courses application will allow students to share their schedules including the courses they are taking and the activities they are participating in. Students can then search for other classmates where they can share files and discuss specific classes.

In theory the application is also built with instructors and teaching assistants in mind. If students within the class can access one another through Courses and Facebooks, teachers can use the social networking application as part of the class structure. Announcements, syllabi and assignments can be distributed over the student network rather than one constructed by the colleges. Of course, the application can also form the basis for virtual office hours.

Course Profiles

Course Profiles is designed for those students taking courses through The Open University. Students may enter the OU course code, or portion of the title and Course Profiles will search the database and provide the full course full name.

By displaying the courses on the Facebook application that students have studied, they can then find people who have taken or are taking the same course creating a potential “study buddy” through the virtual connection. Students can suggest relevant resources and leave helpful details on the comments wall.

Rate My Professors

Offering access to nearly eight million opinions on more than one million instructors, Rate My Professors is a tool that allows students to share their opinion of their college instructors. With the Facebook application, students can browse through the ratings and comments on every one of those professors, doing so directly from the student’s personal Facebook profile page.

What makes the application so popular is that students can then learn what other students think of specific professors prior to enrolling in that instructor’s class. As the site notes, “Before you register for class find out which professor will inspire you, challenge you, or which will just give you the easy A.”