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Last week, the team at International College Counselors attended a counselor breakfast with admissions representatives from Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Penn and Stanford. There are a lot interesting developments at each of the schools and within the domain of Higher Ed.
What the expert college advisors at International College Counselors know you need to know:
Schools give a lot of weight to Early Decision.
At Duke, 25% of the Early Decision applicants were accepted; 1/3 of the class was filled by Early Decision.
At Penn, 1/3 to 1/ 2 of the class was filled by Early Decision applicants.
This is significant given that the other three schools have Early Action (Non binding) as opposed to Early Decision (Binding) and therefore do not show evidence of such preference.
Without reservation, the expert college advisors at International College Counselors always recommend that students seriously consider Early Decision options when they begin the college process. If there is a school your student really wants to attend, and it offers Early Decision, don’t miss out!
Free online financial aid calculators are invaluable tools.
For those families who worry about the cost of college, and as to whether you can bind your child to a particular institution without financial aid details, know that every college now offers a Financial Aid Calculator. These can be found on the school’s website. This calculator can help you determine, based on last year’s financials, how much money your family can expect to receive from that particular institution.
Here are links to a few such calculators
Northwestern: https://npc.collegeboard.org/student/app/northwestern
Emory: https://npc.collegeboard.org/student/app/emory
Keep in mind, you or your student can always call a school’s financial aid office for information and ask questions,without giving your name.
Questions? Contact International College Counselors.
As always, the expert college counselors are available to answer any specific questions our clients have. Don’t hesitate to call or email us at 954-414-9986 or www.internationalcollegecounselors.com
If you are interested in becoming a client of International College Counselors, please call or email us. College planning is definitely worth thinking about, and the sooner, the better!
Notes from Our Counselor Breakfast with Admissions Reps
May 15th, 2012AP Grade Reporting
May 7th, 2012To report the AP test or not to report the AP test, that is this week’s question.
After taking one of the many various AP tests, there are usually three ways a student will feel: Great! Good. And Awful.
If you think you did great or good, congratulations!
If you’re sure you did awfully and scored a 1 or a 2, or you’re not sure how you did, you can withhold or cancel your score.
Because AP grades are released in July, any request for changes in reporting must be received by June 15.
The expert college counselors at International College Counselors note that it’s not likely that any one AP grade you submit, no matter how low, will fatally wound you.
Canceling vs. Withholding
Canceling AP grades
Canceling an AP grade permanently means you’ll never, ever see the grade and it’s deleted from your record forever.
The option to cancel a score helps a number of students, say the expert college advisors at International College Counselors. Some of those students took an AP course but found that the class didn’t cover all the information on the test or they didn’t study for the test as much as they should have. (And this happens more than we’d like to think.) This option also encourages the risk takers, the students who take an AP exam in a subject they might not have taken the class for. (They’re the ones who study a lot on their own).
To cancel a score, you must send the College Board a Score Cancellation Form AND a written request by mail or fax by June 15. You must include in your letter:
your full name, home address, birth date, high school
the year(s) that you took AP Exams
the name, city, and state of the college you specified
the name(s) of the exam(s) for which you want a grade cancelled
your signature
This service is free but note that the grade report that you and your high school receive will indicate that the grade has been canceled.
Withholding AP grades
Withholding a score means you may have one or more grades withheld from the colleges you indicated on your answer sheet. This gives you the chance to see your scores before the colleges.
You may later release the grade to that college by sending AP Services a signed written request and a small fee.
What we suggest to the students we work with at International College Counselors is to not send your scores to any colleges in May.
Our reasoning is as follows: with your test, as explained to our company by an AP representative, you only get to send your scores to one school free, any others are $15. In other words, if you choose to withhold your scores from all the colleges until you see them, you’re only “losing” $15. Many students can think of the $15 as “insurance”. It’s easy to see your scores and then send them in if you want to.
You can withhold a score if you already sent them in, but if you took them this year, expert college advisors at International College Counselors recommend waiting until early July. Beginning July 1, grades by phone are available for the 2012 exams. It’ll cost you a few extra dollars to get your scores by phone, but it’s a very small price to pay in the larger scheme of things.
To withhold a score, you must notify the College Board by sending them a written request by mail or fax by June 15. You must include in your letter:
1. your full name, home address, birth date
2. the year(s) that you took AP Exams
3. the name, city, and state of the college you specified
4. the name(s) of the exam(s) for which you want a grade withheld. (All your grades will still appear on the reports sent to you and your high school.)
5. a check for the exact amount due made out to “AP Exams.” There is a $10 fee per score, per college.
6. your signature
Note that unlike a canceled score, a request to withhold a grade does not permanently delete your grade. A withheld AP grade will be sent to your high school. It will count in your AP average and affect AP scholar designations. This means you can choose the scores that work to your advantage and feel confident to take some extra AP exams.
Make sure you keep a copy of all your correspondence with the College Board.
Contact the College Board
For more information straight from the College Board on AP grade reporting services, including addresses, phone and fax numbers:
Contact International College Counselors
For help from an experienced college advisor, please contact the expert college counselors at the Miami based International College Counselors of http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com
International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986
About International College Counselors
International College Counselors is a Miami-based company that provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. The college admissions counselors at International College Counselors work with domestic and international students. International College Counselors, founded by Mandee Heller Adler, tailors college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student.
International College Counselors has seven offices in three countries.
International College Counselors Expands with New Florida Offices
April 26th, 2012International College Counselors is pleased to announce the expansion of their college admissions counseling business with new offices in Miami, Coral Gables and Palm Beach, Florida.
International College Counselors operates in three states - New York, Florida and Massachusetts, and three countries - the United States, Colombia and Venezuela.
Their new offices in South Florida will bring the International College Counselors team’s expertise closer to more students, their families, and area schools.
“We saw a need and an opportunity to bring Miami, Coral Gables and Palm Beach a local college admissions resource,” said founder and CEO, Mandee Heller Adler. “With our new offices, we’ll be able to provide more students and local schools with the personal attention International College Counselors is known for. Our guidance is based upon a student’s individual needs and talents.”
International College Counselors new branches are located at 1395 Brickell Ave., Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131; 2525 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Suite 300, Coral Gables, FL 33134; and 800 Village Square Crossing, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410.
International College Counselors will maintain their current headquarters in Hollywood, Florida and they look forward to continuing their intelligent growth, while maintaining the high quality of personal, professional service they provide their clients.
In 2012, the college advisors at International College Counselors helped more than 200 students find, apply to and gain acceptance into the college of their dreams. The expert college advisors at International College Counselors are dedicated to helping students and their parents with the often daunting and complex college application process.
For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please visit http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS:
International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications to domestic and international students. The college counseling and college coaching services are tailored to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Mandee Heller Adler, founder of International College Counselors, is a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She also received an MBA from Harvard Business School. Ms. Adler’s achievements have brought her recognition as one of South Florida Top 100 Small Businesses in 2010.
International College Counselors has offices in White Plains, New York; Miami Beach, Florida; Miami, Florida; Coral Gables, Florida; Palm Beach, Florida; Boca Raton, Florida; Medellin, Columbia and Caracas, Venezuela.
Great Ways for Parents of High School Students to Spend Their Tax Refunds:
April 23rd, 2012According to the Internal Revenue Service, the average 2012 tax refund is roughly $3000. Here are some great suggestions for what to do with the money you get back if you’re a parent of a teenager who plans to attend college:
1. Pay for Tutoring. The importance of grades for colleges cannot be ignored. The GPA is the single most important part of a college application. Not only that, colleges want to see a challenging high school curriculum. If your student needs help in one or more subjects, spend some money on tutoring. (It may even pay off more in the form of scholarships.) If you need help finding an amazing tutor, contact your International College Counselors college advisor for more information.
2. Put money into a 529 plan. Even if your child will be a junior this year, it’s not too late to make a tax-preferred investment for college. Many states, including Florida and New York, provide a tax deduction for 529 contributions even if you’re investing for only a short time.
3. Invest in a summer enrichment program. Summer enrichment programs can help propel your student toward college and gain acceptance into a school of their choice. Let your student explore a subject of interest or bolster volunteer work credentials. College advisors at International College Counselors know there are programs for all interests, including engineering, career exploration, robotics, entrepreneurship, women’s leadership, music, drama and test prep. Nearly every school, including the Ivies, offer a summer program for high school students, allowing students to experience life on a college campus. Some programs offer college credit.
4. Go for the test prep. Next to grades, test scores are one of the most important factors in college admissions. Please contact your college advisor at International College Counselors for the name, number and email address of a (SAT word alert) splendiferous SAT, ACT, SAT subject test, AP and TOFEL tutor who can help you increase your test scores.
5. Visit colleges. College visits can be costly but worthwhile. Your student just may find their top-pick school is nothing like they imagined. Visiting a school may also increase chances of gaining admittance and of getting a better award package, if only slightly. Taking the time to tour campus shows commitment.
6. Encourage summer college courses. Summer college courses can give your student the opportunity to attend school classes with undergraduate students or other select high school students and earn college credits.
7. Hire an independent college counselor. If you are not a client of International College Counselors, what are you waiting for? Our expert college advisors can give your student the individualized attention to properly tackle the college admission process. With new offices now in Coral Gables, Boston, Miami, New York and Palm Beach Gardens, and advisors who speak fluent Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, we can better meet your needs. From help choosing colleges, going on interviews, editing essays and more, we will give your student the tools to find and get into the college of his or her dreams.
If you need help evaluating and choosing a summer opportunity for your student and/or want information on tutoring, and are a client of International College Counselors, please give your college advisor a call or send an email.
How to Ask for an Early Letter of Recommendation
April 16th, 20121. Make an appointment to speak with your recommenders.
Don’t just thrust letter materials into a teacher’s hand the five minutes you have between periods or tackle a coach in the locker room. This shows that you’re respectful of their time.
2. Explain.
Given the number of students who (erroneously) wait for the last minute, your teacher will most likely be surprised you’re asking for a letter so early. Explain that you already know that you’d want a recommendation from him or her. And you wanted to give him or her plenty of time. Also you wanted the teacher to be able to write you a recommendation while your achievements were still fresh in mind. The expectation is that the teacher will store your recommendation on the computer until it is time to paste it into an official letter of recommendation form.
3. Help your recommender.
At your meeting, make sure you give those chosen people information they can use to write your letter. You gain extra points for yourself because your letter will, more likely, be properly detailed. You gain extra points with recommenders for showing them that you are taking this process seriously and that you appreciate their time and effort.
Information to provide your recommender should include:
* Your full name, address, email and phone number.
* A copy of your resume or a list of activities and achievements. (This information can
be used to write a stronger letter.)
* Detailed examples of any accomplishments/ improvements in this particular teacher’s
class or subject
4. Follow Up.
Remember, your recommenders are doing you a favor. Show your appreciation by sending a thank-you note.
Get Your Teacher Recommendations Now
April 16th, 2012Juniors, we’re talking to you.
Even if you don’t know what schools you’re applying to, the time to ask for a Letter of Recommendation is now. If you’re applying to almost any private college at all, you’ll need a Letter of Recommendation.
By asking for a letter early, college counselors know you’re
1. Making life easier for yourself. You will be busy next year.
2. Making life easier for your teacher and he or she will appreciate it. More importantly, that appreciation may be reflected in your letter!
By giving a teacher more time to write the letter, you’re giving him or her more opportunity to write a letter tailored for you. The best letters of recommendation say something special about you. They provide insight about you, your talents, abilities, strengths, positive qualities, merits, achievements and more.
Choose who you ask wisely and carefully. Make sure you choose someone who likes you. You will most likely never even see the letter that is written about you so it needs to be someone you feel comfortable with.
Different schools may require different formats for Letters of Recommendation. However, the majority of students will be using the Common Application to apply to schools. This means it’s suggested that your teacher writes a general letter for you. Also, the idea here is that the teacher will store your letter on the computer and thus be able to paste it into whatever official letter of recommendation form you provide when the time comes.
International College Counselors note to International Students: Don’t feel you need to ask an English teacher because you think they’ll write the best. The letters need to be in English if you’re applying to a U.S. school, but the teacher can “Google” translate it or have someone in the school translate it. An exception to this would be if you know a school’s admissions office accepts recommendations in other languages and has someone on staff who can read them.
Please click here to read How to Ask for an Early Letter of Recommendation
If you have any questions on Letters of Recommendation and are a client of International College Counselors, please give one of our college advisors a call or send an email.
Decision making after the thick envelopes!
April 8th, 2012The envelopes are in.
If your student has more than one thick envelope in hand, they’re in the driver’s seat. The colleges have taken their sweeeeet time choosing you, and now it’s your turn to choose them. They’ve given you the month of April to make your choice. Far beyond the glossy paper of the brochures, here are some things college advisors at International College Counselors say you and your student should consider:
Economics. It’s hard to deny that this may be a factor for many students. If they’ve been offered a generous financial aid package or a scholarship, it’s going to be hard to ignore this “bonus”.
If the student has not received the full financial aid offer, college advisors at International College Counselors recommend you begin to explore your financial options through free tools like the one offered on FinAid.org.
The Ivies and a small number of other schools have policies that allow them to attend irrespective of their ability to pay. Contact each school separately for information on these policies.
Fit. Where does a student feel like he or she will fit in best? Some students thrive at universities where the city itself plays an important role in one’s overall education. In cities such as New York and Boston, the cultural and internship opportunities are enormous. However, city schools tend to be more impersonal. Residential campus schools like the University of Florida pride themselves on a school community atmosphere. Then there are considerations like the size of the school, the role of Greek life, the athletic culture, and more. College advisors at International College Counselors recommend that your student look for the campus energy that matches his or her own.
Academics. Ideally, a student should have a vague idea of a desired career path. What is needed is a school that offers a major or program that will allow your student to explore that option to fullest.
Culture. Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan College presents this consideration excellently:
“The evolution of student culture over many years that comes to define the way a place feels to the young men and women who spend these transitional years on campus. Students - not teachers and officials - make that culture. At Duke, for example, there are extraordinary programs and deep research going on. But over several weeks of the spring semester, it’s Blue Devil basketball frenzy that takes over campus culture. At Middlebury, there is currently an energetic student debate about the meal plan, which many students see as a defining element in their campus experience. At USC, the entertainment industry seeps into the fabric of the place, even when the subject areas are quite distant from Hollywood. At Wesleyan, the students have created vibrant music and film contexts that seem to fuel independent rock and hip-hop on the one hand, and popular film and TV on the other. Although most students here study neither music nor film, the energy of these areas percolates around campus.”
Job connections. After college, your student will want to get a job so it’s smart to consider a college’s career services center. Call them and ask about job fairs, internship opportunities, on-campus corporate interviews, and the number of students per career counselor.
Only you and your student will know what is truly important to you. Ask questions and take a good hard look at the school. Visit the top two choices again if you can. This is going to be your student’s home away from home for the next four years.
Experienced college advisors at International College Counselors believe if a student is having a tough time choosing among two or more schools it is probably because he or she has done a good job putting together the list. Most likely that student will be happy at whichever college is chosen.
Worse comes to worse, a student can transfer.
Most importantly, don’t let your student procrastinate. This is probably the biggest decision they can make at this point in their life.
For help from an experienced college advisor, please contact the expert college counselors at the Miami based International College Counselors of http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com
International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986
About International College Counselors
International College Counselors is a Miami-based company that provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. The college admissions counselors at International College Counselors work with domestic and international students. International College Counselors, founded by Mandee Heller Adler, tailors college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student.
International College Counselors has seven offices in three countries.
Make Summer Count
March 26th, 2012High school students who want to shine on their college applications should consider the summer an ideal time to add some resume gold.
Contrary to popular belief, a student doesn’t need to build wells in Costa Rica, said college counselors at International College Counselors. There are many choices of summer activities that raise the APA (application point average).
“While there’s nothing wrong with a little down time, high school students with college aspirations should use the break to enhance their college applications,” said Mandee Heller Adler, founder of International College Counselors. Summer is coming up fast so here are some ideas for high schools students to make the most of the summer.
Enrichment Camp
There are hundreds of different summer enrichment programs, from the local to the international and, between them all, they offer thousands of opportunities. There are recreational camps, athletic camps, academic programs, volunteer programs, internships programs, and more. Some come with the opportunity to earn college credit. A number of programs give high school students the taste of life on a college campus.
Great summer job or internship
“Summer jobs and internships are great ways to gain valuable real-world experience,” said expert college advisor Adler. “In a tight job market like the one we’re experiencing now, your best bet may be the internship.”
An internship is unpaid (or token payment) work experience that provides students with an opportunity to gain experience in a field of interest. What isn’t gained in cash, is gained in experience, friends, and networking connections. Think of it as a summer course. With persistence and luck, you can even land an internship in a dream career.
Volunteering
It can be profitable to work for nothing. You can make a difference, gain experience make networking connections, and explore interests. For example, if you’re interested in a career in medicine, you can volunteer at a hospital or nursing home. The choices are endless and the hard work and time can pay off. Colleges and scholarship funds truly adore students who can demonstrate that they make the effort to help others. Then there’s always the fact that doing good is a wonderful reason to volunteer in itself.
Virtual Class or Dual Enrollment
Virtual classes and dual enrollment programs offer students a chance to explore something new. Both can help save time and money if you take classes that count both for high school credit and college credit. Depending on your school, the credit may reduce your course load per term or even allow you to graduate early.
For help from an experienced college advisor, please contact the expert college counselors at the Miami based International College Counselors of http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com
International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986
About International College Counselors
International College Counselors is a Miami-based company that provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. The college admissions counselors at International College Counselors work with domestic and international students. International College Counselors, founded by Mandee Heller Adler, tailors college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student.
International College Counselors has seven offices in three countries.
Enter the 2012 Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge
March 7th, 2012by Mandee Heller Adler
CEO of International College Counselors
High School students who have a great idea for a business, should enter the 13th Annual Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge, said college experts at International College Counselors.
Last year three students from International College Counselors won the challenge!
More information can be found on the Miami Herald website here and I’ve pasted some relevant parts of the rules below.
Expert college advisors at International College Counselors say winning this Challenge will look good to colleges and, even if a student doesn’t win, it’s a great learning opportunity and/or a launchpad for some budding entrepreneurs.
A panel of judges will select the three best business plans submitted by high school students, grades 9-12, based on both the quality of the idea and the submitted plan.
According to The Miami Herald, general rules for high school students wanting to enter the Business Plan Challenge include:
* Students must live in South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe and Palm Beach counties).
* The entry must be no more than three pages, type no smaller than 10 point. Students may include one additional page of supporting material, such as a product picture or diagram, a financial spreadsheet or marketing materials.
* The contest is open to students in grades 9-12 in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties. A one- or two-page entry is fine in the student category. Put “High School Entry” at the top. A video of the top student winner with be filmed and it will be featured on MiamiHerald.com.
* Entries must be for proposed for-profit businesses or firms in the start-up phase. Companies launched before Jan. 1, 2010 are not eligible. If the submission is an original franchise idea, it will be allowed. Multiple entries from one person are allowed if they are different business ideas.
Entries must be e-mailed by 11:59 p.m. Saturday, March 24, 2012.
The top three competitors will be the subjects of a Miami Herald Business Monday cover story and section. Winners will also be invited to a luncheon in their honor.
If you are a client of International College Counselors and want us to review your business plan, please contact your advisor and they will be more than happy to do so.
May the best business plan win!
International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986
www.internationalcollegecounselors.com
2012 International College Counselors Scholarship
February 13th, 2012International College Counselors is pleased to announce the third annual 2012 college scholarship competition. Students in grades 9-12 from Dade, Broward, Palm Beach counties and outside the tri-county area are invited to apply.
Students are asked to submit an essay that answers the question:
What makes a good college education?
Four college scholarships of $250 each will be awarded, three to students who attend school within Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County; and one to a student from outside Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County, including outside the United States.
Work will be judged on the basis of originality and effectiveness of argument or presentation.
Submissions may be in Spanish or English, 500 words or less.
The deadline for receipt of essays is April 1, 2012
The contest rules and submission information can be found at International College Counselors. Select the “Scholarship” section of the website for downloadable contest rules. You can also go directly to the entry application.
Students do not need to be clients of International College Counselors to enter or to win this annual scholarship competition.
The International College Counselors High School Essay Contest has established a Scholarship Fund to increase awareness of the value of higher education among high school students, as well as to give financial aid for tuition to college-bound students.
Good luck to all!
International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986
www.internationalcollegecounselors.com