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College Admissions Advisors Answer Questions on “Rigor” for High School Students

October 29th, 2012

College admissions advisors often recommend that students take the most ‘rigorous’ course load possible. But what do terms like “rigorous course load” mean and how rigorous should a student’s schedule be? The expert college advisors at International College Counselors answered some answers to these elusive questions.

1. How Do Admission Officials Weigh High School Rigor?

Comparisons are made when evaluating students. Admissions officers weigh everything from backgrounds around the world to the context of each high school. In other words, there is no one deciding, defining scale for “rigor”.

What admissions officers will agree upon is that students should take the most challenging course load that they can do well in, while still having enough time to show the deep and passionate involvement in activities that the colleges seek.

“As greater numbers of students are challenging themselves by engaging in rigorous, college-level AP and IB course work in high school, colleges raise their standards. Students need to stay on top of recruiting trends in order to be competitive,” said Mandee Heller Adler, founder of International College Counselors.

2. How many Advanced Placement courses should a student take in high school?

It depends on the student, the high school being attended and the desired college.

Students can take zero to two AP courses and get admitted into a good college. Others can take five or six AP courses a year and get rejected from Harvard.

How to decide?

For the most selective colleges, students need to take the most rigorous curriculum available within their own high school.

If a student is home schooled or the high school does not offer AP courses or enough AP courses, know that colleges are aware of different situations that may restrict what courses can be taken. What they really expect that students excel in the opportunities to which they do have access.

However, students should be aware that they can take AP classes online. Colleges know this too.

Another option is to enroll in classes at a nearby college or take online learning courses to supplement your regular high school work. You can even earn college credit at the same time.

3. Which are better IB classes or AP classes?

IB stands for International Baccalaureate which is an advanced high school diploma program. AP stands for Advanced Placement. In the IB program, students who pass six exams can sometimes enter college as a sophomore. (Note: check with each school because policies differ). Both curriculums have merit. One is not better than the other. But once again, the student needs to take the most rigorous curriculum offered at his/her school.

4. Which is better: an A in the regular course or a B in the honors course?

The most accurate answers is: An A in the honors course.

This is how the joke goes, but it’s the truth.

Colleges like to see students challenging themselves. So the direct answer is: A ‘B’ in an honors course is better that an ‘A’ in regular. A ‘B’ in an AP course is better than the ‘A’ in honors.

Colleges are looking for students who push themselves, are intellectually curious and are interested in learning. More demanding courses are a reflection of this.

However, what a student should take depends on the student. What a student must be careful to do is not overreach. Every student should take the most challenging courses he or she can perform well in. It does not help to take AP courses and get a “C.” Students who take AP must also look towards passing the AP exam.

The worst thing a student can do is take honors courses and then switch to easier courses later in their high school career in order to boost GPA. A warning to students: Do not catch “senioritis!”

5. What courses do colleges want to see?

There are very few situations in which the appearance or absence of any one particular class would determine a student’s college future. But, please be careful: Students do need to meet all the prerequisite of the colleges they are applying to. Some require a certain number or years of math, English and foreign language. And, some schools require certain math levels (such as pre-calculus) for consideration.

Overall, colleges want to see courses that tell a story. They want to see that a student has pursued his or her interests and have taken a balanced set of challenging classes.

As Yale puts it “We encourage you to pursue your intellectual interests, so long as it is not at the expense of your program’s overall rigor or your preparedness for college.”

A few good questions from Yale for weighing your course selection for the upcoming year:

• Am I taking a well-balanced academic program that will provide me with a good foundation for college?

• Am I prepared to take college-level math, writing, and science courses?

• Do I feel challenged by the courses that I am taking?

• Am I seeking challenge or avoiding it?

Endnote

The fact is, admissions professionals are well-trained to identify “rigor” in the entire transcript and not just courses.

If you are a client of International College Counselors, contact one of our college advisors on what courses are most appropriate for your high school student. Other students should talk to their high school counselor.

This year, 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 counselors at International College Counselors are dedicated to helping students and their families successfully navigate the college application process.

For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please visit 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 and also received an MBA from Harvard Business School. International College Counselors’ achievements include being recognized as one of South Florida’s Top 100 Small Businesses in 2012.

International College Counselors has offices in New York, New York; White Plains, New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Miami Beach, Florida; Miami, Florida; Coral Gables, Florida; Palm Beach, Florida; Boca Raton, Florida; Medellin, Colombia and Caracas, Venezuela.

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Go to the College Fairs

October 15th, 2012

National college fairs span the US from coast to coast and visit every major metropolitan area across the country. Students won’t find any Ferris wheels or cotton candy at these events but they will find many college representatives sitting at tables and handing out brochures and cards. Have questions? Ask the reps! These are outstanding opportunities for students to learn about a wide variety of schools, attend helpful seminars, and collect information on:

* Admission requirements

* Financial aid

* College majors and courses

* Academics

* Life on campus

Fairs can help students cross some colleges off their list and discover new ones to add. Some college fairs are even attended by the admissions officers. There are also a lot of pens, bags and other giveaway items for the taking.

College fairs are free and open to the public. Popular venues for these fairs include schools, a convention hall, hotel ballroom, conference center or local community center.

International College Counselors Note: Students should leave their contact info with all the schools that interest them. At application review time, demonstrating interest in a school may give them extra points. If students don’t leave their name, the colleges won’t know they were there or showing interest.

To find out when and where college fairs are taking place in your area, ask the high school counselor or call or email us if you are a client of International College Counselors. You can also visit the website of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

Links to the upcoming NACAC national college fair schedules:

Fall College Fairs

Spring College Fairs

Performing and Visual Arts College Fairs

Students can also take advantage of online college fair events. They happen nearly every day. We highly recommend them for international students and for those who are unable to travel to the college fair locations. But anyone can attend.

One of the most popular hosts for virtual college fairs is College Week Live.

If you can, send your student to more than one college fair so he or she can get a good sampling of what’s out there. Different schools attend at different times.

The checklist below from College Week Live will help your student get the most out of each fair.

Before You Go

Find out which colleges will be at the fair (a list may be posted on the fair’s website) and write down the names of the ones you want to learn about.
Make a list of any questions you have.
Bring your list, a pen, paper and a bag to hold college brochures.
Make sure the email address that you give out won’t embarrass you – remember, college admission officers will see it.

While You’re There

Get a map of the fair and plan a route that will take you to the booths of all the colleges on your list. If there is no map available, do a quick survey of the room to locate your colleges.
Visit booths and ask college representatives questions. For example, you can ask, “What kind of student are you looking for?” or “What makes your campus special?”
Take a minute to jot down any information you think is important before moving on to the next booth.
Check out some of the other booths when you’re done with the colleges on your list. You may stumble onto a great college you hadn’t considered.
Attend an information session, if any are offered. Typical topics include applications and financial aid. These sessions are good opportunities to get expert advice.

When You Get Home

Ask yourself which colleges stood out and why.
Organize the college material you collected and review it that week while it’s fresh in your mind.
Go over any notes you took during the fair.
Throw out the pamphlets of colleges you’ve ruled out so you can focus on the colleges you’re interested in.
Do more research on the colleges you’re thinking about. Explore websites, contact the admission office or plan a campus visit. If you liked what you saw at the fair, it may be time to see the college in person.

For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please visit www.internationalcollegecounselors.com.

Save the Dates: Free Upcoming Seminars

OCT 11: IMACS Plantation – 7pm – RSVP 561 470-1178

OCT 25: IMACS Boca – 7pm – RSVP 561 470-1178

NOV 3: Temple Beth Sholom, Miami Beach – 12pm

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The Application is Submitted! What Should I Do Next?

September 20th, 2012

You’ve submitted your application but you still have some work to do. It’s time to put the icing on the cake you’ve been baking for the last three and a half years. We’re down to the details and crumbs.

Get your official transcripts sent from your school to each college. These are not sent automatically and colleges must receive them by the application deadline. Be sure to confirm the transcript before it goes out. In particular, please make sure that your classes, grades, community service hours (if on your transcript), test scores (if on your transcript and you want it there) are correct. You’ll be amazed at all the stories we’ve heard about mistakes on transcripts. Then, order transcripts for each of your colleges. While many schools send transcripts for you, if you are mailing them yourself, please send them registered mail. Addresses for transcripts can be found on Naviance, the Common App, and simply by Googling the school’s admissions office.

** Very important for our non-U.S. students – If your transcript is in another language, it needs to be translated into English (If you need help- let us know!).

Confirm that your Letters of Recommendation have been sent/ are in the process of being sent. While many public colleges do not require letters of recommendation, all the common app schools do require a counselor recommendation and at least one teacher recommendation. If your school uses Naviance, the counselor will be tracking the letters for you, but for everyone else, you can simply look under the “School Forms” tab on the common application for those letters that have been “Assigned” and those that have been “Submitted.”

Send your best test scores. Make sure you send the best of your ACT or SAT, Subject tests and/ or TOEFL. These need to be sent by you, and come directly from the College Board, ACT.org or ETS. These do not get sent automatically to the schools unless you indicated where you wanted your scores sent when you registered or tested (depending on the test). If you’ve retaken the test and received higher scores, you will want to send the higher scores to the schools.

Fill out and send in your financial aid documentation. All U.S. students regardless of family income should fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and CSS profile. International students, students who are not citizens, or students who are not permanent U.S. residents may have to send a certificate of finances and a bank letter. Check with each school either by calling or searching their website, to find what you need. Make sure all deadlines are met! These are inflexible deadlines. For Floridians, Bright Futures applications are not available until January.

Visit the campus if you have not done so already. Meeting with admission staff, faculty members and/or sitting in on a class demonstrates that you are truly interested in a school. Also attend any regional events that the school hosts. Schools like to see that you are interested and this gives you extra points with the admissions committee. Visiting a school and/or attending events are also good ways for you to get more information on whether a school if a good fit for you.

Please remember that without just one of the pieces above, your application is not considered complete. In all cases, once you submit your application, you can confirm receipt of these supplemental documents either via an online portal (save those log in and passwords they send you!) or via a phone call to the admissions office. This is another reason to get your applications in early- to provide you with enough time to confirm receipt, and to re-send if something does not make it.

Just a few more steps, and you are officially done! Congratulations! Now the hard part…. the wait!

For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please call 954 414-9986 or visitwww.internationalcollegecounselors.com.

Free Upcoming ICC Seminars – Save the Dates!
IMACS Plantation – Oct. 11 – 7pm
IMACS Boca Raton – Oct. 25 – 7pm
Space is limited. Call 561 470-1178 for more info and to reserve your spot.

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11 Ways to Jump Start the College Admissions Process Your Junior Year

August 23rd, 2012

With the release of the new Common Application, the 2012-2013 college admissions cycle has officially started. From a college admissions point of view, the Junior year is the most important year of high school. Whatever college you plan to attend, a clear strategy will guide you toward your destination. Here are eleven tips from the college advisors at International College Counselors that will help Juniors jump start the college admissions process.

1. Meet with your counselor. Discuss your career goals and the classes you should take. Many colleges require a high school career that shows a progression of courses. Make sure your high school coursework is laying the foundation colleges are looking for.

2. Choose your classes wisely. The choices you make on your junior curriculum are the most important. The difficulty of the courses you take matter. Instead of going for the easy “A,” choose classes that will challenge you. Colleges like to see students who have shown that they challenge themselves.

3. Keep your grades up. Class rank and grades are key factors in college admissions.

4. Explore your personal interests. Take classes in a variety of subjects that interest you. Join some clubs. Take part in different activities outside of your school. Take classes of interest at a community college. Now is your chance to find out what you like to do. Identifying your interests will help you choose a college major.

5. Make a calendar. Start by marking off important test dates and deadlines. Then write in action items and goals related to the college application process including essay deadlines you set for yourself, scholarship deadlines and campus visits.

6. Stay organized. Set up special folders for college-related materials and plan how you’ll keep them straight. Designate a place for reference material and one for correspondence. Start a notebook just for the admissions process. Write down all user names and college application passwords as well as thoughts about schools. Keep a log of correspondence, phone calls, meetings with college representatives and visits to each school.

7. Plan your testing. Take the SAT and ACT early in the year so that you are done before April and can save May and June for subject tests and AP tests. Taking the tests early will also give you time to improve your score, if need be. Call the college advisors at International College Counselors for the name of an ACT and/or SAT tutor.

8. Get to know teachers. Work really hard to impress a chosen few of your teachers. You want them to know you – and like you – well enough to write a personal and exceptional letters of recommendation for you.

9. Get Involved. Perform community service and/or get a part-time job. Extracurricular activities show that you’re well rounded and know how to manage your time efficiently.

10. Position yourself for leadership. Run for office in one of your clubs. If you have a volunteer job, explore options for taking charge of a project. Colleges like to see that you’ve moved up in an organization. It shows commitment.

11. Research, research, research. Gather college information and use it to narrow down your choices of colleges and universities. Seek out college entrance requirements, scholarships and financial aid options. Go on “virtual” campus tours. Visit the websites of schools that interest you. Attend college fairs and college nights. Talk with students from your colleges of interest. Obtain course catalogs. Plan to visit campuses. Learn about financial aid options.

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.

Tags: college advisor miami, college counselor broward, college counselor miami, high school junior, international college counselors, mandee heller adler
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10 Ways for High School Sophomores to Jump Start the College Admissions Process

August 23rd, 2012

School is starting for many high school students across the country. From a college admissions point of view, the sophomore year is the second most important year of high school. Although you may not know which college you want to attend or what you’re going to major in, the college advisors at International College Counselors have provided a clear general strategy that will prepare you for wherever you apply.

2. Choose your classes wisely. The difficulty of the courses you take matter. Instead of going for the easy “A,” choose classes that will challenge you. Colleges like to see students who have shown that they challenge themselves.

3. Avoid the Sophomore Slump. School can feel tedious and boring, stay focused on the goal: college. Keep your grades up. Class rank and grades are key factors in college admissions.

5. Take the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) and the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT).The 2012 PSAT/NMSQT test dates are Wednesday, October 17 and Saturday, October 20. Make sure you go over the test results with a college counselor, an independent one or at your school.

6. Consider taking the PLAN. The PLAN is the American College Testing (ACT) counterpart to the PSAT. This test covers English, math, reading and science. It is typically given in October.

7. Get to know teachers. It’s not too early to do this.Work really hard to impress a chosen few of your teachers. You want them to know you – and like you – well enough to possibly write personal and exceptional letters of recommendation for you.

8. Get Involved. Perform community service and/or get a part-time job. Extracurricular activities show that you’re well rounded and know how to manage your time efficiently. Next year you will want to take on a leadership position, start laying the groundwork.

9. Read and Write. You will need good writing skills for your college essay and for the rest of your life. Reading builds vocabulary. College counselors at International College Counselors recommend students take a look at the SAT prep books out there. There are many resources from romance novels to manga comic books that will build vocabulary while being entertaining.

10. Learn, learn, learn. Take a look at the Common Application and get familiar with what colleges are asking for on their applications. Visit some college websites and see what all the fuss is about.

Since 2004, the college advisors at International College Counselors have helped more than 500 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, call 954-414-9986.

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Common Application Now Available

August 7th, 2012

The Common Application is now available online at https://www.commonapp.org.

This means students can start to enter their information, and begin their final school essays (supplements too!)

Please note that some schools, which accept the Common Application, have not yet released their supplemental applications, and this is nothing to worry about.

The main Common Application includes two essays: a 150-word essay about your involvement in a particular extracurricular or work-related activity, and a 500-word answer to one of 6 topics, one of which is “Topic of your Choice.”

In addition to the Common Application, several other schools will now be releasing their individual applications for Fall 2013 as well, including University of Florida, Florida State University, University of Central Florida and Indiana University at Bloomington.

The Common Application also gained 37 new members for the 2012-13 application cycle. That brings the total number of colleges and universities that accept the Common Application to 488. Member schools are in 46 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, and Switzerland.

It is to your great advantage to get started on these applications as soon as possible–with some extra effort now, you can have much of the work done before senior year even starts!

Clients of International College Counselors, be sure to contact us with your information once you’ve registered for the Common App or any other schools’ applications, so that we can go over everything with you and help finalize your drafts before you push “Submit”! Also don’t forget to make note of your log in and password, and to send it to us once there is something for us to review.

In the meantime, should you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

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The Virtual College Tour – Inspirational, Motivational and Free

July 12th, 2012

Around the U.S. thousands of students are visiting colleges  without leaving home.

From a personal computer students can explore hundreds of colleges, getting a 360-degree view of the campus and more.
College advisors at International College Counselors recommend them highly for being informative, free and even highly motivational.

When students have a chance to “stroll” around a campus, the dream becomes more real. The discussion can then turn to grades and what is needed for a student to actually attend.

Locations to be visited include lecture halls, gyms and dormitories. Videos may also include student interviews and perspectives on activities like sports, clubs and Greek life. Other tours include information like nearby places to hike, local things to do, and historical features. Sweet Briar College includes places on campus where ghosts have supposedly been seen.

Many families take road trips. But with students applying to more schools, visiting all the schools can be a challenge. Virtual tours can give a student the sense of a college and help narrow down the search. They can help save a family time and money.

Virtual college tours are also a great opportunity for international students to see what a variety of schools looks like.

But, they’re not a replacement for actual visits. College advisors at International College Counselors recommend that students visit their top schools once they’ve narrowed down their list. During an in-person college visit, students can sit in on actual classes and speak with current students to ask questions.

Start touring now!

Berklee College of Music
Columbia University
Fashion Institute of Technology (NYC)
Pepperdine University
Stony Brook University
Syracuse
University of Miami
University of North Dakota
Yale

For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please visit www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

SAT or ACT? What are the Differences and Which is the Best Test to Take?

June 23rd, 2012

The first thing to do is look at the favored tests for your colleges of choice. If you see a school prefers one test over the other, your decision is easy.

If the colleges don’t specify which test they prefer, the decision SAT vs. ACT is still easy. Neither test is superior to the other. And, to tell you the truth say college advisors at International College Counselors, most colleges don’t prefer one over the other.

The trick is to figure out which one is best suited to your standardized testing strengths, recommend the expert college advisors at International College Counselors.

Each test emphasizes different test taking skills and tests your familiarity in different subjects.

The ACT

• Designed to evaluate your overall educational development and your ability to complete college-level work.
• Has four multiple-choice subject tests covering English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each content area is approached in one big chunk, with the optional Writing Test at the end.
• Optional 30-minute writing test is designed to measure your skill in planning and writing a short essay. If you opt to take it, the additional scores will be listed separately.
• 215 questions
• You’ll have 2 hours and 55 minutes, not including breaks or the 30 minute optional essay. This makes the test faster paced.
• There is no penalty for incorrect answers, only correct responses count. So there is no penalty for guessing.
• Subject test scores (ranging from 1 to 36) are determined by correct answers. The four areas are then averaged together to come up with your overall, or composite, score.
• The ACT Math section requires you to have a broader range of knowledge than the SAT. For example, on this test there’s a little trigonometry, in addition to the algebra and geometry. That said, the ACT Math section is not necessarily harder, since many students find the questions to be more direct.
• Focuses more on grammar and punctuation.
• Science section is logical reasoning based on data and scientific terms, not based on classroom science.
• ACT Reading asks questions that rely more on retrieving information from the text.
• ACT questions are said to be more straightforward and easier to understand on a first read than those on the SAT. The ACT is also more intuitive and a better measure of what a student has learned in school.

The SAT

• Designed to evaluate your general thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Content areas (Critical Reading, Math, and Writing) are broken up into ten sections, with the required essay at the beginning. Keep in mind, this means you will be moving back and forth between different content areas.
• Required 25-minute essay.
• 170 questions
• You’ll have 3 hours and 45 minutes with three short breaks.
• Test scores range from 600 to 2400, combining test results from three 800-point sections.
• Slight penalty for wrong answers on the multiple choice questions.
• Unlike the ACT, the SAT has a part in the Math section where you’ll be required produce your answers.
• SAT Critical Reading relies more on prediction, inference, etc.
• Favors those who are very strong in vocabulary. If you aren’t an ardent wordsmith and English is not your first language, you may do better on the ACT.
• “The SAT’s style–tricked-up, puzzle-like, and logic-oriented–makes it a more teachable test because there are more test-specific concepts to teach. To varying extents, the tricks can be learned and the puzzles simplified. Once students become familiar with them, the test unwraps itself.” (New York Times)

Something to Consider

Almost all competitive colleges “cherry-pick” SAT sub-scores, say the expert college counselors at International College Counselors, meaning they consider the best combination of Math, Critical Reading and Writing earned on different dates. Very few colleges do this with the four ACT sub-scores.

Some Additional Thoughts

Take practice tests to see which test you prefer.

If the colleges you’re interested in accept scores from both the SAT and the ACT, consider taking both tests to see which one you perform better on.

Start studying for the tests as early as possible. Both the SAT and the ACT are not tests you can wait until the last minute to study for.

For a recommendation on a SAT or ACT tutor or to contact an expert college counselor, please call 954-414-9986 or email info@internationalcollegecounselors.com.

International College Counselors has offices in White Plains, New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Miami Beach, Florida; Miami, Florida; Coral Gables, Florida; Palm Beach, Florida; Boca Raton, Florida; Medellin, Columbia and Caracas, Venezuela.

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SAT & ACT Test Dates. Get Your Calendars Updated NOW!

June 14th, 2012

SAT and ACT test dates are coming up fast. We’ve listed them below for your easy reference. If you want the name of a top-notch tutor for your student, don’t hesitate to call an expert college counselor at International College Counselors or email us at www.internationalcollegecounselors.com.

THE SAT

Upcoming SAT dates and deadlines

DATES
2012
October 6 Register by September 7 Late Registration September 21
November 3 Register by October 4 Late Registration October 19
December 1 Register by November 1 Late Registration November 16

2013
January 26 Register by December 28 Late Registration January 11
March 9 Register by February 8 Late Registration February 22
May 4 Register by April 5 Late Registration April 19
June 1 Register by May 2 Late Registration May 17

Find out subject test availability

*Learn about making changes to your SAT test center, date or which test you’re registered to take

Visit the SAT home page

THE ACT

Upcoming ACT dates and deadlines

2012
September 8 Register by August 17 Late registration August 18-24
October 27 Register by September 21 Late registration September 22-October 5
December 8 Register by November 2 Late registration November 3-16

2013
February 9 Register by January 11 Late registration January 12-18
April 13 Register by March 8 Late registration March 9-22
June 8 Register by May 3 Late registration May 4-17

International students will find test dates in other countries here

Visit the ACT home page

For a recommendation on a SAT or ACT tutor or to contact an expert college counselor, please call 954-414-9986 or visit 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.

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Online Courses: Build a Better College Resume and Improve Your College Application without Leaving Home

June 6th, 2012

High School students in their pajamas can enhance their college applications.

Colleges love to see that a high school student has taken online courses even if no credit is awarded for the course. Online courses help your student demonstrate they can do college-level work and show their motivation to learn beyond basic curriculum requirements. By taking online courses, students can also explore interests in a particular profession or field of study. Students can also opt to take online classes that can earn them college credit.

Below we’ve listed some courses that can be taken online for credit and no credit. Some are free, some aren’t. This is not a comprehensive list, but a mere sampling.

Free online college courses for no credit:

Coursera
Coursera offers courses from the top universities, for free to everyone. Current courses come from Princeton University, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and University of Pennsylvania. Courses range from the maths and sciences to poetry and world music.

edX
Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are teaming up to offer free, online, college-level courses under a joint superbrand known as edX. MIT currently offers web-based courses featuring discussion forums, short videos, and laboratory simulations, all under the guidance of MIT professors and teaching assistants. Harvard plans to officially announce its first courses in the summer and begin offering the courses in the fall.

Open courseware at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Johns Hopkins is a respected medical school offering a selection of popular courses which would be of particular interest to students who plan to study medicine, or a related field.

Udacity
Udacity offers a variety of free online courses and students can sign up at any time. Currently all the courses being offered are computer related, and include: Building a Search Engine, Web Application Engineering, Applied Cryptography and Programming a Robotic Car.

Online college courses for credit:

Colleges offer independent study online courses that can be taken any time, any place for credit. They also offer a selection of online cohort courses that follow the semester calendar.

California State University

Miami Dade College

University of Texas

Online pre-college courses, some for credit and some not

Brown University (not for credit)
Students can demonstrate they can do Ivy League level academic work.

Northwestern College (for credit)
This is a college in Minnesota, not Northwestern University.

Oregon State University (for credit)
Through OSU’s Extended Campus, you can choose from over 40 college classes in subjects like Calculus, Art, German, Philosophy, Wildlife Conservation, Women Studies and Atmospheric Sciences.

Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (not for credit)
Provides students with university-level online courses in mathematics and computer science.

Contact International College Counselors
If you have questions on online courses, credit transfer or college applications and are a client of International College Counselors, please contact our expert college advisors at www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

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