Improve your chances of getting into college,

Academically strong students who also are competitive athletes are very desirable to colleges. A strong level of athleticism in football for example can be a hook to get students through the admission process at selective universities, especially if the coach really needs a tight end or kicker for their football team.

A student can have just as much fun if not more by playing on an NCAA Division III team than on a D-1 team. A student needs to consider that he/she may be benched at a D-1 college whereas he/she might get to play more at a D-II or D-III college.

For some sports like ice hockey, it starts very early one, as early at in 9th grade. Generally, students get recruited by playing games on their high school varsity teams, at exhibition games, training camps, and by participating in state and national competitions. Many students rise to the top organically because they are so incredibly good at their sport. Many can use the help of a coach who is willing to present them to college coaches. Some educational consultants such as me have experience combining the student’s academic abilities with the athletic interests and in placing these student- athletes in colleges where they can grow and thrive both educationally and athletically.

Any college search starts with self-assessment. You need to be brutally honest with yourself and assess what exactly are you good at, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time, what are your academic strengths? If you were working with me, I would help you with this assessment by asking you questions such as what do you value most, what is it that you dream of when you really think about your future, what type of artist do you want to become, what are your strengths and weaknesses, and what are you doing now to get there later?

Colleges offer a variety of majors and dance might be one of those majors or minors they offer. A conscervatory focuses on teaching the performing arts, from dance to drama and music. There are conservatories within the confines of a college, such as SUNY-Purchase for example, or you may have stand-alone conservatories such as Peabody or Curtis. The goal of a conservatory education is to train the student for an immediate career in the chosen art, so it's less academically focused and more experientially and hands-on focused.

Depends on what type of ballet school and teachers a student does best with, however, Juilliard School in NYC stands out as close to the premier ballet department in the US. There are many programs at US colleges that I would recommend as well as overseas programs in the UK and Europe.

What can I do with a major in the arts if I don't get full-time work as a performer /artist ?

The answer lies within you! Everyone is different, has different abilities and levels of passion for art. If you wonder what you can do with a degree in the performing or visual art and are really concerned about having a steady job upon graduation you may consider majoring in art and some other field that is more marketable in today’s economy. Take my student Christopher, for example, who has a beautiful baritone voice and an interest in the environment. Chris loves to learn what can be applied immediately to the real world. He sat through Math class in high school and wondered when is it that he would actually apply the domain of a function in real life. He does not care for theory and abstraction. He is concerned about earning a living upon graduation from college. He’s been working with me during his junior year of high school, and he has taken several vocational assessments and figured out that he’s not entrepreneurial in nature, does not like to take chances, and would prefer a “traditional career” with traditional hours, regular hours and increasing responsibilities. He will combine his music major with environmental science. A career in the performing or visual arts is not for the faint at heart. There are many beautiful and talented actors in Hollywood who any are working as waiters and free lancing when the opportunity arises. A fairly successful stage actor said to me: “When I get to work I’m on cloud nine. I consider the earnings remuneration for the times when I did not have work.”

On the other hand, my other student Carollyn is a dancer. She’s taken ballet since she was yea high to a grasshopper. She is good at it. I can believe this because she’s already been on the radar of the New York Ballet Company. She cannot envision herself doing anything else. Carollyn may end up working at a dance company upon graduation from high school. The career of a dancer is very short, and if she is invited to dance, she should probably do it, because college will still be there but the chance to dance may not.

The standard reply is from 6 to 8. However, if you conduct your research and plan ahead, you should be able to apply to fewer - say 4-5. It's hard to juggle too many applications in your senior year. It's best if you identify the variables that are important to you. As an IECA consultant I focus on finding colleges that match you academically, socially and financially.

Early decision is a binding contract between the student and the college. The international student must apply to a college in the fall of their last year of high school. If the college accepts the student, the student must then withdraw all other outstanding college applications. For International students Early Decision is a difficult contract to fulfill, because after the college issues an Immigration Form I-20, they must also gain approval for a Student Visa at the US consular office in their country. It's not impossible to apply ED to US colleges, but difficult in that international students must be ready one year earlier.

either tests are accepted by most US colleges.

You may take the TOEFL as many times as you need, however, the score is not likely to change significantly unless you have acquired substantially more language proficiency.

Fee waiver: some US colleges grant a fee waiver to international students though most don’t. One of the reasons is that international students must provide proof of sufficient funds before being admitted. The one exception to this may be the Ivy League Universities because they have more means to fund a meritorious student. Therefore, asking for a fee waiver will signal the university that the international student will likely not have the self-provided funds to study in the US.

You would write the same way a US student does. Tell the reader something interesting about yourself that isn’t already reflected on your application. International students have the advantage of bringing new and different experiences to the college community. I used to read essays from international students and found that when they wrote about themselves and their country they made a compelling statement. Write about something small, something that you would want someone to know about you.

It depends on the level of selectivity of the college you apply to. Certainly, you are not expected to fly into the US to interview. The admission committee understands that many students simply cannot afford to fly in for an interview. Nowadays, with Skype and Webex, many college admission directors are able to talk with students in all four corners of the world. If such an offer is made to you, take it as an opportunity to get to know your college and for the college to learn more about you.

Generally, international students are not eligible for US Government based financial aid, such as loans. They are expected to provide funding from their home country. Some colleges however, provide scholarships that are funded by the college itself. As a consultant and former director of international admission, I can help guide you to those colleges.

There are no similarities between US college admissions and the Chinese domestic college entrance exam. US colleges evaluate the performance of a student over 4 years of high school and standardized test scores. The results of the Chinese domestic entrance exams determine whether the student will be able to continue their education at the university level in China.

Many international students worry about getting to the US first and choosing a major after. However, it’s a good idea to assess one’s interests and natural abilities before getting to the US. If you are completely undecided, then choose a liberal arts college where you don’t have to declare a major for the first two years. During that time you can explore various subjects and then decide on a major.

International students must meet the admission requirements of each college to which they apply. ???????????????????? If their requirement is 215 on the computerized TOEFL then that’s what a student must present. A few colleges offer ESL on their campus and allow students to be admitted provisionally pending completion of the ESL program and satisfactory TOEFL. I worked at such a college and it worked out well for international students.

According to the Department of Homeland Security and by US Law, International students are required to present a "Statement of Finances" before a US University can issue an offer of admission and the Immigration form I-20. There are some colleges that offer merit scholarships to international students who are particularly gifted and talented. As an educational consultant I can help you identify these colleges but unless you are an athlete who can get recruited by an NCAA Division I team, much depends on your academic achievement. ??????,??????????????????

Homeschooled students can stand out by getting good grades and test scores. Standardized test scores are weighted more heavily in the admission process because they provide the college with a standard measure of achievement. Another way to stand out is to explain why you or your parents chose homeschooling. For example, I have worked with a home schooled student who practiced her violin for five hours each day. She would not have been able to do so if she was in a regular classroom. Since both parents were violinists, she was able to get the best music education possible. She was accepted to Juilliard.