Improve your chances of getting into college,

Your parents, or guardians, and if you have neither ask your school counselor.

It is not the marketing plan, it is a plan that will help them to focus on preparing for college entry and that is important beginning very early in a students high school career and continuing through undergrad.

Not very, choosing a college is like choosing an outfit, does it fit you and enhance your positives, if not the brand may impress others but make you feel out of your comfort zone.

There are many responses on making the most of campus visits if you review those and have specific questions that are not answered please re-ask your question with the specific information. I can be confident that this question has been answered and has more information than you can imagine....enjoy the visits

Maintain high rigorous academic achievement

Volunteer

Take standardized test

visit colleges

If you do not have the tme or the financial resources to visit colleges that are not near your home ( near meaning within 25 to 50 miles) then do not despair most campuses have virtual tours, chat rooms, and real-time answers for students interested in their campuses. I would try to visit the local schools just to get an idea of size, rural vs. urban, large 30,000+ vs. small 3000 student body. The campuses you visit do not have to be the ones that you are interested in but at least you will have an idea of what it is like to be in a smaller liberal arts college, compared to a sprawiing rural university or a crowded city college where the college is lost in the city and the city is lost in the college, or a college town where everything is built around that institution. Most towns have colleges close by, but if you are truly unable to visit even your local campuses please take advantage of the online virtual tours and the online chat rooms where your questions can be answered and check out reviews of the cammpus life from the perspective of current and graduated students.

It depends on the individual the typical standard is 10,000 is considered average, 5000 roughly small, over 10,000 large. Advantages/disadvantages depend upon your interests and what you want to be involved in and how many people you are comfortable being around. Additionally, you also have to think about where you are going after undergraduate education and if your first school is noted for the program you are choosing because it can limit your graduate school acceptance if you attend an institution regardless of the size that does not have a quality program.

What year are you in school. If you are a senior it does matter that you have not chosen extracurricular opportunities, schools may think that you are only capable of doing class work and not being sociable which may impede your ability to be away from home. It may be time for you to engage in some volunteerism to be a bit more competitive.

One of the most significant, avoidable mistakes students make during the admissions process is simply not answering the essay question that is asked effectively and not having them edited before submitting them.

Another is not being cognizant of the due dates for materials and ensuring that they have been received.

1) It is easy

2) It is hard

3) It is quick

4) You need all A's

5) You have to take hard classes

6) You have to take classes that you can get an A in but not challenge yourself

7) The personal statement does not matter

8) Letters of recommendation are not that important

9) Only geniuses can get into Ivy League Colleges

10) Ivy League colleges are the best

11) Have to have a major when you apply

12) Have to make a lot of Money to pay for college

13) Getting into state schools are easier than private or vice versa

Let's look at a few options:

IN OUT

Friends Making New Connections

Family Closer Growing Up with more independence

Ability to visit local hot spots Finding new spots for entertainment

Built in Personal Care Provider Finding a new reliable source for

(Hair, Nails, Barber, Tailor, etc.) personal care needs

limited travel cost to visit home may not be able to visit most holidays and breaks

moving in may be less taxing transporting or storing goods at the end and beginning

easier to get a truck for a 5 hr. of semesters may prove to be a hassle

than a 10 hr. jaunt

There are other concerns that may be important but these are a few of the generalized ones; don't forget about faith and worship which may also need consideration.

It is precarious and the price continues to rise and the selection process becomes more rigorous as the dollars diminiish

One of the most unexpected admissions successes that I witnessed in all of my years working with college students was when I worked with a young girl who had a gpa of 1.7 and through assisting her with her personal statements and other college admission processes along with going to the school she wanted to attend which was a private elite college she received an acceptance letter along with scholarship notifications.

Most colleges want to know more than generic information about who enters their home. Imagine going through a lists of thousands of applicants with the same application, the supplemental personal statements, CSS profiles, essays all humanize the individual and helps the college decide who should be coming to dine with them for he next 4 years.

It increases the chances a great deal, because the teacher is not rushed and they have a full picture of the student not just the 1 dimension they see in their class. A resume and a list of activities with roles and responsibilities and proudest accomplishments provided early to teachers who have agreed to write the recommendations will yield better letters. If you assume that your letter is the only one or if you forgot that you were rude while you were in that teachers class and burned a bridge your letters may not be so glowing.

Prepare Early and Don't Burn Bridges

A student can have a timely recommendation by first asking the teachers, counselors etc near the end of your junior year if they would be willing to write you a letter of recommendation and what would they need from you to do so.

Typically, they will say a resume of all of your activities and involvements in school and in the community. Remember most teachers see you in one light (their classroom) and that is not sufficient to write a great letter of recommendation. I require a resume and a seperate list of activities with your role and an accomplishment that you are proud of in that role. Remember the people writing recommendations are being asked by hundreds of students and if you do not want a template letter than give them a complete picture of who you are early enough so they will not feel rushed and can write your letter not a generic letter.

At birth try 529 Plan....

I highly recommend you take your aid package offer with you and your parents' to the offering institution and ask the exact same question because many will provide you with insider information when they place a face with a package, but do it early and have all of your information in hand (cannot get real information until after the new year, because your final package will be determined by your 2011 tax information, so schedule a visit and be prepared by writing a lists of questions for the meeting.

If you have a guardian or are a foster child, or have been away from home for a period of time and your parents have not filed you on their taxes you can be classified as an independent student and only your finances will be counted. I had multiple guardians and no real home, therefore I was considered independent and received full financial aid for college (some loans).

Most parents are not simply sitting with millions of dollars in the bank and deciding that their child should magically decide how they are going to pay for college. The laws involving retirment and savings are scary and parents are many times close to the age where they are not sure how they would live if they used their resources for the exorbitant fees of a college education.

The student has options, you can start by taking as many Advanced Placement classes as possible in high school for free and do well (4 or 5) on the AP exams in May and place out of some of the general education courses, you also can start at a junior/community college and get your first two years at a much reduced price, and finally by doing so well and making a strong honest effort to succeed you may qualify for merit scholarships at both the junior/community college and when you transfer to the 4-year institution to complete your studies.

Remember most youth never see a campus, and their parents have not either, therefore if you have a mind to go to college and work parttime the way will be made and you will appreciate the accomplishment all the more. I say this from experience 7the of 14 children and the first of two to go to college, yes working, having bills, and trying to study among other responsiblities was not easy, but no class was missed and I graduated knowing that I earned my degree Suma Cum Laude..

You can schedule a visit with financial aid and your department after you have your 2011 tax information and discuss your financial dilemma with the amount of money you are expected to contribute and the limitations of making that contribution.,

Unfortunately, this question cannot be answered clearly without knowing a lot more information; please consider making an appointment for additional personalized answers.

That is a wide open question that takes a lot more information about who you are to determine what you may be eligible for and how to find them. Begin your search inwardly first by writing down your personal interest, your choice of majors, your ethnic background, your activities, your volunteerism and all of the other personal attributes and contributions to society, school, and family that you have been a part of and how they relate to who you are and where you want to be. It may be good for you to schedule an appointment with a Unigo expert who can guide you through this process a little more effectively.

There are several things you can do to increase the your likelihood of receiving a scholarship; but before I mention them I would like to say none of them are guarantees, but more like best practices!!!!

1) Read the scholarships interest and make sure that you are a great candidate for the scholarship...do not try to fit yourself into the scholarships mission if it is not for you there are many available that will fit. "Don't put a size 10 foot into a size 8 shoe"

2) Really read the guidelines for submitting the scholarship: a)postmark date, b) number of recommendations and from whom c) gpa requirements d) affiliations if any ex. member of a credit union, or rotary club, e) ethnicity f) location, and there are so many specifics that if you are not careful you can put a lot of time into an application only to realize you have missed a critical piece that inhibits your eligibility

3) Create a spreadsheet of all of the scholarships that you apply for that includes all of the aforementioned details and add your correspondence with the scholarship administrators ex. had interview, made it to second round, notification date, won/did not win scholarship

4) finally if you meet or speak with someone from the scholarship committee remember to be professional and honest when answering questions and giving feedback to open ended questions; don't talk yourself out of it by not listening carefully to what is asked, or inadvertenly try to make a familiar connection based on external information assuming it will give you a better chance of being considered.

Always remember regardless of the outcome you will not win them all but you can win some if you keep applying; start early and do not stop!!!!

Students should know if the card is accepted and what the cost of using it versus using travelers cheques will be.

There are on campus jobs available; however if you are looking for career pay while in college you may find yourself having to choose college or work.

1) knowing that board is FOOD

2) laundry costs

3) printing costs

4) clothes for various temps

5) comfortable chair

6) money for eating off campus

7) formal events

8) Guest speakers

9) sporting events

Please rephrase the question, I am not sure what is being asked?

For?

The best ways to prepare for the SAT are to understand the derivations of words (prefixes, suffixes, context clues, synonyms, analogies, etc.) in context through reading and practice (using study guides, etc.). My personal thought regarding paying for SAT Prep courses is up to the person and depends heavily on your learning style, I believe that there are many tools available for a person to study independently or online, but if you need a classroom environment you must choose the best approach for you.

I am probably alone in this response but it has proven to work over my years of advising students and my own children. I suggests students take the SAT during the second half of their 10th grade year mostly to become familiar with it. Although most advisors would say just take the PSAT, they are not the same and since you do not get penalized for taking the SAT as often as you want with the higher scores being accepted, I just believe if I have to take the SAT/ACT for admission then why not test drive the real test rather than waiting until my junior and senior year and being unprepared for the process. It is not the information but the process that I believe students need to know early...the testing environment, the structure of the tests, a baseline of where they start and where they need to be for their preferred school so that they will have time to reach the mark. Take it early and definitely as soon as you complete algebra 2 and geometry you stand a better chance of doing your best on the math section because it is fresh in your mind.

Yes, the SAT/ACT are very important they are still used as part of the entry requirements for many institutions and the scores on these test along with your academic performance overall, and your responses to essay questions are factored into a rubric to determine your admission into most schools. Do not take the test lightly, some schools only look at the numbers and others are more holisitic, but almost all require the test as a part of the admission package.

First the cost is relatively the same....check out the sites for each test because it depends on timing (early or late) and the tests (subject, with writing, w/o writing, etc)

Also, confirm that the institution you are applying to accepts both exams and that will help you decide which you shoud take

Differences: ACT has a science section and is often suggested for students who are strong in the science field; additionally unlike the SAT the ACT is set up so that when you complete Math, you do not return to it, The ACT has critical reading, math and science sections

SAT focuses on Critical Reading and Math only and is set up so that you may start with math, move to a reading section, return to a math section, go back to another reading section and so on, for some students it is more frustrating but if you are well versed in the areas you are fine with the structure. The SAT offers subject area tests that can be used to place out of a general education requirement.

Both tests have a writing section that most colleges require.

Basically, I advise students to take the ACT if science is a very strong area for them, it can often increase their score comparison and may be an advantage over the SAT alone, I do believe both tests provide an opportuntiy for some students to showcase their ability to tests well on prior gained knowledge, but it is not an absolute indicator for all students. Those who do not tests well may be slighted on either tests, not because they do not know the information, but the test anxiety is so high that they freeze and do less then they are capable of.

Test prep courses are expensive and have not been shown to boost scores high enough to out way the cost; reading and practicing using the many self guided resources available in books and on the internet may provide just as much opportunity as enrolling in a course and save your money to take the tests several times to get familiar with it and cut down the anxiety level by knowing what to expect.

One way to manage time is to know your strengths, meaning if you are more proficient in reading and can read quickly and comprehend the material, do not waste time pondering that section because you are nervous. Anxiety will cause you to forget what you are certain of, so go at it with confidence.

Another method is to read through and answer the questions you are sure of first and if it takes you longer than a minute to complete and you are somewhat unsure come back to it (mark it so that you do not have to search for it but go on to what you know)

In the critical reading section I always suggests that students read through the questions first and then the passage because your subconcious will bring to mind the location of the information that you know is in a question so just mark that area and when you get to that question you will know where to look for the answer.

Additionally, don't doodle, keep it moving when you are "stuck" skip and go on...

In the writing section do not waste time outlining do a quick mindmap and to organize your ideas and begin writing.

The math section of the SAT can be the easiest section if you are a yes/no type of analytical person. Remember in math there is but one answer; unlike the subjectivity in critical reading or other liberal areas. To succeed in math study concepts; not necessarily problems. You must be very comfortable with math up to Algebra 2 and Geometry. Remember if you know the formulas and the rules that drive math you will succeed, they never change. The Quadratic Equation will always be the same, finding Area and distance will not change, the FOIL method will always work.....that is how you make math fun and understandable know the rules, and when to apply them and you cannot lose.

Yes, it is not pleasurable to prepare for hundreds of interviews and they have no relevance in the decision process, so yes remember they do count, everything about the application process is really important and should be taken seriously.

Typically former attendees at the ivies who live near the potential students home.

Yes, it is possible to be interviewed by students.

Study yourself!!!!

the purpose of the interview is to learn about you and what you have done throughout your life that makes you a great candidate for the school. Keep a copy of your resume with you so that you can highlight your accomplishments and know what makes you your best person and how you will incorporate that in your studies and at the university.

Remember to read the mission and vision of the institution but don't exaggerate your accomplishments and interests but they should be aligned with what the school is looking for.

This question does catch many off guard because they began to give their life stories...do not make that mistake. The question should be answered from the vein of what your interviewing for...to enter colllege (academic information), for a job (work experience and special work related talents), for a scholarship (answers should relate to the mission of the scholarship). Leave your personal life personal.

You should focus on being honest and sincere, not on canned answers.

This question is very broad; however the basics are:

1) know background information on the entity the interview is for

2) practice interview skills with someone prior to the interview to gain feedback on presentation, disposition, appearance, communication skills, etc.

3) drive by or find the location of the interview ahead of time so that you are at a minimum 15 to 30 minutes early

4) present yourself kindly to all people you meet including the secretary and janitor; remember you are trying to get in and opinions matter even when you do not think so

5) dress appropriately - if you are not sure get help from a local source on business attire (not expensive clothing but professional dress)

6) follow up with a thank you note within a week of the interview

Body Language speaks volumes, therefore come to the interview with a professional stance, demeanor and language. An appropriate handshake,, sitting tall and communicating effectivly verbally makes a great impact on the interview. Additionally, being prepared by having studied the institution is also quite important, going into any interview unprepared may impact the outcome.

NO, do not go into an interview with any song unless you are applying to a performance school where your talent is singing. Take college interviews very seriously and dress appropriate being prepared to answer questions; not wasting the persons' time with minutia.

Colleges are money making engines who truly love to recruit great athletes and have been known to bait the best of the best with all types of tantalizing goods and promises, but remember that is the athletic department.

Admissions is different, yes they want the best and brightest and will strive to capture the attention of those academically qualified candidates but their overall mission is to graduate students who become quality citizens in this world by making a sustainable contribution to society.

Thus, although athletics looks great as an extra-curricular activity you must be academically qualified to squeak past admissions; and that vetting will take place before the coaches make any offers.

Students who are interested in being on an intercollegiate team once they enter college must consider many things outside of perfecting their craft.

1) you must begin in your preparation to get noticed by colleges early in your high school and often middle school career by practicing to be above the bar in your area and getting noticed early

2) participate in league sports which have become one of the primary recruiting venues for college athletics like AAU and Upward to name a couple

3) remember that you are talking about "college" athletics so you must maintain adequate grades in school and take the necessary standardized tests

4) additionally, began a video journal of your performances, because schools will want to see more than one game, they will want a video portfolio of what you have to offer

5) you must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse to become eligible to play at the college level

6) finally once you are being considered you must weigh your academic career goals with the schools offerings, keeping in mind that very few athletes make it to the professional level

There are very specific guidelines for student athlethe and it is belt that you download the manual from the www.ncsasports.org to be preprepared and well versed in what the expectations are for hgh school athletes and recruitment.

Your college search should start with you pondering your iikes and dislikes about a variety of fields under the College of Arts and Sciences. Arts include such majors as psychology, sociology, human services, social work, and a host of others. To get off to a great start decide what you know you are not interested in and eliminate untecessary searching and wasting time on fields that you have no interest in. If you are a creative or visual artists just hone in on institutions that bring out the best of what you are skilled at. A final alternative is to enter college as an undecided student (which is perfectly fine and common) and take a variety of classes to decided what peeks my interests and go from there.

Per research into the topic many dancers have been in the field their entire lives and are looking to become professionals and make dance their career. If that is your focus a Conservatory is the better option, typically they are rigorous programs and highly competitive.

If your goal is to enjoy dancing as a part of your life be in a local production now and then or teach or you find that you have not made it into a conservatory of your liking then you may want to consider a college or university dance program which will require you to not only focus on dance but the other critereria for college admission. You will be responsible for general education courses and your major will be dance, but the rigor and exposure may not be that of a conservatory.

Check out Univ. of Utah which has a strong West Coast program, Indiana University which is also highly regarded and finally consider looking at the "Performing Arts Major's College Book" it will give you additional insight into specific programs related to your area of ballet rathar than a general overview.

I must ask a clarifying question in order to effectively answer this question. When you say you will major in the "arts" that leaves me with a broad brush and the world as my canvas "pun intended". Do you mean literally you want to major in the visual arts i.e. painting, drawing, or computer graphics, or do you me the performing arts i.e. dance, acting, music, etc., or do you mean take a major in a college of the liberal arts which all can lead to a Bachelor of Arts degree however now you are talking about fields that are not a part of the STEM (science, technology, engineering, or math) sectors like psychology, philosophy, sociology soocial work, biology, education, etc.

Regarding obtaining full-time work as a performer/artist is more about being in the right place at the right time, and having your talent displayed for an audience seeking what you offer. College can only enhance the fundementals of the performing and visual arts, the talent typically is not taught but natural talent that with or without college an individual will have.

Actually, just post nothing of relevance on FB, it can all speak volumes without your knowledge.

Parents' are vital to the college application process in so many ways from being a positive motivator to become an expert organizer. Students' are typically very nervous and anxious during their senior year, not to mention focused on being successful in their final classes and competing against many other great students for the limited seats at their preferred college, all of this anxiety makes the parents' role critical and yet one that must be tread lightly. A parent must first listen and observe your child. Remember you have had many years watching and guiding now it is time to step back and wait to be asked for guidance. Gentle nudges are alright "have you thought about the 4 or 5 colleges you want to apply to"? The question that can be the most frustrating for your child is any question about their major. Most students' say what you want to hear or are afraid to say "I don't know" or clam up and say nothing. Remember you do not have to declare a major at most 4 year colleges until your second semester sophomore year, so let that question not be a barrier to the lines of communication. If they think of five schools, maybe do some internet research first and based on other interest you already know they have share your information over dinner, or in a non-intimidating, I know what's best for you kind of way. Remind the student of timelines or deadlines by simply putting a calendar of what needs to take place and when in a space that they have to notice (refrigerator). Application deadlines, recommendations list and deadlines, scholarships, etc. Parents' are vital to the process but it is less stressful for both the parent and the student if the student feels that they have the lead reign over the major choice for their future.

Remember your "child" is now an adult and to the college it is their responsibilty to inform you of their progress (even if you are paying). Remember the relationship changes when high school ends. The progress is reported but access is given or taken by the adult student. Establishing boundaries is the best way to remain involved throughout their college career, and recognizing that you (or your money) may have the upper hand, on your child, but you must first realize that your young adult is doing what you have raised them to be; adults.

Most students are going to go on campus visits and remain very quiet; they have no questions and if they do they do not want to be the one to step out and ask what they may think is a "dumb" question.

A parent can help by really understanding in advance what your child has already expressed an interest in, maybe prior to the visits talk about the size of the campus, classroom size, extra curricular interest, housing, mountains or beach, north or south, car or no car for freshmen, average GPA/SAT, and listen to their answers and on the visit when the question answer session begins if a question has not been asked or the answer was not very clear ask the questions that your child has expressed an interest in.

A parents role for their child during this phase is two-fold - Listen and Support

Listen to your child's dreams for their life; it is not yours to relive through your child, therefore listen and wait to be asked for help. You can make suggestions but do not ignore what your child is saying by forcing your dreams on them

Support your child by educating them, not with words but with real information. Example: When my current high school senior said she wanted to major in Film my husband went ballistic because this child is an absolute genius (no exaggeration) in many areas she has never had to study and was selected from over a thousand students to attend a prestigious high school for her junior and senior year. So he was not very happy with her decision. I on the other hand (only because I work with students daily) stated that it was a great idea since she was so talented and that if she wanted to do film let's check out a few film schools. We did; this was last summer we went to NYU, Chicago, CA and a few others. As time has progressed; mind you before the August application period began she made a decision to study Biotechnology at NYU and go to med school at Baylor for OBGYN and minor in film at NYU. She applied early decision and in a week will know if she has been admitted. But my husbands reaction led to a huge argument, mine led to researching the field and letting her make the decision for her future.

Listen - To the fears, the uncertainty, and pressure of having to know their whole life at 17

Support - support by giving information via bookstore, online, visits etc. and letting them know they can be undecided, that's what those first two years of general studies allows: exploration

The application process is stressful and will be until the acceptances roll in. However, to minimize the stress encourage your student or you take the responsibility to create a spreadsheet with all of the colleges listed across the top and the components along the left margin and make a check off sheet when each colleges requirements are complete. There is nothing that relieves stress more than seeing (actually seeing) your accomplishments. So rather than just mentally carrying all of the strain choose to check it off and let it go. When each one is mailed your child will see that they are making positive progress and that will relieve much of the stress of the process.

Gently: first of all praise them for having given you a lot of good values that have been invaluable now that you are an adult and in college, lift them higher by also letting them know that you appreciate having them as parents and that you always think about what they would do or want you to do when you are faced with a tough decision and it helps you to make the right choices. Then transition smoothly to an example of you making a wise choice based on their upbringing and inform them in a non-defensive manner that you wished they could trust that the great job they did raising you has not been lost and that now you would like to have space to implement it independently during your college years so that when you graduate you will be able to be the productive and responsible citizent that they have always wanted you to be. Let them know that you are glad they are there for you and that you wish they would let you call and ask for help now that you have adjusted and that you will keep them informed but that you just wish they would trust you to implement what they have given over the past 18+ years. And follow up with a heart felt hug and I love you so that they understand that you are coming from a place of love not a place of anger.

Well, I can share a few things that works in general and some things that worked personally for me.

General: apply for as many scholarships as possible prior to enrolling and after enrolling. Scholarships are available continuously all of the time so putting in a little due diligence can help make the cost more conceivable. Also, having your student ask for on campus work opportunities; every area of the school uses student workers and they do not have to be work study students

Personally: one of the most expensive parts of the school cost is (board or food), so after the first semester of paying more than $10 per swipe for a designated number of meals and realizing that my dollars were swiping in other students; I cancelled my daughter's meal plan and simply put dollars into her account. Often times she and her friends did not eat on campus and at the end of the semester you do not receive the unused portion of that meal plan back. That saved me thousands over the past 4 years. She is a senior and has not had a meal plan since first semester freshmen year. "That was just my way to make it more affordable." Additionally, she remained on campus all 4 years which alleviated the burden of outside expenses like utilities that she would incur if she moved into off campus housing. It was much cheaper and now she graduates with a maximum of $7000.00 debt rather than $20,000.00 and that includes studying abroad in Greece.

The best way is to first of all not feel that something is lacking in you, know that you did not get the "no thanks letter".

Now that we feel good we keep working, contiue to apply, I typically recommend that my students choose their top five schools and apply as early as possible (usually early action because it is non-binding) if their number one school is binding then we first make sure they exceed the criteria for getting in and with a concious awareness make the decision to apply to the one school know that if they are not admitted, then we will work hard in December to get the other schools on their lists applied to. So if you apply to 5 and you know by New Years your status and you are waitlisted or deferred for the one you really want simply wait to see if they offer you admission, it is not as if you were not admitted into your other choices (we assume) you have until Spring to confirm acceptance and they will let you know in a reasonable time which way your status changed. If admitted jump for joy if you still want to go, if not jump for joy because you have other options that are still great.

If you really want to go to the school that waitlisted you, than choose to go. It is irrelevant that you were waitlisted but that you got in. Nobody looks back after you graduated or moved in on the first day and says "well you know she/he almost didn't make it" everyone is so elated and you should not be offended at the notion of being waitlisted when someone simply got a thanks but no thanks letter.

Pride aside....go where you want to go and have a blast learning.

First, my apologies for your outcomes. There is hope. Look at the two schools you desired to attend and compare what was great about them that really made you want to attend....now if your reason is simply name or parental force.....you are in good shape because there are many great schools that most parents would be honored to say their child attended, if it was for a particular major take some time to find out if you have met the minimal guidelines that they require for admission (not SAT/ACT scores or GPA or school involvement only) but outside volunteerism, a well written personal statement and quality letters of recommendation and finally did you visit the school and get to know the admissions staff so that you can get the inside scoop of what really matters and so they can place a face with a name with the application comes across the desk....hope this helps, you will do fine.

I typically recommend that my students' apply to 5 schools; there number 1 school after visiting and taking the standardized test that gives them a good indicator if the school will consider their application. I suggest that the 1st choice and 2nd choice are early action, (not early decision which is binding) and schools 3-5 after they have visited but before January to beat the late crowd of second semester applicants.

It is not necessary to apply as an early decision student based on international or homeschool status. Only apply for early decision when you are absolutely positive that you only want to go to that school and that you have met the entry requirements. Early decision is binding and will hinder you from applying to other colleges until that institution has made its offer. Thus your status as an international or homeschooled student is not really a key factor.

The tests are similar and were designed for the same purpose, the TOEFL was originally designed for US and Canada institutions, while the IELTS was designed by British/Australian schools. The two have come to be accepted widely in all areas (both US/Canada and Europe) therefore you may take either test. I would however check with the institution I am applying to and determine it they have a preference. If not make your choice based on the structure you are most comfortable with because they are structured significantly different.

The TOEFL exam measures competency in the English Language. It can be taken once per calendar year and they offer a "fee reduction service" for individuals needing that service. For additional information on the fee reduction program go to ETS site and search for TOEFL "fee reduction guidelines" it is a pdf document. This service is for high school students who need the help. Remember because you can only take it once per calendar year be prepared to do well on it the first time if you are a senior, and if not it may benefit you to get exposure to the test by trying it earlier than your senior year.

Remember that colleges do not read your essays based on your nationality; they read them to get a written picture of you. I do mean a picture in words. Therefore use the approach in your essay known as "show don't tell" rather than telling them the answer to the question which often times can be a simple one liner and leave you feeling like you have to feel the rest of the essay with "fluff", answer the questions using images of what you see or saw and help them to see the same thing. Remember after thousands of essays it is nice to read a compelling decription of unknown exploits and adventures or ideas. Capture their attention, don't merely answer the question.

I would like to immediately say no; and that is true for the most part. However; not particular to international students only but all students there are some elite institutions like the "Ivies" Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc that may require interviews from student.

Every student should apply for financial aid because many schools use the financial aid appication information to determine the distribution of scholarships and other aid including merit based scholarships.

There are similarities but the Chinese domestic exam is the sole exam used for entry into college while in the USA the standardized exams are only one fraction of a greater pie.

Your national status is irrelevant to your major, your passions, talents, gifts, interests, all of those are the factors to use to determine a "major". Even at that sometimes it is just as important to go into college undecided and enjoy the luxury of taking a variety of courses during your first two years of general education courses to find where your interests are. Now the only other thing that might influence your decision are your parents'.

Typically, you will have a college advisor that you must communicate with to assist you the first semester and who will be there each semester to provide guidance for future courses. ESL programs do not factor into college courses at all, if you need ESL that will be completed prior to taking college courses because their will be a communication deficit if you are not able to understand the language before you begin the courses toward a major.

You can get extended time on the SAT if you have documentation of your disability and your school counselor who is responsible for completing the college board documentation submits it to college board you can get up to double time or time and a half. You must bring the documentation from a ceritified physician, however if you are already receiving differentiation in your classes in high school then the documentation is already at the school and you should just requests that it be submitted to college board for review. It is a fairly quick (6 - 8 week process depending on your schools counselor).

As soon as you are admitted to the college.

DAS (Disability Access Supervisor) is experienced in what ADA requires for students who attend their institutions with disabilities, thus they will be able to provide quality guidance.

The ADA has laws that ensure that a person with disabilities have all of the same access as one without. So search based on your academic and personal interest not your disability. Remember you are a human being with a set of different abilities and if I am not mistaken that is just like the rest of the world. So once you have chosen your college I recommend you go to the Disability office if you need special accomodations so they can be in place when you arrive for classes.

Be honest when you complete the application for roommates. Do not say you go to bed late if you don't, do not say you like to wake up early if you don't; most colleges try hard to pair students who have similar behaviors, likes and dislikes so be honest. Additionally, respect your roommate and require the same, remember that although you share this small space what is yours is yours, and what is theirs is theirs, do not "borrow/steal" without permission. If you get someone that is simply unbearable talk to housing, or request a single (you will pay more) but you can live the way you choose.