Registration is Now Open for All 2010-11 SAT/ACT Test Dates

Now that we’ve turned the page on another school year, it's time to mark key dates for college admissions testing during the 2010-11 academic year. In fact, the first deadine (August 6 for the September ACT) is fast approaching.

For scheduling purposes, high school seniors have plenty of SAT and ACT options between now and the dates by which most college and scholarship applications are due. Juniors should generally look more toward dates after the first of next year to begin testing.

Because the tests are entirely interchangeable for college admissions, it's become increasingly popular for college-bound students to take both. One strategy is to take each in the spring of junior year and repeat the stronger in the fall of senior year. Obviously the second test isn't necessary if you hit the ball out of the park the first time.

Signing up online is faster and costs the same as registering by mail. With online registration, you will know immediately if your favorite test center has space and you can print your admission ticket.

Wherever you happen to be in the process, take note of registration deadlines and try to schedule tests as soon as possible to ensure getting your preferred test venue and avoid pesky late test fees:

SAT

October 9, 2010—SAT and 7 subject tests plus French and Spanish. Registration deadline: 9-10-10.
November 6, 2010—SAT and 7 subject tests plus 6 “language with listening” subject tests. Registration deadline: 10-8-10.
December 4, 2010—SAT and 7 subject tests plus World History, Latin, French, Italian, and Spanish. Registration deadline: 11-5-10.
January 22, 2011—SAT and 7 subject tests plus French and Spanish. Registration deadline: 12-23-10.
March 12, 2011—SAT only. Registration deadline: 2-11-11.
May 7, 2011—SAT and 7 subject tests plus French and Spanish. Registration deadline: 4-8-11.
June 4, 2011—SAT and 7 subject tests plus World History, Latin, Modern Hebrew, French, German, and Spanish. Registration deadline: 5-6-11.

SAT’s are administered at high schools in every corner of the DC metropolitan area, but note that test center availability varies by administration date. Also, be aware that students needing to apply for "accommodations," must do so well in advance of the posted registration deadline. For more information or to register for a specific test date, go to the College Board website.

ACT

September 11, 2010 (only within the 50 states; no test centers in DC)—Registration deadline: August 6, 2010
October 23, 2010—Registration deadline: September 17, 2010
December 11, 2010—Registration deadline: November 5, 2010
February 12, 2011 (no test centers in New York)—Registration deadline: January 7, 2011
April 9, 2011—Registration deadline: March 4, 2011
June 11, 2011—Registration deadline: May 6, 2011

In general, requests for special accommodations must be postmarked by the registration deadline for any test date. As of the 2010-2011 testing year, the ACT has added online options for students with disabilities who can test at national test centers and for students who wish to test standby. Visit the ACT website for additional information or to register for a specific test date.

Getting Ahead of the Advanced Placement Curve

If you’ve signed up for an Advanced Placement (AP) class, and you know it’s going to be freakin’ hard, why not take a little time to get ahead and prepare during the summer?

Why wait until midway through first quarter to hire an AP calculus tutor after you’ve flunked the first quiz and you’re totally stressed, when you could start working for an hour or two each week with the same tutor in the weeks before school starts? Get the book even.

The government thinks this is such a good idea that Uncle Sam is investing thousands of dollars in inner city AP prep programs. And a few local high schools have caught on and created inexpensive workshops such as the Wakefield Summer Bridge Program or the Langley AP Boot Camp to help students make the transition to Advanced Placement classes.

For college-bound high school students, AP-level coursework is hard to escape. In fact, colleges are shifting from using AP scores as de facto admissions criteria (yes they might just sneak a peek) to allowing these scores to be substituted for other standardized tests.

For example, NYU allows specific AP test scores to substitute for the SAT Reasoning Test and/or the two SAT Subject tests previously required for admission. Bryn Mawr College, Hamilton College, Furman University and a growing number of other schools are taking similar steps by adopting “test flexible” policies using AP scores in place of SAT’s or ACT’s.

So short of taking a prep class or hiring a tutor, at least try to get textbooks and course reading packets from your high school or from another student who took the class last year. So what if it changes a little. Reading source material—any source material—is good for you. It even helps with college entrance exams.

And here’s a tip for those who can’t talk anyone into handing over reading lists or other AP materials: the College Board provides comprehensive course descriptions and syllabi online. Here are sample readings from one AP English Literature syllabus (students select two novels):

All the King’s Men, Angle of Repose, Atonement, The Bluest Eye, Brave New World, Catch 22, Einstein’s Dreams, Frankenstein, Grapes of Wrath, The Great Gatsby, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Kite Runner, Lord of the Flies, 1984, The Poisonwood Bible, A Prayer for Owen Meany, Snow Falling on Cedars, Their Eyes Were Watching God

Looks great to me! Then again, I was an English major in the last century.

OK, it’s your vacation and you want to unwind and relax. But if you can read and get ahead of the game with your toes still in the sand, why not?

Great Colleges to Work For (and Attend?)

It doesn’t take a business degree to know that organizations experiencing high levels of employee job satisfaction tend to produce superior results. If staff is disgruntled or work climate impaired, you can bet on a diminished work product.

In the world of postsecondary education, the end user is the student. If teaching or administrative staff experience ongoing workplace issues, students are likely to at least sense a problem. The worst case scenario is one in which these issues actually affect the quality of the education offered.

For this reason, the Chronicle of Higher Education’s third annual Great Colleges to Work For survey offers interesting insight into the overall happiness quotient of staff and administrators at some of the nation’s most recognizable postsecondary institutions.

To get a fuller understanding of workplace satisfaction, about 43,000 staff members on 275 campuses were surveyed. In general, findings suggest that “colleges continue to do well at creating work that makes a difference, providing jobs that fit the individual, and fostering a high degree of institutional pride.”

But the survey also found that as colleges are operating in a slumping economy, tight budgets appear to be “eroding confidence in college leadership.” So it’s no surprise that among the 97 colleges whose employee ratings and institutional policies earned them recognitions as “great places to work,” communication seems to be a major distinguishing factor.

Approximately 20,000 of the college employees who responded to the survey were faculty members, more than 14,800 were professional staff members, and 8,100 were administrators. The survey was based on an assessment used in 55 Best Places to Work programs, with a panel of higher-education experts customizing questions to reflect issues unique to colleges.

Survey responses helped form 12 Great College recognition categories. High ratings in those categories were considered core attributes of a great academic workplace, with thirty four-year and nine two-year colleges earning places on a Great Colleges to Work For “Honor Roll.”

Locally, George Mason University, Georgetown, Salisbury, UMBC, UVA-Wise, and Washington and Lee University were cited as great colleges to work for. Only GMU received a spot on the “Honor Roll,” earning recognition for collaborative governance, professional/career-development programs, job satisfaction, work/life balance, confidence in senior leadership, as well as respect and appreciation.

For the complete report and an interactive chart showcasing the 97 Great Colleges to Work For, visit The Chronicle website (subscription may be required).

NSSE Revises ‘Pocket Guide to Choosing a College’

For a number of years, the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) has produced a handy “Pocket Guide to Choosing a College,” which suggests important questions for parents and students in the college decision-making process to ask.

Literally thousands of these pocket-sized green pamphlets have been made available to school guidance offices, college career centers, and other organizations engaged in the business of offering advice on college selection. And just as many have arrived on college campuses stashed in back pockets, ready for quick reference during tours and information sessions.

Now, in time for summer college visits, the little green booklet has undergone a slight facelift. The size is the same, but the front cover and some of the format and questions have changed.

Moving away from tones of green, the new guide features colorful pictures of several participating NSSE colleges and universities. The authors rearranged the order of questions starting with those dealing with “supportive campus environment” and ending with those concerning “academics.” Category explanations are fuller, and wasted space has been eliminated.

A few questions were deleted and others added or clarified with the goal of helping students get a sense of how much they are likely “to learn, grow, and develop at a given institution.” The questions are designed to ask people met during college visits—the tour guide, admissions staff, and currently enrolled students. But they are equally useful for other kinds of encounters such as college fairs, local group sessions, or high school presentations.

Each year, NSSE analyzes and reports on student surveys conducted at participating campuses. Responses to the survey provide “valuable information about what is actually going on in the lives of students and the quality of their college experiences.” In fact, a quick scan of the list of participating colleges and how frequently they conduct the survey gives an idea of the level of importance of student “engagement” to some colleges.

By the way, many colleges make survey results available on their websites. For example, you can find the results of the George Mason University 2009 survey on the Office of Institutional Assessment webpage. Catholic University also provides a detailed analysis of their student surveys, as does the Towson University Assessment Office.

Before going on tour, check to see if the college you are considering participates in NSSE. Take the time to review the information provided by admissions or the institutional research office. Then tuck a copy of “A Pocket Guide to Choosing a College” into your purse or back pocket and ask a few questions.

Copies of the guide may be found in many college advising offices. Or, you can download a copy (English or Spanish) from the NSSE website. But then, it probably won’t fit in your pocket.

Why Two Universities Chose the Universal College Application

Counselors touring with the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey (AICUNJ) were recently introduced to two AICUNJ members using the Universal College Application (UCA) instead of the more familiar Common Application for their admissions processes.

For very different reasons, Monmouth University, in West Long Branch (site of Woodrow Wilson’s summer beach home and gardens) and Fairleigh Dickinson University, with campuses in Madison and Teaneck, chose the UCA over the Common App for first-year and transfer applicants.

“We went with the Universal Application because we felt that students who completed it were more likely to be seriously interested in Monmouth,” said Lauren Vento Cifelli, Monmouth’s assistant vice president of enrollment management. “We want to be able to differentiate between students who are applying simply because it’s easy and those who would really like to attend.”

This year, institutional membership in the Common Application Association grew to 416 colleges and universities. A relative new-comer, the UCA includes about 80 participating institutions. Although most of the colleges using the UCA also accept the Common App, Monmouth and Fairleigh Dickinson University are exceptions. Both only accept the Universal College Application.

“We have two very different campuses and wanted customized applications for each,” said Joseph Paris, Fairleigh Dickinson’s assistant director of undergraduate admission. “The Common Application was not as flexible and could not accommodate our needs.”

Admissions representatives from both schools pointed to the quality of service from UCA as important factors in their decisions. And both like the UCA upload function which allows students to transmit digital content along with their applications.

For Monmouth, the ability to link to online content fits nicely with their new optional video statement. Students can protect their video confidentiality by using either the official Monmouth University Facebook page or the Universal Common Application.

Similarly, Fairleigh Dickinson encourages students to send audition or other performance videos in support of applications. Using the UCA, students can easily link to online videos, websites, portfolios, musical compositions, or newspaper articles they feel enhance their candidacy.

Other AICUNJ member institutions have signed on with the UCA. Drew University, in Madison, and St. Peter’s College, in Jersey City, accept both the UCA and the Common Application for the coming year.

Locally, Towson University is an “exclusive” user of the Universal College Application. Other area colleges using the UCA and the Common Application include Hampden-Sydney College, Johns Hopkins, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, and Stevenson University.

For early birds, the Universal College Application went live for 2010-11 on July 1st, while the Common App remains off-line until August 1st. The applications are similar in content, and applicants can feel free to use whichever offers the best opportunity to showcase qualifications or talents.

"Counselors on Tour" photo courtesy of Monmouth University and Blaze Nowara.

American University Expands Test-Optional Admissions

American University recently announced that the test-optional pilot program begun last year will be expanded to include those regular admissions applicants organized enough to meet a November 1st filing deadline.

Last year, test-optional was restricted to early decision applicants only. This year, the university is encouraging students to apply early by allowing them to skip submitting ACT or SAT scores—but only if they can get their application completed and sent by no later than November 1.

“The priority deadline date of November 1 for our test-optional pilot program will provide our staff with more time to review the applications submitted without standardized testing,” explained Greg Grauman, AU’s director of admissions. “We learned from the first year of our pilot program that it takes twice the amount of time to review an applicant who has not submitted standardized testing.”

Students who wish to take advantage of American’s test-optional plan may do so provided they submit all of the following paperwork by the November 1 deadline

• the test-optional form (available on the AU website beginning October 1, 2010);
• a completed application; and
• all supporting documents, including the application fee, counselor recommendation, teacher recommendation, and essay.

Once the test-optional form is submitted, American promises that under no circumstances will an applicant’s test scores be considered—even if a student has already arranged to have test reports forwarded to AU.

And the best part of all is that applying under the test-optional program will not affect consideration for merit awards or admission to the University Honors Program.

According to the AU website, the decision to expand its test-optional pilot program arose from the belief that academic performance is the single most important consideration in a “holistic” review of applicants. But anyone in the admissions business knows these reviews are extremely time-consuming.

In the second year of the pilot program, the AU admissions office will evaluate whether a test-optional policy that invites this level of detailed review would be desirable to implement for all undergraduate applicants.

More information on the pilot test-optional program may be found on the AU website.

Lazy Rivers Trump Instructional Expenses

According to a report recently released by the Delta Cost Project, colleges and universities are increasingly more likely to spend money on recreational amenities such as lazy rivers and climbing walls than they are on expenses related to the instruction of students.

In the escalating amenities wars, the number of lazy rivers found on college campuses has zoomed into the double digits. Facilities like the east coast’s tallest climbing wall at the University of Maryland, Christopher Newport’s $55 million Ferguson Center for the Arts, or Boston University’s 180,000 square foot Gerald Tsai Jr. Fitness Center (and lazy river) are deemed critical in the recruitment of college-bound high school students. And these are just a few examples of the kinds of student pampering projects found on today’s campuses.

In its report entitled, “Trends in College Spending 1998-2008,” the Delta Cost Project confirmed what any frequent visitor to colleges already knows. Postsecondary institutions are spending increased amounts of money in nonacademic areas, such as public relations and student recruitment and on other more visible monuments such as state-of-the art gyms and student centers.

“This is the country-clubization of the American university,” said Richard K. Vedder, an Ohio University professor studying the economics of higher education, in the New York Times. “A lot of it is for great athletic centers and spectacular student union buildings.”

While tuition and average sending on instruction increased 22 percent from 1998 to 2008, at private research universities, spending on student services increased by 36 percent as did spending on institutional support, a category including general administration, legal services, and public relations.

At public research universities, spending for student services went up by 20 percent over the same time period, compared with 10 percent for instruction. Even community colleges, with far smaller overall budgets increased spending on student services by 9.5 percent, as opposed to 3.4 percent for instruction.

Over the past decade, undergraduate and graduate enrollments have grown to 18.6 million from 14.8 million in 1998. Average tuition rose by 45 percent at public research universities and about 21 percent at private research universities, enabling the average private university to spend an average of $35,000 per year per student as compared to $19,000 nationally and $8400 in other developed countries.

“The funding models we’ve created in higher ed are not sustainable,” said Jane Wellman, executive director of the Delta Cost Project. “We ran up spending in the ‘90’s and early 2000s to levels we can’t maintain, and this is true not only in the elite privates, put in many of the public institutions, too.”

Could it be that we’ve seen the last of the lazy rivers? Not likely, as long as they continue to attract students and families willing to foot the bill.