LSU: Guaranteed Admission for the Right Student

Hold that Tiger! Louisiana State University, located in historic Baton Rouge, offers an incomparable guaranteed admission program for the B/C student ready for the challenges of a big-school experience in a classic southern community. Here’s the deal--to claim automatic admission a student must have:

• A GPA of 3.0 or higher (weighted or unweighted)
• ACT/SAT scores of 22/1030 (minimum Eng/CR 18/450 and M 19/460)
• 18 core high school credit units (Note that American Sign Language may count toward the 2 units required of foreign language)

For as long as space remains in the class, the admissions office will provide a decision within 48 hours of application. No strings. No binding clauses. Just a refreshingly uncomplicated admissions process designed to attract a wide variety of students. And the best part of all is the availability of all kinds of scholarship money thanks to the unfailing generosity of generations of loyal LSU alums. Out-of-state students with SAT’s totaling 1250 and 3.0 GPA qualify for full exemption from nonresident fees; nonresidents with SAT’s totaling 1330 and 3.0 GPA qualify for full exemption from all tuition and fees. And, those are just a few of the scholarship opportunities available at LSU!

The LSU campus is alive with school spirit and friendly faces. On a random day in October, at least two out of three students and school employees are decked out in school colors and Tiger paraphernalia. Anyone familiar with the college sports scene will recognize the LSU Tigers as perennial national contenders. And, what other school has a live tiger habitat located right beside an over-sized football stadium that positively rocks the Richter scale on Saturdays during the fall months? Team mascot Mike VI rules his den!

In addition to sports, LSU has plenty to offer in the way of academics and student life. Students major in everything from Cajun French to Petroleum Engineering. And, each year, LSU conducts more than 2,500 sponsored research projects funded by more than $140 million in external grants from an amazing assortment of funding sources including NIH, NASA, and the National Endowment for the Humanities, to name a few. The large but easy-to-navigate campus is beautifully landscaped with towering live oaks insured for millions gracing quads and walkways.

Make no mistake. This is a big school. The largest classroom holds 1000 students and clickers are among the tools routinely used by professors to keep up with the numbers. For the right student, however, the welcome and value are there.

An amazing opportunity to pay in-state tuition at out-of-state colleges

The College of William and Mary is an ACM participating institution.

According to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), now is a good time for college-bound students and their families to explore “reciprocity” agreements under which students can pursue out-of-state college degrees at in-state tuition rates.

A signature program of the SREB, the Academic Common Market (ACM) is one such opportunity through which residents of any one of 15 participating member states may have access to degree programs not available in their home state, at very reduced rates.

“Through the Academic Common Market, students can easily enroll in programs that public institutions in their states do not offer,” said Mary Larson, director of SREB’s student access programs and services.  “It’s a win-win for students and the states in the SREB region — students save on tuition, and institutions can attract more students.”

It’s no secret that the overwhelming cost of college is keeping students closer to home, as families find crossing state lines means incurring large additional expense, the most obvious of which involves nonresident upcharges at public institutions.

At some colleges the difference between nonresident and resident can be as much as $25,000 per year or nearly $100,000 over four years. And this is real money.

But suppose there were a way to avoid these penalties, and pay in-state tuition at out-of-state schools?

Thanks to a number of regional reciprocity agreements, similar to the Academic Common Market, students have the opportunity to broaden college options and save money by applying for reduced tuition programs sponsored by state associations.

In other words, paying in-state tuition at an out-of-state school may be possible if your state participates in an agreement with other states permitting students to attend public institutions across state borders and pay less than nonresident tuition. With the support of such tuition exchange programs, a student could pay the same to study out-of-state as they would in their own home state.

Here’s how it works. Suppose you are a Virginia resident and have your heart set on studying petroleum engineering—and why not? It’s only the #1 Bachelor’s degree with the highest salary potential in the country, according to Forbes.  Under the terms of the Academic Common Market, you could be eligible to enroll at either West Virginia University or Louisiana State University and automatically qualify for in-state tuition.

“My son is a freshman at LSU and is enrolled in the Petroleum Engineering program.  The only reason he is able to be at LSU is because ACM allows him to receive in-state tuition,” said Terri Day, a parent residing in an ACM-eligible state.  “If it weren’t for the ACM program, our son wouldn’t be able to study his choice of engineering and would have had to adjust his career goals to enroll in an in-state school.”

Unfortunately, these programs are not widely publicized. Students and parents have to do a little investigating and be ready to do extra paperwork at the time of application. 

“There were some forms we had to complete the ACM process, such as proof of residency and college/program availability,” added Ms. Day.  “The certification process took several months to be completed so make sure you get started early in your senior year of high school.”

But the additional work may be well worth the effort!

Based on her son’s experience, Terri Day concludes, “ACM opens up the opportunity to affordably get the degree you want.”

Including the ACM, here are the most popular tuition reciprocity agreements (note that participating states and programs can and do change, so check with individual websites directly):

Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)

The Academic Common Market is available to residents in 15 states including Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida*, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas*, Virginia, and West Virginia. More than 100 colleges and universities offer undergraduate or graduate opportunities. To qualify students must:

• complete the admission process at the institution offering the eligible Academic Common Market program.
• be accepted into an eligible ACM program
• contact the ACM coordinator for your state of residence
• be a "certified" resident of one of the 15 SREB states

Visit the SREB website for more details.

*Florida and Texas participate only at the graduate level.  

Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC)

The Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) offers tuition reciprocity programs in over 100 colleges and universities in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. 

Through the MSEP, public institutions agree to charge students no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition rate for specific programs; private institutions offer a 10% reduction on their tuition rate.

Actual savings through the program will vary from institution to institution depending on tuition rates.  Participating students typically realize savings between $500 and $5000 annually.

For more information, visit the MHEC website.

New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE)

Established in 1957, the New England Board of Higher Education’s (NEBHE) "Tuition Break" program offers more than 700 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in 82 public colleges and universities located in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Students are eligible for the Regional Student Program (RSP) Tuition Break when they enroll in an approved major that is not offered by the public colleges and universities in their home state. To qualify students must:

• complete a college's application for admission
• declare an approved major offered through the program
• indicate they are applying for RSP status

Students will be notified of RSP status at the time of acceptance.

Tuition Break participates in college fairs throughout New England every year. Additional information is available on the NEBHE website.

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE)

The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) offers a reduced tuition rate (150% of the resident rate) at any one of 150 two-year and four-year participating schools in the west. To be eligible for WUE, students must reside in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming and be accepted to a participating institution.

WUE reduced tuition rate is not automatically awarded to all eligible candidates. Many institutions limit the number of new WUE awards each academic year, so it is important to apply early.

Visit the WICHE website for more details.

Being in the Top 20% Earns Automatic Admission to the University of Houston

Students can fast track college admissions by taking advantage of the University of Houston’s fantastic automatic admission program (scroll down the admissions webpage for specifics). It works like this: any student in the top 20% of their high school class, who has completed 15 academic credit hours and submits an application by February 1st, is automatically admitted to Houston’s next incoming freshman class. A student in the top 50% of their class will also be automatically admitted as long as they submit standardized test scores of at least 1000 (CR and Math) for the SAT or 21 (composite) for the ACT. No essays are required, and Houston responds within 7 to 10 days from the date the application is submitted. After that, you’re free to buy the t-shirt—provided you’ve met the requirements!

No, this isn’t just for Texas residents. The Houston automatic admissions policy extends to any high school student in any high school in the country. For students in high schools that do not rank, Houston will consider each applicant individually. Every effort will be made to fast track the application through the system and give a student the same prompt feedback. Students applying for the University of Houston music program need to audition, and future architects must submit a portfolio. Engineering students need at least Pre-Calculus and Physics, and along with Bauer Business School applicants, should have a combined SAT of 1050 for automatic admission. But those are the only special exceptions.

The University of Houston is the third largest university in Texas. With 40 cutting-edge research centers, Houston offers 109 majors in fields ranging from Hotel and Restaurant Management to Supply Chain and Logistics Technology. And, the Department of Chemical Engineering recently announced the addition of a Petroleum Engineering major to its undergraduate program, which is great news for anyone looking to make serious money immediately after graduation.

The University of Houston is not alone in offering automatic admissions. To learn more about other guaranteed or automatic undergraduate admissions programs check out Louisiana State University (LSU) or the University of Oregon.

Connect with veterinary programs at the 2016 AAVMC Medical Career Fair

Prospective veterinarians, including high school students or undergrads on a pre-professional veterinary track, should mark their calendars for the 2016Veterinary Medical Career Fair.  Sponsored by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), the fair is scheduled for Sunday, March 6, from 2:30 to 5 p.m., at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, located not far from the National Zoo!

This is a terrific opportunity to meet veterinary medical school admissions officials, get advice on veterinary school admissions, and learn about various veterinary medical career opportunities.  Note that it’s one of very few college fairs in the country totally targeted to students interested in pursuing careers in veterinary medicine.

Already gathered for an annual conference, representatives from national and international colleges of veterinary medicine will be on hand to walk students through the application process while explaining the kinds of credentials necessary to attend any of the AAVMC member institutions.

You may be surprised to learn that some veterinary medical schools are very interested in time spent in animal care related activities as early as high school.  In fact, prospective vets are well advised to start keeping track of their volunteer hours in activities related to animals or animal care throughout all four years of high school.

And we’re not just talking about cats and dogs!

“This year’s event will feature two veterinarians in non-clinical practice areas,” explained Lisa Greenhill, AAVMC associate executive director for institutional research and diversity. “We really want students and their families to understand that there are a wide range of things to do in veterinary medicine.”

By the way, US News lists veterinary medicine among the 100 “best” jobs for 2016, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that veterinarians earned a median salary of $87,590 in 2014.  In addition, the healthy growth rate of veterinary jobs—nine percent between 2014 and 2014—reflects the fact that more Americans are getting pets and are willing to spend money for their health care.

To meet this need, some of the best-known veterinary programs in the country are expanding Cornell University launched a $22 million renovation project to upgrade and expand its College of Veterinary Medicine, which will enable the college to sustain its class size at 102 and “sets the stage for an additional increase that will stabilize Cornell’s pre-clinical class size at about 120 students per year.” 

And the Texas Tech University System has announced plans to develop a veterinary school and veterinary medicine doctoral program, citing student demand and industry needs. There are currently more than 150 students enrolled in pre-veterinary education at the College of Agriculture Sciences, but “the lack of veterinary schools prohibits many qualified students from becoming veterinarians,” university officials say.

And for high school students thinking ahead, the choice of undergraduate school could possibly fast track acceptance to veterinary medical colleges as opportunities exist for early admission to DVM programs by bypassing completion of the BS.  For students committed to the field, this could mean significant savings in terms of time and money!

This year’s AAVMC event will feature information sessions held in conjunction with the medical career fair, which will include veterinary school representatives from Auburn, Cornell, LSU, NC State, Ohio State, Purdue, Tufts, and the University of Florida—to name a few.

“Students visiting the fair should remember to ask about summer programs and how to get veterinary-related experience while still in high school,” suggested Dr. Greenhill. “Research programs are available with undergraduate ‘feeder’ opportunities at some vet schools.”

And there are prizes for inquiring students.

“We will continue featuring our special ‘I’m a Future Vet’ t-shirt—as a prize only—as well as some new giveaways,” added Dr. Greenhill.  

Although not required, students are asked to register in advance for the fair. Last year’s event was very well attended, and early registration helps conference organizers do a better job.  And note that while hourly parking is available at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, students and their families are strongly encouraged to take the Metro (Red Line exiting at the Woodley Park/Zoo Station).

But if you can't attend, take the time to check out the AAVMC website for information on how to become a veterinarian, including links to a new set of webinars designed to introduce students to the veterinary application process.

Top US Professors Recognized for Extraordinary Performance in Undergraduate Education

WASHINGTON, DC—The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in collaboration with the Carnegie Foundation annually recognizes excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring through the U.S. Professors of the Year Award. Selection criteria include: impact on and involvement with undergraduate students; scholarly approach to teaching and learning; contributions to undergraduate education in the institution, community, and profession; and support from colleagues as well as current and former undergraduate students.

This year, four college and university educators were honored:

• Brian P. Coppola, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Tracey McKenzie, Collin College, Frisco, Texas
• Richard L. Miller, University of Nebraska at Kearney
• Robert C. Thomas, University of Montana Western

In addition to the national winners, state-level professors of the year were recognized in 36 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. Local winners included Joan B. Riley, Georgetown University (DC); Susan Bontems, Montgomery College (MD); and Kevin Hamed, Virginia Highlands Community College (VA).

Winners of these awards speak volumes about the institutions they represent. These are colleges and universities that value quality undergraduate teaching and mentoring. Note how the list of previous years’ institutional winners differs from other more “commercial” rating systems:

Year	Baccalaureate Colleges	Doctoral & Research Universities	Master’s Universities and Colleges
2009	U of Montana Western	University of Michigan	U of Nebraska—Kearney
2008	Lewis & Clark College	Kansas State University	U of Central Oklahoma
2007	Smith College	Kansas State University	LSU Shreveport
2006	Reed College	UC Berkeley	Radford University
2005	College of Wooster	University of Michigan	California State University
2004	Williams College	U of Colorado-Boulder	Eastern Connecticut State
2003	Hendrix College	UVA	Lynchburg College
2002	Manchester College	University of Notre Dame	Santa Clara University
2001	US Coast Guard Academy	U of Alabama	UNC Charlotte
2000	College of the Holy Cross	Indiana University	University of Portland

For college applicants, it’s mostly a matter of what’s important to you. If excellence in teaching figures in the equation, look beyond artificial measures of prestige and investigate how well institutions deliver the goods.