If you’re a high school student considering pre-professional programs in veterinary medicine or if you’re simply curious about what it takes to become a veterinarian, consider attending the sixth annual Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) Veterinary Medical Career Fair and Information Sessions scheduled to run from 2:00 to 5:00 pm on Sunday, March 14, at the Westin Alexandria Hotel.
Fourteen AAVMC member colleges and universities—some international—will be on hand to answer questions about veterinary medical careers and the credentials necessary to attend any of 41 member institutions. You may be surprised to learn that your choice of undergraduate school could fast track acceptance to a veterinary medical college and opportunities exist for early admission to DVM programs (forgoing completion of the BS) which could result in overall savings of time and money.
“One reason high school students may want to attend the veterinary medical career fair is to take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the broad scope of career opportunities in veterinary medicine,” said Lisa Greenhill, AAVMC associate executive director for institutional research and diversity. “There’s much more to veterinary medicine than what you might imagine.”
Four information sessions are scheduled to take place simultaneously with the college fair. These sessions will cover careers for veterinarians in public health, vet school admissions, large animal/production animal medicine, and veterinarians in the military.
“We have students every year who appear to have an ‘ecclesiastical calling’ at a young age to become veterinarians,” explained Ms. Greenhill. “We want to educate them on why this is a great career choice.”
Students are encouraged to register in advance for the event. More information and the schedule of information sessions may be found on the AAVMC website.
Exhibitors include: Cornell University, Drexel University, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, Massey University, North Carolina State University, Purdue University, St. Matthews University, University College‐Dublin, University of Tennessee, University of Sydney, Virginia‐Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, and Western University
Mar 8, 2010
UVa’s McIntire School Rated Tops among Undergraduate Business Programs
For the fifth straight year, UVa’s McIntire School of Commerce earned one of two top positions in Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s annual rankings of undergraduate business programs. Overall, UVa came in second after Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and was followed by MIT’s Sloan School of Management at number 3.
To rank programs, BusinessWeek used nine measures, including surveys of senior business majors and corporate recruiters, median starting salaries, and the number of graduates each program sends to top MBA programs. Academic quality was rated by combining average SAT scores, student-faculty ratios, class size, the percent of students with internships, and student reports on hours devoted to class work.
Not surprisingly, schools performing well in the ranking made extraordinary efforts to help students find employment by “enlisting faculty and alumni, using social media, and developing talent pipelines to local businesses.” In addition to noting McIntire’s programs, services, and facilities, BusinessWeek made special mention of UVa’s career services programs and the use of Twitter and Facebook to distribute career tips and help students find jobs and internships, particularly in industries where openings are scarce.
“We’re really trying to be creative in our whole approach,” explained Tom Fitch, UVa’s assistant dean of career services. “We’re all out for the same goal, which is helping students find jobs.”
At number 15, the University of Richmond's Robins School of Business also received special recognition for interview training offered to sophomores through a program developed by Richmond alumnus Paul B. Queally, co-president at the New York-based private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe. The two-day crash course covers “everything from the one-minute elevator pitch and networking to thank-you notes and business dinner etiquette.” The training, says Queally, “gives Richmond students a potential advantage in the interview process where they compete with candidates from Ivy League Schools.”
Other local schools ranked in the top 50 were Georgetown University (23), the College of William and Mary (25), the University of Maryland (36), James Madison University (41), and Loyola University of Maryland (45). Complete rankings can be found on the BusinessWeek website.
To rank programs, BusinessWeek used nine measures, including surveys of senior business majors and corporate recruiters, median starting salaries, and the number of graduates each program sends to top MBA programs. Academic quality was rated by combining average SAT scores, student-faculty ratios, class size, the percent of students with internships, and student reports on hours devoted to class work.
Not surprisingly, schools performing well in the ranking made extraordinary efforts to help students find employment by “enlisting faculty and alumni, using social media, and developing talent pipelines to local businesses.” In addition to noting McIntire’s programs, services, and facilities, BusinessWeek made special mention of UVa’s career services programs and the use of Twitter and Facebook to distribute career tips and help students find jobs and internships, particularly in industries where openings are scarce.
“We’re really trying to be creative in our whole approach,” explained Tom Fitch, UVa’s assistant dean of career services. “We’re all out for the same goal, which is helping students find jobs.”
At number 15, the University of Richmond's Robins School of Business also received special recognition for interview training offered to sophomores through a program developed by Richmond alumnus Paul B. Queally, co-president at the New York-based private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe. The two-day crash course covers “everything from the one-minute elevator pitch and networking to thank-you notes and business dinner etiquette.” The training, says Queally, “gives Richmond students a potential advantage in the interview process where they compete with candidates from Ivy League Schools.”
Other local schools ranked in the top 50 were Georgetown University (23), the College of William and Mary (25), the University of Maryland (36), James Madison University (41), and Loyola University of Maryland (45). Complete rankings can be found on the BusinessWeek website.
Mar 6, 2010
Local Colleges and Universities Receive National Recognition for Community Service
Emory & Henry College, located in southwest Virginia, is among six colleges in the country named “Presidential Awardees” on the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll—the highest federal recognition a college or university can receive for its commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.
The Corporation for National and Community Service oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education. This year, more than 700 colleges and universities were recognized for their “impact on issues from poverty and homelessness to environmental justice.”
Emory and Henry earned honors in the “Service to Youth from Disadvantaged Circumstances” category for having more than 80 percent of its students participate in service projects with a focus on sustainable development “to improve living standards” in neighboring communities. Students also provided a tutoring and mentoring program as well as afterschool enrichment activities in local schools.
Towson University and the College of William and Mary earned places on the “Honor Roll with Distinction” for the scope and innovation of their service projects. Other local colleges and universities recognized with “Honor Roll” awards include American University, Georgetown, George Washington, Loyola University of Maryland, UMBC, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the University of Maryland, JMU, Marymount University, the University of Mary Washington, the University of Richmond, UVA, Virginia Tech, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
College students make significant contributions to the volunteer sector, and the availability of service learning opportunities is becoming increasingly important to high school students seeking civic engagement. In 2009, 3.16 million students performed more than 300 million hours of service, according to the Volunteering in America study released by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Each year, the Corporation invests more than $150 million toward fostering a culture of service on college campuses.
A federal agency, the Corporation oversees the Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America Programs. For more information or to learn how colleges are integrating volunteerism and service learning into their educational programs, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/.
The Corporation for National and Community Service oversees the Honor Roll in collaboration with the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact, and the American Council on Education. This year, more than 700 colleges and universities were recognized for their “impact on issues from poverty and homelessness to environmental justice.”
Emory and Henry earned honors in the “Service to Youth from Disadvantaged Circumstances” category for having more than 80 percent of its students participate in service projects with a focus on sustainable development “to improve living standards” in neighboring communities. Students also provided a tutoring and mentoring program as well as afterschool enrichment activities in local schools.
Towson University and the College of William and Mary earned places on the “Honor Roll with Distinction” for the scope and innovation of their service projects. Other local colleges and universities recognized with “Honor Roll” awards include American University, Georgetown, George Washington, Loyola University of Maryland, UMBC, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the University of Maryland, JMU, Marymount University, the University of Mary Washington, the University of Richmond, UVA, Virginia Tech, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
College students make significant contributions to the volunteer sector, and the availability of service learning opportunities is becoming increasingly important to high school students seeking civic engagement. In 2009, 3.16 million students performed more than 300 million hours of service, according to the Volunteering in America study released by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Each year, the Corporation invests more than $150 million toward fostering a culture of service on college campuses.
A federal agency, the Corporation oversees the Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America Programs. For more information or to learn how colleges are integrating volunteerism and service learning into their educational programs, visit http://www.nationalservice.gov/.
Mar 5, 2010
JET College Nights Offer Opportunities to Learn More about Jesuit Colleges and Universities
What do Georgetown University, Boston College, Gonzaga, and Fordham have in common? Each belongs to the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU), and they’re all going to be represented at the two Jesuit Excellence Tour (JET) College Night events scheduled for Monday, March 8, at Loyola Blakefield High School in Towson, and Thursday, March 11, at Georgetown Prep in Bethesda.
Twenty-eight Jesuit colleges and universities located in 19 states across the country form the institutional membership of the AJCU. Although each institution is separately chartered and entirely autonomous, the 28 schools are bonded by a common heritage, vision and purpose, and engage in a number of collaborative projects.
JET College Night is one such project. “These are wonderful events for students and their families to explore the many options that Jesuit education has to offer,” explained Maureen Finnegan, Senior Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission, at Loyola University of Maryland. “Each Jesuit institution is unique, but all share a 450-year-old Jesuit tradition of academic excellence, the importance of the liberal arts, and cura personalis—the education of the whole person.”
Twenty-one of the 28 Jesuit colleges and Universities will be represented at both JET events, which will be organized as college fairs and will run from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.:
Boston College, Boston, MA
Canisius College, Buffalo, NY
College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA
Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
Fordham University, Bronx, NY
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA (March 11 event only)
John Carroll University, University Heights, OH
Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY
Loyola University Chicago, IL
Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Loyola University New Orleans, LA
Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
Regis University, Denver, CO
Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL
St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA
St. Louis University, MO
University of San Francisco, CA
University of Scranton, PA
Wheeling Jesuit University, Wheeling, WV
Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
For students just beginning their college explorations or those seniors making final enrollment decisions, these events offer opportunities to connect directly with college admissions representatives and to learn what each school has to offer.
Twenty-eight Jesuit colleges and universities located in 19 states across the country form the institutional membership of the AJCU. Although each institution is separately chartered and entirely autonomous, the 28 schools are bonded by a common heritage, vision and purpose, and engage in a number of collaborative projects.
JET College Night is one such project. “These are wonderful events for students and their families to explore the many options that Jesuit education has to offer,” explained Maureen Finnegan, Senior Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission, at Loyola University of Maryland. “Each Jesuit institution is unique, but all share a 450-year-old Jesuit tradition of academic excellence, the importance of the liberal arts, and cura personalis—the education of the whole person.”
Twenty-one of the 28 Jesuit colleges and Universities will be represented at both JET events, which will be organized as college fairs and will run from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.:
Boston College, Boston, MA
Canisius College, Buffalo, NY
College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA
Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
Fordham University, Bronx, NY
Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA (March 11 event only)
John Carroll University, University Heights, OH
Le Moyne College, Syracuse, NY
Loyola University Chicago, IL
Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Loyola University New Orleans, LA
Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
Regis University, Denver, CO
Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL
St. Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA
St. Louis University, MO
University of San Francisco, CA
University of Scranton, PA
Wheeling Jesuit University, Wheeling, WV
Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH
For students just beginning their college explorations or those seniors making final enrollment decisions, these events offer opportunities to connect directly with college admissions representatives and to learn what each school has to offer.
Note that JET College Nights are held in other parts of the country and feature different combinations of schools. For more information, check directly with individual Jesuit colleges and universities.
Mar 4, 2010
Christopher Newport Extends Application Deadline to March 15th
This winter’s miserable weather has taken its toll on another area college admissions office. Because of repeated school closings and associated administrative issues, Christopher Newport University (CNU) extended its freshman application deadline to March 15th. In addition, students meeting specific GPA and standardized test requirements may still apply to the President’s Leadership Program and/or the CNU Honors Program. These opportunities are designed for students who “stand out in the admissions process” and offer a range of benefits including scholarship opportunities of up to $5000 per year.
As part of its admissions process, CNU is one of few Virginia public institutions to offer a “test optional” plan. Students with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 or who rank in the upper 10% of their classes have the option of not submitting standardized test scores (SAT or ACT). While not required, a teacher recommendation is strongly encouraged for students going the “test optional” route. Homeschooled applicants, students attending schools outside of the US, and students wishing to be considered for the Honors Program must submit standardized test scores.
Virginia’s youngest public university, CNU has constructed a number of beautiful new facilities including a stunning library and a fabulous arts center designed by I.M. Pei. Between the application extension and impressive scholarship opportunities, it might be worth a visit to the CNU campus located in historic Newport News, Virginia.
As part of its admissions process, CNU is one of few Virginia public institutions to offer a “test optional” plan. Students with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 or who rank in the upper 10% of their classes have the option of not submitting standardized test scores (SAT or ACT). While not required, a teacher recommendation is strongly encouraged for students going the “test optional” route. Homeschooled applicants, students attending schools outside of the US, and students wishing to be considered for the Honors Program must submit standardized test scores.
Virginia’s youngest public university, CNU has constructed a number of beautiful new facilities including a stunning library and a fabulous arts center designed by I.M. Pei. Between the application extension and impressive scholarship opportunities, it might be worth a visit to the CNU campus located in historic Newport News, Virginia.
Mar 3, 2010
Review Your FAFSA Student Aid Report—Now
If you completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at any point since the first of the year, you will receive a Student Aid Report or SAR. This document contains very important information about your eligibility for financial aid, including
• a summary of all the information you provided when you completed the FAFSA form,
• notification if you have been randomly selected for verification, and most importantly,
• your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which colleges will eventually use to formulate your financial aid package.
If you submitted your FAFSA online and signed it with a PIN, you should receive your SAR electronically within a week, but note that you will not be able to access your SAR until your PIN information has been verified by the Social Security Administration (usually 1 to 3 days after applying). The SAR process can take up to four weeks if you mailed the paper version of the FAFSA.
Once you receive your SAR, review it carefully. Provide additional information, if requested. If you find errors or if you completed your FAFSA based on last year’s tax information, follow the directions to submit a correction. Be aware that you cannot update income or asset information to reflect changes to your family’s financial situation if those changes took place after the FAFSA was filed. You’ll have to sort that out later with the individual colleges to which you applied.
If you do not receive your SAR within the time period suggested, check the status of your application by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (433-3243).
Once you are satisfied that the SAR is correct, you can use the EFC—the amount of education expenses the federal government expects you to pay—to generate broad estimates of your need for financial aid at various colleges to which you applied. First locate the EFC at the upper right front page of the SAR. Next find the total Cost of Attendance (COA) listed on college websites (not always so easy). This number should include everything from tuition and fees to travel expenses for out-of-state students.
For example, the COA at George Mason University for an in-state student living in residence halls is $19,934—it’s clearly posted and easy to understand. At Georgetown, the COA for freshmen is $55,130. But keep in mind that these numbers are likely to change slightly as colleges determine next year’s tuition rates.
Using the COA, you can get an idea of your level of need prior to receiving full financial aid packages. Simply subtract the EFC from the COA, and bingo—you have how much additional money the feds think you will need to attend that college.
Of course, it’s never going to be that simple and it’s doubtful that any financial aid package will look exactly as you envisioned. And if you were required to submit the CSS PROFILE, the picture may be even more complicated.
Nevertheless, it’s worth the time to review your SAR, note the EFC, and compare it to the COA’s of schools you are considering. Then once financial aid packages arrive in your mailbox, you will be in a better position to analyze numbers and compare offers.
• a summary of all the information you provided when you completed the FAFSA form,
• notification if you have been randomly selected for verification, and most importantly,
• your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which colleges will eventually use to formulate your financial aid package.
If you submitted your FAFSA online and signed it with a PIN, you should receive your SAR electronically within a week, but note that you will not be able to access your SAR until your PIN information has been verified by the Social Security Administration (usually 1 to 3 days after applying). The SAR process can take up to four weeks if you mailed the paper version of the FAFSA.
Once you receive your SAR, review it carefully. Provide additional information, if requested. If you find errors or if you completed your FAFSA based on last year’s tax information, follow the directions to submit a correction. Be aware that you cannot update income or asset information to reflect changes to your family’s financial situation if those changes took place after the FAFSA was filed. You’ll have to sort that out later with the individual colleges to which you applied.
If you do not receive your SAR within the time period suggested, check the status of your application by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (433-3243).
Once you are satisfied that the SAR is correct, you can use the EFC—the amount of education expenses the federal government expects you to pay—to generate broad estimates of your need for financial aid at various colleges to which you applied. First locate the EFC at the upper right front page of the SAR. Next find the total Cost of Attendance (COA) listed on college websites (not always so easy). This number should include everything from tuition and fees to travel expenses for out-of-state students.
For example, the COA at George Mason University for an in-state student living in residence halls is $19,934—it’s clearly posted and easy to understand. At Georgetown, the COA for freshmen is $55,130. But keep in mind that these numbers are likely to change slightly as colleges determine next year’s tuition rates.
Using the COA, you can get an idea of your level of need prior to receiving full financial aid packages. Simply subtract the EFC from the COA, and bingo—you have how much additional money the feds think you will need to attend that college.
Of course, it’s never going to be that simple and it’s doubtful that any financial aid package will look exactly as you envisioned. And if you were required to submit the CSS PROFILE, the picture may be even more complicated.
Nevertheless, it’s worth the time to review your SAR, note the EFC, and compare it to the COA’s of schools you are considering. Then once financial aid packages arrive in your mailbox, you will be in a better position to analyze numbers and compare offers.
Mar 1, 2010
NACAC's Spring College Fair Season Is Already Underway
If the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) annual spring college fair season is already underway, can daffodils be far behind? Kicking off the last week in January, the annual college road show takes place in every major metropolitan area in the country and wraps up the first week in May. Each event brings together thousands of college-bound high school students and connects them with admissions professionals representing hundreds of colleges and universities.
Free and open to the public, NACAC's National College Fairs annually attract more than 850,000 high school students to forums designed to allow students and their families to interact with representatives from a wide range of post secondary institutions. They discuss admissions and financial aid requirements as well as course offerings, college life and other information relevant to the college selection process.
This year, NACAC in conjunction with the Potomac and Chesapeake ACAC (PCACAC) announced the first Prince George's County National College Fair, scheduled to take place on Friday, April 16 and Saturday, April 18, at the Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland. The annual Montgomery County National College Fair will take place at the Montgomery County Agricultural Center on Wednesday, April 14 and Thursday, April 15.
Although neither local National College Fair offers pre-registration opportunities (many now do), students and their families should make time to review the roster of participating institutions in advance of attending. Once you arrive, pick up a bag of materials and a fair directory. Note the schedule of information sessions and the location of the fair's Counseling Center. Map your route and concentrate on colleges of interest, but be open to new ideas. NACAC warns that it's "easy to get caught up in crowds and confusion," so try to have a fair strategy in place.
These events can certainly be hectic, but with a little advance planning, they will be extremely valuable to your college search process. And don't wait until senior year to attend your first college fair. Starting sophomore or junior year will make you an expert college fair navigator by the time you're senior!
Free and open to the public, NACAC's National College Fairs annually attract more than 850,000 high school students to forums designed to allow students and their families to interact with representatives from a wide range of post secondary institutions. They discuss admissions and financial aid requirements as well as course offerings, college life and other information relevant to the college selection process.
This year, NACAC in conjunction with the Potomac and Chesapeake ACAC (PCACAC) announced the first Prince George's County National College Fair, scheduled to take place on Friday, April 16 and Saturday, April 18, at the Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland. The annual Montgomery County National College Fair will take place at the Montgomery County Agricultural Center on Wednesday, April 14 and Thursday, April 15.
Although neither local National College Fair offers pre-registration opportunities (many now do), students and their families should make time to review the roster of participating institutions in advance of attending. Once you arrive, pick up a bag of materials and a fair directory. Note the schedule of information sessions and the location of the fair's Counseling Center. Map your route and concentrate on colleges of interest, but be open to new ideas. NACAC warns that it's "easy to get caught up in crowds and confusion," so try to have a fair strategy in place.
These events can certainly be hectic, but with a little advance planning, they will be extremely valuable to your college search process. And don't wait until senior year to attend your first college fair. Starting sophomore or junior year will make you an expert college fair navigator by the time you're senior!
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