Competition – The “Tough Love” Section
Why you have to be hard headed and tough to win …
Data is key in the college search and admissions game. If this seems a bit cold hearted and analytical, remember, the schools treat admissions very much like a business, so you really should do the same. We’ll tell you here, and again at the bottom of the page …
Being hard nosed in your college search might make it much more fun!
Getting into the right college - You need determination, work, and preparation.
Note: This page refers to two incredibly powerful processes we have developed. These tools, the Academic Merit Profile (AMP), and the QC500 PLUS, in combination with the Personal Assessment (PASS), allow our clients to execute a highly efficient college search without struggling through pages of data. For a more in depth review, please refer to our explanation of the AMP, PASS, and QC500 PLUS.
These tools, as well as other proprietary processes set us apart from the mainstream college counselors, and are major contributors to the high success rate we have with our students and families.
Evaluating and assessing your competitive position
Why is this critical, even for excellent students?
Not every well qualified student is admitted to their first choice college.
Before you think that this is unfair, we must stress that these negative outcomes are a result of “the numbers” being against any particular applicant, regardless of qualification.
How does this work? Here are some rough estimates …
- In 2009, there were nearly 3 million high school graduates in the United States.
- About 67% of high school graduates apply to four-year colleges.
- So there are some 2 million college applicants.
Let’s assume we could analyze the applicant pool and we find that it contains 100,000 highly qualified applicants (students whose high school grades and standardized test scores place them in the top 5%).
And this is the stumbling block. Why …?
- These students will choose to compete for openings at the most selective 20 or 30 institutions.
- Since the top 30 colleges will only have on average about 1,000 openings (some more, some less), more than 70,000 of those highly qualified students will not be admitted!
If this is the case for the top five percent, what about the rest of us?
Not everyone is Harvard or MIT bound. Nor do we need to be.
If you are a solid student and have a real ambition and determination to earn a strong four year degree, there are great opportunities out there for you.
But your (sometimes daunting) challenge in today’s college search game is to find a good fit for you, academically and personally, perhaps even with career possibilities. And then how do we do it without leaving you and/or your family with strength sapping debt?
There is a solution to this. But you have to know how the game is played.
We know that identifying a preliminary list of colleges that “fits” a student is job one for most families. To do this effectively, you must understand that college selection and admission has become a “data driven” process in the college admissions offices.
If the odds are stacked against us, how can we compete?
You can try to do a lot of research yourself, and a lot of people do just that. Or you can get ahead of the game by using our proprietary AMP, QC500PLUS, and PASS tools.
Use data to succeed!
In order to compete successfully, the students need a way to assess themselves on the key data points:
- High school grades in core subjects
- Strength of high school curriculum
- Standardized test scores
Matching the AMP data (academic) with the information contained in the PASS (personal preferences)and then matching them with the way top schools actually manage their admissions as reported in the QC500 PLUS (college acceptance practices) will give you a clear picture of which schools are within your range and what you can aim for if you increase your efforts.
This will also provide a clear picture of the true financial impact of your college choices.
Reaching your goal gives you a different worldview!
Surprise benefits
You may even be surprised that, by taking this tough minded approach, your college search may actually become much more enjoyable, as it clears the clutter out of the process, and sets you on the right path from the very start.
It also increases your chances having a selection of schools that will be ideally suited to the student’s needs and preferences, as well as locating sources of gift aid to fund his or her education.
Comments on this entry are closed.
{ 1 trackback }