Preparing for, Choosing, and Applying to College:

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1 Preparing for, Choosing, and Applying to College: College Prep Resources A really great book: Tom Joyner's "How to Prepare for College" is now available. Order through and Written by Thomas LaVeist and Wil LaVeist, the book has a foreword by Tom Joyner that states, "What I like about this book is that it shows you the steps you need to take to get into college and it applies to everyone. Everything from raising a college-bound student to life after college is covered. Whether you re a child in elementary school or an adult in the workforce, considering enrolling in a college or university, this book has something you can use." Prep with The Princeton Review and Save 15% If you re thinking about college, you re probably also thinking about the SAT, ACT or PSAT. The Princeton Review has been helping students prepare for college entrance exams to achieve the best score possible and get into their top choice colleges since The Princeton Review is one of the leading test preparation organizations in the world and has earned a reputation for taking the tedium out of, and putting the results into, test preparation. NFTE members, plus family, can save 15% on prep with The Princeton Review! NFTE members, plus family, get 15% off our Classroom and Online courses for the SAT, ACT, or PSAT. Use the corresponding promotional code from when enrolling online or by calling 800-2Review ( ). We can give you a fair chance against these exams. Let us help you break through the educational and economic barriers. We accommodate students on every budget and every schedule, with classroom courses in 41 states and 21 countries, online and school-based courses, one-to-one and small group tutoring and books.

2 Our Approach Guaranteed results with our proven methodology and score-raising strategies Passionate, engaging and expert instructors who motivate you Personalized attention and feedback Comprehensive and up-to-date study materials all yours to keep Extensive online resources including exams, drills, lessons and explanations Full-length practice tests with detailed score reports To enroll or learn more, call us at 800-2Review ( ) or visit Special Offer: The Princeton Review Practice Test Determine your preparation needs by taking a full-length practice exam and receive an overview of your test taking skills without affecting your testing record. Find out more, visit Making College Choices: You ve gotten your hands on a college brochure, and the students on the cover look happy and smart. Should you go to that school? NFTE has taught you about advertising and promoting your own business. Colleges are businesses that do the same. College catalogs are advertising tools that could make Dungeon University look good. You need to be a savvy consumer with your education dollars. Collecting Information From the beginning of your junior year, start collecting the brochures, catalogs, and CDs colleges will send you if you visit their web sites and register for information. Throw out those that you have no interest in, and put the rest in a cardboard box. Look at them when you have time and keep a separate pile of the ones that really look interesting. Choosing a School How do you choose a school? Consider whether or not it has programs in your areas of interest. Its location can be important, as can social life, sports and clubs. But the only way you ll be able to decide on these things is if you start asking people where they went to college and what did they like about the place. Don t hesitate; people love to talk about their college years. NFTE Alumni Kyle Wong and his partners have created a special web site that will give you all the information you need when choosing a college: Check it out today!

3 Another really fabulous resource is by the National Research Center for College & University Admissions (NRCCUA). The significant online features are: Students can review and edit their personal profile. Students that did not complete our paper survey on college and career aspirations in their classroom can complete the survey online. Students can review recommended colleges and universities that match with their aspirations. Students are alerted to the colleges and universities that have expressed an interest in them personally. Students receive college planning tips respective to their high school year. Encyclopedias of Colleges Should you read about schools in those gigantic encyclopedic books of colleges? Yes, if you are looking for statistics, like the size of a school and what percentage of students graduate in four years. But you need to find out about a school s personality and that is best done by visiting, or talking to people who have gone there. Find out if you can sit in on classes, talk to students, or meet with an alumnus. School Rankings Finally, a lot of emphasis is placed on school rankings. There are hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States and a good education can be had at many of them. Look at the college as a consumer would, but realize what you do while you are there -- the effort you put in -- is going to have the greatest impact on the quality of your education. When you have a list of about 12 schools you could see yourself attending, write to them for applications and financial aid information. Applying for College: Reduce the stress of applying for college by gaining an understanding of the process. Each college you apply to will have a different procedure, however, by using the tips below you will be able to save yourself time and energy. Sell yourself to the school by highlighting your accomplishments, and minimizing your deficiencies. Make sure your application is complete and submitted before the deadline. Reach Schools College advisors suggest you choose one to three schools that represent a reach for acceptance, another one to three that will probably accept you, and one to three that will definitely accept you.

4 Keep Track of Paperwork Applying is going to require that you keep track of paperwork. Start a file on each school to which you will apply. Keep another file of your SAT or ACT information, and another that holds letters of recommendation. The Common Application You may be able to save some time by filling out The Common Application, one that is accepted by 200 schools. But read carefully to see if your school wants any additional information. College Essay You ll be asked to write an essay for college. It s a great way to let the school know something about you. You may be asked to write on a specific topic, or one of your own choosing. Writing about your business is a natural topic for a college essay! Be sure to talk about obstacles you encountered and how you overcame them. If you apply to school online, write your essay offline, print it and proofread it, and then paste it into the official application. Always have a teacher or counselor review your essay and REMEMBER TO USE A COMPUTER TO GRAMMAR, AND SPELL, CHECK! On your mark, get set, start applying! Books Acing the College Application : How to Maximize Your Chances for Admission to the College of Your Choice, by Michele Hernandez Applying to College: A Planning Guide (Lifeworks Guide), by Casey Watts Don't Worry, You'll Get In: 100 Winning Tips for Stress-Free College Admissions, by Mimi Doe, Michele A. Hernandez How to Write a Winning College Application Essay, Revised 4th Edition, by Michael James Mason Winning The Heart Of The College Admissions Dean: An Expert's Advice For Getting Into College, by Joyce Slayton Mitchell Movies How I Got Into College: Although exaggerated and somewhat unrealistic this movie does give you a humorous glimpse into the world of applying and getting accepted into college. A scholastically challenged high school student wants to follow the girl of his

5 dreams to a college way out of his reach. The comedy ensues as you watch Marlon use all his will power and determination to be accepted into the school. Websites College Board Application requirements, essay-writing skills, and on-line applications with a list of participating universities Class Brain Tips for applying to college, with a focus on essay writing. The Princeton Review Tips on how to stand out in your college application Revolution Prep Still trying to make sense of all those SAT preparation options? Revolution Prep was founded on the principle that our students success is the number one goal. Revolution Prep has quickly established itself as the best SAT Prep available. Revolution Prep s value has been given recognition by parents, college counselors and students alike. The Common Application Nearly two hundred selective private colleges and universities accept the Common Application. Check their website for a list of schools participating this year and then download the applications you want. Paper versions of the CCO are also available. Department of Education Office of Post-Secondary Education This site offers resources for prospective college students, news on new initiatives, and links to related sites.