In my first week of my AP English Lit class, my new teacher announced that we would begin the school year with one of the most famous works of literature, Dante’s “Inferno.” In his epic poem, Dante writes about his journey through Hell and Purgatory to eventually become the perfect man in Paradise. He struggles, hesitates and fails at some tasks, ...

Sometimes the college application process can feel like a smorgasbord of confusing acronyms, deadlines and restrictions. Not only do you have to understand what ED I, ED II, EA, RD and REA stand for, but you also have to make various decisions concerning these acronyms, decisions that could affect your entire college application process. Are you sure you know which type ...

Talk To Your Counselor. Between the books in the counselor’s office, and the knowledge in your counselor’s head, he or she will be a virtual treasure trove of information. Take advantage of the opportunities you have to work with a counselor to make plans for your future. Many counselors know more than any one book or website, and they are ...

It's your final year of high school, which is not only the time to celebrate your achievements but bulk up your resume and course schedule to show colleges and universities that you're a worthy candidate. Senior year is easily the most overwhelming for high school students but staying organized will guarantee a solid finish, a good chance at your top choice ...

Admit-Deny: Some schools will admit marginal students, but not award them any financial aid. Very few schools use admit-deny, because studies have shown that lack of sufficient financial aid is a key factor in the performance of marginal students. Associate Degree: A degree which is granted to a student who has completed a two-year program (64-66 credits) and is equivalent to ...

It's a long and bumpy road. It's a challenging road. It's definitely wide open for you to travel. Getting through the college application process involves a lot of time and effort, but the results can generate a significant investment in you. Use these tips to get moving on the path to college success. Rule #1 Adhere to the NACAC (National Association ...

Don’t know your SATs from your EDs…Here are some of the most popular questions when it comes to Admission and Application. Everything from campus tours to test scores to letters of recommendations. What does a campus visit consist of? A good time to get started with the college campus visit is the summer before senior year. The first step? Check the ...

A rigorous course schedule through high school is important. Good grades are key. High SAT/ACT test scores certainly don't hurt. But what else are colleges looking for in students? Genuine interest in the school Colleges want students who show genuine and well-researched interest in their school. "A student who has gone beyond name recognition and reputation and has decided that the ...

You've narrowed your choice of colleges down to seven different schools. Now comes the fun part: filling out seven different applications. This means entering your name/address/school data over and over and writing multiple personal essays. And if you can't apply online, this means reacquainting yourself with a typewriter. At long last, an alternative is gaining momentum: the Common Application. What Is ...

Take a strong course schedule. Your class record is a big part of your college application. Don't take courses that simply pad your GPA. Challenge yourself. Take AP, IB or honors courses. If your school doesn't offer them, see if your local community college or university does. Do volunteer work. Make a difference and volunteer for activities that reflect your personality ...

Why attend college? You will learn skills that will help you both on and off the job. A person who attends college generally earns more than someone who doesn’t. How can I go about choosing a college? Colleges are located in big cities, suburbs, and small towns throughout the country. Some enroll tens of thousands of students; others enroll only a ...

The best mistakes are those you learn from. Below, guidance counselors and admissions counselors from around the country reveal the most common college application errors. Follow Directions A lot of mistakes can be easily avoided by following directions. All college applications may look the same, but read the directions carefully — they can be quite different. Keep a sharp lookout for ...

Applying to college online can save you time and money. Online applications make submitting your application easy, but don't take them less seriously. Here's what you need to know about online applications. Good for Students, Good for Colleges When you apply online you get what you need instantaneously. Depending on the school, you might submit the required information directly through the ...

Ah yes, the college admissions process can be considered a full-time job in itself. Between the deadlines, filling out the applications and deciding which school to go to — not to mention taking the SATs – prepping for college can be overwhelming to say the least. Surviving college is one thing. Surviving the college admissions and application process is a whole other ballgame. CampusCompare’s ...

It's the last day of school before a weeklong Thanksgiving break, and I'm frantically running around school delivering recommendation packets to my teachers and counselor. (The packets include teacher evaluation sheets from different schools and a "brag sheet" detailing everything I've done in high school.) I get a packet to my counselor, and another to my junior year English teacher. I ...

Labor Day, in all its barbecue and lawn chair glory, has passed, which means everyone is back in school. School in my district started on August 14, so we’ve been here a while. It’s usually good to go back to school because for most of us boredom doesn’t take long to set in after summer begins. Although it did start to ...

The holidays are about giving and sharing. In light of recent belt tightening, forget about hitting the mall to buy a sweater or a gift card.  The best gift you could give yourself and others is time. Time to enjoy the company of family and friends, time to spend cooking your favorite dishes with your parents, time to create long lasting ...

College admissions offices are busy places. Think about an admissions office receiving 5,000 to 10,000 or more applications. That is a lot of reading. What will make your application stand out? How colleges decide Before we address that question, let’s look at the process in general. I don’t believe any two admissions offices do everything alike, but there are similarities. Most ...

Acceptance Form: This form documents the student's receipt of an award letter. The form usually includes a space to indicate acceptance of offered aid, declination of all or part of the package and some means for requesting an appeal to modify the award. Acceptance letters and award letters are frequently combined into a single document. Admit-Deny: Some schools will admit marginal ...

A High School Senior Shares is experiences preparing for college. Different Year, Same Old Blog Jan. 11, 2006 Ahoy, my friends! Happy belated new year to you all! It's 2006 and you know what that means….absolutely nothing! That's right, it's a different year but it's still the same old song and dance here on my quaint little blog. Now that it's ...