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10 Opportunities for High Schools Students During Winter Break

Friday, December 7th, 2012

Most high school students look forward to winter break as a welcome break. High school life is busy and stressful with classes, study time, activities, and friends. While students do deserve some rest time, they should not let opportunity pass them by either. Winter break = A little extra time to get ahead on a path to success.

Here’s the compromise, high school parents: After a little rest and recovery, there will still be enough time for a student to do something that looks good on the college application.

Ways for a student to make the most of winter break down time:

1. Volunteering in the community. Winter break is a great time for students to clock time doing community service. Good places to look to are the public library, a nursing home, hospital, soup kitchen, homeless shelter, community center or church/synagogue. There are also organizations with extensive databases of locations looking for holiday help, including The United Way and VolunteerMatch. Volunteer work will count more if it is done in an area of the student’s interest.

2. Taking an educational trip. Consider nearby places to visit, such as a museum, national monument, historical house or even a cruise. It’s best if experiences can connect with what a child is studying in school or possibly wants to study in college. For example, if a child is studying U.S. History, a trip to Philadelphia or Washington D.C. will make the lessons all the more exciting and meaningful. If a child wants to be an environmental conservationist, the Ambassadors of the Environment Youth Program onboard a Paul Gauguin cruise may provide great insight, fun and resume building into a vacation. If a physical trip is out of the question, try an electronic field trip. The National Parks Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution are two places that offer virtual field trips that give students a close-up view of popular destinations around America and the world. Talk during or after the real or virtual trip with your child to help the child analyze and find meaning in the experience.

3. Studying for the SAT and ACT. Students can really, seriously improve their scores by doing a little SAT study every day. It will be much easier to concentrate on the test without the distractions of daily homework assignments.

4. Visiting colleges. The more colleges a student has a chance to see, the better, meaning even freshmen should do some visiting. Schools can be local or near a vacation destination. Winter break is not the best time to get a full campus flavor because students are on their breaks, too. However, admissions reps are at work. So go visit schools that are not even on your student’s list. Students on a stay-cation can go on virtual college tours. There are an ever growing number of schools and sites that offer them. (TYPE: “Virtual college tour” into Google and go from there).

5. Looking into jobs. The job market is tight but temporary holiday jobs may be available. If that’s not a real possibility, winter break is a good time to begin looking for a summer job. It’s not too early. Many employers will hire summer help well before the end of the semester.

6. Doing a short term internship. Winter break is a good opportunity to explore a career. A student can spend time shadowing someone in a field or career of interest.

7. Working on the college application. Most deadlines have passed, but there are still some that haven’t.

8. Searching for scholarships. Here is a link to a past blog on how to find scholarships: How to Apply for a College Scholarship.

9. Taking classes. In the two weeks off, there are a number of options. A language immersion course could prove incredibly helpful.

10. Enjoying some down time. Like adults, students need some down time. The relaxing time will give a student time to recharge.

This year, college advisors at International College Counselors helped more than 200 students find, apply to and gain acceptance into the college of their dreams. The expert college counselors at International College Counselors are dedicated to helping students and their families successfully navigate the college application process.

For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please visit http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com or call 954 414-9986.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS:

The college counseling and college coaching services are tailored to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Mandee Heller Adler, founder of International College Counselors, is a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and also received an MBA from Harvard Business School. International College Counselors’ achievements include being recognized as one of South Florida’s Top 100 Small Businesses in 2012.

International College Counselors has offices in New York, New York; White Plains, New York; Boston, Massachusetts; Miami Beach, Florida; Miami, Florida; Coral Gables, Florida; Palm Beach, Florida; Boca Raton, Florida; Medellin, Colombia and Caracas, Venezuela.

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College Admissions Advisors Answer Questions on “Rigor” for High School Students

Monday, October 29th, 2012

College admissions advisors often recommend that students take the most ‘rigorous’ course load possible. But what do terms like “rigorous course load” mean and how rigorous should a student’s schedule be? The expert college advisors at International College Counselors answered some answers to these elusive questions.

1. How Do Admission Officials Weigh High School Rigor?

Comparisons are made when evaluating students. Admissions officers weigh everything from backgrounds around the world to the context of each high school. In other words, there is no one deciding, defining scale for “rigor”.

What admissions officers will agree upon is that students should take the most challenging course load that they can do well in, while still having enough time to show the deep and passionate involvement in activities that the colleges seek.

“As greater numbers of students are challenging themselves by engaging in rigorous, college-level AP and IB course work in high school, colleges raise their standards. Students need to stay on top of recruiting trends in order to be competitive,” said Mandee Heller Adler, founder of International College Counselors.

2. How many Advanced Placement courses should a student take in high school?

It depends on the student, the high school being attended and the desired college.

Students can take zero to two AP courses and get admitted into a good college. Others can take five or six AP courses a year and get rejected from Harvard.

How to decide?

For the most selective colleges, students need to take the most rigorous curriculum available within their own high school.

If a student is home schooled or the high school does not offer AP courses or enough AP courses, know that colleges are aware of different situations that may restrict what courses can be taken. What they really expect that students excel in the opportunities to which they do have access.

However, students should be aware that they can take AP classes online. Colleges know this too.

Another option is to enroll in classes at a nearby college or take online learning courses to supplement your regular high school work. You can even earn college credit at the same time.

3. Which are better IB classes or AP classes?

IB stands for International Baccalaureate which is an advanced high school diploma program. AP stands for Advanced Placement. In the IB program, students who pass six exams can sometimes enter college as a sophomore. (Note: check with each school because policies differ). Both curriculums have merit. One is not better than the other. But once again, the student needs to take the most rigorous curriculum offered at his/her school.

4. Which is better: an A in the regular course or a B in the honors course?

The most accurate answers is: An A in the honors course.

This is how the joke goes, but it’s the truth.

Colleges like to see students challenging themselves. So the direct answer is: A ‘B’ in an honors course is better that an ‘A’ in regular. A ‘B’ in an AP course is better than the ‘A’ in honors.

Colleges are looking for students who push themselves, are intellectually curious and are interested in learning. More demanding courses are a reflection of this.

However, what a student should take depends on the student. What a student must be careful to do is not overreach. Every student should take the most challenging courses he or she can perform well in. It does not help to take AP courses and get a “C.” Students who take AP must also look towards passing the AP exam.

The worst thing a student can do is take honors courses and then switch to easier courses later in their high school career in order to boost GPA. A warning to students: Do not catch “senioritis!”

5. What courses do colleges want to see?

There are very few situations in which the appearance or absence of any one particular class would determine a student’s college future. But, please be careful: Students do need to meet all the prerequisite of the colleges they are applying to. Some require a certain number or years of math, English and foreign language. And, some schools require certain math levels (such as pre-calculus) for consideration.

Overall, colleges want to see courses that tell a story. They want to see that a student has pursued his or her interests and have taken a balanced set of challenging classes.

As Yale puts it “We encourage you to pursue your intellectual interests, so long as it is not at the expense of your program’s overall rigor or your preparedness for college.”

A few good questions from Yale for weighing your course selection for the upcoming year:

• Am I taking a well-balanced academic program that will provide me with a good foundation for college?

• Am I prepared to take college-level math, writing, and science courses?

• Do I feel challenged by the courses that I am taking?

• Am I seeking challenge or avoiding it?

Endnote

The fact is, admissions professionals are well-trained to identify “rigor” in the entire transcript and not just courses.

If you are a client of International College Counselors, contact one of our college advisors on what courses are most appropriate for your high school student. Other students should talk to their high school counselor.

For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please visit www.internationalcollegecounselors.com.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS:

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Online Courses: Build a Better College Resume and Improve Your College Application without Leaving Home

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

High School students in their pajamas can enhance their college applications.

Colleges love to see that a high school student has taken online courses even if no credit is awarded for the course. Online courses help your student demonstrate they can do college-level work and show their motivation to learn beyond basic curriculum requirements. By taking online courses, students can also explore interests in a particular profession or field of study. Students can also opt to take online classes that can earn them college credit.

Below we’ve listed some courses that can be taken online for credit and no credit. Some are free, some aren’t. This is not a comprehensive list, but a mere sampling.

Free online college courses for no credit:

Coursera
Coursera offers courses from the top universities, for free to everyone. Current courses come from Princeton University, Stanford University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and University of Pennsylvania. Courses range from the maths and sciences to poetry and world music.

edX
Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are teaming up to offer free, online, college-level courses under a joint superbrand known as edX. MIT currently offers web-based courses featuring discussion forums, short videos, and laboratory simulations, all under the guidance of MIT professors and teaching assistants. Harvard plans to officially announce its first courses in the summer and begin offering the courses in the fall.

Open courseware at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Johns Hopkins is a respected medical school offering a selection of popular courses which would be of particular interest to students who plan to study medicine, or a related field.

Udacity
Udacity offers a variety of free online courses and students can sign up at any time. Currently all the courses being offered are computer related, and include: Building a Search Engine, Web Application Engineering, Applied Cryptography and Programming a Robotic Car.

Online college courses for credit:

Colleges offer independent study online courses that can be taken any time, any place for credit. They also offer a selection of online cohort courses that follow the semester calendar.

California State University

Miami Dade College

University of Texas

Online pre-college courses, some for credit and some not

Brown University (not for credit)
Students can demonstrate they can do Ivy League level academic work.

Northwestern College (for credit)
This is a college in Minnesota, not Northwestern University.

Oregon State University (for credit)
Through OSU’s Extended Campus, you can choose from over 40 college classes in subjects like Calculus, Art, German, Philosophy, Wildlife Conservation, Women Studies and Atmospheric Sciences.

Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (not for credit)
Provides students with university-level online courses in mathematics and computer science.

Contact International College Counselors
If you have questions on online courses, credit transfer or college applications and are a client of International College Counselors, please contact our expert college advisors at www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

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Former President of Pine Crest School to Join International College Counselors

Monday, May 21st, 2012

International College Counselors is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Lourdes Martinez Cowgill to the position of Senior Director of College Counseling. Cowgill, who served as president of Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton for 15 years, will work one-on-one with undergraduate and graduate students, advising them and guiding them through the college admission process.

As a former President, Headmistress and College Counselor at Pine Crest School, Cowgill worked closely with students including Presidential Scholars, National Merit Scholars, scholar-athletes, visual and performing arts majors, Ivy League-bound applicants, and many others. Additionally, Cowgill regularly spoke with colleges on behalf of students, and was instrumental in making Pine Crest School one of the top private college preparatory schools in the nation. Under her guidance, Pine Crest students matriculated to all of the top colleges and universities in the United States.

At International College Counselors, Cowgill will provide expert college advising services to students all over the world who wish to attend a school in the United States. These expert college counselor services include assisting students with college selection, college admissions essay writing, application support, high school planning, interview preparation, scholarship help, wait list / deferral strategies and more.

Cowgill’s leadership positions on the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Board, National Merit Corporation Advisory Council, and Educational Records Bureau (ERB) Board of Trustees offer families insight into standardized testing and the role it plays in selective college admissions.

Cowgill is fluent in both English and Spanish. She has done national work in that academic field as a member and Chair of the Spanish Achievement Test (Spanish SAT II) and presenter for Spanish AP workshops in the Southern region.

Cowgill earned her B.A. from Barry University, her M.A. and Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr College, and her M.Ed. from Florida Atlantic University.

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Notes from Our Counselor Breakfast with Admissions Reps

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

Get your Insider Information here.

Last week, the team at International College Counselors attended a counselor breakfast with admissions representatives from Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Penn and Stanford. There are a lot interesting developments at each of the schools and within the domain of Higher Ed.

What the expert college advisors at International College Counselors know you need to know:

Schools give a lot of weight to Early Decision.

At Duke, 25% of the Early Decision applicants were accepted; 1/3 of the class was filled by Early Decision.

At Penn, 1/3 to 1/ 2 of the class was filled by Early Decision applicants.

This is significant given that the other three schools have Early Action (Non binding) as opposed to Early Decision (Binding) and therefore do not show evidence of such preference.

Without reservation, the expert college advisors at International College Counselors always recommend that students seriously consider Early Decision options when they begin the college process. If there is a school your student really wants to attend, and it offers Early Decision, don’t miss out!

Free online financial aid calculators are invaluable tools.

For those families who worry about the cost of college, and as to whether you can bind your child to a particular institution without financial aid details, know that every college now offers a Financial Aid Calculator. These can be found on the school’s website. This calculator can help you determine, based on last year’s financials, how much money your family can expect to receive from that particular institution.

Here are links to a few such calculators
Northwestern: https://npc.collegeboard.org/student/app/northwestern
Emory: https://npc.collegeboard.org/student/app/emory

Keep in mind, you or your student can always call a school’s financial aid office for information and ask questions,without giving your name.

Questions? Contact International College Counselors.

As always, the expert college counselors are available to answer any specific questions our clients have. Don’t hesitate to call or email us at 954-414-9986 or www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

If you are interested in becoming a client of International College Counselors, please call or email us. College planning is definitely worth thinking about, and the sooner, the better!

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AP Grade Reporting

Monday, May 7th, 2012

To report the AP test or not to report the AP test, that is this week’s question.

After taking one of the many various AP tests, there are usually three ways a student will feel: Great! Good. And Awful.

If you think you did great or good, congratulations!

If you’re sure you did awfully and scored a 1 or a 2, or you’re not sure how you did, you can withhold or cancel your score.

Because AP grades are released in July, any request for changes in reporting must be received by June 15.

The expert college counselors at International College Counselors note that it’s not likely that any one AP grade you submit, no matter how low, will fatally wound you.

Canceling vs. Withholding

Canceling AP grades

Canceling an AP grade permanently means you’ll never, ever see the grade and it’s deleted from your record forever.

The option to cancel a score helps a number of students, say the expert college advisors at International College Counselors. Some of those students took an AP course but found that the class didn’t cover all the information on the test or they didn’t study for the test as much as they should have. (And this happens more than we’d like to think.) This option also encourages the risk takers, the students who take an AP exam in a subject they might not have taken the class for. (They’re the ones who study a lot on their own).

To cancel a score, you must send the College Board a Score Cancellation Form AND a written request by mail or fax by June 15. You must include in your letter:

your full name, home address, birth date, high school
the year(s) that you took AP Exams
the name, city, and state of the college you specified
the name(s) of the exam(s) for which you want a grade cancelled
your signature

This service is free but note that the grade report that you and your high school receive will indicate that the grade has been canceled.

Withholding AP grades

Withholding a score means you may have one or more grades withheld from the colleges you indicated on your answer sheet. This gives you the chance to see your scores before the colleges.

You may later release the grade to that college by sending AP Services a signed written request and a small fee.

What we suggest to the students we work with at International College Counselors is to not send your scores to any colleges in May.

Our reasoning is as follows: with your test, as explained to our company by an AP representative, you only get to send your scores to one school free, any others are $15. In other words, if you choose to withhold your scores from all the colleges until you see them, you’re only “losing” $15. Many students can think of the $15 as “insurance”. It’s easy to see your scores and then send them in if you want to.

You can withhold a score if you already sent them in, but if you took them this year, expert college advisors at International College Counselors recommend waiting until early July. Beginning July 1, grades by phone are available for the 2012 exams. It’ll cost you a few extra dollars to get your scores by phone, but it’s a very small price to pay in the larger scheme of things.

To withhold a score, you must notify the College Board by sending them a written request by mail or fax by June 15. You must include in your letter:

1. your full name, home address, birth date
2. the year(s) that you took AP Exams
3. the name, city, and state of the college you specified
4. the name(s) of the exam(s) for which you want a grade withheld. (All your grades will still appear on the reports sent to you and your high school.)
5. a check for the exact amount due made out to “AP Exams.” There is a $10 fee per score, per college.
6. your signature

Note that unlike a canceled score, a request to withhold a grade does not permanently delete your grade. A withheld AP grade will be sent to your high school. It will count in your AP average and affect AP scholar designations. This means you can choose the scores that work to your advantage and feel confident to take some extra AP exams.

Make sure you keep a copy of all your correspondence with the College Board.

Contact the College Board
For more information straight from the College Board on AP grade reporting services, including addresses, phone and fax numbers:

Contact International College Counselors
For help from an experienced college advisor, please contact the expert college counselors at the Miami based International College Counselors of http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986

About International College Counselors
International College Counselors is a Miami-based company that provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications. The college admissions counselors at International College Counselors work with domestic and international students. International College Counselors, founded by Mandee Heller Adler, tailors college counseling and college coaching services to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student.

International College Counselors has seven offices in three countries.

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International College Counselors Expands with New Florida Offices

Thursday, April 26th, 2012

International College Counselors is pleased to announce the expansion of their college admissions counseling business with new offices in Miami, Coral Gables and Palm Beach, Florida.

International College Counselors operates in three states – New York, Florida and Massachusetts, and three countries – the United States, Colombia and Venezuela.

Their new offices in South Florida will bring the International College Counselors team’s expertise closer to more students, their families, and area schools.

“We saw a need and an opportunity to bring Miami, Coral Gables and Palm Beach a local college admissions resource,” said founder and CEO, Mandee Heller Adler. “With our new offices, we’ll be able to provide more students and local schools with the personal attention International College Counselors is known for. Our guidance is based upon a student’s individual needs and talents.”

International College Counselors new branches are located at 1395 Brickell Ave., Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131; 2525 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Suite 300, Coral Gables, FL 33134; and 800 Village Square Crossing, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410.

International College Counselors will maintain their current headquarters in Hollywood, Florida and they look forward to continuing their intelligent growth, while maintaining the high quality of personal, professional service they provide their clients.

In 2012, the college advisors at International College Counselors helped more than 200 students find, apply to and gain acceptance into the college of their dreams. The expert college advisors at International College Counselors are dedicated to helping students and their parents with the often daunting and complex college application process.

For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please visit http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS:

International College Counselors provides expert college counseling on undergraduate and graduate college admissions, financial aid, tuition, essays, and college applications to domestic and international students. The college counseling and college coaching services are tailored to address the goals, needs, and dreams of each student. Mandee Heller Adler, founder of International College Counselors, is a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She also received an MBA from Harvard Business School. Ms. Adler’s achievements have brought her recognition as one of South Florida Top 100 Small Businesses in 2010.

International College Counselors has offices in White Plains, New York; Miami Beach, Florida; Miami, Florida; Coral Gables, Florida; Palm Beach, Florida; Boca Raton, Florida; Medellin, Columbia and Caracas, Venezuela.

Great Ways for Parents of High School Students to Spend Their Tax Refunds:

Monday, April 23rd, 2012

According to the Internal Revenue Service, the average 2012 tax refund is roughly $3000. Here are some great suggestions for what to do with the money you get back if you’re a parent of a teenager who plans to attend college:

1. Pay for Tutoring. The importance of grades for colleges cannot be ignored. The GPA is the single most important part of a college application. Not only that, colleges want to see a challenging high school curriculum. If your student needs help in one or more subjects, spend some money on tutoring. (It may even pay off more in the form of scholarships.) If you need help finding an amazing tutor, contact your International College Counselors college advisor for more information.

2. Put money into a 529 plan. Even if your child will be a junior this year, it’s not too late to make a tax-preferred investment for college. Many states, including Florida and New York, provide a tax deduction for 529 contributions even if you’re investing for only a short time.

3. Invest in a summer enrichment program. Summer enrichment programs can help propel your student toward college and gain acceptance into a school of their choice. Let your student explore a subject of interest or bolster volunteer work credentials. College advisors at International College Counselors know there are programs for all interests, including engineering, career exploration, robotics, entrepreneurship, women’s leadership, music, drama and test prep. Nearly every school, including the Ivies, offer a summer program for high school students, allowing students to experience life on a college campus. Some programs offer college credit.

4. Go for the test prep. Next to grades, test scores are one of the most important factors in college admissions. Please contact your college advisor at International College Counselors for the name, number and email address of a (SAT word alert) splendiferous SAT, ACT, SAT subject test, AP and TOFEL tutor who can help you increase your test scores.

5. Visit colleges. College visits can be costly but worthwhile. Your student just may find their top-pick school is nothing like they imagined. Visiting a school may also increase chances of gaining admittance and of getting a better award package, if only slightly. Taking the time to tour campus shows commitment.

6. Encourage summer college courses. Summer college courses can give your student the opportunity to attend school classes with undergraduate students or other select high school students and earn college credits.

7. Hire an independent college counselor. If you are not a client of International College Counselors, what are you waiting for? Our expert college advisors can give your student the individualized attention to properly tackle the college admission process. With new offices now in Coral Gables, Boston, Miami, New York and Palm Beach Gardens, and advisors who speak fluent Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, we can better meet your needs. From help choosing colleges, going on interviews, editing essays and more, we will give your student the tools to find and get into the college of his or her dreams.

If you need help evaluating and choosing a summer opportunity for your student and/or want information on tutoring, and are a client of International College Counselors, please give your college advisor a call or send an email.

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How to Ask for an Early Letter of Recommendation

Monday, April 16th, 2012

1. Make an appointment to speak with your recommenders.
Don’t just thrust letter materials into a teacher’s hand the five minutes you have between periods or tackle a coach in the locker room. This shows that you’re respectful of their time.

2. Explain.
Given the number of students who (erroneously) wait for the last minute, your teacher will most likely be surprised you’re asking for a letter so early. Explain that you already know that you’d want a recommendation from him or her. And you wanted to give him or her plenty of time. Also you wanted the teacher to be able to write you a recommendation while your achievements were still fresh in mind. The expectation is that the teacher will store your recommendation on the computer until it is time to paste it into an official letter of recommendation form.

3. Help your recommender.
At your meeting, make sure you give those chosen people information they can use to write your letter. You gain extra points for yourself because your letter will, more likely, be properly detailed. You gain extra points with recommenders for showing them that you are taking this process seriously and that you appreciate their time and effort.

Information to provide your recommender should include:

* Your full name, address, email and phone number.
* A copy of your resume or a list of activities and achievements. (This information can
be used to write a stronger letter.)
* Detailed examples of any accomplishments/ improvements in this particular teacher’s
class or subject

4. Follow Up.
Remember, your recommenders are doing you a favor. Show your appreciation by sending a thank-you note.

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Decision making after the thick envelopes!

Sunday, April 8th, 2012

The envelopes are in.

If your student has more than one thick envelope in hand, they’re in the driver’s seat. The colleges have taken their sweeeeet time choosing you, and now it’s your turn to choose them. They’ve given you the month of April to make your choice. Far beyond the glossy paper of the brochures, here are some things college advisors at International College Counselors say you and your student should consider:

Economics. It’s hard to deny that this may be a factor for many students. If they’ve been offered a generous financial aid package or a scholarship, it’s going to be hard to ignore this “bonus”.

If the student has not received the full financial aid offer, college advisors at International College Counselors recommend you begin to explore your financial options through free tools like the one offered on FinAid.org.

The Ivies and a small number of other schools have policies that allow them to attend irrespective of their ability to pay. Contact each school separately for information on these policies.

Fit. Where does a student feel like he or she will fit in best? Some students thrive at universities where the city itself plays an important role in one’s overall education. In cities such as New York and Boston, the cultural and internship opportunities are enormous. However, city schools tend to be more impersonal. Residential campus schools like the University of Florida pride themselves on a school community atmosphere. Then there are considerations like the size of the school, the role of Greek life, the athletic culture, and more. College advisors at International College Counselors recommend that your student look for the campus energy that matches his or her own.

Academics. Ideally, a student should have a vague idea of a desired career path. What is needed is a school that offers a major or program that will allow your student to explore that option to fullest.

Culture. Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan College presents this consideration excellently:

“The evolution of student culture over many years that comes to define the way a place feels to the young men and women who spend these transitional years on campus. Students – not teachers and officials – make that culture. At Duke, for example, there are extraordinary programs and deep research going on. But over several weeks of the spring semester, it’s Blue Devil basketball frenzy that takes over campus culture. At Middlebury, there is currently an energetic student debate about the meal plan, which many students see as a defining element in their campus experience. At USC, the entertainment industry seeps into the fabric of the place, even when the subject areas are quite distant from Hollywood. At Wesleyan, the students have created vibrant music and film contexts that seem to fuel independent rock and hip-hop on the one hand, and popular film and TV on the other. Although most students here study neither music nor film, the energy of these areas percolates around campus.”

Job connections. After college, your student will want to get a job so it’s smart to consider a college’s career services center. Call them and ask about job fairs, internship opportunities, on-campus corporate interviews, and the number of students per career counselor.

Only you and your student will know what is truly important to you. Ask questions and take a good hard look at the school. Visit the top two choices again if you can. This is going to be your student’s home away from home for the next four years.

Experienced college advisors at International College Counselors believe if a student is having a tough time choosing among two or more schools it is probably because he or she has done a good job putting together the list. Most likely that student will be happy at whichever college is chosen.

Worse comes to worse, a student can transfer.

Most importantly, don’t let your student procrastinate. This is probably the biggest decision they can make at this point in their life.

For help from an experienced college advisor, please contact the expert college counselors at the Miami based International College Counselors of http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com

International College Counselors
(954) 414-9986

International College Counselors has seven offices in three countries.

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