MATCHPOINT
COLLEGE NEWS
A newsletter to keep you informed on college admissions.
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Greetings! At this busy back-to-school time of year, our August newsletter is full of useful information for parents of seniors, but also juniors, sophomores, and freshmen.
Once again, summer has flown by, and it's time to begin a new school year. Our 2018 students have officially started their college journeys, and we wish them and their families the best at this exciting time. We look forward to hearing updates from all of you!
We can't say enough about the progress our 2019 students have made, working through amazing essays and already beginning to submit applications. Over the next month or so, most of you will have made it through the entire process.
Parents of juniors, this is a pivotal year for your students.
Now is the time for students to stretch themselves, take on leadership roles, expand their impact, and test out possible majors. The more your student gets to know themself now, the easier it will be for them to thrive in their selected college.
We hope many of you - whatever
year your student is - will join us on September 5 at 7:00 pm at the Granduca Austin Hotel, for an informative evening with Alexandra Taylor, Director of the UT Admissions Center. Don't forget to
RVSP for this event
, as space is limited.
Lisa Bain Carlton, Bob Carlton & the College MatchPoint team
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The Moneyball of College Admissions: Using Data
To Make Your Strategic Decision
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Data. It informs so many of the decisions we make-and deciding where and how to apply to college is no different. To give you easier access to quality data, our colleagues Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy have released their 2018 admissions and aid analysis.
One of the biggest decisions in the college application process is whether it makes sense for your student to apply early decision to their top-choice school. For last year's admitted class, the average college offering early decision has a 1.6 early decision to regular decision ratio and fills 30% of their class with early decision students. Our blog post on The Moneyball of College Admissions includes links to the most current data you need to help your student make an informed decision when it comes to early decision.
Be sure you understand the trends in financial aid as your student is making their college list. Our analysis shows you the numbers when it comes to merit aid and need-based aid, so you can be sure you're choosing the right schools with the right expectations. The analysis of 600 colleges shows a decrease in the percentage of non-need undergraduates receiving aid and, in particular, merit aid in 2018. The dollar amount of the average merit aid award has also dropped.
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Z-list, Tips & DE: The Hidden Language
of Admissions Decisions
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The intricacies of the college admissions process are endless. The recent controversy surrounding admissions at Harvard
has revealed some of the behind-the-scenes practices happening in admissions offices. There's an entire vocabulary unique to college admissions, from "tips" (extra points given to candidates for various reasons), to the "Z-list" (a list of lower-achieving students who have connections to the college), to "DE" (distinguishing excellence shown by a student). Don't get too caught up in all of it, though-the bottom line is that your student needs to stand out from the crowd in whatever way makes the most sense for them.
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It's The Home Stretch With Your Seniors
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One of the best ways to show demonstrated interest is through an interview. Each school addresses the interview process differently, but it's a great way to show a college you're excited about what they have to offer. Here, we've compiled a
list of selective colleges that indicate that interviews are important to them
in the admissions process, so take a look and do your best to follow their recommendations.
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Junior Year Jump Start: An Insider's Guide To Testing And
10 Tips To Get Through Junior Year
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Junior year is the year of testing. Whether they decide to take the SAT or the ACT-or both-your student will need to spend time preparing and learning about the test itself. Our partner Will Ramsdell,
Director of Advantage Testing of Austin, shares
his
guide to testing for high school juniors
, answering questions about what the tests are like and when and how to best prepare for each.
Of course, it's not
just
about testing. One leading admissions director has compiled
10 ways to make the most of junior year
and feel more prepared come senior year. Our favorite tip? "Be open to a wide range of schools." This is the time to explore, so don't rule anything out, whether it's due to size, location, majors, or anything in between.
One way to keep an open mind is by reflecting inward. Instead of starting with a college list and then bending over backward to get in, Bates Director of Admission, Darryl Uy, says we should do the opposite: "start with you, the student - who you are, what you are interested in, and what you might want to do? Then find the schools that match your values and interests, rather than vice versa.".
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Tips For The UT Austin Admissions Process
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Many of our students are applying to UT Austin, so we've put together a number of resources to help them navigate UT Austin's unique admissions process. First, we have identified
tips for how to tackle each of UT Austin's 3 short answer prompts
. Adding even more writing to the application can be daunting, but each prompt allows your student to highlight a different part of their holistic application-so it's important for them to take advantage of this space to really stand out from the crowd. The first question, in particular, gives your student a chance to demonstrate their academic fit for their first-choice major at UT Austin.
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| College MatchPoint Essay Tip: University of Texas @ Austin Leadership Short Answer Essay |
If your student is driven and curious, they might be looking for a more rigorous curriculum than what standard majors offer. At UT Austin, that comes in the form of freshman honors programs. Read our guide to honors programs at UT Austin to get a sense of the options and a better understanding of how the honors programs work. And remember, your student's application to an honors program will not affect their admission to UT as a whole, so they shouldn't hesitate to apply if they're on the fence.
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Growth Mindset: Why Freshman And Sophomore Year
Are Crucial In The College Journey
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Freshman year can be challenging for students and parents alike. It's a transitional year, and it's easy for students to stumble, make mistakes, and even fail. And that's okay. The important thing is to teach students that
their abilities and intelligence can develop over time
. This concept is known as growth mindset, and students who have it are more likely to thrive in high school. Instilling and encouraging a growth mindset freshman year will give students ample time to get back up from their early pitfalls and make the most of their high school careers.
One way to develop a growth mindset-to truly believe you can improve on your abilities-is to take ownership of your education. That means that your students should be actively seeking out advice, talking to teachers and counselors without your intervention, and requesting recommendations on their own. Read more about this process along with
5 other college-planning tips for sophomores (and their parents!)
. The best thing you can do to help is let them take the lead: if you're always jumping in, they're less likely to take ownership, so take a step back and you'll be amazed at the results.
The team at College MatchPoint is excited to offer a new workshop called Designing Your Year, for students entering the 9th and 10th grades. Our goal is to help students attending the workshop create a set of activities that they are excited about and that will ultimately help build out their college resumes. If your student would like to attend this workshop, please register here. |
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College MatchPoint Speaking Schedule
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Earlier this week, Lisa and Bob joined the more than 87,000 members of the online Grown & Flown community for a Facebook Live event. We're currently building our speaking schedule for the coming academic year, so let us know if you'd like us to join a community you're part of. We have spoken at faith communities, service leagues, scouting groups, parent organizations, and conferences.
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How To Nail The College Essay Without Losing Sleep
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Staring at a blank piece of paper is overwhelming-and often demoralizing. Especially if your student is a perfectionist, it can feel like an impossible task to write an essay that truly showcases who they are as a person. And honestly, it
is
an impossible task. All your student can do is be vulnerable, be open, and be themselves. This article from an admissions insider offers
7 tips for how to overcome the need for perfection
, including everything from writing for yourself to avoiding a happily ever after.
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| College MatchPoint Essay Tip_ Your Life As A Movie |
If your student is still feeling stuck, we have a series of tips designed to help them get started. For example, your student might imagine their life like a movie. What scenes stand out? And what personal qualities and values are expressed through those scenes? Once they jot down a rough draft of a few short scenes, they can have someone else read them and tell them which they find most compelling. And that's their topic. Remember: we're always posting essay tips on our blog and Facebook page, so continue to check back. |
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Test Date
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Registration Deadline
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| September 8 |
August 3 |
| October 27 |
September 22 |
December 8
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November 2
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February 9, 2019
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January 11, 2019
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April 13
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March 8
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June 8
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May 3
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July 13
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June 14
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Test Date
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Registration Deadline
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| August 25 |
July 26 |
| October 6 |
September 7 |
December 1
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November 2
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March 9, 2019
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February 8, 2019
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May 4
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April 5
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June 1
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May 3
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college that they're deeply excited about that school. The admissions term for this is "demonstrated interest," and it means that your student goes out of their way to indicate that a school is at the top of their list. Take a look at 
