We highly recommend that students go to the Common App website and use the “preview” tool to review all that the Common App entails.  Starting this year, the Common App has (1) a combined Activities and Work section, (2) a new Academics section with revised self-reporting testing instructions, and (3) online submission of NACAC fee waiver for students with limited financial resources and who also meet the National Association for College Admissions Counseling’s requirements for application waivers.

The Common Application membership association provides common, standardized first-year and transfer application forms for use at any member institution.  Today, nearly 400 institutions are members in the association, which represents the full range of higher education institutions in the United States, including public and private institutions of every size and selectivity.  With the press of a single button, you can submit your application to many colleges and universities.  To see a list of all the member institutions, click here.

Many of our clients use a combination of the Common App and individual schools’ applications when applying to college.  In addition, specific schools may have their own supplements that are required to be submitted in order for your application to be complete.  You must pay special attention to all of the application requirements for each of your schools.

We welcome your feedback and ideas.  Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.

Mike Rivera, college counselor, with student

You probably have heard the term “college counseling” bandied about in several different contexts.  During this podcast, Mike discusses what is encompassed by this term – guiding high school students through the college application process, understanding the student’s interests, goals and ambitions, recommending classes, extracurricular activities and volunteer work, crafting a college list, counseling about the required essays, obtaining recommendations, coordinating college visits, preparing for the college interview – the list goes on and on!  College counseling also includes managing expectations and setting reasonable goals, both for the student and the parents.  The best part of college counseling, Mike admits, is celebrating acceptances.

During the podcast, Mike does offer a word of caution.  No college counselor can offer a guarantee of admission to a particular college or university.  Please keep this fact in mind when looking for a qualified college counselor!

This podcast offers great information about the college counseling experience.  At Top-Tier, we take a holistic view of the student, and our aim is to match the student with the right college for him or her.  College counseling can be started as early as freshman year in high school, as it is never too early to plan ahead.

We welcome you to contact us to set up your complimentary initial meeting in order to take advantage of Top-Tier Tutoring’s college counseling service, either in person at our center in West Orange, NJ, or anywhere in the United States via Skype.  We look forward to going over all of the details and putting your son or daughter on the path to college admissions success!

As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas.  Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.

Listen as Mike explains the logistics of how the service will work.  Using Skype, the popular web-telecommunication free software made popular by Oprah Winfrey, Top-Tier Tutoring’s college counselors will be able to work directly with your son or daughter.  Students will receive the same guidance, only instead of being across the table, your child will be looking at his or her counselor live via webcam.  Of course, you can feel free to sit in on the session as well!

The college counseling service that your student will receive over the internet is identical to that being offered in our office.  Your son to daughter will receive help with creating a college list, generating a schedule for taking standardized tests, developing an academic resume, reviewing summer experiences and opportunities, discussing approaches to the personal essay, obtaining teacher recommendations, preparing for the college interview, coordinating application submissions, and much, much more!  The student will meet with the counselor at the appointed time, over the internet, as well as have access to the counselor via phone and email in between sessions.  We look forward to working with students from Maine to Florida, and Maryland to California!

Please contact us to set up your complimentary initial meeting in order to take advantage of Top-Tier Tutoring’s college new counseling service.  We look forward to going over all of the details and putting your son or daughter on the path to college admissions success!

As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas.  Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.

When faced with answering the question about where they are going to apply to college, many high school sophomores and juniors feel at a loss.  The process of creating a comprehensive and appropriate list can be daunting.  Crafting a list based upon name recognition or where friends are attending will not yield the best results for the individual student.  The podcast takes aim at this topic and offers concrete guidelines to help you on your quest.

Mike first asks you to look inward.  What are your general areas of interest?  Do you want to be close to home?  Are you interested in a city or a rural setting?  How important are job placement and internships to you?  Mike identifies many more factors in the podcast.  Mike’s advice:  take a self-assessment before jumping into books, the web and college fairs!

Once you have a master list, so to speak, now it’s time to refine it.  In order to narrow your list down to the 8 to 12 colleges to which you will actually apply, you should look for reach, match and safety schools, with the highest number being in the “match” category.  Then, time and budget permitting, try to visit each of these campuses and take great notes – you may need them to help you decide among your acceptances!

As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas.  Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.

Mike Rivera recording this podcast

In this podcast, Mike Rivera – co-founder, tutor and college counselor with Top-Tier Tutoring – responds to a recent article published on SmartMoney.com, which has been picked up and disseminated on the web in various forms.  The article, entitled “10 Things College-Prep Advisors Won’t Tell You” identifies ten allegedly deceptive practices of the college counseling industry.  To read the full article, click here.

In his rebuttal, Mike debunks each of the ten topics brought up in the article.  For example, in responding to the “your high school guidance counselor can do this for free” argument, he references the study by Dr. Patricia McDonough that determined a high school student will spend approximately 38 minutes per year with his or her guidance counselor for college advising.  Click here to read Dr. McDonough’s comprehensive study.  He also points to the recent Public Agenda report, “Can I Get A Little Advice Here?”  This report finds that six in ten young adults who had gone on to further education gave their high school counseling poor grades for college advice.  To go to the Public Agenda report, click here.  Clearly, you get what you pay for.

This podcast is not a rant, but rather a thoughtful reply to a superficial article.  Mike points out when the article is correct, but wants our listeners to understand the limitations of the guidance department – and those of independent counselors as well.

As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas.  Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.

Mike discusses that an admissions officer seeks to round out the college class with students who will make a meaningful contribution.  Consequently, high school students who exhibit leadership and dedication – and therefore good time management skills – are looked upon favorably.  In addition, meaningful participation in activities outside of school such as community, church or travel, are similarly viewed with favor.

Depth of involvement in one or two activities is viewed as an asset, while an academic resume that reads more like the high school’s roster of clubs is not necessarily a good thing.  The reason?  Mike explains that admissions officers look for students who finish what they start.  By joining every club under the sun but not really “sinking your teeth” into any of them, a student gives the impression that s/he is unfocussed, has a short attention span, or worse, simply looking for resume fodder.  So, look for ways to participate and admissions officers will remember you!

As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas.  Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.

Mike’s advice for students contemplating applying to a Rolling Admissions college?  Don’t wait!  Given these economic times and the fact that more people than ever are applying to colleges, all universities are more selective than ever.  The earlier you apply, the better your chances will be for being accepted.  In addition, scholarship opportunities, financial aid offers and housing are more readily available the earlier you apply and are accepted.

The benefits of applying to a Rolling Admissions college are twofold.  First, you will receive a quick decision on your application thereby eliminating the stress of waiting to hear from colleges.  Second, in case you are rejected from other colleges, a Rolling Admissions college may be an excellent alternative.

One word of caution.  If you intend to apply to both Rolling Admissions and traditional admissions colleges, check to see when your decision needs to be made to the Rolling Admissions college.  If you apply by early December to both types of institutions, and receive your acceptance from the Rolling Admissions college by the end of the year, will your decision be required prior to hearing back from the other schools to which you have applied?  Make sure to check those requirements before submitting your applications.

As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas.  Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.

Is 38 Minutes Enough?

In this podcast, Mike Rivera poses the question:  “Is 38 minutes enough?”  This question derives from a study by Dr. Patricia McDonough that found that an average student will spend only 38 minutes per year with his or her high school guidance counselor discussing college counseling and/or career counseling.

Now, this fact is through no fault of the high school guidance counselors themselves.  It is based upon the realities of numbers.  While the American School Counselor Association recommends 1 guidance counselor per 100 students, the national average is 1:315 (or much more) in public high schools and 1:241 in private schools.

During the podcast, Mike offers questions for parents to ask the high school office regarding this issue.  He also recommends seeking external college counseling to best position the high school student for success in college and beyond.

Source:  Sanders, B. (2008, January 18). Parents – Guidance at School May Not be Enough. Retrieved January 18, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Parents-­-­-­Guidance-­at-­School-­May-­Not-­be-­Enough&id=935539

As always, we welcome your feedback and ideas.  Please submit a comment below, send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.

In this twist on the traditional job resume, your academic resume markets you to colleges. It focuses on your strengths and shows how you will make the most out of what the university has to offer. Your academic resume lists your interests and identifies what you intend to do after college.

Also, do not shy away from your weaknesses; your academic resume is your opportunity to show how you are working to rectify a possible perceived flaw. For example, if you have a low GPA or SAT/ACT scores, indicate that you are taking summer courses or tutoring to improve your results. Have historically few volunteer experiences? Create a solution by listing a new volunteer position you have just begun.

We welcome your feedback. Send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.

So, you’re sitting down before a blank computer screen, trying to figure out what to write for your college application essay.  You’ve already written what seems to be hundreds of essays for your high school teachers, but this one is different.  You’re not summarizing a book, or commenting on a news event – you’re trying to write the most persuasive essay about yourself possible; one that will make you stand out, get noticed and hopefully accepted by the college of your choice!

 In an effort to try to help you write an effective college application essay, we’ve compiled the following tips:

• Tell your story.  Use this “requirement” as an opportunity to share who you are with the admissions officers.  Instead of filling out their forms, you are now writing an essay on your terms about the information that you feel is important for the admissions officers to know.  Tell them who you are and why you would be an asset to the college community, but do not simply regurgitate everything on your application or transcript.  Be personal.  Evoke emotion:  happiness, sadness, frustration, anger, triumph, humor.  Let your true voice come out.  This is your time to shine!

• Dare to be different.  When picking your topic, think outside of the box.  If the question has an obvious response, position your essay with a different slant or point of view.  Use vivid examples.  But, be careful not to come across as “trying too hard” as this can come across as being insincere.  

• Keep it simple.  Admissions officers do not have time to read a multiple page essay, no matter how interesting the topic or how well written.  Focus on a single topic or event, pour your heart into that essay, and be done.  Do not expound for paragraphs about the football team’s record over the past four years when a simple sentence or two can get your point across.  A page should do it!

• Remember the basics.  A good essay comprises an overall thesis that is explicitly stated.  Every paragraph should contain a topic sentence and explain one coherent thought.  Spell check and proofread your essay.  Improper punctuation, can, ruin:  a sentence.  Make sure the formatting is proper.  This is your first impression – make it count!

• Show it to (a select few) trusted advisors.  When you have completed your essay, you should let a few people read it, just to get some feedback.  If you have a good relationship with an English teacher, ask him or her to review your essay.  You may also want to ask your guidance counselor, independent college counselor or parents for their reactions.  Because you have been working on your essay so diligently, you want to get outside comments to ensure you have conveyed your topic successfully.  One word of caution:  do not ask too many people, as differing comments, while well-intentioned, can become an unnecessary source of stress.

Mike then goes on to go over the differences between Early Decision and Early Action programs. For Early Decision, your application, once accepted, is binding. This means that you can only apply to one college using the Early Decision mechanism and upon acceptance, you must withdraw any other outstanding applications. Moreover, an early deposit will be due and you must attend this college. Some schools, such as Princeton and Harvard have stopped using the Early Decision process.

On the other hand, Early Action is not binding. You may apply to as many colleges as you want using the Early Action procedure and, when you are accepted, you are under no obligation to attend. Your decision will be required in the Spring, when regular acceptances and deposits are due. Mike prefers applying Early Action, if you are inclined toward early application.

A hybrid of these two is called the Single Choice Early Action plan. This plan is not binding like Early Action; however, you can only apply to one school using this process like Early Decision. The hybrid is less common than Early Decision and Early Action plans.

We welcome your feedback. Send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.

The SAT is designed to test a student’s test taking skills and innate ability, as it was designed based upon the IQ test. It runs three hours and forty-five minutes, has 140 questions and tests critical readying, writing and math. The perfect score is 2400; 1/4 point is deducted for each incorrect answer.

On the other hand, the ACT tests scholastic achievement, and it was designed based upon the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. The ACT is three hours and twenty-five minutes long, has 215 questions and tests math, English, reading, science and writing. The perfect score is a 36. No points are deducted for a wrong answer.

Both the SAT and the ACT are accepted at virtually every college. Starting with the class of 2010, the SAT joins the ACT in allowing you to select which scores (entire test) to send to the colleges. The bottom line: take practice exams for both exams to determine with which test you’re most comfortable. Then, study for that one, and get the best score possible!

We welcome your feedback. Send us an email or give us a call at 973-243-1212.

What types of activities catch an admissions officer’s eye? A whole range of things! Students should become involved in a variety of extracurricular activities, volunteer organizations and part-time jobs. In addition, strive to take on leadership roles within your chosen activities. Don’t feel stymied by a seeming lack of opportunities, either. For instance, if a club that interests you doesn’t currently exist at your school (e.g., fencing), take the initiative and start the club yourself. Being the founder of a particular club really enhances your academic resume by demonstrating your leadership and initiative.

Endeavor to be proactive about your education every step of the way. Always try to “think outside the box” and don’t hesitate to approach friends, family and/or teachers and ask them to brain-storm along with you. Reach beyond the offerings of your high school – there are local and international opportunities to help one grow as a student of life. Try your hand at becoming a camp counselor for special needs children. Or go overseas and help with those in need through programs offered by such organizations as Habitat for Humanity. So many opportunities outside of high school are just waiting for you.

Of course, don’t forget to keep your mind active during the summer. Take summer school classes, volunteer at a variety of charities or get a job. Think of the summer time as a way to get involved in those areas that you did not have the time to during the school year. The summer months can be an excellent way to help prepare for college and make your college application stand out.

Finally, start now! Many students only start to prepare for college during their junior or even senior year. The time to start preparing for college is as early as possible–this means freshman year (and even earlier). Take the most rigorous course load your school has to offer and that you feel you can successfully navigate, get involved with activities and organizations outside of the classroom, and develop your strengths. By becoming active outside the classroom walls, students take charge of their education – a quality that is readily observable, and rewarded, by admissions officers.

Member colleges may require additional supplements for items not already requested on the Common App. These typically represent questions that would not be considered “common” for all institutions, such as “Did your parent attend our university?” and the like. Additional essays and questions may also be required by member colleges, with the following caveats:

• Supplement questions may not re-ask questions already asked on the Common App (except identifying information like name, address, date of birth, etc.), and
• Supplement questions may not ask questions that violate the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s Statement of Principles and Good Practice (such as “please rank order your college choices”).

There is both a first-year and a transfer application, and either may be submitted online or on paper via snail mail. Both the first-year and transfer applications allow the Common App to be filled out once online and submitted to all schools with the same information going to each. Once the application is submitted to a college via mail or online, it cannot be changed for that college; the student must contact the college directly if they wish to correct an error or provide more information. Many member institutions waive the application fee if the student submits the forms online

As of July 1, 2009, the Common Application website will list 392 colleges and universities as members, including 35 public institutions. The Common App for the Class of 2014 will be available starting on July 1st. You can go online and sign up, returning to fill in information as often as you like until you are ready to submit it to any of the member colleges. The Common App may be found by clicking here

Have a question for us about the Common App? Contact us at info@top-tiertutoring.com, or call us at 973.243.1212

Students should proceed with caution on social networking sites.

High-school students have enough on their minds with regard to course selection, GPA and exam scores, to name a few. Now another concern adds a challenging dimension to the college application process. Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites can potentially derail a student’s aspirations about getting into the college of their choice.

A recent survey found that approximately 10% of admissions officers routinely review the social-networking pages of their student applicants. More than a third of those that used the online information indicated that what they saw “negatively affected” their views of the applicant – a significantly higher percentage than those that indicated their views were improved, according to the survey by education company Kaplan, a unit of Washington Post Co. With the explosion of social networking sites, it is reasonable to assume that more and more admissions officers will add their review to the entrance checklist.

In this age of the internet, admissions officers may very well reject students because of the content on their social networking pages, even though the majority of colleges surveyed have no policy about when school officials should investigate prospective students’ social-networking sites.

While there is a debate currently taking place amongst admissions officers, students must be wary and remember that there should be no expectation of privacy regarding their online data. After all, once posted, it becomes public information that schools may consider in order to maintain the integrity of their respective institutions.

This recent interest in social-networking sites, on the part of colleges, should prompt many aspiring candidates to carefully review their online habits – including removing or changing some of their material. While privacy settings can certainly be put in place, it’s not unusual for admissions officers to receive anonymous tips about embarrassing Facebook or MySpace material (e.g., such as a picture of a student drunk at an underage party, statements advocating violence or drug use, links to sites expressing racist views, etc.)

Counselors should advise applicants to refrain from including anything that could damage their college admissions opportunities. Special caution should be expressed concerning foul or offensive language, nudity, or photos of drinking and drug use.

Students should behave intelligently, with regard to the content of their social networking sites. Essentially, they should consider whether they would be embarrassed if family and neighbors were to view it – not necessarily their peer group.

The lesson? Go ahead and use the social networking sites to keep in touch with your friends, but remember that your audience may secretly include your #1 college admissions counselor!