How do you choose a major? Do you pick a college major that seems best for getting a great job right out of college? Or do you prepare for the long term? The economy is always shifting, and industries come and go. Perhaps it is best to choose a major that will build skills and knowledge and habits of mind that will serve you throughout your life.
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When making up their class schedule for senior year, juniors are often tempted to decrease their load. Not a good idea. Read this article to help you think about the importance of your senior year courses.
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As the college admissions process becomes ever more complicated and stressful–and expensive–more and more families are asking the question, “Do I need a college counselor?” While not every family needs personalized guidance through the college admissions maze, many do. To determine whether you need a professional college counselor, consider these seven factors.
With over 3,000 colleges and universities in the US, how do you know which is the best match for you? With our first-hand knowledge of colleges and access to the admission profession, a good college counselor can provide in-depth, personalized advice that no guidebook or website can. A good educational consultant will take the time to get to know you, and then will cn identify several colleges that will allow you to thrive throughout your college years.
Aside from a home, a college education is the biggest investment that most families will ever make. And yet most would never think of selling their home without the advice of a professional real estate agent. When you consider that the cost of a private 4-year college (tuition, fees, room, and board) ranges from $120,000 to nearly $400,000, hiring a professional to help you make a sound investment makes good sense.
Colleges and universities compete for students. And then they deny admission to apparently strong applicants. They market their educational services the way companies sell toothpaste. Then they manipulate the game in a way that favors their national rankings–and not individual students. With expertise in the field, an experienced college counselor can shed light on what can be a very opaque and confusing process. At the same time, good counselors maintain a sharp focus on student needs and aspirations.
On average, the percentage of students who enroll in a college who actually graduate from that same college is over 50%. This means that many, many transfer to other schools after having made the wrong choice. Worse, some students will drop out entirely. By guiding you toward colleges that are the best fit for your academic interests, extracurricular pursuits, and personality, a good college counselor a much better chance of matriculating and graduating from a school that suits all your needs from start to finish.
The college admissions process can be stressful for everyone involved. Much seems to ride on the decision. And the tasks seem endless: choosing appropriate courses, registering and studying for standardized tests, researching colleges, completing applications, writing essays, filling out financial aid forms…the list goes on and on. With all the tension in the air, some families yearn for a way to remove the stress and reestablish equilibrium. An excellent college counselor won’t let the process get you down; in fact, they’ll help you enjoy the discoveries along the way.
Sometimes in order to save money you need to invest in the right services. This is why people hire accountants, lawyers, and financial planners: their expertise and experience can actually save multiples of the fees paid for these services. Similarly, educational consultants can help you set a budget and stick to it. While the price of higher education keeps going up, that doesn’t mean that there are not excellent strategies that you and your family can employ to save on the overall cost of college. Invest time, energy, and money up front, and you could save tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars on education.
Let’s face it. The college admissions rat race has us all in a tizzy. The process seems so competitive, so opaque, so uncontrollable, so random. Parents get caught up in the exaggerated fear that if their kids do not achieve a certain outcome, they will be doomed to a life as a barista. Students internalize the pressure and develop low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. A good college counselor cannot eliminate the external pressures bearing down on families and students these days. But the counselor can help empower families to focus on the things that are within their control and to let go of the things that are not. A good counselor does not elevate the stress, but instead reduces it by providing solid information, reassurance, and a zen-like presence that all will turn out well in the end.
The counselors at Great College Advice have both the experience and expertise to help you optimize the outcome. While they can neither eliminate uncertainty nor rewrite the rules of the college admissions game, they can empower students and families with the information and perspective necessary to help them prepare, select, and apply to colleges that will provide them with the educational opportunities they want and deserve.
We started in business in 2007 with the vision that high school students and their families deserve clear insight into the complicated world of college admission. Our process has been developed by educators to provide students with the information and tools they need to take full control of their own educational and professional futures. While we cannot control a process that is controlled by the colleges themselves, we can optimize outcomes for students and focus on their intellectual, emotional, and social well-being.
As a national practice, we have worked with students in all 50 states and nearly 50 different countries. Each year, over 95% of our students are accepted to one of their top three choices. Many of our students are accepted to the Top 25 universities each year, and 99% of our students are accepted to schools that lie within the top 10% of American institutions of higher education.
Further, we are happy to share our core values. These five lodestars guide us in our work with students and their families.
INTEGRITY The Great College Advice team demystifies the often ambiguous college preparation, selection, and application process and delivers our guidance with thoughtfulness, honesty, and professionalism.
PERSONALIZATION Great College Advice provides counseling tailored to each student and family. We share our advice in a positive way that encourages students to embrace their educational futures with optimism and an open mind.
EXPERTISE The Great College Advice team shares our knowledge, expertise, and constant curiosity to empower students to maximize their educational opportunities.
LEARNING Our process encourages students to learn more about their academic interests, their professional possibilities, themselves as human beings, and the world around them. We strive to inspire them to expand their horizons and their love of learning.
TRANSFORMATION We guide our students through a transformational experience. We help them articulate their needs, desires, and aspirations so as to pursue them in college and beyond.
If you want to explore professional college counseling and want to discuss how Great College Advice can make the process more successful and less stressful, reach out to us for a free consultation. We look forward to getting acquainted.
Do you dream of studying in the United States? Are you Brazilian? This guide will help you understand the American higher education system and provide you with tops about how to apply to US universities from Brazil.
Every year, the Institute of International Education (IIE) publishes statistics on international students studying in the United States. In 2022, IIE reported that there were nearly 15,000 Brazilian students studying at American universities. Of these, approximately half were studying for their undergraduate diploma. This makes Brazil among the top 15 countries in the world sending students to study in the United States.
There are over 4,000 institutions of higher education in the United States. These can be divided into at least three main categories that might be of interest to Brazilian students.
These are 2-year institutions that offer Associates degrees in a wide variety of academic disciplines. Community colleges also offer technical and vocational training. Some of these colleges are private, but most are public (meaning that they are supported by local and state governments).
Public four-year colleges and universities Every one of the 50 states in the US has several public universities. These offer Bachelor’s degrees, and may also offer Masters degrees, doctoral degrees, and other professional degrees. Some of these public universities may be focused on particular disciplines (most often science and engineering). Two leading examples of this sort of specialized public university include Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. Most public universities, however, offer a wide range of degree programs, including diplomas in the arts and sciences, engineering, and business.
Most of the oldest universities in the United States were formed by private entities and religious groups. These include Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, and Columbia. These, plus many a few others, were founded while the American colonies were still subject to British rule. Some private universities offer a wide range of degree programs, including Bachelor’s, Masters, and doctorates. Some, however, offer only undergraduate or Bachelor’s degrees. These are generally referred to as “colleges” though some of these private institutions call themselves “universities” even if they do not offer advanced degrees.
Brazilian students can study just about anything they like either as undergraduate or graduate students. The range of programs is nearly infinite. However, here are some of the most popular kinds of degree programs offered.
Arts and sciences. These are the traditional academic disciplines, which not only include the arts (e.g., literature, art history, music) and sciences (chemistry, physics, geology, biology), but also the social sciences (psychology, economics, sociology).
Business. Brazilian students interested in entrepreneurism, marketing, management, accounting, or real estate may want to elect to study business. Most students elect to study business either at the Bachelor’s or Masters level (also known as an MBA). Some undergraduate institutions are highly focused on business education, including Babson and Bentley.
Engineering. Brazilian students can pursue engineering studies either at a public university like the University of Michigan or the University of Colorado. Or they can study engineering at more specialized public universities like the Colorado School of Mines or the Illinois Institute of Technology. Some private universities also specialize in science and technology studies, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Some smaller undergraduate colleges also offer engineering degrees, including Swarthmore and Lafayette Colleges. Or you could study engineering in the Ivy League, including Brown, Harvard, and Dartmouth.
Arts. Brazilian students can pursue degrees in fine arts, music, drama, dance, or film. These disciplines are offered at many comprehensive universities, whether public or private. However, Brazilians interested in the arts can attend specialized institutions that focus on one or more art forms, such as Juilliard or the Manhattan School of Music.
The application process for entrance to American universities is generally quite different than in other countries, especially when it comes to undergraduate education.
Brazilians applying to American universities for undergraduate degrees must first demonstrate their academic abilities. This is done by submitting the academic record for the last four years of secondary school (in the US, this is called the “transcript”). In addition, students may be asked to submit scores on standardized tests (the SAT or ACT) and one or more letters of recommendation from teachers and school counselors.
Beyond that, Brazilian students will also present other activities and accomplishments outside the classroom. This might include sports, the arts, volunteer service, employment, family responsibilities, hobbies, academic research, internships, or other involvements. The most selective universities will want to see evidence of excellence in at least one of these general domains.
The application process itself can be quite confusing for Brazilian students who want to study in the USA. While different universities have slightly different processes, here is a general outline of the steps required to apply to American universities.
Note that the deadlines for applications to American universities may be up to one year before entry. That is, deadlines can be as early as October 1 for entry to university in September of the following year. For the most selective universities, the early round of applications is due in November, and the normal deadlines are generally in January for entry the following September. Thus you cannot decide at the last minute to apply to an American university. You must prepare your applications well in advance.
The difficulty of getting into American universities depends on the type of university you would like to attend. Community colleges are generally the least difficult, as they are generally open to all. However, you will need to demonstrate minimum academic competency and the ability to pursue studies in English.
Admission to four-year universities, whether public or private, can be either easy or difficult, depending on the university. Some have admission rates of 80-90% or more, so as long as you meet the minimum academic and English language requirements, it is not difficult to gain admission to these universities.
However, some American universities are very, very selective, and have admission rates as low as 3%. Some of the most selective private universities include the eight universities fo the Ivy League, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, University of Chicago, and Duke. Public universities, too, can be very difficult to get into, including the University of Michigan, the University of California-Berkeley, University of Virginia, and University of North Carolina.
Things can become even more complicated and competitive when applying for certain kinds of academic disciplines, including computer science, engineering, or economics, as these are among the most competitive programs. Similarly, it can be more difficult to get into business programs at some universities.
While American universities welcome Brazilian students, they also welcome students from every other country. However, the majority of students at any American university will be American citizens. At some of the most selective universities, international students make up only about 10-15% of the total undergraduate population (the University of Southern California and New York University generally admit a larger percentage of international students).
It’s important to understand that the average admission rates published on various websites may or may not reflect YOUR chances of admission. If you are uncertain about your own chances of admission to a top American university, you may want to get professional advice.
Generally speaking, American universities are more expensive than in other parts of the world. These are the average costs of attending different sorts of universities according to the Education Data Initiative. Note that international students would be expected to pay the “out-of-state” price at a public university, as they are not residents or citizens of the particular state in which the public university. In some cases, international students may, in fact, pay somewhat more than the out-of-state price.
Note that the prices in the tables below are average prices. Some of the more selective colleges and universities can be much more expensive. For example, New York University costs nearly $100,000 per year. Also note the cost of attendance includes most–but not necessarily all–expenses that a student might incur while studying in the US. Generally the “cost of attendance” includes lodging, meals, health insurance, technology or other fees, books and supplies, and average travel costs.
| Institution Type | Cost of Tuition | Cost of Attendance** |
| 4-Year In-State | $9,377 | $26,027 |
| 4-Year Out-of-State | $27,091 | $44,807 |
| 2-Year In-State | $3,501 | $3,439 |
| Institution Type | Cost of Tuition | Cost of Attendance** |
| 4-Year Nonprofit | $38,768 | $54,501 |
| 4-Year For-profit | $17,825 | $32,895 |
| 2-Year Nonprofit | $17,735 | $33,007 |
| 2-Year For-profit | $15,627 | $27,246 |
**Cost of Attendance does not account for potential lost income nor student loan interest. SOURCE: Hanson, Melanie. “Average Cost of College & Tuition” EducationData.org, June 25, 2023, https://educationdata.org/average-cost-of-college
It is possible for Brazilians to get scholarships to attend American universities. There are two types of scholarships. First there are scholarships based on the financial need of the student. Unfortunately the majority of American universities do not provide this sort of scholarship to Brazilian students. Only the top-ranked schools offer scholarships to Brazilian students based on their need, and of course, these are among the most difficult universities to get into.
Second, there are scholarships based on the talents and merit of the student. While top tier universities like the members of the Ivy League do not provide any scholarships based on merit, many other colleges and universities do. Most of those that do provide merit scholarships to Brazilian students are private universities, as public universities reserve their merit based scholarships for residents of that particular state.
Navigating the costs of studying in the United States is one of the reasons that professional guidance can be important.
Many Brazilian students–especially those aiming for the top tier of American universities–engage with professional advisors to help them navigate the complicated admissions process. A professional advisor can help you identify–from among thousands of possibilities–the colleges and universities that suit you best. They can also help you prepare in advance for your applications: some families hire a consultant 3 or 4 years before entry to university so that they can prepare to be competitive for top tier institutions. Further, they can help you with the fairly complex admissions requirements and help ensure that your application presents you in the best possible way. Finally, they can help you with the personal statements and other pieces of writing you may have to complete as part of your application. Most students–no matter what country they are from–have difficulty in understanding the purpose of these writing assignments and in properly structuring responses that will have the desired result.
The team of professional consultants at Great College Advice is very experienced in helping Brazilian students –and other international students–to apply to competitive universities in the United States. We are a small team of experts who work one-on-one with students as they prepare for university, select the right colleges to suit their educational needs, and complete the complex applications. We have a very strong record of supporting talented Brazilian students who succeed in being accepted to top tier universities.
If you think professional guidance might help give you an advantage, connect with us for a free consultation. We’d be happy to meet you and explain our process of guiding students toward their own American educational dream.
What really looks good on a college application? Fancy summer programs? You’d be surprised…
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How many applications is the magic number to submit for admission? Many experts come up with a formula to answer this question. I hear counselors say something like this all the time: 3 “stretches”, 5 “targets,” and 2 “safeties.” But the number of applications depends entirely on who you are and what you want. If you think things through carefully, perhaps you will need to apply to only one!
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SAT. ACT. TOEFL. PSAT. These tests loom large in the college admissions process. And yet, every student seems to be asking these days, “do my test scores matter?” No other aspect of the college preparation process generates as many questions—and anxieties—as the standardized tests.
On the one hand, you should not tress too much about your scores. They are only one element of the entire application, and other elements are generally more important. Based on an annual survey by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC), only 45.7% of colleges and universities view scores on the standardized tests to be of “considerable importance”. Bear in mindMore colleges and universities cite grades in college prep courses (73.2%). And the strength of the high school curriculum (62.1%) as “considerably important.” (Figures are from the State of College Admissions 2019 – which came out before the pandemic).
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, the vast majority of colleges and universities have gone completely test optional. Originally, colleges made this change for very practical reasons: many students simply were unable to take the tests at the time.
However, for many schools, the decision to go test optional was also a strategic one: it made it easier for students to apply with lower test scores. The result was that more and more students applied to all sorts of universities–especially the ones at the top of the US News rankings. The effect for colleges was two-fold. First, they did receive more applications from a wider range of students who might not have ever applied. Students with top grades and tons of human potential from low-performing high schools applied to the Ivy League and other top schools, and these schools were finally able to select from an expanded pool. And the Ivies (and others) did choose kids from this pool, catapulting kids into the upper echelons of American society overnight.
Second, test optional policies also allowed schools to manipulate their rankings a bit. Only kids with tippy top scores submitted them, while others with average or below average scores did not. Colleges then reported the average test scores of applicants and matriculants to the ranking agencies–and these averages magically went up! With the lower scores no longer submitted, some schools made multiple point gains in their average test scores during the pandemic. Effectively, the policy led to cherry-picking through the willful participation of students.
Nevertheless, test “optional” does not mean the same as “test blind”. The University of California does not consider scores at all. These schools are completely test “blind:” no one submits them ever. But admissions offices with “test optional” policies are delighted when you send them high test scores. Most schools will consider you seriously if you have high scores.
This is especially true if your grades are less than stellar. If you have lousy grades, a high score can give an admissions officer some evidence that you are capable of doing college level work. Especially at the more selective schools. Including the Ivy League, Stanford, and MIT. You clearly have a better chance of admission with a set of high test scores–especially if you come from an expensive private or boarding school, or if you attend outstanding suburban high schools noted for their educational quality and the range of academic opportunities afforded their students.
Thus, if you have opportunity, you have the opportunity to prepare for and take the tests–and get a relatively higher score than peers in rural America, urban America, or areas of greater poverty.
Yup, they do.
And for the proof that test scores still matter, one has only to look at the Common Data Set of some of the most selective universities. Both Brown and Dartmouth listed test scores as “very important” factors in admission on their 2021-2022, post-pandemic reports. Even Harvard, which says that ALL factors are “considered” in admission (neither important nor unimportant, but simply “considered”) ,includes test scores as one of the many factors that are part of their admissions process. The reality is that at the most competitive colleges and universities (with some exceptions, like the U of California system) still want you to have high test scores if you can present them on the application.
If you want to look at a full list of schools that are currently “test optional” or “test blind,” head on over to Fair Test, a non-profit organization that promotes the elimination of the standardized tests in the admissions process.
Definitely.
Let’s start from this premise: colleges and universities are businesses. In order to operate, they need money. Thus customers who can pay the full price of admission are highly desired in the admissions process. And while it is true that many of the wealthiest universities in the country (e.g., the Ivy League) are generous with the students for whom they provide financial aid, the fact is that the majority of students in the Ivy League pay full price (on average: more students pay full price at Brown than at Harvard).
So when it comes to giving out financial aid, colleges tend to be more picky about whom they give that money to. Therefore, the more evidence an applicant provides that they are worthy of that money, the more likely that applicant is to receive it.
And a test score is evidence. Very solid evidence.
These scores matter even more when it comes to the awarding of financial aid and merit-based scholarships. Nearly all universities will give preferential treatment (read: more money) to those students who have both good grades and high test scores. Many colleges and universities key their merit-based scholarships directly to test scores. The higher the score, the more scholarships you may receive.
So from a dollars and cents perspective, spending a bit of money to raise your SAT or ACT score a few points higher may mean thousands more dollars in scholarships from certain universities. In some cases, even a single point on your ACT composite score can mean the difference between a scholarship of $5000 per year and $10,000 per year. If you do the math, this means that you could get $20,000 more free money for higher education just by studying a bit harder for the tests. Investments in test prep can repay themselves handsomely, depending on which colleges or universities you may be targeting.
Oh, and this is in addition to getting in: if you want the money, you have to get in first. And a high test score–as explained–can help you do just that.
While standardized tests are not the only factor in college admissions, they do matter a lot. The more selective the university, the more they matter.
And if you’re looking for financial aid or merit-based scholarships, your scores on these tests may make the difference between affordable and unaffordable.
So don’t neglect to prepare. A better score means more and better options for you as you continue to navigate the entire college selection and admissions process.
While it’s great to read general principles here, you may still be wondering whether your tests scores really matter in your case. How do the test scores compare to other factors? Will a particular score help you or hurt you when applying to a specific college? How do you know whether to submit those scores or not? Should you take the test again (horrors!).
The expert college admissions counselors at Great College Advice can help you navigate the uncertain waters of the entire college preparation, selection, and application process. We can help you place your own performance on those dreaded tests in the proper perspective, and help you develop a strategy for admissions to the schools on your list.
If you need help interpreting your scores, finding a great test prep tutor, or developing a strategy of which test you should take in order to be competitive for your preferred colleges and universities, give us a call or contact us through this website.
What is the University of San Francisco known for? I seem to have been visiting quite a few Jesuit colleges lately and like them for a lot of reasons. I need to write a post on Jesuit colleges generally. But first, I offer this bit about what is University of San Francisco known for, which I was fortunate to be able to visit yesterday as part of a tour for college counselors.
All in all, I really enjoyed my time at USF, though I wish the weather had been warmer. It was blowing a gale, despite the fact that the sun was out. I hear that Mark Twain had this to say about this fair city (and I’m not quoting directly): “I spent the coldest winter of my life in San Francisco one summer.”
Mark Montgomery
College Counselor
The first line of your college essay can help get an admissions officer “hooked”. But how do you develop the perfect first line?
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Mark continues his advice on how to nail the college admissions interview by describing the types of college interviews–as well as the types of interviewers. To prepare well for a college interview, it pays to understand the expectations of the person doing the interview. Not all interviews are alike, so be prepared to nail the interview with these tips.
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