Why you should apply for financial aid no matter your family’s situation:

• Obviously, if you qualify for aid, apply.   
• If you’re unsure whether you qualify, apply for financial aid anyway.    
• And if you’re a high-income family, apply as well. You might make yourself eligible for merit-based scholarships.   

But if you want to get into the nitty gritty to understand more about risks and rewards of applying to college and asking for financial aid, read on! 

Does applying for financial aid hurt my admissions chances? 

This is a bit of a complicated question. The actual act of applying for financial aid should have absolutely no bearing on whether a student gains admission to just about any college. Admissions officers don’t simply look at the fact that you are applying for financial aid, assume that you will need lots of it, and then deny you admission.  

Rather admissions officers review your application based on your merits. If you’re a good candidate, they put you in the “accept” pile. So, you should feel free to check that box and send in your forms! Just applying for aid will not hurt you. If the college professes to be “need blind,” then you’re likely to sail through the rest of the process at this point and be awarded the financial aid you deserve.   

The situation is slightly different if you are applying to colleges that are not “need blind” (i.e. schools that consider your ability to pay in the admissions decision). At these “need aware” schools, your financial need could impact your ability to gain admission, especially if your grades and other credentials do not stand out. Think about it: if a school has only so much aid to hand out, to whom would they be most likely to give it?  Students with the best grades, test scores, and extracurricular achievements are likely to get the most money.   

Still, the prospect of not getting into a school should not stop you from applying for financial aid. If a certain college is not going to accept you because you need financial assistance, then you don’t want to attend that college anyway. You want to go to a school that you can get in and that your family can afford. 

Run a Net Price Calculator for Every College

Colleges are required to make online Net Price Calculators (NPC) available to the public. NPCs allow prospective students to input some basic financial information about themselves and then the NPC calculates approximately how much financial aid they are eligible for and how much it will consequently cost them to attend that school – the “net price”. Net Price Calculators can be found at a college’s website, and The College Board also provides an NPC for the hundreds of colleges that utilize its NPC tool. 

Beware that the NPCs provide only an estimate of your likely cost, and sometimes a very loose one at that. The information captured isn’t as thorough as on an actual financial aid application, and the NPCs don’t take into account either special circumstances or your potential eligibility for merit aid (which is based on student performance rather than financial strength). So, the output of the NPC is likely not what you expect to receive. 

Still, by going through the Net Price Calculator process for each school on your list, you’ll get a directional sense of what the school will cost you. The bottom line is that if finances are an issue when you are first considering where to apply consider your budget, school COA, and financial aid in the calculation. By doing so, you just may save yourself a little heartache and a whole lot of money. 

Read more about calculating the real cost of college in our blog post.

If my family makes too much money, will applying for financial aid hurt my college admissions chances? 

What if your family makes a high level of income and therefore is unlikely to qualify for financial aid? Would your admission odds decline by applying for financial aid? 

No. If the student is a compelling candidate, it is actually more likely that he or she will be accepted. The evidence provided in the financial aid forms will demonstrate your ability to pay. A well-qualified applicant who can pay full price is a highly desirable one for most colleges.   

There are two more reasons why a high net worth family might complete the financial aid forms: 

• First, completing the financial aid forms could be a requirement for a student to receive merit-based scholarships. Without the forms, you might leave money on the table and not receive a scholarship that you might otherwise deserve.   

• Second, completing the financial aid forms might make your family eligible for the Federal student loan program, thereby enabling you to borrow some money (albeit a relatively small amount). Some families like their kids to take out such loans as a way to ensure that the student has “skin in the game” and appreciates the value of a college education.   

The bottom line: colleges are expensive to run, and they need students who can pay full price. If you can show that you are able to fund your education, this could tip the admissions scales in your favor. If you are in this favorable position, it won’t matter whether you fill out the financial aid forms. 

Be aware of any potential funding gap 

One of the most misunderstood aspects of financial aid is that just because you qualify for need-based financial aid doesn’t mean you will receive everything you deserve from the colleges. Without getting into the details of where financial aid comes from, just remember that colleges’ financial aid budgets are not infinite. As businesses, they must protect the bottom line. They cannot give away more aid than what is available. 

While some schools have enough money to meet the full financial need of all accepted students, other schools do not have this luxury. These colleges try to stretch their budgets by spreading the aid around more thinly. The trouble with this is that the college’s budget limitations can have a very negative impact on your own family budget. What does this mean? 

A funding gap illustration

An example can clarify:

Let’s say that according to the FAFSA, you have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of $20,000–meaning that your family should pay no more than $20,000 for college. Let’s also say that the cost of attendance is $60,000, including tuition, fees, room, board, insurance, travel, books, and a bit of spending money. 

So you would expect, since you have demonstrated financial need, that you would be given enough financial aid from a college to reduce your bill to no more than $20,000. This is the expectation. But the college is not obligated to meet that SAI. The college can give you a different offer. For example, it might say, “you’re accepted, but you will need to pay $40,000 to attend.” They are giving you $20,000 dollars in aid, and you should be able to pay (according to the FAFSA formula) $20,000. But the total cost, remember, is $60,000. 

This leaves you with a “gap” of $20,000.  How will you fill this gap? Most likely it will come from taking out loans. But loans are just your money, with the difference being that you will pay it back at a later date (and more of it, with the interest payments).  

But be careful! Too many loans can be a bad thing. Owing a ton of money upon college graduation can actually reduce or restrict your future opportunities. Paying off those loans must come before you do anything else, such as rent an apartment, buy a car, or take your significant other out for a nice dinner for your anniversary.  

So, really, will filling out the FAFSA hurt my college admissions chances? 

Our answer: if you qualify for aid, apply.  You need money to pay for college, so apply. If you are denied admission, then that means they didn’t find you a strong enough candidate for that school. But if you are accepted and are offered an aid package with a significant “gap” that will need to be filled through loans, turn your attention to more generous offers from other colleges. 

And if you’re not sure whether you qualify, apply anyway.  At the very least, you’ll make yourself eligible for federal student loans, which (in small amounts) could help ease the financial burden.  

And if you’re a high-income family, apply anyway. You might make yourself eligible for merit-based scholarships. You may also get access to those federal loans should you want to avail yourself of those.  

The bottom line is that no matter who you are, there are compelling reasons to check “YES” for financial aid and apply. Colleges won’t hold the fact that you applied for aid against you in the admissions process. 

And in the long run, the outcome of this process–when based on an honest assessment of your ability to pay for college–could help you much more than it could harm you. 

Need Help with the College Admissions Process?   

If you’re ready to start the college admissions journey, please contact us for a complimentary consultation. At Great College Advice, we provide personalized college consulting focused on helping make the process of preparing, selecting, and applying to college more successful, less stressful, and more fun.    

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post Does Applying for Financial Aid Lower Your College Acceptance Odds? first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

What is legacy admissions? Legacy college admissions is a policy that grants preferences to the children of alumni. The policy has been particularly important in the Ivy League and other elite, private schools. The logic has been that children of alumni may be among the most eager applicants, as they have learned a lot about a school literally at their parent’s knee.

Legacy admissions pays the bills

Legacy admissions is an important of business strategy. At these private, elite universities, alumni represent a huge chunk of the donors who regularly and generously give to the college. It makes sense, from a business perspective, to cultivate these donors with the abstract promise that their children will be given special consideration when they eventually apply for admission. It also makes sense that satisfied parents who see their progeny running around the campus of their alma mater will continue to give–and perhaps give so that their grandchildren, too, might be given the same sorts of preferences.

According to a 2023 study by some Harvard researchers, the real boost for admission is not legacy status, but wealth. Raj Chetty, who has done a lot to dispel myths about how higher education really works in this country, and his colleagues have shown that more than any other factor, wealth of the student’s family is the best predictor of admission. Families in the top one-percent of income have a better chance of admission.

Legacy admissions increases a college’s yield rate

Colleges are very protective of their “yield rate”: the percentage of offers of admission that are accepted by students.  Harvard has a high yield rate above 80%.  Less selective universities have yield rates that hover in the 20% range. In other words, only 1 in 5 accepted students end up attending these universities.

Many families unfairly believe that the higher the yield rate, the better the college. But, the fact is that even at not-so-selective schools, children of alumni have a higher propensity to accept an offer of admission than a kid whose parents did not attend.  And what is true at the not-so-selective schools is also true at the very selective schools.

However, some of this link between yield and legacy has disappeared, as the Ivies have tended to show a clear preference to admit legacies in the Early Decision round–when the nominal yield rate is already 100 percent. The University of Pennsylvania used to make it quite clear–on their admissions website–that legacies would need to apply ED if they wanted the legacy “bump” in admissions. Interestingly, such language no longer exists on the Penn website but it still buries a paragraph for legacies at the bottom of its ‘preparing your application’ page.

The future of legacy admissions

A number of highly selective, private colleges have eliminated legacy preferences over the last several years:  Wesleyan University, Amherst College, Johns Hopkins University, and Carnegie Mellon University were among the first to eliminate legacy status in admissions. A few public universities have done away with it, too, but legacy admission was never as important at public universities as at the elite private schools.

Still, colleges and universities that still cling to legacy admissions policies are on notice that the public at large is not all that happy with those preferences. Kids on campuses are protesting against these policies. It’s hard for Boards of Trustees to defend the policies. However, the Trump administration’s Department of Education has yet to weigh in on legacy admissions.

Legacy Admissions Trends

Education Reform Now updates its ‘The Future of Fair Admissions: Legacy Admissions‘ on an annual basis. The highlights of its 2025 report include:

• Just 24% of four-year colleges now consider legacy status, down from 29% in 2022 and 49% in 2015;
• Since 2015, 452 colleges and universities have stopped considering legacy status in admissions;
• Only 11% of public institutions, but 30% of private universities still consider legacy in the admissions process;
• In 24 states, there are no public or private colleges that consider legacy;
• States that have banned legacy admissions in recent years include California, Virginia (public only), Illinois and Maryland.

Education Reform Now even includes a list of colleges and universities that still consider legacy admissions according to the most recent data submitted to the US government.

Many Highly Selective Universities Still Consider Legacy Status in Admissions

According to the 2025 legacy admissions report by Education Reform Now, 56% of highly selective universities, defined as <25% acceptance rate, still consider legacy status in their admissions process.

A big reason why parents are willing to shell out so much money to pay full price for these elite schools is the “connections” they will make with the movers and shakers of America. They know that what they are paying for is not so much a classroom education where one learns from particularly brilliant professors. Rather, they are paying for access to the elite of America as well as the ‘elite’ corporations that hire at these universities including McKinsey and Goldman Sachs.  Doing away with legacy admissions altogether could fundamentally change the Ivy League universities.

Second, if legacy preferences were entirely eliminated, along with all other non-academic, non-merit factors in admission (including the wealth of the family), would these institutions have the allure that they do now?  We all cannot be rich, but maybe we can rub shoulders with them?  We can’t all be from American dynastic families, but maybe we can hang out and drink beer with them, and maybe have one as a lab partner? If admission to the top private universities were simply a matter of academic merit alone, would everyone still want to go to them?

Example of Legacy Admissions: Yale

While many things have changed in the admissions offices in the Ivy League, legacy admissions has remained an important part of the Ivy League and other elite, private colleges and universities. We might also want to keep some perspective. Back in 1980, 24% of Yale’s freshman class were legacies.  The most recent data point for the Yale Class of 2027 was that it had decreased to 11%. Of course, 11% is still significant: about 180 students out of this 1647 in the first year class.

Does it help to be a legacy when applying to college?

Sure, it helps to be a legacy if you’re applying to the college to which your parents attended–if you’re applying to one of those schools that still exercises legacy preferences.  At least as so far as we know, right now.

But it also helps if you’re an athlete, or a musician, or an artist.

It also helps if you want to study Portuguese and the college is desperately looking for students to fill Portuguese classes.

And it certainly helps if your parents can shell out the full price for the cost of four years of tuition, room, board, fees, and beer money.

You get the idea. Being a legacy is just one hook amongst many when it comes to applying to college. And that hook may be disappearing. Or it may not.

But being a legacy at the top Ivies, aka, “the holy trinity or HYP” – Harvard, Yale, Princeton) – isn’t what it used to be.

Need help with the college admissions process?

If you want to chat about the possibilities and the pitfalls of exercising your legacy status, give us a call.  There is no right or wrong answer to this question–at least not at the moment. What you need to do is examine your goals, your preferences, and your own moral compass.  We can help you sort through the issues to come up with your own approach. So don’t hesitate to give us a call or contact us on our website.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post The Future of Legacy Admissions first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

A reader recently wrote in to ask our opinion about dual enrollment courses. She wanted to compare them to the Advanced Placement (AP) options at her son’s school. The question came from a post we wrote analyzing AP courses in the college admissions process. Since she is not the only one to pose the question, let’s dive into the differences of dual enrollment and AP programs and compare them as best we can–with an eye to their relative importance in college admissions. Here is why AP courses (and the IB curriculum) are preferred by selective universities:

Also, see our blog post on What is Dual Enrollment? and the benefits of dual enrollment classes.

Advantages of Dual Enrollment

The advantages of dual enrollment courses in college admissions include:

• High schools can offer honors-level courses without hiring new staff
• Districts can save money by partnering with community colleges
• Parents can save on college tuition because these college credits are transferable to most state universities
• Students demonstrate that they can handle college-level work
• Students who doubt their own abilities to succeed in college experience success and are more likely to apply to college–and eventually graduate
• Community colleges and 4-year institutions build a pipeline of students moving from high school to college
• State governments and local governments appreciate the collaboration between K-12 and higher education

Which is Better: AP or Dual Enrollment for college prep? 

The answer is: it depends.

First, some schools are unable to offer both AP and dual enrollment courses. In fact, rural high schools are much more likely to rely on dual enrollment courses than AP, because dual enrollment is less expensive to the school district–especially if there is not enough demand to fill a complete AP course. But, International Baccalaureate, or IB programs are rare because this program is both expensive and affects the entire curriculum offerings at a school that adopts the program. So if there is no AP or IB option in your school, you should definitely consider dual enrollment options. (If you want to dig into whether you should select an AP or IB curriculum, check out this post that compares the IB and AP programs.)

Second, if your goal is to reduce the costs of attending a state university, dual enrollment credits are a guaranteed discount. Because states automatically require these courses to transfer, any DE course you take will reduce the number of credits you must complete (and pay for!) while in college. As long you dually enroll in a college prep course and you get a C- or better, you get the college credit.

The AP tests and the IB diploma program, by contrast, come with high-stakes tests:  take the course and then take the test. If you pass an AP test with a score of 3, 4, or 5, you might get college credit. The amount of credit would depend on the policy in place at a particular college or university.  But note that your grade in the AP course has no bearing on whether you get college credit.  The credit you receive depends on your score on the exam.  Thus you could get an A+ in your AP US History class, but get a 2 on the test–in which was you would receive no credit anywhere (well, you’d get the high school credit that leads to your high school diploma, but it would not give you any benefit once you arrive at college). 

The Benefit of IB and AP Exam Standardized Testing

IB and AP exams are standardized. They are normed tests. Thus, presumably, a score of 5 on the AP Chemistry means the same thing, no matter whether student attended a private school in Connecticut, a rural public school in Alabama, or an international school in Uruguay.  Similarly, a perfect 7 on the IB English A exam would be considered the same no matter where in the world the student attended secondary school. 

By contrast, an A in that dual enrollment chemistry class might or might not be the educational equivalent of a chemistry class in another location. Some high schools have higher standards than others, some community colleges have higher standards than others, and some individual teachers have higher standards than others (a fact that every high school student everywhere understands). Dual enrollment courses are not standardized. There is no “norm.” An A in one place could be different from an A in another.  

AP or Dual Enrollment for college prep? Highly selective universities tend to prefer IB and AP over dual enrollment

Thus, highly selective universities in the United States tend to favor AP and IB exam results over dual enrollment credits because they are standardized. Not only are the highly selective less likely to grant you the credits you receive in dual enrollment courses, they are more likely to discount the value of those courses, especially if you had the opportunity to take those rigorous AP or IB courses in your school or community. 

Third, if your school has a strong AP program that has a history of success in helping students earn 4s and 5s on the AP test, you might want to consider the AP courses if you plan to attend a highly selective college or university. The reason is this: the AP test is a demonstration of proficiency and competence in a subject matter.

While credit is a demonstration that you did what the teacher or professor required of you, the AP test is a nationally-normed test (and the IB is globally-normed). A score of 5 on an AP test communicates that are you a good student who can handle college-level work, that you are capable of performing well on cumulative examinations, and that you have demonstrated a high degree of mastery of the subject matter. This is why selective colleges and universities strongly prefer AP and IB results over grades in dual enrollment courses.

See our blog post discussing whether to take AP or IB classes in high school.

So Should You Take an AP or Dual Enrollment for college prep?

Again, it depends. Remember that not every student has a choice, as not every school offers AP courses while most public high schools are able to offer dual enrollment options. 

If your goal is to reduce the cost of your college education and you plan to go to a public university in-state, there is no doubt that dual enrollment options are going to save you money and reduce the time necessary to earn your college degree. For the vast majority of Americans, the dual enrollment option is the smartest choice.  No high stakes exams.  No doubts as to the ability to transfer credits to college. Take those dual enrollment courses, get good grades, and get through college more quickly and more cheaply.

If you want to attend one of the most selective colleges and universities in the United States–and your high school offers them–then take the AP or IB courses on offer.  They are considered by admissions offers at these universities to be more rigorous, and the cumulative examinations at the end of the course demonstrate clearly how you stack up against other students taking the same subject across the country (or across the world). 

What should I do if I don’t have a good AP teacher?

Standardized tests, despite their flaws, do help admissions officers compare apples to apples. They help to separate grades from proficiency. High scores provide external verification that the grades a student earns are an expression of content mastery. 

However, as we have noted, not all teachers are the same. The AP curriculum is challenging and rigorous. Not every teacher is either trained or experienced in delivering this curriculum. For example, there is a low-performing high school nearby where nearly 80% of the teachers are first-year teachers–every year! AP courses at this school are being taught by very, very inexperienced teachers. 

Therefore if you are considering AP courses offered at your school, ask questions and do some investigating. Some schools have very low pass rates on the AP exams. Even students who get high grades in their AP courses core only 1 or 2 on the exams. (In other words, these students fail and will absolutely not receive any college credit, nor will they be able to brag about their high scores on their college applications). 

Just because a course is labeled AP does not mean that it is a good course. Nor does the label mean that a student will achieve the level of mastery required to score a 5 on the AP exam. Many, many schools across the country offer AP courses that are very poorly taught. Many teachers simply do not have the content background or pedagogical skills to prepare students for these rigorous exams.

A Student Vouches for the Value of Dual Enrollment Courses

Over the years, students have read our blog and written to share their own experiences and insights. A young woman who attended the College of William and Mary read this post a while back and took the time to write to advocate for dual enrollment courses. She attended a high school in Virginia and then enrolled at the selective, public liberal arts college in that state. It’s worth quoting this letter in full, because it speaks to the priorities and choices students face as they choose the right path for themselves. There is no right and wrong answer to the question, “which is better, an AP course or dual enrollment classes?”.  Each student and family must make decide what makes the most sense given their values, priorities, and preferences. 

So thank you, Sarah, for writing in with your opinion, and we’re happy to share it below.

As a current college student, I vouch for the dual enrollment option when high school students are looking through their course options. I went to a very small, rural high school in Virginia, and had the opportunity to take DE credit classes through local community colleges. I finished at the top of my class and I am currently an academic junior at the College of William and Mary.

During my freshman year in college, I came to find that a majority of my friends took AP classes, got an A or a high B in the class, but couldn’t get a 4 or 5 on their AP exam (mind you, these students came from great private and public high schools all over the country, each with its own long-standing AP track). William and Mary requires a score of 4 or 5 to get credit from an AP course. I can’t tell you how many of my friends got burned by taking AP. All 39 of my dual enrollment credits transferred and I am graduating in 3 years.

A lot of really great colleges and universities require high AP scores. So it is very important to do your research on the school you wish to attend. Taking an AP class may look good on a transcript. But how good will it look when the student doesn’t pass the exam with the necessary score? I feel like AP is put up on this pedestal as being the best of the best. However, there is nothing wrong with dual enrollment classes, and taking DE doesn’t mean that one could not handle the supposed “harder” AP course load. I can assure you, the classes I took through my governor’s school were more than challenging.

Best of luck,

Sarah

Do you need help with the college admissions process?

If you have the option of choosing an AP course or dual enrollment, the choice can be difficult. The path you choose has a huge impact on your academic life in high school, and can also affect your extracurricular life. So it’s important to choose wisely. 

The college prep experts at Great College Advice have loads of experience in guiding students in this big decision. We can help by asking questions to elicit your true feelings and your rational priorities. Either of these curricular programs can be pathways to college success. Both are respected by college admissions officers. But which is right for you?

If you need to talk through these priorities and preferences, give us a call or contact us on our website. We’d be delighted to help you map your college journey.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post AP or Dual Enrollment for College Prep? first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

Whether you are a “blue chip” NCAA Division 1 athletic recruit, or whether you are hoping to play in the NAIA, or whether you’re interested in a NCAA Division 3 team, these questions can help you determine whether this team, this coach, and this athletic program are right for you.

Why are these questions important? Because they help you stay in control. Often high school athletes are in awe of the college coach. This is especially true if the coach is recruiting the student heavily. What young athlete wouldn’t feel great to know that a coach in a far-off university was interested in having her play for his team? It’s flattering. It’s exciting.

But you don’t want to be star-struck or tongue-tied. You want to be ready to gather the information you need to be sure that the coach, the team, and the university are the right fit for you. So be ready with questions to ask in those conversations you have with coaches.

What questions to ask college coaches about athletic recruiting

Questions to ask college coaches about your athletic career

• What position will I play on your team?
• Have you personally watched me play? Or have you watch my video highlights? If so, why do you think my skills fit into your program?
• Describe the current players competing at the same position. What skills do they possess?
• How many freshmen are being recruited for my position?
• Where do you see me fitting in the program this year? Years 2, 3 and 4?
• What chance do I have to win playing time as a freshman?
• I know you have a list of potential recruits for this position. Where am I on that list?
• Can I “redshirt” my first year? Under what conditions do you typically redshirt players?
• What are the physical requirements each year? (training commitments, weight, etc.)
• Will I receive a written contract or tender?
• What are your expectations of me as a player? As a person?
• How has NIL impacted your recruiting process?

Questions about the college coach and coaching staff

• How would you best describe your coaching style?
• Where do you place your emphasis (offense, defense) during training and games or matches?
• When does your head coaching contract end?
• What is each of the assistant coaches responsible for?
• How does your team treat walk-ons?
• What is the typical year like for your student athletes? (off-season training program)
• What is the typical day like for your student athletes during the season? During the off-season?
• How important is this particular sport to your school’s athletic director?

Questions to ask college coaches about sports and academics

• What is the admissions process for a recruited athlete?
• What percentage of your players on scholarship graduate in four years?
• What is the team’s GPA from last year?
• What do you do to academically support your players? (Tutors, study hall requirements, staff, class load)
• Am I allowed time to make up classes and tests missed because of the competition schedule?
• Are tutors provided for athletes?
• How do students make up for time out of the classroom?
• What are your policies for missed practices or being late due to class commitments?
• Do you have a solid academic advising center? How many players take advantage of it?
• How many credits are required for me to be eligible to compete?
• How many credits are required for me to keep my financial aid?

Questions to ask college coaches about the team

• Do the players on the team all live in the same dorm?
• Will I be required to live on campus all four years?
• What state/region do most of your players come from?
• Are there any unique team-building activities you do in your program?
• How much travel do you have in a typical year?
• What are the most impressive accomplishments of your program in the past five years?
• What are your team’s conduct rules? Are they the college’s minimums or are they tougher?
• Am I expected to stay in town during the summer?
• What are my off-season responsibilities?

Questions to ask coaches about finances and scholarships

• Specifically, what expenses does the financial aid and/or scholarship package cover? (Tuition, room, board, books, special assessments, supplies)?
• If I’m injured, what happens to my financial aid/scholarship?
• What conditions are used to determine the annual renewal of the scholarship?
• Do I need medical insurance? What medical expenses does the college cover? 

Summary

The most important thing to keep in mind as you formulate questions to ask college coaches is that you are in control. Playing sports in college is a big commitment. When you are signing a contract for a scholarship, you have to do your due diligence. In essence, you are trading your athletic abilities for a college education. Your experience playing your sport in college should be a fun and rewarding one.

You want to make sure that the coach is someone you respect and someone who can train you to be a better athlete and team member. You want to ensure that your teammates have a similar approach to the sport and that you will find your place among the other players. Moreover, you want to be confident that the university whose uniform you wear will provide you with the educational opportunities you want and need, both during your four-year undergraduate experience and well beyond graduation.

So whether you are talking to a coach on the phone or in person during an official team visit, be ready to ask questions that will help you discern whether this is the right athletic–and educational–opportunity for you. Use this handy reference of questions to ask college coaches to help you get the information you need to make the right decision.

Need help with athletic recruiting as part of your college admissions process?

The team at Great College Advice has deep experience in guiding students along the road from high school to college.  If you’d like more information about our services, contact us for a free consultation. Or just pick up the phone and call us at 720.279.7577.  We’d be happy to chat with you. 

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post What Questions to Ask College Coaches When Being Recruited? first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

First, a brief word of explanation about “dual enrollment,” or “post-secondary enrollment options.” Virtually all states allow high school students to enroll in community college or university courses. These courses also apply the credits earned to their high school transcript. Students enroll twice: they earn both high school AND college credits for the same course. In some cases, community college faculty offer these courses in high school, while in other cases, the high school student must travel to the community college campus.

In other cases, community college faculty “approve” or certify high school faculty to offer a college-level course after the college has approved the syllabus. In most instances, parents pay an extra fee for a dual enrollment course. However, the good thing is that this fee translates to college credits that can often (but not always) be transferred to a university when the student graduates from high school (more on that in a moment). No matter how these dual enrollment courses are organized, dually enrolled students receive two sorts of credit for their work. They receive grades on their high school transcript, and the same grades are recorded on their college transcripts.

See our blog post on whether taking an AP course or dual enrollment is right for you.

Advantages of Dual Enrollment

The advantages of dual enrollment courses in college admissions include:

• High schools can offer honors-level courses without hiring new staff
• Districts can save money by partnering with community colleges
• Parents can save on college tuition because these college credits are transferable to most state universities
• Students demonstrate that they can handle college-level work
• Students who doubt their own abilities to succeed in college experience success and are more likely to apply to college–and eventually graduate
• Community colleges and 4-year institutions build a pipeline of students moving from high school to college
• State governments and local governments appreciate the collaboration between K-12 and higher education

In states where dual enrollment options exist, the state government creates master articulation agreements to ensure that credits earned while in high school are guaranteed transfer to higher education systems in that state. Thus, if you take a dual enrollment course in Virginia, your credits are automatically accepted for credit by state-funded universities in Virginia–as long as the grade earned is a C- or above, and as long as the courses are considered academic, “general education” course (as opposed to remedial or developmental courses, or technical or industrial skills courses).

Can Dual Enrollment Credits be Transferred to a 4-Year College?

Are Dual Enrollment Credits Transferable In-State?

Credits for dual enrollment courses taken in high school will automatically–guaranteed–transfer to universities in the same state. As long as students perform adequately in the dual enrollment course, they will receive college credit.  The biggest advantage here is cost savings: those are courses the student (and family) will not have to pay for on the way to a college degree. A dual credit history course taken at a high school in Virginia is the functional and administrative equivalent of a history course at the University of Virginia.

Can Dual Enrollment Credits Transfer Out-of-State?

With regard to whether dual enrollment credits are accepted by universities in other states, the landscape becomes a bit more random. Many publicly-funded state colleges and universities will likely accept dual enrollment credits from another state as long as the credits are listed on a transcript from an accredited community college or university. Universities in Colorado, therefore, will accept credits from Florida, as long as they are academic in nature and the student has earned a grade of C- or above. However, a receiving university would review exactly which courses would be transferred and how they would be counted towards the degree only after the student has applied and been accepted.  Most universities operate in this way:  they tell you that “generally speaking,” courses are easily transferred, but they don’t give any specifics until after you are enrolled. Colleges make a detailed determination of how the credits will be applied to your Bachelors degree.

Part of the reason for this is that dual enrollment credits may be counted differently depending on the major you pursue. For example, your dual enrollment college algebra course might not count toward your math requirements for an engineering degree. However, it might count as an elective if you are an art history major. Nevertheless, it almost always benefits a student to collect dual enrollment credits as a way to reduce the cost of college. Also, it may decrease the time to earn a degree. If, for example, all the courses a student takes in her junior and senior years of high school are classified as dual enrollment, then effectively that student conceivably could enter as a first semester JUNIOR in college. However, this depends on where the credits are and how they conform to the university’s graduation and major requirements.

Readers should be aware, therefore, that different states have different rules about how they handle dual enrollment credits from out-of-state students. Do not assume that every dual enrollment credit will be automatically transferred. As with everything in the world of college admissions, you need to do the research to find the answers you need. Policies like this shift all the time, and you need to verify what your desired universities will do with those dual enrollment credits.

Do Dual Enrollment Credits Transfer to Private Universities?

Private colleges are a different matter, however. As private entities, they are free to establish their own transfer criteria. Here again, it is best to check in advance of applying what the college’s policy toward dual enrollment credits will be. Some will be happy to transfer the courses in, as long as their college offers an equivalent course. Others may require a grade of B or better to transfer. And some may not transfer any of your dual enrollment courses at all. Some of the more selective colleges may use dual enrollment credits only to waive prerequisites or for placement purposes.

One thing is clear, however: colleges and universities of all types smile upon applicants who have completed dual enrollment courses. These courses demonstrate the ability to do college-level work, and they send the signal to admissions offices that this student is likely to succeed in college–because they have been challenged in college-level curricula.

A Student Discusses the Value of Dual Enrollment Classes

Over the years, students have read our blog and written to share their own experiences and insights. A young woman who attended the College of William and Mary read this post a while back and took the time to write to advocate for dual enrollment courses. She attended a high school in Virginia and then enrolled at the selective, public liberal arts college in that state. It’s worth quoting this letter in full, because it speaks to the priorities and choices students face as they choose the right path for themselves. There is no right and wrong answer to the question, “which is better, an AP course or dual enrollment classes?”.  Each student and family must make decide what makes the most sense given their values, priorities, and preferences. 

So thank you, Sarah, for writing in with your opinion, and we’re happy to share it below.

As a current college student, I vouch for the dual enrollment option when high school students are looking through their course options. I went to a very small, rural high school in Virginia, and had the opportunity to take DE credit classes through local community colleges. I finished at the top of my class and I am currently an academic junior at the College of William and Mary.

During my freshman year in college, I came to find that a majority of my friends took AP classes, got an A or a high B in the class, but couldn’t get a 4 or 5 on their AP exam (mind you, these students came from great private and public high schools all over the country, each with its own long-standing AP track). William and Mary requires a score of 4 or 5 to get credit from an AP course. I can’t tell you how many of my friends got burned by taking AP. All 39 of my dual enrollment credits transferred and I am graduating in 3 years.

A lot of really great colleges and universities require high AP scores. So it is very important to do your research on the school you wish to attend. Taking an AP class may look good on a transcript. But how good will it look when the student doesn’t pass the exam with the necessary score? I feel like AP is put up on this pedestal as being the best of the best. However, there is nothing wrong with dual enrollment classes, and taking DE doesn’t mean that one could not handle the supposed “harder” AP course load. I can assure you, the classes I took through my governor’s school were more than challenging.

Best of luck,

Sarah

Do you need help with the college admissions process?

If you have questions about dual enrollment and the college admissions process, please reach out with any questions. The college prep experts at Great College Advice have a great deal of experience in working with students going down the dual enrollment course path. Give us a call or contact us on our website. We’d be delighted to help you map your college journey.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.   In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post What is Dual Enrollment? first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

Which is better, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB)? Do colleges find one more impressive over the other?

Both the AP and IB programs are equally valuable. The exams associated with those courses provide an external measure of quality. Any student who does well on the end-of-course assessments associated with either the AP or IB program can genuinely claim to have done college work in a high school setting.

Do selective colleges prefer AP or IB?

Colleges like both AP and IB. Both programs represent tough curricular requirements. But in the end, it’s all about the student’s performance. Did they perform at the very top of the scale for either program? Did they pass the independently administered exams with flying colors? If so, colleges will be very interested in those students, regardless of the AP or IB label.

AP and IB program structures are different

The structures of the two programs are very different, however. Think of AP and IB this way. AP is a smorgasbord: pick the courses you want, leave behind those that tempt you less. IB, by contrast, is a “prix fixe” menu: you get all or nothing. There is a range of choice within IB, but the entire high school curriculum is dictated by those initial choices.

The fact is that highly competitive AP students are taking 10+ AP courses and doing well on the exams (scores of 4 or 5 out of five possible points). Likewise, highly competitive IB students are not only taking the IB courses but are scoring 5, 6, or 7s (out of seven) on the diploma tests. However, there are also plenty of students who take lots of AP courses who do not do well on the exams (many do not even take them!). Similarly, there are students in IB programs who are unlikely to fulfill all the requirements of the IB diploma.

How to choose AP or IB

For some students, the choice between AP or IB will be simple. Their high school may offer one or the other but not both. So if you don’t really have a choice, embrace the curriculum offered by your school. Also commit to doing the best possible job you can in that curriculum.

Some students may be considering a choice between two high schools. One that offers the AP and one that offers the IB. In this case, consider your own preferences. Do you want a bit more freedom to accelerate your learning in areas that interest you most? Do you want to double up in some subjects in which you perform extremely well, while dialing back on those that are not your cup of tea? If so, you may want to choose the Advanced Placement program. So, that you can pick and choose the AP courses that suit you best.

About IB

Consider the IB if you tend to like a wide variety of subjects and perform well in all of them. Similarly, consider the IB if you would like to focus in on a particular subject during the two-year diploma program. Some students find that they get more out of their IB chemistry or physics courses. For example, because they dive more deeply into the subject over two years than they can during a one-year AP course.

IB has fewer choices

Unlike the AP program, IB is more of a “prix fixe” or “fixed menu” approach to secondary education. You have six different slots to fill in the curriculum, and you have to choose courses that fill those particular slots.  For example, you must choose from among a narrow range of math courses to fill the “math” slot.  You have a few choices to fill the science slot–and remember, you will study the same science for both 11th and 12th grade. You have to fill the “language A slot” with your mother tongue, and you fill the “language B” slot with a second language at a narrow range of levels. There is a “history/social science slot, too:  the range of courses offered by the IB globally is relatively broad but the offerings at your school are likely to be narrowed down to two to four choices. And then there is the “open” slot, which can be either an arts course (drama, music, studio art), a second science course (for those STEM-oriented students), or maybe a second social sciences course.  Again, you make these selections for the entirety of your last two years of secondary school. 

While the IB program worldwide does offer quite a few different courses and curricular options, the reality is that in US public high schools and in the private schools that offer the IB, the range of curricular choices can be quite narrow. For example, there are usually only three different choices for courses in the sciences. Most schools can offer only one or two foreign languages, and the offerings in the social sciences are likewise restricted. The reasons for this narrowness are primarily practical. Smaller IB programs don’t have the numbers of students to justify a wide variety of subjects in certain areas.

Economies of scale dictate the choices. For example, an IB program in a small private or international school may not have a large enough enrollment to offer a full range of courses in the social sciences or fine arts. So look carefully at what the school does (and doesn’t offer) before you sign up for that school.

About AP

If the IB is a fixed menu, then the AP is more of a buffet approach: choose the items you find most appetizing and make an academic meal of it. 

The AP program is not a full curriculum.  Rather it is a collection of rigorous high school syllabi that are presented to students who want to challenge themselves. The courses are then assessed according to a normed standard created by the College Board. Exams are corrected by individual subjects by groups of qualified AP teachers nationwide during a single week in the summer.  Thus, whether you attend school in a public school in Wyoming or a private school in Massachusetts, a score of 5 on the AP exam is considered a high achievement.  A 3 is a “passing score,” while 2s and 1s are considered failing.  

Thus it is possible, and not all that uncommon, for students to have lower grades in the AP course at their high school and then to ace the exam. It is more common, however, to get a high grade in the high school class and then fail the exam (more on this issue in a moment). 

With the AP program, students can choose to take as few or as many as they would like. High performing students in large suburban high schools will likely have the opportunity to take 10 or more. Some high schools allow students to take some AP courses as early as freshman year.

Similarly, students can focus their AP courses in subjects where they have relative strengths.  The STEM student could double down on science and math AP courses, while others may opt for more courses in the social sciences or languages.  

AP or IB? Extracurriculars and social considerations

One thing we have noticed over the years in working with students in both AP and IB programs is that IB students often have a harder time balancing extracurricular commitments and their social lives with the rigors of the IB diploma program.

The IB is an “all in” proposition: once you sign up for the diploma program, you have to complete all the requirements in all six courses plus Theory of Knowledge. Plus there are the additional requirements of the Extended Essay and CAS (“Creativity, Activity, Service”). In addition, there are a variety of assessments that keep the pressure on students to perform.

It can be very difficult for IB diploma students to focus on their extracurricular pursuits and still perform academically at the highest levels. Top athletes as well as those who excel in the performing arts sometimes struggle to balance all their commitments.

On the other hand, some students pursuing an IB program that is embedded in a large public high school can benefit from the camaraderie in the IB program. These students take virtually all of their classes together, and it is sometimes easier for students to create strong friendships with like-minded peers.

The cafeteria-style AP program, however, can be better for students who want to find a better balance. They can choose only those AP courses that interest them, and in which they feel the can (and want to!) succeed.

AP or IB? Choose the program that is the best fit for you

The question raised at the beginning of this post is about college: which curriculum would be better for college admission? The answer is both and neither. The question of which curriculum to choose (assuming you actually have a choice) is about shaping your high school experience.

The IB program is fundamentally a European high school experience. It was crafted in Europe to be a sort of curricular compromise. It is an amalgam of the British, French, and German secondary school curricula. And it is generally much more narrowly focused than the traditional high school experience in the United States.

The wide range of choice and flexibility of the Advanced Placement program is a product of American educational values. We recognize that no two students are identical. Each student has the ability to select the subjects and level of challenge that is right for him or her. Freedom to choose is at the heart of the program.

So if you do have a choice between AP and IB, don’t focus on which will give you a better shot at the Ivy League. Both will do the job as long as you perform at the highest level.

Rather, consider which curricular structure best suits your personality, learning style, preferences, and academic curiosities. And don’t neglect other factors, like your extracurricular priorities and your personality. These non-academic factors can be decisive.

AP or IB?  Case studies

Andrew:

This young man attended a small K-8 school for gifted and talented students. He was smart and attentive, and generally a pleasant young man with a lot of curiosity and academic ambition. He also was a little bit quirky and goofy. And he had a small, tight-knit group of friends who were as quirky and goofy as he. His primary extracurricular talent was piano. He could pound out a technically perfect and emotionally wrenching Beethoven sonata as if he were eating a peanut butter sandwich.

When choosing high schools, I encouraged him to consider the IB program at a school across town. There he would be among a small, tight-knit group of academically focused students. Here, he could thrive within the relatively stricter confines of the IB diploma program. He eventually went on to major in computer science at the University of Chicago (which itself was a great fit for this academically serious, quirky, creative young man).

Nick:

A strong musical and theater talent from a young age, Nick attended the same small K-8 school where he had many friends. As a socially gregarious youth, Nick had nevertheless outgrown the social limitations of his small school. He was itching for new challenges. Additionally, the school with the IB program (which he could have attended with Andrew) was relatively weak in its music and drama offerings. His other choice was a large public high school with a Grammy-award winning fine arts program with three different orchestras, four different bands, and six different choirs.

He could also take an enormous variety of AP courses, including music theory, and juggle the responsibility of taking on lead roles in the annual musical. After taking 12 AP courses and earning a 35 on the ACT, Nick won several performing arts and academic scholarships at highly selective liberal arts colleges. He majored in music with a minor in Spanish. He studied history in Spain and won a research scholarship to study music in Cuba.

Both Andrew and Nick chose the programs that would make their high school experiences comfortable and successful. They were able to enjoy high school and perform to the highest level. And they both succeeded in their own way. In both cases, it was not the particular curriculum that made them successful. Rather, it was the self-understanding of their personal priorities that enabled them to get the most out of their high school experience.

The importance of pass rates at your school

One thing parents (and students) ought to keep in mind as they look at schools and at individual teachers: ask about their pass rate. That is, ask what percentage of students enrolled in these programs take and pass (or get perfect scores) on the AP or IB assessments? The answer to this question will be a better indicator of program quality than the label. We have several clients who are getting very high grades in AP courses, but who will never be able to pass the AP exams. Their teachers are simply not up to the job of presenting such a demanding curriculum and helping students achieve to the standards set by that curriculum.

So to reiterate, both the AP and IB programs are excellent preparation for college, and the colleges seek out students to excel in either environment. Students and teachers should look beyond the labels to ask about the quality of the programs on offer. Just as we don’t judge books by their cover, we should not judge a program by its label.

Which should you do: AP or IB?

If you have the option of choosing one of these programs over another, the choice can be difficult. The path you choose has a huge impact on your academic life in high school, and can also affect your extracurricular life (not to mention the amount of sleep you get!). So it’s important to choose wisely. 

The college prep experts at Great College Advice have loads of experience in guiding students in this big decision. We can help by asking questions to elicit your true feelings and your rational priorities.  Either of these curricular programs can be pathways to college success. Both are respected by college admissions officers. But which is right for you?

If you need to talk through these priorities and preferences, give us a call or contact us on our website. We’d be delighted to help you map your college journey.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post Which do Colleges Prefer – AP or IB? first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

A college education will probably be the first or second most expensive purchase that an individual will ever make over the course of his or her entire lifetime. Yet, most people will select an institution and either completely ignore the cost or not be aware of what the true cost of that school will be. Then, once they get accepted and have their heart set on one school or another, they find that the cost of education is far more than they expected. 

While it is true that a college education has gotten incredibly expensive for almost anyone, a huge contributing factor to skyrocketing student debt is that students are choosing to attend schools that they simply cannot afford. Students and families are compelled to take on significant loans to pay for these high-cost educational choices. And then find themselves in very challenging financial situations upon graduation. 

Instead of taking the “fire, ready, aim” approach to choosing a college, families should be much more measured with their tactics if they want to avoid being overwhelmed by college costs. 

How do I calculate the cost of college?

• Know your budget;
• Explore a lot of different colleges;
• Calculate the all-in cost of each school;
• Research the financial aid generosity of each college;
• Determine the likely financial aid package you’ll receive based on your income and assets.

How do I calculate the cost of college as an admissions factor?

Step 1: Know your budget 

Before you even consider applying to college, take stock of your family’s financial situation. Ask yourself, how much do I have available to spend for a college education, and how much am I willing to spend and sacrifice? Consider the future. What if something happens and you have a lot less money coming in once the student has started college (e.g., you lose your job, an expensive health issue crops up, etc.)? Will you still be able to fund college? Are there other family members who will also need to tap into the family’s finances in the future? 

Step 2: To assess the cost of college: Cast a broad net, initially 

Identify a number of schools that fit the student’s interests and academics. Don’t just choose one or two; find several. Even if the student thinks he or she knows the exact college where he or she wants to go, expand the search. First, there’s no guarantee that the student will get admitted to that school. Second, there’s no guarantee that the school will fit your budget. By finding many schools that could be a good match for the student, you will increase your chances of putting together a list of schools that you can afford. 

Step 3: Explore the fully loaded cost of college 

You cannot assume that the price of college will be “about the same” irrespective of where you attend. From one college to the next costs will vary tremendously. Where do you find information on school costs? What is meant by “fully loaded” costs? Schools will generally provide tuition information on their websites. Many schools will include what is called an estimated Cost Of Attendance (COA), too. 

The COA represents an approximation of your fully loaded cost, and will usually include: 

• Tuition 

• Room and Board 

• School Fees 

• Books and School Supplies 

• Travel 

• Personal Expenses 

Visit each school’s website that your child is interested in, and if the school provides an estimated COA use it as a starting point to calculate your costs. You need to figure out what your actual outlay is likely to be based on your own individual circumstances. Schools use an average number to figure costs like travel and personal expenses, but you should try to be more exact.  

For example, if the student will be bringing a car to campus, the school will not add car-related expenses into their COA calculation. But you should put it into yours. In short, project how the student will be living while attending college and tally up all the costs associated with that lifestyle. 

Step 4: Investigate the financial aid generosity of each school 

Not all schools are created equal when it comes to their financial aid generosity. Some will meet full financial needs while others won’t. Some schools will be very generous with merit aid for those who don’t meet the criteria for need-based aid. And others will only provide merit aid to a select few. 

To figure out just how generous a school is with their aid, a good source is College Data. Click on the College Search tab where you can search by a specific school name which then presents a Facts & Information page for that school. Click on the Financials tab of this section which reveals what percentage of financial need was met at that college, how much it provided in need-based and merit aid, and how many students were awarded aid for the most recent year available. 

By looking at this information for each of the schools of interest, you can get a good sense of how generous a school is and whether you might have a shot at getting some aid. 

Step 5: Assess your likelihood of receiving financial aid to reduce the cost of college 

You know your budget. Also, you know what your finances look like. You know what the cost of college is. You know the typical aid packages offered by the schools on your list. But, you still don’t know what each college on your list is actually going to cost you.  Will you qualify for financial aid and bring down the COA? While you can’t get a definitive answer about your costs before you apply and actually get admitted to a school, you can get a reasonable approximation of how much a college education will cost you at a given school. 

Colleges are required to make online Net Price Calculators (NPC) available to the public. NPCs allow prospective students to input some basic financial information about themselves and then the NPC calculates approximately how much financial aid they are eligible for and how much it will consequently cost them to attend that school – the “net price”. Net Price Calculators can be found at a college’s website, and The College Board also provides an NPC for the hundreds of colleges that utilize its NPC tool. 

Beware that the NPCs provide only an estimate of your likely cost, and sometimes a very loose one at that. The information captured isn’t as thorough as on an actual financial aid application, and the NPCs don’t take into account either special circumstances or your potential eligibility for merit aid (which is based on student performance rather than financial strength). So, the output of the NPC is likely not what you expect to receive. 

Still, by going through the Net Price Calculator process for each school on your list, you’ll get a directional sense of what the school will cost you.
The bottom line is that if finances are an issue when you are first considering where to apply consider your budget, school COA, and financial aid in the calculation. By doing so, you just may save yourself a little heartache and a whole lot of money. 

Need Help with the College Admissions Process?  

Figuring out the likely all-in cost of college at specific universities can be very complex. As part of our comprehensive packages, we help families assemble a well thought out college list that takes into account any financial aid considerations. So, please contact us for a complimentary consultation. At Great College Advice, we provide personalized college consulting focused on helping make the process of preparing, selecting, and applying to college more successful, less stressful, and more fun.   

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other.

The post How to Calculate the Cost of College first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

Quick Facts About Wake Forest University

• Location: Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• Undergraduate Enrollment: approx. 5,490 students. 83% of students are out-of-state
• Campus Setting: Suburban / Midsize city campus.
• Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 10:1
• Over 50 Majors and 60 Minors offered
• Most Popular Majors: Business, Social Sciences, Life Sciences
• Mascot: Demon Deacons – Go Deacs!

Wake Forest’s motto, Pro Humanitate, For Humanity, underpins a culture of leadership, service, and community engagement. Wake Forest is looking for students with a passion for service. Character/personal qualities is marked ‘very important’ as an admissions factor in the university’s Common Data Set along with academic rigor, class rank, GPA, and your college essays.

With unique supplemental essays such as its Top 10 list and Maya Angelou quote, Wake Forest takes a truly holistic approach in its admissions process.

Wake Forest Admissions Statistics:

• Applications received: 18,735;
• How hard is it to get into Wake Forest? Acceptance Rate is 22%, or 4,066 students offered admission;
• Yield Rate: 36% or 1468 students enrolled
• How much does Wake Forest cost? Cost of Attendance: $94,600; merit aid is difficult to come by at Wake Forest although there are scholarship opportunities;
• Is Wake Forest test optional? Yes, Wake Forest has been test-optional since the late 2000s;
• What’s a good SAT score for Wake Forest? 25th – 75th SAT percentile range: 1420- 1500 with the average 1460. 22% of enrolled students submitted SAT scores;
• What’s a good ACT score for Wake Forest? 25th – 75th ACT percentile range: 32 – 34 with the average 33; 26% of enrolled students submitted ACT scores.

Watch Our Wake Forest Campus Visit

A Beautiful & Walkable Campus just outside downtown Winston-Salem: The Reynolda campus features wooded paths, and historic architecture. During our tour on a surprisingly busy campus for a Friday, we were impressed by the energy and community feel.

What Makes Wake Forest Unique?

• Rolling Early Decision : Unlike most selective universities, Wake Forest offers students the ability to hear back from admissions as soon as late September with its rolling ED plan;
• Liberal Arts + Professional Programs in One: While small enough for intimate classes and strong faculty engagement, Wake Forest also offers nationally ranked professional and research opportunities (business, health sciences, engineering, etc.). This hybrid model is a powerful draw.
• Strong Athletics and Campus Spirit: D1 Athletics for a mid-sized university and it is part of one of the big athletic conferences (ACC)
• STEM students may find themselves taking the bus to the Wake Downtown campus for some of their classes.

Final Thoughts on Wake Forest Admissions: Is Wake Forest the Right Fit for You?

Wake Forest University is an excellent choice for students who want rigorous academics and a personal, engaged community. If you thrive in a setting where professors know your name, you can pursue meaningful research or real-world internships, and you appreciate both tradition and flexibility, Wake Forest could be a great fit.

That said, because admissions are highly competitive students should present a thoughtful, well-rounded application emphasizing both academic strength and personal character.

Do you need help putting together your college list?

If you’re considering applying to Wake Forest — or want help compiling a college list that includes a school like Wake Forest — our consulting team is ready to help you evaluate fit, craft your narrative, and navigate the process.

The Wake Forest admissions team takes a holistic approach so you need more than good grades and academic rigor. Your essays need to shine and your personal qualities need to jump off the page. Contact us to schedule a consultation.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post College Visit Spotlight: Wake Forest Admissions first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

If you’ve found the perfect match and are confident in your choice, applying to only one college might work. But for most students—especially in today’s competitive admissions environment—it’s wiser to cast a broader yet strategic net. 

Why Most Students Apply to Multiple Colleges 

There are many reasons to apply to more than one school: 

• Some schools on your list may be much harder to get into than others, so you want to spread your risk.  

• You might not yet know which school is your clear favorite by the time your application deadlines arrive. 

• Financial aid is a factor — you may want multiple offers to compare need- or merit-based aid packages.  

• For better or worse, high achieving students aiming for highly selective universities are applying to more schools as a risk mitigation strategy.  

In short: Applying broadly can give you more options, but the key is to apply wisely, not wildly. Our goal is to help the student make those decisions before the applications are sent out. This not only helps to limit the list, but it eliminates some uncertainty.  If the student can narrow the list to certain types of colleges that resemble one another, then this eliminates the possibility that they will end up attending the “wrong” university.  

So… How Many Colleges Should You Apply To? 

Our recommendation for the majority of our students: aim for around 8 to 12 colleges. Here’s why that range makes sense: 

• Less than 5 – You risk not getting enough offers if you don’t include any backup (“likely”) schools. 

• More than 15 – You might spread yourself too thin: less time per application, weaker essays, more stress. 

• 8–12 is balanced – Gives you enough options to cover reach, target, and likely schools while still doing quality work on each. 

Here’s a rough breakdown of your list: 

• Reach schools (2–3): These are schools where your credentials might be slightly below the typical admit, or competition is extremely high with very low acceptance rates. 

• Target schools (3–5): Schools where you’re reasonably well aligned with admitted students’ stats and you’d be happy attending. 

• Likely schools (2–4): Schools where your credentials are above average for admitted students and you feel confident you’d be admitted. 

With this structure, a list of 8–12 might look like: 2 reaches, 4 targets, 2 likely (that’s 8), or 3 reaches, 5 targets, 4 likely (that’s 12). Adjust based on your comfort zone, finances, geographic preferences, etc. 

We often tell students: “Spend the time to make each application a gem. Quality beats quantity.”  

Why This Balanced Approach Matters 

1. You’ll reduce stress and enhance quality 

When you apply to too many schools, you may end up rushing essays, duplicating material without customizing it, and feeling burnt out. With ~8–12 applications, you can personalize each, tailor your narrative, and show genuine interest. 

2. You’ll cover your bases without over-applying 

You want to ensure you have options. Reach schools give you a chance at your dream. Targets give you solid possibilities. Likely schools offer safety nets. Without likely options, you could end up with no choices. 

3. You’ll be strategic about money and fit 

Applying to colleges costs both time and money (application fees, travel for visits, etc.). You also want to compare financial aid offers. A manageable list lets you research each school’s culture, programs, scholarship history, and make a well-informed decision. 

4. Data shows high-achieving students are applying to more colleges

And this matters because it raises the baseline of competition — meaning your strategy must be thoughtful. Here’s what the data shows: 

• According to the Common App, the average number of applications submitted by applicants rose from 4.63 in the 2013-14 season to 6.8 in the 2024-2025 application cycle. 

• The proportion of applicants applying to more than ten colleges roughly doubled, from 8% to 17% between 2014-15 and 2021-22. Common App 

• Critically: “[H]igh-volume application behavior is first and foremost a phenomenon of selective college admissions.” Common App In other words: the students who tend to apply to many schools are those with higher test scores and credentials. For example, applicants who applied to 15 or more schools had average SAT/ACT scores higher by about 130 points compared with those who applied to fewer than five. 

• From a 2025 survey of the Class of 2028 at Duke: 75% of respondents reported they applied to 10 or more universities. A whopping 26% said they applied to over 20 schools during their college application process.  Duke Chronicle

Source: Duke Chronicle

Compare the Duke survey to the broader Common App pool of applicants from earlier where only 2% of applicants applied to 20+ colleges. These trends show that it’s not just “everyone applies to a gazillion schools”—it’s especially very competitive, high-achieving students casting wide nets. Thus kids, feeling the pressure of rejection, apply to more colleges. That raises the stakes: if you are competitive, you still need a strategy; if you’re less sure, you definitely need a smart list. 

Tips for Building Your List 

• Reflect on your priorities of what you’re looking for in a college: location, size, majors, cost, campus culture — know what you care about before you build your list. 

• Use admissions data wisely: Look up admit rates, published profiles of admitted students, financial aid trends and compare these to your own profile. 

• Visit or virtual-visit: For many schools, you’ll get a better feel from a campus tour or online session. 

• Balance wisely: Aim for 2–3 reach, 3–5 target, 2–4 likely. Adjust if you have special constraints (e.g., budget, out-of-state vs. in-state). 

• Customize each application: Write specific, genuine essays for each school. Highlight programs or aspects that resonate with you. 

• Keep finances in mind: Don’t just apply to schools with high sticker prices and limited aid. Some “less selective” schools offer great merit scholarships. 

• Apply early if possible: Early Decision (ED) or Early Action (EA) can give you a better chance at selective schools — and reduce pressure later.  

Choose more wisely, be realistic about your chances (neither too optimistic nor too pessimistic). Spend the time developing a very solid application to the colleges you really, really want to attend. And have the confidence that you will get a great education no matter where you land. In the end, the number of applications each student fills out depends on who they are, what they want, and what they need.

Final Thoughts on How Many Colleges You Should Apply To

Yes—you can apply to just one school, especially if you’ve found your perfect fit and are certain. But for the vast majority of students, that’s a high-risk strategy. On the other hand, applying to 20+ schools often dilutes your efforts and raises costs without necessarily improving outcomes. 

At Great College Advice, we believe applying to around 8–12 schools—split into reach, target, and likely—is the sweet spot. It’s enough to give you strong options while still allowing you to thoughtfully craft each application and ultimately make a decision you’re excited about. 

Need help curating your list, refining essays, or comparing schools? We’re here to make the process clearer and more confident. 

If you’re wondering whether your current list is too big, too small, or just right — schedule a free consultation with our admissions team. Let’s make sure you’re applying strategically, not just broadly.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post How Many Colleges Should I Apply To? first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

As the college admissions process continues to become more complex and more competitive, more and more high school students and families are turning to private college counselors for support and guidance. If your child is planning to go through the college application process soon, you may be wondering if you should hire a college counselor. There are advantages in working with an independent educational consultant in almost every situation, but here are four types of students in particular that would benefit from the experience of a college consulting firm like Great College Advice:

• High Achieving Students
• Students with Learning Differences
• International Families
• Students with Unique Skills like Athletes, Artists and Performers

Hire a College Counselor for High Achieving Students

The admissions processes and standards at top-tier colleges and universities are famously arduous and opaque. This means that it can be very difficult for high achieving students to know just how to communicate their accomplishments in a way that stands out to college admissions officers. Additionally, high achieving students may feel significant, even overwhelming, pressure to succeed. These students often face intense competition and high expectations, leaving them feeling stressed and uncertain about their future. High achieving students in this position may want to hire a college counselor for two reasons.

The first is that a college counselor can help high achieving students approach the admissions process strategically. This includes helping students showcase their unique strengths and accomplishments, maximizing their chances of admission to their dream schools. With acceptance rates at most highly selective universities like Yale and MIT below 10%, these colleges could fill their incoming class many times over with students with straight As and perfect to near perfect SAT scores. A college consultant can help students demonstrate to admissions officers that their talents will make a lasting contribution to their university.

The second reason that high achieving students may want to hire a college counselor is that college counselors can help students cope with the pressure and stress of elite college admissions. College counselors can serve as a coach, guide, and cheerleader, helping students maintain a sense of proportion as they navigate the college admissions process. 

Hire a College Counselor for Students with Learning Differences

Students with learning differences such as ADHD or dyslexia face unique challenges when it comes to the college admissions process. From requesting accommodations to finding the right supportive environment, navigating higher education can be particularly daunting for these students and their families. Students with learning differences may want to hire a college counselor who has experience in identifying the best university support services and knows the laws and policies surrounding learning accommodations.

A college consulting firm can work closely with students and their families to identify the unique needs and strengths of the student. Whether it’s advocating for appropriate accommodations, connecting students with supportive resources, or assisting with college selection, counselors play a crucial role in ensuring that students with learning differences have the tools and support they need to succeed in college. 

International Families

The US higher education system is complicated enough for parents who went through it decades ago. Whether a student is being raised in the United States or abroad, if the parents did not attend university in the United States, our educational system can be even more confusing and daunting. International families, or American families in which the parents were educated elsewhere, may want to hire a college counselor to guide them through the idiosyncrasies and nuances of American colleges and universities.

For families of international students, the process is even more complex than for families of students being raised in the United States due to challenges with visas, cultural differences, and added application requirements. A college counseling firm such as Great College Advice that has worked with many international families can help you understand the nuances and complexities of US higher education. They can also help walk you through various requirements, such as English proficiency requirements and visa requirements.

Students with Unique Talents and Experiences

For students with non-traditional high school trajectories, such as homeschoolers, athletes, performers, or those who may have had to take significant time off of school, the college admissions process can be extra confusing. These students may have unconventional transcripts, limited access to traditional extracurricular activities, or unique talents and experiences that they struggle to showcase effectively on their college applications. If this sounds like you, you may want to hire a college counselor who can help you understand your options and communicate your non-traditional path. 

A college counselor can work closely with students to develop a comprehensive application strategy that effectively communicates their unique background and accomplishments. Whether it’s crafting a compelling personal statement, documenting non-traditional educational experiences, or leveraging unique talents and achievements, independent educational consultants help students present themselves in the best possible light to colleges and universities. 

Need more advice on your college applications?

The team at Great College Advice has deep experience in guiding students along the road from high school to college. We provide individually tailored, one-on-one advising to help young people achieve their educational ambitions. If you’d like more information about our services, contact us today for your complimentary consultation.

Since 2007, the expert team of college admissions consultants at Great College Advice has provided comprehensive guidance to thousands of students from across the United States and over 45 countries across the world. Great College Advice has offices in Colorado, New Jersey, Chicago, North Carolina and Massachusetts.  

In addition to our one-on-one counseling, Great College Advice extends its support through one of the most active and resource-rich Facebook Groups for college-bound students and their families: College Admissions Experts. With over 100,000 members—students, parents, and experienced counselors—this vibrant forum offers peer support and expert advice like no other. 

The post When to Hire a College Counselor first appeared on College Admission Counseling.