| It is highly recommended that early in | | | | from 7.5% to 4%. The words of former |
| the college selection process, parents | | | | U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm |
| and student(s) visit some schools to | | | | (D-NY) come to mind here, "When morality |
| determine if they'll be suitable. The | | | | comes up against profit, it is seldom |
| criteria that must be considered before | | | | that profit loses." |
| any college is applied to include: | | | | Parents and student(s) should make the |
| - Average GPA, SAT I, class rank for | | | | official unofficial visit to potential |
| acceptance | | | | schools no later than the 10th grade. |
| - The school should offer enough | | | | Colleges are always impressed when a 9th |
| choices in the event the student changes | | | | or 10th grader pays a visit. By keeping |
| their major | | | | in touch with officials you've met, in |
| - Size, location, Greeks, religious | | | | essence, you will have added points to |
| affiliation | | | | both your GPA and SAT I scores by |
| - Percentage of freshmen that return | | | | establishing a rapport. When the time |
| for year two | | | | comes, administrators will be able to |
| - Percentage of freshmen that graduate | | | | associate a face with your application. |
| in four years | | | | This helps a merely qualified student |
| - Percentage of financial need met | | | | become a far more acceptable one. |
| - Percentage of gift aid/self-help | | | | However, before packing your bags and |
| awarded | | | | filling up the SUV with gas, make a |
| - On or off campus job opportunities | | | | checklist that includes the following: |
| - Meal plans and dietary situations met | | | | Confirm that everything you plan to |
| - Name recognition | | | | visit will be open and, ideally, that |
| - Student/teacher ratio | | | | school is in session. Ask plenty of |
| - Average class size, semester or | | | | questions and be an attentive listener. |
| trimester | | | | Consider bringing a video camera or tape |
| - Percentage of professors who teach | | | | recorder for your notes no matter how |
| and percentage of teaching assistants | | | | good your memory is. Find out who reads |
| - 2 or 4-year college or university | | | | applications from your area and, if |
| - Co-ed dorms | | | | possible, try to meet with a reader and |
| - Freshman cars permitted | | | | be sure to keep in touch with them. |
| - Handicap accessibility | | | | Student athletes should meet with a |
| - Cost of the sheepskin | | | | coach or two. Listen to the school radio |
| It is also recommended that you | | | | station and get a copy of the campus |
| determine if the school uses a | | | | newspaper. If the student has Greek |
| need-blind or need-sensitive admissions | | | | intentions, visit some frat or sorority |
| policy. Need-blind is a practice where | | | | houses. Students should check out the |
| the student is evaluated without any | | | | dorm unannounced, introduce themselves |
| regard to family income or assets. | | | | to attending students and pick their |
| Need-sensitive is a shameful policy used | | | | brains. |
| by a host of elite schools such as Duke, | | | | Have a snack in the cafeteria. After |
| Emory and Stanford. These schools will | | | | all, their food is what the student will |
| admit a less than qualified rich kid in | | | | be eating for the next four years! |
| anticipation of a large contribution to | | | | Students who have decided upon their |
| their own endowment funds. In essence, | | | | course of study should make every effort |
| the wealthy family has bought an | | | | to arrange a meeting with the head of |
| admission ticket to a school where their | | | | that particular department and audit a |
| student might never have otherwise been | | | | class or two. This may require an |
| accepted! | | | | overnight, giving the student a greater |
| It's anyone's guess how many other | | | | opportunity to check out the dorm. |
| schools enrich their coffers in this | | | | These are some college selection |
| deceitful, unprincipled manner. Duke has | | | | websites I recommend: |
| even been brazenly open about this | | | | - For alternative criteria go to or |
| policy, and I find it curious that | | | | call 617-864-4810. They have a list of |
| shortly after reaching their $2 billion | | | | some 300 schools that apply |
| fund raising goal in 2003, they reduced | | | | non-traditional guidelines in the |
| their freshman acceptance percentage | | | | Admissions Process. |