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