Post April 1st ... The Countdown To Making Your Final College Choice

Written by Educational Consultant, Lauren Kahn, M.A., CEO of Lone Star Ed Consulting  

It is now post April 1st and you still have not made your final decision on where to attend college next year. Perhaps, you got offered the wait list from your first choice school, but a great scholarship opportunity from your "safety" choice. Maybe, you have decided you would like to defer going to college for a year.  What to do?  No need to fret just yet. 

Please find below some helpful guidelines and blogs on how to make this life altering decision more palatable.  

March Madness Impact on College Admissions

Written by Educational Consultant, Lauren Kahn, M.A., CEO of Lone Star Ed Consulting

It is "March Madness" in NCAA College basketball and this year has been captivating in terms of the number of bracket busters, buzzer beater games, and Cinderella teams in the Sweet 16. Unfortunately, the Texas Longhorns did not come out on top after their 1 point loss to Wakeforest in round one.

So, how does this relate to college admissions? Through history from the past 30 years, college basketball teams that make the cut for the Sweet 16 may boost the number of students applying to their schools by as much as 3 percent next year, while the winner of the NCAA basketball tournament, often called "March Madness," may see a 7 percent to 8 percent jump in applications, according to a Virginia Tech researcher.

March Madness creates heightened emotions amongst college and high school students across the country. Let me take a brief moment to educate the virgin to "March Madness."

Campus Visit Guide

Provided by Lauren Kahn M.A., Educational Consultant / CEO of Lone Star Ed Consulting, LLC

Maximizing the College Campus Visit

Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors ....

What college campuses will you visit this spring break?

College Campus Visit Guide

Top 10 Ways to Test Drive a College, with Some Added Features

Brown University - Spring 2007

by: Lauren Kahn, M.A.

NOTE: If you are staying in town this spring break and live in the Austin metro area, you may want to consider attending Lone Star Ed Consulting's Essay & Resume Writing Workshop. March 15th - March 19th, 2010. For details, click here.  

Lone Star Ed Consulting will provide you the first six tips in this blog. Contact us directly if you would like to receive the remaining college campus visit tips or call us at 512-294-6608 to schedule a college planning consultation. We serve families throughout Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington DC.    

1. Timing of Your Visit - Lauren highly recommends visiting a college campus during the academic school year. Try and visit a campus while school is in full swing to get an accurate picture of everyday college life. A prime time to visit is during your high school spring break. Colleges often have spring breaks at different times. Check which schools do not overlap with your break and start your college visit planning.

College Tool Kit reports, "Although summer might be the most convenient time to make such excursions, it is the worst time to experience a college; most smaller schools are not in session, so students and classes are absent. Dorm rooms are empty and devoid of all personal touches, making it difficult to envision oneself there. Bulletin boards, usually so revealing of the cultural and social opportunities of the college, are bare. The campus grounds, on the other hand, look neater and cleaner than they will look again the entire year."

Blizzard Delays Impact the ACT Too

Reprinted by Educational Consultant, Lauren Kahn, CEO of Lone Star Ed Consulting  512-294-6608

Written by Nancy Greisemer of College Explorations

Among the casualties of the first blizzard to hit the DC area were the many ACT tests scheduled for last Saturday. Most—but not all—test locations rescheduled and posted new dates on the ACT website. They range from as early as next Saturday, February 13 to as late as February 27.

If you were supposed to take the February 6 ACT, at one of the centers closed for snow, you should be notified of the rescheduled date and given complete instructions. This process is taking time as many of the centers have been continuously closed since the original storm.