MATCHPOINT
COLLEGE NEWS
A newsletter to keep you informed on college admissions.
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Greetings!
As the calendar quickly counts down to the November 1st deadlines, our seniors are putting the finishing touches on their essays and applications. It's exciting to see that so many of our students have already hit "submit" and are enjoying their senior year!
To the parents with students who are still working hard on polishing essays, applications, and supplements, we hope you see the light at the end of the tunnel-you're almost there! We are so impressed with the hard work we have seen over the past several months. Your students' essays have been insightful, entertaining, and compelling. You should all be very proud.
While we continue shepherding the class of 2019 through the end of the application process, we are enjoying working with our large class of 2020 (and 2021) students to help them map out their testing strategies, resume building, and preliminary college lists. We love getting to know each of these students' personalities and goals as we work with them through our step-by-step process. It's always interesting to see how students change and grow during their high school years, and we are here to support them and help guide them along the way. Can you believe that a year from now, we'll be celebrating with the class of 2020 as they hit "submit" on their applications?
Please know that we are grateful to be a part of your family's college journey. Thank you for referring us to your family and friends, and if you know a student who wants to work with us, please reach out as soon as possible.
Lisa Bain Carlton, Bob Carlton & the College MatchPoint team
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The
i4
Model: How It Can Shape
Your Student's High School Journey
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Our first Designing Your Year workshop was a huge success, with more than 60 students and parents engaged for over two hours on a rainy Saturday morning. If you weren't able to make the workshop, we've created a
summary of the event and list of tools
for you to review. A core focus of the workshop was engaging students in planning four components which colleges will evaluate their application: interest, involvement, initiative, and impact. We call it the
i4
model.
By having them dig into their interests (what energizes them), involvement (where they get engaged), initiative (where they step in), and impact (how they make a difference), students are able to see where they shine while also identifying gaps in their application strength. They shared ideas with their peers and, in the end, students were able to
create a plan
for new things they'd try this year-a promise to themselves to experiment with classes, activities, and projects they may have otherwise shied away from.
Of course, as your student tries new things, it's also important to avoid spreading themselves too thin. Students shouldn't select activities just because they might "look good" on a resume or application. Admissions committees can see right through shallow involvement-they want authentic engagement. Read our article "Colleges Love Activities (And You Should, Too)" for more insight into how to be sure your student's involvement in activities is meaningful.
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Changes In Admit Rates Impact Your Student's Application Possibilities
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We aren't passing along this information to worry you. Instead, we want to be sure your students understand that some colleges that have historically been target schools may now be reach schools.
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Why Your High School Student Needs a Growth Mindset
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Developing a growth mindset is an important life skill, but it's particularly valuable as your student navigates the college planning & application process. It can encourage them to try challenging classes they may have overlooked; it can help them stay motivated in academic situations that might otherwise be demoralizing; it can inspire them to join new clubs and groups that they otherwise may not have felt suited for. All of these things will help their college application shine-and, of course, they'll have a great story to tell in their essay. In our blog post "Why Your High School Student Needs a Growth Mindset," we describe various ways you can model and foster a growth mindset for your student, like being explicit in your communication and challenging stereotypes. |
There's A Hidden Gem College In Every State
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California, Florida and Maine have more in common than beautiful coastlines. Each of these states also has a college or university that has been dubbed a "hidden gem": a smaller school (fewer than 7,000 undergraduate students) that offers competitive academic opportunities but may get overlooked because of its size. College Raptor has identified one hidden gem college for each state in the country. It's worth perusing the list-you never know what might catch your student's eye. No matter your student's prefered geographic location, this list can open them up to new options for their college list. Want to dig deeper on some of these schools? We have a college spotlight for Hendrix College in in Arkansas and Rhodes College in Tennessee.
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I Took The PSAT-Now What?
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Last week, millions of high school sophomores and juniors took the PSAT. Most students and families are wondering: Now What ? For many juniors, this can serve as the first milestone in navigating the college planning process. The PSAT experience helps juniors decide whether to take the ACT or SAT when it comes time for the official college entrance test. Our colleagues at Compass have done some great analysis of how to use a PSAT score to determine which test to prep for. For students qualify for extended time for testing, we've compiled "10 Tips for Testing With Extended Time."
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Having the College Cost Talk With Your Junior
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Financial aid isn't just a topic of conversation for seniors. In fact, if you start the "money talk" early, your student will be able to build a more realistic college list. We've put together this article, "3 College Cost Topics To Discuss With Your Junior," to help you break the ice and make sure the conversations run smoothly. We encourage families to start by using this calculator to estimate how much your family will be expected to contribute for the year. |
Register Now for Summer 2019 Planning Workshop
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Outside, it may feel like fall 2018 has begun, but now is still the perfect time to look ahead to 2019 and start exploring summer activities and opportunities. Join College MatchPoint on Saturday, January 12, 2019 for our Planning for Summer 2019 Workshop, an interactive session which will explore how to set goals for summer activities, how to research summer options, and most importantly, how to decide which summer activities are right for you. The workshop will break out into two tracks - one for students, the other for parents. Space is limited, so register now.
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Choosing A College Major With A Grain Of Salt
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For many juniors, fall is the time to begin thinking about what their college major will be. This is particularly important for students planning to apply to UT, since the application will be reviewed through the lens of the first-choice major. To help you and your student as you begin thinking about that big decision, we've put together
"5 Things To Consider When Choosing A College Major,"
which includes everything from your student's personality to their penchant for certain types of classes.
As your student thinks about their major, be sure they remember: "Your College Major Does Not Define Your Career." While certain majors are all but necessary for some careers-think computer science or engineering, employers consistently value skills and competencies over majors. Take a look at these top 25 in-demand skills, which high school students can be developing before they apply for college.
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Navigating Financial Aid For Students and Parents Alike
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Financial aid is complex, and it can feel overwhelming for students and parents alike. Unlike other parts of the application process where you may feel confident giving your students guidance, financial aid can trip up even the most prepared parents.
One last thing to remember: your student can boost their financial aid package by considering merit aid options. You can see updated data on schools' merit aid here. Just be sure you keep merit scholarship deadlines in mind-some of them are coming up as early as the middle of October. |
Test Date
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Registration Deadline
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October 27 |
September 22 |
December 8
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November 2
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February 9, 2019
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January 11, 2019
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April 13
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March 8
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June 8
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May 3
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July 13
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June 14
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Test Date
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Registration Deadline
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December 1
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November 2
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March 9, 2019
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February 8, 2019
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May 4
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April 5
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June 1
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May 3
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