Lessons Learned from Successful College Applicants

By observing students in the high school class of 2023 preparing to submit their college applications, there are many lessons to be learned by those who will be following in their footsteps. 

Don’t procrastinate.  Since students are allowed to submit their highest SAT test scores on college applications, those who started taking the test early in their high school years enjoyed a significant advantage. Even though many colleges went “test optional,” they will obviously admit – and award scholarship money to – the most impressive applicants.

 

Identify a “passion project.” Colleges are not seeking Renaissance people who are mediocre at a multitude of activities. They are attracted to students who demonstrate expertise in a specific activity, in any field. Students should identify their field of passion, and then aim for an impressive accomplishment. Students I’ve recently worked with, who have gained acceptance to elite universities, highlighted passion projects such as creating an award-winning app, interning at a prestigious medical lab, and becoming accomplished on the French horn.

New Jersey Students’ Favorite Colleges

New Jersey is known for its “brain drain” – with about 30,000 high school graduates heading out of state for college each year, leaving behind about 25,000 to attend in-state colleges and universities, according to Federal data. 

Where do migrating students go? The Chronicle of Higher Education found that the majority of students are attracted to schools in nearby states. The University of Delaware is always high on the list. In neighboring Pennsylvania, students are attracted to a host of universities: Penn State, Drexel, Villanova, Temple, St. Joseph’s, and Lehigh.  

 

New York is also a popular college destination, with New Jersey students particularly attracted to New York University (NYU) and Syracuse University.

College Tuition Discount Opportunities

The fact that more than 40 million former college students are deep in debt – averaging about $37,000 each – is well publicized.  But this does not need to be the future of high school students seeking to choose a college for the next step of their academic journey.  The key is to do careful research ahead of time, and identify the affordable options available, in order to make a wise financial decision. 

Drexel University, based in Philadelphia, PA, has recently announced a 50% tuition discount for students who have earned an associate’s degree from a community college in Pennsylvania or New Jersey.  Drexel’s current tuition is $56,595.  The tuition break goes into effect in 2023, and students would have to maintain a GPA of 2.0.

 

Closer to home, Rutgers University reports that 71% of first-year students receive financial aid offers ranging from $500 to $65,000.  As of last year, Rutgers instituted an income-based tuition discount program.  Students from families with annual incomes of $65,000 or less are not charged for tuition or fees.  Families in the next income bracket, earning up to $80,000, pay no more than $3,000 a year. Families earning up to $100,000 pay no more than $5,000.  This program does not cover room and board, but provides an attractive option for students willing to commute to one of Rutgers’ campuses in New Brunswick, Newark or Camden.

The Valuable Role of a Private College Counselor

High school guidance counselors are the first resource of college bound students who need advice on so many topics:  how to prepare for the PSAT and SAT, how to identify best-fit colleges, how to assess the likelihood of being accepted by a particular college, how to write an effective essay, and how to file successful college applications.  

While high school counselors typically address all these issues with college bound students, they are often stretched very thin. The average student-to-counselor ratio in New Jersey is 337 to 1, according to the latest statistics of the American School Counselor Association.  (The national average is 470 to 1.) To make matters worse, public high school counselors, with a multitude of other responsibilities, reportedly spend only 23% of their time on college admission counseling with the average student receiving 38 minutes of personal college counseling over four years.  

 

Students desiring more personalized attention are increasingly more likely to seek the services of an independent college advisor.  Data from the Independent Educational Consultant Association (IECA) shows a 400 percent increase in the number of independent educational consultants, nationwide, since 2005.  The IECA also reported that about 26 percent of high achieving students (those who scored at least 1150 out of 1600 on the SAT) “admit” to hiring a private college consultant. Many families choose to keep this assistance a private matter.

Inflation Is Hiking College Tuition Costs

College tuition has joined the list of expenses that are rising and attributed to inflation. 

Many colleges kept their tuition flat over the past couple of years as the world of academia struggled through COVID, closing dorms and resorting to remote learning.  But with inflation at a 40 year high, colleges are joining the long list of entities that are passing on their increased cost of doing business.  

 

According to statistics provided by Money, Penn State trustees approved a 5% tuition increase for in-state students at its flagship campus – University Park – to go into effect this fall. Boston University approved a 4.25% tuition hike, its largest in 14 years. Syracuse University voted in a 4.5% tuition increase, and University of Southern California (USC) raised its tuition by 5%.

 

Even at colleges where tuition is remaining stable, students and parents may feel the economic pinch.  Student fees may increase significantly at state universities which are subject to a tuition cap. Also, out-of-state, international, and graduate students may face a tuition hike, even at universities with in-state tuition caps.