As someone who cannot resist laughing (loudly) at her own jokes, I regret to inform you of the following truth: Cute and funny does not cut it when it comes to getting in to college!

If you're drawing tips from Legally Blonde or any of the National Lampoon movies- stop and rewind now! Perfumed stationery and confessions of hilarious pranks are not going to translate well to an admissions committee that is trying to determine how you are going to positively contribute to their campus for the next four years. Remember my previous blog post “Get Up Close and Personal for a Great Essay”? The purpose of your college essay is to show admissions that you are an applicant with character and life experiences that have prepared you to become a successful graduate of their institution.

Andrew Flagel, Dean of Admissions at George Mason University, wrote a great blog article entitled “College Admission Essays: Can Funny Get You an Admission” with horror stories of applicant essays gone wrong- the culprit: a misguided sense of humor. 

Truth: It is easy to fall into this mindset as many large colleges do offer a wide range of courses and majors. However, if you’re really uncertain about your major, you should look for a college that offers the core classes first. Often times a large college might not be the fit for you.

Talking with an academic advisor can really help you nail down specific career paths of interest to you. Regardless of the college’s size, keep in mind that different colleges have vastly different career counseling programs, so it makes sense to talk to the academic advisement department when you visit a college that interests you. On the other hand, at some colleges, faculty members do all the advising. Still other colleges use a combination of the two. Regardless of what kind of advising your college of choice may offer, strong advising can help you explore your options and give you direction when locating the major that fits you.

If you don’t know what you want to major in before enrolling in college, focus on your core classes first. Regardless of a college’s size, focusing on core classes allows offers college students a chance to explore many career options, while still meeting the requirements needed to graduate. This is an excellent way to see what various career fields are like without wasting time or credits doing so. Keep in mind that at most colleges, the degree programs have classes students must take in order to obtain a major, so you have an opportunity to see what the career field is like before declaring your major. 

Do your homework before you declare.

• According to Miami University student, Emily Stewart, there are several things you can do to begin finding a major that fits you. From making lists to reviewing informational packets from various majors within the college, Stewart offers some helpful tips to begin the search.


• From choosing a major in a field you’re not interested in to selecting a career path only because of it’s earning potential, here’s a list of 13 mistakes students make when selecting a major.
  
  
• Finding it hard to even being thinking about choosing a major? This video from offers you some advice on what to do during the first two years of college. Check out these tips on choosing a major while in college.
  
  
• If you’re wondering what major would be the best fit for you, Scholarships.com offers an extensive list of questions to get you started. Check out this list of factors to considering when choosing a major.

Truth: It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement that you have qualified for financial aid at the college of your choice. Keep in mind you still have many options to choose from within the letter. It makes sense to take a careful look at exactly what is being offered.  

Take Your Time

While you should keep in mind the acceptance deadline, you need to sit down with your family to ensure you understand exactly what is being offered before you accept the terms. In some cases, you may feel that you haven’t had enough time to review the package before the deadline. Some schools will extend their acceptance deadlines. You will just have to ask for an extension.  

Realize You Have Options

Next, keep in mind that you do have options once you receive notification. You can accept the total amount awarded, you can claim a portion of the financial aid or you can choose not to accept any of the financial aid that’s offered. In fact, your financial aid package may include a variety of different types of financial aid sources.

Your letter may be broken down and awarded in areas like:

• Scholarships
• Grants
• Work/Study programs
• Loans

Here’s an example of what your letter may look like.

FAQs about FAFSA

While looking over your letter, some questions might arise. Use these helpful tools as you begin your review. 

The total amount awarded to me is less than I need.

According to an article that was published by The Wall Street Journal,

“If you get less aid than you need, you do have other options. The government sets strict formulas for the distribution of federal student aid, but also allows aid officers latitude in assessing special circumstances.” 

Check out this blog post from My College Options that discusses other ways to get more money for college.

There’s a ton of information within the letter. How do I make sense of it all?

Learn more about what your award letter may include and how to understand the information it provides. 
 

I received multiple letters. Now what do I do?

If you have received multiple financial aid rewards at different colleges, here’s a tool to compare and see which makes the most sense from a financial perspective.

Truth: Did you know that community colleges were actually established to make the first two years of a four-year college more affordable? What’s more, going to a community college can be an excellent way to lay the general education groundwork before entering a four-year university.

Like with any major decision, choosing the college that’s right for you means you need to weigh both the positives and negatives of your decision. Discover some of the pros and cons of attending a community college. 

Teachers Are Focused On You Succeeding:

According to George R. Boggs president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges and former president of Palomar College (a two-year college in California), 

“Community college classes are taught by faculty who care about teaching and student learning, not by teaching assistants. The faculty members are fully committed to teaching and are not pulled away by research interests or the need to publish in order to get tenure. And community colleges are accredited by the same agencies that accredit major universities.” 

Affordability:

Most students select community colleges because they cost much less than a four-year university. It’s not uncommon for students who start at a four-year college to struggle paying off their student loans, what’s more, they often aren’t able to purchase things they need like a computer or even an apartment. Take a look at how you might be able to save thousands by attending a community college first.

Hands On Training, Not Just Lectures:

Students often comment that the professors are totally focused on helping you succeed in the career you wish to pursue.  Many students, like those at the Bronx Community College,  find themselves learning more by the hands-on approach community colleges offer. Since class sizes are smaller, the one–on-one teacher/student interaction allows students to fully understand a concept from more than just a textbook description. For instance, students often feel more comfortable asking questons because the classroom sizes are small and that means questions which would have often not been asked, get properly addressed.

Check out how this hands-on training approach is filling a need in a Florida community

Smaller Course Selection:

Two-year community colleges are a great place to gather your general education requirements before you head off to a four-year school. Many community colleges have limited class offerings, so if you don’t see classes in the area you wish to major, keep in mind a community college can still be an affordable way to get your general education courses out of the way . 

Transferring Credits Isn’t Always Easy:

Transferring credits from a two-year school to a four-year school can be done, regardless of what you might hear. If you decide that you want to complete your bachelor’s degree, you should research which classes will transfer to the school you plan to attend. Have a discussion with your community college adviser and a representative from the four-year institution to determine what classes will transfer. Learn more about transferring from the blog, Confessions of a Community College Dean. 

Still not sure which school is right for you? Begin your search at MyCollegeOptions.org

Have more questions about community colleges? We’d like to hear your comments!

Truth: Many colleges, even the elite ones, aren’t always interested in your intellectual development. Instead of emphasizing personal instruction and relationship-building between faculty and students, large research institutions and Ivy League schools often pressure their professors to conduct time-consuming research projects and to publish their findings in academic journals. The incentive is twofold. First, the university receives recognition for the quality of research produced, but second, it also receives financial rewards in the form of grants from government and non-profit foundations, which often award professors stipends for future projects on the basis of articles they've had printed in peer-reviewed publications.

So what can you do, before you apply to a college, to ensure that your education won't come second to the school's other priorities?

Here are some tips on finding a college that values undergraduate academics.

1. Less is more.

When a professor has a small number of students, he/she is able to spend more time interacting individually with each student. With small class sizes professors/instructors are able to tailor their programs to the needs within the classroom. They often don’t have to teach in generalities because the group is over 200 people and might not grasp the concept. Some universities tout low student-faculty ratios, but keep in mind that at places like Harvard, they may be counting graduate students and part-time instructors as "faculty". That means that small classes aren't being taught by professors but by people in their third or fourth years of Ph.D programs. Look not to the advertised student-faculty ratios but to overall campus enrollment. Here’s a blog post on the benefits of going to a small liberal arts college.

2. Consider how (and what) you learn best.

Many colleges offer hands-on training where students are able to work in the field of their choice before graduating. Other schools are textbook-based and offer little on-the–job training. While this kind of school may also be dictated by the major you choose, doing research into what kind of learning environment you thrive in before you apply is a good idea.

Here are a few articles that talk about different ways many colleges approach learning:

• See how UCLA encourages students to study.
• Discover what kind of learner you are by answering just seven questions.
• Read about how some colleges are using meditation to teach college students effective concentration skills.

Students learn concepts in many different ways. If you find yourself struggling to grasp concepts in high school, it might be worth your time to note those struggles and do research as to what kind of instruction works best for you.

3. Ignore the rankings.

Many of the schools that make it to the top of the rankings are prestigious in part because of the research produced by their faculty. Thus, these insitutions often enforce stringent criteria for obtaining tenure (which essentially means a contract for a job for life). This pressures professors to publish articles and do research in hopes of promotion. If you're considering a large research university (such as UCLA or MIT), ask their admissions representatives questions about the quality of teaching and the availability of professors. Less research-oriented schools, like smaller colleges without graduate programs, may offer their students more attention.

4. It's not too early to think about post-grad resources.

Schools are financially motivated to produce successful graduates. The better off their alumni, the more they can expect in donations. Colleges that especially prioritize their students' success not only provide support for seniors to land jobs upon graduation, but offer resources like career counseling to their alumni for life. Check out how Carleton College promotes its seniors seeking jobs.

If you’re curious how the colleges on your list stack up, do your research and ask questions. Make sure the education you are looking for is actually what you receive.