Creating the Acceptable College Applicant

America's colleges and universities no longer have enough room to accommodate all the qualified students who apply. As a result, schools are forced to reject far more applicants than they accept. The goal of admissions committees is to weed out the qualified masses and fill their halls with resourceful, well-rounded acceptable students. In today's highly competitive college admissions process, knowing how to present a student to be acceptable not only substantially increases the chances of being admitted, but is an essential factor for success after college.

No one knows exactly how every school goes about the acceptance and elimination process, and no two schools follow exactly the same guidelines. However, it's safe to assume that they go about their arduous task something like this:

First, the admissions committee assembles around a large conference table. Everyone is handed a huge pile of folders containing student transcripts, applications, essays, and countless letters of recommendations. No more than 15 to 20 minutes is likely spent on any one applicant! They then begin to eliminate unqualified students ? those deficient in the numbers.

Next, they look for professionally prepared applications with thought provoking, interesting, and grammatically flawless essays. They are most impressed with student resumes dating back ten years, detailing academic life, extra curricular activities including community service hours, and a cleverly written special essay, perhaps entitled, "Why I Must Attend The University of?" Admissions committees are ever on the alert for uniquely talented students in the arts, or those having demonstrated exceptional athletic potential. These factors all weigh heavily in the final decision.

You cannot give birth to an acceptable student, nor can you adopt one, and I've never seen one listed in any mail order catalogue I've ever read. Acceptable students are made, not born, by families determined to see their children successful in life. To create one; to insure pre-high schoolers have every possible advantage to succeed and go on to their college of choice, the stage must be set early in preparation for the high school years.

If the student's home is a circus, and not conducive to studying, it's time for some major changes. Students must have access to a comfortable place to study with virtually no distractions. A bare minimum of 1½ to 2 hours each night should be devoted to schoolwork, and students should maintain a normal daily routine including a healthy diet and eight hours of sleep.

Ideally, college-bound students should not be left alone without supervision for long periods of time, certainly no longer than 24 hours! They should not spend more than 15 hours each week on non-academic activities, and would be ill-advised to regularly burn the midnight oil. The benefits of a good night's rest cannot be overstated.

All students should begin by electing to take courses with college in mind. By the time they enter the 12th grade, they will have created the right posture to make admission committees stand up and take notice.

Four years of the core subjects are what all colleges are most interested in, unless the student has a special ability as an athlete, vocalist, musician, or artist. English, Math, a Foreign Language, Science and History make up the core Grade Point Average (GPA) or CGPA. There is also the Honors Point Average (HPA) which includes Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Electives such as Art, Physical Education, Music and Computer Programming are of less importance and should only be taken in conjunction with the core subjects. Students should take as many Honors and AP classes as possible. The risk/reward ratio comes into play here. Colleges are looking for students who take risks and challenge themselves academically and otherwise. The bonus for earning an 'A' or 'B' or even a 'C' is that it adds extra points to the GPA and gives the student that all-important edge in admissions.

Receiving an 'A' in a non-honors class is not as impressive as earning a 'B' in an Honors or AP class. It demonstrates that the student took a risk and therefore a greater accomplishment is perceived. Admissions officers are as impressed by the challenge taken as they are with the result.

I'm certainly not suggesting that any student become stressed out by taking classes they are not capable of doing well in, or working beyond reasonable limits. However, for families with an exceptionally bright child, it is highly recommended that they take as many advanced courses as they can comfortably handle. An outstanding academic record has always been and is still the greatest bargaining chip.

Students should also pursue extracurricular activities such as clubbing, not to be confused with staying out all night partying. Membership in the Debate Club, Student Council, Key Club and the like is one of the absolute necessities to becoming a well-rounded, acceptable student. Even more beneficial, the student should hold office or take on a leadership role in as many of these clubs as possible. Leadership demonstrates taking a risk and assuming responsibility.

Even students who are super athletes need some diversity, as sports alone is not enough. Students need to avoid the impression that they are one-dimensional, and do whatever is necessary to portray themselves as multi-faceted.

Early on, students must also begin to accumulate community service or volunteer hours. However, don't confuse extracurricular activities with volunteer work. I define extracurricular activities as in-school participation. Community service takes place outside of school, i.e. scouting, working for one's house of worship, working with AIDS and/or Alzheimer's patients, seniors, hospice, involvement with the handicapped, and environmental work such as cleaning up beaches or highways.

By participating in volunteer work with financially, emotionally and/or intellectually challenged people, students demonstrate their compassion and empathy for others, and this will make them shine with admissions officers. Working with those who are less fortunate also gives the student a much broader idea of how life is outside their own environment.

Every college-bound student needs an edge in the admissions process whether they apply to Harvard or their local state college. Competition is fierce, and the painful truth is - no one really cares about any student's education except the student and their family. It would be ill-advised and unrealistic to expect any favors or kindly 'ole educators to bend over backwards to ensure the success of any student. Academic achievement is rarely an accident, and creating the acceptable student is the sole responsibility of the student and their family.

This is one of a series of articles by college admissions and financial aid expert, Reecy Aresty, based on his book, "Getting Into College And Paying For It!" For further information or to contact him, please visit www.thecollegebook.com.

For almost three decades, financial advisor & lecturer Reecy Aresty, has helped thousands of families to protect their assets, increase their wealth, and reduce their taxes. During the 1980's, he turned his attentions to the complex world of college admissions and financial aid. By the end of the decade, he was already saving his clients thousands of dollars on a college education!

He has authored, "Getting Into College And Paying For It," also available in Spanish. Filled with trade secrets and insider information, it offers solutions for high school and college families guaranteed to give students the all-important edge in admissions, and parents countless legal ways to reduce college costs.

In 2004 alone, Reecy saved families hundreds of thousands of dollars! He has become a major factor in obtaining affordable, quality educations for America's students. In doing so, he has restored the faith people used to have in one another by proving that there are still people who care, people who can be trusted, and people who actually do what they promise ? and get results!

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Google News Updated : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 06:55:22 GMT Argentine Lower House Passes Grain Export-Tax Plan (Update3) - Bloomberg Voice of America Argentine Lower House Passes Grain Export-Tax Plan (Update3) Bloomberg - 8 hours ago By Eliana Raszewski July 5 (Bloomberg) -- Argentina's lower house of congress approved the government's plan to increase taxes on exports of grains and oilseeds, risking a resumption of three months of strikes by farmers. Export Tax That Angers Farmers Advances in Argentina New York Times Argentina lawmakers approve farm export tax hike guardian.co.uk RTT News - BBC News - The Associated Press - AFP all 144 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 05 Jul 2008 22:41:30 GMT Analysis: McCain struggles to regain footing - The Associated Press The Associated Press Analysis: McCain struggles to regain footing The Associated Press - 2 hours ago WASHINGTON (AP) - John McCain calls himself an underdog. That may be an understatement. The GOP presidential candidate trails Democrat Barack Obama in polls, organization and money while trying to succeed a deeply unpopular fellow Republican in a year ... Rural voters lean to the GOP St. Joseph News-Press Neither Obama nor McCain meets Energy Party standard The State New York Times - Online Athens - Washington Post - Newsweek all 465 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 04:40:55 GMT Obama "puzzled" by Iraq comment frenzy - Reuters Washington Post Obama "puzzled" by Iraq comment frenzy Reuters - 1 hour ago By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said on Saturday his plan to end the Iraq war was unchanged and he was puzzled by the sharp reaction to his statement this week that he ... Obama struggles to thread needle on Iraq AFP Obama Refines the Blame on Iraq Miscue New York Times International Herald Tribune - Voice of America - Washington Times - New York Daily News all 1,620 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:08:23 GMT Ore. man completes flight of fancy _ in lawn chair - The Associated Press The Associated Press Ore. man completes flight of fancy _ in lawn chair The Associated Press - 1 hour ago CAMBRIDGE, Idaho (AP) - Using his trusty BB gun to help him return to Earth, a 48-year-old gas station owner flew a lawn chair rigged with helium-filled balloons more than 200 miles across the Oregon desert Saturday, landing in a field in Idaho. Video: Ore. Man Uses Balloons and a Lawn Chair to Fly AssociatedPress Believe it or not, he's lounging on air The Oregonian - OregonLive.com CNN International - BBC News - KOHD - San Jose Mercury News all 1,071 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 05:50:31 GMT Hippie Arrests Draw ACLU’s Attention - New York Times ABC News Hippie Arrests Draw ACLU’s Attention New York Times - 6 hours ago By AP CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union said on Saturday that it would investigate the actions of federal officers who had arrested five members of the Rainbow Family in western Wyoming during the group’s annual gathering. ACLU plans to investigate Rainbow Family treatment The Associated Press ACLU to investigate Rainbow Family treatment LocalNews8.com WKOW-TV.com - Billings Gazette - cbs4denver.com - Austin American-Statesman all 306 news articles Publ.Date : Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:40:38 GMT McCain Battles a Nemesis, the Teleprompter - New York Times New York Times McCain Battles a Nemesis, the Teleprompter New York Times - 7 hours ago Mary Altaffer/AP By MARK LEIBOVICH LAS VEGAS —Senator John McCain was performing relatively smoothly as he unveiled his energy plan. McCain Campaign, in Relaunch, Seeks Tighter Message Focus Wall Street Journal McCain Campaign on Obama and Iraq FOXNews The Associated Press - Washington Post - Los Angeles Times - CNN all 737 news articles Publ.Date : Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:31:52 GMT Smallest planet shrinks in size - BBC News Canada.com Smallest planet shrinks in size BBC News - Jul 4, 2008 The smallest planet in the Solar System has become even smaller, studies by the Messenger spacecraft have shown. Data from a flyby of Mercury in January 2008 show the planet has contracted by more than one mile (1.5km) in diameter over its history. First Results From Messenger's Mercury Flyby Slashdot Mercury is shrinking, NASA craft finds; a cool clue: 'lobate scarps' Los Angeles Times eFluxMedia - Baltimore Sun - Examiner.com - ChattahBox all 155 news articles Publ.Date : Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:45:26 GMT RSS For Web Pages Website Traffic Promotion

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