Dream College: How to Help Your Child Get into the Top Schools

by Kpakpundu Ezeze

Overview

The quest for admission into a top college is an exciting journey! Dream College presents a clear roadmap to this destination. This book synthesizes Dr. Ezeze's three decades of academic advising into a user-friendly guide, detailing the path from high school, to selecting the right colleges, to the application process, to thriving as an undergraduate.

Dream College is a powerful compass to make your teen's college dreams a reality:

Writing tips demystify the college admission essay, offering step-by-step guidance from prewriting to revision. Plus 18 real admission essays are fully analyzed.

Calendars, checklists, self-evaluation tools, and scholarship resources enable students and parents to chart a purposeful course.

Financial aid resources detail need-based and merit-based scholarships from federal, state, and local programs, in addition to private monies from colleges, universities, and the corporate sector.

Individual chapters speak directly to students of color, athletes, special-needs learners, and first-generation college bound.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781932662481
Publisher:	SuperCollege LLC
Publication date:	09/01/2010
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Kpakpundu Ezeze, EdD, is the founder of Future Quest, a consulting firm that specializes in educational planning and college placement for high school students. He has been a guidance counselor, assistant dean at the University of Pennsylvania, an admissions associate at Harvard University, and the associate director of the advanced placement program at the College Board Educational Testing Service. He has written for Black Issues in Higher Education, the Journal of College Admissions, and Newsweek. He lives in Washington, DC.

Table of Contents

Introduction xv

Calendar of College and Financial Aid Events xvii

Chapter I What to Do Early in High School to Prepare for College 1

Educational Planning 2

Courses 2

College Entrance Exams 3

Extracurricular Activities 8

Community Service 9

Summer Enrichment 9

Recommendations 10

Early Financial Aid Research 11

Glossary 13

References 16

Chapter II The College Application Process 17

Section I The College Search 18

Choosing a College 19

What Qualities and Strengths Does Your Teen Bring to a College? 20

College Fairs 21

Campus Visits 22

Section II Your Teen's Application 25

What, Who and When for Regular Admission 25

The Application 26

The Process 28

The Essay 31

Essays That Work (Sample College Essays) 34

The Interview 55

Section III Special Categories 58

The Visual and Performing Arts Student 59

Glossary 62

References 64

Chapter III For Students with Disabilities 65

Defining Disability 66

The High School Years 67

Classes 67

Testing 67

Extracurricular Activities 68

Applying to College 68

Financial Aid 70

Getting Through College 70

Resources and References 72

Chapter IV The College Athlete 73

How Sports Are Organized at the College Level 75

NCAA Eligibility Rules 76

Academic Planning in High School for the College-Bound Athlete 77

Working with Your High School Counselor and Coach 78

Marketing Your Teen 81

The Recruitment Process 82

Recruiting Scouting Services 83

Certification and Non-Certification Decisions (Division I) 83

Certification Decisions and Non-Certification Decisions (Division II) 84

Early Certification (Division I) 84

Early Certification (Division II) 84

Important Points to Remember Regarding Scholarships 85

Glossary 86

References 87

Chapter V Especially for Students of Color 89

Affirmative Action and You 90

The Mystery of Admissions Committees 91

Scholastic Choices and Performance in High School 92

Achieving Competitive Scores on the SAT and ACT 93

Don't Forget about Test Prep for Your Teen 94

Parents, Be Careful Not to Accept Just Any Prep Course 95

Standardized Testing and Students of Color 95

What You Can Do 97

Fee Waivers 98

Extracurricular Activities and Community Involvement 98

Sports 98

Part-Time Jobs 99

The Application Process/Finding Scholarships 99

Private Scholarships and Your Financial Aid Package 100

The Admissions Essay 101

The Application, Checking the Box 102

Choosing the Right College for You 102

The Campus Visit: Seeing Is Believing 103

The Admissions Interview 106

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) 106

Black Students at White Schools: A Bit of History 107

Choosing a Predominantly White School 108

The Advantages and Disadvantages of HBCUs 109

References 113

Chapter VI The First-Generation College-Bound Student 115

A Message to the First-Generation College-Bound Student 117

Planning 118

Support from Home for Academics 119

Non-Academic Factors 119

Community-Based Organizations 120

Count the Dollars, Not the Pennies 120

Summer Enrichment 121

Early Financial Aid Research 121

Picking Schools 122

Packaging and Presenting 122

Paying: Financial Aid 123

Persisting Once in College 124

Working in College 125

Profiting 125

After College 126

Subgroup Trends across First-Generation College Students 127

Questions to Ask 129

References 133

Chapter VII Financial Aid 135

What Is the Financial Aid Process? 135

The PIN Number 136

The Federal Aid Application (FAFSA) 136

The Student Aid Report 137

The College Scholarship Service Application (CSS Profile) 137

The Institutional Process 138

Cost of Attendance 138

Award Letter Notifications 139

Helping Your Teen Evaluate and Negotiate the Financial Aid Award Offer 140

The Federal Financial Aid Programs 140

Scholarships and Institutional Financial Aid Programs 143

NCAA Athletics and Financial Aid 144

Other Considerations in the Financial Aid Process 145

Selective Service 145

The American Opportunity Tax Credit 146

The Lifetime Learning Credit 146

Helping Your Teen Reduce the Four-Year Cost of College 147

Glossary 149

References 151

Chapter VIII College: Getting In and Getting Through 153

Tips for Your Teen: Academic Affairs 155

Tips for Your Teen: Student Affairs 158

Glossary 164

References 165

Conclusion 167

Appendices 168

Appendix A Student Self-Evaluation for College Exploration 169

Appendix B College Applicant Profile 171

Appendix C College Information Request Letter 177

Appendix D Sample Thank-You Letter 178

Appendix E College Application Process Checklist 179

Appendix F Transcript 181

Appendix G Sample Resume 182

Appendix H Internet Scholarship Resources 183

About The Author 186

Editorial Reviews

“One of the most comprehensive college guides I have read…”
— Sharon M. Alston, Executive Director for Enrollment Management, American University

“This book will be invaluable to students and parents as they begin the quest to their ‘Dream College.’”
— Norma Paige, Guidance Counselor, Scotch Plains Fanwood High School

“Dr. Ezeze really knows the college admissions business through and through—from research to application to making college dreams come true.”
— Audrey T. Hill, Transfer Counselor/Professor, Montgomery College, Maryland

“This book empowers parents through the process.”
— Rebecca Lamb, Independent Counselor

From the Publisher