Quick Links:          Feature Articles          Advice & How-To's          Meet the Deans

A Pathway to College: A Letter from First Lady Michelle Obama

s you prepare to apply to colleges, I want to congratulate you on all of the hard work and hope it took to get to this point and to encourage you to bring that same tenacity and optimism to this very special moment in your life.

     Know that you are not taking this journey alone. Family, friends, teachers, coaches, and mentors will always be there to provide the guidance and advice you need. And there are millions of other people who have traveled this journey..... Read More

Why Should I go to College?

ne big question: Why do you go to college? Because you were finally pushed out of high school and found yourself with four free years? Yes, that is certainly a basic part of your motivation. However, you also go because your parents keep saying to you, “There is nothing more important than a college degree. Without it, you will end up playing the saxophone in a bus station. No, that’s not true. Playing a saxophone in a bus station calls for talent. Without it, you’ll be sweeping up there..... Read More

Helping Yourself and Your Community Through Education

f you are reading this article, you have a unique opportunity, and I challenge you to accept it – to participate in a very special program – a program that may very well change the direction of your life. Your decision about whether to accept this challenge could have far reaching effects on the quality of your life, your family, your tribe, and perhaps society overall.

      The purpose of College Outreach USA is to help identify ..... Read More

Persistence is the Key to Your Future

ersistence. Let me tell you, it’s a great thing. In fact, if it weren’t for persistence, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
     Imagine dreaming of becoming a network news correspondent, when you are a shy, insecure college student. That was I. I was so insecure. In fact, I struggled for courage just to take the typing test I needed to get into my first journalism class. I barely had the courage to submit stories to the college paper. I was definitely not..... Read More

Taking Charge Through Education

ach of us, at some point in our lives, is forced to deal with challenge. It would be nice if life were easy, if our futures were certain, and if the road ahead were laid out before us, but this is not the case.
    When I was nine, I encountered my first real life challenge. I was uprooted from New York and moved to Puerto Rico. Although we were a bilingual household, I was now forced to speak only Spanish, in school as well as at..... Read More

o you’re thinking about going to college? That’s great! A good education is important. But what’s even more important is going to the right college, one where you’ll be happy and successful. Today, more minority students than ever before are pursuing higher education. That means there’s a college out there for you, too. It might be right around the corner, or it might be halfway across the country. It could very well be one of those described in this magazine..... Read More

ome people just know they want to go to college from the time they start kindergarten. Others don’t decide for quite a while. Either way, it is better to be prepared, to keep your options open. Consider carefully what you would like to do after high school and what you want to accomplish in life, then ask your school or career counselor for the best way to get there. These are big questions; but you don’t have to have all of the answers now. You only need to prepare yourself as well as possible ..... Read More

he sooner you start searching for money for college, the better off you’ll be. Many awards have early deadlines, so don’t procrastinate.
     There are three main sources of financial aid for college, namely the government, the colleges themselves, and the private sector.
    To apply for federal and state aid, you need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can obtain a copy from your..... Read More

he college admission process – getting in – begins the minute you start making your first choices in course selection and in extracurricular activities in middle school and high school. These initial and ongoing decisions are crucial to your future well-being. They lay the groundwork for the curriculum you will follow throughout your high school career; they are not easily reversed. These are the decisions that will allow you to present yourself well to the colleges of your choice..... Read More

here is a myth prevalent among college-bound students throughout the country that the best way to gain entrance to selective colleges is to be well- rounded. This term usually refers to students who have earned good grades in high school (B+ or better) and participated in a wide range of extracurricular activities.
    However, most admission officers at the selective colleges prefer applications from candidates they term “angular” – students..... Read More

he application form differs from college to college, with the exception of those colleges that use the Common Application.  Today most colleges encourage you to use an online application.  If you need to submit a paper application, you may print one from an online PDF or have one sent to you.  When you start to work, be sure to note all deadlines, follow all directions, and fill out the personal and geographical data with accurate facts. You should be especially careful that your e-mail ..... Read More

he interview is a contrived situation that few people enjoy, of which many people misunderstand the value, and about which everyone is apprehensive.  However, no information from a college website, no friend’s friend, no high school guidance counselor’s comments, and no parental remembrances from bygone days can surpass the value of your college campus visit and interview. This first hand opportunity to assess your future alma mater will confirm or contradict other ...... Read More

inding and applying to the best colleges for you is not supposed to be easy, but it can be fun. Parents, guidance counselors, and teachers are there to help you, so don’t struggle alone. Keep your sense of humor and a smile on your face as you go about researching, exploring, and discovering your ideal college.

    1.  Caliber of School Programs:  Is the college known for its English department or  

         chemistry department?  What are its strengths?..... Read More

o the colleges read the essays you write on their applications?  You bet your diploma they do.  Here is your chance to strut your stuff, stand up, be counted, and stylize your way into the hearts of the decision makers.

     Write it, edit it, review it.  Rewrite it.  Show why you are unique and how the college will benefit from having you in its student body.  This is not a routine homework assignment, but a college level essay that will be carefully examined..... Read More

Harvard - Bill Fitzsimmons

ollege admission - the chance to position oneself for "success" through the acquisition of the "right" college degree - looms large for increasing numbers of high school students. Particularly because selective colleges are perceived to be one of the destinations on the road to success, we want to do everything possible to help the students we enroll make the most of their opportunities....... Read More

Northeastern University - Ronne' P. Turner

re you interested in designing a new water supply system in a Honduran Village? How about working with a Wall Street broker, writing for a major newspaper or conducting laboratory research on cancer fighting drugs?  

      How about doing all this as a college student? 

      If this sounds exciting then you should consider..... Read More

University of Michigan - Ted Spencer

hen you begin thinking about attending college, there are several things you should consider. You must weigh the benefits of attending college, and also understand the academic preparation needed to get into your first choice college. Then you should identify the characteristics that are most important to you in attempting to narrow your college choice list..... Read More

Washington & Lee - Bill Hartog

oung people today have big dreams. They dream of  making a better life for themselves than their parents did before them. They dream of making a name for themselves in the fields of science, politics, literature, business and law.  They dream of a life filled with opportunities and options. Often, those dreams start with going to college and earning a degree. For those ready to take that first..... Read More