CMH College Consulting

I regularly read Bob Morse's Blog on US News. Recently, he posted "Which Schools Are A+ for B Students? October 08, 2009 12:46 PM ET | Robert Morse". On first site, it appears to have the possibility of a good read. However, I was turned off by the first sentence which reads, "What do you do if you are a high school student with less-than-dazzling grades and SAT/ACT test scores and you still want to go to a very good school?" Seriously, can someone please tell me when getting all B's became "less than stellar"? As a credentialed and experienced educator, I find this to be offensive. We need to stop insisting that all students have A's. Or worse, having less than straight A's makes you "less than stellar". Grading scales are set to distinguish between excellent, above average, average, below average, and not meeting expectations. When everyone earns A's, what then becomes the basis of average? While attending a top tier ...

Many student's wait until the Spring of their junior year and even the fall of their senior year to begin taking their SAT's and ACT's. However, the beginning of junior year is the perfect time to make your standardized test schedule, particularly if the schools you are applying to require Subject Area exams (SAT II's). It is important to note that Subject Area exams can NOT be taken on the same day as the regular SAT, thus you must make sure you have time to get both exams in. Also, SAT II' are not offered as often as the regular SAT, so make sure you keep that in mind when scheduling your tests. As a rule of thumb, SAT II's are best taken after an advanced course such as honors or preferably an AP course. Also, Ivy Leagues schools require 3 SAT II's.

Fall is a great time for rising juniors, as well as rising sophomores, to begin thinking about college visits. With the hectic academic and extra-curricular load students are carrying, it is no longer possible to do all your college visits the summer before senior year. Students should begin taking advantage of Open House's and College Fair's in order to start putting together their potential college list. When applying to a college, many schools ask if you have visited the campus. Replying "yes" sends the message that you are indeed interested in the school and not just applying as a fall back. It is important to remember that the school you chose will be where you spend 8 months out of the year. Taking into account distance from home, cost of travel, climate, & residence status are helpful in choosing your college. Make sure that this is a school that not only meets your major interest, but look to see that the school offers areas that you are also interes...

The PSAT is just around the corner - October 14th to be exact. So, what is the PSAT, who should take it and why? "The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program cosponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It's a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT®. It also gives you a chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools (CollegeBoard, http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html)." While 9th and 10th grade students are encouraged to take the test for practice, the only year that "counts" is the 11th grade. The test is given once nationally and students must register for it. Although the test's most commonly known purpose is for the awarding of National Merit Scholarship's, it really has several benefits for all students. The biggest advantage of taking the test is to provide a baseline i...

It's hard to believe that college deadlines are already approaching. When determining when to submit your applications there are a few things to remember: First, check to see whether a college has Early Action or Early Decision. Make sure you understand whether the school's policy is binding or has restrictions. Most Early Decision's require you to commit to the school if you are admitted. This means you must also withdraw all other applications. Early Action means that you are in an early round, however, depending on the school, you may be restricted to how many Early Action school's you can apply to. Second, make sure that you have completed all the required testing and acquired all the appropriate paperwork necessary to meet each decision deadline. If you still need to take the SAT in Nov or Jan, an Early Action or Decision is probably not the best plan. The same logic applies if you are counting on your senior year grades to boost your GPA. Finally, don't ...

As students begin to complete their college applications, the question of how many schools to apply to always comes up. While there is no magical number to guarantee acceptance, several rules of thumb come to mind: When applying to college, make sure you have visited the school, after all, this is where you will live for the next 4 years. If you really can't make it to the school, make sure you have thoroughly researched the school's web site as well as researched the surrounding area. Ask questions of people that have attended the school. Make contacts and communicate regularly with admissions staff. Don't apply to a school that you KNOW you won't attend; this is a waste of good time and money. This is not what is meant as a safety school. A "safety" school is not a guarantee. Instead, a "safety" school is one that you would be happy to attend, although not necessarily your first choice. This is a school that you are above, or at the top end of...

The 2009-2010 Common application went live on July 1. While summer is a great time to relax and do those things you didn't have time for during the school year, it's also a time to get ahead of the college application process. Looking forward to senior year, most students are carrying a heavy load. Class work and activities will quickly dominate your life again. Now is the time to make sure that you at least complete the basic information sections on your applications before the rush of the new school. Take time to gather your material and focus on doing a thorough job of completing and answering all the questions on your applications. The more you can do now, the less stress you will have in the fall!