Photo by Craig Bares
As college application deadlines approach, parents are often called on to be essay proofreaders, guidance counselors, and even the occasional nag.
How your kids can have the best chance of getting admitted to their top college picks.
January 2006
By Kate Thorbeck
While Lugo admits that the odds of admission are slightly more favorable if a student applies early, he stresses it should be a “completely personal decision” and that an applicant is absolutely not penalized for submitting an application for the regular deadline. In fact, he says, he expects it.
St. Olaf, another school with a binding early decision program, views it a bit differently. Trulove says the program is for students who have done their homework and done it ahead of the masses. “They’ve done an overnight stay and met with St. Olaf students and faculty and are convinced this school is right for them,” he says.
In which case, Trulove encourages the early decision route, because if early admission is deferred, students have extra time to work on their application with the admissions counselor before it is considered again with the regular pool of applicants. He likens it to a good head start, but only for those who are absolutely sure St. Olaf is right for them.
Admissions: In a Nutshell
No matter where your child is at in the application process—drafting essays or scheduling preliminary campus visits—it’s important to remember that college admissions is, at the end of the day, a human process. It’s emotional, it’s inexact, and, at times, frustratingly imperfect. Use this to your advantage.
Melissa Soderberg, director of college counseling at The Breck School in Minneapolis, encourages students to determine their top choice schools not through preconceived notions, but rather by mining their intellectual passions and the real reasons for wanting a college education. This way, the process of gaining admission becomes one of mutually beneficial research and self-discovery.
| The A List Which college has the best cafeteria? The coolest gym? The greatest bookstore? We conducted an unscientific poll of student newspaper editors (and a few non-editor pals) at fourteen Minnesota colleges and universities and came up with this list of below-the-radar favorites.
—Angie Scholl Coolest Librarians
Carleton College. Their librarians even have their own trading cards. Healthiest Campus to Watch The OC
Minnesota State University, Mankato. The exercise machines in the new Otto Recreation Center are wired for TV watching, DVD viewing, e-mailing, instant messaging, and Internet surfing. Best Alumni Tradition
For more than ninety years, the grads of Concordia College in Moorhead have identified fellow alumni and alumnae by their gold and ruby “cobber” rings. Best Bookstore to Cash in on Mom and Dad’s Sympathy Bucks
St. Cloud State University. The bookstore’s clothing selection could keep you outfitted for months. Best Campus to Bike to Class
Macalester College. MacBike club will fix your two-wheeler for free. They also lend out bikes gratis on Fridays. Second-Best Campus to Bike to Class
Carleton College. Yellow bikes are propped around campus, just waiting for dawdlers. Best Campus to Expand Your circle of Friends
Metropolitan State University, which has arguably the most diverse student body in the state. Coolest Swimming Hole
University of Minnesota–Duluth. It’s located on Lake Superior, where the water is icy and the scenery beautiful. Try your hand at freshwater surfing! Campus with the Most Picturesque Photo-Ops
St. Mary’s University–Winona, where the bluffs provide year-round eye candy. Best Campus to Save Your Pizza Money
St. Olaf College. The Princeton Review has ranked its campus cafeteria third in the nation. Best Campus or Trekkies
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities. The Anderson Library houses all of the Star Trek scripts. Rock on, Spock. Best Campus to Cure Your Clay Jolly Green Giant
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University, home to the country’s largest wood-burning kiln. Best Campus Landmark
Twigonometry, a sculpture made of invasive plant species, located on the north end of Carleton College’s Bald Spot, a tree-ringed city block of grass that is its own landmark. Top Presidential Bragging Rights
Augsburg College. The nine-time NCAA Division III champion wrestling team was honored at the White House in October. |
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