Class of 2023 College Admissions Rates

~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

It’s April and all the Ivies and highly competitive colleges and universities a have reported their admissions rates.  This year, has been the lowest acceptance rates for the Ivies and highly selective colleges and universities.

As more students apply to more colleges, expect the percentages to be even lower and a trickle down effect: colleges and universities which were once thought of as not competitive to be even more competitive.

Here are some of the admissions rates for Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities:

  • Boston College:  10.8%
  • Brown University:  6.6%
  • Cal Tech:  Mid-December
  • Carnegie Mellon University:  December 15
  • Columbia University:  5.1%
  • Cornell University:  10.6%
  • Dartmouth College:  7.9%
  • Duke University:  7.4%
  • Harvard University:  4.5%
  • Johns Hopkins University:  9.1%
  • MIT:  6.6%
  • New York University:  16%
  • Princeton University:  5.8%
  • Swarthmore College:  8.7%
  • University of Pennsylvania:  7.4%
  • University of Virginia:  24%
  • Yale University:  5.9%

 

Dr_Lowe_Ivy_League_Expert_Advice
Dr. Paul Lowe 

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college:  College Transfer Admissions Advisors.

The Value of High-End College Admissions

~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert ~ Leave a comment

By now many people are aware of Operation Varsity Blues. Federal prosecutors allege that William “Rick” Singer touted his knowledge of “the secret of getting into college,” becoming “the mastermind of an enormous, elaborate scheme carried out over years, brazenly paying off coaches and test monitors, faking exam scores and fabricating student biographies – all to help wealthy parents cheat their children’s way into desirable colleges.”

Hiring a high-end college admissions advisor is not illegal, unfair or unscrupulous. In the quest for success in various endeavors, parents hire, for example, music teachers to help a child nurture a musical gift. They may hire a tennis pro to help a budding tennis star. They might obtain country club memberships, where their child has access to golf pros. There may be dance lessons or voice coaches. They may hire a ship’s captain to learn the finer points of sailing or racing tall ships. There is absolutely nothing wrong with hiring a college admissions advisor/expert. There is certainly nothing unethical for charging for a service that provides a competitive advantage.

Many parents — wealthy or not — hire college admissions consultants to help their children navigate the college admissions process by assisting with applications, essays, interviews and admissions strategies. When it comes to Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities it’s par for the course to engage an expert at some level who is versed in the nuances and changes in college admissions.

Dr_Paul Lowe_Ivy_League_Admissions_Expert_Advice

Here are some of the reasons why parents hire high-end college admissions advisors:

  1. Many guidance counselors at public high schools are overwhelmed and sometimes have no expertise or time for college admissions advising. Many counselors may not even visit Ivy League and highly selective schools, not even once. My team and I visit these universities four times annually.
  2. The most elite colleges and universities now accept less than 6% of those who apply. Some schools routinely reject dozens of valedictorians and students with perfect or near-perfect scores on their SAT or ACTs. This is why, year after year, new clients always call: They hear the horror stories of wonderful students who were rejected from all their top choice colleges including what they thought were safety schools.
  3. Ivy League colleges and universities help establish meaningful and long-lasting networks that are important to facilitate future careers and social connections. Parents who call us understand the importance of networking and establishing connections. For international parents, global networking is important for their children’s success. Wealthy, upper middle-class and middle-class parents who call us understand the value of networking. They all share the same thing in common: They are concerned about their children’s future in a competitive and uncertain world.
  4. Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities are luxury educational brands that represent status, prestige, pedigree and a high ROI.
  • A study in the journal, Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, confirms parental suspicions that the best route to a top job is to attend an Ivy League school. According to Dr. Lauren Rivera, the author of the study, “Elite professional service employers rely on academic pedigree more than any other factor. Where you went to school rather than what you did there makes the difference.”
  • PayScale Inc., an online provider of global compensation data, in a survey demonstrated that an Ivy League diploma is still worth its price of admission and tuition. “An Ivy League education makes a job candidate stand out, even before a recruiter talks to them! The median starting salary for Ivy Leaguers is 32% higher than that of liberal-arts college graduates and at 10 or more years into graduates’ working lives, the spread is 34%.” Additionally, according to PayScale, the return on investment for a degree from Stanford or Princeton is about $800,000 after 20 years.
  • Dr. Robert H. Frank, an economics professor at the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, stated: “Because of the bitter competition for premium salaries, elite educational credentials are often a precondition for even landing a job interview.  Degrees from elite schools clearly open doors.”

Reputable consultants are active members of one or all of the following professional organizations: NACAC (National Association of College Admission Counseling), HECA (Higher Education Consultants Association) and/or IECA (Independent Educational Consultants Association). Each organization has some form of a Statement of Principles and Good Practice: Code of Ethics and Professional Practice and professional development programs.

I am an active member of NACAC, New York State Association of College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC), New Jersey Association of College Admission Counseling (NJACAC), HECA and International Association of College Admission Counseling (IACAC). I am also a College Community Representative for the HECA Community Representative Program, where I visit colleges to gather information and interview college officials regarding admissions policies at their institutions.

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college:  College Transfer Admissions Advisors.

Regular Decision Notification Dates: 2019

~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

It’s March 2019! That means that school seniors will begin to discovering, after all their hard work, where they will be accepted, wait-listed or rejected

Based on our research and discussions with directors of admissions, many colleges  regular admission decisions ready by March 31 or April 15.

Here are regular decision notification dates (and approximate times) for Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities:

  • Barnard College:  March 22, 2019
  • Bucknell University:  March 28, 2019
  • Brown University:  March 28, 2019
  • Carnegie Mellon University:  No later than April 15
  • Columbia University:  March 28, 2019
  • Cornell University:  March 28, 2019
  • Dartmouth University:  March 28, 2019
  • Duke University:  April 1, 2019
  • Georgetown University:  Late March
  • Georgia Institute of Technology:  March 9, 2019
  • Hamilton College:  March 20, 2019
  • Harvard University:  March 28, 2019
  • Johns Hopkins University:  March 15, 2019
  • Lehigh University:  Late March
  • MIT:  March 14, 2019 (Pi Day)
  • Northwestern University: Late March
  • Princeton University: March 28, 2019
  • Stanford University:  April 1, 2019
  • Swarthmore College: March 15, 2019
  • Tufts University:  April 1, 2019
  • University of Chicago:  Late March
  • University of Michigan: Late March
  • University of Notre Dame:  Late March
  • University of Pennsylvania:  March 28, 2019
  • University of Virginia:  Late March
  • Vanderbilt University:  April 1, 2019
  • Vassar College:  April 1, 2019
  • Villanova University:  Late March
  • Wesleyan University:  Late March
  • Yale University:  March 28, 2019

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college:  College Transfer Admissions Advisors.

Why International Families Choose Top U.S. Boarding Schools

~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

1. Top U.S. Boarding schools are most prestigious secondary schools in the world.

2. Many boarding school graduates get admitted to the prestigious universities all over the world every year, this includes universities such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, etc.

3. Students who study abroad can study for an extended period of time. Their high school diploma/certificate can then be recognized as valid in their home countries as well as other countries.

4. Students of top U.S. boarding schools live in residential houses located within the campus itself with other top students.  They can take advantage of copious campus facilities and activities and they get incorporated into the student community.

5. Students of boarding schools obtain F-1 visas that secure the same rights the American students have. They will find no obstacles in pursuing their further studies not only at prestigious American universities, but anywhere else in the world.

6. Parents want the best return on investment for children’s education.

Private_School_visits_by_Dr_Paul_Lowe

Dr. Lowe’s Private School Visits: Other independent educational consultants may depend on telephonic interviews, group speed meetings in central locations, or simply read literature and review websites and repeat it to families.  As an admissions expert, I physically visit schools and actively interact with school admissions personnel, senior administrators and students. My clients are, therefore, placed in the most appropriate school for their (and their parents’) happiness.  My approach ensures that your child will be placed in the best and most appropriate top-choice school.  By understanding, analyzing and researching a specific school’s atmosphere, vibe, rhythm, tone, color, experience, culture diversity and mission, my team and I can clearly articulate what differentiates one school from another to consumers/families.

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe.

Dr. Paul Reginald Lowe is the managing director and lead admissions expert at Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group’s  Boarding School Admissions Consultants  and affiliate of Private School Admissions Advisors.  Dr. Lowe specializes in providing exclusive concierge-type admissions advisory services for U.S. and international students who are interested in applying to top U.S. boarding and private schools.  Dr. Lowe helps U.S. and international students gain admissions into top U.S. boarding schools even after they have been wait-listed and rejected.  Dr. Lowe and his team of admissions advisors also visit prestigious and elite private schools, where they have the unique opportunity of interacting one-on-one with heads of schools, directors of admissions and senior admissions personnel.

Dr. Paul Lowe Visits Foreign Embassies

~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

In February, Dr. Lowe participated in the Washington International Education Conference located in Washington D.C.  Dr. Lowe had the opportunity to meet and network with foreign embassy officials involved with the international education community and discuss boarding school and college admissions.  He also had the opportunity to discuss the latest information on visa issuance and regulations governing international students in the United States with immigration law firms.

Dr_Paul_Lowe_Educational_Consultant_Admissions_Expert_Peoples_Republic_of_China_Yang_Xinyu_Minister_Counselor
Yang Xinyu, Minister Counselor, Embassy of People’s Republic of China with Dr. Lowe

 

Dr. Md. Amin bin Md. Taff, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia Dr Paul Lowe Educational Consultant Admissions Advisor
Dr. Md. Amin bin Md. Taff, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia with Dr. Lowe

 

Larry Oliver Jr Academic Manager Embassy of the State of Qatar, Cultural Attache Office with Dr. Lowe Educational Consultant Admissions Advisor
Larry Oliver, Jr., Academic Manager, Embassy of the State of Qatar, Cultural Attache Office with Dr. Lowe
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Saud Alessia, Cultural Attache, Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission with Dr Lowe Educational Consultant Admissions Advisor
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Saud Alessia, Cultural Attache, Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission with Dr. Lowe

During the conference, Dr. Lowe networked with embassy officials from China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Malaysia and Oman.  After the conference he also visited the Embassies of France, Germany, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Sweden and the Russian Federation.

According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, international students contributed $42.4 billion to the U.S. economy in 2017.  The continued growth in international students coming to the U.S. for education has had a significant positive economic impact on the United States. “Our College Visits and Private School Assessment/Review programs provide embassies with real-time knowledge and third-party assessments of U.S. colleges and private day and boarding schools from an independent educational consultant prospective,” said Dr. Paul Lowe, CEO and co-founder of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group and managing director of International Admissions Advisors.

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected and student who wish to transfer to another college: College Transfer Admissions Advisors.

2018 State of College Admissions Trends

~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

 

State_of_College_Admission_2018_2a

The 2018 State of College Admission report was recently released by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).  As an active member of NACAC, I have been reviewing this report that has been published over the last fifteen years.  The report is based on data collected from the U.S. Department of Education and the Higher Education Research Institute.

The State of College Admission Report provides up-to-date information on a number of issues that impact students’ transition from high school to post-secondary education, as well as the admission process for transfer students and international students attending post-secondary institutions in the United States. The report covers the recruitment strategies that colleges use to attract each group of prospective students and the process by which candidates are evaluated. The report also includes a chapter dedicated to school counseling in US secondary schools, given the integral role school counselors play in putting students on the path to post-secondary success.

Here are some interesting trends in college admissions and highlights of report:

College Applications: The increase in the number of colleges to which each student applies continues a near perfectly upward trend, which is reflected in college reports of increased application volume.  Growth in application volume continues: Between the Fall 2016 and Fall 2017 admission cycles, the number of applications from first-time freshmen increased 4 percent; applications from prospective transfer students increased by 3 percent; and international student applications increased by 8 percent, on average.  There is continued hyper-competition to Ivy League and highly selective colleges and BS/MD Programs.

Recruitment and Yield Strategies:  College admission offices use a variety of strategies to recruit prospective students, particularly those who would be likely to attend if admitted.  To recruit students, colleges use the following strategies: Email, institutional websites, hosting campus visits, outreach to parents and high school counselors, high school visits, and college fairs.  These strategies help schools attain their enrollment goals.

Factors in Admissions Decisions: The factors that admission officers use to evaluate student applications from first-time freshmen have remained largely consistent over the past 20 years. Students’ academic achievements—which include High School Curriculum, and Test Scores as Top Factors for First-Time Freshmen: The top factors in the admission decision were: overall high school GPA, grades in college preparatory courses, admission test scores, and strength of curriculum. Among the next most important factors were the essay, a student’s demonstrated interest, counselor and teacher recommendations, class rank and extracirricular activities. Admission decision factors for first-time international students are similar to those for domestic students, but the transfer admission decision process differs in significant ways.

Guidance Counseling Trends for College Admissions:  Post-secondary admission counseling is one of many functions of school counselors. On average, the time that public high school guidance counselors spend on college admissions: 21 percent, down from 26 percent in 2017. This demonstrates that high school guidance counselors are spending less time with students on college admissions.  See admissions blog: High School Guidance Counselors/College Admissions: Big Caseloads and Little Time

Student-to-Counselor Ratio: The American School Counselor Association recommends a 250-to-1 maximum student-to-counselor ratio.  New Hampshire and Vermont—had ratios below this maximum.  Data regarding the extent to which college advising is part of counselors’ job responsibilities showed the average student-to-college counselor ratio was 297-to-1.  With this ratio, it implies that high school guidance counselors have little time to provide individualized attention to students applying to college.

“Year after year, I hear the horror stories from parents whose kids got in nowhere because they thought the college admissions race was just about grades, SAT scores, their perceived  ‘unique’ applications, generic essays and perfect connections.” – Dr. Paul Lowe

“Top qualified applicants, after all their hard work (and parents’ work) and preparation deserve the best and should not settle for less.” – Dr. Paul Lowe

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected and student who wish to transfer to another college: College Transfer Admissions Advisors.

How To Choose The Right Education for Your Child

~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Dr. Paul Lowe was invited to speak at 99 Hudson Sales Gallery on “How to Choose the Right Education for Your Child”.  His seminar focused on early childhood education through high school and primarily on top/elite private school and Ivy League and highly selective college admissions. 99 Hudson Street is a premier luxury condominium complex scheduled to be completed in December 2019, developed by the world-renowned investment and development firm China Overseas America, Inc. and designed by the highly acclaimed multi-national architecture firm Perkins Eastman.

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Model of 99 Hudson

Located in Jersey City and New Jersey’s soon-to-be-tallest tower, 99 Hudson is just a four-minute PATH train ride away from the World Trade Center and also accessible to Manhattan by light rail and ferry.  The China Overseas America-developed condo building will eventually soar to 887 feet with a total of 781 units. Sales for available units range in price from $557,000 to over $3,764,000.

Edwin Blanco, the Sales Manager at 99 Hudson stated, “Being the tallest building in New Jersey, 99 Hudson’s Penthouses offer 180-degree views including One World Trade, Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. Remaining Penthouses offer at least 2300 square feet of interior space and up to 1,167 square feet of private outdoor space.”

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Dr. Lowe with Edwin Blanco, Sales Manager at 99 Hudson and seminar moderator.

Hudson 99 Jersey City Dr Paul Lowe Admissions Expert Independent Educational Consultant

View from one of the penthouses at 99 Hudson

Hudson 99 Jersey City Dr Paul Lowe Admissions Expert Independent Educational Consultant

View from one of the penthouses at 99 Hudson

The interaction between Dr. Lowe and the participants at the presentation proved to be very informative.  Expect the residents of this new luxury complex to take advantage of all the great educational resources that New Jersey has to offer.

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs. 

It’s A New Admissions Year – 2019

~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Welcome to Dr.Paul Lowe’s Admissions Expert Blog – 2019

My team and I have been visiting elite private schools, colleges, BS/MD programs, medical, law and graduate schools since late December and January.

Parents and students are constantly in the throes of the journey for:

  • Private School Admissions:  The application deadline for the top and competitive day and boarding schools was January 15th.  Admission decisions will be available online by March 9th for boarding schools.
  • College Admissions:  Early decision and action acceptances, rejection and deferred notices have been sent to students.  It’s time for high school seniors to think about what to do next regarding post-decision strategies.  Final decisions: March -April.  For high school juniors, you’ll be hearing from colleges in 12 months! For 2019, expect an increase in international student applying to Ivy League and highly selective colleges and universities.
  • Transfer Admissions:  Most applications are due in March.  Therefore, it’s time to complete applications and most importantly it’s time to complete those personal statements.  The transfer application this year has several changes!
  • BS/MD Admissions:  Competition for coveted spots is heightened based on the increased number of applicants this year.  Expect an increase in the number of rejected applicants.
  • Medical School Admissions: College juniors should begin to draft their personal statements, schedule to take their MCATs no later than May and obtain letters of recommendation.  Also, the new AAMC guidelines may affect the decision-making process considerably!
  • Law School Admissions:  Senior year – If you’re still in college, have your college Registrar submit updated transcript that reflects your Fall semester grades and
  • Graduate School Admissions:  Junior year – Start your search on graduate school programs. Once you have conducted your thorough searches for prospective institutions, make an alphabetical list of between 10 and 20 programs, regardless of what you presently know or have heard about them. Write them all down or put them on a spreadsheet. Graduate school enrollment continues to increase! Overall application volumes to graduate programs are steady and there is an expected increase from the Asia-Pacific, Canada and Europe regions.  

Each year, admissions policies and strategies change, so stay tuned for my upcoming, informative, helpful and thought-provoking admissions blogs!

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs. 

Class of 2023 Early Admissions Rates

~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Thousands of high school seniors (and their parents) have now received early decision/early action results.  Students (and their parents) who believed that was just high GPA, top SAT scores, high grades and a manufactured application and personal statement have now discovered that it’s not all about that.  This year it’s even becoming more competitive to gain admission to top college and universities.  Fortunately, all of our firm’s early action/decision all have heard positive news.

Here is a list of Early Action/Decision Acceptance Rates and the number of accepted applicants at several schools:

  • Harvard – 13.4%  |  934 out of 6,958
  • Yale – 13.2%   |  794 out of 6,020
  • Princeton – 13.9%  |  743 out of 5,335
  • Brown – 18.2%   |  769 out of 4,230
  • Dartmouth – 23.0%   |  574 out of 2,474
  • UPenn – 18.0%   |  1,279 out of 7,110
  • Cornell – 22.6%  |  1,395 out of 6,159
  • MIT – 7.4%  |  707 out of 9,600
  • Duke – 18.0%  |  882 out of 4,852
  • Johns Hopkins – 31%  |  641 out of 2,068

“Year after year, I hear the horror stories from parents whose kids got in nowhere because they thought the college admissions race was just about grades, SAT scores, their perceived  ‘unique’ applications, generic essays and perfect connections.” – Dr. Paul Lowe

“Top qualified applicants, after all their hard work (and parents’ work) and preparation deserve the best and should not settle for less.” – Dr. Paul Lowe

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected and student who wish to transfer to another college: College Transfer Admissions Advisors.

High School Guidance Counselors/College Admissions: Big Caseloads and Little Time

~ drpaulloweadmissionsexpert

Over 20 years being an admissions advisor, I receive calls from parents to retain our services for college admissions.  All of their children have guidance counselors and many are from suburban public schools in the NJ, CT NY RI and MA.  Students were applying to range of universities and BS/MD programs.

Because of the increasing competition to get into top colleges, many families feel overwhelmed and stressed by the college admissions process.  Moreover, the process can seem so complex that families may want the assistance, resources and knowledge of an expert who focuses solely on the college admissions process and who spends more time and individualized attention than guidance counselors can provide.  Many parents and students discover too late (their children receive rejection letters) in the college admissions process that they should have hired a college admissions expert.

With the heavy workload of most high school counselors, few know their students well or have the time to provide personalized attention needed in this vital process.  Public school systems burden counselors with many duties unrelated to college counseling including but not limited to, testing, scheduling, crisis counseling, social/emotional counseling, occupational counseling/job placement, etc.

Guidance_counselor_3_Overwhelmed

Consider the results of studies and sources summarized below:

  1. In a February 2015, in an op-ed piece in USA Today, former First Lady Michelle Obama, wrote eloquently: “There’s the world of the schools most of our kids attend where school counselors are too often under-valued and overstretched, and they simply don’t have what they need to do their jobs. While the American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor, the national average is one counselor for every 471 students. And often, school counselors are burdened with all kinds of unrelated responsibilities such as proctoring exams, substitute teaching, even monitoring the lunchroom. Many school counselors find themselves doing triage, juggling those duties while trying to help kids in crisis and also keep up with the latest college admissions deadlines and requirements.”
  2. The National Association for College Admission Counseling’s (NACAC) 2018 State of College Admissions reported that on average, public high school guidance counselors spend only 21 percent of their time on college admissions counseling. High school guidance counselors spend the majority of their time on school activities unrelated to college admissions.
  3. The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) survey indicated that high school guidance counselors have an average caseload of 195 to as high as 708 students making them unable to provide adequate college guidance.
  4. A National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) 2012 annual survey of school counselors also indicated that regardless of staffing, no counselor reported sufficient training in any of the areas related to college counseling.
  5. The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) compiled a report that indicated that school counselors currently serve an average of 482 students, a caseload nearly twice the recommended maximum of 250.
  6. The Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) stated: “An educational consultant brings to the family the knowledge and skills of an experienced professional coupled with a commitment to assuring the [student’s] best interests are met. Educational consultants counsel students and their families in the selection of educational programs based on the student’s individual needs and talents.”
  7. Public Agenda, a nonprofit research organization a survey that indicated that most people who graduated from high school in the past dozen years say their counselors provided little meaningful advice about college and nearly half said that their counselors made them fell “like I was just another face in the crowd”.
  8. The Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) stated: “A professional educational consultant works one-on-one with each student, helping to identify colleges and universities that offer the best matches for the student’s unique needs, and keeping the student on track through every phase of the college application process.”

“Top qualified applicants, after all their hard work (and parents’ work) and preparation deserve the best and should not settle for less” – Dr. Paul Lowe

“Admissions is a competitive sport!  Why gamble with uncertainty?” – Dr. Paul Lowe

Paul Reginald Lowe, founder and managing director of Pinnacle Educational Center Admissions Advisors Group, provides comprehensive counseling advice, exclusively for admissions to top private schools; Ivy League and highly-selective colleges/universities; BS/MD programs; graduate and medical schools and top visual and performing arts programs.   The admissions affiliate: Ivy League Admissions Advisors specializes in admissions to Ivy League and highly selective colleges,  Dr. Lowe also specializes in helping students who have been wait-listed, deferred or rejected gain admission into their top-choice schools: College Application Rejected. and student who wish to transfer to another college:  College Transfer Admissions Advisors.