New August SAT Date Announced

For the first time in recent memory, College Board is changing the SAT testing schedule. Until this yaer, they have always held the SAT during the months of October, November, December, January, March, May, and June. However, starting summer 2017, there will be an August 26 SAT for students to take. They will continue offering 7 SAT dates, and will be discontinuing the January SAT.

In my opinion, this is a great decision for a couple of reasons. First, it gives seniors another opportunity at the beginning of the school year to take the SAT before college applications. Also, and more importantly, the August date will give seniors more time and will eliminate the rushed feeling of anxiety that comes with the fall test dates. Many early application deadlines for colleges are November 1, and, for many students, this only leaves them with the early October SAT. And while this test date is usually fine for early application deadlines, there is always the worry that the scores will not be received in time. However, now with the August test, students can patiently await their scores, and decide if they want to apply early or not.

In my opinion, the August SAT brings a bit more sanity back to the college process, as students will not feel as rushed. Also, for high school students, especially on the East Coast, they do not begin school again until after Labor Day, so they will not have the pressure of school work, while preparing and taking the SAT.

I also do not feel that losing the January test date will affect most students. At this point, seniors should definitely be done taking the SAT or ACT. Most application deadlines have passed, and seniors should just be waiting to hear back from schools. January also is usually a little too early for juniors to take the SAT, and they still have three opportunities before the end of the school year to take the SAT with March, May, and June.

I really think this will only be a benefit to our students, and I look forward to seeing how this (hopefully positively) impacts the college application process!

And just for planning purposes, here are the proposed SAT test dates for 2017 & 2018:

August 26, 2017
October 7, 2017
November 4, 2017
December 2, 2017
March 10, 2018
May 5, 2018
June 2, 2018

Happy searching!

Joseph D. Korfmacher

It's FAFSA Time

Here we are...October 4th, and the applications are flying and the pressure is intense. With so many different college deadlines, application types, writing supplements, and forms that need to be completed, I'd imagine students and parents are already wishing the college application process was over!

Well, while the college process will not be official over until May 1st, I do have some good news. For the first time, the FAFSA is now open well before January 1. You may be wondering why this is a good thing...just more paperwork right? Well that is true, but in the long run, this should be a benefit to students and families...hopefully.

For the 2017-2018 college academic year, families can now complete the FAFSA using their 2015 tax return. In the past, families would need to wait until after January 1st, file their taxes, then use that year's information to complete the FAFSA. This would only give school's a month or so to receive the information and send families a financial package...then rushing families to make a compare financial aid packages and make a decision.

The HOPE is that by opening the FAFSA sooner, families will receive their financial aid packages sooner, giving them much more time to make an informed decision.

If you're like me, just talking about the FAFSA makes my head hurt a little bit, but check out these few pieces of information on the FAFSA, and a USA Today article on the new FAFSA.

• The FAFSA is free...do not pay for it! There are scams out there...here is the actual website: https://fafsa.ed.gov/
• The FAFSA is for financial aid, while the CSS Profile (which many colleges use) will help families receive institutional aid
• You will need to complete a FAFSA each year, so if your financial situation greatly changes from year to year, so will the financial aid you receive
• Complete the FAFSA and CSS Profile as soon as you feel comfortable. 

To find out more about the new FAFSA, take a look at this article from USA Today.

Best of luck!!

Joseph D. Korfmacher

The Argument for the Community College Transfer Path

In case you missed it, earlier this year, President Obama announced his plans for "America's College Promise" - a new option to help minimize debt in a national landscape where student debt continues to rise. At its core, America's College Promise provides students free tuition for two years at a community college. Students can then choose to transfer to a college or university of their choice, or remain in a community college setting. Since the announcement, the plan has been met with a mix of criticism from the international media and support from American students.

Even without America's College Promise, the community college transfer path has been a growing trend as costs of tuition continue to soar. This week, U.S. News and World Report identified the three "types" of students most likely to take advantage of and benefit from the community college transfer path and/or America's College Promise, should it pass.

The perks of going this route include cost savings, the opportunity to improve on your current resume/transcript before applying to a more selective school, and greater freedom to explore various subjects and career paths.

Would you consider taking community college transfer path?

Dating App Hinge Ranks Colleges by Desirability

This week, the Huffington Post's College vertical reported that online dating app Hinge "has figured out which universities are the most desireable."

The article reveals that by "compiling internal data, Hinge created a list of the most desirable universities of in the United States. Their criteria for desirability emphasizes attractiveness and academic ranking, by comparing "high swipe-right rates" to the classifications of the U.S. News & World Report." See the full list here.

Two of the schools that made the cut have been profiled by this blog - Dartmouth College and Boston College, the University of Miami and more. Click through to read more about these schools, and check back for forthcoming profiles on others on the "most desirable" list, including  UVA, Duke, Wake Forest, Vanderbilt and more.

Happy searching!

Student Accepted to All Eight Ivies -- and Why He Turned Them All Down

As a reader of the JDK College Knowledge blog, you know that our mission is to help each student find the school that is right for him or her based on a number of factors, including academic offerings, social scene, cost and more.

Yesterday, MSNBC's Morning Joe featured Memphis high school student Ronald Nelson who was recently accepted to all eight Ivy League schools - and then turned down the opportunity to attend each one. In the interview (see video above), Ronald says that receiving his many acceptance letters was "just the next step in my analysis to figure out where to get the best education possible while making sure that it's financially reasonable for both me and my family." He went on to say that he was not only accepted into a "wonderful honors program" at the University of Alabama, the school he ultimately chose to attend, but also received generous financial aid awards - both important factors into his decision-making.

In this case, Ronald will be avoiding "massive debt" (host Joe Scarborough's words) by selecting a state school over the private Ivy League schools. In many similar cases, students can make the decision to go to schools where they may be offered more financial aid without compromising academic rigor. Given the 2,500+ colleges and universities across the United States, it can pay to look beyond rankings and reputation to find a quality education at reduced cost.

USA Today College: 5 Pieces of Summer Advice for Rising HS Seniors

Planning to spend your summer before senior year searching for colleges? USA Today's College vertical has some key pieces of advice for getting started. The article is excerpted below, but you can see the full version here: http://usat.ly/1F5tFNH 

1. Keep your options open: Though you may have your heart set on attending one particular college or university, try to create a list of several schools that interest you. This will likely increase your chances of gaining admission to a college that you truly want to attend.

2. Visit your prospective schools: This summer, use part of your downtime to visit potential colleges. Doing so can help you narrow your short list of schools. Consider shadowing a current university student if this option is available, as it allows you to gain an authentic sense of college life.

JDK editor's note: If you can't make it to all the schools you'd like to tour, try YouVisit's virtual campus tours.

3. Be productive: Rising high school seniors can benefit from working a part-time job, completing an internship, holding a volunteer position or pursuing a hobby this summer. Engaging in such activities demonstrates that you are productive and take initiative, two qualities that are highly sought after by college admissions officers.

4. Write the first draft of your admissions essay: The admissions essay is a fantastic opportunity to set yourself apart from other applicants. It should be creative and descriptive, yet well written and concise. 

JDK editor's note: JDK College Consulting offers one-on-one guidance and editing to help focus and perfect your college essays.

5. Start your applications: Colleges generally offer applicants one of three ways to apply: an institution-specific application, The Common Application and the Universal College Application. Familiarize yourself with the release dates for these applications, and begin working on them this summer, if possible. You’ll be glad you did when you have less work to do during the school year.

Happy searching!

The Real Reason College Tuition Costs So Much

The New York Times Opinion section recently featured an article on the (astronomically) rising costs of college tuition. Entitled, "The Real Reason College Tuition Costs So Much," you'll discover that cuts to public funding for higher education are NOT to blame. One culprit cited in the article: "constant expansion of university administration. According to the Department of Education data, administrative positions at colleges and universities grew by 60 percent between 1993 and 2009, which Bloomberg reported was 10 times the rate of growth of tenured faculty positions."

It's an interesting read and I hope you enjoy.

Best Colleges for Your Money

What many people want from college isn't too complicated. They desire a good education, a safe and comfortable environment, to be prepared for the workforce, and to not break the bank to attend the school. With soaring college costs and a competitive job landscape, it is more important than ever to find that perfect fit, where students will be challenged, graduate with marketable skills, and will not have loans to pay for the next 20 years. The website 'Money' recently came out with a list for colleges that are the best bang-for-your-buck. As you will see, many of them are some of the most selective schools in the country, but it is certainly worth a look. You can view the list here on their site. As always, happy searching!

-Joseph D. Korfmacher, MA