Unlock the Secrets to Creating the Best College Application Possible

The secrets to writing a great college application involve your being organized, being well-prepared, and having assistance and guidance from a qualified success coach who can help you navigate the entire process.

You can create a college application that effectively promotes you to the college admissions committee!

The college application process is more stressful than ever, but I can show you how to create an application that effectively promotes you to the admissions committee.

The Common Application is one of the best things that have ever happened to streamline the application process.

Students can apply to over 300 different colleges and universities by using the same application form. Students can complete the common application online, and they can with the click of a mouse submit the application to the schools they designate. That saves a tremendous amount of time.

Some colleges will request a supplementary essay or other material from the student. Overall, this is a tremendous improvement over they way things used to be.

You can (and should) complete your applications before the summer of your senior year.

Students and their families have asked me if it makes any difference if they use the common application or a specific college application. Honestly, it doesn't make any difference.

The word was out for a while that the colleges favor their own applications, and students who applied using the common application put themselves at a distinct disadvantage. The member institutions that accept the common application have a contractual obligation not to discriminate against students who use the common application. All of my children have used the common application, and they had no problems whatsoever.

I encourage students to apply well in advance of the stated deadlines. If you follow my advice, your resume, your table of activities, and your college essays or personal statements will be completed well before the beginning of your senior year.

Many applications have the same components. Only the college essay or personal statement and any short-answer questions may be different. The basic components of a college application, which can be completed in advance are:

Personal data: Student's name, address, telephone number, date of birth, email address and other contact information, country of citizenship, social security number, racial or ethnic group (optional - but I encourage any student who may be able to benefit from any minority preference status to complete the personal data, including race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc.)
Educational Data: Name, address, etc. of all of the high schools you attended. You will need to know your school's CEEB / ACT Code, your counselor's name and contact information, etc.
Standardized Test Information: List the name of test (ACT, SAT I, SAT II Subject Tests, etc.), date taken or to be taken, your score on each test and subtest (if requested), etc.
Family Information: Parents' names, parents' occupations, parents' level of education and colleges attended (if any), names of siblings and listings of the colleges they attended, etc.
Academic honors
Extracurricular, Personal, and Volunteer Activities (including summer): List the activity, dates of participation, approximate number of hours per week or month, number of weeks per year you participated, positions held, honors won, if you plan to participate in college, etc. You can see how valuable it is to keep an updated resume and table of activities.
Work Experience:  List the specific nature of the work, your employer's contact information, dates of employment, approximate number of hours per week, etc. on your college application.

I'm sure you can readily see that by completing these portions of your application before you senior year, and simply updating them as necessary, you can have most of your college application completed before you start your senior year classes. That will greatly reduce the stress associated with applying to college.

Even if you decide to apply early decision, you should still be ahead of the game and able to submit outstanding applications in a relatively short period of time - especially if you have followed my advice and completed your college essay or personal statement during the summer after junior year.

Applying to college surely tests your time management and organizational skills. It's very important to know what forms each college requires, the various deadlines, whether they have received all of your recommendations, etc.

Angela Arnold is an educator, author, consultant, and coach with close to 40 years experience in areas of academic achievement ranging from preK-12 on up to graduate and professional school.

She is a parent of five college graduates, a study abroad advocate and volunteer, a sought-after speaker, and a mentor to students of all ages and from varied educational backgrounds. Specializing in helping students get into their dream colleges, Angela Arnold is a wealth of information about the entire college application process.

Ready to learn more about how to get admitted to your dream college? Be sure to look for Mrs. Arnold's many college admissions videos by visiting her website and blog. Subscribe to her free, powerful 7-Day E-Course on what you need to do to get accepted to your top-choice college by completing the form on her home page at http://www.collegeadmissions411.com/

Contact Mrs. Arnold at 602.539.8857. You may also sign up for a free consultation about the college admissions process by completing the form at http://www.collegeadmissions411.com

College Student Success Secrets - Orientation, Maximizing and Leveraging the Experience

When I attended law school orientation day, it helped me become familiar with the college and faculty. This is something in the past I did not do whenever I attended colleges and Universities. I wish I would have, because knowledge is power. Knowing in advance the kind of college and the attitude of the administration toward college students is extremely important.

Here are some college student success secrets I tell university students throughout the world whenever I speak at orientation welcome week and college kickoffs.

1. Take your mentor, a trusted teacher, or parent along with you.

The wisdom and experience of years is priceless. Not to mention associating with such a person immediately gains you the respect of college administrators who handle you differently and speak to you professionally.

Furthermore having a trusted mentor of parent by your side will help lessen anxiety and help whenever you need to ask hard questions. Some you may forget to ask, but they can present some key and crucial points for you to consider at orientation.

No life transition is easy, particularly the one from high-school to college. Therefore don't tackle this alone. Having somebody with you, even if just a respectable friend, will provide comfort and strength to you emotionally. If your parent can take time off from work to attend, this will later lessen you having to answer all of their many questions once you begin school.

2. Take as many entrance and placement exams that you can to become self-aware as a college student.

Self-awareness is a lifelong discovery process. The more exams you take, the more able you will be to gauge your strengths and weaknesses.

The ACT and SAT are just two college entrance exams that help colleges determine your scholastic aptitude and academic ability. Placement exams such as the CLEP also enable you to determine and identify what classes are appropriate and most suitable for you to begin as an entering freshman at college.

Prematurely taking a college class before you are academically ready and prepared for it could be disastrous, cost you unnecessary money, and damage your GPA. Save yourself the pain and heartache by accurately gauging your ability beforehand and becoming self-aware as to your academic ability before haphazardly enrolling in classes.

3. Be friendly, curious, humble, and network whenever possible.

Meet and greet as many people as you can. Express a genuine curiosity in others and take an interest in those around you. By doing so, you will learn more and be able to process the college experience and grasp the essentials for college success.

College student success requires you interact with others and learn from upper level, more established students who know the ropes and ways of your college. For example, you will want to know where the cafeteria and gym are. Finding classes may require you to step out and ask for help periodically. Getting the resources you need at the library will also demand you be friendly, courteous, and ask for help.

4. Develop meaningful friendships among college students who can assist you in your own academic progress and professional development. Depending upon your major, join a college association or organization for like minded students.

Once you pinpoint your passion and know which direction you are moving academically and professionally, it will be far easier to identify the appropriate and ideal student association with which to align yourself. Greek life is also useful to make friends for fun and feel a part of something larger than yourself.

The greatest thing you can do however is look for organizations that are wholeheartedly pursuing your interests and objectives. Once aligned with them, you can jump right in and become a part of a meaningful group on track to where you want to go.

5. Cultivate student advisors and professors to guide and mentor you.

Whenever possible, draw near and talk to student advisors and professors seeking their advice and guidance on issues of importance to your academic success. Student advisors don't have mixed motives (as sometimes older students associated with an organization or association might) and it is their job to direct and advise you.

Therefore take advantage of the resource and don't be afraid to ask questions whenever you need to know something.

6. Take a walk around the campus and become familiar with all of the nuances and peculiarities.

Each campus has its own protocol, policies, and procedures. As you spend time walking around, interacting, and observing the way things are done on your campus, you will quickly learn the ins and outs.

When you attend a college as a student, the campus becomes your home away from home. Therefore make sure you feel comfortable with your college and university before you proceed. If for any reason you feel uneasy, troubled, or disturbed about something on campus, quickly address and get these issues resolved before proceeding academically.

7. Get acquainted with the professors teaching your classes and review the syllabus well before classes begin.

By personally meeting and talking with your future professors, you get a feel for their personality and possible teaching style. When I did this once at a community college, I was shocked to observe a professor with whom I was to begin a course yelling and complaining about her computer. I immediately knew I wanted to withdraw from this professor's course (since I wasn't overly thrilled with the technology involved in the course and her level of impatience, which would not serve me well as a student).

Seek out older students who have taken classes with various professors also who can give you some helpful feedback about their teaching styles, coursework assigned, and class requirements. This will enable you to find and choose a professor that best matches your learning style.

8. Go to the college financial aid website and office to complete any application forms available for college funding and scholarships.

Complete every form available to get financial assistance. College is not cheap and you are going to need thousands of dollars to live on and cover the expense of your tuition. Think and plan ahead pertaining to the financing of your education.

Get your tax records in order and ready to submit whenever applying for financial aid. Ask your parents for their annual tax statements, when necessary, to apply for financial aid and various scholarships.

9. Be proactive in all things financial and beware of signing up for any free credit cards on camps when vendors offer you something.

Most of these credit cards are at high interest rates and can wreck your credit. Beware of vendors (especially mobile phone and credit card vendors) seeking to prey on you, get you to sign contracts, and obtain your social security number and financial information.

10. Always stay focused and healthy throughout your college experience.

Live strong and be strong. Eat well and exercise regularly. Don't abuse your body partying. You can celebrate after you finish college and land a good paying job. Stay focused, have fun, but don't forget why you have come to college.

Invite worldwide speaker and life-changing author Paul F. Davis to speak to your college students about success secrets and breakthrough leadership!
info@PaulFDavis.com
http://www.PaulFDavis.com
407-967-7553

Paul is an exceptional & frequently requested speaker for college student success, leadership, orientations & to kickoff college events. Paul's 17 life-changing books have landed him celebrity guest appearances on Fox News Radio, Investor's Business Daily, and 3 times on Oprah & Friends. After a 45 minute interview on Playboy Radio, Afternoon Advice host Tiffany Granath calls Paul an awesome relational coach and recommends his books on love, dating & sexuality. Paul's academic success & leadership secrets for college students are unparalleled and greatly empowering. Paul builds bridges cross-culturally, cultivating diversity awareness, while empowering college students to discover their destiny and live their dreams.

A master in NLP & life coaching; Paul's humorous, fun, playful and transformative messages graciously challenge college students to ask themselves hard questions and be their personal best. As a former high-school senior class English and ESOL teacher, Paul understands the challenges facing incoming college students. Moreover Paul personally knows what transfer students go through as he himself attended a community college where he graduated with a 3.8 GPA before entering UCF, where he graduated Cum Laude. As a worldwide professional speaker who has touched more than 50 countries and 6 continents, Paul greatly appeals to international students throughout the world. Paul worked at Ground Zero during 9/11; helped rebuild a home at the tsunami epicenter; comforted victims of genocide in Rwanda; spoke to leaders in East Timor during the war; inspired students & monks in Myanmar; promoted peace & reconciliation in Pakistan & has been deep into Africa where villagers had never seen a white man. Paul empowers people to love passionately, work together globally and live their dreams fearlessly.

http://www.PaulFDavis.com

College Student Success Secrets - Leadership to Develop Greatness, Ensure Success & Live Your Dreams

College student success and leadership has always been a topic that deeply resonates with college activities and career coordinators. After all, what use is college if it cannot propel and further college students' success thereafter?

College and academia should never be the octopus that tries to entangle or engulf students, nor the pushy parent that tries to direct them to take (or require) unrelated career curriculum in which they are not interested in pursuing.

To truly revolutionize a college campus and impact college students some important components are vital whenever you bring in a keynote speaker to impact your students.

Undoubtedly, orientation and welcome week are high-energy kickoffs in which you need an outstanding speaker who is able to immediately connect with and communicate to your students.

An exceptional speaker innately and intuitively knows how to do this by nature, as such will flow naturally for any skillful orator with a powerful presence. Upon connecting with and captivating the audience, the keynote speaker should deliver compelling and transformative content. Hype alone will not suffice, nor sustain the interest of college students. Remember college students are clever and can see through phony people who are not congruent, nor one with their message.

Never in a million years did I anticipate being a worldwide professional speaker, but by reason of my travels to over 50 countries and 6 continents, I frequently was invited to speak at various academic institutions, colleges, and universities. Initially, I was overseas serving in a humanitarian capacity, primarily working in war-torn and third world nations.

Because people liked me, I often got asked to speak at organization and governmental meetings, along with some churches and religious gatherings. Humorously, I was even asked a few times to speak to groups at a birthday parties in Indonesia. This was a bit awkward at first, until I realized how earnest and desirous everybody was to hear me.

Most of all, I would say I enjoy speaking to college students because they are in a place in their life where they truly desire personal growth. Their hearts and minds are open to valuable input, powerful impartation, and personal transformation.

Particularly, college student orientations and welcome week kickoffs serendipitously proved to be the ideal fit for me. Because I was a former high school teacher, I experientially know the challenges students face entering and transitioning into college.

I taught English and ESOL (English to students of other languages) to 11th and 12th grade high school students. Therefore I understand the challenges high school students face entering college and the magnitude of the transition involved.

My own years attending community college, awakened me academically as I went from being a B student in high-school to becoming an A student in college. My intellectual curiosity moved me to pursue new bodies of knowledge with a ferocious zeal and passion. I particularly found economics, marketing, communications, and law to be most fascinating.

I attended Valencia Community College (VCC), where I achieved great success as a student, making the dean's list and graduating with a 3.8 GPA. I distinguished myself as a student at VCC, after which I entered UCF and continued making high marks earning Cum Laude at graduation.

In retrospect when I look back on those days spent studying at college, I see specific and tangible action steps I took to propel my personal success. One thing I have yet to mention is I completed my college education in 3 years. Because I had such an intense passion to travel the world, I wanted to graduate as quickly as possible. I therefore took a full load of 15 courses two summers back to back, while during the fall and winter semester taking 18 and 24 hours respectively (which I only could do with a dean's override and approval). This resulted in me graduating with a Bachelors degree, Cum Laude, at the age of 20.

Thereafter I embarked upon my world travels and real education, which books could never have taught me. Nevertheless academic success is something I personally mastered and excelled at. Yet the academic experience was not something I deliberately pursued, but rather by reason of survival discovered.

When I moved from Orlando to a nearby suburb called Clermont, when I began living with my father and step-mom, I was doubly uncomfortable as I entered middle school. While living with my grandparents in elementary school, I completed all homework within a matter of minutes before going out to play during the afternoon following school.

This quick approach to homework didn't cut it in middle school, which I soon found out when I brought home a D on my progress report in my science class. My father immediately with belt in hand applied some stern pressure to my backside to increase understanding up above that I was to do better in school.

Yet never did my father, step-mother, or grandparents sit down with me and teach me how to properly study to excel academically. Ironically, I hear the same story from many high-school and college students throughout the world.

Why is it parents, schools, and colleges punish for poor academic performance but never teach students proper study habits, techniques, and strategies to excel academically?

Well, that million dollar question has been the platform for my speaking career to college students throughout the world.

Empowering students to ace the academic experience is my passion and personal pleasure. I take great joy in taking students who were shunned in high-school and making champions out of them. It is wonderful and a great honor to transform students others wrote off and looked down upon, after which they return to their home town and display their successes before the eyes of the naysayers who didn't believe in them.

Believing in college students and helping them become that which they most desire to be is my greatest pleasure and passion. I guess you could call me a dream-maker of sorts.

Know assuredly A+ success is obtainable. You never again need to be intimidated by books, college classes, or college professors who ask intellectually probing questions.

Let your confidence arise and as you do, your competence will follow and catch up. Never be intimidated by what you don't know or don't understand. Harness your mental capacities and strength to transcend intimidation and embrace motivation.

Let your emotional juices move you to turn intimidation to unquenchable motivation as you cultivate the winner within to arise and conquer what in the past academically has done you in! Now, it is time for you to arise and conquer every class and curriculum that can pave a pathway of success for you to your most desirable future.

Invite worldwide speaker and life-changing author Paul F. Davis to speak to your college students about success secrets and breakthrough leadership!
info@PaulFDavis.com
http://www.PaulFDavis.com
407-967-7553

Paul is an exceptional and frequently requested speaker for college student success, leadership, orientations, and to kickoff college events.

Paul's 17 life-changing books have landed him celebrity guest appearances on Fox News Radio, Investor's Business Daily, and 3 times on Oprah & Friends.

After a 45 minute interview on Playboy Radio, Afternoon Advice host Tiffany Granath calls Paul an awesome relational coach and recommends his books on love, dating, and sexuality.

Paul's academic success & leadership secrets for college students are unparalleled and greatly empowering. Paul builds bridges cross-culturally, cultivating diversity awareness, while empowering college students to discover their destiny and live their dreams.

A master in NLP & life coaching; Paul's humorous, fun, playful and transformative messages graciously challenge college students to ask themselves hard questions & be their personal best.

As a former high-school senior class English teacher, Paul understands the challenges facing incoming college students. Paul personally knows what transfer students go through as he himself attended a community college where he graduated with a 3.8 GPA before entering UCF, where he graduated Cum Laude. As a worldwide professional speaker who has touched more than 55 countries & 6 continents, Paul greatly appeals to international students throughout the world.

Paul worked at Ground Zero in NYC during 9/11; helped rebuild a home at the tsunami epicenter; comforted victims of genocide in Rwanda; spoke to leaders in East Timor during the war; inspired students & monks in Myanmar; promoted peace & reconciliation in Pakistan; and has been deep into Africa where villagers had never before seen a white man.

Paul empowers people to love passionately, work together globally & live their dreams fearlessly.

http://www.PaulFDavis.com

Greatest 6 Insider Secrets You Must Know to Getting All the Money You Need For College

Whenever you're a college bound student, or the parent of one, make a point to understand this article, because it may well be the most significant thing you ever read! Most families wind up going through all forms of anxiety and frustration when it pertains to coming up with the money you require to pay off for college. And with serious reason. The average cost of ONE year of college straddles between $16,000 and $45,000! And, these costs are climbing by as much as 7-8% annually! It will cost anywhere from $64,000 - $180,000 for a four year education. PER student! Households dread being forced to spend their retirement savings, go deeply into debt or even broke. But, it doesn't have to be this way!

The Facts About College financing exposed!

Most families fall under the trap of college financing hell. They get all sorts of bogus information from accountants, tax advisors, guidance counselors, financial assistance offices, banks you call it. Most people hold no clue about the TRUTH of how college funding actually works! They generally fill the forms out incorrect, get crummy advice, believe they earn too much or little money, or place money in the improper places, and so forth. For example, did you know that arranging money in one place can disqualify you for financial backing, when the exact same amount of money in a similar account will help you acquire money? Or that certain tax saving strategies will shipwreck your college financing chances? Or even that you are able to get accepted at a more expensive college and actually pay less out of pocket than at a more costly school? See, there is a method that tells you:

1. Precisely what you should arrange before applying! What you should be looking at is where your student fits in the academic standing to the schools they are applying to. So if they're applying to let's say a mid range college and they belonged the top 25% of the average of applicants based on their grade point average and the SAT or ACT scores, that's a good thing. Schools favor these statistics and tend to give more money to students meeting these criteria.

2. How to apply! (Most people mess this up severely!) You will have to totally, precisely and on time, complete different forms from the Government, State, public institutions and private institutions. These forms range from college applications to pupil loans and everything in between. A lot of folks believe it's easy; but again, there's plenty of room for error. The schools consider these matters with a fine-toothed comb and you want to make certain that you do them right because again, if you don't, it's just going to get you less assistance.

3. How to select schools that will grant you the better financial deals! (Why waste time with schools that don't grant you the most money?) A few schools can contribute more money. Some schools cannot. A few schools contribute a lot of it in free money. Some schools give a lot of it in loan money. You'd better know these things before you begin applying. If you know, you could better align yourself to receive this money.

4. How to arrange your affairs to get the most money! There are many strategies in this area. One primary crucial fact to keep in mind is the difference between a "tax credit" and a "tax deduction". A tax deduction reduce your taxable income, on the other hand, tax credits reduce income tax dollar for dollar. It is always best to get a credit than a deduction when it comes to financial aid formulas.

5. Who you should listen to! (This will surprise you!) Unquestionably not the college financial aid officers. Calling for colleges to help you with financial aid or to get more money is about like calling for an IRS agent to help you get more back from taxes. It just will not happen

6. How to get money even if you don't qualify for need based aid! There are many other strategies parents with incomes over $100,000 can apply to pay for college. For example, there are certain types of loans that allow you to pay for college on tax favored basis. There are also special exams to pass out of certain college level courses. Also there are many "non-need" based awards that most colleges won't even consider you for unless you first apply for college financial support.

The bottom line is that there are numerous insider secrets to acquiring the maximum money for college, but you simply aren't going to discover them from magazine articles, school employees and counselors, accountants, etc.! This is where a specialist may come in convenient. Just as people use a tax professional to lower taxes it may be wise to employ a college funding specialist to lower your out of pocket college costs.

Let's face it. Getting a college education is crucial to make it in the world nowadays. The problem is that getting through school takes more than hitting the books and working hard. IT ALSO calls for A PILE OF DOUGH! Isn't college nerve-racking enough without adding the burden of the money issue to make it even worse? If your child is diligent and motivated enough to go to college, shouldn't they have the choice of going to the school they really want to attend? You know that's true, but for most families, this doesn't happen because of one reason and one reason alone. Not having the appropriate financing! Many families literally put on the line spending everything they have and more...to get their child through a decent college. But, it doesn't have to be this way. All you need is one simple tool at your disposal: The Right Knowledge! If you understand how the college funding system actually works, the odds are very high that your son or daughter can attend the best school for them and not cast you in the poor house!

For parents, it is a must to know how the funding system works, what alternatives you have available to get money...and how to acquire more money for college than you imagined conceivable!

Eliminate cash flow problems - I invite you to visit www.CashFlowExpertsAcademy.com for information to easily conquer debt, build wealth and quickly increase cash flow, No Matter Economic Conditions!"

Earlvin Harris

How to Make Colleges Want You: Insider Secrets for Tipping the Admissions Odds in Your Favor

What if you had colleges coming after you instead of the other way around?

The hidden little secret of college admissions is that most schools are desperate... desperate for great kids who do things differently and will make their campuses vibrant and exciting.

And you don't have to be an A student, the president of your student body, or the winner of the national spelling bee to do this. Any student can become someone that colleges compete for if you follow the recommendations in this book.

• The Secret of NTAs: Unusual activities that make you stand out
• Breaking the Zone: Take advantage of where you're from and who you are
• Striking the Nerve: Decode what colleges believe in, then match those values
• Your Application Team: Getting references, teachers, and counselors to boost your odd
  And much more

No matter where you are in your high school career, you can start these things today and vastly increase your odds of getting into the competitive college of your choice.

Price: $12.95

Click here to buy from Amazon

The Secrets of College Success (Professors' Guide)

If you’re currently a college student, or plan on being one, you need to check out this book. Written by award-winning professors Lynn Jacobs and Jeremy Hyman, it’s loaded with insider information that only professors know--but few are willing to reveal. The over 600 tips in this book will show you:

• How to pick good courses and avoid bad professors
• How to develop “college-level” skills and habits that’ll put you ahead of the pack
• How to get through the freshman comp, math, language, and lab science requirements--in one try
• How to figure out what’s going to be on the tests, and what professors are looking for in papers and presentations
• How to pick a major you’ll really like--and be good at
• How to get the edge for graduate school--or the inside track to a really good job
• And much more.

The tips are quick and easy-to-use, and the advice is friendly and supportive.  It’s as if you had your own personal professor guiding you on the path to college success.

Price: $15.95

Click here to buy from Amazon

How to Win at College: Surprising Secrets for Success from the Country's Top Students

The only guide to getting ahead once you’ve gotten in—proven strategies for making the most of your college years, based on winning secrets from the country's most successful students

What does it take to be a standout student? How can you make the most of your college years—graduate with honors, choose exciting activities, build a head-turning resume, and gain access to the best post-college opportunities? Based on interviews with star students at universities nationwide, from Harvard to the University of Arizona, How to Win at College presents seventy-five simple rules that will rocket you to the top of the class. These college-tested—and often surprising—strategies include:

• Don’t do all your reading
• Drop classes every term
• Become a club president
• Care about your grades, Ignore your GPA
• Never pull an all-nighter
• Take three days to write a paper
• Always be working on a “grand project”
• Do one thing better than anyone else you know

Proving that success has little to do with being a genius workaholic, and everything to do with playing the game, How to Win at College is the must-have guide for making the most of these four important years—and getting an edge on life after graduation.

Price: $11.95

Click here to buy from Amazon