THE COLLEGE CONNECTION
NEWSLETTER
FOR HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS AND SENIORS
October 2023 Volume 31 Issue 2
How the FAFSA delay could impact 5 ways to look uncommon
colleges and students on the common app
[Link] [Link]
The Common Application is used by over 500
The U.S. Department of Education is overhauling the
colleges. It was created to save colleges and
Free Application for Federal Student Aid this year, but
students time when submitting their college
the agency plans to roll out the new form in
applications, hence called the Common App. The
December — two months later than usual. That delay
basic information you complete in the application will
could cause issues for college administrators and
be used by every college you apply to: test scores,
states, financial aid experts say.
personal information, and extracurricular activity lists.
The new FAFSA represents the first major redesign of
You don’t have to resubmit that information to each
the form in over 40 years. The revamp intends to
individual college.
create a more streamlined process for students
The Common App was set up in 1975 to simplify the
applying for federal financial aid, expands Pell Grant
application process, but the very name of the
eligibility and lower barriers for certain student
application suggests that there is no opportunity for
populations, including those who are homeless,
students to stand out in this common app process.
incarcerated and come from low-income
But there are opportunities for students to stand out,
backgrounds.
or look uncommon when using the Common App.
But the delay could affect state and institutional
Craft a stellar essay - Your personal statement is
financial aid deadlines, require colleges to increase
your one opportunity for the admissions officer to
staffing, and impact students’ college decisions.
“meet you”, to visualize the person behind the
Several aspects of the FAFSA simplification will also
numbers. While no essay can save an unqualified
add burdens for financial aid officers, such as new
application, an outstanding essay can push an
reporting requirements and changes to the federal aid
otherwise mediocre application into the “yes” pile.
methodology formula,
Continued on page 3 Continued on page 5
Breaking Down the 4 Tiers of Extracurricular Activities
[Link]
Students preparing to apply for college love grades and standardized test scores. After all, they’re black and
white with no gray area, which makes them easy to compare against the admission standards of potential
schools. While grades and test scores are important considerations for colleges when deciding which students
to admit, they’re just part of what many admissions officers are looking for. Extracurricular activities are a key
criteria colleges review when deciding who to accept and can account for as much as 25% of an admissions
decision.
Continued on page 7
THE COLLEGE CONNECTION NEWSLETTER
SCHOLARSHIPS
SENIOR CHECKLIST
QUESTBRIDGE URBAN OUTFITTERS &
SCHOLARSHIP FUJIFILM SCHOLARSHIP
Attend virtual college meetings
53 people will win prizes
Keep your grades up.
including up to $20,000 in
The National College Match is a Register for the SAT or ACT
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college admission and FAFSA opens December 2023
should submit two essays
scholarship process through Start working on your common
about their passion and
which high-achieving, low- app essay
inspiration guiding their
income students can be college experience. Deadline Research scholarships.
admitted early with full four-year to apply is October 16, 2023. Early Decision Deadline is
scholarships November 1st
Register for the Common
Application
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November 1st October 31, 2023 in the country for high school
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FUN FACT: Scholarships by state and by
career.
Stanford rejects 60% of students with perfect SAT
scores, but they reject 96% of all applicants.
October 2023 Page 2
THE COLLEGE CONNECTION NEWSLETTER
Continued from page 1
said Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National
Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
“Financial aid offices are certainly feeling the pressure,”
Draeger said. “These are the most significant changes to
the way students and families apply for and receive
financial aid in decades, and they’re happening on a tight
timeline.”
Indeed, only 28% of financial aid professionals believed
their institution was mostly or completely prepared for the
FAFSA simplification rollout, according to a February
NASFAA survey.
The delay will force financial aid officers to complete their
work in a compressed time frame, said Frank Ballmann,
director of federal relations for the National Association of
State Student Grant and Aid Programs.
“In effect, they’re going to be working twice as hard, twice
as long as they normally would,” said Ballmann. “That’s
going to be a huge challenge for them.”
Some recommend that states with financial aid deadlines from January to early March — including Texas,
California and Maryland — should move those dates back to give students more time to fill out their FAFSAs.
Students unable to secure financial aid awards until the spring may not be able to make early decision deadlines,
said Ballmann. That could dissuade students from attending college next year.
The challenge, Ballmann said, will be recapturing students that fall through the cracks or take a gap year.
“If there’s a problem this winter with high school seniors not applying, I think we’ll have a lot of states focus very
hard on reaching out to them for the next cycle,” said Ballmann.
The delay could also affect which colleges that students attend if it holds up their applications or if they miss
deadlines for scholarship programs.
“That may shift them to a less expensive institution or may drive them to enroll at a local community college
instead of a four year college,” Katharine Meyer, a fellow at The Brookings Institution’s Brown Center on
Education Policy said.
What is the CSS profile?
CSS Profile®, a common application for institutional financial aid, will be ready and available to families applying
for aid during the 2024-25 academic year on October 1, 2023. CSS Profile will help institutions deliver equitable
financial aid decisions by providing critical data beyond what the FAFSA furnishes. With a few key pieces of
additional data, colleges can make more informed decisions about a family’s ability to pay for the cost of
education.
As in prior years, CSS Profile will continue to provide an estimated Federal Methodology calculation in addition to
CSS Profile’s own Institutional Methodology calculation. The 2024-25 application will be updated to calculate an
estimated Student Aid Index (SAI) based on the best information available from FSA rather than an estimated
Continued on page 6
October 2023 Page 3
THE COLLEGE CONNECTION NEWSLETTER
COLLEGE NEWS
JUNIOR CHECKLIST
BYU-Idaho and Ensign College will launch truncated 3 year
bachelor’s degree programs next spring after getting the go- ACT - Next test date is
ahead from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and December 9th. You must
Universities. register by November 3rd. It
takes 30 minutes to complete
The University of Utah has launched an investigation of its registration and you will need a
highly acclaimed women’s gymnastics program following photo.
allegations of verbal and emotional abuse of team gymnasts by SAT - Next test date is
head coach Tom Farden. November 4th. You must
register by October 5th.
An Oregon jury awarded nearly $4 million to a former Pacific Attend College Fairs
University student who accused the institution of mishandling Meet with admission reps
allegations of sexual assault against him, The Oregonian Tour college campuses
reported.
The University of San Diego is
Under pressure from lawmakers to admit more in-state students, disciplining approximately half its
the University of California, Santa Cruz, accepted 50,381 total football team due to a hazing incident
applicants in 2022, up from just over 38,000 last year. Of those, that occurred earlier this month.
roughly 23,000 are in-state freshmen and 6,600 are transfers
from within California. A bill is being introduced in California
that would launch a pilot program at
Students for Fair Admissions, the group that spearheaded the UCLA to create a common admissions
Supreme Court cases against Harvard University and the guarantee for community college
University of North Carolina, filed a lawsuit challenging the students to get into a UC or California
race-conscious admissions policies of the U.S. Military Academy State University campus.
at West Point.
HSF SCHOLARSHIPS
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Jane Handler
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Deadline November 30th
Apply by Oct. 31st
October 2023 Page 4
THE COLLEGE CONNECTION NEWSLETTER
Continued from page 1
Write an unforgettable supplemental essay - Supplemental essays for college applications can take all
kinds of forms, but the majority of them are actually asking a very similar question: "Why do you want to go
to our college?" The question sounds simple, but college admissions officers are looking for those essays
that are unforgettable, or create a lasting impression. Answer the question by providing specific details that
made you choose them above others.
Pick an interest and stick with it - You can create a lasting impression with a college if you exhibit
consistency and commitment to an area that interests you. Colleges look at the extracurricular activities
listed on the Common App and use them to get a better picture of how you spend your time outside of
school.
Get glowing recommendations - Pick the people who provide recommendations carefully. Do they know
you well enough to tell a college why you should receive an offer of admission? Or are they simply a casual
acquaintance who will list the basics: good student, good work ethic, and popular with classmates? These
letters are important and they give you another opportunity to stand out on the Common App.
Submit early - at least two weeks before the application deadline. Instead of arriving with all the applicants
who squeaked in at the last minute, your application will be on “the top of the pile” and the admissions officer
will have more time to review it.
Example of a Weak Supplemental Essay What should you avoid when writing a supplemental
I believe the Trinity College of Arts and essay for college admission?
Sciences at Duke is an excellent match for The sample presented here illustrates many of the
me. I believe college should not be merely a common mistakes made by applicants. Duke University's
gateway to the work force; it should educate Trinity College offers applicants the opportunity to write a
the student in a variety of subjects and supplemental essay that answers the question: "Please
prepare him or her for the range of discuss why you consider Duke a good match for you. Is
challenges and opportunities that lie ahead there something in particular at Duke that attracts you?
in life. I have always been a curious person Please limit your response to one or two paragraphs."
and enjoy reading all kinds of literature and The question is typical of many supplemental essays.
nonfiction. In high school I excelled in history, Essentially, the admissions folks want to know why their
English, AP psychology, and other liberal arts school is of particular interest to you. Such questions
subjects. I have not yet decided on a major, often generate remarkably bland essays that make
but when I do, it will almost certainly be in common supplemental essay mistakes. The example is
the liberal arts. I know that Trinity College is one example of what not to do.
very strong in these areas. But regardless of A good response, then, must discuss specific aspects of
my major, I want to receive a broad Duke that appeal to the applicant. Unlike a strong
education that spans a variety of areas in supplemental essay, the sample essay above fails to do
the liberal arts, so that I will graduate as not so.
only a viable job prospect, but also as a well- The student wants to be "well-rounded" and to "grow."
rounded and learned adult who can make These are all worthwhile goals, but they don't say
diverse and valuable contributions to my anything that is unique to Duke. Any comprehensive
community. I believe Duke’s Trinity College university offers a variety of subjects and helps students
will help me grow and become that kind of to grow.
person.
October 2023 Page 5
THE COLLEGE CONNECTION NEWSLETTER
Continued from page 3
KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FAFSA AND federal EFC. Estimated Federal
CSS PROFILE REQUIREMENTS Methodology calculations will be
FAFSA and CSS Profile both require: updated as additional information
Student Info and guidance from FSA are
Income tax return data released.
Educational savings accounts Gail Holt, dean of financial aid at
Bank accounts Amherst College, shares one
example of how CSS Profile data
Parent Info will continue to help her institution’s
Bank accounts access mission in the upcoming
Income, taxes, and exemptions (but CSS requires multiple years) application cycle, "Our institution
Investment real estate relies on receiving family financial
Liquid investments (e.g., stocks, mutual funds) data in a timely fashion to be able to
Family business / farm info (for FAFSA, only if >100 employees) share financial aid offers at the time
Tax-deferred retirement contributions (e.g. 401k, IRA) a student is admitted. Applicants
receiving those decisions in
CSS Profile additionally requires*: December deserve to have these
Trust funds details. This data may not be
Equity in family home available from the FAFSA until late
Total retirement savings 2023 for the 2024-25 academic year
Non-retirement annuities but will be estimated in CSS Profile
Medical spending accounts calculations. This additional
Siblings’ assets held in parent’s name information, including special
Siblings k-12 private school tuition circumstances and medical
Other miscellaneous valuables (e.g., collectibles) expenses families may share, is
crucial in assessing affordability."
9 Common CSS Profile Mistakes and How To Avoid Them
[Link]
Students and families commonly make several mistakes on this form that can cause a delay in their application
being processed and negatively impact a student’s ability to fund their college education.
As your students are filling out college applications, you may work with some who need help completing their
CSS Profile application. Here are nine common CSS Profile mistakes and how to help your students avoid
them.
Applying for the wrong academic year
Entering names or Social Security numbers incorrectly
Entering the student’s date of birth incorrectly
Answering questions about the student’s status incorrectly
Reporting parents’ information on student questions and vice versa
Not properly reporting the student’s parents
Selecting a graduate school instead of an undergraduate college and/or university
Not utilizing the Special Circumstances section to tell a financial aid office about a family’s story
When parents are divorced or separated, both parents reporting that the student lives with them, or neither reporting
that the student lives with them.
October 2023 Page 6
Continued from page 1 Extracurricular Activity Progression
While grades are black and white, extracurricular activities give
a student depth and demonstrate a more personal picture to Freshman Year: Freshman year is a
admissions officials. Colleges are not simply searching for student’s opportunity to join multiple
academically excellent students; rather, they’re looking for clubs across different fields of interest,
well-rounded students who will get involved in and engage with both in and out of the school
their campus communities. Even at the most academically environment. Students with an interest in
selective schools, a strong extracurricular profile can help a music and athletics should try out for the
student stand out from a pile of academically excellent band or sports teams. If there is a cause
applicants. a student is passionate about, they
Extracurricular activities allow colleges and universities to get should seek out volunteer opportunities
a better understanding of a student outside of the classroom. related to it.
Extracurricular activities offer students a chance to share with
a college what they’re passionate about. They also Sophomore Year: During sophomore
demonstrate readiness for college, as a student with a robust year, students should begin narrowing
extracurricular profile along with strong grades and test scores the focus of their extracurricular
has proven an ability to juggle multiple activities and activities, focusing their time on the
commitments. activities most meaningful to them. If
What Are Extracurricular Activities? there is something a student is extremely
You may be wondering what exactly qualifies as an passionate about but has no outlet for,
extracurricular activity. Does working a summer job count? they should start a group or organization
How about taking care of your sibling? to support that interest. Students should
As a general rule, anything you do routinely outside of the also consider potential future leadership
classroom, and not for academic credit, counts as an opportunities in the extracurricular
extracurricular. The activities should also be valuable to you, activities that they’re involved in. Much
and have significant impact on your development. like colleges want to admit well-rounded
For example, watching Netflix wouldn’t count, but running your students, they want to admit leaders.
own movie critique blog would. Casually playing Minecraft
wouldn’t count, but programming your own Minecraft plugins Junior Year: Because colleges and
with 1,000+ downloads each would. In both examples, the universities value leadership, students in
situations that wouldn’t count were simply activities for leisure. their junior year should seek out as many
The examples that were actually extracurriculars likely leadership positions as possible.
contributed to the student’s growth and helped them develop Students in leadership positions should
real-world skills. work to expand the clubs and
In a similar vein, extracurriculars should also be something organizations under their guidance to
that you devote significant time to. Volunteering once to fulfill a show colleges the positive and lasting
requirement shouldn’t be something you list on your impact they made.
application, but volunteering weekly for a year could definitely
fill the bill. Senior Year: Students in their senior
So, basically any organized club, sport, or other activity can be year should take advantage of any
classified as an extracurricular, as long as you’ve shown available leadership positions within
dedication, and the activity has helped you grow. Personal clubs and organizations. Students
projects like running a half marathon, or building an app would already involved in clubs and
also fit this criteria. This means that working a job, and taking organizations or in leadership positions
care of a sibling would also count. should maintain their involvement.
October 2023 Collegeconnectnews@[Link] PO Box 90414 San Diego, CA 92169 Page 7