Is it Possible?

…could there actually be a use for AI in a high school/college setting that I could get behind? It was brought to my attention recently that there are AI apps that offer advanced study aids. They don’t help you cheat or help you puff up your essays to make you sound like a PhD candidate.

I looked at one, “What’s on the Test“, and there are others. I am absolutely not recommending it or promoting it. These types of apps are so new that there is very little in the way of reviews. Most of the discussion about them is taking place on TikTok or Insta. I have no idea whether they actually do what they profess to do. All I can say is, if they don’t, someone should create an app that does.

The premise is this: You enter your class syllabus, your notes, any assigned reading, homework, etc. In return, the apps say they provide feedback that lets you know what items are likely to be on the test. While there are no guarantees, the app can help you focus on the most likely questions. Because it is being fed information that is actually being taught in your specific class, it can fine-tune the questions that it drills you on. It will actually test you on the subject, find your weak points and then provide help to get you up to speed. It says it can give you different study aids like flashcards or practice tests to help you fine-tune your understanding.

The apps I found are not free, except for an introductory period. I look forward to hearing more about this. I’m all for tools that can actually help students be successful through accelerated use of their own brains.

Focus on Admissions

You thought you could just collect your info, write your essay, send it off to a bunch of colleges, and wait to see what happens. In truth, you can do that, but there are so many other options.

• Early Action

• Early Decision

• Rolling Admissions

And if that’s not enough, there’s also the Deferred Admission option. That’s explained in the section following the video.

Click below and listen to Margaret Meek explain.

Deferred Admissions

The National Association for College Admission Counseling describes deferred admission as "an opportunity for a student who has been admitted to delay or defer enrollment for a year or a semester”.

It can be confusing, because “deferred admission” can also refer to an application that is put on hold for some reason. Perhaps a student from the early decision applicant pool gets moved to the pool of regular applicants. Or perhaps an application requires more information to be considered. Here we will be addressing applicants that want to put off attending college for a year.

So for some reason, you don’t feel ready for college yet. Or perhaps circumstances in your life have changed and you’re not able to attend next fall. Consider deferring your college admittance for a year. (Some schools allow a deferment of a semester, but that’s more rare.)

Usually a student requesting a deferment needs to be a fall, first year student. In general, you will need to request the deferment in writing to the school that you have accepted. Some schools grant all requests, others do not. Schools that don’t grant deferments for everyone will likely want a good reason from you as to why they should let you slide for a year. Acceptable reasons might be travel, working to save money for school, volunteer work, etc.

You will still need to pay a deposit to the school to hold your place. Amounts vary by school, and if you don’t end up attending, they will likely keep it.

Deferment is a good option if you fear that you might lose your enthusiasm for college during the year away. If you know that the school is saving a place for you, you might be more likely to go back.

Some schools allow you to take classes elsewhere during that year, most do not. Some schools may treat you as a transfer student, rather than in incoming freshman, if you have taken classes elsewhere without their express permission.

On the downside, you may lose Honors status at your chosen school. You may also lose some financial support, such as some scholarships.

Once you’ve been accepted, contact the school and find out exactly what their requirements are. If a gap year is important to you, check out the policies surrounding gap years on the websites of your prospective schools, preferably before you apply, and certainly before you accept. Why pay a deposit and then find out the school won’t consider your request?

Regardless of whether you avail yourself of any of these options, some things remain true. There are some things that you need to do no matter what:

• Register for October ACT; last chance before early admission

• Ask teachers (preferably from junior year) for a letter of recommendation (didn’t you do this last spring when we told you?)

• Create an account with the Common Application/Coalition App

• Gather the information needed to complete the FAFSA and CSS Profile

• Set up FAFSA IDs for parents and student

• Request applications from schools that don't use Common App/Coalition App

• Finalize your essay. Proof, proof, proof!

If you’re very organized and dedicated, you may be able to get things ready in time to take advantage of your state’s Free Application opportunities. Twenty-two states offer some kind of Free Application program. A large number of them are in October. Check online or with your school to find out if/how your state participates. Since applying to a school costs somewhere between $30 and $90, being able to do this can save you upwards of $300 on average.

For more information on Admissions take a listen to Anika. She has four short videos that will help so much!

Need a Little Stress Relief?

This whole application process can be very overwhelming. If you need a break, take a look at this Buzzfeed list of the worst essays that admin professionals have ever received. You might also gather a little info on what not to do.

Upcoming Events:

October 23rd: Deadline for regular registration for the November 7th SAT

October 27th: Deadline for late registration for November 7th SAT

November 6th: Deadline for regular registration for the December 12th ACT

Scholarships

Here’s a list of scholarships with deadlines in October:

My Personal Fave

I love talking about zombies, even though my daughter has told me I will never be allowed on her team during the apocalypse. Really? Just because I threw her to the zombies during a panicked run through the haunted house at a Japanese amusement park. <sigh>

"Imagine that your high school or college has been overrun with zombies. Your math professor, the cafeteria ladies, and even your best friend have all joined the walking dead. Flesh out a plan to avoid the zombies, including where you’d hide and the top-five things you’d bring to stay alive." A 250-word response to that question could net you $2,000! Apply by Halloween.