Articles for High School Counselors

Comparing SAT to ACT Scores

Compass Education Group has developed a concordance table which allows your students to take either the SAT or ACT and determine what an equivalent score is on the other test. This can be helpful if your students take both tests to see how their scores compare. They can also submit scores for the test they scored higher on if a particular score accepts results from both tests.

Because the digital PSAT and digital SAT are vertically aligned, meaning the scores exist at different ranges on the same scale, these tools can also be used to compare PSAT and ACT scores to determine if the SAT or ACT is a better test to take for specific student’s skill sets.

Pretty useful tools. Here is the link: https://www.compassprep.com/concordance-and-conversion-sat-and-act-scores/

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Behind the Curtain of Selective College Admissions – Webinar

If you have any students that are thinking about including highly selective colleges on their list, it’s important to understand just what they’re looking for, who is considered a “competitive” applicant, and how you can assess if these schools are right for you.

Estrela Consulting recently hosted a webinar with an expert panel of admission professionals who shared their expertise during a discussion of the topics above and more. Guests included: Kevin Ramos-Glew: Director of Enrollment Planning and Special Assistant to the Vice President at Dartmouth College, Rick Barth: Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Clemson University, and Sam Prouty: Executive Director of Admissions at Middlebury College

See the archived webinar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFs5i6Ya7gk

Estrela also has some great related blog posts you can check out here:

Understanding Selective College Admissions: Data Insights and Reality

Understanding Selective College Admissions: Institutional Priorities

Understanding Selective College Admissions: The Secret Sauce – Tips and Strategies

Fashion Internship Opportunity (Virtual) for your students

Do you have any social media savvy Gen-Zer students interested in all things fashion, pop culture, and trends? Are they interested in having their ideas and opinions translated into clothing designs that may be sold at retailers across the country? If yes, then Avalon Apparel is looking for their help on their national “Fashion Board”.

Estimated time commitment is roughly 5-10 hours per month (all online). Internship is unpaid, but there are a lot of fun perks including monthly raffles, surprise gifting, and the opportunity to network across the functions of design, sales/merchandising, and production to teach them more about careers within the fashion industry ecosystem.

Have any questions? They can be directed to Kelsey, Avalon Market Specialist, at kelsey@avalonapparel.com

Date August 23, 2024
Author Jason Bullock

New FAFSA Delay Presents an Opportunity for Some Families to Reduce College Costs

Despite previous assurances that the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as FAFSA, would be released on Oct. 1, the U.S. Department of Education announced in August that most families will not be able to submit their FAFSA until December.

While many families may be wringing their hands about the announcement, the delay will actually give some families an opportunity to reduce their college costs by thousands of dollars a year.

But to make that happen, they need to start now doing their homework by studying the new FAFSA rules and how they can benefit from them.

Here are some examples of actions that take time but can be completed prior to filing the FAFSA:

· Changing the ownership of 529 college savings accounts. Accounts that are in the student’s name are assessed by the FAFSA at a much higher rate than those owned by parents.

· Repositioning a child’s assets, including checking accounts, savings accounts and brokerage accounts.

· Accelerating retirement contributions by parents, because retirement savings are not reported on the FAFSA.

These are just a few examples of how families, especially middle-income families, can reduce college costs.

Families shouldn’t delay. They should be doing their homework now in order to be ready when the FAFSA is released. College families also have time to set the stage for a much more effective appeal by the time their financial aid letter reaches them.

An effective appeal or negotiation with your favorite choice college can also mean thousands of dollars in additional financial aid.

Families should also figure out what they are likely to pay for their student’s top-choice colleges, using the net-price calculators that are required on every college website.

The calculator may not be 100 percent accurate about the student’s eligibility for merit and need-based aid, but it will still give you an idea of your costs. If it’s more than you can afford, there will still be time to consider other options that might be not only more affordable but also a better fit for your student.

From personalized academic and financial planning to free workshops and test score improvement, My College Planning Team consists of an expert team dedicated to making higher education accessible and affordable, particularly for middle-income families. Free, no-obligation workshops are presented in person and virtually.

As the new school year is ramping up, it’s important to get the word out to as many families as possible.

Carrie Short is Client Services Manager with My College Planning Team and director of Financial Aid at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio. She is the former president of the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. For information, visit the My College Planning Team website.

Date August 20, 2024
Author Carrie Short

The 20 Best Skills Your Students Should Include on Their Resumes

As your students embark on that next chapter in their lives they will need to create a resume and keep it updated during their college years. Here are 20 skills they should include:

1. Problem-Solving Skills

No matter what the job is, eventually, something will go wrong, and employers want to know that you’re capable of coming up with a quick and effective solution. In fact, there are jobs that are essentially nothing but solving problems for the company, the clients, or both.

2. Critical Thinking Skills

Being able to think rationally and thoughtfully is the basis of critical thinking. Employers want workers who can think through a problem or a project and determine the best steps needed. Critical thinkers come up with new and better ways to work, making it an invaluable skill to put on a resume.

3. Flexibility

Many organizations and industries covet employees who are dynamic and adaptable to every situation, or who have a natural ability to use a variety of methods and approaches in different circumstances to get the best end result.

4. Communication Skills

Whether it’s written or verbal, being able to communicate with your boss, coworkers, and clients/customers in all situations is very valuable. The better you are at it, the better results you will generate.

5. Teamwork Skills

Most jobs will require you to work with other people at some point, and employers want to know that you can succeed in a team environment. Some jobs will prize this skill more than others.

6. Organization Skills

This is not just about having a neat desk but organizing tasks and projects for your coworkers, management, and, at the very least, yourself! If you want to show off your organizational skills, having a tightly structured resume certainly helps.

7. Creativity

Thinking outside of the box and coming up with creative solutions can be a real asset in any role. Perhaps you’re good at thinking about something in a way that hasn’t been done before. Creativity can be shown on your resume through a problem you solved or through a creative skill like writing or design.

8. Emotional Intelligence and People Skills

According to Psychology Today, “Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.” In the workplace, this means you’re rational and even-keeled and can handle ups and downs without losing control. While this is important for everybody, it’s a must-have skill to include on a resume for management.

9. Attention to Detail

On the job, you need to ensure you follow all instructions in order to complete your work. This can be especially important when you work with others. Paying attention to detail will be needed in any role you have. Consider times when you caught or fixed a potential mistake due to your attention to detail.

10. Responsibility

Part of being a good employee is taking responsibility for your duties and even owning up to mistakes. Most managers don’t want to have to check in on their employees to ensure every part of their job is getting done. Responsibility means doing what you need to do to complete your tasks.

11. Digital Skills

The list of professions that do not require you to use computers and certain types of software is very short. You could very likely break up “digital skills” into two or three specific technical proficiencies for your field. Most jobs require computer skills, including experience with video meeting software, project management programs, and other company-related software.

12. Design Skills

Aside from the obvious professions, like graphic design or web design, there are jobs in marketing, advertising, branding, engineering, and construction that require some type of design skills—even if it’s only for drawing up presentations.

13. Data Analysis Skills

Data is very much in vogue right now, and there are a lot of jobs out there where you will be called upon to analyze metrics and extrapolate a practical use from it, making analytical skills extremely valuable to put on your resume.

14. Negotiation Skills

There are many jobs that involve selling a product or service, purchasing stock or merchandise, brokering deals for production or transportation, establishing partnerships for advertising or investments, and so on.

15. Math Skills

Finance, business, engineering, construction, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and operations will require you to be competent with math in some capacity. If you’re in a profession that is more math-heavy, consider splitting it up into a few more specific skill areas.

16. Project Management Skills

Many jobs will require project management skills. The ability to manage your task flow and complete assignments on time is part of project management. Perhaps you have used project management software in the past or have completed a project early—these all show good project management.

17. Marketing Skills

Marketing involves selling and promoting products and services. Even if you’re not a marketer per se, many companies may desire this hard skill. Knowing the highlights and benefits of your company’s products and services and being able to speak or write about them can be valuable to many different jobs. If you have specific marketing or social media experience, even better.

18. Administrative Skills

Even if your job is not administrative in nature, it’s likely a part of your role. Administrative skills involve the things you do to manage your role: organizing, planning, scheduling, writing emails, managing files, etc. Employers want to know you’re able to take hold of the details.

19. Writing Skills

Many jobs involve writing. Whether it’s to clients or coworkers, having a basic writing ability is necessary and an absolute skill to put on your resume. Emails filled with typos and grammatical errors will not reflect well on you, and poor tone can send the wrong message. Demonstrate this skill through your cover letter and emails with the recruiter, and list any specific writing-heavy projects you’ve completed.

20. Foreign Language Skills

Being bilingual can be a great hard skill and set you apart from your competition. Even if a role or company doesn’t initially have a need for a bilingual employee, they may look favorably on your ability. It is common to need someone with fluency in another language to help customers or clients, so play up this skill on your resume.

These tips are from a post at Flexjobs.

7 Great Data Charts that Provide a Lot of Information to Compare Subsets of Colleges

Jennie Kent and Jeff Levy have provided some great charts for years related to Early Decision and Acceptance Rates, Domestic Undergraduate Need-Based and Merit Aid, and Financial Aid for International Noncitizens. This year they have added 4 new charts. Here is a rundown on all 7:

Early Decision and Regular Decision Acceptance Rates Class of 2027
Sample Early Action and Regular Decision Acceptance Rates Class of 2027 (new!)
Domestic Undergraduate Need-Based and Merit Aid Class of 2027
In-State and Out-of-State Acceptance Rates Class of 2027 (new!)
Financial Aid for International Noncitizens Class of 2027
International Noncitizens Acceptance Rate and Yield Class of 2027 (new!)
Percentage of Students Submitting SAT and ACT Scores Class of 2027 (new!)

These charts are visual, interactive, and easy to use. They make it possible to instantly sort using any column’s metrics and to easily compare subsets of colleges. They are free and can be accessed at www.bigjeducationalconsulting.com/resources.

What Level of Starting Pay are your Students Willing to Accept when they Graduate?

Flexjobs just released some interesting results from a study they conducted which answers that question.

Perspectives on Starting Pay: 23% of respondents said “$24,999 or less” is the lowest pay they would accept or have accepted for their first job, while 24% were split evenly between the $25,000 to $29,999 or $30,000 to $34,999 range.

What’s the lowest pay range you would accept or have accepted for your first job?
Answer Choices	Responses
$24,999 or less	23%
$25,000 – $29,999	12%
$30,000 – $34,999	12%
$35,000 – $39,999	8%
$40,000 – $44,999	9%
$45,000 – $49,999	7%
$50,000 – $59,999	12%
$60,000 – $69,999	6%
$70,000 – $79,999	5%
$80,000 – $99,999	4%
$100,000 or higher	4%

Almost one-quarter (24%) of women said they would accept or have accepted a salary of $24,999 or less for their first job––slightly higher than the average and seven percent higher than men who said the same (17%).
Additionally, 14% of men said the lowest pay range they would accept or have accepted was $80,000 or more, compared to six percent of women.

Entry-Level Salaries in 2024: Despite workers’ willingness to accept a lower pay range for their first job, only two percent of respondents believe “$24,999 or less” is a realistic entry-level starting salary in today’s job market.
Nearly half (49%) of workers agreed a realistic starting salary in 2024 should fall between $40,000 to $49,999 (26%) or $50,000 to $59,999 (23%).

What do you consider to be a realistic entry-level starting salary in 2024?
Answer Choices	Responses
$24,999 or less	2%
$25,000 – $29,999	6%
$30,000 – $39,999	15%
$40,000 – $49,999	26%
$50,000 – $59,999	23%
$60,000 – $69,999	13%
$70,000 – $79,999	7%
$80,000 – $89,999	4%
$90,000 – $99,999	1%
$100,000 – $120,000	2%
$120,001 or higher	1%

Between generations, 27% of baby boomers, 26% of Gen X, and 25% of millennials said $40,000 to $49,999 was an acceptable starting salary in 2024.
Men and women showed slight variances in what they believed to be a realistic entry-level salary in 2024:
- $30,000 to $39,999: Women (16%), Men (14%)
- $40,000 to $49,999: Women (27%), Men (23%)
- $50,000 to $59,999: Women (23%), Men (22%)
- $60,000 to $69,999: Women (12%), Men (14%)

Here is a link to the full report: 2024 Financial Pulse Report

Date August 9, 2024
Author Jason Bullock

A Flight Path for Studying Aviation: Free Webinar

Have any students interested in pursuing a career in Aviation? If so, Estrela Consulting is hosting a webinar on the subject. There will be a panel of experts that will delve into this career path and all that it entails. The webinar will be held live on August 20th at 7:00 PM Eastern and then archived for viewing at a later date. Here is a link to the registration page: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CGMBLh6tTmeC9GOsIVzrtg

How High School Students Can Leverage Social Media for Career Development

Social media is mostly considered a bad habit. Not quite as detrimental as smoking or alcohol, but also not carrots and jogging.

It is true that regular social media usage can have detrimental effects. It is also true that these effects are seen more significantly in young populations.

That doesn’t mean that teenagers can’t benefit from their social media presence. By carefully cultivating an online persona, high school students can boost their odds of impressing the admissions department of a university or even finding their first job.

In this article, we take a look at how social media can be used for good.

Developing a Personal Brand

Organizations are more keen than ever on developing their brand. A set of beliefs that not only reflect their professional output but also a world view.

To ensure that their brand remains consistent, they look for job candidates that reflect their values.

Anyone with a social media account can do the same. Carefully cultivated, social media posts can reflect your students’ worldview and assure universities and potential employers that the applicant would be a good personality fit.

How do your students accomplish this? There are two important steps. The first is that they should actively post only in ways that reflect the value they were trying to communicate.

For example, if your students are fixed on a particular social cause, they may wish to make posts that educate the community and showcase their commitment to change. These types of posts will not necessarily earn them a job, but they will make your students more enticing to an employer or university that shares those values

The second step is to make sure that your students don’t post anything that contradicts or conflicts with the persona they were trying to create.

It helps when they are being honest about their values. Chances are that there are employers or universities that share whatever it is they believe in.

By carefully aligning their online presence with their beliefs and values, your students can attract compatible employers.

Social Media as a Professional Skill

It’s also helpful to keep in mind that social media is something every business tries to leverage for their branding and marketing purposes. Therefore, they will naturally be attracted to candidates who have a strong grasp of various social media platforms.

High school students can demonstrate a skill at connecting with a large audience regularly may be attractive to employers, who are trying to achieve the same results with their own social media platforms.

To this end, it will be helpful to have a specific and almost academic understanding of the various platforms. Facebook, X, and LinkedIn all have different requirements. Unique expectations that anyone on the platform will have for a post.

X posts, for example, are short and punchy. Facebook posts are usually a little bit longer. LinkedIn post posts are informational. Instagram posts are short and personal. Candidates who can demonstrate their keen understanding of multiple social media platforms will be attractive to future employers.

Social Media as a Secondary Skill

People who are good at utilizing social media may also have secondary skills that employers value. For example, graphic design. Video editing. Sound engineering. Writing. Even data processing.

A lot goes into a great social media post.

It’s always a good idea to take a look at what your students are good at and think about ways you could help them frame those skills to a potential employer.

Saying “I am very good at Twitter” might not get your students very far unless they are applying for a job as a social media account manager. However, saying they have extensive experience with graphic design and showcasing that ability— in the context of social media— distinguishes their application from other candidates.

Social Media for Networking

Finally, social media is becoming an increasingly prominent place to meet other like-minded professionals. LinkedIn is the most prominent platform for relationships. Jobseekers can use LinkedIn to establish themselves as experts in the area that they are interested in working in.

People interested in making professional connections on LinkedIn should regularly post thoughtful articles relating to their professional interests.

They should also engage in productive conversations and make a point of connecting with like-minded people. Even if these professional relationships do not result directly in a job offer they may help your students’ applications stand out when they begin applying for jobs.

Can you get into trouble with social media?

You definitely can. In fact, even if your students do not post controversial topics, it is a good idea for them to be highly selective with what they publish online.

Even a picture of your students out at a party with their friends can be construed as inappropriate by a conservative company. They probably won’t worry that your students are untrustworthy just because they have active social lives, but they may be concerned that the image contradicts the one that they are trying to put out.

Using social media to find employment can be rewarding and effective, but it also means being extremely conscientious of everything that gets posted online.

In other words, your students can’t do it halfheartedly. If they are going to use their social media presence to showcase their talents and make connections, they have to make sure that everything they post is consistent with these efforts.

Date August 5, 2024
Author Sarah Daren

U.S. Colleges With Binding Early Decision Plans

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES WITH BINDING EARLY DECISION ADMISSION PLANS

(cross referenced with those with Early Action plans)

[dates are in US format with month first, then day]

[last modified July 20, 2024]

CALIFORNIA

Chapman University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

Claremont McKenna College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-10)]

Harvey Mudd College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-5)]

Loyola Marymount University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-8)

and an Early Action plan (11-1)]

Occidental College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-10)]

Pitzer College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-5)]

Pomona College (11-8) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-8)]

Santa Clara University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-7) and

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Scripps College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-8)]

University of San Francisco (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and

an Early Action plan (11-1)]

COLORADO

Colorado College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Regis University (10-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

University of Denver (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Fairfield University (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Quinnipiac University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)]

Sacred Heart University (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Trinity College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-17)]

University of New Haven (12-1) [also supports an Early Action

plan (12-1) and an EA2 plan (2-15)]

Wesleyan University (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)]

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

American University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Catholic University of America (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (2-1)

and an Early Action plan (11-1)]

George Washington University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-5)]

Howard University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

FLORIDA

Flagler College (11-1)

Florida Southern College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

Nova Southeastern University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action

plan (11-1)]

Rollins College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-5)]

Stetson University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)]

University of Miami (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-6) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

University of Tampa (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)]

GEORGIA

Agnes Scott College (11-11) [also supports an EA2 plan (1-16) and an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

Emory University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)]

Morehouse College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-15)]

Oxford College of Emory University (11-1) [also supports an

ED2 plan (1-1)]

Spelman College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

ILLINOIS

Augustana College (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)]

Illinois Institute of Technology (11-1) [also supports an Early Action

plan (11-15)]

Knox College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1) and

an EA2 plan (12-1)]

Lake Forest College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15), an Early

Action plan (11-1) and an EA2 plan (1-15)]

Northwestern University (11-1)

University of Chicago (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-6) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

INDIANA

Butler University (11-1 for nursing applicants only) [also supports

an Early Action plan (11-1)]

DePauw University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (12-15), an Early

Action plan (11-1) and an EA2 plan (12-15)]

Saint Mary’s College (11-15)

Wabash College (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-1)]

IOWA

Coe College (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-10)]

Grinnell College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-5)]

KENTUCKY

Centre College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an Early Action plan (11-15)]

LOUISIANA

Tulane University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-16) and an Early Action plan (11-15)]

MAINE

Bates College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-10)]

Bowdoin College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-6)]

Colby College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-2)]

College of the Atlantic (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and

an Early Action plan (12-1)]

MARYLAND

Johns Hopkins University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-2)]

Loyola University Maryland (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)

and an Early Action plan (11-1)]

McDaniel College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)]

Saint John’s College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

Saint Mary’s College of Maryland (11-1) [also supports an Early Action

plan (11-1)]

Salisbury University (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-1)]

Washington College (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-1)]

MASSACHUSETTS

Amherst College (11-8)

Assumption University (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)

and an EA2 plan (12-15)]

Babson College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-2) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Bentley University (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Boston College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-2)]

Boston University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-4)]

Brandeis University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-2)]

Clark University (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

College of the Holy Cross (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Emerson College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-3) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Emmanuel College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)

and an EA2 plan (12-15)]

Hampshire College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1) and an

Early Action plan (12-1)]

Merrimack College (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)]

Mount Holyoke College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-3)]

Northeastern University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Smith College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)]

Springfield College (12-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Stonehill College (12-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (2-1), an Early

Action plan (11-1) and an EA2 plan (1-15)]

Tufts University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-4)]

Wellesley College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)]

Wheaton College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

Williams College (11-15)

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan

(1-5), an Early Action plan (11-1) and an EA2 plan (1-5)]

MICHIGAN

Hillsdale College (11-1)

Kalamazoo College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

MINNESOTA

Carleton College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Macalester College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Saint Olaf College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

MISSOURI

Saint Louis University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-16)

and an Early Action plan (12-1)]

Washington University in Saint Louis (11-1) [also supports an

ED 2 plan (1-2)]

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Dartmouth College (11-1)

Saint Anselm College (12-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)]

NEW JERSEY

Drew University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (12-1)]

Monmouth University (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-1)]

Ramapo College of New Jersey (11-1) [also supports an Early Action

plan (12-15)]

Stevens Institute of Technology (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)

and an Early Action plan (12-1)]

The College of New Jersey (11-1)

NEW MEXICO

Saint John’s College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

NEW YORK

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (11-1) [also supports an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

Alfred University (12-1)

Bard College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Barnard College (11-1)

Clarkson University (12-1)

Colgate University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Columbia University (11-1)

Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (11-1) [School of

Engineering] or (12-1) [Schools of Art and Architecture]

Cornell University (11-1)

Fordham University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Hamilton College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-6)]

Hobart and William Smith Colleges (11-15) [also supports an ED 2

plan (1-15) and an Early Action plan (11-15)]

Iona College (12-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-15 and an

EA2 plan (1-15)]

Ithaca College (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-15)]

Jewish Theological Seminary of America, List College Joint Program with

General Studies at Columbia (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)

and an Early Action plan (1-1)]

Jewish Theological Seminary of America, List College Double Degree

Program with Barnard College (11-1)

Long Island University Brooklyn (12-15) [also supports an Early

Action plan (11-15)]

Long Island University Post (12-15) [also supports an Early

Action plan (11-15)]

Manhattan College (11-15)

Marist College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (2-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

Nazareth University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-1)]

New York University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)]

Pace University, New York City (11-1) [also supports an Early Action

plan (11-15) and an EA2 plan (12-1)]

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-3)

an Early Action plan (12-1)]

Rochester Institute of Technology (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)

and an Early Action plan (11-1)]

Saint John Fisher College (12-1)

Saint Lawrence University (apply after 11-1 and by 2-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-2)]

Sarah Lawrence College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-5) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Siena College (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)

and an EA2 plan (1-15)]

Skidmore College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-8)]

SUNY Maritime College (11-1)

Syracuse University (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-5)]

Union College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

University of Rochester (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-5)]

Utica College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)

and an EA2 plan (12-15)]

Vassar College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)]

Webb Institute (of Naval Architecture) (10-16)

Yeshiva University (11-1) [for Honors applicants only]

NORTH CAROLINA

Davidson College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-6)]

Duke University (11-4)

Elon University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

Guilford College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-1)]

High Point University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (2-1) and an

Early Action plan (11-15)

Meredith College (10-30) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-1)]

Queens University of Charlotte (11-15) [also supports an Early Action

plan (11-15) and an EA2 plan (1-18)]

Wake Forest University (11-15) [this is a rolling ED plan—decisions will be

made as applications received up until deadline; also supports an Early Action for first-generation applicants only (11-15)]

Warren Wilson College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)]

OHIO

Antioch College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-2)]

Case Western Reserve University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)

and an Early Action plan (11-1)]

College of Wooster (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-30)]

Denison University (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Kenyon College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Miami University of Ohio (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)

and an EA2 plan (12-1)]

Oberlin College and Conservatory (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-2)

College applicants only; NO ED for Conservatory applicants]

Ohio Wesleyan University (11-15) [also supports an Early

Action plan (12-1)]

Wittenberg University (11-11) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-1)]

OKLAHOMA

University of Tulsa (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1) and

an EA2 plan (2-1)]

OREGON

Lewis and Clark College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

Reed College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (12-20) and an Early

Action plan (11-1)]

Willamette University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

PENNSYLVANIA

Allegheny College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-1) and

an EA2 plan (2-1)]

Bryn Mawr College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)]

Bucknell University (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Carnegie Mellon University (11-1)

Dickinson College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Drexel University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

Franklin and Marshall College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-6)]

Gettysburg College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (12-1)]

Grove City College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (12-1)]

Haverford College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-5)]

Juniata College (11-15) [also supports an EA plan (12-1) and an

EA2 plan (1-15)]

Lafayette College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)]

Lehigh University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)]

Lycoming College (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-1)]

Muhlenberg College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (2-15) and an

Early Action plan (12-1)]

Saint Joseph’s University (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

Susquehanna University (11-15) [also supports an Early Action

plan (11-1) and an EA2 plan (12-1)]

Swarthmore College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-4)]

University of Pennsylvania (11-1)

Ursinus College (12-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (2-1) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Villanova University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Washington and Jefferson College (12-15) [also supports an Early Action

plan (1-15)]

Westminster College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)]

Wilkes University (11-15)

York College of Pennsylvania (11-1)

RHODE ISLAND

Brown University (11-1)

Bryant University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

Providence College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Rhode Island School of Design (11-1)

Salve Regina University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)

and an EA2 plan (1-5)]

SOUTH CAROLINA

Coastal Carolina University (10-15) [also supports an Early Action

plan (11-15)]

College of Charleston (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and

an Early Action plan (11-1)]

Furman University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

Wofford College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 (1-15) plan and an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

TENNESSEE

Rhodes College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (11-15)]

Sewanee: The University of The South (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan

(1-15) and an Early Action plan (12-1)]

Vanderbilt University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)]

TEXAS

Baylor University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

Rice University (11-1)

Southern Methodist University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15)

and an Early Action plan (11-1)]

Southwestern University (11-5) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-3)]

Texas Christian University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (2-1) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

Trinity University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (2-1) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

VERMONT

Bennington College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-15) and an

Early Action plan (12-1)]

Champlain College (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-15)]

Middlebury College (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-3)]

Sterling College (11-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (12-15)

and an EA2 plan (1-15)]

University of Vermont (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

VIRGINIA

Christopher Newport University (11-15) [also supports an Early Action

plan (12-1)]

College of William and Mary (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-5)]

Hampden-Sydney College (11-1) [also an Early Action plan (10-15) and

an EA2 plan (12-1)]

Hollins University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)]

Longwood University (11-2) (for nursing applicants ONLY) [also supports

an Early Action plan for all applicants (12-1)]

Randolph-Macon College (11-15) [also supports an Early

Action plan (10-17)]

Roanoke College (10-15) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)

and an EA2 plan (12-15)]

Sweet Briar College (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-15)]

University of Lynchburg (11-15)

University of Mary Washington (11-1) [also supports an Early Action

plan (11-15)]

University of Richmond (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1) and an

Early Action plan (11-1)]

University of Virginia (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)]

Virginia Military Institute (11-15)

Washington and Lee University (11-1) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-1)]

WASHINGTON

University of Puget Sound (11-1) [also supports an Early Action

plan (11-1)]

Whitman College (11-15) [also supports an ED2 plan (1-10)]

WISCONSIN

Lawrence University (11-1) [also supports an Early Action plan (11-1)

and an EA2 plan (12-1)]

This list was compiled by Cigus Vanni, longtime NACAC member (that’s a kind way of describing “really old”) of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Associations for College Admission Counseling and former member of the NACAC Professional Development Committee (2007-2010). Sources consulted included Big Future by the College Board; the National Center for Education Statistics; the admissions requirement grid of the Common Application; individual college websites; the College Board Common Data Set; and various college admissions offices on websites and by telephone (telephone—how quaint!). As is the case with all aspects of college admission, use lists as guides and be certain to double check with individual admissions offices. If you become aware of any inaccuracies or omissions, please contact me and I will amend and republish the list

Permission to share and duplicate is freely given—distribution trumps attribution

Date August 2, 2024
Author Cigus Vanni

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