CTCL E-News July 2008

What makes the 40 Colleges That Change Lives so special?

In his research for Colleges That Change Lives, author Loren Pope found many examples of the individualized attention students receive on these campuses, how they are mentored by faculty and become part of a college community and family, which extends well beyond their four years of enrollment. A recent story about a Knox College graduate, exemplifies the CTCL philosophy in a particularly poignant way.

SAT in the News Again

Two recent releases from the College Board put the SAT in the headlines recently. New data released shows the new SAT is no better at predicting first year student success than previous versions.

The National Center for Fair and Open Testing (Fair Test) reacts to the report and their web site also provides a listing of colleges who are test-free or test-optional.

The College Board also announced that starting with the Class of 2010, students who take the SAT multiple times, can decide how many and which scores to send to colleges.

Jump Start Your College Search

Summer is a great time to get the college search underway and here are a few tips to get the process moving. Visit www.ctcl.com for more resources.

Start With a Map
Start by making a list of the colleges within four hours of home—the distance most students travel when choosing a college. There are many websites that allow you to search by geography, so pick your state and those nearby and hit "find"! Try the US Dept of Ed College Navigator.

CSI: College Search Investigator
Start asking the people you know and respect if they went to college and where they attended. Ask relatives, friends, teachers, neighbors, church members, co-workers and others in your life. You may be surprised to learn about colleges you have never heard of that will be great for you to investigate. This is also a way to learn more about colleges from an insider's point of view. Just make sure to get more than one opinion before you add or delete any from your list!

Anime To Ultimate Frisbee—Choice By Interest
It is not unreasonable to narrow the field by looking for colleges that have your non-academic interests, whether that is leadership, sports, or hobbies. Use search engines and college websites to investigate whether you can keep doing the activities you enjoy and find others who share your passion. Alternately, some students choose to eliminate colleges with activities they dislike, so searching for colleges without sports, fraternities and sororities, or other specific activities is another way to make your list. College Matchmaker from College Board may help you search this way.

Mark Your Calendar for the CTCL Program in Your Area

CTCL will offer information sessions and college fairs around the country, continuing the 2008 tour in August and September with stops in the West, South and Midwest. For more information on events in your area, visit the CTCL programs web site.