4. Past PFE Posts category archive

The Canadian Option

In recent years, I have written about extraordinary colleges that students know little or nothing about, but should. All but one of those colleges are in the United States. Now I want to discuss higher education opportunities that are north of the border. Have you ever considered the Canadian option? Why not?

Here are a few reasons why you may want to:

1. The quality of education and living standards in Canada are amongst the highest in the world, but the cost of living and tuition fees are generally lower than comparable college costs in the United States. At the time of this writing, $1.00 US equals $1.33 CA. Therefore, the University of Toronto’s cost of attendance (COA) for non-residents is $46,530 (CA) but $35,363 (US). A comparable American university is $65,750. Most of the Canadian universities accept the US Federal loan programs, including the PLUS loan. But they do not accept US Pell or SEOG grants. From an affordability standpoint, this could make the Canadian option impractical because there is little need-based grant aid given to American students to fill the gap.

2. There are around 100 major universities in Canada and 95% are publicly supported. There is a high level of respect given to secondary school teachers across the provinces and most students take their lessons seriously and some observers believe they are better prepared for college than their American counterparts. This translates into a positive peer environment for the mature teenager from the US who is going to college, not because it is the thing to do but to pursue an academic concentration that will prepare them for life beyond college. Learning does not stop after the degree is earned. It is a lifelong activity.

3. Canada’s high academic standards and rigorous quality controls mean that there is more likelihood of earning a high-quality education that will open doors for your future and benefit your career over the long term. You want to be prepared. A Canadian degree, diploma, or certificate is globally recognized as being equivalent to those obtained from the United States. There are also more CO-OP programs offered than in the US as well as accelerated three-year Bachelor’s degree options. (Keep in mind, however, that if a US graduate degree is pursued, the 3-year degree may not satisfy requirements for some US graduate programs.) Here is the latest ranking of the top Canadian colleges and universities. Now, settle back; grab a hot chocolate and take a virtual tour of them all.

4. Study abroad opportunities abound in US colleges. I encourage students to take a semester in another country if it includes taking classes in a university while there. But how about all four years in the foreign country above instead of abroad? With almost all of the world’s ethnic groups represented in Canada, it’s hard not to find ethnic foods and recreation activities associated with specific cultures. Canada has long had a welcome mat out to immigrants from other cultures. They have excellent
   screening procedures, but there is little of the fear of “aliens that has been instilled into the US population.

5. You may have heard of or experienced Canadians friendly and open nature. During all my visits to Canada, I experienced that friendliness. In fact, the United Nations consistently ranks Canada as one of the best places in the world to live. As an international student in Canada, you’ll enjoy all of the same freedoms which protect Canadians, respect for human rights, equality, and a stable and peaceful society.

By now you may be asking “This looks great but what are my chances of getting in and how complex is the application process?”

Each university has its own application but it is much more straightforward than the Common Application, which only three private schools in Canada accept, by the way. You will need to do your AAA due diligence as you should be doing already. Keep in mind, however, that the admissions person you would have contact with is the International Counselor, not a regional counselor that you will find in private American schools.

Dan Seneker, Student Recruitment Manager at the University of Saskatchewan list the application steps here. Plus a plethora of information and eye-opening statistics here.  Finally, here is a link that encapsulates the differences between American and Canadian universities.

We Saw Them Coming

At a seminar for college admissions advisers I attended in 1995, Don Bishop who is currently Associate VP of Undergraduate Enrollment at Notre Dame, made some very interesting and accurate observations. One of the important tasks of an Enrollment Manager on a college campus is to look at short term and long term trends in population growth.

Mr. Bishop observed that the year 1999 would be the last year a bright high school graduate could assemble a list of six competitive colleges and be reasonably assured of acceptance somewhere, if not at his first choice, at least at the flagship university in his or her state of residence.

The rapidly increasing birth rate beginning in 1982 (ubiquitous baby boomers being the culprits, once again) have put increasing pressure on the college admission offices. Since the year 2000, the number of college-bound high school seniors has steadily increased each year. In fact, the graduation year 2014 was the largest high school graduating class in American history!

To compound the challenge is the fact the government, particularly the SEC, Congress and the private Federal Reserve have demonstrated a collective lack of oversight and/or fiscal malfeasance. This has further corrupted the fiat credit system that our nation’s economy is based on. The negative impact on family savings and investments has forced more students to look at not just their state universities and colleges but their community colleges. But even these lower cost institutions may not accommodate all of the students applying in the coming years.

The New York Times article points out across the country, many community colleges have felt similar pressures. The battered economy drove many workers back to school to retool their skills, while others have eschewed a four-year degree in favor of a more affordable two-year program.

Therefore, much more deliberate and practical planning will need to be done as a family. Post secondary school planning with us begins with a get acquainted FREE consultation. For more information contact us here.

Remember, this is a tour of extraordinary colleges; therefore different pedagogical methods may not be for you. That is okay, enjoy the trip, the ride will be educational. But for those students who fit the profile, the education one receives is rock solid (no pun intended).

Now, let’s hop into our rented Nissan e-NV200 Electric van and head across New Hampshire to my favorite state of the Union, Vermont. Nestled up in the Northwest corner overlooking gorgeous Lake Champlain is Champlain College. The city of Burlington is the home of two other colleges. One is the most expensive public university in the country, U of Vermont and the other is St Michaels College.

We are here to visit Champlain. Founded in 1878 it now has 2,396 happy to be here students. It has come into the 21^st century with a strong endowment and financially prepared to offer innovative and pragmatic courses of study based on its’ “Upside-Down Curriculum” that are very much designed for the graduate to be highly employable in many fields upon graduation. In fact, 98% of them are employed in careers related to their majors within two years.

Watch the many videos that the communications majors have produced. Here are some students.  As more than a few students will say, “You will work hard in your courses, but you will take away so much more than you ever expected. The professors will not let you slip through the cracks, and you will learn more about yourself and the world around you in even the most academic of classes.”

Now we have to take to the air and fly from Burlington to Charlotte, North Carolina. We then drive to High Point, North Carolina to a university, founded in 1924, that would never have been included on this list of extraordinary colleges before 2005.
It was in 2005 that the High Point University trustees asked, encouraged, cajoled, begged and finally convinced Dr. Nido Quebin to become its President. What he has done in the last 10 years is incredible. Read and view the many interviews he has had since he took over. Took over are the wrong words. He has inspired faculty and students alike to be the best they can be. His style of positive leadership sparkles when he speaks. The focus is on the student and I marvel at his ability to bring all the academic departments together with a common mission.

At this time, the school is not that well known outside of the Southeast, but that is about to change. It is definitely worth a strong look regardless of your prospective major there is something for everyone.

Of the many videos, be sure to set aside one hour to watch this one:  ENTREPRENEURSHIP ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION

Our next stop is Pennsylvania. We are going to visit Grove City College 60 miles north of Pittsburgh. This is a very competitive liberal arts college with particularly strong pre-medicine, engineering and business programs. So, what is so extraordinary about that? You ask.

When parents ask me, “Why is college so expensive and why have costs, risen, on average, 2 to 3 times faster than inflation since the 1970’s?”, I point to Grove City College for the answer.

In 1972 the newly created Department of Education during the Carter administration, advocated for strong legislation that would make colleges, who wished to use any kind of Federal Aid in their financial aid packages, to meet complex gender equity requirements on their campuses. It was called Title IX. Over the years, the cost of complying with those rules has brought about ever increasing administrative costs.

Grove City keeping with its independent conservative principles cried foul! They did not want the education they provided to the undergrads be compromised by having to be encumbered with additional expenses that had nothing to do with education. Of over 4000 colleges, Grove City was the lone cry for sanity and critical thinking in the world of higher education.

However, they had to go all the way to the Supreme Court in 1984 to maintain their independence from Federal control. The landmark case is truly one for the history books! Watch the video in its’ entirety above. They have since been able to keep costs under control. The COA in 2015/16 is less than $27,000/year. The college is debt free and self-funds programs to provide both need based and merit scholarships to those who qualify. They do all this without paying their professors any less than comparable colleges, having students sleep in bunk houses, eat canned tuna or limit its athletic programs to co-ed croquet and ultimate Frisbee competitions.

Founded in 1876 it is a very traditional Presbyterian college and church attendance is required. But that may not be a bad thing. Do you agree?

Whoops! What time is it? We better get to the airport, our flight leaves for San Francisco in two hours. The last college on our tour has made the list in large part because of its President, Dr. Pamela Eibeck, Ph.D. The University of the Pacific had been a very good medium size undergrad school for decades but when she took the helm at the same time her son became a college freshman at Santa Clara, refreshing changes rejuvenated the campus that, like many others, had become a bit stagnant. (Fun Fact: Read about why her son was disappointed his mom got the job.)

When I tell promising students in the Northeast about this college called the University of the Pacific their eyes light up! Wow, I have heard so much about the great surfing out there.  I don’t tell them right away that the Stockton campus is two hours drive to some of the best surfing anywhere in California,  Santa Cruz. I want them first to think about why they are going to college for the academics, right?

Speaking of academics, you will not be disappointed at UOP. Because Dr. Eibeck was Dean of Engineering at a Texas University before coming to UOP, that department is tops but her academic; analytic and leadership skills have strengthened all academic departments. Like Dr. Quebin of High Point University, she has inspired the entire faculty and student body to work as a team and do the best they can for themselves and for each other.

Thank you for traveling this far with me. By the way, please send me an email if you have an extraordinary college that deserves to be highlighted. I know there are more than the 15 I have discussed on this Blog. I will be including some Canadian and Universities around the globe in future installments. (By the way, what did you think of the European College in my second essay?) 🙂

If you have a high school student with college aspirations or simply needs some guidance even if college is NOT the next step, give me a call @ (978) 820-1295. Smart College Planning begins with a complimentary “get acquainted” 75′ conversation.

 Five Extraordinary Colleges You’ve Never Heard of but Should

In our offices we have large North American maps with the locations of most all the colleges in the U.S. and Canada. It is always fun to place a pin into the map where a student of ours matriculated but never knew existed before meeting with us.

In the “Extraordinary Colleges You Never Heard of but Should” series, Deep Springs College in California was one of those colleges. In my opinion, it was Shimer College in Chicago, one of the most unique colleges in the U.S., to receive a pin. I hope you read the first two installments above if you haven’t already.

As seniors wait to hear from all their colleges to which they applied it is now time for juniors and sophomores to continue the exploratory process. We are going to begin our next college road trip in the beautiful state of Maine in one of the most sought after vacation spots in the Northeast…Bar Harbor, Maine, the epitome of New England charm.

There, smack dab on the Atlantic Ocean you will find The College of The Atlantic. Eat your hearts out Southern California! The beauty and historic significance of the Maine coast puts the boring sun drenched Pacific beaches and ubiquitous shopping centers to shame. Mount Desert Island was a summer escape for wealthy families looking to get away from the heat of the cities. Today, a little Gilded Age charm still exists. A stone castle built in 1895, now acts as College of the Atlantic’s main administrative building, while other homes have been purchased and renovated into residence halls.

Amazingly, the College’s 350 or so independent, bright, committed and VERY environmentally conscious students consider Acadia National Park as their backyard and personal research laboratory. Ask any one of them what their degree is in and they will tell you Human Ecology! I love that! When you understand what it is, maybe you will too.

Continue reading here….

It was inevitable. Computer technology is here to stay. I remember in 1994 when one of my students said Mr. Goodhart, you should get on the Internet, there is a lot of great information about colleges on it. This revelation may come as a surprise to any of our students who were born after 1994. They never had the pleasure of working a slide rule in their advanced math classes.

But after a few years, I saw a need to help students understand college websites. They were spending an inordinate amount of time on the site, but coming away with little substantive knowledge about the college. Therefore, I designed an efficient AAA method to do one’s due diligence. When done properly the student should know the important aspects of each college’s particular offerings and ethos. I like to hear students say that it was almost a deja  vu experience once they arrived at the college for the first time.

The winter is a good time to plan ahead for college visits. Spring is the best time for juniors to visit a few colleges while classes are still in session. That is, after applying the AAA method. I will never forget one college admissions officer describe her experience. She drove her daughter 357 miles to tour Lehigh University. The young scholar would not even get out of the car! Why not? asked the seasoned admissions officer (aka mom).  I am not going to a college where I have to hike up a mountain every day!

No exaggeration. Now you know. Even college admissions officers have kids. Plus, they too can be tripped up occasionally during the planning process. Now with the current edicts in force because of the current pandemic, (remember this one?), it is even more important. The AAA method (in the second paragraph above) will provide the answers, even to questions not asked, ahead of time and smooth your journey. Go ahead and download it to your desktop now.

The majority of college-bound students do it the wrong way. Is your student in the majority? Fall is college application time for seniors. The Class of 2025 was one of the largest most competitive high school class in American history. 3.9 million students applied to colleges. High school seniors around the country are applying to their Dream Schools.

Every year the following scenarios are played out by countless ambitious students everywhere.

SCENARIO ONE: The first is when a student falls in love with a single college but his academic profile is in the lower 50% of the applicant pool. It could be a college that historically has less than a 7% acceptance rate or as high as 40%. He applies in one of the early application programs (ED, ED 1, ED 2, SCEA or EA) thinking he will have a better chance of admittance. It is his “dream school” and, while he may grudgingly add a few more colleges to a list to satisfy a nervous parent, he never really looks beyond that “dream school”. Until, of course, the rejection letter arrives in December. Because his focus and enthusiasm were wrapped up in his dream school, he did not pay much attention to the requirements (download the AAA method at that link) of his other colleges. Some of which had January regular application (RA) deadlines, none of which he is prepared to meet.

SCENARIO TWO: This is more common. As above, the student may have what I call “brand name paralysis” and builds a list solely of “BNP schools.” These are schools like Harvard, Yale, Stanford, UC Berkeley and Pomona where the acceptance rate is so ridiculously low that no matter how good your grades and test scores are, getting in is never a sure bet. Unfortunately, like the “dream school” students, they too are often disappointed. Likely they have been told by parents, teachers, or a guidance counselor that they are excellent prospects for these schools because they are so unique and special. So, they never really look seriously beyond those “lottery schools”…until, of course, the rejection letters start coming in the mail in the spring.

Because of the huge increase in student applications, some of the top students are even being rejected by their safety schools . (Colleges do not want to be thought of as safeties, so they are sending a message basically saying we want you only if you want us.) Talk about humble pie!

These two scenarios illustrate why I believe that college planning should start with an honest; realistic self-assessment. This means taking a critical look at the student’s academic statistics, interests, learning style, and personality.

Obviously, financial issues are important too. You can learn how to minimize student (and parent) debt here.

In other words, begin the college search by identifying several schools where the student has a good chance for acceptance and, more importantly, where he/she would be happy to spend a few years. These are the schools where the student’s academic profile places him or her in the top 25% of the accepted student pool. Once students genuinely appreciate (if not love) at least one “safety” school, they can move on to more selective schools and, yes, even some of the aforementioned most competitive colleges.