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Archive for November, 2009

Do I need to take the TOEFL?

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

Dear Babs,

I am a high school student in New Jersey, and I will be sending in my college application this winter. I was born in Columbia, and English is my 2nd language. I am now an American citizen, but do I still have to take the TOEFL in order to get into college in America?

-Bilingual in New Jersey

Dear Bilingual,

No, you do not need to take the TOEFL, although you should always double-check with your colleges admissions office (a simple phone call or email may be the quickest way). As you live in New Jersey, I am assuming you go to an English-speaking high school. Students who will be obtaining a diploma in an English-speaking school in are usually exempt from the TOEFL requirements.

This may not be true if you just moved to the US and were in special ESL courses at your high school. However, as it sounds like you have been in the country a long time, I would not worry. Do call the admissions office and double-check, but if you are able to take a high school English class then you should have no problem with college courses in English.

Good Luck!

Babs

Got a question for Babs? Email her at dearbabs@campuscompare.com.

You can publish Bab’s on your school newspaper or blogroll at http://www.campuscompare.com/college-resources/dear-babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Admissions, Dear Babs
11.25.09
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What major do I put down on my college application

Friday, November 20th, 2009

Dear Babs,

I’m applying to colleges this winter, and I’m stumped. Some of my college applications ask me what I want to study, and I don’t know! What should I put down? Will they penalize me if I say I don’t know? Can I change my mind?

-Majorless in Minnesota

Dear Majorless,

Don’t worry, you are not expected to know exactly what you want to study. Colleges are looking more for an idea of what field you are interested in, not a specific college major. Just think of your best subject, and choose something in that field. All A’s in English? Write down English Lit or Communications. Love science? Biology or chemistry. Just make sure the school actually offers that major.

The one exception to this rule is if you are applying to a specific program, which you should not be doing if you don’t know what you want to study. An example would be the School of Communications at Syracuse University, or School of engineering at Tufts University. These school’s offer tailored academic programs for very focused students who know that they want to go into that specific field, and so they often expect you to declare your major right away.

So long as you are applying to a general program, like a liberal-arts college, or a school of Arts and Sciences at a big university, you should have no problem. Just put down whatever subject you are likely to major in, and figure out the rest as you go along.

Good luck!

Babs
Got a question for Babs? Email her at dearbabs@campuscompare.com.

You can publish Bab’s on your school newspaper or blogroll at http://www.campuscompare.com/college-resources/dear-babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Admissions, Dear Babs, major
11.20.09
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What If I Accidentally Lied On My College Application?

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Dear Babs,

This past fall I was nominated for a All-State Academic Award. To the best of my knowledge, everyone who is nominated gets recognition (last year 67 people got it). And since I have well surpassed the requirements, I naturally added it to my awards on the common app. I have since sent three applications in and now my common app is frozen. But now I’m starting to worry that I won’t be chosen for it. There is no way for me to remove it from my application. What do I do if I don’t get the award?

-Worried in Texas

—

Dear Worried,

If I could turn back time, as Cher is known to say, I would recommend that you simply write “nominated for an All-State Academic Award” as opposed to “recipient of an All State Academic Award”. However, what’s done is done, and the best thing that you can do now is not to stress about “what could have been.”

As you said, most people who are nominated do get the award. So you may not have a problem at all. This is the most likely scenario, and you will look back on this whole anxious-ridden situation as a lesson learned.

That’s your best-case scenario. In the worst-case, you do not get the award, and the best you can do is damage control. To avoid lying on your application, I would send a letter informing those three colleges of the discrepancy. It was an honest mistake, and you did not intend to lie. Explain that you were presumptuous but not malicious, and that you are trying to rectify the situation with full-disclosure. Ask your guidance counselor to call the admissions department to further explain your situation, and to vouch for your character. Although that award would look nice on your application, I am sure it is not the only thing going for you. As long as the rest of your application is strong, and the colleges are understanding about your mistake, there is no reason why you should be penalized.

I just want to make this absolutely clear that you should in no way send this letter to the colleges unless YOU DO NOT GET THE AWARD. If you get the award, then no harm, no foul. No need to notify them of a lie that might-have-been. So sit tight, and hope for the best. I’m sure everything will work out in the end.

Good luck!

Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Uncategorized
11.11.09
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