U.S. News Rankings changes ranking formula to reward colleges that have more low-income students. 9-10-2018

An article in USA Today reports that the National Association for College Admissions Counseling survey shows that grades and courses are of considerable importance at about a 75 percent level, and the essay is of considerable importance at about a 25 percent level. The survey is at: ( https://www.nacacnet.org/globalassets/documents/publications/research/2019_soca/soca2019_ch3.pdf )

The Starter Guide noticed that test scores came in at about 46 percent in considerable importance. And activities were only at 6.4 percent of considerable importance. So, students, the moral of the story is to take as hard of classes as you can, get the best grades you can, and don't let activities ruin your grades. See the article at USAToday.com, "Let's return sanity to college admissions. Coronavirus pandemic gives us an opportunity," by Jeffrey Selingo, May 11, 2020. 

The Wall Street Journal's Douglas Belkin reports how colleges buy students' names and scores for 47 cents from the SAT company. Then the colleges mail the students invitations to apply. But many students might just barely qualify, so students should look closely at each college's range of test scores before getting their hopes up. The colleges, as some in this article claim, may be all in competition to get as many students to apply, even if the student's chances are low. So, the Starter Guide website reminds you that the test score ranges for admitted applicants for colleges are listed in the U.S. governments College Scorecard for free. So, if you get a mailing, it doesn't necessarily mean your chances are any higher at all. Please double check your scores to each college's range. Now, test scores are only part of the process, so good grades in a lot of harder classes mean a lot too, so applying may still be justified. Just be aware that colleges send out a lot of mail. See "Universities Buy SAT-Takers' Names And Boost Exclusivity: For 47 cents, College Board will sell a student's data, feeding admissions frenzy," by Douglas Belkin, 11-6-2019, pg. A1 & A10, Wall Street Journal.

This lengthy article by Jay Caspian Kang in the New York Times Magazine provides a lot of details about the debates about college admissions, showing how convoluted it can be.  See, "Where Does Affirmative Action Leave Asian-Americans?  A high-profile lawsuit against Harvard is forcing students and their families to choose sides, " 8-28-19, 
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/magazine/affirmative-action-asian-american-harvard.html?fallback=...

This 30 minute presentation, (or read the transcript) has some great information, a sort of a summary of common sense things to do. A lot of what is says agrees with a lot of the things in the Starter Guide to College, so some things are redundant, if you've read the book.  https://www.npr.org/2019/06/05/729907683/paying-for-college-what-to-know-before-you-go?utm_source=np...

A study by the National Association of College and University Business Officers shows that nationwide, colleges are lowering their net tuition prices with more discounts and grants. see  https://www.nacubo.org/research/2018/nacubo-tuition-discounting-study. 

See "The Stigma of Choosing Trade School Over College:  When college is held up as the one true path to success, parents—especially highly educated ones—might worry when their children opt for vocational school instead, " by Meg St-Esprit, The Atlantic. March 6, 2019.  https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2019/03/choosing-trade-school-over-college/584275/

"Why Girls Beat Boys at School and Lose to Them at the Office: Hard work and discipline help girls outperform boys in class, but that advantage disappears in the work force. Is school the problem?" By Lisa Damour, New York Times, Feb. 7, 2019

Find mentors and go and talk with professors, not just pass the classes. See "How to Get the Most Out of College: They're privileged, pivotal years. Navigate them with as much care as you did the path that got you there," by Frank Bruni, Aug. 17, 2018.  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/opinion/college-students.html

This article shows some of the give and take that admissions officers discuss as they try to decide whom to admit. It's not a scientific process, but a process formed by people, who must come to conclusions and opinions about other people, which are the students who are applying. See, " 'Give these brown babies a shot': UNC defends its use of race in admissions," by Benjamin Wemund, Feb. 20, 2019, Politico.  https://www.politico.com/story/2019/02/20/unc-race-admissions-1162175