Valle Educational Consultants

Buyer Beware! Although study abroad programs provide lots of appeal, there are unknowns ahead. This article provides helpful guidelines spurring consideration of reading fine print and taking the precautions.

Study abroad field faces altered reality and unknowns about when regular programs can resume With no clear timeline for putting students on planes again, study abroad providers face layoffs and uncertain futures. And when they do resume regular programming, they'll need new health and safety protocols.

Soon-to-be-college-grads are understandably anxious and frustrated as internship and job market prospects have temporarily dried up. Continue to work diligently for opportunities. The tide will turn.

Job and internship market discourages students Student anxiety is high as internship opportunities are rescinded and hiring delayed by employers. College career advisers remain optimistic that there are still jobs out there.

The updates regarding colleges waiving SAT and ACT requirements keep coming!

More Colleges Are Waiving SAT and ACT Requirements With high school disrupted, a growing number of schools — including Harvard and Cornell — are waiving standardized testing requirements for 2021 applicants.

Details are still emerging as college administrators sort out when and how to reopen their campuses this fall.

Here’s a List of Colleges’ Plans for Reopening in the Fall We’re tracking whether institutions expect to have in-person or online-only classes or some mix of the two. Tell us what your campus is doing.

Ohio University joins the growing list of colleges offering test optional admissions, extended deadlines for admission commitments, and deferral requests.

OU temporarily changes undergraduate admission procedures due to COVID-19 Ohio University Undergraduate Admissions will offer virtual admissions events, a test-optional application, extended acceptance deadlines and more support to both prospective and admitted students during the pandemic. 

High School rankings!

Neuqua Valley in top 20, Naperville North and Central in top 30 in U.S. News & World Report’s annual state ranking One Naperville area high school cracked the top 20 and three more earned top 40 spots in the U.S. News & World Report 2020 Best High Schools ranking of Illinois schools.

Gap year - an increasingly compelling alternative for many.

Gap Year Ideas for College Students It’s an uncertain time for starting college. Experts have suggestions for alternatives.

ACT and SAT have already started to plan for at-home college admissions exams for fall if Covid-19 crisis keeps schools closed. Ensuring a student is working with a proven test prep group that has their pulse on the changing situation and the student’s needs will eliminate stress and yield the best results.

Many colleges have already expressed confidence in the ability to maintain test integrity in an at-home environment as the technology has proven itself. It remains to be seen how colleges will weigh submitted scores this fall. Test optional admission gains momentum among many colleges and universities. Remember, when considering applying test optional that you do your homework. Test scores are often required of homeschool and D1 athlete applicants. There are also many scholarship applications that require a test score submission.

SAT and ACT plan at-home college admissions exams for fall if crisis keeps schools closed Exams will include high-tech proctoring to discourage cheating. UC temporarily has dropped the tests as admissions requirements.

529 Plans can be good for more than college tuition. It’s time to review your educational financial plan and consider what uses may be applicable to the current situation.

529 Plans Are Good for More than College Tuition Student financial aid expert Mark Kantrowitz says don't write off 529 plans just yet. They have more financial planning uses than you think.

Preparing for college application essays.

Planning for College Application Essays : Valle Educational Consultants Many students leave college application essay planning until the last minute but those who work on essays early will have an advantage.

Schools map out Fall 2020 scenarios, but their final decisions depend on the course of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Big Question for Colleges: Will There Be a Fall Semester on Campus? Colleges across the U.S. are trying to decide whether they can reopen campus for the fall, and how long they can put off a final decision.

Macalester College Admissions Makes Standardized Tests Optional.‬
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Macalester College Admissions Makes Standardized Tests Optional The school announced Monday the test-optional admissions policy will go into effect immediately, waiving the requirement for the incoming class for the fall of 2021.