You have settled on a few colleges of interests, have finished your college application essays and résumés, and are currently obtaining letters of recommendations. You probably still have some questions about this often confusing ordeal doing this extremely hectic time in your life. You may even still be apprehensive about this whole college process, uncertainty concerning applications, admissions, and financial aid. To address your bewilderment and hopefully alleviate some of your fears, you have the opportunity to talk to Mr. Kevin Owens, who has been the Assistant Director of Admission at Rutgers, The State University of NJ in Camden, since May 2005. He, wishing to demystify the admission’s process, will blog with you to clarify any confusion you may still have about the college application process, answering question on a variety of topics from documentation involved in the financial aid process to relevant questions to ask tour guides when visiting schools to even mistakes which can potential damage your chances of acceptance that you need to avoid.
During this week, you must ask two questions about this very important process in your life. Mr. Owens will be checking the site periodically to answer all your questions. Please check back to read his answer and let him know that he has answered your questions fully.
33 comments:
Mr. Owens, my two questions are:
1) In your opinion, how is Rutgers Camden Criminal Justice Program and what information can you give about it?
2) What are Rutgers Camden basic requirements? Like average SAT scores, Class rank, and GPA?
1.How much of a schock is college really going to be for me? my parents keep saying i am going to be hit by a brick wall when i enter college.Do you find that is true for most students?
2. How important is your class rank? I have heard from some schools that it does matter, and others that it doesnt matter.What is the truth?
Mr. Owens,
1. If I have an a GPA around a 3.4, but I scored low on my SAT's, is there anyway I can still get scholarships for academics?
2. What is the point of students sending colleges letters of recommendation if teachers are always going to write good reports about that student?
1- I'm interested in becoming involved with the Rutgers radio station should I attend. Is there something I have to/should do before being accepted, or is this something to take care of afterward?
2- I'll be taking the SAT in early November. Will I be at a disadvantage application-wise?
Mr. Owens,
1. I have actually been interested in applying for Rutgers or Rowan. What type of senior essay is best looked upon? Personal? Career choice? Do you even need an essay?
2. I also have a question similar to desiree. Teachers have been telling us that college notes, homework, and papers are much harder then highschool work. Am i going to be completely overwhelmed with how different the schooling is ?
1.) Everyone talks about the transition from High School to College, so i was wondering what your experiences have been and how you reacted to the changes that colleges purpose.
2.) What kind of grades do colleges look for? Like how high of a GPA and SAT score do i need?
1.Is it easier or harder to be admitted through early decision?
2.How can I best represent myself in the application process?
Mr Owens,
1. If my SATS and GPA and everything arent as high as they should be, would you recommend going to a community college for 2 years so that i could higher my gpa and everything?
2. Do you guys offer alot of hands on and one-on-one help for the students?
1. whats more important SAT scores or class rank/GPA?
2. whats more important your senior essay or resume?
1. Can you take just the asvab instead of the sat?
2. What is a quifiing gpa for a pretty good college?
1. How much do SATs really matter in the college acceptance process?
2. What is your favorite type of senior essay, what do you look for in a good essay?
1. how important are the SAT's?
2. how important is my senior essay?
Good Evening everyone. My apologies for taking several days to respond. I had a busy weekend on campus, we held our Admissions Open House this past Saturday on the Rutgers-Camden Campus. The event was a success with record number of prospective students attending.
Getting on with answers to all of your questions.
1) Catherine: the Rutgers-Camden Criminal Justice is a very good program (of course i will say so). Our program is small in nature which benefits students who want a smaller environment--meaning class sizes, student to faculty ratio's, interaction with faculty/professors, and students. Make sure you visit the website for additional information: http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/academics/sociology-anthropology-and-criminal-justice
Your second question regarding scores. Rutgers University reviews in a holistic process meaning while we have a typical class profile, we still review all aspects of the application--essay, gpa, strength of HS program, SAT's or ACT's, activities, extra-curriculars, having a job...our typical profile can be found at the following website: http://admissions.rutgers.edu/Academics/AdmissionsProfile.aspx
Desiree:
1) This really depends on each individual student. If you are taking challenging courses your senior year, staying active (not getting senioritis), then usually the transition is not too difficult. However, once again all students are different. It takes time adjusting to college life--being responsible for yourself, time management with studying and hanging out with friends, getting to class on time, interaction with students and professors. Some of these traits come fairly easy to some students, others need to work on them. Luckily, all colleges/universities provide academic support services for students who may need that extra support.
2) Class rank varies at all institutions, and not all HS's rank their students. Usually top 20% is a solid rank. As i mentioned in a previous post to Catherine, Rutgers reviews holistically so rank is just one aspect of the admissions process. GPA matters also, grade trends, strength of program (honors/ap/college prep/regular/remedial level courses).
Kate:
1) All colleges/universities vary on their qualifications for scholarships. Rutgers does take into consideration the SAT or ACT, and with scholarships there is not much fluctuation no matter how strong GPA may be. Make sure you are applying for private scholarships and you file for financial aid. Some important websites:
www.fafsa.ed.gov--Free Application for Federal Student Aid
www.fastweb.com--great website for scholarships
2) Great question--Rutgers has stopped asking for recommendations from students for that reason. Every recommendation we have received are always good, they really don't mean much in the context of the application review process. So, now i tell students not to send them because we will not review--the application package can tell us more about the student much better than a form recommendation letter. With that said, please make sure you are familiar with the policy of schools you are planning on applying...also, make sure the recommendations you are requesting are from folks who can write you a good one. They do not necessarily have to be in the classes you receive the best grades in. In the past, some of the best recommendations i read were from those who had struggled in the course however the teacher mentioned the persistence of applicant to stay after, answer questions, etc...it shows us that while the student may not have been an expert in that subject matter, they never gave up and sought the extra guidance/support they knew they needed.
Karl Marx--great name by the way! One of the great political thinkers in history.
1) After your admitted and wind up enrolling, at that point you'll have opportunities to visit campus for registration/testing and during these visits you will be able to speak with folks involved in student organizations.
2) No, however, make sure to specify Rutgers as one of the schools you want your results sent to. We have 2 applciation dates--Nov 1 and Dec 1. No preference is given for either, just make sure your application is submitted by either of these dates, as well as the other requirements--http://admissions.rutgers.edu/ApplyNow/ApplicationsAndTheBasics/WhenToApply.aspx#2
Melissa:
1) We ask a specific question regarding diversity--you can preview at the following link--http://admissions.rutgers.edu/ApplyNow/ApplicationsAndTheBasics/WhenToApply.aspx#2
2) College can be overwhelming if you don't focus and manage your time efficiently. It's much different than HS in that you determine if you want to attend class, you determine when to study, you determine when to sleep, you determine when to do research, you determine when to work, you determine when to have fun--as you can see, you alone are responsible for everything, you don't have teachers or administrators making sure you are getting things done on time.
It does take some getting used to, but if you start managing your time now, it should not be that difficult of a transition.
Brian:
1) My transition was tough. I was not the greatest student in HS, i was not taking honors or AP courses, i was in basic level courses, bombed my SAT's, in general not very well prepared. I transfered out of my first college and attended a county college. Once i figured things out about managing time efficiently i transferred into Rutgers-Camden, graduated Cum Laude, was active in all aspects of student life, obtained a good job with the Governor of NJ, and wound up back at RU-C where i am today...and i just completed my Masters degree. If someone would have told me years ago that i would have all these accomplishments i would have laughed at them. Anything is possible, it's all up to you.
2) Rutgers likes to see A's and B's in a challenging academic courseload, and SAT's do vary...see my previous post with the link of Academic Profile. The scores listed are of the middle 50%ile meaning students were still admitted who scored under and over the ranges.
With this said, make sure you query the colleges you are interested in attending as all institutions vary in what they review.
Pat:
1) Early Decision won't make a difference for admissions. Schools review for same admissions standards for all choices. What does make a difference is binding vs. non-binding early decision. Binding means if you are admitting you are guaranteeing you will be attending that school. Non-binding (such as Rutgers) only means that you will learn of your decision sooner, with no obligation to attend.
2) Answer all the questions, take time on essay, follow directions, submit by application due dates--those are most important and will put you in best position. the rest falls on the academics and what each institution is looking for in their class.
Eliza:
1) County colleges are great options for students who may not have the highest all around marks. However, we don't deter students from applying as we do believe in access to all students. We have various alternate admissions programs, as do other schools. With that said, should you opt for county, once at county and after usually 1 year or 24 credits completed (all colleges vary) you would be considered a transfer student meaning we would review only your performance, gpa, at the college--not HS and not SAT's.
2) We do offer many academic support services such as tutoring, learning resources, one-on-one advising, peer mentors, to name a few...and these services are all free to students.
AJ:
1) All depends on the college. Rutgers reviews holistically, other colleges may put more weight into one vs the other. Do research of schools you're interested in attending.
2) For RU, essay as we do not have a resume requirement. HOwever once again, research schools you're interested in attending. we all vary.
Dan:
1) SAT's are a large factor in college admissions mainly because the SAT's or ACT's are predictors of college success. We all have our differing opinions of standardized tests but they will be around for the long haul.
2) I look to see if the student answered our question...see previous post with link. I also like to see if student is taking essay seriously--following proper format, sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, etc....i always tell students to act as if this is being graded. Make sure to follow directions, and have someone else take a look at the essay before you enter into application...this way someone else may catch something that you didn't. We are all used to our own writing styles which may not be the best thing. My writing skills are shoddy at times so i always have a colleague take a look at an important email/memo/or report that i have to submit to my boss, just a way of making sure what i wrote makes sense.
1. my question is the same as eliza's if my gpa isnt too great would you recommend going to a community college first?
2. do you look at an application from a 2 year school any different then you do an application from a high school?
Mr. Owens,
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Your responses were very helpful.
Mr. Owens,
1.Can a high SAT score make up for a lower class rank?
2. How important are extracurricular activities in the application process
Mr. Owens,
1. Exactly how important are grades from sophomore year?
2. Is it difficult to get into a 4 year school if you spend the first two years at community? Is the competition higher?
If I'm not mistaken, Rutger's entire applicaton process is online. How is it that you get the same personal feel as colleges that still get to know potential students? How is it that you can accurately read how good of a student they actually are by just GPA and such?
How much financial aid is available for diffrent students that get in to Rutgers? Would you be able to give some examples of some scholarships that are available?
Dan:
1)Community College is always a very viable option for students if GPA/SAT's are not as strong as you would like, but remember that GPA is just one of several factors Rutgers and other universities take into consideration when reviewing applications.
2) There is a difference between 2 years vs. HS in several respects. Once in college, we review application based on your performance there, not HS, not SAT's. uusally we like to see at least 24 academic credits completed to be considered a transfer student-however all colleges differ.
Also, in some instances transfering into the professional schools (i.e. Pharmacy, Engineering, Nursing) can be more difficult as there are only so many seats available.
Tyler:
1) Yes, higher SAT's could make up for lower GPA, and vice-versa. At RU, we review holistically--taking into consideration all facets of the application.
2) Being active is a positive, however we like to see leadership qualities, not balancing acts. If you're a leader in a few organizations versus just being involved in many organizations, we like the leadership qualities.
Additionally, we understand that some students must work while in school, so we also take that into consideration.
Val:
1) We review overall performance throughout all of HS, however we do take grade trends into consideration as well, so if you had a tough time one year but the next year was much stronger that works to the applicant's benefit.
2) Transfer students are reviewed based on college gpa, nothing from hs nor the SAT. Transferring is not necessarily more difficult nor is it easier--just different criteria we use.
Gregory:
While we do review everything online, we get to know the student by all the information we ask on the application, as well as the academic information. We want applicants to tell us about activities, community service, athletics, working...as well as the comprehensive essay which is now mandatory. What we do is really no different than colleges that still use paper applications, etc...Being electronic doesn't take the personal nature of admissions away from what we do, rather it just speeds up the process for the applicants. Everyday I sit at my computer reviewing applications instead of my colleagues at other colleges that sit at their desk with stacks of paper files in front of them--the information we all request is the same, the process is the difference.
About 91% of our students receive financial aid with an average in-state student receiving about $13,000-$14000 in aid.
We do offer many scholarships though they do vary: http://admissions.rutgers.edu/Costs/Scholarships/FirstYearScholarships.aspx
1. How many times do you suggest to take the SAT's?
2. Do you think it's better to do an open house or a one on one tour of the colleges were applying to?
1. How many times do you suggest to take the SAT's?
2. Do you think it's better to do an open house or a one on one tour of the colleges were applying to?
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