College 3 by 5: Three Things about Five Colleges

International Relations Programs

Compiled by Emily Standish

As the world becomes smaller and smaller, with immediate internet access to global culture and political developments, teenagers are keenly aware of interconnected world events. The number of colleges and universities that have majors in International Relations continues to grow. Programs in International Relations are multidisciplinary curricula that encompass history, economics, and political science combined with languages, anthropology, geography, law, and human rights. Here are five colleges with well-respected majors in International Relations:

American University, Washington, DC, www.american.edu

·         AU students have the opportunity to choose internships from forty countries and 900 private, nonprofit or governmental institutions

·         The Global Scholars Program is an accelerated program within the School of International Service that awards the BA degree in three years and the MA degree during the fourth year at AU

·         By the numbers: 44% acceptance rate, ACT mid-range: 26-30, 37% of students receive merit aid

Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, www.bucknell.edu .

·         Nearly all International Relations majors study abroad in their area of concentration and most IR majors become fluent in at least one foreign language

·         Students can choose to live in Residential Colleges such as Global College, Languages and Cultures College, Social Justice College, Humanities College, and more

·         By the numbers: 27% acceptance rate, ACT mid-range 27-31, 10% of students receive merit aid

Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA, www.claremontmckenna.edu

·         Beyond required courses in government and economics, CMC students may take elective courses within a thematic or geographic focus.

·         Summer internship opportunities abound, at world-wide locations such as the United Nations, The Carter Center, Doctors Without Borders, and the CIA

·         By the numbers: 14% acceptance rate, ACT mid-range 30-33, 7% of students receive merit aid

George Washington University, Washington, DC, www.gwu.edu

·         At the Elliot School of International Affairs at GW, students begin with a core curriculum in the humanities, social sciences, sciences and foreign languages, then focus on an internationally oriented major

·         The summer seminar “US Foreign Policy in a Global Era” allows undergraduates to participate in discussions with graduate students and professionals from around the world

·         By the numbers: 33% acceptance rate, ACT mid-range 27-31, 43% of students receive merit aid

Macalester College, St. Paul, MN, www.macalester.edu

·         Macalester offers many majors with an international focus, including Human Rights and Humanitarianism, International Development, International Studies, and Community and Global Health

·         Macalester’s Model United Nations delegation routinely wins awards at National MUN

·         By the numbers: 35% acceptance rate, ACT mid-range 28-32, 10% of students receive merit aid

There are dozens of other colleges and universities in the US with strong undergraduate programs in International Relations. Check out Earlham College (IN), Davidson College (NC), Dickinson College (PA), Georgetown University (DC), Johns Hopkins University (MD), Lewis & Clark College, and Tufts University (MA), or search “international relations” at www.collegenavigator.gov.

The Supreme Court Ruling (or Non-Ruling) on Race and Admissions

Since the decision by the Supreme Court a week ago to remand the case of Fisher vs University of Texas at Austin back to the Fifth Circuit Court, many of us involved in college admissions have been trying to figure out what that means and how it will effect the students we work with.

Here, in a New Yorker article by Louis Menand, is the best analysis I have read. It's really worth reading the whole article, but if you won't, here's my favorite part:

"People often talk about affirmative action as strictly a benefit to the minority student. But it is equally a benefit to the majority student. It puts that student in intellectual contact with people who come to college with very different experiences and viewpoints and expectations from life. Dealing with that contact is one of the ways people learn how to think. Discussing “Huckleberry Finn” in an all-white or all-non-white classroom is completely different from discussing it in a mixed-race classroom. So is discussing race-conscious admissions policies."

Jodi and Emily's Memphis to Nashville College Road Trip

In advance of the annual Higher Education Consultants Association conference, we took a college tour along the music highway.

In three days we saw:

Rhodes College
Memphis, TN

Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN

Belmont University
Nashville, TN

Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN

Christian Brothers University
Memphis, TN

University of Memphis

University of Mississippi
"Ole Miss"
Oxford, MS

Y'all should check out these schools!

Goodbye to School Counselors

Philadelphia public schools took the Draconian measure of cutting all staff at each school other than a principal and teachers. What does this mean for rising seniors who attend a Philadelphia public school? No college advising, no school profile or counselor recommendations, no one to send transcripts or coordinate visits from admission officers.

How should we expect college admissions offices to deal with this reality? There has already been the controversial change that allowed school counselors to opt out of writing recommendation letters if they were too busy. I don't think there is enough data yet to determine whether that hurt the acceptance rates of students whose counselors opted out. I can't imagine how a college could or would consider a student if no transcript is available. Will schools try to fill the gap with volunteer parents taking on many of the tasks? Will colleges accept self-reported grades and class lists?

As I head to the annual Higher Education Consultants Association conference, I think about the realities that have contributed to the increase in independent college counselors nationwide. These are sad and scary times for school counselors. 

Great Commencement Speeches of 2013

Want to smile today? Read excerpts from some of the most notable graduation speeches of 2013.

Being Supportive During the College Admissions Process

When my husband is sick, he likes to be fussed over. He feels loved if I offer to bring him chicken soup, cups of herbal tea, check out books or videos from the library and tell him I understand how rotten it is to feel rotten.

When I get sick I want to be left alone. Period. Fussing makes me immensely grumpier.

If you are a parent of a high school student, I am sure you have very good intentions about being helpful during the college search and application process. But what feels helpful to your student? That is wildly different for each kid. What is perceived as loving support by one, is nagging interference to another. So instead of guessing--ask--and be respectful of the answer you get.

Communication Verification

Last week I texted my tenant about some repair people who would be coming by this week. Today when I went to the house to check on the repairs, my tenant was happy they were being done, but upset that he hadn't been notified in advance. I pulled out me cell phone and went to my sent message folder to show him I had indeed communicated. Unfortunately, I sent the message his work phone number which doesn't accept texts!

How does this apply to college applications? You will be sending lots of required documentation--transcripts, recommendation letters, standardized test scores, etc. and colleges cannot read your file until they have a completed application packet. Most colleges give user a user login so you can check your application status online. If you do not check on a regular basis, you will miss out on the chance to follow through if there are any problems.

What should you do if some documentation is listed as missing? First and foremost, don't blame anyone! For example, if the colleges claims that your ACT scores were not received, you would check your account on the ACT website. If the site shows that they were indeed sent, you would call the admissions office and say something like this:

"Hi, this is (insert your full name here) and my applicant ID number is X. On Y date I checked my application status and it showed that you have not yet received my ACT scores. I checked with the ACT folks, and they do show the scores as sent to you electronically on Z date. Could you please check my file again to see if they have arrived?"

If you are told that your scores are not there, then politely ask how you should rectify the problem. Do you need to send them again? Do they want you to check back in a few more days?

Even if you feel frustrated, stay polite and express your appreciation. Demonstrate empathy for what it must be like to be the admissions assistant at a college who is sorting through thousands of pieces of mail and electronic paperwork to match up the right documents and applicant.

I feel disappointed that my tenant may think I'm a poor communicator, so I'll be diligent to confirm that he has heard/seen any future messages I send. When I am the person trying to communicate, it is my responsibility to make sure the information is received.