Why does it seem so “hard” to get into college these days? Numbers, and I don’t mean SAT scores. In California alone there are 2, 399 high schools with 509,351 seniors to add to those in the rest of the country and the world.

Have the number of college spaces increased with the demand both domestically and internationally over the past even 50 years? One new University of California which is more than those opened in the majority of other states. New private colleges and universities? Can you think of even one?

Check out how your high school is ranked by US News in this competitive market. This may be one piece of data college admissions officers refer to when considering your son or daughter’s readiness for their school.

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/california/rankings?schooltypepublic=y&int=c0b4c1&schooltypemagnet=y&state=CA&schooltypecharter=y&page=7

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” Albert Einstein

Are your children encouraged to develop their imaginations? Colleges are excited about it in a candidate not only for the reason above…but because it is rare. Imagine the impossible…what would that be about? Can you make a list or keep a journal of what you imagine?

As tortured decisions are made by high school seniors and their families, the question that keeps echoing in our minds (when we think of what we paid for college 40 years ago)…”Is it “worth” $50,000/year followed closed with the question of WHERE is it worth that? A “new” list is out that ranks colleges by  where its graduates are going…not who are the freshmen enrolling. Love it…Who “buys” that college’s graduates / products? The book is under $20…do the math, perhaps a good investment. May you all be at peace with your final decision. https://www.alumnifactor.com/