SAT Tips
Model Answer for a Perfect-12 SAT Essay!
By Frances Kweller, J.D.
Model Answer to Paragraph 1 of Essay Topic on Compromise:
Many people believe that compromise is not always the best way to resolve a conflict. In fact, there are many examples in our reading, studies, experience, and observations that demonstrate how compromise is not always the best way to solve a dispute. It has been noted by a prominent writer that “we are frequently told that compromise is the best way for people to work out their differences. … However, … compromise does not work when there is a genuine difference of opinion about strongly held principles or ideas.” One example where compromise failed was in the play, A Raisin in the Sun, by esteemed writer Lorraine Hansberry. Another instance where compromise did not make the grade was in the novel, The Giver, by prominent author Lowis Lowery. Both literary works demonstrate that compromise does not always lead to a successful outcome.
GET IT??? Main Idea à Restate thesis à Show examples à Use transitions & high vocabulary à Ace the SAT ESSAY!
Paragraph 2: Restate thesis; introduce example 1; 2-3 sentences about example 1 and how it relates to the thesis; restate thesis; make sure to be very neat (INDENT first line!); use high vocabulary and many transitions.
Paragraph 3: Restate thesis; introduce example 2; 2-3 sentences about example 2 and how it relates to the thesis; restate thesis; make sure to be very neat (INDENT first line!); use high vocabulary and many transitions.
Paragraph 4: “In conclusion …” — Restate thesis; restate examples 1 and 2 and say how they relate to the thesis; be very neat & use high vocabulary and transitions; restate thesis.
Frances Kweller, J.D., is founder of Kweller SAT Prep — Intense Prep for Intense Kids;
visit http://www.KwellerPrep.com for more.
Monday, April 26, 2010
New generation of college hopefuls apply to many schools
Scott Yu had the strongest possible credentials: a perfect SAT score, a perfect high school transcript and conservatory-quality piano skills. But his first foray into college admissions, an "early-action" application to Stanford, landed in limbo with a deferral.
His faith shaken, Yu responded the way any straight-A student would, with a flurry of work. He applied to every college in the Ivy League, along with Duke, MIT, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Maryland and the New England Conservatory in Boston. For his efforts, the Rockville teen reaped 12 offers of admission. He now faces a not-very-painful choice among Harvard, Yale and MIT.
Yu, a senior in the Science, Mathematics and Computer Science Magnet Program at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, represents a new generation of college applicant. Spooked by single-digit admission rates at the top private schools, students sweeten the odds by applying to more of them. And, thus, the applicant pool runneth over.
Harvard, the nation's oldest college, crossed a symbolic threshold this year when it received more than 30,000 applications for about 1,600 seats in its freshman class. With 1.5 million students expected to enter four-year colleges this fall, that means that about one in 50 applied to Harvard. Brown University passed the same milestone this year, Stanford last year.
One-fifth of college applicants nationwide apply to seven or more schools, twice the rate of a decade ago, according to data from the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
Yu, 18, knew he was a strong candidate. But he didn't know how strong. The early rebuff from Stanford -- a school not in the Ivy League but just as selective -- unnerved him. He sat at his computer with two Harvard teddy bears for luck as he checked for news April 1, the deadline for most admissions departments to let students know whether they got in.
"I didn't mean to apply to this many schools," he said. "You can't really gauge your qualifications as a candidate until you get in somewhere."
Students apply to more schools partly because they can: Today's online applications are more easily replicated than the paper forms of previous decades. But that's not the only factor. The biggest surge has come at the most selective schools, where fewer than half of applicants gain admission. Students apply to twice as many schools as their parents did on the theory that they are half as likely to get in.
Admission rates fell this year to 6.9 percent at Harvard, 7.2 percent at Stanford, 7.5 percent at Yale, 8.2 percent at Princeton, 9.2 percent at Columbia and 9.3 percent at Brown. As recently as 2003, when fewer students competed for the same number of seats, all of those schools admitted more than 10 percent of applicants.
Worldwide interest
Ivy League schools are getting more applications from every part of the globe. Diana Barthauer, who lives in Switzerland, started with a slate of 50 schools and narrowed it to 20. She netted 15 offers, including Columbia, Stanford and Dartmouth, and rejections from MIT, Princeton and the University of Cambridge in England. Two colleges in China haven't replied.
The reason I did so many applications was that the admission rates are so low," she said. "But then, I pushed them down by doing it, so it's kind of ironic."
Is there any harm in applying to colleges en masse? Counselors and deans are divided.
The fundamentals of admission advice have not changed. Most students are counseled to apply to at least three schools: one that is deemed a "match," a less selective "safety" school and a more selective "reach." Two of each would not be deemed excessive. "I say four to six. I used to say three to five. They end up applying to six to eight," said Robin Groelle, director of college counseling at St. Stephen's Episcopal School, a college-prep school in Bradenton, Fla.
Some students apply scattershot to top schools, without regard for "fit" or "match." They raise their chances of getting in somewhere. They might also be wasting their time.
"It's more work for us, and it's more work for the colleges," said Timothy Gallen, director of college counseling at the private Solebury School in New Hope, Pa. "It's playing the game, more than anything."
The process also can be expensive. Applications to selective colleges cost about $50 each, although fee waivers are available for low-income students.
The expanding applicant pool is not simply a matter of more applications per student. There has also been a growing population of college-bound seniors, although it is thought to have peaked last year and is expected to decline. And a larger share of applications is going to the most selective schools, which together receive 31 percent of applications but enroll 18 percent of freshmen. Deans say their applicant pools are larger, more diverse and better qualified than in previous generations in terms of grade-point averages and SAT scores.
"The long and short of it is, there has been a remarkable democratization of higher education in the past 50 years in the United States," said William Fitzsimmons, admissions dean at Harvard. He said his department's goal is to get a Harvard application "on the kitchen table of every student in America who has a chance of getting in."
'Come out of nowhere'
For the broader population of public and private colleges, the explosion in applications means more selectivity, but also more headaches.
The average four-year college, public and private, received 24 percent more applications in 2006 than 2002, according to an analysis of the latest available data by the admissions counseling group. The average admission rate narrowed from 71 percent in 2001 to 67 percent in 2007. The share of students who were admitted and chose to enroll also declined in that span, from 49 percent to 45 percent.
The rise of mass applications has complicated the task of predicting who will enroll. Increasing numbers of applicants "come out of nowhere" and have no connection to the college, said David Hawkins, director of public policy and research at the admissions counseling group. "And [colleges] just don't have much intelligence on what these students' intentions are."
Colleges have courted mass applicants -- and higher application numbers -- by adopting the Common Application and putting forms online. But they also pay closer attention to an applicant's "demonstrated interest," Hawkins said, weighing such factors as correspondence or a visit to campus.
Admissions departments rely more heavily on early-decision and early-action programs, which deliver decisions to applicants sooner, in trade for a hope -- or an expectation -- that they will attend.
The University of Pennsylvania locked in half its freshman class this year through early decision. The effect on regular applicants was somewhat like scouting tickets for a rock concert that had been heavily pre-sold. With 26,938 applicants for 2,420 slots, the school's overall admission rate was 14 percent. For regular-decision applicants: 10 percent.
"How many offers of admission can we go out with on April 1, knowing that we already have 49 percent of our class spoken for?" said Eric Furda, dean of admissions.
Despite the long odds, some in the industry envision an emerging buyer's market in college admissions. The ease of applying to any college, anywhere, gives motivated students a fighting chance in shopping among schools with single-digit admission rates.
"I think they know that they can be consumers in this process, whereas maybe 10 years ago, it was the college that was picking the student," said Kristin White, director of marketing and communication at Westover School, a private girls school in Connecticut. "They're comparison shoppers now."
Missan DeSouza, a senior at Westover School, applied to 19 colleges. Some, such as Wellesley and Connecticut College, fit the liberal-arts mold of Westover. Others, including John Jay College and West Virginia University, had strong programs in forensic science, an interest she acquired from her mother, a Brooklyn police officer. She added several to the list because they offered strong academics and a lower price, or promised merit aid.
Thirteen colleges offered her admission. Ursinus College included a $30,000 scholarship, and John Jay would effectively cost nothing. But she is leaning toward three others: Wellesley, Middlebury College or George Washington University.
"I'm feeling it was really smart of me to apply to so many," she said, "because now I have enough options."
source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/20/AR2010042002068_2.html?sid=ST2010042102578
Article by Daniel de Vise
His faith shaken, Yu responded the way any straight-A student would, with a flurry of work. He applied to every college in the Ivy League, along with Duke, MIT, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Maryland and the New England Conservatory in Boston. For his efforts, the Rockville teen reaped 12 offers of admission. He now faces a not-very-painful choice among Harvard, Yale and MIT.
Yu, a senior in the Science, Mathematics and Computer Science Magnet Program at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, represents a new generation of college applicant. Spooked by single-digit admission rates at the top private schools, students sweeten the odds by applying to more of them. And, thus, the applicant pool runneth over.
Harvard, the nation's oldest college, crossed a symbolic threshold this year when it received more than 30,000 applications for about 1,600 seats in its freshman class. With 1.5 million students expected to enter four-year colleges this fall, that means that about one in 50 applied to Harvard. Brown University passed the same milestone this year, Stanford last year.
One-fifth of college applicants nationwide apply to seven or more schools, twice the rate of a decade ago, according to data from the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
Yu, 18, knew he was a strong candidate. But he didn't know how strong. The early rebuff from Stanford -- a school not in the Ivy League but just as selective -- unnerved him. He sat at his computer with two Harvard teddy bears for luck as he checked for news April 1, the deadline for most admissions departments to let students know whether they got in.
"I didn't mean to apply to this many schools," he said. "You can't really gauge your qualifications as a candidate until you get in somewhere."
Students apply to more schools partly because they can: Today's online applications are more easily replicated than the paper forms of previous decades. But that's not the only factor. The biggest surge has come at the most selective schools, where fewer than half of applicants gain admission. Students apply to twice as many schools as their parents did on the theory that they are half as likely to get in.
Admission rates fell this year to 6.9 percent at Harvard, 7.2 percent at Stanford, 7.5 percent at Yale, 8.2 percent at Princeton, 9.2 percent at Columbia and 9.3 percent at Brown. As recently as 2003, when fewer students competed for the same number of seats, all of those schools admitted more than 10 percent of applicants.
Worldwide interest
Ivy League schools are getting more applications from every part of the globe. Diana Barthauer, who lives in Switzerland, started with a slate of 50 schools and narrowed it to 20. She netted 15 offers, including Columbia, Stanford and Dartmouth, and rejections from MIT, Princeton and the University of Cambridge in England. Two colleges in China haven't replied.
The reason I did so many applications was that the admission rates are so low," she said. "But then, I pushed them down by doing it, so it's kind of ironic."
Is there any harm in applying to colleges en masse? Counselors and deans are divided.
The fundamentals of admission advice have not changed. Most students are counseled to apply to at least three schools: one that is deemed a "match," a less selective "safety" school and a more selective "reach." Two of each would not be deemed excessive. "I say four to six. I used to say three to five. They end up applying to six to eight," said Robin Groelle, director of college counseling at St. Stephen's Episcopal School, a college-prep school in Bradenton, Fla.
Some students apply scattershot to top schools, without regard for "fit" or "match." They raise their chances of getting in somewhere. They might also be wasting their time.
"It's more work for us, and it's more work for the colleges," said Timothy Gallen, director of college counseling at the private Solebury School in New Hope, Pa. "It's playing the game, more than anything."
The process also can be expensive. Applications to selective colleges cost about $50 each, although fee waivers are available for low-income students.
The expanding applicant pool is not simply a matter of more applications per student. There has also been a growing population of college-bound seniors, although it is thought to have peaked last year and is expected to decline. And a larger share of applications is going to the most selective schools, which together receive 31 percent of applications but enroll 18 percent of freshmen. Deans say their applicant pools are larger, more diverse and better qualified than in previous generations in terms of grade-point averages and SAT scores.
"The long and short of it is, there has been a remarkable democratization of higher education in the past 50 years in the United States," said William Fitzsimmons, admissions dean at Harvard. He said his department's goal is to get a Harvard application "on the kitchen table of every student in America who has a chance of getting in."
'Come out of nowhere'
For the broader population of public and private colleges, the explosion in applications means more selectivity, but also more headaches.
The average four-year college, public and private, received 24 percent more applications in 2006 than 2002, according to an analysis of the latest available data by the admissions counseling group. The average admission rate narrowed from 71 percent in 2001 to 67 percent in 2007. The share of students who were admitted and chose to enroll also declined in that span, from 49 percent to 45 percent.
The rise of mass applications has complicated the task of predicting who will enroll. Increasing numbers of applicants "come out of nowhere" and have no connection to the college, said David Hawkins, director of public policy and research at the admissions counseling group. "And [colleges] just don't have much intelligence on what these students' intentions are."
Colleges have courted mass applicants -- and higher application numbers -- by adopting the Common Application and putting forms online. But they also pay closer attention to an applicant's "demonstrated interest," Hawkins said, weighing such factors as correspondence or a visit to campus.
Admissions departments rely more heavily on early-decision and early-action programs, which deliver decisions to applicants sooner, in trade for a hope -- or an expectation -- that they will attend.
The University of Pennsylvania locked in half its freshman class this year through early decision. The effect on regular applicants was somewhat like scouting tickets for a rock concert that had been heavily pre-sold. With 26,938 applicants for 2,420 slots, the school's overall admission rate was 14 percent. For regular-decision applicants: 10 percent.
"How many offers of admission can we go out with on April 1, knowing that we already have 49 percent of our class spoken for?" said Eric Furda, dean of admissions.
Despite the long odds, some in the industry envision an emerging buyer's market in college admissions. The ease of applying to any college, anywhere, gives motivated students a fighting chance in shopping among schools with single-digit admission rates.
"I think they know that they can be consumers in this process, whereas maybe 10 years ago, it was the college that was picking the student," said Kristin White, director of marketing and communication at Westover School, a private girls school in Connecticut. "They're comparison shoppers now."
Missan DeSouza, a senior at Westover School, applied to 19 colleges. Some, such as Wellesley and Connecticut College, fit the liberal-arts mold of Westover. Others, including John Jay College and West Virginia University, had strong programs in forensic science, an interest she acquired from her mother, a Brooklyn police officer. She added several to the list because they offered strong academics and a lower price, or promised merit aid.
Thirteen colleges offered her admission. Ursinus College included a $30,000 scholarship, and John Jay would effectively cost nothing. But she is leaning toward three others: Wellesley, Middlebury College or George Washington University.
"I'm feeling it was really smart of me to apply to so many," she said, "because now I have enough options."
source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/20/AR2010042002068_2.html?sid=ST2010042102578
Article by Daniel de Vise
Mere 30-point bump on SAT can pay off big in admissions
Luba A 30-point boost in math and critical-reading scores on the SAT reasoning test is statistically meaningless yet could make or break a student's chances of admission at "a substantial minority" of colleges, a research paper says
And the more selective the college, the more that bump pays off, it finds.
The study, based on a survey of 246 college admission officials nationwide and being released today by the non-profit National Association for College Admission Counseling, was commissioned to explore the effect of test preparation for college admission exams.
But the report also raised concerns about whether some colleges use test scores inappropriately.
Various independent studies estimate that coaching can improve a test-taker's math and reading scores by 30 points on average — a bump so small on the 1600-point SAT sections that the College Board, which owns the test, says it could be attributed to measurement error.
Yet in the new study, 20% to 40% of officials at 130 colleges that consider the SAT in admissions said a 20-point math increase or a 10-point reading increase would "significantly improve a student's chances of admissions" if all other factors in a student's application were the same.
"If marginal college admission decisions are made on the basis of very small differences in test scores, a small coaching effect might be practically significant," says author Derek Briggs of the University of Colorado-Boulder.
Briggs says he was "pretty stunned" by the findings, given that the College Board and makers of the ACT entrance exam caution against using scores as a sole criterion for high-stakes decisions such as admissions and scholarships. (He did not probe as deeply into ACT data but he says "it is very likely" findings would be similar.) The association for admissions professionals similarly cautions against such practices.
The association said in a statement that the misuse Briggs found is a problem in "a small number of cases." But it added, "These realities are likely to complicate the decisions of students and families trying to determine how best to allocate (time and money) related to test preparation."
Association CEO Joyce Smith said the organization plans to "initiate a new round of communications and training" for member colleges and universities.
William Fitzsimmons, dean of admission and financial aid at Harvard University and chairman of a commission created by the association that last September urged research on the subject, says most schools probably use the test appropriately, but "misuse of test scores is a major public policy issue."
Source:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-05-20-SAT-prep_N.htm?csp=34
Article Courtesy of Kweller Prep Tutoring: Intense Prep for Intense Kids. Call Today! 1800-631-1757 or visit www.KwellerPrep.com
ATTENTION:
Kweller Summer Camp for Kids is Opening!
Completely flexible summer enrichment schedule. Ages 5 and up. Call me for more: 917-499-3913
Invest in Your Child’s Education! Call Today!
The best way to predict your child’s future is to create it!
Article by Mary Beth Marklein, USA TODAY
And the more selective the college, the more that bump pays off, it finds.
The study, based on a survey of 246 college admission officials nationwide and being released today by the non-profit National Association for College Admission Counseling, was commissioned to explore the effect of test preparation for college admission exams.
But the report also raised concerns about whether some colleges use test scores inappropriately.
Various independent studies estimate that coaching can improve a test-taker's math and reading scores by 30 points on average — a bump so small on the 1600-point SAT sections that the College Board, which owns the test, says it could be attributed to measurement error.
Yet in the new study, 20% to 40% of officials at 130 colleges that consider the SAT in admissions said a 20-point math increase or a 10-point reading increase would "significantly improve a student's chances of admissions" if all other factors in a student's application were the same.
"If marginal college admission decisions are made on the basis of very small differences in test scores, a small coaching effect might be practically significant," says author Derek Briggs of the University of Colorado-Boulder.
Briggs says he was "pretty stunned" by the findings, given that the College Board and makers of the ACT entrance exam caution against using scores as a sole criterion for high-stakes decisions such as admissions and scholarships. (He did not probe as deeply into ACT data but he says "it is very likely" findings would be similar.) The association for admissions professionals similarly cautions against such practices.
The association said in a statement that the misuse Briggs found is a problem in "a small number of cases." But it added, "These realities are likely to complicate the decisions of students and families trying to determine how best to allocate (time and money) related to test preparation."
Association CEO Joyce Smith said the organization plans to "initiate a new round of communications and training" for member colleges and universities.
William Fitzsimmons, dean of admission and financial aid at Harvard University and chairman of a commission created by the association that last September urged research on the subject, says most schools probably use the test appropriately, but "misuse of test scores is a major public policy issue."
Source:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-05-20-SAT-prep_N.htm?csp=34
Article Courtesy of Kweller Prep Tutoring: Intense Prep for Intense Kids. Call Today! 1800-631-1757 or visit www.KwellerPrep.com
ATTENTION:
Kweller Summer Camp for Kids is Opening!
Completely flexible summer enrichment schedule. Ages 5 and up. Call me for more: 917-499-3913
Invest in Your Child’s Education! Call Today!
The best way to predict your child’s future is to create it!
Article by Mary Beth Marklein, USA TODAY
NYU Applicants notified of “possible” admission
NYU received 38,037 applications for the class of 2014, a 3 percent increase from last year.
“Congratulations! You MAY have been accepted to NYU.”
Article by Emily Jennings
Published March 24, 2010
This past week, selected high school seniors received puzzling e-mails from the office of undergraduate admissions hinting that they would likely be admitted.
"While your decision packet may not be mailed for another two weeks, it might be a good idea for you to start checking travel plans to visit campus," the e-mail read.
Randall Deike, vice president of enrollment management, said the e-mail was not intended as a final admission decision, but to give students plenty of time to make plans to visit NYU.
"We are not necessarily indicating to students that they have been admitted for sure, but we're just trying to remind folks that they should be planning if they are interested in attending any of these events," Deike said.
Deike recognized that students may have been confused by the e-mail, and said students will receive another e-mail that gives more direct information at the end of March.
Aneri Doshi, a senior from Harrison, N.Y., was one of the thousands of students to receive the e-mail.
Doshi said she thought the e-mail was "a little bizarre and eccentric," and it wasn't until she called the admissions office that they told her she had been accepted.
Omer Zach, a senior from Palo Alto, Calif., also found the e-mail frustrating.
"Waiting for college decisions is incredibly stressful, and a somewhat cryptic e-mail just added to that stress," he said.
But NYU is not the only school notifying accepted applicants before decisions are announced on April 1. Cornell and Columbia universities have both e-mailed seniors who will be granted admission to their undergraduate programs.
Including students who applied to NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU received 38,037 applications for the class of 2014, a 3 percent increase from last year.
Deike said he was impressed with this year's applicants.
"We've had an excellent year, not just in applications, but in the profile of students applying," he said.
While not all admissions decisions have been finalized, all students admitted to the Liberal Studies Program have been notified.
"Because LSP is a program to which students are referred, we try to notify them as soon as we possibly can so they have more time to think about whether or not they're interested in the LSP program," Deike said.
Emily Jennings is a staff writer.
Article Courtesy of Kweller Prep Tutoring: Intense Prep For Intense Kids. Call Today! 1800-631-1757 or visit www.KwellerPrep.com
ATTENTION:
Kweller Summer Camp for Kids is Opening!
Completely flexible summer enrichment schedule. Ages 5 and up. Call me for more: 917-499-3913
Invest in Your Child’s Education! Call Today!
The best way to predict your child’s future is to create it!
“Congratulations! You MAY have been accepted to NYU.”
Article by Emily Jennings
Published March 24, 2010
This past week, selected high school seniors received puzzling e-mails from the office of undergraduate admissions hinting that they would likely be admitted.
"While your decision packet may not be mailed for another two weeks, it might be a good idea for you to start checking travel plans to visit campus," the e-mail read.
Randall Deike, vice president of enrollment management, said the e-mail was not intended as a final admission decision, but to give students plenty of time to make plans to visit NYU.
"We are not necessarily indicating to students that they have been admitted for sure, but we're just trying to remind folks that they should be planning if they are interested in attending any of these events," Deike said.
Deike recognized that students may have been confused by the e-mail, and said students will receive another e-mail that gives more direct information at the end of March.
Aneri Doshi, a senior from Harrison, N.Y., was one of the thousands of students to receive the e-mail.
Doshi said she thought the e-mail was "a little bizarre and eccentric," and it wasn't until she called the admissions office that they told her she had been accepted.
Omer Zach, a senior from Palo Alto, Calif., also found the e-mail frustrating.
"Waiting for college decisions is incredibly stressful, and a somewhat cryptic e-mail just added to that stress," he said.
But NYU is not the only school notifying accepted applicants before decisions are announced on April 1. Cornell and Columbia universities have both e-mailed seniors who will be granted admission to their undergraduate programs.
Including students who applied to NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU received 38,037 applications for the class of 2014, a 3 percent increase from last year.
Deike said he was impressed with this year's applicants.
"We've had an excellent year, not just in applications, but in the profile of students applying," he said.
While not all admissions decisions have been finalized, all students admitted to the Liberal Studies Program have been notified.
"Because LSP is a program to which students are referred, we try to notify them as soon as we possibly can so they have more time to think about whether or not they're interested in the LSP program," Deike said.
Emily Jennings is a staff writer.
Article Courtesy of Kweller Prep Tutoring: Intense Prep For Intense Kids. Call Today! 1800-631-1757 or visit www.KwellerPrep.com
ATTENTION:
Kweller Summer Camp for Kids is Opening!
Completely flexible summer enrichment schedule. Ages 5 and up. Call me for more: 917-499-3913
Invest in Your Child’s Education! Call Today!
The best way to predict your child’s future is to create it!
ONLINE STOP WATCH
Have fun testing, and remember the Kweller Prep SAT Testing advice:
For every 25 minute section, set your timer to 23 minutes and try to complete the section by then!
For every 20 minute section, try to complete the section in 18 minutes!
http://www.online-stopwatch.com/
For every 25 minute section, set your timer to 23 minutes and try to complete the section by then!
For every 20 minute section, try to complete the section in 18 minutes!
http://www.online-stopwatch.com/
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT BEST COLLEGES RANKINGS FOR 2010
Schools in the National Universities category, such as Yale and UCLA, offer a full range of undergraduate majors, master's, and doctoral degrees. These colleges also are committed to producing groundbreaking research.
1 Harvard University Cambridge, MA
100 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $37,012 19,230 7.9%
Rank
1 Princeton University Princeton, NJ
100 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $35,340 7,497 9.9%
Rank
3 Yale University New Haven, CT
98 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $36,500 11,446 8.6%
Rank
4 California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA
93 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $34,584 2,126 17.4%
Rank
4 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA
93 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $37,782 10,299 11.9%
Rank
4 Stanford University Stanford, CA
93 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $37,881 17,833 9.5%
Rank
4 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
93 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,970 19,018 16.9%
Rank
8 Columbia University New York, NY
91 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $41,316 23,196 10.0%
Rank
8 University of Chicago Chicago, IL
91 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $39,381 12,386 27.9%
Rank
10 Duke University Durham, NC
90 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,975 14,060 22.4%
Rank
11 Dartmouth College Hanover, NH
89 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,679 5,848 13.5%
Rank
12 Northwestern University Evanston, IL
87 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,461 18,431 26.2%
Rank
12 Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO
87 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,864 13,338 21.7%
Rank
14 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
86 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $39,150 19,858 25.4%
Rank
15 Cornell University Ithaca, NY
85 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $37,954 20,273 20.7%
Rank
16 Brown University Providence, RI
84 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,848 8,318 13.7%
Rank
17 Emory University Atlanta, GA
80 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,036 12,755 26.6%
Rank
17 Rice University Houston, TX
80 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $31,248 5,456 23.0%
Rank
17 Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN
80 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,579 12,093 25.3%
Rank
20 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
78 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,477 11,731 26.7%
Rank
21 University of California--Berkeley Berkeley, CA
76 2009-2010 In-state: $8,352; Out-of-state: $30,022 35,409 21.6%
Rank
22 Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA
75 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $39,833 11,064 37.9%
Rank
23 Georgetown University Washington, DC
74 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $39,212 15,318 18.8%
Rank
24 University of California--Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
73 2009-2010 In-state: $8,228; Out-of-state: $29,897 39,650 22.8%
Rank
24 University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA
73 2009-2010 In-state: $9,870; Out-of-state: $31,870 24,541 36.7%
source: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/national-universities-rankings/c_final_tier+1 http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2075153576599337291#
1 Harvard University Cambridge, MA
100 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $37,012 19,230 7.9%
Rank
1 Princeton University Princeton, NJ
100 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $35,340 7,497 9.9%
Rank
3 Yale University New Haven, CT
98 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $36,500 11,446 8.6%
Rank
4 California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA
93 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $34,584 2,126 17.4%
Rank
4 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA
93 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $37,782 10,299 11.9%
Rank
4 Stanford University Stanford, CA
93 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $37,881 17,833 9.5%
Rank
4 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA
93 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,970 19,018 16.9%
Rank
8 Columbia University New York, NY
91 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $41,316 23,196 10.0%
Rank
8 University of Chicago Chicago, IL
91 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $39,381 12,386 27.9%
Rank
10 Duke University Durham, NC
90 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,975 14,060 22.4%
Rank
11 Dartmouth College Hanover, NH
89 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,679 5,848 13.5%
Rank
12 Northwestern University Evanston, IL
87 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,461 18,431 26.2%
Rank
12 Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, MO
87 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,864 13,338 21.7%
Rank
14 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD
86 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $39,150 19,858 25.4%
Rank
15 Cornell University Ithaca, NY
85 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $37,954 20,273 20.7%
Rank
16 Brown University Providence, RI
84 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,848 8,318 13.7%
Rank
17 Emory University Atlanta, GA
80 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,036 12,755 26.6%
Rank
17 Rice University Houston, TX
80 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $31,248 5,456 23.0%
Rank
17 Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN
80 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,579 12,093 25.3%
Rank
20 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN
78 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $38,477 11,731 26.7%
Rank
21 University of California--Berkeley Berkeley, CA
76 2009-2010 In-state: $8,352; Out-of-state: $30,022 35,409 21.6%
Rank
22 Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA
75 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $39,833 11,064 37.9%
Rank
23 Georgetown University Washington, DC
74 2009-2010 Tuition and Fees: $39,212 15,318 18.8%
Rank
24 University of California--Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
73 2009-2010 In-state: $8,228; Out-of-state: $29,897 39,650 22.8%
Rank
24 University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA
73 2009-2010 In-state: $9,870; Out-of-state: $31,870 24,541 36.7%
source: http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/national-universities-rankings/c_final_tier+1 http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2075153576599337291#
2009 SAT Scores Declined or Stagnated, College Board Reports
Scores on the SAT declined or stagnated in the last year, according to results released last week by the College Board.
The New York City-based nonprofit organization’s annual, national report shows that the mean mathematics score for the class of 2009 was 515, the same as for the class of 2008. In reading, it was 501, one point lower than for students in the class of 2008. The mean writing score fell by one point as well, to 493. Each section is scored from 200 to 800 points.
Both sections have declined from their recent high points in 2005, the last test before the College Board added a writing section and made other changes, including higher-level math questions. The reading score is seven points lower than it was in 2005, and the math...
source: http://www.edweek.org/login.html?source=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/08/25/02sat.h29.html&destination=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/08/25/02sat.h29.html&levelId=2100
The New York City-based nonprofit organization’s annual, national report shows that the mean mathematics score for the class of 2009 was 515, the same as for the class of 2008. In reading, it was 501, one point lower than for students in the class of 2008. The mean writing score fell by one point as well, to 493. Each section is scored from 200 to 800 points.
Both sections have declined from their recent high points in 2005, the last test before the College Board added a writing section and made other changes, including higher-level math questions. The reading score is seven points lower than it was in 2005, and the math...
source: http://www.edweek.org/login.html?source=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/08/25/02sat.h29.html&destination=http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/08/25/02sat.h29.html&levelId=2100
BEWARE OF KAPLAN AND PRINCETON REVIEW PROMISES--
"Any test-prep company that gives you their own test with their own score scale could be accused of fudging the numbers to make students think they improved more than they really had,"
______________
Families can spend thousands of dollars on coaching to help college-bound students boost their SAT scores. But a new report finds that these test-preparation courses aren't as beneficial as consumers are led to believe.
The report, to be released Wednesday by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, criticizes common test-prep-industry marketing practices, including promises of big score gains with no hard data to back up such claims. The report also finds fault with the frequent use of mock SAT tests because they can be devised to inflate score gains when students take the actual SAT. The association represents 11,000 college admissions officers, high-school guidance counselors and private advisors.
"It breaks my heart to see families who can't afford it spending money they desperately need on test prep when no evidence would indicate that this is money well-spent," says William Fitzsimmons, Harvard University's dean of undergraduate admissions, who led a group at the college admissions association that prompted the report.
View Full Image
Associated Press
Jonah Varon, a straight-A student at Lowell High School in San Francisco, took a mock SAT from a test-prep company last year and scored 2060 out of a possible 2400. A few weeks later, with no tutoring, he took the real test. His score: a perfect 2400, or 340 points higher.
Mr. Varon, who is headed to Harvard in the fall, was suspicious. The coaching company, Revolution Prep, of Santa Monica, Calif., says its mock tests are calibrated to be at the same difficulty level as the real SAT. So why had it seemed to the student so much harder?
After gathering test scores from 15 classmates who had had similar experiences, Mr. Varon and classmate Lydia O'Connor wrote an article for their school newspaper claiming that the mock test was far more difficult -- or was scored more harshly -- than the actual exam to make Revolution Prep appear to be raising test scores more than it actually does.
"It seems like dishonest advertising," Mr. Varon says.
Revolution Prep says that the experiences of Mr. Varon and several of his classmates were "outliers," and that surveys of students at Lowell High School generally show high satisfaction with the test-coaching company's results.
Scores of coaching companies, including Washington Post Co.'s Kaplan unit and Princeton Review Inc., the two largest players, help prepare students each year to take the SAT, used by many colleges to help make admission decisions. Companies typically charge $1,100 for a class and $100 to $200 an hour for individual tutoring, the college admissions counselors' report says. In total, about two million students spend $2.5 billion a year on test preparation and tutoring, including the SAT, according to Eduventures Inc., a Boston research and consulting firm.
Examining Test Prep
A new report says claims by SAT-prep firms may be inflated, raising questions about costly coaching.
Studies find test prep boosts average SAT score by just 30 points.Critics say firms' mock tests may be harder than actual exams, inflating score gains.At some colleges, even small score gains can help with admission.The college counselors' report concludes that, on average, prep courses yield only a modest benefit, "contrary to the claims made by many test-preparation providers." It found that SAT coaching resulted in about 30 points in score improvement on the SAT, out of a possible 1600, and less than one point out of a possible 36 on the ACT, the other main college-entrance exam, says Derek Briggs, chairman of the research and methodology department at the University of Colorado in Boulder and author of the admissions counselors' report.
The report was prepared by reviewing numerous academic studies from past years that examined the impact of test preparation on SAT scores. The studies predated the addition of the writing section of the SAT in 2005, which increased the possible score total to 2400 from 1600.
The report also noted that some college-admissions officers indirectly encourage applicants to sign up for SAT-prep courses by setting score cutoffs. A survey included in the report found that more than a third of schools with tight selection criteria said that an increase of just 20 points in the math section of the SAT, and of 10 points in the critical reading section, would "significantly improve students' likelihood of admission."
The nonprofit College Board, which oversees the SAT, is critical of colleges that select applicants based on small score differences that aren't statistically significant. Laurence Bunin, a College Board senior vice president, says the board's own research shows limited benefit from test-prep courses. He says familiarity with the SAT tends to provide the biggest short-term gains for students. He recommends free and low-cost College Board materials, including a $20 study guide.
Test-prep companies say that some students see substantial gains in their SAT scores as a result of coaching, even if studies show that average test-score improvements are limited. For example, Kaplan cites two of its former students, Lily and Emma Shepard, twin sisters who are seniors at Montclair Kimberley Academy in New Jersey. Kaplan says Emma increased her SAT score, compared with an initial diagnostic test, by 450 points to 2210, while Lily's score rose 330 points, to 2190. The family paid $4,000 to Kaplan for a tutor to come to their home. "I learned new material as well as test-taking tricks," says Lily, who will be attending Duke University next year. Emma is going to Georgetown University.
The sisters' gains were smaller when compared with their scores on the Preliminary SAT, or PSAT, which the College Board says is a good predictor of SAT scores. In that comparison, Lily's score improved 110 points, and Emma's rose 300 points.
Kaplan officials say they take pains to make their diagnostic test similar to the real SAT. Seppy Basili, senior vice president at Kaplan, says that the PSAT doesn't include higher-level algebra, while the SAT does, so some students score lower on the real test. In addition, he said, Lilly and Emma skipped many questions on the diagnostic test, which could explain the different scores.
Associated Press
Some test-prep companies acknowledge there is nothing to hold them accountable for score-gain promises. "The industry is not regulated," says Paul Kanarek, a senior vice president with Princeton Review. "It is sort of the wild, wild West."
Kaplan and Princeton Review say they make no claims about any specific average point increases, calling that practice inherently misleading because it is difficult to collect accurate data.
Revolution Prep offers a "score improvement guarantee" of 200 points for students taking its coaching courses. But co-founders Ramit Varma and Jake Neuberg say the guarantee doesn't mean that all students will increase their scores by that much. If students don't achieve a 200-point gain, they are entitled to a free repeat of the course, they say.
Revolution and other test-prep companies say they use their own diagnostic tests for baseline comparisons because the College Board publishes only eight practice tests -- also simulations -- in its official SAT guide, and many students have already taken them. In the past, the board published actual SATs from previous administrations of the exam, but discontinued that practice in 2005 when the writing section was added. The College Board says it will begin including three actual tests this summer in the new edition of its SAT guide, along with seven simulated tests.
In Newton, Mass., Summit Educational Group Inc. says its "proven score increases on the SAT are 180 to 400 points." Chief Executive Charles O'Hearn says those figures are based on improvement only from real PSATs or SATs, not diagnostic tests. Still, he says the figures are based on surveys to which fewer than half of students respond. "I wouldn't say there isn't an element of marketing in this," he says.
On its Web site, Elite Educational Institute Inc., of Irvine, Calif., advertises a 240-point average increase in SAT scores, calculating it in comparison with its own diagnostic exam. After an inquiry from a reporter, the company says it plans to take the claim, which it says was based on the SAT before the addition of the writing section, off its Web site. "Any test-prep company that gives you their own test with their own score scale could be accused of fudging the numbers to make students think they improved more than they really had," Kevin Sung, Elite's chief operating officer, said through a spokeswoman.
Write to John Hechinger at john.hechinger@wsj.com
Corrections & Amplifications:
Lydia O'Connor, a senior at Lowell High School in San Francisco, co-wrote an article in the school newspaper that questioned the practices of an SAT test-preparation firm. A previous version of this story named only Ms. O'Connor's collaborator as author of the article.
source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124278685697537839.html#CX
______________
Families can spend thousands of dollars on coaching to help college-bound students boost their SAT scores. But a new report finds that these test-preparation courses aren't as beneficial as consumers are led to believe.
The report, to be released Wednesday by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, criticizes common test-prep-industry marketing practices, including promises of big score gains with no hard data to back up such claims. The report also finds fault with the frequent use of mock SAT tests because they can be devised to inflate score gains when students take the actual SAT. The association represents 11,000 college admissions officers, high-school guidance counselors and private advisors.
"It breaks my heart to see families who can't afford it spending money they desperately need on test prep when no evidence would indicate that this is money well-spent," says William Fitzsimmons, Harvard University's dean of undergraduate admissions, who led a group at the college admissions association that prompted the report.
View Full Image
Associated Press
Jonah Varon, a straight-A student at Lowell High School in San Francisco, took a mock SAT from a test-prep company last year and scored 2060 out of a possible 2400. A few weeks later, with no tutoring, he took the real test. His score: a perfect 2400, or 340 points higher.
Mr. Varon, who is headed to Harvard in the fall, was suspicious. The coaching company, Revolution Prep, of Santa Monica, Calif., says its mock tests are calibrated to be at the same difficulty level as the real SAT. So why had it seemed to the student so much harder?
After gathering test scores from 15 classmates who had had similar experiences, Mr. Varon and classmate Lydia O'Connor wrote an article for their school newspaper claiming that the mock test was far more difficult -- or was scored more harshly -- than the actual exam to make Revolution Prep appear to be raising test scores more than it actually does.
"It seems like dishonest advertising," Mr. Varon says.
Revolution Prep says that the experiences of Mr. Varon and several of his classmates were "outliers," and that surveys of students at Lowell High School generally show high satisfaction with the test-coaching company's results.
Scores of coaching companies, including Washington Post Co.'s Kaplan unit and Princeton Review Inc., the two largest players, help prepare students each year to take the SAT, used by many colleges to help make admission decisions. Companies typically charge $1,100 for a class and $100 to $200 an hour for individual tutoring, the college admissions counselors' report says. In total, about two million students spend $2.5 billion a year on test preparation and tutoring, including the SAT, according to Eduventures Inc., a Boston research and consulting firm.
Examining Test Prep
A new report says claims by SAT-prep firms may be inflated, raising questions about costly coaching.
Studies find test prep boosts average SAT score by just 30 points.Critics say firms' mock tests may be harder than actual exams, inflating score gains.At some colleges, even small score gains can help with admission.The college counselors' report concludes that, on average, prep courses yield only a modest benefit, "contrary to the claims made by many test-preparation providers." It found that SAT coaching resulted in about 30 points in score improvement on the SAT, out of a possible 1600, and less than one point out of a possible 36 on the ACT, the other main college-entrance exam, says Derek Briggs, chairman of the research and methodology department at the University of Colorado in Boulder and author of the admissions counselors' report.
The report was prepared by reviewing numerous academic studies from past years that examined the impact of test preparation on SAT scores. The studies predated the addition of the writing section of the SAT in 2005, which increased the possible score total to 2400 from 1600.
The report also noted that some college-admissions officers indirectly encourage applicants to sign up for SAT-prep courses by setting score cutoffs. A survey included in the report found that more than a third of schools with tight selection criteria said that an increase of just 20 points in the math section of the SAT, and of 10 points in the critical reading section, would "significantly improve students' likelihood of admission."
The nonprofit College Board, which oversees the SAT, is critical of colleges that select applicants based on small score differences that aren't statistically significant. Laurence Bunin, a College Board senior vice president, says the board's own research shows limited benefit from test-prep courses. He says familiarity with the SAT tends to provide the biggest short-term gains for students. He recommends free and low-cost College Board materials, including a $20 study guide.
Test-prep companies say that some students see substantial gains in their SAT scores as a result of coaching, even if studies show that average test-score improvements are limited. For example, Kaplan cites two of its former students, Lily and Emma Shepard, twin sisters who are seniors at Montclair Kimberley Academy in New Jersey. Kaplan says Emma increased her SAT score, compared with an initial diagnostic test, by 450 points to 2210, while Lily's score rose 330 points, to 2190. The family paid $4,000 to Kaplan for a tutor to come to their home. "I learned new material as well as test-taking tricks," says Lily, who will be attending Duke University next year. Emma is going to Georgetown University.
The sisters' gains were smaller when compared with their scores on the Preliminary SAT, or PSAT, which the College Board says is a good predictor of SAT scores. In that comparison, Lily's score improved 110 points, and Emma's rose 300 points.
Kaplan officials say they take pains to make their diagnostic test similar to the real SAT. Seppy Basili, senior vice president at Kaplan, says that the PSAT doesn't include higher-level algebra, while the SAT does, so some students score lower on the real test. In addition, he said, Lilly and Emma skipped many questions on the diagnostic test, which could explain the different scores.
Associated Press
Some test-prep companies acknowledge there is nothing to hold them accountable for score-gain promises. "The industry is not regulated," says Paul Kanarek, a senior vice president with Princeton Review. "It is sort of the wild, wild West."
Kaplan and Princeton Review say they make no claims about any specific average point increases, calling that practice inherently misleading because it is difficult to collect accurate data.
Revolution Prep offers a "score improvement guarantee" of 200 points for students taking its coaching courses. But co-founders Ramit Varma and Jake Neuberg say the guarantee doesn't mean that all students will increase their scores by that much. If students don't achieve a 200-point gain, they are entitled to a free repeat of the course, they say.
Revolution and other test-prep companies say they use their own diagnostic tests for baseline comparisons because the College Board publishes only eight practice tests -- also simulations -- in its official SAT guide, and many students have already taken them. In the past, the board published actual SATs from previous administrations of the exam, but discontinued that practice in 2005 when the writing section was added. The College Board says it will begin including three actual tests this summer in the new edition of its SAT guide, along with seven simulated tests.
In Newton, Mass., Summit Educational Group Inc. says its "proven score increases on the SAT are 180 to 400 points." Chief Executive Charles O'Hearn says those figures are based on improvement only from real PSATs or SATs, not diagnostic tests. Still, he says the figures are based on surveys to which fewer than half of students respond. "I wouldn't say there isn't an element of marketing in this," he says.
On its Web site, Elite Educational Institute Inc., of Irvine, Calif., advertises a 240-point average increase in SAT scores, calculating it in comparison with its own diagnostic exam. After an inquiry from a reporter, the company says it plans to take the claim, which it says was based on the SAT before the addition of the writing section, off its Web site. "Any test-prep company that gives you their own test with their own score scale could be accused of fudging the numbers to make students think they improved more than they really had," Kevin Sung, Elite's chief operating officer, said through a spokeswoman.
Write to John Hechinger at john.hechinger@wsj.com
Corrections & Amplifications:
Lydia O'Connor, a senior at Lowell High School in San Francisco, co-wrote an article in the school newspaper that questioned the practices of an SAT test-preparation firm. A previous version of this story named only Ms. O'Connor's collaborator as author of the article.
source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124278685697537839.html#CX
US News and World Report
Frances Amazing just how much schools care about US News & World Report annual rankings. I haven't heard from my alma mater, Hofstra Law School, in a while, but lo and behold, they made sure to send a mass e-mail out to both former students and new ones about this year's national rankings....
Dear Alumni,
I want to share the news that Hofstra Law School has been ranked number 86 in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools 2011” law school guide. This position represents an increase of 14 places from our 2010 ranking. Moreover, the magazine once again has recognized Hofstra Law as one of the nation’s most diverse law schools.
Hofstra Law continues to be an exciting place to pursue a legal education. While no numeric ranking can fully capture the essence of our school or the value of a Hofstra Law degree, many audiences, particularly prospective students, look at survey results as a means of learning more about the school.
As an institution, we will not allow our standing in any survey to dictate what we do. Rather, we will continue to focus on providing students with an excellent and forward-looking global legal education. However, the U.S. News & World Report rankings are significant because their results are based on statistical indicators related to a school’s faculty, research and students, as well as reputational surveys completed by judges, practicing attorneys and law school faculty.
Over the past few years, we have made steady progress in the U.S. News & World Report’s rankings. This sustained improvement and success is a tribute to the students, alumni, faculty and staff who are the heart and soul of this institution.
We will continue to build on Hofstra Law’s strengths, and we remain fully committed to educating attorneys, executives and community leaders who make an impact in their fields. For example, by expanding the school’s innovative career and professional development programming, we will increase our ability to help students and alumni develop leadership skills and professional identities that will ensure future success.
Rankings in U.S. News & World Report and other surveys will fluctuate over time; what remains constant is the exceptional quality of our school’s ideas, talent and network. I am proud of all that our community has achieved, and I thank you for your role in strengthening Hofstra Law’s position among leading American law schools.
With my sincere appreciation,
Nora V. Demleitner, Dean
P.S. You should have recently received a letter from me providing an overview of our strategic plan and inviting you to join this year’s Annual Campaign. I hope you will send back your contribution as soon as possible. You can also make your tax-deductible gift securely online here: https://law.hofstra.edu/Alumni/alumni_make_a_gift.cfm
Dear Alumni,
I want to share the news that Hofstra Law School has been ranked number 86 in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Graduate Schools 2011” law school guide. This position represents an increase of 14 places from our 2010 ranking. Moreover, the magazine once again has recognized Hofstra Law as one of the nation’s most diverse law schools.
Hofstra Law continues to be an exciting place to pursue a legal education. While no numeric ranking can fully capture the essence of our school or the value of a Hofstra Law degree, many audiences, particularly prospective students, look at survey results as a means of learning more about the school.
As an institution, we will not allow our standing in any survey to dictate what we do. Rather, we will continue to focus on providing students with an excellent and forward-looking global legal education. However, the U.S. News & World Report rankings are significant because their results are based on statistical indicators related to a school’s faculty, research and students, as well as reputational surveys completed by judges, practicing attorneys and law school faculty.
Over the past few years, we have made steady progress in the U.S. News & World Report’s rankings. This sustained improvement and success is a tribute to the students, alumni, faculty and staff who are the heart and soul of this institution.
We will continue to build on Hofstra Law’s strengths, and we remain fully committed to educating attorneys, executives and community leaders who make an impact in their fields. For example, by expanding the school’s innovative career and professional development programming, we will increase our ability to help students and alumni develop leadership skills and professional identities that will ensure future success.
Rankings in U.S. News & World Report and other surveys will fluctuate over time; what remains constant is the exceptional quality of our school’s ideas, talent and network. I am proud of all that our community has achieved, and I thank you for your role in strengthening Hofstra Law’s position among leading American law schools.
With my sincere appreciation,
Nora V. Demleitner, Dean
P.S. You should have recently received a letter from me providing an overview of our strategic plan and inviting you to join this year’s Annual Campaign. I hope you will send back your contribution as soon as possible. You can also make your tax-deductible gift securely online here: https://law.hofstra.edu/Alumni/alumni_make_a_gift.cfm
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