Top College or Gradaute Dreams On Your Mind? Get geat sites & some mindful tips.

My nephew Charles applied to various national and liberal arts colleges this past year. And like any proud & loving uncle, I supported his mom & dad in keeping him balanced as we encourage him to think big during this exciting and demanding time of his life. I’d like to share mindful words of support to all, who like him, are boldly pursuing their college dreams and shaping their true destiny.

Applying and choosing to your ideal undergraduate colleges or graduate programs isn’t an easy process for anyone at any age. Having your dream school say those magic words…congratulations or welcome to the class of… fulfills our need of acknowledgement of our hard work and a sense of belonging to a program that feels so right to us. The disappointment when we are are told otherwise can leave us feeling shell shocked and disillusioned. Doubting our sense of self and true abilities.

Throughout the selection and application process, being actively mindful that it isn’t where you go or get accepted to that defines who you are and you’re headed in life is the healthiest perspective. Regardless of the outcome, it is knowing who you are, your passion and hunger to live fully & with integrity that will give you an edge to living authentically most radiantly and brilliantly. The universe has a unique way of guiding you to where you need to be within our imperfect world. Be open to that process. It can be open doors to self reflection to self-discovery to great achievements for you. Also, stay connected to those who you trust, who know and believe in you to keep you grounded focusing on what truly matters in the scheme of things. We should all vigorously follow our dreams, It should inspire us to enjoy as we find our journey in life..not define us.  To my Charlie and to others  as young or older,  I send all positive energy your way & ask the universe to wisely guide you to what you so richly & justly have dreamed of.

As for Charlie…he was accepted and enrolled at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. AWESOME!!!!

Here are some helpful sites & tips:

• DO use the rankings as one tool to organize, select, and compare schools.
• DO NOT rely solely on rankings to choose a college.
• DO NOT wait until the last minute. College matters. Take your time, and choose wisely. Have your good mix of schools/programs of interest that would be from challenging to reasonably easy to get into to improve your acceptance chances. Carefully construct and edit your personal essays – it needs to answer their questions, it should honestly voice who you are, why that particular program is right for you. Open yourself up to highlight your character, life experience, &/or travels that may demonstrate your resilience & growth to allow the admission committee to fully see what you bring to their selective program. This may set you apart from other applicants who are equally or possibly more talented than you competing to get a coveted seat.
• DO think long and hard about the right place for you. Consider it like dating, you should have your 5 non-negotiables AND yes it should reasonable & measurable to use your time effectively and not waste it. You’re going to be spending some serious money on “this date” so be informed to make good decisions. Indeed, some of the best programs have their “issues” and you should know about them before signing on.
• DO take time to learn about its culture, people, values, and the student experience. These will be most informative to in making a sound decision. (Something the rankings won’t fully tell you)
• DO  have a balanced life while eating right and exercising. Time time to enjoy with friends & family to avoid “hitting the wall” and putting out something that doesn’t truly reflect who you are. Start keep your mind and body at its best like an athlete preparing for the big game. Hey I’m not judging, but it can’t hurt you to feel and look even fiercer now to boast your energy and self-esteem during this challenging period. Take care of yourself…you deserve it!
• DO select schools that will challenge you, but also that is best aligned to the way you learn. A school should most reflect your values to its educational approach. You should feel they are committed to to bring out the best in you from start to finish. Pursue your dream school for sure, but don’t ignore other programs that you are most able to get into.  The ivies and other most competitive universities  can’t accept everyone & will decline talented applicants due to a select number of admission seats available.. The goal is to get a degree in a competitive market. Transfer to your dream school may be possible for undergraduate applicants who are able meet certain requirements, but think carefully before doing so.
• DO consult with a trusted educational expert. She/He can best give you personalized guidance critical in making your goals achievable.

SOURCE:www.polojeanlouis.com

CURRENT RANKING ACCESS –  BEST WEBSITES:
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 2016: Provides ranking information for liberal arts and national universities for undergraduates and graduate professional programs. It has articles and blogs to assist you in your college assessment. It also provides a methodology for each of its assessments.

FORBES AMERICA’S TOP COLLEGES 2015 Provides an undergraduate assessment of both liberal arts and national programs.

FORBES BEST BUSINESS SCHOOLS 2015 Provides business school admission tips and rankings to MBA programs in the US and abroad.

TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION – UK: Rankings powered by Thomson Reuters are the only global university performance tables to judge world class universities across all of their core missions – teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. The top universities rankings employ 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons available, which are trusted by students, academics, university leaders, industry and governments.

top-law-schools.com Top Law Schools consolidates all of the 2015 law school rankings available, thereby giving you the necessary information to determine which law schools you should apply to. The variability in these rankings should illustrate that the 2012 law school rankings can act only as a guide, and that you should be the final evaluator of what law school is best for you.

THE ECONOMIST 2014  US & international ranking of MBA programs.

BLOOMBERG BUSINESS WEEK: Undergraduate, graduate business MBA, EMBA, & part-time program rankings in the US & abroad.