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Important Information Update: A Searchable Database of 100 Top Public Research Universities and Their Fall 2020 Coronavirus (Covid-19) Plans

Coronavirus (Covid-19) has impacted university's plans and teaching methods for Fall 2020.

Davidson College and The Washington Post have created a database with updated information on top public universities and their teaching method and plans for accommodating Covid-19 during the Fall 2020 semester. Information includes start date and the university’s Fall 2020 teaching method (in-person, online, hybrid) .

SchoolStateTeaching methodFall start
Auburn U.Ala.HybridAug. 17
U. of AlabamaAla.Primarily in personAug. 19
U. of Alaska at AnchorageAlaskaPrimarily onlineAug. 24
U. of Alaska at FairbanksAlaskaHybridAug. 24
Arizona State U. at TempeAriz.HybridAug. 20
U. of ArizonaAriz.Primarily onlineAug. 24
Arkansas State U.Ark.Primarily in personAug. 25
U. of ArkansasArk.Primarily onlineAug. 24
U. of California at BerkeleyCalif.Primarily onlineAug. 26
UCLACalif.Primarily onlineSept. 28
U. of Colorado at BoulderColo.Primarily onlineAug. 24
Colorado School of MinesColo.Primarily in personAug. 24
Central Connecticut State U.Conn.Primarily onlineAug. 26
U. of ConnecticutConn.Primarily onlineAug. 31
Delaware State U.Del.HybridAug. 25
U. of DelawareDel.Primarily onlineSept. 1
U. of the District of ColumbiaD.C.Primarily onlineSept. 8
Florida State U.Fla.HybridAug. 24
U. of FloridaFla.Primarily onlineAug. 31
Georgia Inst. of TechnologyGa.Primarily in personAug. 17
U. of GeorgiaGa.Primarily in personAug. 20
U. of Hawaii at HiloHawaiiPrimarily onlineAug. 24
U. of Hawaii at ManoaHawaiiPrimarily onlineAug. 24
Idaho State U.IdahoPrimarily in personAug. 17
U. of IdahoIdahoPrimarily in personAug. 31
U. of Illinois at ChicagoIll.Primarily onlineAug. 26
U. of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignIll.HybridAug. 24
Indiana University at BloomingtonInd.Primarily onlineAug. 24
Purdue U.Ind.Primarily in personAug. 24
Iowa State U.IowaPrimarily in personAug. 17
U. of IowaIowaPrimarily in personAug. 24
Kansas State U.Kan.Primarily in personAug. 17
U. of KansasKan.Primarily in personAug. 24
U. of KentuckyKy.Primarily onlineAug. 17
U. of LouisvilleKy.Primarily onlineAug. 17
Louisiana State U.La.Primarily onlineAug. 24
Louisiana Tech U.La.Primarily in personAug. 31
U. of Maine at FarmingtonMaineHybridAug. 31
U. of Maine at OronoMaineTo be determinedAug. 31
U. of Maryland Baltimore CountyMd.Primarily onlineAug. 27
U. of Maryland at College ParkMd.Primarily onlineAug. 31
U. of Massachusetts at AmherstMass.Primarily onlineAug. 24
U. of Massachusetts at LowellMass.Primarily onlineSept. 1
Michigan State U.Mich.Fully onlineSept. 2
U. of Michigan at Ann ArborMich.HybridAug. 31
U. of Minnesota at DuluthMinn.HybridAug. 31
U. of Minnesota at Twin CitiesMinn.HybridAug. 31
Mississippi State U.Miss.HybridAug. 17
U. of MississippiMiss.HybridAug. 24
Missouri U. of Science and Tech.Mo.Primarily in personAug. 24
U. of MissouriMo.Primarily onlineAug. 24
Montana State U.Mont.Primarily onlineAug. 17
U. of MontanaMont.Primarily onlineAug. 19
U. of Nebraska at LincolnNeb.Primarily in personAug. 17
U. of Nebraska at OmahaNeb.Primarily in personAug. 24
U. of Nevada at Las VegasNev.Primarily onlineAug. 24
U. of Nevada at RenoNev.Primarily in personAug. 24
Plymouth State U.N.H.HybridAug. 24
U. of New HampshireN.H.Primarily onlineAug. 31
Rutgers U. at New BrunswickN.J.Primarily onlineSept. 1
Rutgers U. at NewarkN.J.Primarily onlineSept. 3
New Mexico State U.N.M.HybridAug. 19
U. of New MexicoN.M.HybridAug. 17
Stony Brook U.N.Y.Primarily onlineAug. 24
U. at BuffaloN.Y.HybridAug. 31
North Carolina State U.N.C.Fully onlineAug. 10
U. of North Carolina at Chapel HillN.C.Fully onlineAug. 10
North Dakota State U.N.D.HybridAug. 24
U. of North DakotaN.D.To be determinedAug. 24
Miami U. of OhioOhioPrimarily onlineAug. 17
Ohio State U.OhioHybridAug. 25
Oklahoma State U.Okla.Primarily in personAug. 17
U. of OklahomaOkla.Primarily in personAug. 24
Oregon State U.Ore.Primarily onlineSept. 23
U. of OregonOre.Primarily onlineSept. 29
Pennsylvania State U.Pa.HybridAug. 24
U. of PittsburghPa.Primarily onlineAug. 19
Rhode Island CollegeR.I.Primarily onlineAug. 31
U. of Rhode IslandR.I.Primarily in personSept. 9
Clemson U.S.C.Primarily onlineAug. 19
U. of South CarolinaS.C.Primarily in personAug. 20
South Dakota State U.S.D.HybridAug. 19
U. of South DakotaS.D.Primarily in personAug. 19
U. of MemphisTenn.Primarily in personAug. 17
U. of TennesseeTenn.HybridAug. 19
Texas A&M U.Tex.Primarily in personAug. 19
U. of Texas at AustinTex.Primarily onlineAug. 26
U. of UtahUtahPrimarily onlineAug. 24
Utah State U.UtahHybridAug. 31
Castleton U.Vt.Fully onlineAug. 18
U. of VermontVt.Primarily in personAug. 31
College of William & MaryVa.Primarily onlineAug. 19
U. of VirginiaVa.Primarily onlineAug. 25
U. of WashingtonWash.Primarily onlineSept. 30
Washington State U.Wash.Primarily onlineAug. 24
Marshall U.W.Va.Primarily in personAug. 24
West Virginia U.W.Va.Primarily onlineAug. 26
U. of Wisconsin at MadisonWis.Primarily onlineSept. 2
U. of Wisconsin at MilwaukeeWis.HybridSept. 2
U. of WyomingWyo.Primarily onlineAug. 24

Critical Updates From Colleges Re: Plans for Fall 2020

Many universities are checking in to give guidance to students and families regarding plans for on-campus instruction in the fall of 2020. Because of the Covid-19 Coronavirus outbreak, nearly all American colleges and universities are currently delivering academics via virtual classes. Almost 99% of current American college students have returned to their homes and college campuses are mostly empty.

Of those who have reported, the majority have indicated that they are committed to delivering on-campus face-to-face instruction in the fall or have not yet committed, but are planning to do so. Top-choice universities like Harvard, the Claremont Colleges, Haveford, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have announced that they are committed to holding classes in person this fall. Among Texas colleges and universities, no commitments have been communicated as of yet (April 28, 2020). The University of Texas at Austin is expecting to announce fall 2020 plans at the end of June.

Be sure to watch this page for more updates as decisions are made. For selected universities, current status is available here.

A Contrarian View on Studying Computer Science or Programming from Gary Vaynerchuck

Do you think that a computer science degree is a ticket to future financial and career security? You might want to watch the video below from @garyvee to hear some reasons why your thinking may be incorrect. This video contains salty language, you have been forewarned.

Gary explains that the high level of historical financial returns for computer science majors flows from the shortage of capable computer programmers in a past era. Now that record numbers of students are majoring in computer science worldwide, the financial returns to computer science will drop. The scarcity is gone and the supply of computer scientists and programmers is greater than the demand. Looking forward, Gary suggests that unless your focus is on a cutting edge area of technology with room for exponential growth, like 3D or virtual reality, today’s computer science students will be disappointed by their salaries in the long-term. Gary believes that programming and computer science skills have been commodified and will drop in value going forward.

Do we at Shumsky Center agree? I think Gary brings a perspective that is absent from the minds of many parents and students. There are very few golden tickets that guarantee financial success and career stability. For the last several decades, computer science majors have earned very good salaries in the U.S. For example, estimates from Michigan State University’s Collegiate Employment Research Institute survey of the college class of 2017 show computer science majors with an average starting salary of around $58,000. Top earning graduates with computer science degrees from the college class of 2017 earned as much as $130,000. The National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) Winter 2017 Salary Survey showed even better results for recent computer science graduates. NACE’s survey showed recent college graduates with computer science degrees earn an average starting salary of $65,500. Looking forward, there is reason to expect the financial return to drop as the field is flooded by new entrants. What are your thoughts?

How to Use 11th Grade Wisely and Get In To Your Dream School

 

  1. Best Grades Ever: Every kid in America will hear from Mom and Dad about the need to do well in 11th Take it from me, you need to come ready to play every day. Push your grades in 11th grade to the best they’ve ever been.  That’s what admissions folks at top 150 colleges expect. If you need help, ask teachers for tutorials before or after school.  Get a tutor if you’re in danger of a C grade or lower.
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  3. Take Tough Courses, Especially in Areas of Interest: You do not need to take the entire AP curriculum, but you would be wise to challenge yourself with a tough, but not overwhelming set of courses.  Interested in STEM? Take that AP Physics or Calc offering.  Future social scientist? Push yourself with AP English and AP US History. Love Languages? Spanish IV, Chinese Honors, or IB French is a must.
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  5. Distinguish Yourself: Break from the pack of tens of thousands of applicants that all have good grades, SAT scores, and overstuffed resumes. Get started on a passion project now.  Write that independent study paper on the performance of small cap stocks in the 2008-2018 period.  Apply to be a research assistant at the local university Bio lab.  Plan a service trip to Tanzania with your classmates. Write and record the solo album for sax. Do what you love!
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  7. Take Time for Quiet Reflection on What’s Important to You: You’re going to be busy with school, activities, and SAT/ACTs. Mom, Dad, classmates, and school folks will keep the pressure up. But, you must remember that mental health is critical to your success.  Take some time to unwind, let down, and to appreciate what you have.  Think for a few minutes about your future plans and your dream career.  It’s your life, what do you want in it?!
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  9. Prep for SAT/ACT/Subject Tests: You want to be done with standardized testing by June of 11th You probably need to take the standardized tests at least twice to hit your target score. Be cautious and plan that you’ll need three attempts to reach your desired score.  So, you probably need to take your first test this winter and will want to start prepping by mid-October.
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  11. Plan Your Summer Now: Summer before 12th grade should be used productively towards your interests.  What would you like to spend 100 hours on this summer? A college course? Soccer skills? Travel, service, research? Don’t wait until spring; start planning now before the school year gets too crazy.

Good College Essays Help Get You In. Here Are The Essay Topics For Fall 2018 College Applications

Essays are a critical element of the college application. If your son or daughter doesn’t catch the eye of admissions readers with an interesting essay, then their chance of acceptance plummets. Want to know the essay topics for 2018-2019 applications?  Look below.

All Topics Are Preliminary and Subject to Change

National Common App Topic Choices

The essay length will continue to be capped at 650 words.

2018-2019 Common Application Essay Prompts

  1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
  2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
  3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
  4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
  5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
  6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
  7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

 

UT-Austin Uses Apply Texas application with these requirements:

Required Essay Topic (for all applicants)

Essay Topic A

What was the environment in which you were raised? Describe your family, home, neighborhood, or community, and explain how it has shaped you as a person.

 
Short Answers (250 – 300 words each, all required)

  • If you could have any career, what would it be? Why? Describe any activities you are involved in, life experiences you’ve had, or even classes you’ve taken that have helped you identify this professional path.
  • Do you believe your academic record (transcript information and test scores) provide an accurate representation of you as a student? Why or why not?
  • How do you show leadership in your life? How do you see yourself being a leader at UT Austin?

Art and Art History Majors Must Also Submit this Short Answer Question:

Personal interaction with objects, images and spaces can be so powerful as to change the way one thinks about particular issues or topics. For your intended area of study (art history, design, studio art, visual art studies/art education), describe an experience where instruction in that area or your personal interaction with an object, image or space effected this type of change in your thinking. What did you do to act upon your new thinking and what have you done to prepare yourself for further study in this area?

 

Texas A&M Uses Apply Texas Application With These Requirements:

Essay A (Required)

What was the environment in which you were raised? Describe your family, home, neighborhood, or community, and explain how it has shaped you as a person.

Applicants to the College of Engineering Only!! Describe your academic and career goals in the broad field of engineering. What and/or who has influenced you either inside or outside the classroom that contributed to these goals?

 

University of California System Application (UCLA, UC-Berkeley, UC-San Diego, UC-Santa Barbara, etc.)

Instead of a personal statement essay, applicants will be asked to complete “personal insight questions.” Freshman applicants must respond to four of the eight questions, with each response at 350 words or less.

  • Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
  • Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
  • What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
  • Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
  • Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
  • Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has influenced you.
  • What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
  • What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidates applying to the University of California?

College Application Season Begins June 1st

 

Is your child ready for application season?

11th grade closes soon and college application season looms on the near horizon.  Your family will be making extremely important decisions over the next year and the best decisions are made when families are well-prepared.  Please do not join the ranks of stressed, rushed, and misguided families and students who create hasty college applications and are thus disappointed at college acceptance time.  Ask your son or daughter about the following and make an honest judgment about his or her college plans.  Is he or she prepared and on-schedule?

Has your son or daughter completed the following?

• Identified the final list of 6-10 colleges to apply to, with a minimum of two schools where the student is very likely to be admitted and two more where the student is in the median of who was accepted last year?
• Acquired the target score on the SAT or ACT?
• Received acknowledgments from a minimum of two teachers from core academic subjects regarding recommendation letters?
• Completed a final resume draft?
• Clarified the topics of main application essays which summarize the student’s key traits, experiences, and perspectives and catch the eye of admissions staff?
• Established Plans A, B, and C for prospective college majors and study paths?
• Planned summer activities which will stand out on the student’s application and increase the student’s chances of acceptance?
• Made visits and interview appointments with all colleges he or she will apply to?

If your child has not completed the above steps, then your child is not ready and needs immediate assistance.

College Acceptance at Top Schools Tougher Than Ever: 2016-2017 Results

 
2016-2017 was the toughest year in the history of college admissions. The number of students from top Houston high schools like Memorial, Stratford, St. John’s, Kinkaid, and Strake Jesuit who were disappointed at acceptance time was far higher than ever before.
You must know the following facts. Admission to the most popular and highest rated colleges in the U.S. (roughly equivalent to the top 150 colleges and universities in the U.S. News, Forbes, or other rankings) is ludicrously competitive. Parents, students, and school counselors are radically over-rating the chances for admissions at these most sought after colleges. College acceptance at top schools has never been more difficult.


 
Boston University is a textbook example of how dramatically competition has increased in the last few years. Boston University admitted 30-40% of freshman applicants between 2010 and 2013. In the first half of the 2010’s, middle class students in the top 25% of their class, with nice but not spectacular resumes, good essays, and ACT scores around 30 or SAT scores around 1250 would be good candidates for acceptance. Most of those students would be offered college acceptance by Boston U., a small handful would be denied.

Fast forward to 2017. This fall, Boston University received a record-breaking 60,000 plus applicants for 3,400 freshman spots, and accepted only 25% of applicants. Every single admitted freshman at BU this year was in the top 7% of their high school class!!! The median SAT score was 1450!! And this is at a college that is high quality, but by no means an elite university.

The same jump in competitiveness is happening at UT-Austin, Texas A&M, USC, Vanderbilt, Georgia and nearly every college and university that students at Memorial, Kinkaid, St. John’s, Episcopal, Awty, Lamar, and Stratford will apply to. This year, UCLA received over 100,000 freshman applications, the first university to ever break the 100K mark. UT-Austin experienced the same massive increase in freshman applications, with the number of fall 2016 applications expected in the 60,000 plus range, a jump of 20,000 from just two years ago.
Last fall, I visited college admissions information sessions put on by TCU, SMU, and Trinity TX. All three made the same strong announcement to the families and students in the audience: “It is much tougher to get accepted to our school than a few years ago. Don’t go by the historical profile that we’ve typically accepted.”

Good grades and SAT/ACT scores are only a starting point in gaining acceptance to the top 150 colleges and universities. Successful applications require a compelling theme, interesting and unique essays, and standout activities to break from the pack and catch the attention of admission staffs.

If you want to learn more about what it takes to get accepted at top college choices, please read this post.