Many gifted youngsters have a heightened sensitivity to their surroundings, to events, to ideas, and to expectations. Some experience their own high expectations for achievement as a relentless pressure to excel. Constant striving to live up to self-expectations--or those of others-- to be first, best, or both can be very stressful.

Read more:
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content/stress_management.html

The guidance office at your teen's high school is there to provide students and families with guidance about
a realm of things, including everything that has to do with college searching.

Read more:
http://parentingteens.about.com/od/collegeinfo/a/collegequestion_2.htm
http://unionplus.educationplanner.com/education_planner/c_and_p_article.asp?articleName=Getting_Guidance

Colleges are located in big cities, suburbs, and small towns throughout the country. Some enroll tens of thousands of students; others enroll only a few hundred. Some are public; others are private. Some private institutions are affiliated with religious institutions; others are not. Some schools enroll only women, others only men. The type of institution best suited to your child depends on his or her individual needs and talents.

Read more:
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/Prepare/pt3.html
http://parentingteens.about.com/od/collegeinfo/a/collegequestion.htm

Is the pull of an Ivy school lessening - or is it just that much harder to get into one?

Read more:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0412/p01s04-legn.html

To submit an article, go to http://www.venturescholar.org/hs/answers/submission.asp. If you would like
to ask a question to member institutions, please email the question to webmaster@ventures.org.

Ventures Scholars are invited to ask questions and obtain answers to the questions. Questions and answers will appear in the biweekly e-newsletter and on the Ventures Scholars Program Web site. To read questions posed by other Ventures Scholars, please go to www.venturescholar.org/hs/answers/experts.html. If you would like to submit a question, please email questions to webmaster@ventures.org.

This week's questions:

• How to Select a 3-2 Engineering Program
  I am a mother of a 16 year old. I am so bewildered by the amount of information we are getting. All of the colleges seem great for one reason or another. I have been getting information from other people that I talk to telling me to find out how many kids get jobs in their field of study when they graduate and that will tell you what industry and business thinks of that college and the kids that come out of it. What I want to know is: If this is correct how do you find out how many kids get jobs and is this really a way to look for colleges? My son is interested in Computer Engineering and Chemistry fields. He wants to take a 3 and 2 program where you go to one lower priced college for 3 years and then finish at the University that they are affiliated with and in the end you get 2 degrees. Have you heard of these and how do you find the right one of them? Do you look at the college at the end of the program or the one at the beginning? SOOO confusing. Thank you for any help and suggestions that you can give me.
  Click here to view responses.

• Career Major to Become an Oncologist
  I want to be an oncologist and I'm not sure what I want to major in now that people are telling me that Pre-Med is not a major. I don't want to just major in Biology, but my own doctor told me that she majored in nutritional health and to major in whatever I wanted, as long as it met my science requirements. Do you have any suggestions about what I should do?
  Click here to view responses.

• Universities with Strong Medical Programs
  I would like to know who are the top universities with strong medical programs, keep in consideration that I would like to be an orthopedic doctor in sports medicine. Thanks you very much for your time and efforts.
  Click here to view responses.

• Career Options for VS Interested in Biochemistry
  Hi, I've been looking into Biochemistry but I'd like to know about it from one of our ventures staff. Can you help? I'm trying to figure out what to major in because I love biology and chemistry both. I'd also love to be able to do surgery but don't want to spend ten years in college. Do you have any other career ideas that might suit my description?
  Click here to view responses.

• Good Test Scores and Low Grades
  My grades are around 3.3 GPA, but I have worked at a biochemical company, and will work at a hospital in India this summer. My test scores are pretty good, but with my grades so low, do I have even have a chance at getting into one of the seven year medical programs or even a top premedical school?
  Click here to view responses.

• Taking Challenging Courses and Not Doing as Good as Peers
  I was wondering would it make a difference that the school that I am attending is a distinguished school and I'm a minority when I'm applying to colleges. Since my junior grades haven't been what I expected because both my AP and Honors classes are killing my GPA. It's not that I can't handle them it's just that I keep flunking on the tests which I know I could do better on. I have taken AP & Honors classes since my freshman year and I had only As & Bs. I have all As in my regular classes and the rest of the students that are taking all regular classes and are getting As are ranked higher than me. I took all regular and one honors class in the 8th grade and I was in the top 5 in the rankings and had straight As. I was also given a notice of that am taking AP and Honors classes and that my school is a distinguished school than my rankings. Since looking at the ranking doesn't seem fair to me like looking at the standings of college football and basketball teams without looking at the strength of their schedule. I hope there is a BCS for academic students too, if there isn't one well there should be. P.S. I am not a fan of the BCS it's just that it seems fairer than just looking at the standings.
  Click here to view responses.

• Career Path to Become a Nurse
  Next year I am going to be a junior. After I get out of high school I really want to become a nurse. The problem is that I have no idea what, I guess you can say, levels of nursing there are. I've heard of graduate and undergraduate studies but I really have no idea what they mean or what am I supposed to be looking for once I get out of high school. Am I supposed to go to a college and then medical school like doctors do or go to college for nursing. I am really confused and I would appreciate it a lot if you could help me. Thank you.
  Click here to view responses.

• Athletic Scholarships
  If you receive an athletic scholarship to play for one school and you find you still can't afford that school, can you transfer and play another sport?
  Click here to view responses.

"I am a mother of a 16 year old. I am so bewildered by the amount of information we are getting. All of the colleges seem great for one reason or another. I have been getting information from other people that I talk to telling me to find out how many kids get jobs in their field of study when they graduate and that will tell you what industry and business thinks of that college and the kids that come out of it. What I want to know is: If this is correct how do you find out how many kids get jobs and is this really a way to look for colleges? My son is interested in Computer Engineering and Chemistry fields. He wants to take a 3 and 2 program where you go to one lower priced college for 3 years and then finish at the University that they are affiliated with and in the end you get 2 degrees. Have you heard of these and how do you find the right one of them? Do you look at the college at the end of the program or the one at the beginning? SOOO confusing. Thank you for any help and suggestions that you can give me."

Responses were sent from:
Whitman College.

Member Institution and Association Answers

"I want to be an oncologist and I'm not sure what I want to major in now that people are telling me that Pre-Med is not a major. I don't want to just major in Biology, but my own doctor told me that she majored in nutritional health and to major in whatever I wanted, as long as it met my science requirements. Do you have any suggestions about what I should do?"

Responses were sent from:
Northern Arizona University, Drew University, Union College.

Member Institution and Association Answers

"I would like to know who are the top universities with strong medical programs, keep in consideration that I would like to be an orthopedic doctor in sports medicine. Thanks you very much for your time and efforts."

Responses were sent from:
Northern Arizona University, and Union College.

Member Institution and Association Answers

"Hi, I've been looking into Biochemistry but I'd like to know about it from one of our ventures staff. Can you help? I'm trying to figure out what to major in because I love biology and chemistry both. I'd also love to be able to do surgery but don't want to spend ten years in college. Do you have any other career ideas that might suit my description?"

Responses were sent from:
Whitman College.

Member Institution and Association Answers

"My grades are around 3.3 GPA, but I have worked at a biochemical company, and will work at a hospital in India this summer. My test scores are pretty good, but with my grades so low, do I have even have a chance at getting into one of the seven year medical programs or even a top premedical school?"

Responses were sent from:
Kenyon College.

Member Institution and Association Answers

"I was wondering would it make a difference that the school that I am attending is a distinguished school and I'm a minority when I'm applying to colleges. Since my junior grades haven't been what I expected because both my AP and Honors classes are killing my GPA. It's not that I can't handle them it's just that I keep flunking on the tests which I know I could do better on. I have taken AP & Honors classes since my freshman year and I had only As & Bs. I have all As in my regular classes and the rest of the students that are taking all regular classes and are getting As are ranked higher than me. I took all regular and one honors class in the 8th grade and I was in the top 5 in the rankings and had straight As. I was also given a notice of that am taking AP and Honors classes and that my school is a distinguished school than my rankings. Since looking at the ranking doesn't seem fair to me like looking at the standings of college football and basketball teams without looking at the strength of their schedule. I hope there is a BCS for academic students too, if there isn't one well there should be. P.S. I am not a fan of the BCS it's just that it seems fairer than just looking at the standings."

Responses were sent from:
Whitman College, Kenyon College, and Union College.

Member Institution and Association Answers

"Next year I am going to be a junior. After I get out of high school I really want to become a nurse. The problem is that I have no idea what, I guess you can say, levels of nursing there are. I've heard of graduate and undergraduate studies but I really have no idea what they mean or what am I supposed to be looking for once I get out of high school. Am I supposed to go to a college and then medical school like doctors do or go to college for nursing. I am really confused and I would appreciate it a lot if you could help me. Thank you."

Responses were sent from:
Foundation of New York State Nurses' Association, and American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Member Institution and Association Answers

"If you receive an athletic scholarship to play for one school and you find you still can't afford that school, can you transfer and play another sport? "

Responses were sent from:
Union College.

Member Institution and Association Answers

Sophomores

• Register for June SAT II: Subject Test. These are one-hour exams testing you on academic subjects that you have already completed. Among the many to choose from are biology, chemistry, foreign languages and physics. Many colleges require three SAT II: Subject Tests. One of these tests should be Writing; usually, the other two can be of your choosing, although some colleges recommend/require Math IC or Math IIC. Not all SAT II Subject Tests are given on every test date. Check the calendar carefully to determine when the Subject Tests you want are offered.
• See your guidance counselor for advice.
• Continue to research career options and consider possible college majors that will help you achieve your career goals.

Juniors

• When selecting your senior courses, be sure to continue to challenge yourself academically.
• Register for the May/June SAT I and/or the May/June SAT II: Subject Tests. Not all SAT II Subject Tests are given on every test date. Check the calendar carefully to determine when the Subject Tests you want are offered. Register for the June ACT if you want that test.
• Continue to evaluate your list of colleges and universities. Eliminate colleges from the original list that no longer interest you and add others as appropriate.
• Look into summer jobs or apply for special summer academic or enrichment programs. Colleges love to see students using their knowledge and developing their skills and interests.

Seniors

• Do not take rolling admission applications for granted. (Some colleges do not have application deadlines; they admit students on a continuous basis.) These schools may reach their maximum class size quickly-the earlier you apply, the more availability there may be.
• Review your college acceptances and financial aid awards. Be sure to compare financial aid packages in your decision-making process. If you are positive you will not enroll at one or more of the colleges which accepted you, please notify those colleges that you have selected another college. Keeping colleges abreast of your plans might enable those colleges to admit someone else. If you know which college you will attend, send your tuition deposit and follow all other instructions for admitted students. You must decide which offer of admission to accept by May 1 (postmark date).
• Most admission decisions and financial aid award letters arrive this month. Read each carefully, and note all reply deadlines.
• Send the enrollment form and deposit check to the college of your choice. Notify the other colleges to which you were accepted of your decision.
• If you're waitlisted by a college, contact the admission director to reiterate your interest in the school. If you're not admitted to any of the colleges to which you applied, see your counselor immediately. Use College Search to find colleges whose application deadlines haven't passed.
• Study for May AP Exams.

Sophomores

• Plan now for wise use of your summer. Consider taking a summer course or participating in a special program (e.g., for prospective engineers or journalists or for those interested in theatre or music) at a local college or community college. Consider working or volunteering.

Juniors

• Attend a college fair to get more information about colleges on your list. NACAC sponsors college fairs in cities across the country during the fall and the spring.
• Get a jump start on summer activities-consider enrolling in an academic course at a local college, pursuing a summer school program, applying for an internship, working, or volunteering. If you work, save part of your earnings for college.
• Begin visiting colleges. Phone to set up appointments. Interviews are always a good idea. Many colleges will tell you they are optional, but an interview will show interest, enthusiasm and initiative on your part and provide an excellent opportunity to have your questions answered. Do a practice interview with your counselor, teacher, employer, or a senior who has had college interviews. Set up interviews as early as possible-interview times become booked quickly!
• Take the SAT Reasoning Test or the SAT Subject Tests.
• Make a resume of your accomplishments, activities, and work experiences
• Start your summer reading list. Ask your teachers to recommend books. (View Great Books List)
  

Seniors

• By May 1, decide on the one college that you will attend. By May 1, send in your tuition deposit to the college you will attend. Notify the other colleges that accepted you that you have selected another college.
• BE PROUD-you have completed a difficult task.
• If your first-choice college places you on their waiting list, do not lose all hope. Some students are admitted off the waiting list. Talk with your counselor, and contact the college to let them know you are still very interested. Keep the college updated on your activities.
• Take Advanced Placement examinations, if appropriate and request that your AP scores be sent to the college you will attend.
• AP Exams are administered the first two weeks in May. Have your scores sent to your final-choice college.
• If student loans are part of your financial aid package, the college will send instructions about the loan application process.
  - Loan Repayment and Debt
  - College Board Education Loan Program
• Send thank-you notes to teachers and other mentors who wrote you recommendations.

This link provides a list of memory or learning principles with a brief definition of each. Click on the principle for student notes and what brain research has discovered.

Read more:
http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/mem.html

StudyWorks! On-line presents this truly awesome physics resource for high school students. The site provides 11 tutorials, each containing from two to six individual lessons, on a variety of basic physics concepts – including Newton’s Law; work, energy, and power; momentum and its conservation; waves; and more. The lessons are clear and well written, describing not just the concept, but also explaining why each concept is important to understand. Each lesson includes an animation to illustrate the concept and concludes with a quiz to test students’ understanding. The site also offers a Multimedia Physics Studio with additional animations to help students visualize the concepts discussed and activities to ensure students’ mastery of the subject matter.

Read more:
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/

The Virtual Reference Desk Project is sponsored by the United States Department of Education. It provides you with links about many topics and also provides links to tutorials.

Science Topics
http://vrd.askvrd.org/index.asp?cat=1529

Math Topics
http://vrd.askvrd.org/index.asp?cat=1510

Health Topics
http://vrd.askvrd.org/index.asp?cat=1490

Become a Student!!!

"It wasn't like work. It was learning with fun." -- Sabrina Lewis, LGR! student, Spring 2001, New York

Want To Go To College?
Thinking About How To Pay for College?
Wondering Where to Go and How to Get There?
YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND LGR CAN HELP!

Join four other students and a talented college student instructor to explore anything and everything you want and need to know about college. LGR! provides:

• SAT Test Prep
• College Admissions and Financial Aid Guidance
• One-on-One College Mentoring
• Small-Group Instruction: LGR! Coaches are trained college students with high SAT scores (at least 600 on the section that they teach). Coaches work with students in small groups, with no more than five students per Coach.

For more information, or to sign up, email Andrea Davila with the subject line: "LGR Student" at adavila@letsgetready.org.

Are you planning to register for the upcoming SAT I, SAT II, or ACT examinations? Make sure you know the test registration deadlines.

Scroll to the bottom of this page and you'll be able to link to free online resources.

Read more:
http://www.venturescholar.org/hs/standardexams.html

Make sure you visit the VSP Web site. You have links to extremely helpful information and resources.

Read more:
http://www.venturescholar.org/resource/finaid.html

Ventures Scholars can complete a questionnaire which will be submitted to member colleges, universities and professional associations for feedback. Please remember to use complete sentences, check your grammar and reread your answers before submitting them. College and university admissions personnel will notice your mistakes!

Please go to www.venturescholar.org/hs/hsquest.asp and complete the questionnaire.

We hope you are planning to visit your favorite member institutions. Open houses offer opportunities for Ventures Scholars to visit a college campus and learn about their programs. Some member institutions provide a one-day open house, others offer overnight programs. If your favorite member institution is not listed in this section, please go to www.venturescholar.org/hs/undergradcontact.html and locate the name of the admissions representative. Call or email them to obtain information about the open house at your favorite member institution. Below is a list of schools hosting open houses in April, and May.

For high school sophomores and juniors and their families.
The College Admissions staff of Drew University invites you and your family to join us for an exploration of the college search process and the many exciting opportunities available to you at Drew.

During this event you may attend information sessions on the unique features of the Drew educational and student life experiences. You can speak with current students and faculty. You will also learn more about your admissions and financial aid options. Please join us for this fun and informative day of investigating the benefits of a Drew education!

For more information or to register please visit our Web site: http://www.depts.drew.edu/claadmis/openhouses/lookingahead.php.

Contact:
April Vidor
Enrollment Services Assistant
Drew University
Phone: 973-408-3703
Email: avidor@drew.edu

Not sure what to do this summer? Get a head start on college life in the world's greatest city!

The Barnard College Summer in New York City program offers young men and women the opportunity to explore New York both in and out of the classroom through three major initiatives. The first is a five-week program in which students take college-level courses that run the gamut from literature and film studies to psychology and writing. The second is a one-week mini-course in which students come to the city for a week of study. The third is the Young Women's Leadership Institute, which provides leadership training. In all of the programs offered, students will immerse themselves in college life. Students take courses taught by outstanding faculty. Through various activities and excursions, students can explore different career opportunities and build leadership skills. Lastly, evenings and weekends are filled with trips, allowing students to discover New York City.

To find out more information, you may visit our website at www.barnard.edu/pcp, call us at 212-854-8866 or send an e-mail to pcp@barnard.edu. When you contact us, let us know that you are a Venture Scholar.

The Office of Admission invites you to participate in Simply Smith, a college preview program for high school girls - sophomores and juniors - and their families. Enjoy a day full of activities including workshops on how to find the right college for you and writing a great college essay, tours of the Smith campus and lunch with members of the Smith community. Family members are encouraged to attend workshops with their daughters or attend those of particular interest to them, such as the session on how to finance a college education. Simply Smith will take place on Saturday, April 23, 2005 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

We hope you will join us for this exciting opportunity to learn more about the college selection process and discover what is so special about Smith.

For more information or to register, please visit: www.smith.edu/admission/simply.

Weekday mornings are just for juniors during spring vacation. From February 21 to 25, all of March and again from April 18 to April 29, the admissions office will offer open and honest chats by the fire. At 11:00 a.m. we will introduce Union- the College and offerings, followed at 11:30 a.m. by a half hour on the topics of greatest interest to you- essays, effective applications and interviews. Tours are scheduled on the hour from 10:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. each weekday. So it is easy to take a tour before or after the special session. (Limited tours during the week of March 14 to 18.)

Plan to visit Union during spring break. No reservations required.

Find your way here by checking www.union.edu/Directions.

For more information, contact:
Dianne Crozier, Director of Admissions
Union College
518-388-6112
crozierd@union.edu

Before you rush out to find that perfect job or internship, you'll need to write your resume.

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,2-7-0-36957,00.html
http://www.adventuresineducation.org/HighSchool/hs_splresume.cfm
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/teenstudentgrad/a/studentresume.htm

How a student chooses to spend his or here free time, especially the summers, can have a huge impact on whether or not he or she is admitted to a first choice institution.

Read more:
http://www.myfootpath.com/CollegePrep/summer2.php

Some of the deadlines have passed, but you might get lucky with others!

Read more:
http://www.mvhs.fuhsd.org/tim_krieger/apbio/Links/summer.htm

Your school counselor, or guidance counselor, is one of your best resources as you plan for college. She or he has information about admission tests, college preparation, and your education and career options.

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,2-9-0-114,00.html

Success in challenging college preparatory course is the best preparation for selective college. The more demanding your high school course of study, the better your chances for admission to and success at the selective college of your choice, Nearly all selective colleges demand a minimum of 16 units of college preparatory work. Use the descriptions bellows as a guideline for selecting courses.

Read more:
http://www.svhs.ccs.k12.nc.us/guidance/selectcolleg.htm

An outgrowth of the Statement of Principles of Good Practice, the Students’ Rights Statement makes clear to entering college students those “rights” which are only alluded to by the Principles of Good Practice. It also spells out the responsibilities students have in the admission process.

Read more:
http://www.nacac.com/downloads/policy_student_rights.pdf   (PDF File)

Are you looking for colleges with rolling admissions policies? Some of our member institutions have rolling admissions policies.

To view a listing of member institutions with Ventures Scholars, go to www.venturescholar.org/hs/rolling_admission.html.

What if your application is neither accepted nor denied, but a college puts you on its wait list?

Read more:
http://www.educationplanner.com/education_planner/deciding_article.asp?sponsor=2859
&articleName=What_if_You_Make_the_Wait_List

Congratulations, you know where you're going to go! The next few months are going to be incredibly busy and exciting ones, as you prepare for the transition to college.

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,5-28-0-9940,00.html

After getting an award letter can you ask for more than what is offered in a grant? Does telling a college you are accepted to other colleges make a difference?

Read more:
http://www.collegeview.com/financial_aid/ask_experts/grants/appeal.html

According to a press release from the Census Bureau, having a Bachelor's degree nearly doubles one's annual income. Overall, individuals over age 18 with a Bachelor's degree earn an average of $51,206 a year compared to high school graduates, who, on average, earn $27,915 a year.

To read the press release, go to:
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/004214.html

What’s going on in the science world? This on-line newsletter provides lots of interesting information.

Read more:
http://www.sciencenews.org/

Yes, it starts as early as high school! If you know, as a student in high school, that you want to become a medical doctor, you can get a head start on your preparation for medical school.

Read more:
http://education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/articles/college/planning_ahead_med_school.html
http://www.bestpremed.com/hs.php

Sports Medicine is the field of medicine concerned with injuries sustained in athletic endeavors, including their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Read more:
http://www.acsm.org/pdf/Careers092501.pdf   (PDF File)

Job opportunities for biological technicians and biological and medical scientists will grow at a faster rate than most occupations in the next decade, according to Best Jobs for the 21st Century.

Read more:
http://www.ncabr.org/students/career.html

College Board provides a wonderful list of majors and careers. Start researching!

Read more:
http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/index.html

Procrastinators avoid taking action, something all of us practice at one time or another. However, complex issues that can be difficult to uncover and resolve cause severe procrastination. To start, we need to understand the dynamics of motivation and avoidance, and we must learn to accept the consequences of our inaction, readying ourselves, as well, for discipline from those affected by our tardiness.

Read more:
http://admin.acadiau.ca/counsel/studyskills/topics/procrastination.html
http://www.calpoly.edu/~sas/asc/ael/procrastination.html
http://www.utulsa.edu/cpsc/procrastination.htm
http://webhome.idirect.com/~readon/procrast.html

Would you like to ask Ventures Scholars questions about the college and career planning process?

Go to http://www.venturescholar.org/login and you will find instructions for joining the listserv.