5 Reasons to Love Appalachian State!

1. UNDERDOG SPIRIT!

Sports Illustrated has called Appalachian State’s 2007 season-opening upset over Michigan at the Big House “The Greatest Upset of Them All.” But that’s not all… In 2022, App State took down #6 Texas A&M with a shocking 17-14 win in College Station. It’s no surprise that Mountaineers pack the stadium.

2. BOONE, NC!

It’s smaller than Asheville but just as hip! Boone boasts excellent restaurants, breweries, and shopping. Our favorites? Anna Bananas, when you can save 10% on your consignment purchase if you do a dance, the Lost Province Brewing Co. (the wood-fired soft pretzel with pimento cheese, yum!), and the Broyhill Music Center for live music.

And the best part, the campus is within walking distance of it all!

3. PSYCHOLOGY

One of the most popular majors for Mountaineers, the Psychology department boasts SEVEN concentrations from which to choose: Business, Education Studies, Health Studies, Human Services, Natural Science, Social Science, and Sustainability.

4. SKIING!

YES! Skiing in North Carolina. Boone is flanked by two ski resorts, Appalachian Ski Mountain and the Beech Mountain Resort. There are also tons of hiking, mountain biking, river rafting, horseback riding, and camping options to placate even the most outdoorsy student!

5. THE PRICE

Out-of-state students looking for a bargain will find App State’s tuition, room, and board to be a bargain! In fact, at $37,335, the total is in line with many states’ resident flagship rates.

INTERVIEW: How You Can Apply to and Attend College for FREE

Are you a high achieving student who comes from a low-income family and/or will be a first generation college student? As part of College Matters' Student to Student series, we interviewed our former student Lee to talk about her application process through QuestBridge. Find out how QuestBridge not only helped her apply and attend college for FREE, but also how it benefited her after college.

College Matters Class of 2023 College Acceptances

We are so proud of all our students in the Class of 2023! Here is where our students have been admitted.

American University

Arizona State University

Auburn University

Bard College

Bates College

Baylor University

Beloit College

Binghamton University

Boston College

Boston University

Brandeis University

Brown University

Bryant University

Bucknell University

California Polytechnic State Univ. - San Luis Obispo

Case Western Reserve University

The Catholic University of America

Clark Atlanta University

Clark University

Clarkson University

Clemson University

College of Charleston

The College of the Holy Cross

The College of New Jersey

College of William and Mary

Colgate University

Colorado State University

Connecticut College

Cornell University

Davidson College

Denison University

DePaul University

Dickinson College

Drew University

Drexel University

Eastern Connecticut State University

Elon University

Emerson College

Emmanuel College

Endicott College

Eugene Lang College of the New School

Fairfield University

Flagler College

Florida Atlantic University

Florida State University

Fordham University

Fort Lewis College

Franklin and Marshall College

Furman University

Georgetown University

Gettysburg College

Hamilton College

High Point University

Hobart William Smith Colleges

Hofstra University

Indiana University

Iowa State University

Ithaca College

James Madison University

Johns Hopkins University

Kenyon College

Lafayette College

Lake Forest College

Lehigh University

Louisiana State University

Loyola Marymount University

Loyola University Maryland

Macalester College

Marist College

Marquette University

Marymount University

McDaniel College

Merrimack College

Miami University (OH)

Michigan State University

Montana State University

Morehouse College

Mount Holyoke College

Muhlenberg College

Northeastern University

Nova Southeastern University

Oberlin College

Occidental College

The Ohio State University

Ohio University

Pace University-New York

Pennsylvania State University

Providence College

Purdue University

Quinnipiac University

Reed College

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rice University

Roger Williams University

Rollins College

Rochester Institute of Technology

Rutgers University

Sacred Heart University

St. Andrews University - Scotland

St. John’s University - New York

St. Lawrence University

St. Michael’s College

Salve Regina University

Sarah Lawrence College

Savannah College of Art and Design

Seton Hall University

Siena College

Skidmore College

Southern Connecticut State University

Southern Methodist University

Stonehill College

Stony Brook University

SUNY Purchase

Swarthmore College

Syracuse University

Temple University

Texas A&M University

Texas Christian University

Trinity College

Tufts University

Tulane University

Union College

University of Alabama

University of Alabama - Huntsville

University of Arizona

University at Buffalo

University of California - Davis

University of California - Irvine

University of California - San Diego

University of California - Santa Cruz

University of Connecticut

University of Delaware

University of Denver

University of Georgia

University of Hartford

University of Kentucky

University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign

University of Indiana

University of Maine

University of Maryland

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

University of Massachusetts-Boston

University of Michigan

University of Missouri

University of New Hampshire

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina-Charlotte

University of Oregon

University of Pittsburgh

University of Rhode Island

University of Richmond

University of Rochester

University of San Diego

University of South Carolina

University of South Florida

University of Southern California

University of Tennessee

University of Toronto

University of Vermont

University of Virginia

University of Washington

University of Wisconsin

Ursinus College

Vanderbilt University

Vassar College

Villanova University

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Wake Forest University

Wesleyan University

Wheaton College (MA)

Williams College

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Xavier University

Yale University

The Pros and Cons of the Summer College Campus Visit

Summer is here, and you still have more college campuses to visit than you can possibly see in the fall before applications are due.  Plus, the fall semester is going to be challenging with that rigorous senior course load you have planned, and you don’t want to take too much time off.  What’s a rising senior (and their family) to do? 

Our advice is to use the few days you have available in the fall to see the leading contenders on your list and to use some time in the remainder of summer to visit others, if possible.  Campuses are generally much quieter in the summer months, but there may still be some students around doing research or other projects.  There is still great value in taking in the layout and feel of the campus, its location, the information presented in an Information Session and by the student tour guide and admission people are usually available to answer questions.  Additionally, it is often a great time to schedule an interview. You will get credit for demonstrating interest – provided you check in with Admissions - which some colleges weigh in their deliberations for admission. 

You may not get a solid read of the campus culture as you tour the quieter summer campuses, but you will get a sense of the place.  Note that start times for fall semester vary greatly, so check the academic calendar online at each institution – you may see more students than you expect with late summer visits as some college students may already be making their way back to campus.  It’s nearly impossible to see every campus during the school year, so it may be inevitable that you will have to compromise and visit a few in the summer! 

Don't Take a College Rejection Personally

In the admission process, you are just a file.

Imagine you’ve just interviewed for a summer job as an ice cream scooper. You arrive at your designated time, and another high school student is finishing up their interview. Then, when you are winding up your chat with the store manager, another applicant enters the store. Wow! This job is a popular one. You feel confident with your qualifications and interview, but a week later, you call to follow up and are told that the position has been filled.

How do you respond? Hopefully, you say, “I didn’t get the job,” not, “I was rejected.”

It’s an important subtlety and one that we share will all of our students stung by a “no” from one of their colleges. Rejection is personal; it implies dismissal, rebuff, and even revulsion. Denial is different.

It always helps to remember that in the college admissions process, you are a piece of paper, not a human being. The college didn’t reject you; they denied a file. Of course, it is hard not to take it personally! But by removing rejection from your vocabulary, hopefully, you can move on and focus on the other wonderful things to come at the college that liked what they saw and accepted your file!

Why Can't I Send a Deposit to More Than One College?

When a student sends a college deposit to a school, it indicates their intention to enroll at that institution and secure their spot in the incoming class. Therefore, it is important for students to make a conscious and informed decision about where they want to attend college before making a deposit.

Sending a college deposit to more than one school is considered a violation of the college's policies and is generally considered unethical. This is because it takes up spots that could be offered to other students who are interested in attending that college. It can also cause confusion and complications for the colleges in managing their admissions process.

If a student does send a deposit to more than one school, there is a chance that they could get caught. This is because the colleges participate in a student clearinghouse, where they can compare their lists of students who have submitted deposits. In addition, at the conclusion of the student’s senior year, their school counselor must submit a final transcript to the one institution where they have enrolled. They will not send to more than one!

In summary, it is important for students to make a deliberate and informed decision about where they want to attend college before submitting a deposit, and sending a deposit to more than one school is generally considered unethical and could potentially have consequences if the student is caught.

NEW Common App Essay Prompts for 2023-24

Get brainstorming…

The Common Application just announced the essay prompts for the upcoming admission cycle. Good news! They are remaining the same as 2022-23!

Below is the full list of prompts for 2023-2024.

• 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.

• 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?

• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

• 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?

• 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.

  In addition, the optional COVID-19 impact question will remain.

What Is The University of Texas at Austin Like? Our Visit and Review

I called a Lyft to pick me up near the popular 6th Street in Austin, Texas. Normally, I would’ve walked, but it was an unusually cold 35-degree day in late January. I was told that it was a beautiful 60-70 degrees and sunny just a week before. Looks like my timing was unlucky, but good to know that Austin can provide some bright days to break up the winter months. In just a short seven-minute drive from the heart of the city (30 if I had walked), I passed the Texas State Capitol building and arrived at UT.

It was easy to notice within the first two minutes on campus that the student body was much more diverse compared to many of the other schools I had seen. The statistics back that up. According to Niche, 37% of the students are White, 26% are Hispanic, and 24% are Asian. And while a vast majority of the students are Texas residents, the student body still has students from all 50 states and over 120 countries represented.

Most of the buildings I saw were maintained throughout the years, but they are not all that modern. Two exceptions to this were the Moody College of Communication and Cockrell School of Engineering. According to the admission counselor, the university’s engineering and business programs were the most competitive to get admitted to. Since UT’s primary goal is to serve Texas residents, it’s very competitive to be admitted to the university at all from out-of-state.

One reason to stay motivated to apply is the school spirit once you’re there. The vibe there is supportive and prideful, from the First-Year Interest Group (FIG), to the study groups in the library by noon on a Monday just weeks into the new semester, to the big-time football game days. I attended a top-15 men’s basketball match-up that night with Baylor University visiting UT at the brand new, ultra impressive Moody Center on campus.

Outside of campus, students can go to famous barbecue spots like Franklin Barbecue (pro tip: go during an off-peak time for a shorter wait) and Terry Black’s (pro tip: mix your cream of corn with Mexican rice). 6th Street is a popular and long street with plenty of food, bars, and businesses. Also, you’ll see that many technology companies have already set up offices in downtown Austin, like Google and Indeed. The city is becoming one of the hottest places for people in their 20s to move to because of the weather, job opportunities, and wide variety of activities available.

Terry Black’s brisket, beef rib, Mexican rice, and cream of corn.

At College Matters, we’ve visited colleges from all over the country (and even some abroad too)! It’s helpful to keep an open mind and take as many in-person and virtual visits as possible to find the right fits for you. We have the expertise to point you in the right directions.

Can ChatGPT write my college essay?

Like many families, we spent a lot of time over the holidays playing around with ChatGPT and, I’ve got to admit, it was pretty interesting! It was able to write a pretty compelling bio when given my resume and did an amazing job with “explain dark matter to a third grader.” When asked to plan a foodie tour of Madison, Connecticut, however. the results were just plain innacurate.

Logically, I wondered, could the tool really write a compelling college essay? After many attempts, I concluded that it could not.

ChatGPT is a powerful language model that can generate text on a wide range of topics. However, when it comes to writing a college essay that showcases a student's personality, ChatGPT falls short. There are a few reasons why this is the case.

First, ChatGPT is a machine learning model that is trained on a large dataset of text. While it can generate text that is grammatically correct and semantically coherent, it lacks the ability to truly understand the context and meaning behind the words it generates. This means that it cannot fully capture the nuances of a student's personality and experiences in the way that a human writer can.

Second, ChatGPT is not capable of original thought or creativity. It can only generate text based on patterns and structures that it has seen in its training data. This means that it cannot come up with unique and creative ideas for a college essay.

Third, ChatGPT may not be able to write on certain topics that you want to express. The model is trained on a wide variety of text, but it may not have seen examples of the specific experiences or perspectives that a student wants to share in their essay.

So while ChatGPT is a powerful tool for generating text, it is not well-suited for writing a college essay that showcases what makes a student tick, how they think, or how they see themselves and the world around them. A human writer with the ability to understand context, generate original ideas, and express unique perspectives is a better choice for this task.