InLikeMe.com is pleased to announce its 2010-2011 Scholarship Program.  Scholarships will be awarded to winners based on an essay of 500-1000 words.

Her story is not unusual -- stellar grades, challenging course load, strong SAT scores and recommendations, assortment of activities and community service -- applied to a dozen highly-selective institutions ("reach schools") and was rejected across the board. Adding insult to injury, Bella was also turned down by some of the "likely schools" to which she applied.

College test-prep anxiety has caused many parents and students to wonder if solid preparation is possible without paying up for expensive tutors and classes. For self-motivated students, the answer is "yes".

Here are eleven free and low-cost web resources and study guides to help prepare for the college entrance exams.

Private loans are a source of funding meant to supplement (not replace) borrowing through federal student loans. For many students, federal loans aren't enough to cover the cost of attendance. In this case, private student loans may be an appropriate option.

Welcome to the era of record low college acceptance rates and record long wait lists. Part of the new dynamic is the dramatic overlap of the same students being accepted by multiple colleges.

As a result, many students are finding themselves wait-listed, and then back in decision mode, after May 1st, when they learn they have been admitted off of a wait list.

It’s not unusual for students to select which colleges they apply to based primarily on reputation or suggestion. Many students skimp on college research because they consider it time-consuming or they don’t know where to start. Often these students miss out on important information and insight regarding specific programs of interest, scholarship opportunities, tactics to increase the likelihood of acceptance, and whether or not the school is actually a good academic, personal and financial fit.

Many colleges and universities reported a surge in applicants to the Class of 2014, causing admission rates to drop to new records. The growing pool of college-bound students applying to the same set of institutions is just one reason qualified students face heightened competition for admission.
 

Financial aid awards typically include a mix of ingredients such as federal grants, institutional / merit scholarships, work-study earnings, and loans of various types.

Comparing student aid packages, and figuring out the true affordability of any particular college can be both challenging and confusing. The essential first steps are to distinguish quality from quantity (more is not necessarily better) and to separate free money (grants and scholarships) from what needs to be paid back.

Record-low acceptance rates at Harvard, Penn, Brown, Cornell, Stanford, MIT, Princeton, Northwestern and Duke.  Admission Stats Table will be updated as new information becomes available.

** Check back for updates! **

Many highly competitive colleges and universities accepted a smaller percentage of applicants this year.

Harvard, Penn, Brown, Cornell, Stanford, MIT, Princeton, Northwestern and Duke, all reported their lowest acceptance rates ever.