A press release from the California State University reveals that the stabilizing economy doesn't mean the end to financial woes. Applications to Cal State have been rising steadily, but the system's budget was cut by $564 million for this fiscal year. In response to the funding cut, 4,000 fewer students were enrolled this fall, and spring admissions have been eliminated. Further enrollment decreases are planned for the fall of 2010.

This picture is particularly ugly because to date freshman applications for the fall of 2010 have increased 32% over last year, and community college transfer applications have increased 127%. CSU is asking the state to restore some of the funding cuts and to cover operating cost increases, but given the dismal condition of California's economy the success of these funding requests is certainly in doubt.

What does all of this mean for prospective students applying to public colleges and universities in California? For one, students planning to attend community college and then complete a four-year degree at a state university should recognize the difficulties they might face during the transfer process. Also, four-year graduation rates are already quite low for the California State University system, and those numbers certainly won't improve under the current cutbacks. University budget crises typically mean fewer courses to choose from, long course wait lists, larger class sizes, and less financial aid. All these factors make it harder to earn a degree in four years. Also, the decreased enrollment in the Cal State system is going to put a lot more pressure on California's community college system.

One suggestion in the face of this mess--don't rule out private colleges and universities. Graduation times are often much shorter, and financial aid can be significant. I'd recommend applying to a mix of public and private institutions, and then wait to see what the financial picture really looks like.

Related Reading

• The Hidden Costs of Community College
• The University of California System
• SAT Score Chart for Admission to Cal State universities

ACT scores for the October 24th exam will be available online for most students beginning today. To learn what typical scores are for different types of colleges, check out these articles:

• What's a Good ACT Score?
• ACT scores for the Ivy League
• ACT Scores for Top Public Universities
• ACT Scores for Top Liberal Arts Colleges
• ACT Scores for the Big 10 Conference
• Convert ACT Scores to SAT Scores
• Test-Optional Colleges

A few months ago I spent an afternoon walking around Cornell University's beautiful campus on its hillside perch overlooking Lake Cayuga. Cornell's hometown of Ithaca, New York, might be a little more out of the way for prospective students than many of the other Ivy League Schools, so I put together a brief Cornell photo tour featuring some of the university's key academic buildings.

Like all members of the Ivy League, Cornell is highly selective. The acceptance rate is currently around 20%. To learn more about the university, what it takes to get accepted, and cost of attendance, check out the Cornell admissions profile.

More Upstate New York College Photo Tours:

• Ithaca College photo tour
• Alfred University photo tour

Students interested in taking the December 12th ACT need to register by November 6th to avoid a $21 late fee. Late registration continues until November 20th. Learn more on the ACT website.

SAT test-takers should note that the late registration deadline for the December 5th exam has been extended to 11:59 p.m. on Friday, November 13th.

Related Articles:

• ACT or SAT?
• When should you take the ACT?
• Compare ACT Admissions Data for Different Colleges

If you're applying to one of the nearly 400 selective colleges that accepts the Common Application, then you'll need to elaborate on one of your activities in 150 words or fewer. The short answer can be a frustrating part of a college application. How can you say something meaningful in a single little paragraph?

Central to this challenge is picking the right activity to discuss and avoiding these 5 short answer mistakes. To learn more about what makes a short answer work well, check out these sample responses and critiques:

• Short Answer on Running
• Short Answer on Working at Burger King
• Short Answer on Soccer
• Short Answer on Entrepreneurship

I've met parents who are so concerned about getting their kids into a good college that they start putting pressure on their kids far too early. Remember, a student's grades and extracurricular record do not matter before 9th grade. No one -- student or parent -- should be losing sleep over college during those middle school years.

That said, a strategic yet common sense approach to middle school can help a student achieve more once high school rolls around. Here are seven middle school tips to help a student get a strong start to high school.

More College Preparation Articles

9th grade college prep

10th grade college prep

11th grade college prep

Senior year timeline

CUNY, the City University of New York, has nearly 250,000 students enrolled in its 23 institutions located through the New York City region. It is one of the most diverse and affordable colleges in the country. High achieving students at seven of CUNY's senior colleges should check out the Macaulay Honors College, a program with outstanding perks. All Macaulay students receive

• a full undergraduate tuition scholarship.
• a new laptop.
• up to $7,500 for global study, internships and service projects.
• a Cultural Passport allowing free or discounted admission to many NYC events.
• professional mentoring and career preparation.
• a housing package for students at City College, Hunter College, and Lehman College.
• a sequence of four honors seminars focused on New York City.

Admission to the Macaulay Honors College is highly selective. The program has 1,300 students total from the seven member campuses. Accepted students generally have an 'A' average in high school and a combined SAT critical reading and math score of 1400 (give or take).

To learn more about the seven senior colleges that have a branch of the Macaulay Honors College, check out each school's profile: Baruch College, Brooklyn College, City College, Hunter College, Lehman College, Queens College, and the College of Staten Island.

If you'd like to learn more about the Macaulay Honors College and what it takes to apply, visit the official Macaulay website. If you are familiar with the Macaulay Honors College, please share your experiences below.

Every week I spotlight a great college that might be off the radar of college applicants. If there's a college you'd like to see featured here, please post your ideas in the College Admissions Forum.

Most college applicants put little effort into letters of recommendation. After all, the letters are the one part of the application over which you have very little control. Nevertheless, letters of recommendation do play an important part in the college admissions process. A college can often tell a lot about you from the comments and observations provided by your teachers and coaches, and a negative letter can weaken an application significantly.

So while you don't have control over how strongly someone recommends you, there are steps you can take to make sure you get the best letters possible. A few tips:

• Ask the right people -- you're better off getting a letter from a teacher who knows you well than a famous person who is a distant family acquaintance
• Make sure your recommenders know what your college goals are
• Give your recommenders lots of lead time to write the letters
• Ask politely and thank your recommenders for volunteering the significant time and effort that goes into writing a good letter

For more tips and advice, be sure to read the article on letters of recommendation.

More College Admissions Essential Reading

• Essay Tips and Samples
• 5 Supplemental Essay Mistakes
• 10 Bad Essay Topics
• Common College Interview Questions

The registration deadline for the December 5th SAT is fast approaching -- registrations should be received by October 31st, and late registration (a $23 fee) runs until November 13th. Scores from the December 5th exam are released electronically on December 22nd, in time meet most college application deadlines. Registration can be done easily online at the College Board website.

More SAT Information

• What's a Good SAT Score?
• Does the SAT Writing Section Matter?
• Should I Use SAT Score Choice?
• SAT Scores for Top Universities

People in the business world will certainly know about Babson College, but a lot of prospective college students may not be familiar with this private business college located in the affluent Boston suburb of Wellesley, Massachusetts. Students who want to major in psychology, English or biology need not apply to Babson -- all undergraduates work towards a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. A little over half of Babson's students are undergraduates, and the rest are working towards their MBA degrees. Babson students come from more than 45 states and 57 countries.

What truly distinguishes Babson from other undergraduate business programs is its creative and hands-on curriculum which emphasizes leadership and entrepreneurship skills. The college has won numerous national awards for its innovative approach to business education. First-year students at Babson take a year-long course in which they work in teams to develop, launch and liquidate a for-profit business of their own design.

Admission to Babson College is highly selective with just over a third of applicants getting accepted. The college has an impressive 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio, and a high four-year graduation rate of 84%. The college is pricey, but students who qualify for financial aid are likely to get significant grant aid from Babson.

If you'd like to learn more about Babson College and what it takes to get accepted, visit my Babson College Admissions Profile and the college's official website. If you have visited or attended the college, please share your experiences below.

Every week I spotlight a great college that might be off the radar of college applicants. If there's a college you'd like to see featured here, please post your ideas in the College Admissions Forum.