Wednesday, November 30, 2011

What Should I Do if I Hate the Colleges My Child is Applying to?

Hate is a strong word. But when it comes to looking out for your kid, it's easy for parents to have knee-jerk reactions when it comes to the college search. Like many teenagers I too had to deal with defending the colleges I wanted to apply to until I was blue in the face. My dad? Every school I thought would be a good fit for me he deemed too expensive, too dangerous (I wanted to be in a city), or too far away and no amount of arguing could convince him otherwise.

While I know he had my best interest in mind, it made my college application process much more stressful than it should have been. Fortunately things worked out in the end - I went to my dream school, graduated with honors, and have a pretty fantastic career. My dad came to the realization that I probably would not have gotten to where I am today if I didn't go to a college I was 100% behind. However getting to that point was not easy, and I couldn’t help but think that much of the tension could have been eliminated if we were better at communicating with each other.

So let's say you're in my dad's shoes 6 years ago and you absolutely can't fathom your child going to any of the schools they have in mind. What should you do to avoid a whole mess of unnecessary drama? Here are some suggestions:

Before you express your disagreement, ask your child "Why?"

Understanding your child's reasons for choosing schools to apply to is absolutely essential to being a supportive parent in the applications process. For me, I only focused my search on schools with strong internship programs and those who offered the niche major I wanted. Size was also another important factor - I didn't want to be lost in a sea of 100+ undergrads in every class. When I explained this to my parents they had a much easier time digesting which schools were going to be better for me than others even if they weren’t completely in love with them.

Don't be a victim to college rankings and brand appeal.

Everyone knows about the various "best college" rankings that come out every year. It's easy for parents (and students) to get caught up in the craze of getting into the highest ranking, most-selective schools. But guess what? The "best college" according to whatever magazine might not be the best college for your child. There are over 2,000 four-year colleges in the US alone and there are plenty of amazing lesser-known schools out there that don't make the Top 100 for any given year. Use college match tools to uncover the hidden gems that might be a good fit and read up on college reviews to see if current students and alumni believe if the school is worth the money.

Understand that picking a college is the first "grown up" decision many teenagers will have to make.

For 18 years you've helped your child make decisions on everything from which clothes they should wear, which classes to take, what friends they can hang out with, etc. Now it's their turn to control their path to success and plan for their future. Badgering your child into picking the college that you would want to go to is a surefire way of alienating them and hurting your relationship. This isn't to say that you should remove yourself from the process completely - it's important for you to guide your child to the places where they can find answers if they're having trouble.

Be careful how you dish out your advice. It's better to ask questions that make them think about consequences than to accuse them of being flat out wrong. For instance, if a school on their list looks out of your family's price range ask them if they've looked into the financial aid program, scholarships or loans. Once they understand the risks and responsibilities of choosing a pricier school they can make a better-informed decision on the matter.

Sam Coren is the Content Manager for StudentAdvisor.com, a Washington Post education site for college reviews and free resources on “all things college.” You can read more of her insights about the college search process on the StudentAdvisor blog.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Researching & Choosing a College

What is the ideal college for ME? Which colleges and/or universities offer the courses of study, campus size, geographical location, extra-curricular activities, quality of faculty and political atmosphere that you want or need in a school? Ideally, your final college choice should meet, or even exceed, your desired criteria.

Be careful not to select a college for the wrong reasons-- where your friends are going, where your boyfriend or girlfriend is going, where Mom or Dad went, which has the better sports teams, or where you think you and your family can afford. Choosing the wrong school can result in lost time and money in the long run.

It is likely you are going to spend at least four years at a college. Therefore, it is important to find a school that is an excellent match for your interests and needs. Don’t settle for less. But don’t start the college search process with any prejudices about any type of school. Keep your college options open.

Seven Steps to Finding the Perfect School

1. Compile an initial list of colleges that interest you based on specific criteria (majors offered, size, location, extra-curricular activities, etc.). Your original list of schools should include twelve to thirty potential schools that meet most (or all) of your general selection criteria. Ask your guidance counselor if your school uses a college search software program to help with this process. Otherwise, College Board has a good college search function that's free.

2. Find schools where you fall in the top 20% of the admitting class. These students routinely receive more free college scholarships and grants and need less student loans and work study money. If financial aid is important to you and your family, doing this will increase your chances of receiving free college scholarships and grants.

3. Narrow your list of possible colleges to about fifteen by doing further research into the original list of institutions you selected. At this point you will be able to eliminate institutions from your original list based on more specific criteria.

4. Finally, cut your list to a minimum of six. You will now be able to do more extensive research and go visit their campuses. Compile a list of your top schools in order of preference. Your final six or more colleges (we recommend having 8-12) are the ones to which you will actually apply for admission. We recommend to have at least (2 - 4) "Safety schools," colleges you're very likely to gain admissions to, (3 - 5) "Target schools," colleges that you're pretty sure you will get in to based on standardized test requirements and GPA, and (2 - 4) "Reach schools," those colleges that may lie just outside of your academic achievement statistics, but not out of the realm of reality.

Apply to your finalists.

Research the requirements.
Mark deadlines on your calendar.
Ask for recommendations.
Work on your admissions essays.
Fill out your applications.
Apply for financial aid.
Send all documentation in accurately and on time.

6. Analyze award packages. There is an art to comparing award packages. You must first determine if each offer is really the best you can get from that college. If not, there are often ways to successfully request more money and improve your package.

7. Decide and go for it! Now that you have a firm handle on the financial packages, put it into perspective with all the information that you collected from the schools, and decide which school would be the best overall choice for you. Sign on the dotted line. Obtain financing, including filling out applications for any loans you may need.

Any additional tips to share? Leave your comments!

About Smart Track™ Toolkit: The toolkit is a web based service that assists families with everything from admissions and test prep, to student athletics and financial aid. Our intuitive software and on-demand workshops are key components to making sure students find their top choice colleges, and families can afford to send them there.

About the author: Laura Guarino is the Student Services Coordinator with College Planning Strategies, LLC. Laura has a degree in Human Development from Boston College and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in School Guidance Counseling. She is also enrolled in a certificate program in College Admissions Counseling. Laura is at the forefront of the college admissions process for the families of CPS and The Smart Track™ Toolkit.

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Monday, November 7, 2011

Preparing Applications

The Common Application vs. College Applications

Will you use the Common Application? This question often echoes in the minds of high school seniors as deadlines to submit their college applications approach. The Common Application is a not-for-profit organization that provides a single admission application form students can submit to any of the participating colleges (current 450+). Currently, many of the nation's most selective institutions accept the Common Application.

With the Common Application, a student applying to six different participating colleges can, in theory, fill out one single application and send it off to all six schools with one click of the mouse. The purpose of the Common App is to make it easier for students to work on their college applications. Yet, as the intensely competitive race to get into a good college heats up, some students worry schools will favor applicants who fill out the school's own application over those applying via the Common App.
Some colleges that accept the Common App have other requirements, such as Supplements, that need to be submitted in addition to the Common Application. Be sure to read the application requirements carefully.

View the Common Application Website here.

Think Ahead and Stay Organized

1. Start your success file. Start a file where you collect and/or note your work history and experiences, successes, interests, awards, leadership activities, community service, etc. The earlier you start, the easier it will be to come up with your achievements later on in the process. Freshman year isn't too early to start!

2. Prepare for your SAT/ACT. Start as early as possible to prepare for any tests that may be required. Advanced preparation can help improve your scores. Last minute cramming won't.

3. Talk to your guidance counselor to make sure you are taking the courses you need to meet your college admissions requirements. If appropriate, look into AP courses and/or placement tests to help boost your impression on admissions officers.

4. Fill out forms required by your high school. Many high schools have their own protocols when it comes to teacher recommendation requests, transcript requests, counselor recommendation requests, and so on. There will probably be high school specific forms you will need to fill out and a certain amount of time before your applications are due. Many schools are now going “paperless” when it comes to college applications, so make sure you know the correct protocol for requesting and submitting all of the related paperwork.

5. Use a planning calendar. Keep track of all the application requirements of your potential colleges and write down all of the deadlines on a planning calendar. Work backwards from each of these deadlines to figure out when you need to take care of each component of the application. For example, jot down on your calendar when you'll need to start your essay in order to have it edited, re-written and completed on time. Figure out when you'll have to call and schedule your admissions interview, leaving time for any travel arrangements and scheduling issues you may encounter.

6. Don’t forget to send your test scores. Standardized test scores are a crucial part of your application and entirely your responsibility. You will need to self report your scores on your application, but you will also need to send your official test scores through CollegeBoard (SAT & SAT II) or ACT.org (ACT). Make sure that you don’t forget this critical part!

7. Apply as early as possible. Getting your application on an admission officer's desk before most other students puts you at the head of the line for an admission offer and shows that you are a diligent and punctual person.

Quality is Key

1. Use a word processor, such as MS Word, to type your writing samples before cutting and pasting or uploading them into the online application. It is much easier to edit and review your work and to catch spelling and grammar mistakes.

2. Edit your work! It may sound elementary, but be sure to carefully review all portions of your application for spelling and grammar mistakes. Have a parent or teacher review your paperwork also. Sometimes the little things (spelling errors or omitted information) can make the difference between acceptance and rejection.

3. Get EXCELLENT letters of recommendation from outstanding people in your community. Letters of recommendation are a vital part of the college admission application and should be treated as such. Make sure to ask for recommendation letters far in advance. The last thing you want to do is rush the people who are doing you a favor. Be sure to share your interests and aspirations with them to help your letter be as effective as possible. We suggest you prepare a resume/profile to help jog their memory and help them be more specific. Your high school may also have additional forms you will need to fill out.

4. Essays are Essential. Start thinking about topics early, and see if you might be able to use the same essay topic for more than one application. Be personal, concise, watch your spelling and grammar, and seek multiple opinions for feedback.