Category Archives: admissions

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep, Guest Posts

Don’t Let the Wrong Things Stand in the Way of Your Child’s College Dreams

 

college dreams

What are your student’s college dreams?

There are many reasons your child may not get into a specific college—but you should never be one of them.

Sometimes it simply comes down to other applicants being more qualified—whether that be through grades or extracurriculars, maturity level or how admissions officers feel a student will jibe with the university, its mission and the makeup of its incoming class.

But there are many external roadblocks we put on our children that can limit them. Here are three of the most common—and the most detrimental.

  1. Show me… money!

Of course, tuition is astronomically expensive, and no one wants to saddle their child with the huge debts that have been the bane of the current generation of post-grads. That being said, there are always scholarships and fellowships available to people with the right skill level.

If your student has a high level of achievement and is looking toward a trajectory that seems like it will break your bank, start your research on these opportunities early—at least a year in advance of application dates. Many scholarship applications are hard work and require essays, financial statements and recommendation letters.   

College counselors may be able to help outline solutions too, and there are also a great many free college fairs around the country. Check out the calendars for these, because they not only have people there as representatives of major universities, they also have resources to help your student find the financial aid that is necessary for him or her to achieve a college dream.

In the end, if you have to go with loans, don’t fret… it’s possible that all will be forgiven sometime soon!

  1. But where in the world is it?

Many students (and parents) get hung up on staying close to home, with friends, or in a warmer clime. Encourage your student to look deeper into the kind of education they will receive, rather than whether it gets too far below zero (at say the University of Minnesota). What you know (that they likely do not) is that four years is not a long time. Your child can always return to the bosom of the family, or back to sunny California, once they have a solid degree in hand. But who knows—maybe ice fishing will become a favorite new hobby.

  1. I don’t know where I want to go!

Another common roadblock to finding the right university is too many choices when it comes to the future. It’s important to sit down with your child and have a conversation about what they want in a school, even if they keep saying “I dunno.” Keep in mind there is no perfect place and there are many “right” schools to choose from. I know it seems like a massive decision, but it’s one you can get wrong and not suffer too much—a student can always transfer if things don’t work out.

Here are some areas to focus on to help your child whittle down their list of potential schools:

  • Size of school: Would they be excited about the opportunities of a large campus or prefer the individualized instruction of a smaller school?
  • Faculty: Look up the achievements of the professors in certain areas that might interest your son or daughter. Keep in mind elite professors may be on sabbaticals, but it demonstrates a level of commitment to a specific subject at a university. Research opportunities are another part of this. Is the University participating in cutting-edge research in an area that is exciting to your young student?
  • Extracurriculars: Actively investigate where extracurriculars that interest your child are strongest. This will be part of finding the right fit. See if clubs, athletics or performance groups have a high level of achievement.
  • Study Abroad Possibilities: Is this something your student wants to pursue? Make sure the options are available.
  • Post-Graduate Opportunities: It’s much easier to get into grad school at the university where you receive your bachelor’s. If your child is on a path that requires this kind of education, see if this added criteria helps make a choice of where to apply.

Ultimately, it’s imperative to give students the latitude to make their own decisions based entirely on their qualifications for college rather than on any other factor. Everything else can be figured out. Remember, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

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About the Author

Ryan Hickey is the Managing Editor of Petersons and EssayEdge and is an expert in many aspects of college, graduate, and professional admissions. A graduate of Yale University, Ryan has worked in various admissions capacities for nearly a decade, including writing test-prep material for the SAT, AP exams, and TOEFL, editing essays and personal statements, and consulting directly with applicants.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, websites

Mother’s New Little (College Application) Helper

 

Today’s guest post is from Lisa Sloan of Portland, Oregon who is currently going through the admissions process with her son.

apply101

I am a master juggler. I don’t flip fire torches or bean bags, but as a parent, I am constantly keeping all of the balls in the air––meals, carpool, school project supplies, orthodontist appointments, etc. If you’re a parent, I’m sure you know I could add a hundred more things to the list.  At the time of maximum juggling, it’s time for my son to apply to college! Yay, more balls…

I was absolutely thrilled to learn about apply101. My son was able to select the schools he is interested in, and his calendar populated with all of the tasks and timelines he needed. I am able to monitor his progress through the app without having to constantly ask him if he’s done something, and having the timeline laid out for him makes it easier for him to stay on track. It’s not unlike keeping on top of homework or other assignments. I also appreciate that I can add as task that he will see without having to remember to talk to him about it. These days, those face-to-face opportunities can be hard to find, and then I have to remember what it was I needed to tell him when I do see him. Not always easy with everything else on my mind; apply101 to the rescue!

apply101

This past weekend is a great example. We had discussed letters of recommendation while we were in the car.  He was looking at university websites on his phone, and of course, each school wants things differently. One school wants the letters mailed to them, which means my son needs to address and stamp envelopes to give to the teachers he asks for recommendations. Another wants them submitted online, so that means emailing the teacher with the link. A third wants it through Naviance. While I drove, my son noted each task (and address) in apply101 so he didn’t have to waste time later figuring it out again. We also brainstormed about who he would ask for the recommendations, and he noted that too. When we got home, I gave him envelopes and stamps and I left the rest up to him.

At first I thought that since his high school uses Naviance that we didn’t need apply101, but then I learned that Naviance is a vehicle to request transcripts and sometimes, letters of recommendation, and although it has great college search tools, it doesn’t provide the calendaring of timelines and deadlines that apply101 does, so it’s not redundant. They work really well together.

I think it is important that the college process be something my son owns, not something that I drive. I honestly believe that his engagement at this point is indicative of his commitment, and it foreshadows how well he will on his own in college when I am not checking in on him all the time. I also know that senior year is crazy-busy for kids, so they need someone to have their back to make sure their balls stay in the air. That’s why I like apply101. It keeps him organized and lets me peek without hovering.

 

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep, mom approved tips, parenting

10 Tips for Parents of the College Bound

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10 tips for parents

Parenting a college-bound teen is a challenge. How much should you push? How much should you help? Where do you draw the line? How involved should you be? How do you help your student fulfill his college dreams?

Here are 10 tips for parents that should answer your questions:

10 Tips for Parents of High School Students

1. Don’t overparent

Much has been written lately about the damages overparenting does to students. Step aside and let your student take the wheel.

2. Make a visit to your teen’s counselor

Let the counselor know that you intend to be an involved parent and establish a relationship at the start. The counselor is an important source of information and of course guidance regarding your teen’s college pursuit.

3. Establish relationships with teachers and staff

Since most parents tend to drop out when their teen reaches high school, it’s crucial that you make it clear to the educators that you will be a partner in educating your child. Show up at PTA meetings and parent information sessions.

4. Read all school information

This means reading the school handbook, teacher handouts, letters to parents, guidance department newsletters, any rules and policies, and homework and attendance rules.

5. Stress the importance of good attendance

Attendance is key in high school. Missing even one class can put the student behind. Schedule appointments, when possible, before and after school. If there is an absence, make sure your teen does the make up work in a timely manner.

6. Encourage strong study habits

These habits will follow your teen to college. Set aside a regularly scheduled study time. Studying needs to be a priority before any added activities.

7. Stress regular contact with teachers and counselors

This contact will play an important role when your teen needs recommendation letters. It will also establish in the minds of these educators that he or she means business.

8. Be the organization coach

If you know where everything is, have a schedule and a plan, you won’t get stressed and frustrated. It’s your job as their parent coach to help them start and maintain good organization for their date planners, notebooks, folders, files and college related materials.

9. Stay informed and involved

This does not mean camp out at the school every day and follow your teen around. It means monitoring quizzes, grades, daily homework assignments and long-term projects.

10. Be proactive when you encounter problems

All types of problems arise in high school: academic, behavioral and even social. There is a logical solution for all of them, but the key is to be aware when they arise and address them quickly.

10 Tips for Parents of Seniors

1. Do the prep work

Get ready for the mounds of catalogs, test prep booklets, flyers and email reminders. Start your filing system now, create a landing zone for all college-related materials, start adding tasks on a calendar.

2. Do your best to control your emotions

It’s going to be an emotional time for both you and your student. Angry words will be spoken if you don’t make a conscious effort to bite your tongue.

3. Prepare for rejection

The upcoming year will most likely mean that your student (and you) will have to deal with rejection. It’s not personal, but you will feel like it is.

4. Decide what role you will take

Please. I beg you. Do NOT be the parent that shoves, manipulates, and actually does the work for their student. Be the parent who encourages, supports and offers help and advice when needed.

5. Prepare for emotional outbursts

This is one of the most stressful times in your family. There will be emotional outbursts as the stress intensifies. Your student will say things she does not mean. You will lose your temper and wish you didn’t.

6. Discuss the money

If you want to avoid disappointment when offers of admission arrive, have the “money talk” before your student applies to colleges. Decide what you can afford, what you will be willing to contribute toward the costs, and what you expect your student to contribute.

7. Accept there will be consequences to actions

Your student will most likely fail or mess up at some point during senior year. Rescuing your kids all the time only makes them into dependent adults and colleges aren’t impressed with those type of students or the parents that come with them.

8. Be open to all possibilities

Be open to any college choices your student might make. You will not be the one attending the college and it’s not up to you to choose for her.

9. Don’t push-it simply won’t help

If your student is unmotivated, it’s not going to help to nag her and push her to do the college prep work. If there is one thing I learned with both of my kids (and clients), if your student is not invested in the college process she won’t be invested in college.

10. Enjoy the journey

This is an exciting time in the life of your teenager. She has worked hard and will be planning her future. Enjoy the next year, even when you feel stressed and overwhelmed.

admissions, common app, Guest Posts

The Top 3 Mistakes Students Make on the Common App

 

common appWe are in the midst of the application season, probably one of the most stressful, scary, and overwhelming times for most teenagers and their parents. I want to share with you the top three mistakes students make on the Common Application and how you can make sure your children don’t make them and get into the colleges of their dreams. 

1. Not Telling Their Unique, Compelling Story

Schools are looking for well-rounded student bodies NOT well-rounded students. The admissions committee and anyone else should be able to read through your child’s application and get a sense of exactly who they are and what they care about. This doesn’t happen if your child is president of every club, plays every sport, and volunteers at 20 different organizations.  Your child’s application should focus on depth not breadth, quality over quantity. Don’t just take my word for it. This is what Harvard has to say about your child’s activities:

We are much more interested in the quality of students’ activities than their quantity so do not feel you need to fill in the entire grid! Contributions students make to the well-being of their secondary schools, communities and families are of great interest to us.

Everything from the activities to honors to courses to essays should come together and tell your child’s unique, compelling story. Getting an outsider’s look at your child’s complete application can really help with this.

2. Underselling Their Activities

I’ve seen students do it over and over again. The activities are seen as an afterthought, and students give very little attention to them. They also tend to underestimate the time spent on their activities. This is where your child sets themselves apart from all the other high test score, high GPA students. This is where they become “that girl” or “that guy” – the socially responsible athlete, the engineer who cares about social justice, the piano player who wants to help autistic kids. 

Students are only allowed 150 characters to describe each activity, so the descriptions need to be compelling and concise. All of the tips that apply to resumes apply to this activity list. Your child needs to focus on numbers, like the number of new members they brought into the club, the amount of money they earned/got donated/managed, the number of participants at their events. Make sure they put numbers in every description. If the honors they listed previously were associated with an activity, be sure they tie that back in. The activities should sound as impressive as possible. One tip I absolutely love for this section is to include a website for the activity if there is one.

3. Rushing Through the Supplements

Each college has questions and many of them require writing supplements. These are just as important as the Common Application itself. Students often leave this until the end and struggle with it. Make sure your child spends as much time on and with their supplements as they do with the rest of their application.

Many writing supplements ask “Why School X?”. One tip I give all the students I work with is to mention specific activities, programs, and professors at the school that they’re excited to work with and be involved in. Remember, what the supplements are really asking is why your child should be admitted to that particular college. Make sure their application and supplements describe how they will contribute to the school and its legacy. 

Now that you know the top three mistakes students make on their Common Apps, you can help your child avoid them and get into their dream college. Get my Ultimate Guide to the Common App plus worksheets and tools to help your child create their best application and my favorite college admissions resources and websites. All totally FREE!

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Today’s guest post is from Jessica Yeager, a grad of Harvard and MIT, and a tutor and college coach for high-achieving students and their parents at Impress the Ivies. You can get her Ultimate Guide to the Common App for free.

admissions, parenting

Live Admissions Chat Sponsored by University Parent

 

live admissions chat

Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time

Join University Parent as they ask the experts at Admissionado your parent questions during a live admissions chat. They will cover topics for parents of current seniors, as well as those earlier in the college preparation process.

The chat will take place on Google Hangouts on Air. The livestream will be embedded on this page, or you may access it here. They will also post the conversation here after the event. Ask a question, meet the contributors, or watch the livestream.

Don’t miss this informative conversation with admissions experts and don’t forget to add your question for them to answer during the chat.

admissions, Guest Posts

Helping Your Student Make the College Decision

 

making the college decision

The College application season has begun. Students are now feeling the pressure of the college weight on their shoulders, as their future planning starts becoming a reality. But for parents, this may also be an even more stressful time. As a parent, how are you supposed to increase your child’s chances of getting into their top school, and, after that, how will you afford to help pay for the skyrocketing costs of planning and attending a University? I’ve outlined a few key tips that will elevate your child’s application, help you make the college decision and some tips on how you can save costs.

1. College Visits

  • If you are serious about getting your child into their top school, a college visit is a must. College visits provide students with the opportunity to explore the campus and get a feel for the atmosphere they’ll be entering, and it sometimes offers the chance to interact with students and faculty members. However, the cost of college campuses will add up, so it may behoove families to take advantage of guided virtual reality tours, like those offered by SchooLinks; which hosts tours of over 600 high-ranked colleges, including Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, and more.

2. Connect with Admission Officers

  • This may seem intuitive, but there are countless families who think a college visit is enough. It is important to get in front of an admissions officer if you plan to visit a college campus. Book an appointment with an admissions officer to show that you are interested in attending the college, and ask questions regarding the applications, school, etc. to show your continued interest in the school. You may not always have the time to meet with multiple admissions officers in person, but you can reach them via email or on SchooLinks where students can connect and interact with School Admission Officers.

3. Financial Aid

  • As I mentioned before, getting into a college may seem stressful, but figuring out how you will afford to pay for college is an even bigger headache. The go-to solution for financial aid is filling out the FAFSA form or searching for scholarships, but even when searching for scholarships, students often overlook many scholarships they may be eligible for. Parents should urge their students to start applying to scholarships early on, as early as 9th grade. My best advice for winning scholarships is to apply to multiple small scholarships, amounting to awards of $250-$500. Those scholarships normally have a lower number of applicants are yield a greater chance of winning. For an easy scholarship entry, parents can have their children enter the SchooLinks $5000 Scholarship, which has no application or essay requirement.

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Today’s guest post was provided by SchooLinks, an online free resource to help parents and students organize and plan college application submissions as well as scholarship applications. Students can connect with School Admission Officers, view guided virtual reality tours, or receive help from consultants. Upon joining, students should fill out their profiles completely, with all of their personal and academic information, in order to provide schools with all the important information they require. This will also allow SchooLinks determine which scholarship students are eligible, which makes the list of scholarships to research much more narrow. To get started, create a profile today!

admissions, college guidance, college planning, Guest Posts

Preparing Your Teen for College: Finding the Balance Between Well-Rounded and Burnt Out

 

Today’s guest post is from Ryan Hickey, the Managing Editor of Peterson’s & EssayEdge and is an expert in many aspects of college, graduate, and professional admissions.

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preparing your teen for collegeIt may seem like everyone you know is boasting about how their child effortlessly juggles advanced classes with guitar lessons, volunteering at the senior home, and learning Cantonese. It’s enough to give you a complex about whether or not your teen can even compete when applying for colleges. 

Well, fear not. Here are five things you can do to ensure your own student’s trajectory is on the fast track toward college acceptance while preparing your teen for college.

1. It’s okay to put all your eggs in one or two baskets.

The Rushmore syndrome of encouraging your child to join every club in sight results in a student that seems like a jack of all trades and master of none. Admissions committees are no longer fooled by a student who suddenly seems to be interested in 30 different projects the summer before junior year. Instead, focus on your child’s specific interest and let them actually achieve a level of proficiency. It is much more important to demonstrate genuine skill and commitment. Also, it often leads to a solid topic for an application essay.

2. Leadership is better than variety.

On a similar note, by applying meaningfully to just one or two extracurricular projects, a student can begin to build a level of responsibility. This kind of maturity is something colleges particularly look for in applicants.

3. Looking for something to add fast? Volunteer!

Community service is not only a great way to help others, it can help your teen too. If you feel like something is missing in your child’s transcript, volunteering can be a low-level commitment addition. Also, it is generally relatively easy to gain a leadership position quickly in a volunteer setting just by showing some initiative.

4. What are you going to do with your life?

Specific career goals post-graduation can differentiate your child from other applicants. Make sure you have a conversation about this and keep in mind that this goal is not something that goes on any permanent record. The larger idea of presenting oneself as forward-thinking in an application gives your teen the desirable aura of confidence in their direction. Maybe your daughter wants to be a veterinarian—check to see if it’s possible for her to shadow a local vet. Again, it’s not imperative that he or she actually adheres to this once they get into college, put admissions committees like to see that kind of drive.

5. Be true to your school

A great way to stand out in your applications is to know exactly what you want in a university. One important metric that colleges use to compare to each other is called “yield ratio”—that’s the number of students that accept admission after it is offered. Schools like to feel wanted, and therefore one of the best ways to prepare your teen is to help identify exactly what he or she is looking for in a school and then narrow down choices to ideal places. This requires a little research and some tough decisions. It also means trying to make an official visit, if possible.

Don’t feel tempted to nudge your student into another program just because it might look good on a transcript. Like everything else, honesty is the best policy. It all boils down to specifics. If your child can demonstrate commitment and leadership in one subject that makes them focus on a future academic goal that can be linked to a particular university program, that is superlative application fodder. No need to know a word of Cantonese.

 

About the Author

Ryan Hickey is the Managing Editor of Peterson’s & EssayEdge and is an expert in many aspects of college, graduate, and professional admissions. A graduate of Yale University, Ryan has worked in various admissions capacities for nearly a decade, including writing test-prep material for the SAT, AP exams, and TOEFL, editing essays and personal statements, and consulting directly with applicants.

 

admissions, college costs, college news

Wednesday’s Parent: A Quick Look at the Updated College Scorecard

 

college scorecard

 

This past Saturday, President Obama unveiled his new College Scorecard. “You’ll be able to see how much each school’s graduates earn, how much debt they graduate with, and what percentage of a school’s students can pay back their loans,” the president said in his weekly address.

College Prep Expert and Long Island College Prep Examiner, Wendy David-Gaines, explains how the scorecard works:

Information about the performance of U.S. institutions was collected from over 7,000 colleges and universities over a period of 18 years. In addition to families using the College Scorecard to personalize their own college ranking list, the national and comprehensive data can be used by policymakers and researchers for their own analysis. “The old way of assessing college choices relied on static ratings lists compiled by someone who was deciding what value to place on different factors. The new way of assessing college choices, with the help of technology and open data, makes it possible for anyone – a student, a school, a policymaker, or a researcher – to decide what factors to evaluate,” according to the White House Fact Sheet.

Parents and students can use the scorecard to make more informed, wise decisions about the ROI of a college education. For further information on the college scorecard, read:

College scorecard revamp heavy on outcomes

 

admissions, mom approved tips, parenting

Tips for Dads of the College-Bound

3 Comments

 

tips for dadsWith all the advice for moms, one of my Twitter followers (@PeachtreeCP) chimed in: “What about tips for dads?” I had to respond, “I’m not a dad, so I can’t speak for them.” But, it occurred to me that I did know some dads, one in particular, my brother. Both his children went to college. His daughter had a relatively typical college experience. His son, on the other hand, always marched, and still does, to the beat of a different drummer.

When I asked my brother to share his best advice, man to man, he graciously agreed to help. Here’s his response, word for word:

I’m not sure where to begin.  I assume that the dad who wrote you wanted advice about the college process.  I guess I’ll just share how I approached this with Cameron.  Since he’s not the typical kid, my approach was unique to him.  But this is how I did it.

  • I gave guidance, but didn’t try to push him into my expectations for him
  • I stressed the importance of education while he was thinking about what to do after high school
  • I tried to show him how his interests (video production, photography, etc.) would be greatly enhanced by more education
  • I gave him permission to make mistakes and take his time in determining his major
  • I didn’t give him a completely free ride to college – we required that he have some investment
  • I encouraged him to get a job while going to school
  • I encouraged him not to get into debt with loans, but to pay as he could, semester by semester
  • I finally recognized that college may not be his thing, so I gave him permission to say, “I want to do something else”, then I gave him my blessing

In retrospect, I think we could have done a better job of setting him up for a better first year away at college.  We found a garage apartment for him to live in, but he lived alone.  I think it would have been a better experience for him if he had other roommates going through the same struggles at college.

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Cameron chose to get a “real life” education, self-taught on the entrepreneurial route. It has not been an easy path, but he has certainly discovered his strengths and weaknesses while learning much about himself through self-discovery. He’s working at a job in a field he loves: video production.

For all you dads out there, the key here, according to my brother, is to know your child, give guidance when needed, stress the importance of an education, and give them the freedom to explore their own path in life. The college prep process has it’s own set of challenges and fathers can provide that stabilizing influence and strong support their college-bound teen needs.