Tag Archives: college list

Crafting the Ultimate College List

February 10, 2015 Suzanne Shaffer

This article was written by Robin Noble and previously published on University Parent.

college list — –photo courtesy of University Parent–

My high school junior’s college search is going in a maze of directions as she works to create a list of schools for serious consideration. The list is important and timely. She will use it to decide which schools to visit this spring with limited time and travel dollars.

Lately I sense she is a touch overwhelmed. I wonder: how can I help my daughter figure out which schools will be a good fit for her?

Like you, I’m up on the feel-good wisdom here: be positive, let your student be her own guide, encourage her to let the process flow from within. All good thoughts, but parents certainly have some important roles to play.

You are the voice of financial reality.

Before your student gets her heart set, get clear on what your family can afford. Take half an hour to work through the “net price calculator” available on most school websites, or use theFAFSA4caster to estimate federal student aid. These tools calculate your family’s financial need — essentially the difference between the college sticker price and what the formula says you are able to contribute.

Net price calculators don’t assess potential merit aid — institutional money set aside for students based on varying factors like GPA, standardized test scores, advanced courses, etc. Some institutions include merit calculators on their websites; many do not. To learn how specific schools determine merit aid, don’t hesitate to call the admissions office and ask.

With net price and merit aid estimates in hand, your student’s list can be more economically viable. If you and she have assumed that private scholarships and loans will fill gaps, the amounts you are supposing are now clearer, and that’s a good thing.

Read the entire article: Reality, fit and substance–the ultimate college list

And don’t forget to sign up for the high school parents newsletter while you are there!

college guidance, college planning, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Illogical College Choices–Part 1

July 16, 2014 Suzanne Shaffer 1 Comment

In March, Wendy and I discussed how to make a good college list (Part 1). Today, we’re revisiting that advice and adding some additional tips on helping them make those college choices.

Summer vacation is halfway gone and families have most likely been making some preliminary college visits. It’s only natural for students to begin formulating a lists of “wants” when they begin to see themselves in college. However, the difference between what they “want” and what they “need” can be miles apart. It’s your job to rein them in.

You student may list the following illogical things as his must-haves. Next week, I’ll discuss how to steer him in a different direction.

Going to the same school a boyfriend or girlfriend is going to—The danger here is obvious. High school romances rarely last and once the romance ends, so does the love for the college.
Only look at the colleges your best friend is viewing—Friendships, while many last a lifetime, are no reason to make a college choice. Friends oftentimes have different educational goals and career paths. Even if they line up, evaluate the true reasons for choosing the college and be sure it’s not for friendship. Besides, I saw many college friend explosions over the years when my kids were in school. It taints your view of the environment.
Choose a college because you love their football team—Being a Texas Aggie fan or a Texas Longhorn fan or a Notre Dame fan is no reason to attend their college. Investigate their academic programs and choose it if it gives you the best education for your needs and for your dollar.
Choose a college based on its “party” ranking—You would be surprised how many students choose schools that are ranked high as a party school. They convince their parents it’s for the academics, but truthfully it is not. My son did this after the Marine Corps. It was the worst decision he ever made. Too much partying equals academic failure. Besides, even the most stringent academic institutions have parties.
Limiting location—Don’t just look at colleges close to home. Check out some schools that are a little further away. It will increase your options.
Let the choice just happen—Many teens just slide in to the most comfortable place: they got an email from someone; their friend suggests it; their parents went there. Neither of these are good reasons to attend college.
Pick a college to impress someone—This is not a reason to choose a college. Keeping up with the Jones’ or trying to impress your friends will only result in your teen being unhappy at school.
Believe that the harder a college is to get into, the better it must be—The best colleges are sometimes the ones that have a high rate of acceptance. Research is the key to finding out the benefits of these schools.
Assume that all colleges are the same—All colleges offer an education, but not all colleges are the same. Programs, athletics, campus life, and even teaching styles vary. All of these can affect the overall college experience.
Rely on someone else’s opinion—Never assume anything about a particular college until you investigate and gather information. Opinions vary and at any given time you will always find someone that loves or hates a particular school.

Now read Wendy’s post: 2 Phases, 3 Points for Forming a College List

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, Sponsored posts

How Do You Choose a College?

April 17, 2014 Suzanne Shaffer 2 Comments

Teenagers. They have such a simplistic view of life. When you ask many of them about college, they reply, “All I need is a degree”. They don’t know where they want to attend or how to choose a college. Many haven’t even thought about it until senior year.

How DO you choose a college? Do you choose it with your heart and not your head? Partially. Is it all in a name? Not necessarily. Is about going to a college close to home? Possibly. Is it about finding a college with Greek life? Could be. All these factors could play into your student’s college choice, but before you randomly choose a college that is famous; or that your student’s friend is attending; or is affordable, you need to do your research.

Here are some key factors you should consider before you make that college list.

The cost

The cost of the college is certainly a consideration. However, it should not be the only one. Most college sticker prices are not the cost you will pay. Expensive colleges aren’t necessarily the best fit for your student. Before you make that college list, however, discuss with your student what you will be willing to pay and add colleges that fall close to or below that figure. Applying to a college that is beyond your family’s reach financially will only cause heartache if your student is accepted and you can’t afford to pay.

Financial aid

If financial aid is a concern, you should search for colleges that offer high percentages of financial aid, such as Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina, offering financial aid to 84% of undergraduates, with the average financial aid package around $20,090.¹Facts and figures like this can narrow down the choices. Colleges that offer very little financial aid might not be a good fit for your student who needs help with college costs.

College majors offered

Your student may be interested in studying Asian History (like my son did); but is that a major that will be employable after graduation? For my son, it was not. Some may say that a degree is a degree, and on some levels many companies are simply looking for that diploma. But why spend four years studying something you won’t be able to use when you pursue a career?

In the current issue of U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges 2014, you will find “11 Hot Majors That Can Lead to a Great Job.”² If your student leans in any of these directions look for a college that has degrees in these fields:

Biomedical Engineering
Biometrics
Forensic Science
Computer Game Design
Cybersecurity
Data Science
Business Analytics
Petroleum Engineering
Public Health
Robotics
Sustainability

Exploring the ROI (Return on Investment) of various careers is an important part of choosing a college.

Professor to student ratio

If your student has trouble focusing in class, is intimidated by large crowds, and needs more personal instruction to be academically successful, a large state university might need to be ruled out. There are plenty of small liberal arts colleges with great academic records and majors that would be a better fit for your student. When my daughter was choosing a college, our decision was highly dependent on this factor alone. Once we had found colleges that had low professor to student ratios, we were able to look at other key factors in making the decision.

Selectivity

Let’s face it. Everyone wants to go to Harvard. It’s the oldest and most prestigious university in the country and it is #2 in U.S. News rankings. Its name is instantly recognizable and equated with excellence. Unfortunately, Harvard is highly selective. The college offered admission to 5.9% of applicants this year. If your student doesn’t have all A’s and perfect SAT scores, Harvard is not for him.

However, there are many fine colleges that give credence to hard work and commitment. W. Kent Barnds, vice president of enrollment at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, where the average GPA was 3.17, makes the point:³

I think really, to be quite honest, most colleges and universities are delighted to work with the student who has a good work ethic and has taken difficult classes and has earned that B average.

College truly is for everyone. If your student is an average student, don’t despair. Look for the colleges that will recognize his potential and see him as a viable applicant. Better yet, look for the colleges that he would be a top applicant in the applicant pool. This translates into more merit aid in the financial aid package.

What else should you consider?

In addition to these key factors, you might also want to consider location, student services, graduation rates, alumni network, study abroad programs, and available internships.

There is the emotional factor as well that responds to the college surroundings. Rebecca Ridings, class of 2013 says, “I followed my sister to John Brown University and was struck by the beauty of the campus’s blooming dogwoods and its peacefulness”. Yet another current college student, Isha Pandya, class of 2016, notes when speaking of Bryn Mawr College, “The school’s beautiful 19^th-century stone buildings, green lawns and cherry blossom trees help to create a welcoming environment.”⁴

Even with all the right information in place and gathering facts and figures, choosing a college is more than just a college on paper. Most students will tell you that they just “knew” when they set foot on a college campus that it was right for them.

For my readers—if you’re interested in purchasing a copy of U.S. News and World Reports Best Colleges 2014, use the coupon code: SCHOOL25.

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¹. Excerpted from “Directory of Colleges and Universities”: in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges 2014. Available at usnews.com/college14. Copyright © 2013 U.S. News & World Report, L.P.; ² Excerpted from “11 Hot Majors That Can Lead to a Great Job” (which provides additional information, including leading colleges that offer majors in these fields); ³. Excerpted from “What If You Don’t Have All A’s?”; ⁴. Excerpted from “Why I Picked . . .” All quotes Used by permission of U.S. News & World Report, L.P. All rights reserved. U.S. News allows republication of this excerpt without specific written permission or payment of royalties, provided that the excerpt is republished in its entirety without any modifications and includes this notice. Please contact permissions@usnews.com with any questions.

This is a paid sponsored post.

Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Finding the Best Fits–A College List Part 2

March 12, 2014 Suzanne Shaffer 3 Comments

A lot is riding on making a good college list. Your student will be applying to the schools on the final list so they better offer the best chance for student success. It’s so important that Wendy and I are giving our tips in two parts. Today’s Part 2 is about refining the college list.

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Last week, we discussed how to create a college list and what criteria to include. This week it’s time to refine the list and pick and choose which colleges would be a perfect fit. All the experts have advice on how many schools to apply to: some say 7, some say 10 and others say the more you apply to the better your chances. For me, the number isn’t as important as the content. A good college list needs to be well thought out and researched.

A good college list should have three “fit” criteria: financial fit, academic fit, and emotional fit. Once your student has a tentative list, ask if they have all three criteria before finalizing the list.

Financial Fit

Does the college fit into your family’s budget? If it doesn’t fit financially, cross it off the list. While you should never consider a college solely based on the sticker price, you should certainly examine what will happen if your student is accepted and doesn’t receive any financial aid. Remember when factoring in cost, don’t forget about the add-ons. They can add up and have a substantial effect on your budget.

Academic Fit

Does the college fit into your student’s academic aspirations? This might seem like a no-brainer, but the education is a key factor in attending college. Cross the college off the list if it doesn’t fit into your student’s academic learning style. For instance, is your student looking for smaller class sizes and strong relationships with his professors? A larger university won’t offer this.

Emotional fit

Can your student see himself attending college there? When he visited the campus, did it “feel” right and did he have a rapport with the students he came in contact with? You might think college shouldn’t be an emotional decision, but it is. After all, they will be spending at least four years of their lives there. If they don’t fit into the social climate they will be miserable.

Another thing to consider is positioning. Is your student positioned well with the other applicants, especially if you are looking for merit aid. Are their scores, grades, and achievements good enough to put them at the top of the applicant pool?

As you can easily see, there’s more to refining a college list than picking a college with Greek life or college sports rankings. It’s a place your student will call home and he needs to feel comfortable there. Once you’ve determined if the college has all three criteria, add it to the list. It’s a keeper!

Read Wendy’s blog: Parent Hunting and Gathering-A College List Part 2

college guidance, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: You Want to Go to College Where?–A College List Part 1

March 5, 2014 Suzanne Shaffer 2 Comments

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Parents of college-bound teens often ask this question in utter astonishment and trepidation. Following the paths of their peers or college notoriety can make for added stress and baffle and frustrate any parent when it comes to starting the college list. Their choices might also not be up to what you feel are your standards or choices, especially if you have your heart set on them attending your alma mater or a local college.

In spite of these obvious pitfalls, the conversation needs to begin and a preliminary list needs to be made. And with any good list, it’s important to ask your teen some serious questions, and then complete the responses.

What can the family afford?

Any list without this discussion is sorely lacking. It’s not prudent to add a college to the list when you know it’s unattainable for the family to finance. If the sticker price is high, and your EFC is high as well, it makes sense to steer clear of these colleges.

However, don’t discount a college solely on its sticker price. If your student is a top candidate (and only if), it’s possible they could receive substantial merit aid or scholarships. But don’t add a school to the list that attending will require substantial student loans if the aid doesn’t materialize.

What do you want to study?

It’s rare that high school students know what they want their career to be. But they do know what interests them and the type of degree they might want to pursue. Even though you may want them to be an aerospace engineer or a doctor, they may have their heart set on studying English literature and becoming a teacher. Don’t force them into a career just because you believe it pays well. Adults know that if you like your job, you will be happier and more successful.

However, you do need to have a conversation about pursuing a degree plan that might not be employable when they graduate. Even though a degree is a degree, finding work in a field of study that isn’t in high demand could have them working at a minimum wage job after graduation.

Where do you want to go to college?

Most students see college as a step toward independence, which usually translates into another state and as far away from home as possible. Don’t limit them to your home state or cities close by if they want to spread their wings and move further away. Additionally, if you limit their choices to your surrounding area (or a state college), you could be neglecting some excellent colleges choices. Be open to all options that fall within your financial capability, even if it means they are not as close to home as you would prefer.

What type of surroundings appeal to you?

There are so many levels to explore when asking this question. Does your student want to attend a small college or large university? Do they like an urban campus or a suburban one? Is the weather (climate) a factor? Is entertainment off campus a factor? Is Greek life, sports, or theater important? As you can see, exploring each of these questions further will help as you start the list and narrow down the choices.

Which college admission criteria do you meet or exceed?

This requires a little bit of research. If your student has less than stellar grades and standardized test scores, it’s not prudent to add MIT or Harvard to their college list. But, if their grades and scores meet those of qualified applicants and they have expressed interest in attending, consider adding that college to the list. Look at each college website, use CollegeData.com and the College Board’s site to determine what their average scores and GPAs are for accepted students. Don’t waste your time applying to schools that your student doesn’t have a chance to receive an offer of admission.

Be wise about choosing colleges that see them as top applicants, or at the very least, competitive with other applicants. Top applicants receive the most merit aid and scholarships. These colleges should go to the top of the list.

Before you balk at your student’s choices and say “absolutely not”, give them the courtesy of listening before you respond. After you listen, discuss your concerns and communicate those concerns without judgment or condemnation. Remember, they are the ones attending the college—not you. They should be the ones that make the list. Even if your choices are not their choices, it’s conceivable to find common ground and proceed with a final list.

Parenting for College

Tag Archives: college list