Tag: College Preperation

College Cue Cards

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Learning Differences and the varied levels of student accommodations offered by colleges. 

POINT 1:  Colleges do not have the same legal obligations as high schools.  They do not fall under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(IDEA) but only the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. (ADA) Although a college is not required to give a student specific academic support, it is required to provide a specific accommodation if evidence of such need is provided.  Therefore, your student must register as a student with disabilities to get accommodations. Such registration involves separate applications unique to each college and is usually available on its website. 

POINT 2:  Different colleges offer different levels of support.  Most colleges offer minimal support as required by federal law.  Such accommodations include extended time on tests, large print material, and specific audio software.  However, there is no additional advising, monitoring or support. These most basic structures of accommodations work effectively with high school students who have excelled in high school.  The next level of colleges with moderate support may provide tutoring and remediation when needed.  Additional advising is usually provided by learning disability staff; curriculum utilizing this support is most helpful for students who are challenged by the transitions to college.  The maximum support is offered by colleges maintaining services which offer extensive monitoring, counseling and advising, so much so that an additional fee may be charged.   These colleges are committed to a mission that focuses on the intellectual and emotional needs of the eligible student.

POINT 3: Research the spectrum of colleges that are highly-ranked as good for students with learning disabilities along certain criteria.  Depending on the student need, different combinations of support include counselor meetings, tutoring, coordinated curriculums, learning specialists, transitional programs, and notetakers.  On one end of the spectrum, schools like the University of Arizona’s SALT program offer maximum support within a large university experience.  Smaller colleges like Curry College offer curriculum focusing on learning strategies and a more intimate campus community.  And finally, Landmark College is a two-year school with faculty who understand learning differences and help students transition to four-year colleges. Landmark also offers a program for high school students to prepare them for success at other colleges and universities. 

Opening College Doors with the Power of Story

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“Once Upon a Time”, “In a Galaxy Far, Far Away”, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”:

Had your brain been monitored during the processing of these words, it would have lit up with blood flow.  Science teaches us that our brains are hardwired to love stories.  And a great story can release a rush of chemicals that makes us pay attention and feel a connection to the storyteller.  This biological effect can be applied to the drafting of a college essay that promotes your cause for admission.

Contrary to the belief of most teenagers, they have interesting stories to share.  During their short lifetimes, they have experienced events that can inform, enlighten, and inspire their audiences. These events are hardly ever earth-shattering or record-breaking.  Most are common everyday occurrences.  What makes these moments interesting is how they are observed and expressed.

What makes writers interesting is how they view these seemingly insignificant events and what meanings they extract from them.  Good storytellers are not those who enjoy more interesting lives but are those that understand that significance can be found and communicated from most experiences.  Our human nature gives us the license to communicate with our readers.  However, we must earn positive connections with tools of communication. 

Without exception, college bound students that I have worked with along the Connecticut Shoreline write and submit an extraordinary application essay.  Interestingly, as different as the essays are in the end as each evolves, the first drafts start in similar ways.  Typically, students write in a voice that they think they should, which can either take the tone of a pseudo-intellectual or a tour guide.

One student from Clinton, Connecticut was fascinated with the use of a metaphor to describe his upbringing.  Unfortunately, the metaphor was lacking in depth and failed to convey the writer’s point about his youthful enthusiasm and newfound passion.  By discussing what about his challenges and triumphs defined him, he was able to expand the metaphor, use it as a launching point for his multi-faceted personality, and create an imagery that painted an unforgettable picture for the reader.  The metaphor, instead of a singular device, was immersed into his story that made his essay unique and personal.

A senior from Madison, Connecticut was applying to colleges offering majors in Theater.  Her first instinct was to craft an essay describing her creative assignments and performances.  Her draft had the unoriginal text of a course catalog, with no personal perspective.  Once she abandoned her preconceived notions, she told the story of her stage fright and her resolution to change her focus to the creative process instead of focusing only on herself.  Stories help us organize our ideas to make powerful points.  Creating an essay that conveys a true sense of self and your view of the world is a powerful tool and a worthwhile goal. 

Perfect Fit, Right Fit, or One Size Fits All

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I am a bit of a romantic in that I like to think that there are perfect “ones” out there- the perfect match, the perfect house, the perfect outfit, the perfect shoes, and the perfect job.  This romanticism is not unique to me, there are several websites from Zillow.com to Match.com that promote and capitalize on this notion. 

As a parent and a college consultant, I realize that such romanticism can be limiting instead of liberating.  To have the passion for the pursuit of the “one” can instill commitment to the pursuit of that goal.  But it also puts undue and unproductive pressure on the person committed to that one and only choice.  And as adults, we do our children a disservice if we teach them that there is one certain and perfect path for them. 

Which is why this May 1st, college-bound students who did not opt for Early Decision, should consider many choices before they put their deposits down on one college-the “one” college.  One of my student clients was torn between two excellent choices; one college is an elite private school that gave her a generous merit scholarship; the other is her state college that gave her in-state tuition, admission into their Honors Program, and merit money.  With her dreams of medical school in her future, she was debating whether to pursue her “dream” school or attend her local state university.  After campus visits, discussions with current students at both schools, and a realistic review of her family’s financials, she has opted to attend her state university. 

She has invested in a “right fit college.” Because of self-inventory, in-depth analysis of colleges, and a college list reflecting a wide variety of schools based on her interests, personality, exclusivity and the likelihood of merit awards, she has given herself realistic and wide-ranging options as her desires and demands evolve.  Her chosen program of study has inroads into medical school that will also help her reach her long-term goals. 

Does the wise and prudent choice negate the romanticism of selecting her future college?  Absolutely not. There is no such thing as a perfect college, there are only the best colleges based on your circumstances and ambitions.  A well-developed time line of college visits and a compilation of a college list containing reach, target, and safety schools will result in a decision on May 1 backed with confidence and discernment. 

However, unlike dissolving a relationship, leaving a job, or tossing out the shoes that no longer suit you, transferring to another college for sophomore year does not have to be a traumatic option.  With sound reasoning and a strong transfer application, systems are set for a student to find a better fit if a first choice turns disappointing over time.  One student consulted with me after realizing his small liberal arts school was not able to accommodate his newly discovered passion for engineering.  In his scenario, his freshman year grades and transfer application essays earned him admission to a larger midwestern university with a strong engineering program friendly to transfer students. 

Activities Section of the College Application: A Critical Piece of the Pie

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Let’s imagine your college application is like a pizza pie.  It has separate pieces with different toppings, connected to a whole presentation on a platter.  Although each piece will be consumed separately, the overall impression of the pizza is a result of the consistency and distinctiveness of the recipe and its lasting taste.  The activities section of the college application is often a neglected piece that detracts from the overall product, instead of enhancing it with more flavor.

On the Common Application, a standard form accepted by over 750 colleges, a student is supplied with 10 slots in which to list their high school activities beginning in the 9th grade.  The number 10 is only a suggested amount and it is understood that not all lines are required to be filled.  The central mission of this section is to have the students list the activities where they feel they have made the most impact.  Fewer activities listed with descriptions of greater impact are more compelling to admissions officers than gratuitous involvement in an extensive list of clubs and groups.  Honorary clubs like the National Honor Society should be listed under the honors and awards section of the application unless a student holds a leadership position requiring tasks and responsibility, in which case it could be an activity entry. 

On this activity list, students will be asked to record in which school years they participated in these activities and for how many hours per week.  These hours and years may very well comply with the order of importance based on impact recommended above.  If not, impact still reigns as the ideal way to prioritize the list.  Volunteering one hour a week after school for the Diversity Club, as noble as it is, will not be as impactful as affiliation with clubs where you held a leadership position or raised funds.  Outside activities are valued and not to be underestimated.  For example, if you babysit younger siblings, care for an elderly family member, or hold a part-time job, you are serving in impactful ways that are of great value to all colleges. 

If you have ever created a resume, and I suggest you do as a helpful aid for filling out your college applications, you know how active verbs and tangible results are important for its effectiveness.  And the Common Application only provides 150 characters in which to describe each activity, so use them wisely.  One strategy for word conservation is to state your role in your organization in the top descriptive box of the activity, for example, Lifestyle Editor for Nationally Recognized School Newspaper.  In the description box, you can expand upon your responsibilities, who you helped, how much money you raised, what you learned, and the legacy you left.  Makesurenot to repeat yourself and if you run out of space, edit areas of expertise you may be able to feature in other activities on your list.   

Just as in a resume, use present tense verbs for activities in which you are still involved and use phrases instead of complete sentences.  Use a variety of action verbs and try to practice parallelism.  When you are listing responsibilities, for example, make sure you use consistent verb/noun combinations. An example would be:  Responsible for brainstorming, revising, and supervising articles.  Be as detailed as possible without exaggerating or fabricating your level of involvement.  If there is a website for the activity, club, or fund, add the link.

Modesty and humility are admirable qualities.  However, not articulating the excellence of your extracurricular life is a missed opportunity with potentially serious consequences.  A student from the Haddam/Killingworth, Connecticut area who was very involved in her youth ministry program at her church listed her summer mission trip as an activity on her application. As a description, she simply wrote, “went to Worcester, Massachusetts”.  After some consultation, she later added how she tutored illiterate adults, coordinated outside activities for a group of ten children ranging in ages of 2 to 4 at a day-care center, and managed the distribution of goods and clothes to the homeless.  This key elaboration showcased her energy, dedication, and devotion to a cause and her commitment to others. When college staff are given the important task of selecting a student body that will get involved, contribute, and exhibit good citizenship and leadership skills, you as an applicant must capitalize on the activities section to build your case for admission. 

Are You a Bargain Shopper?

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When it comes to an expensive purchase like college tuition, most parents are!  After hosting informational meetings this month, a recurring theme of concern was the high cost of college attendance and the availability of scholarships to offset this cost.

Can you get a worthwhile education for half the cost?  Or in retail slogan terms, can you get brand names for less?  A recent report by Inside Higher Ed reveals that for the first time, discount rates for freshmen at private colleges top 50 percent.  You may be a parent who wonders, why pay full price when you don’t have to? How do I minimize costs and still maximize my child’s opportunities?

Create your list of generous colleges.  One way to capitalize on a college’s potential generosity is to research colleges where your standardized test scores and GPA rank in the top 25 percent of the most recent admitted freshman class. Some, not all colleges, will offer merit scholarships to these upper tier applicants in their letters of acceptance. Presidential scholarships at certain colleges award approximately $20k per year over four years. A tuition discount of $80k is worth pursuing. Most of these scholarships may be contingent upon maintaining a minimum GPA in a chosen major.

Another way to earn scholarship money is by earning admission into Honors programs. Some of these programs offer money in addition to perks such as advance course registration and selective dormitory housing. Some of these programs are more reputable than others. Examine the individual criteria and the specific advantages of enrolling in Honors at the schools on your list.

Eligibility for various scholarships varies by school. Some colleges guarantee scholarships if standardized scores meet a specific number, some require personal interviews and participation in weekend activities.  Several ask for specific supplemental essays. A thorough examination of individual websites of the colleges will offer a detailed explanation of requirements and deadlines for merit scholarships.

Many colleges do not award any merit scholarships. They only offer grants based on family need, and for schools that meet 100 percent need, they will satisfy the monetary gap between your EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) and the COA (Cost of Attendance).

If your family will not qualify for need-based aid and if merit money is a necessary factor for your student to attend college, it is critical that you share this information with your student.  Although it may be a disappointing reality, it is frustrating for students to be awarded admission into a dream college only to realize they cannot afford to attend. Keep in mind, however, that the majority of colleges do offer some version of aid.

To get some sense of your EFC, and thereby determine your eligibility for need-based aid, start experimenting with a net price calculator. Just type “net price calculator” along with a specific college name into your search engine, fill in your responses to questions concerning your earnings and net worth along with the student’s test scores and GPA.

Financial data combined with the student’s scores feeds the base level data for the calculator to generate your EFC.  This monetary figure is not a perfect predictor of your tuition demands but it offers families some sense of their future obligations before they file their FAFSA (Free Applications for Federal Student Aid).  Some private colleges require a CSS (College Scholarship Service) Profile in addition to the FAFSA to further investigate your qualifications for financial aid.

Preparing for College-Your New 100-Hour Hobby

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Just as Junior year begins, high-schoolers should plan on devoting an extra 100 hours over the next 12 months to launching themselves into the exciting arena of college applications. Just as any teenager with obligations knows, putting aside specific hours for measurable tasks is the best way to attain goals.  It would stand to reason that if your goal is to attend a right-fit college, plans need to be set in place. 

Junior year is your pinnacle of performance, it is the year where you add substantiation to your claims to your uniqueness.  For students interested in STEM college majors, you should be taking science AP classes and making contribution to class that are notable and acknowledged by your teachers.  If you are drawn to the liberal arts, you should be enrolled in classes that feature strong writing and individual thought. 

The results of these academic pursuits, aside from expanding your minds, is to build relationships with teachers who write you stand-out college recommendations.  In addition, social science and philosophy classes will yield writing samples to add to your application, especially in the event you opt for test-optional schools that require supplementary writing samples. Taking leadership roles in the classroom and initiating dialogue with your teachers showcase emotional maturity and intellectual curiosity, two of the most important qualities of a successful college-bound student. (Requests for two teacher recommendations should be made by spring of Junior year, so teachers can work on them over the summer.) 

Your 100-hour investment includes preparing for, scheduling, and taking either the SAT or ACT tests or both.  Test-taking tutors are effective in teaching the relevant material and the art of test-taking. They are sensitive to the specific needs of all students, regardless of their testing acumen. Taking both the SAT and ACT tests early Junior year gives students a strong indication of which one suits them better. A sitting for the test on which you have stronger performance should be scheduled again in the spring, ideally after test-prep practices have been completed.  Junior year summer or senior year fall is the last opportunity to take the test for a third time if needed.  With each higher score earned, admission chances and merit scholarships increase.  Taking any test more than three times is usually inefficient and expensive. 

Other test considerations include taking AP tests and SAT subject tests.  Completion of most of these tests take place during Junior year.  AP scores of 4 or 5 are exceptional, scores of 3 are commendable.  Most schools do not require SAT subject tests, particularly if you plan to report your ACT score.  For schools that require SAT subject tests, research the specifics of each college’s requirements, some majors require Math 2 over Math 1, for instance.  Depending upon your test success, test-optional colleges should be addressed on a case by case basis.  However, even test-optional schools require test scores for merit scholarships. 

Developing a college list is critical to your pursuits.  The earlier you can address each college’s specific application requirements, the more streamlined your efforts.  As your Junior year unfolds, examine yourself, your skills, your gifts, and your interests.  Research colleges that comport with your style and personality.  Consider your learning, regional, social, and campus culture preferences.  Plan on taking some trips to visit colleges during high-school spring break, hopefully when college is still in session.  Ask high-school alums to share their college experiences.  Schedule tours and interviews weeks ahead of time and ask for more information on college websites.  Some colleges track interest and will monitor your efforts to visit them or at the very least, inquire into their programs.

 After a 100-hour investment of time into this new hobby of college preparation, students will experience the satisfaction of time well-spent and results well-deserved. 

Financial Aid in a Flash

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Flash cards are effective tools for helping one learn and retain detailed information.  And when it comes to understanding financial aid and the FAFSA (free application for federal student aid), I found the idea of sorting together bits of information optimal for helping Connecticut families grasp key concepts. 

FLASHCARD NUMBER 1

What is federal student aid? It’s money from the federal government—specifically, the U.S. Department of Education—that helps you pay for college expenses.  More than $150 billion in federal student aid is available through grants, work-study, and loans every year.

FLASHCARD NUMBER 2

Financial Aid for college education is awarded by the federal government and administered, sometimes along with institutional grants, by public and private two-year and four-year colleges and universities.  Complex rules exist regarding the awarding, disbursing, and administration of federal and state funding; the amount of aid awarded is determined by various factors including the economic profiles of students and their families, the discretion of the individual colleges, and the competitiveness of the student’s application for admission. 

FLASHCARD NUMBER 3

Forms are completed on-line, delivered electronically, and reviewed by the Department of Education and developed by the colleges.  Recently, the Department of Education linked the FAFSA to the IRS data base in which FAFSA files can upload their tax return data directly to the FAFSA.  

FLASHCARD NUMBER 4

Supporting documentation (tax forms) which some institutions require from 100 percent of their applicants, or at least 30 percent under federal guidelines, are often submitted electronically through the College Board’s Institutional Documentation (IDOC) service.        

FLASHCARD NUMBER 5

Each October 1, the FAFSA is available and free to fill out. The online application can be completed at www.fafsa.ed.gov  (Do not fill out any forms if there is a monetary charge attached.  This is a FREE service.) Your selected colleges will refer to this form when awarding their financial aid packages. Keep in mind, monetary support is granted on a first come, first served basis so the earlier you complete an accurate form the better.      

FLASHCARD NUMBER 6

Students must complete/renew the FAFSA each year they apply for federal and state financial aid. Any information that has changed must be updated annually. The FAFSA collects information on student’s (and his or her family’s) income, assets, number of people in the household supported by the family income, number of family members in college, and assets (not including retirement assets and 401(k) funds or the family’s primary residence).

Finding the Path to Self-Discovery: Using Shakespeare as Your College Guide

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As a mother of four teenagers and a college consultant in Madison, CT, it is important to me, personally and professionally, to teach students and their families how to confidently narrow their college search.  William Shakespeare wrote, “to thine own self be true.” A modern-day version of this sentiment translates to- “Just be yourself!”  But this is easier said than done.  How do you find your true self, and even more to the point, how do you find the best college to pursue dreams, build skills and character, and reach your full potential?  There are 6 areas to explore as a high-school student heads toward a future college destination. 

Find Yourself: 

 It is never too early in your high school career to start observing what you excel in and what interests you. Start noticing what subjects you enjoy and which teachers you prefer.  Ask yourself how you learn?  Are you a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner?  Do you learn best when taking notes, reading in quiet places, or discussing topics with others?  When you take tests, are you anxious?  Do you prefer multiple choice tests, essay exams, or do you prefer project-based evaluations?

Fight Noise: 

Don’t succumb to peer or societal pressures on issues of academic pedigree or college elitism. Well-researched anecdotal data can be persuasive for students and their parents who need to debunk the theory that the highest ranked schools (and most expensive) are always the best schools for their children and that good parenting requires the support of this pursuit.  Real-life success stories disprove such a simple formula that a college’s ranking solely determines your future. 

Keep Perspective: 

As you discover more about your interests, habits, and strengths, you will begin to see recurring themes when researching colleges.  For example, small liberal arts universities make undergraduates a priority, hiring professors who choose classroom investment over research and emphasizing small seminars and common core learning.  Large public universities offer much exposure to research opportunities but may place priority on graduate students and hiring teaching assistants to lecture in populated classrooms.  City schools take advantage of cooperative experiences and internships because of their practical locations and Jesuit schools emphasize service learning.  These general categories are not without exceptions, but they help the college-bound make some sense of the available reference books that list and describe hundreds of academic institutions. 

Explore Options: 

The best way to get a sense of a specific college is to go visit.  Even if schedules are tight and summer vacation is your only option, visiting a campus with few students on campus is better than not visiting it at all. Take notes on the schools you visit, schedule interviews if offered to show your interest, and participate in tours.  Try to assess whether you see yourself studying at this campus for four years.  Try to piece together a “day in the life” scenario of a college student at this institution.  Do not force yourself to belong, no matter how much my own son felt that he should desire a small liberal arts school, his true self felt more comfortable at the larger state schools. 

Budget the Cost:

However, before your trips are plotted, make sure parents have visited the net price calculator of each college to plug in their specific finances to view their EFC (estimated family contribution).  Based on income and assets, the calculator does a good job of giving families a ball park figure of what they are expected to pay in tuition.  If the school meets some degree of need, the school will award financial awards to fill the gap between the EFC and the cost of attendance of the college.  (Do not visit schools that are too expensive for the family.  Debt is a growing problem among college students, and merit money is only offered to students at certain schools who rank in the top 25 percent of the admitted class based on high-school grades and standardized test scores.)  

Embrace Your Future:   

As you visit the campuses, have fun and keep an open mind.  Make sure to write thank you emails to people you met on staff or as tour guides.  The schools keep files on candidates and demonstrated interest is an aspect of the candidate that admissions counselors gauge for enrollment management.  Finalize your list, making sure you have some schools that are within your academic and financial reach.  The goal is to have a choice of schools you are excited about when probable acceptance letters arrive.  As you await the results of an application filled with authenticity and hard work, it is time to work on transitioning your mind set to a fulfilling and personalized college experience where you can be true to yourself in true Shakespearean style. 

College Admissions Counselors: The Young and The Restless

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The “Young and the Restless” is not only the title of one of the longest running daytime television soap operas but is also an apt way to describe college admissions counselors.

This crucial population of professionals is young, averaging around 26 years old. This group is also restless, responsible for recruiting and selecting an impressive group of incoming freshmen. They are also human, so keeping their attention and yielding a positive reaction is imperative for an applicant’s future.

Admissions counselors have demanding jobs and work long hours. In addition to reviewing waves of college applications from the months of November to April, most travel many months visiting high schools, conducting student interviews, and attending college fairs.

How can a college applicant work this oversaturated situation to his or her advantage? Submit a personal essay that stands out. Convey a sense of yourself and your view of the world that is interesting to the reader. Your ideas do not need to be earth-shattering revelations, in fact, readers connect more with relatable details. In a pile of lackluster applications with forgettable features, your essay can make a lasting impression with meaningful messages.

Before crafting your essay, take some time to be introspective.  Create character sketches of you and others who are close to you.  Remember and write down cinematic moments in your life, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.  Add impact through dialogue and word choice. Direct a movie in your head and play it out on paper.  Your admissions counselors, although young and restless, could be a captive audience.

How can you help make the job of admissions counselors easier? By making their decisions easier. Whether or not to admit you as a student in their freshman class is their decision.  Make it easy for them to decide YES.