Tag: Lisa Rathe

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. 

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. 

First Generation Students and the Art of Self-Promotion

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In my career as a college counselor and community college instructor, I have witnessed the valuable qualities of first-generation students.  I think it would be a worthwhile exercise to categorize these admirable characteristics and explore their values.  In so doing, my hope is that I can help first- generation students gain self-confidence, parents expand their perspectives, and counselors broaden their understanding.  As always, this pursuit of enlightenment is to promote the generation of strong college applications that accurately and positively reflect the true spirit of the applicant.  My thoughts are relevant to not only first-generation college bound students and their families, but to all families who strive for character building over resume building. 

The first of the three categories of character is integrity.  Integrity is defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.  A student with integrity has strong discipline and work ethic.  In my experience working directly with first-generation students in Guilford, CT, an appreciation and gratitude for parental sacrifice motivates high ethics and goals.  In the case of international families, students have a moral desire to please their parents and excel academically because they realize the sacrifices their parents have made to selflessly promote their children’s future success.  This motivation is more productive than students who display a sense of entitlement and internalize experiences as possessions to be collected instead of accomplishments to be earned.

In the case of children of single parents or married parents that both never attended college, they understand the sense of insecurity pervasive in the home. Because the presence of a college-going culture in the home affects the likelihood of children pursuing college, first-generation students need to feel celebrated.  In addition, I am always surprised by how apologetic parents are about their lack of college education.  It is important for counselors to point out to these parents that their children have gained life lessons from them that are more valuable than any legacy.  In fact, colleges appreciate legacy status only for the increased chance that the parent who graduated from their institution may have passed on some of the integrity promoted by the college.  However, first-generation students also have an increased chance of possessing this quality. 

The practical implications of this for sincere and ethical self-promotion on college applications are clear. Because integrity affects our second of three categories which is likeability, guidance counselor, teacher, peer and other recommenders have enormous impact on the college application review.  As a teacher recommender myself, I confess that I enjoy writing recommendations for students who sincerely appreciate my efforts on their behalf as opposed to students who I sense take the request for granted.  College admissions officers read countless numbers of recommendations and the ones that are effusive and enthusiastic stand out.  As such, the recommendations that are lackluster and common draw as much negative attention as the opposites draw positive.  Attend any admissions tour and dean discussion and you will hear how admissions counselors count on recommenders to help them construct a strong freshman class.  Students who are likeable also tend to possess the third quality of character which is humility. 

Humility is a misunderstood quality. It is defined as a modest view of one’s own importance and it is not to be confused with humiliation. To be modest and yet confident is a perfect balance for candidates for college.  Self-promotion understands this balance.  When a first-generation student writes his or her college essay and prepares for college interviews, the sense of gratitude and hopefulness for a higher education tends to resound in person and on paper.  College counselors need to encourage and bolster this energy and help explain how events as seemingly insignificant as helping with younger siblings and holding part-time jobs create experiences and outlooks very coveted by colleges.  A college consultant once told me that it never dawned on one of his students to cite on his application the hours he spends working on his family farm. 

Colleges also put a premium on service.  Some of my clients have applications that read like a service hour registry from someone on parole, while other clients list volunteer activities that exude a theme of giving, compassion, and sacrifice.  Humility lends itself to treating people the way you like to be treated, and this golden rule encourages experiences that make differences in other people’s lives.  Colleges value this outward focus as many promote their own programs of service learning and mission trips.  My son attends a college whose mission is Magis, which means to live greater.  This living greater is accomplished by living for others and devoting one’s energies to improving a corner of the world.   

Quite simply, first-generation students, like all students, have something unique and valuable to contribute to the college culture.  Parents need to know this and help their children self-promote the unique traits that resulted from their family situations.  Counselors need to support their students and remind them continually how valued they are and how promising is their future of college acceptances.  And as an aside, all families can benefit from learning the lessons of first-generation students by raising their future college goers to develop characteristics of integrity, likeability, and humility.

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.