community.counseling: Advice for ALL Students Going to College

Prepare for College in High School by Tavia Evans and Kay Peterson, Ph.D. Fastweb.com Additions by John B. Boshoven
Here Come Da Colleges: The Importance of the College Visit to High Schools by John B. Boshoven

Tip Sheet: On the Wisdom and Merits of Exploring ‘Less Visible’ Colleges by Marty McConnell

Prepare for College in High School

by Tavia Evans and Kay Peterson, Ph.D. Fastweb.com Additions by John B. Boshoven

The road to college starts early, even at the beginning of high school. From freshman to senior year, you’ll need a game plan to choose the right classes and maneuver through college exams, applications and deadlines. Stay on the admissions track by following these steps.

Plan for the Future
Grades are important, but so is the difficulty of the courses you take. Instead of the easy “A,” choose tougher classes. Colleges like to see students who have taken rigorous classes during high school.

“The student’s high school curriculum is the most important factor we look at in the admissions process,” says Roz Bolger, director of development at Emory University. “Good academic performance in a strong curriculum shows the student has been challenged in high school, and that’s good preparation for college.”

Use your freshman year to organize your classes and explore your personal interests:

Meet with your counselor
Discuss your career goals and the classes you should take. Many selective schools require college preparation classes that include three or four years of coursework. Plan your high school curriculum early to be sure you’re covered.

Master the basics
Strengthen your reading, writing and vocabulary skills. Improve your typing skills and become familiar with the Internet. Knowing your way around a computer will come in handy throughout high school and college. Explore your interests through your classes. Whether it’s chemistry, world literature or calculus, your classes give you a chance to find out what you like. Take classes in a variety of subjects that interest you.

Get Involved
Don’t forget about the world beyond the classroom. Colleges like to see students who can balance outside activities and maintain good grades.
“Extracurricular activities are the icing on the cake,” says Jane Schoenfeld, an educational consultant for the Independent School Placement Service of St. Louis, Inc. “Admissions committees want to see how a student can contribute to the college inside and outside of the classroom.”

Perform community service or get a part-time job. Extracurricular activities show that you’re a well-rounded individual and you know how to manage your time efficiently.
Research summer programs. Many colleges offer arts camps and college prep courses during the summer for high school students. These programs are a good way to develop your talents and get your foot in the door with colleges.

Go Above and Beyond
Do your best in your classes. Remember: GPA is a key factors in college admissions. Take honor-level and advanced placement courses or academic Community Resource classes at UM or EMU. Duel enroll in courses at Washtenaw Community College. To involve the AAPS in possible payment for these classes, see your friendly CHS counselor for proper forms to take with you when you register). Your high school transcript will show admission committees you are up to the challenge of a competitive college environment.

Get a Head Start
Don’t wait till senior year to research schools, college entrance tests and financial aid options. Take a “virtual” campus tour on the Internet. Visit the homepages of schools that interest you. Also attend college fairs to meet admission representatives and obtain course catalogs. If possible, plan to visit campuses yourself to get a first hand account of the school’s culture and social life.

Prepare for college entrance exams. Your scores can determine what scholarships you qualify for and what college you attend. Ask your counselor about services that offer ACT and SAT preparation classes and practice tests. Keep track of the dates and deadlines for the tests.

Learn about financial aid options
Don’t let the cost of a college education scare you. Attend financial aid seminars hosted by Community High School each December. Ask community businesses and organizations if they offer college scholarships. You can also search scholarship databases on the Internet like FastWeb to apply for awards that match your interests and career goals.

It’s never too early to prepare for college. And whether you’re headed for a state school or you have dreams of Harvard, a four-year strategy will guide you toward your destination.

Here Come Da Colleges: The Importance of the College Visit to High Schools

Every year, CHS hosts many admissions representatives from colleges and universities throughout America. The visiting colleges are coming to meet with more than just seniors. In fact,
the colleges are coming to YOU, FRESHMEN, SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS AND SENIORS. Every student is invited to spend time with these important friends.

There are several important purposes for colleges to visit. The visit introduces the college professionals to our school and our students. Since the traveling admissions representatives are the ones who often are the first readers of a subsequent application, it makes good sense for them to understand the context of an application, and to better understand the high school curriculum, staff and school climate. Colleges are looking for “matches” for their students and campuses. Another benefit for their visit
is to acquaint our students with their college and ultimately to them, the representatives. Our guests provide valuable information about student life, majors, scholarships, the college community and the application process.

Getting to know you
As the high school and college develop a mutual relationship, the
representative becomes the college contact the student and counselor call with questions about applying, financial aid, tours, over-nights, summer programs, etc. Ultimately the representative may call us with questions about an application or an applicant him/herself. We always exchange business cards for the purposes of “keeping in touch” throughout the application process. Counselors and admissions staff also keep in touch at
conferences and college fairs. I value the relationships I build with these admissions professionals. Recently a principal remarked, “I’m honestly surprised how relational this college application process is!” It’s this relationship than benefits the family, the high school and the colleges. Together we find the best fit possible.

When college admissions officers visit, they meet with interested students- sometimes in small or large groups. Some of our students arrange private meetings with the admission officers. to coincide with the high school or area visit. This is a good strategy for “top choice” schools. Admissions professionals appreciate getting to know these students better, after all,
that is why they went into the admissions field in the first place!

It’s like dating…
When our students visit the college, “our” rep. is the person they will meet with, if available. Again, the student, school, and rep. are building a relationship to determine best fit and feel for college admission. Like”dating,” the more we become acquainted, the more (or less) time we want to spend together!

We invite, host, and take care of these important representatives of the colleges to where we hope our students will matriculate. Treating our guests individually, with care and
professionalism, enhances our mutual relationships. This intentional strategy is intended to counteract the typical school’s approach toward college representatives-stick them at a table in the cafeteria, leave them alone and treat them like a dreaded insurance salesmen. Even today, a college admissions officer told me that I has been the only “friendly” high school counselor they had talked to all day!

Now that you know the WHY we enthusiastically invite colleges to visit, what is expected of the student in this process?

Best feet forward
Anticipating a meeting with a college admissions officer makes many students nervous. Unsure students may imagine something more like an interrogation, complete with rapid-fire questions and a bare bulb hanging overhead. The truth is, most college interviews are relaxed, informative, and even fun. The interview is as much about you finding out about the college and whether it fits you as it is an interrogation with dire consequences. Indeed, very few colleges use interviews to weed out applicants. A great interview could enhance your application-especially if your interviewer is the same person who will assess your application-but it won’t make up for a weak academic record. On the other hand, a so-so interview probably won’t hurt your chances. Just taking the time to visit the college and talk to an admission officer makes a positive impression, because it shows that you’re really interested in the college.

But why settle for a so-so interview when a little preparation can make you stand out from the crowd? Here are some tips to change an interview from ho-hum small talk into meaningful conversation.

Know your stuff
Spending your interview just finding out basic facts about the college is a waste of your time (and the admission officer’s). Before you schedule an interview, read up on the college and make sure you’re really interested. “I always tell my students to do their homework and not ask for any information they can find elsewhere (Internet, guide books, view books, etc.),” says Sue Bigg, an educational consultant from Illinois.

Know yourself—and be yourself
Admission officers want to get to know you—not some fake personality that you think will impress them. “There is no ‘personality type’ or ‘lifestyle’ that is synonymous with a successful interview,” says Cigus Vanni, a counselor at Howell High School (NJ). “Give your interviewer credit for being able to discern if you’re being a phony.” Instead, get comfortable with yourself. Be prepared to discuss your interests, talents, and
experiences. Also, think about how your interests fit with what the college offers. “Students who understand their wants and the qualities they desire in a college, and who can articulate their needs, allow for the best interaction,” says Kevin Kropf, associate director of admissions at Albion College (MI). Before the interview, think about how you’d answer the following questions:

”_Students who can share their own thoughts and discuss books
impress me more than students who wax eloquently on something they obviously heard from their teacher_,” says Kropf.

Ask good questions
Often, your questions tell an interviewer more about you than anything else. Asking how many students attend the college, for example, tells the admission officer that you haven’t done your homework. On the other hand, insightful questions show that you’ve thought seriously about the college and your own needs. “Come with specific questions in mind that are sophisticated,” says Robert Massa, vice president of enrollment, student
life, and college relations at Dickinson College (PA). For example, he adds, a student interested in biochemistry may want to ask how that major can be combined with studying abroad. One strategy is to jot down several important questions ahead of time and take the list with you to the
interview. This gives you two advantages: you make sure not to forget anything, and the admission officer is sure to be impressed by your level of preparation. Here a few examples of good questions:

*What social options are available if I don’t join a fraternity/sorority? (for colleges with Greek systems)

*How involved are students in extracurricular activities? Do most students
stay on campus during the weekends?

“Asking ‘why?’ allows for the student to learn more than the superlative descriptor of a department or program,” says Kropf. “Of course your English department is great-tell me why it is great.”

Beware of these questions!
Your first-grade teacher was wrong—sometimes there is such as thing as a stupid question. Some questions to avoid:

Remember your manners
First impressions do count. Don’t let how you’re dressed get in the way of connecting with your interviewer. “There is no merit in taking extreme positions in fashion,” says Vanni. “Glamour and slovenliness should both be avoided-no need to rent a tuxedo nor to make a statement by under-dressing.” Casual dress is fine-especially if you’re planning to walk all over campus later-but avoid T-shirts and very short skirts or shorts. Khakis, casual dresses/skirts (for women), nice shorts, and polo-type shirts are all acceptable. You should be comfortable, without
looking like you’re headed to a wild party or an evening in front of the TV. Also, don’t forget about whoever you’re traveling with. Remember to introduce your parent(s), friend(s), and even your pesky younger brother to the admissions officer. And for a great last impression, write a thank-you note to the person who interviews you (make sure to get his/her business card before you leave the admissions office). Many students don’t take the
time to do this—which will make you stand out as the wonderful,
well-mannered person you are (or hope to be someday)!

_Portions Excerpted and Written by Jennifer Gross
http://www.nacac.com/p&s_steps_0901interviews.html_

Tip Sheet: On the Wisdom and Merits of Exploring ‘Less Visible’ Colleges

Ms. O’Connell is executive director of Colleges That Change Lives, a non-profit organization founded on “the goal of each student finding a college that develops a lifelong love of learning and provides the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life beyond college.”

“You’re applying WHERE?”

Academically talented high school students around the country tell me this is often the reaction they receive when sharing their thoughtfully chosen, but not “highly visible” colleges list with friends and family. We exist in a name-brand obsessed culture which creates stress-inducing media headlines every year, all year — including during the summer, when high school seniors are winnowing their prospective colleges list. Articles and blogs highlight only the attention-grabbing process of a very narrow band of highly visible colleges, and are translated by most students into “I’ll never get in anywhere!”

To counteract the notion that “a college can’t be any good if I’ve never heard of it” — another familiar student opinion — I challenge students to think about the people in their lives who are happy and successful and find out where, or if, they went to college. Doing this same exercise using “famous” people, they discover that most often the name and visibility of a college choice has much less to do with success in life than do the experience and opportunities students take advantage of during their college years.

Employers and graduate schools look for outstanding skills and experience, not college pedigree. In an attempt to flip the application process for students, I pose this question to them: “Would you want college admission deans to ignore your application, and the chance to learn all about your background and talents, only because they have never heard of your high school?”

Looking beyond name recognition when searching for colleges, students leave themselves open to more possibilities for colleges that will be a great fit for them.

If you had to choose a friend, spouse or partner for life, would you use a publication ranking him or her by income, IQ scores, and reputation — as reported by others who have never met the person? As a culture, we love consulting search engines, consumer guidebooks, and ranking lists for shortcut methods to choosing electronics and cars; the college search requires a more thoughtful, personal and time consuming approach.

The process can’t be reduced to rankings with numerical values when it truly requires starting with who the individual student is and why he or she is going to college – not to mention personal needs, desires, learning styles, and interests.

This self inventory is the start for finding colleges that “fit” for an individual, instead of beginning with the assumption that only the “Top Twenty” on theU.S. News and World Report or other rankings lists have any value. These ranking guides sell big, but their purported value in the college search process can certainly be diminished if students, parents and counselors learn to go after fit, rather than name brand.

One of the biggest flaws in starting the college search process by using ranking lists is that the lists tout entering-class statistics, rather than focusing on what happens during the four years those students are enrolled. The late Loren Pope, author of “Looking Beyond the Ivy League” and “Colleges That Change Lives,” said that choosing colleges based on the entering statistics of the freshmen class, is like choosing a hospital based on the health of those in the ER — ultimately, it’s the treatment that really matters.

In the case of colleges, what matters is what happens between the first year and graduation, not on the desks of the admission office. Researching colleges based on student outcomes highlights many schools that outperform the Ivies and Name Brands, even if they don’t have the benefit of name recognition.

The research from the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium on the Undergraduate Origins of Ph.Ds finds colleges like Beloit, Denison, Earlham,Goucher, Hampshire, Kalamazoo, Lawrence, Marlboro, Reed, St. John’s,Wabash and Wooster listed in the top ten, in various categories, of producers of future Ph.Ds — often ahead of more highly recognized colleges and universities.

Students need to examine their reasons for going, before making a list of colleges to apply for admission. Why, really, are you going? What are your abilities and strengths? What are your weaknesses? What do you want out of life, or in life—something tangible or intangible? Are you socially self-sufficient or do you need warm, familial support? What kind of learning community do you want to be part of? And so on. Exploring these questions with family, friends and high school counselors — the people who best know the student — can help in choosing colleges that match their learning style and goals.

NSSE, The National Survey of Student Engagement, is a wonderful resource for gathering information about college outcomes and provides a list of the right questions to ask during the college search.

The simple truth is that the majority of the colleges and universities in this country admit more students than they deny. The college search process should be an enjoyable and memorable experience, not an exercise to be dreaded. Students willing to investigate beyond the very narrow band of highly visible colleges will find many options that lead to a great fit and a worthwhile college experience — one that will instill a lifelong passion for learning and prepare students to meet the challenges and changes they will face during their lifetime.

Advice for ALL Students Going to College

In This Section

Prepare for College in High School

**Here Come Da Colleges: The Importance of the College Visit to High Schools**

Tip Sheet: On the Wisdom and Merits of Exploring ‘Less Visible’ Colleges