March Action Plan – Juniors

By Brittany MaschalMar 01, 2018

The college process is in full swing! Here are a few things to have on your radar and work through this month:

  • You should be meeting with your counselor at school to talk about your college list, testing plan, and letters of recommendation.
  • If possible, fit in a few more college visits. Are you going to sit in on a class? Do you want to try to meet with someone in your intended department of interest (major, minor, etc.)? Not all schools offer formal pathways to these opportunities, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make them happen.
  • Some colleges open up their on-campus interviews this spring. If you plan to interview, please prepare. You should always prepare for interviews, even if a school states they are not evaluative.
  • Do you know what major(s) you will mark on your application or is your strategy to go ‘undecided’? This is a critical part of the process that should be determined now.
  • Keep focusing on your grades, test prep, and strengthening your narrative through your extracurricular activities! By this time, you should have a plan for the summer and that plan should support your “story” for college.

 

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It’s That Time of Year Again…Campus Tours

By Brittany MaschalFeb 22, 2018

Although there are some hilarious truths to College Humor’s video, I still suggest visiting the schools on your list. Here are some suggestions for campus visits:

Scheduling Your Trip

  • Pick a time that’s convenient for you, but try to go when classes are in session. That way, you can sit in on a class, eat lunch with a current student, etc. You’ll only get a true feel for the campus if you’re there on a day when classes are in full swing.
  • Monday through Thursday is ideal. If possible, try to visit during high school holidays that fall on Mondays, when most colleges are in session.
  • Find out how often college tours run, and if you have to sign up in advance.
  • If an interview is offered (always interview if offered), you’ll likely need to make an appointment. Also, consider meeting with a financial aid officer if you will be applying for aid.
  • If you’re curious about a club, program, or sport, arrange to attend a practice, rehearsal, or club meeting. The same goes for your academic department of interest; reach out ahead of time and see if you can meet faculty or staff while on campus.

When Not to Go

  • Try to avoid Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas week, winter and spring break, and of course, summer (end of May, June, July, first two weeks of August). If you can only visit during the summer months, try to go on a day when there are full visit programs geared toward freshmen, if applicable.
  • Avoid visiting when classes aren’t meeting such as university reading period, exam weeks, weekends, and when the admission office is closed to visitors.

Research the College

  • It’s important to know something about the college before you arrive on campus, especially if you have an interview scheduled or plan to meet with academic departments or faculty.
  • Review the website, course catalogs, and any other materials the college sends to prospective students or that are available to you online.

Talk to People and Take Notes

  • Make a list of what characteristics are most important to you, so you know what to evaluate. Do you feel overwhelmed in a large lecture hall? Check out the class size. Is there a particular major that you want to pursue? Review the department website and swing by when on campus if you were not able to schedule a meeting ahead of time.
  • Talk to current students or professors and send follow-up emails (and thank you notes/emails).
  • Talk to admissions officers if possible; make sure to get their card/contact info and follow up with a thank you email or handwritten note.
  • Was it X College or Y University that had an awesome library/gym/biology lab? Where did I talk to that psychology professor? You think you’ll remember everything, but you’ll be surprised how colleges start to blend after you’ve seen a few. So…
  • TAKE NOTES at each school about what you liked and disliked, the places on campus you saw that impressed you, the names of the dorms, library, etc.! Takes notes on everything. This info will come in handy when it comes time to write “why school” and other supplemental essays/interest/defer letters!

 

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Reality Therapy. The Importance of Honesty in College Admissions

By Brittany MaschalFeb 20, 2018

I’ve wanted to share an opinion piece by Jim Jump posted this past November, in which he discusses balancing loyalty (being a cheerleader) and truth (being an honest source of information) in college advising. A few excerpts are below, but I suggest reading the full article here. His “talk” is one I am familiar with:

Recently I met with the top student in my junior class. He has Ivy ambitions, and in a perfect world there would be no question that he would be admitted, but the college admission world, especially at the top of the food chain, is far from perfect. He is unhooked, so I felt obligated to give him the talk I give every one of my students applying to the Ivies and comparably selective colleges and universities.

In a hyperselective environment, where fewer than one in 10 applicants are admitted, no one’s credentials assure admission. Superb grades and scores are, to borrow phrasing from logic, necessary but not sufficient. Colleges and universities use the admission process to help achieve institutional goals and priorities, goals and priorities that may not be publicly stated. As a result an offer of admission is partly merit, partly meeting institutional needs and partly luck.

That message is not easy to hear for a student who’s done everything right and excelled in every environment they have been in.

Seeing highly qualified students get denied from schools that a few years ago they would have likely been admitted is tough. That said, when it comes time for these “talks,” I also like to remind students (and their parents) that where you go to college is not the single defining factor of your life; what is far more important is what you do while you are there (wherever “there” is), the relationships you build, and the person you become. In the end, those things lead to a successful, happy life, not the name of the school on your diploma.

 

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Join Our Facebook Group for Common App News and Advice

By Brittany MaschalFeb 07, 2018

In May of 2017, we released the first video in a series of video tutorials on the blog to help you fill out the Common Application. In tandem, we created a Facebook Group, Conquer The Common Application. We hope this group will serve as an additional forum beyond this blog to share Common App related news, tips, and advice. We hope that students, parents, counselors—really anyone who fills out or helps students fill out the Common App—will join and use the group as a place to learn and share with each another. Through the group, I will be able to circulate information that is not as easy to share on this blog, for example, completed “sample” sections from the Common App to refer to as you fill it out.

This group is closed, meaning you need to request to join the group to have access to its contents.  Please join the group and invite your friends! And while you’re on Facebook, follow the BMC page, too!

 

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February Action Plan – Freshmen/Sophomores

By Brittany MaschalFeb 03, 2018

Just a few notes for 9th and 10th graders this month:

  • Focus on your grades! Your transcript is the most important part of your college application.
  • Start to think about next year’s course schedule. Do you know what you will be taking? Your classes next year should be more challenging than this year.
  • Start working on your resume now. Some colleges let you send one with your application, and it’s best to have it drafted early and ready to update as needed. Also because…
  • Many 2018 summer program applications are now open. You should be confirming your plans for summer 2018 now and work on applications if needed.

 

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February Action Plan – Seniors

By Brittany MaschalFeb 02, 2018

Not very many notes for seniors this month. Even if you are already “in” and know where you are headed next fall, make sure to keep your grades up; if you are in the ED II or RD pool, this applies to you, too! Here are a few things to keep in mind this month:

  • Don’t forget to fill out your portion of the Common Application Mid-Year Report and forward it to your counselor (or follow any specific instructions your school has for filing these reports with colleges). The Mid-Year Report can be found under the “My Colleges” tab on each college’s Recommenders and FERPA page. Schools that don’t use the Common App have their own mid-year reports and instructions. Please check with your school counselor to make sure these reports are sent as needed.
  • Once your applications have been submitted, be sure to track the status of each app online to ensure all of your application materials were received. Follow up with your school counselor ASAP if a school is missing your transcript or a letter of recommendation. Check your junk email folder regularly (daily), so you do not miss correspondence from schools.

 

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February Action Plan – Juniors

By Brittany MaschalFeb 01, 2018

Lots on the to-do list this month, juniors! Here are a few things we think should be on your radar:

  • Now is the time to visit colleges! Are you going to sit in on a class? Do you want to try to meet with someone in your intended department of interest (major, minor, etc.)? Not all schools offer formal pathways to these opportunities, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make them happen. After all campus visits, even if you just sit in on a general info session and take a tour, send your regional rep and any admission representatives you met while on campus a follow-up/thank you email.
  • Some colleges open up their on-campus interviews this spring. If you plan to visit campus and interview, please prepare. You should always prepare for interviews, even if a school states they are not evaluative.
  • Many applications for summer activities/programs are now live. Next summer is a wonderful opportunity to do something really meaningful, perhaps even fun, that will help you tell your story for college! Make your plans now.
  • Meet with your college counselor and get a game-plan in place for spring/summer.
  • Start working on your resume. Some summer programs, internships, and interviewers will ask for this, so it’s useful to have handy.
  • Do you know what major(s) you will mark on your application? Do you have a clearly defined “story” for your college apps? If not, this is a critical part of the process that should be determined now.
  • Start to think about your senior year schedule. Do you know what you will be taking? Your senior classes should be the most challenging of your four years.

 

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Colleges Offering Guaranteed Admissions

By Brittany MaschalJan 30, 2018

 

Guaranteed college admission? Yes, it exists! Quite a few US colleges/universities offer guaranteed admissions to students who meet certain SAT, ACT, and GPA criteria. You often find these policies at large public institutions because they have a ton of applications to read through and this is a good way to make that process more efficient. So is guaranteed admissions only for in-state students? No! There are several public university systems that offer guaranteed admissions specifically to out-of-state applicants who meet certain standards. 

College Kickstart compiled a comprehensive list of schools with guaranteed admissions policies for both residents and non-residents and the base criteria. Head over to their website to check it out!

 

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11TH GRADE: TIME TO START THE COLLEGE SEARCH AND APPLICATION PROCESS

By Brittany MaschalJan 23, 2018

By 10th and 11th-grade college talk should be consistent—especially if you are, or have a student who is—aiming to attend a selective college or university. That said, we start the majority of our work with students, which includes applying to summer programs, narrative development (your “story” for college), developing your college list, and completing the personal statement and resume, in 11th grade. There is no better time to start the process than right now!

Juniors should consider the following:

  • It is test prep time! If you have not started yet, start now.
  • Meet with your school counselor. S/he will write one of your letters of recommendation for college, and the letter will be much more personal if you know each other! Talk about your plans for this year and next year; let them know about your preliminary college list, any visits you have scheduled, and your testing plan.
  • Now is the time to build your story for college! Have you gotten more involved with any of your extracurricular activities, especially those that relate to your academic interests? Look for leadership opportunities in school and consider activities outside of school as well. Think about ideas for new and different activities, or for how to get more involved in your favorite activity (academic and non-academic).
  • Visit the websites of the schools you are interested in. Explore the admissions and academics pages. Start to think about your major of interest and how the activities you are involved in support this interest; you should be exploring your interests outside of the classroom/school!
  • Visit colleges in person! Spring is a great time to visit colleges. Talk to students, faculty, and staff, and take notes about classes, clubs, etc. you might want to include in your essays.

Email us or fill out the contact form to schedule a consult and find out how we can support you in your college planning and application process!

 

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Starting the Common Application

By Brittany MaschalJan 18, 2018

You can roll your Common App account over year-to-year, so there’s no better time than now to open an account, get familiar with the system, and get some of your app work completed.

Create Your Account

There is no preparation required for this step, so you can create your account as early as you’d like. All you’ll need is some basic profile information—like your name, date of birth, address and phone number. And of course, you’ll need to provide a valid email address.

Note: Your email address will become your username and the Common App’s primary method of sending you updates and reminders, so make sure that you provide an email address that you check on a regular basis.

Gather Your General Application Information

While every school has a different list of college-specific requirements, the general application information (the base Common App data) will remain constant for all schools on your list.

You’ll be asked to list your activities, entrance exam scores and exam dates, parent or legal guardian and sibling information, and for some schools your high school grades and courses. Get a head start and save yourself time by collecting this information before you fill out the application.

Specific Requirements

Just like every student is unique, so is every school. No two schools will have the same requirements—so work to understand these requirements early on.

How? The first thing you need to do is read the Application Instructions on each school’s website. Please take the time to read the application instructions in their entirety. On the Common App, you can also check out the Requirements Grid and download the Requirements Tracker worksheet.

Add Schools to Your Dashboard

The Common App presents you with the opportunity to search from more than 700 schools (private, public, large and small), find the ones that meet your needs, and then add them to your My Colleges list—a convenient place to track the work ahead of you.

Once you log in, simply click on the College Search tab to find schools based on their name, location, deadline, or distance from your home.

Note: If you add schools to your Dashboard before the Common App refreshes for the 2018-2019 application year, any data you fill out on the school-specific pages can and most likely will be erased. If you add schools to your Dashboard after the refresh takes place, your information will be saved for the duration of the 2018-2019 application season.

 

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