College Planning Tips – Counselor Connection

I opted in to receive emails from the College Board via their Counselor Connection listserv. The newsletters (emails) typically include links to upcoming webinars and other online resources for high school counselors. Right now, I am in China, so only had time to skim the most recent email, but I saved it because the College Planning Tips section caught my attention. I was a bit surprised that the first set of tips was for students grades 6-8. I was also surprised to see them promoting both volunteer and summer enrichment activities, in addition to the use of Khan Academy.

I honestly wonder how many high school counselors are pushing any of these activities (service, summer enrichment, and pre-college planning) in grades 6-8. I fear many of my students (even those at elite private high schools in NYC) are not hearing much of this messaging or at least consistent messaging of this nature this early on (middle school). Some come to me with little or no summer enrichment activities related to academic interests, very light service history, and no knowledge of Khan Academy (a resource I am a fan of, but have no formal affiliation with). I guess they could be hearing it and just not acting on it?

I would love for more students to place an emphasis on service early on in their high school careers, as well as begin exploring their academic interests via summer enrichment programs and modules via Khan Academy. So, I support this message from the College Board and hope more high school counselors pass these resources along to their students and their student’s families.

Changes to the University of California Essays

Many changes on the horizon for applicants this summer/fall. Here’s another to add to the mix, this time from the UC system, regarding essay topics (more info here)!

So, what happened to the personal statement?

-We’ve replaced the personal statement with the new personal insight questions for the fall 2017 application. We hope this new format will give you clearer guidance and more flexibility in the kind of information you want to share with us.

-The personal insight questions are about getting to know you better — your life experience, interests, ambitions and inspirations.

-Think of it as your interview with the admissions office. Be open. Be reflective. Find your individual voice and express it.

-While this section of the application is just one part we consider when making our admission decision, it helps provide context for the rest of your application.

Check out the new prompts and the guidance provided:

Freshman questions & directions »

Transfer questions & directions »

Writing tips »

So You’ve Been Waitlisted

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Although getting admitted off of the waitlist can and does happen, please keep in mind the number of admits is very low. Some schools waitlist thousands of applicants, only to offer a few hundred spots (or 0, or 20, or 50) in their incoming class.

College Kickstart’s sample of waitlist statistics from 160 private and public institutions paints the following picture:

  • On average, 17 percent of students accepting a place on a waitlist were admitted
  • 58 percent of the schools admitted 10 percent or less of the students accepting a place on the waitlist last year
  • 41 percent of the schools admitted 5 percent or less
  • 12 percent admitted no one

They note there are several factors driving low admit rates, including the size of the waitlist (often very large), and how well a school anticipates its admissions yield—I agree.

So what can you do if you have been deferred or waitlisted?

  1. Write a waitlist letter. This letter should contain information updating the school on what you’ve been up to both inside and outside of the classroom since the time you applied. It should also be used to reiterate interest and a commitment to attend if applicable. *If you are not 100% committed to attending, do not say so in the letter.
  2. Have your guidance counselor call the admissions office and advocate for you. Ask them to back up what they say on the call in an email and ask them to provide additional information that supports your candidacy.
  3. Make sure updated grades/transcript are sent promptly.
  4. Consider one or more of the following:
    1. Visit the school and swing by admissions to reiterate interest. Sit in on a class, stay overnight, take advantage of any admissions events/programming you may not have during your initial application process.
    2. Obtain and have an extra letter of recommendation sent. This letter could be from a teacher, coach or someone else close to you who can speak to what you have to contribute to the university. *Side note on alumni letters­ and letters from well-known and or famous people. Many students ask if these are helpful to send, and the answer is no, they are not unless the person really knows you. If you think that a big name vouching for you will help, it generally doesn’t as a stand-alone factor, and officers can see through these often brief and less than meaningful notes.

Again, getting admitted off of the waitlist can happen, but it is a wise idea to get excited about the schools where you were admitted and focus on choosing which one will be the best place for you to spend the next four years!

Stanford Admit Rate Drops to Zero Percent

An early April Fools’ Day article by Frank Bruni, or a glimpse into our impending future? A hilarious yet sad read but thought-provoking and yet another reminder that we need to take these outcomes with a grain of salt.  One of my favorite bits:

“On campuses from coast to coast, there was soul searching about ways in which colleges might be unintentionally deterring prospective applicants. Were the applications themselves too laborious? Brown may give next year’s aspirants the option of submitting, in lieu of several essays, one haiku and one original recipe using organic kale.”

Thankfully, kale is an extremely versatile vegetable.

There Has to a Better and More Sane Way

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“You can get a top-notch education anywhere. It simply depends on how much effort you are willing to put in.”

A somewhat true statement, albeit sometimes hard to implement. However, this I have come to learn is very true: “Basically, if you work hard and people like being around you, you can go far in almost any field, regardless of where your diploma is from.”

I have seen Behar’s example play out many times:

Right now, I work with a super bright man who went to a small bible college in Oklahoma. And we have ended up on the same show at the same time at the same position. And I don’t think he’s perseverating about the fact that he didn’t go to Brown. In fact, since I split a salary with my writing partner, he probably makes twice what I make. So I’m sure he’s not perseverating about it. Or feeling the need to ever say “perseverating.”

Can everyone please read this article and then chill out? Like he said, he’s no psychologist or educational consultant, but there is a lot of truth in his in words that we all need to hear.

Expanding Students’ Thinking about “Good” Colleges

The recent report from the Harvard Graduate School of Education entitled “Turning the Tide” suggests and recommends a lot of things. The report is in the news all of the time, so although I have no desire to read more about it, I do. Of all of the suggestions and recommendations, the one that I keep coming back to is recommendation #5: Expanding Students’ Thinking about “Good” Colleges

“Admissions officers and guidance counselors should challenge the misconception that there are only a handful of excellent colleges and that only a handful of colleges create networks that are vital to job success. It is incumbent upon parents to challenge this misconception as well. There is a broad range of excellent colleges across the country, and students who attend these colleges are commonly successful later in life in the full array of professions. There are many paths to professional success, and students and parents should be far more concerned with whether a college is a good fit for a student than how high status it is.”

The problem with this recommendation is that it ignores a) there are a ton of excellent colleges where meaningful networks can be created and b) there are many parents (and counselors) who have been for a long time encouraging students and families to look beyond the rankings, brand names and the haze of prestige.

I spend a good amount of time talking to parents and students who are “stuck” focused on a certain school or set of schools, many times unable to face the reality that attending one of these schools or school X of their dreams is slim. Most of the time, it has nothing to do with anything other than numbers, plain and simple, yet most students and families take this very personally because they have narrowly defined what a good (or even great) college is.

The saddest part of these conversations is knowing that either party is disappointed when they do not need to be, and that may of them wallow in this disappoints for the entire application process. There are so many GREAT colleges that fit the needs of so many students the choices are almost endless. I don’t know, but to me this is exciting. Having 3-5 solid options sounds like a dream to me, and this can be the reality for most students with proper planning and expectation setting (which includes having an expanded definition of what a ‘good” college is).

Having worked with college applicants for almost five years now, I know from experience how wonderful it is when a student receives a multitude of acceptances or acceptance to their top choice. This is not the result of luck, but of an appropriate college list. An appropriate list consists of a majority of match schools, and a few safeties and reaches—not a few safeties and then all reaches just for the heck of it. When you craft a list that sets your student up for success, nine times out of ten, the process ends on a positive note. The mindset of “just giving it a shot [regarding reaches]” is not a good one; it rarely if ever works out well.

There is very little if no luck at all in this process! Also, why would anyone want to attend a school where they are going be unsuccessful or be at the bottom of the class academically compared to their peers? Many people answer because they will build a better network, or because it is better to surround yourself with people that are smarter than you. To this I say you will find people smarter than you wherever you go, especially in college—take a peek at any honors program and you’ll see. Regarding network, sure, there may be some merit to this argument in some cases, but if you want entry into certain circles, there are ways to make that happen with hard work and a little persistence. A degree from college X is not always the only way to reach a desired career or network related outcome. Lastly, I’d rather attend a school that fits my academic profile and do my best to excel and rise to the top of the class than fall somewhere in the middle. If you have grad school in your sights, then this is key—you need a killer GPA, no exceptions, for a top graduate program.

When students and families expand their thinking about good (and I say, great) colleges, they open up a world of possibilities and from my experience, avenues for not only academic success but genuine happiness with their college experience. It is time to stop thinking so narrowly about college.

 

Colleges That Change Lives Reply to Turning the Tide

 

Love this note from the Colleges That Change Lives newsletter (you can subscribe here) from Maria Furtado, Executive Director of CTCL, on the Turning the Tide initiative.

The Turning the Tide initiative has lots of people in higher education and high schools talking about helping students maximize their high school experience – in all kinds of ways, not just with a plethora of AP classes. This is a good thing.
Ironically, however, the roughly 90 schools that have signed onto the Tide-initiative include some of the most selective (and perhaps stress-inducing) schools in the nation. As has been the case with college rankings, when the focus is on such a narrow band of schools (in this case, approximately 3 percent of the not-for-profit colleges and universities), it’s easy to lose sight of the reality that there are, and always have been, many wonderful opportunities for students at the majority of U.S. colleges and universities.
So, here’s another idea: Let’s encourage students to consider the “other” 2500+ colleges – large and small, urban and rural, public and private – that are inclusive, rather than selective in their admission policies. 
Colleges That Change Lives has long encouraged students to consider their high school years as a valid life experience, not just a stepping stone to college. CTCL schools review applications with an eye towards admission and admit students who have spent their high school years living an authentic experience – taking courses that challenged and intrigued them intellectually, while also balancing a schedule that includes time for family, friends, activities, and even sleep. This focus recognizes that students who do what they genuinely enjoy are happier and that, by learning to balance their strengths and weaknesses, students are more prepared not just for college but for life.
Turning the Tide merely repeats what CTCL has advocated for years: Colleges should recognize the value students bring to campus, rather than requiring a “more is always better” mentality for applications. CTCL (and schools like them) are pleased to have everyone on the same page now.
Well said!

Princeton Review: Why You Need a College Counselor

According to the Princeton Review, a college counselor should be a strategy consultant, coach, and cheerleader all rolled into one. I couldn’t agree more! Here are a few of their thoughts on why you need a college counselor and how your counselor fits into your overall application timeline.

Lower your college stress

Applications are stressful. 73% of respondents to the 2015 College Hopes & Worries survey gauged their stress levels as “high” or “very high.”  Knowing that there are college experts in your corner can make all the difference. At The Princeton Review, our college counselors are available face-to-face whenever you have a question (or just need some encouragement).

Make a wish list

Talking with a college counselor about your dreams and goals can help you figure out what you really want out of college. Does your best-fit college run a popular co-operative education program? Are you looking for a politically active student body? Conversations with your counselor about what’s important to you in terms of academics, campus culture, and financial aid will help guide your overall college search.

Find and compare colleges

There are hundreds of colleges out there, and the right school for your unique personality and goals may be an Ivy League or it might be a school you haven’t heard of (yet!). College counselors are pros at helping you research schools and then narrowing your list to the colleges you should focus on.

Help you rise to the top

In a competitive applicant pool, a stellar college application is about more than just grades and SAT/ACT scores. Your college counselor will help you position the rest of your application to tell the story of who you are through your essays, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation. Counselors know which essay topics are overdone, how to make good use of supplementary materials, and how to explain an uncharacteristic bad grade to admissions committees.

Choose the right school for you

Your college counselors will help you craft your list of dream, match, and safety schools and craft the right application strategy for your college wishlist. And when those acceptances roll in, your counselors help you compare programs and financial aid packages so that you make the right decision for you.

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The End of Average

 

Todd Rose teaches educational neuroscience at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He’s also the co-founder of The Center for Individual Opportunity, a new organization devoted to “the science of the individual and its implications for education, the workforce, and society.” And, a new book on my to-read list, The End Of Average: How We Succeed in a World That Values Sameness. 

What’s unique about Todd is his past: he dropped out of high school with D- grades, and at 21, he was trying to support a wife and two sons on welfare and minimum wage jobs. Not your typical path to Harvard, right?

In the book, he argues that absolutely no one is precisely average—and that’s a big problem.

“We’ve come to embrace a way of thinking about ourselves as people that was intentionally designed to ignore all individuality and force everything in reference to an average person.”

Offices of admission, in particular, make life-changing decisions based on averages, which is a horrible way to try to understand an individual. Read more in his interview with NPR here, as well as the book review from the New York Times here.

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