CRUNCH TIME

About this time of year, students start to sweat.  Parents begin to panic.  Can we really afford college? Did he apply to enough schools?  Did he apply to the right schools? Is everything going to be okay?  Stop…and find your balance.

If you are a senior, remember, you can ultimately only attend one university.  Applying to 15 schools is crazy—generally, it’s a result of poor planning, superficial investigation, and a lack of confidence.  As long as a student has done his research and found several colleges that will satisfy his needs and facilitate his passions…and where he is in the top 25% of the applicant pool, there’s no need to worry.  On the other hand, if a student has been unrealistic about his expectations or carelessly rushed through his college planning process, and if he is still submitting applications at this late date, he needs to stop for a moment and evaluate exactly why he took so long to apply to college.  Is he afraid?  Is he poorly organized?  Too busy?  Does he lack purpose?  Or does he simply not know the mechanics of the college application process? These are all “valid” reasons to still be working on applications at this point, but it is important the student takes a close look at exactly “why” he delayed the college application process.  Does he really want to go to college, or is he enrolling simply out of obligation?

Every year, more than a third of incoming freshmen drop out of school because they are ill-prepared.  Many students leave college because it’s “not what they thought it would be—like high school all over again.” Others are unable to prioritize or manage time, so they fail academically.  If a student has found a good match, however, these things won’t happen.  Students desperately need to feel parental support during the college planning and college application process.  I’m not just talking in terms of finances, here either. Think about how you are feeling emotionally as a parent and multiply that times 10.  That’s how a graduating senior feels—regardless of how he behaves. If your senior is still struggling with where to apply to school, he needs objective guidance.  Perhaps he should take a gap year or maybe he shouldn’t even attend college at all!

And what if he’s a junior?  Plenty of time, right?  Wrong!  In order to alleviate stress and confusion later on, a junior should be well into his college search by this time.  He should have developed his initial list of schools in the fall, and should be narrowing down his “top choices” right now and planning to visit them during spring break.  Proper research ensures that a student will find a good match, so it’s critical that he spends adequate time exploring universities.  Ideally, by the end of his junior year, a student should have narrowed down his college list to fewer than ten schools AND ideally, he should have visited them.  “What’s the rush?” you ask?  The college planning process operates on a very specific timeline and the sooner you adjust your life to that timeline, the better off you’ll be.  Generally speaking, students want to begin writing college essays in the summer between their junior and senior years, and they want to submit their applications by November 1^st of their senior year.  When you backtrack from that date, it’s easy to see why I suggest that all students finish both standardized testing and college planning during their junior year. 

Freshmen and sophomores should be concentrating on academic excellence and exploring interests through various activities.  By the time a student becomes a junior, he should demonstrate focus and depth of commitment. 

Too often, college “sneaks up” on families.  Don’t let that happen to you.  Plan ahead.  High school counselors are a wealth of information, and libraries are full of  “how-to” books. (Use The Christian’s Guide to College Admissions for a unique what-to-do-when approach.)  For professional, customized college planning assistance, contact College Advising and Planning Services at (505) 918-7669.  We’ll be happy to arrange a free, face-to-face, 25-minute meeting to see if we can meet your needs.

As always, please forward this newsletter to other friends who might be interested in college planning information.  Do remember to check out the “upcoming deadlines” section of the website for a monthly calendar of what you should be doing this month to stay on track with the college planning process.

Additionally, you can “like” our FACEBOOK page (College Advising and Planning) where I post interesting articles and videos about college planning.

CALM DOWN

    The college application process is a normally a time of stress.  In my view, however, it should be a time of positive stress related to excitement and expectation rather than negative stress related to fear and frenzy.  Certainly, trusting the Lord and knowing that He is working on your behalf is absolutely the best way to accomplish a stress-reduced college planning process.  Strangely, however, many Christians find this to be very difficult.  Why do I say “strangely?”  Because Christians trust God for eternity, yet we have a hard time trusting Him with our immediate future.  It just doesn’t make sense.  However, we all know that when we are under stress, nothing makes sense.  We tend to be guided by our emotions when we are under stress rather than what we know to be true.  With that in mind, here are some “practical tips” for navigating the college planning process a little more easily and hopefully, in a little more relaxed manner. 

1.     Have a positive perspective.  Every time you feel like thinking or saying, “I’m so overwhelmed,” instead, say, “This is so exciting.  I’m glad I know God has a plan for me!” (Go ahead and say it aloud!)

2.     Get organized.  A huge part of college planning is staying organized.  Utilize calendars and forms.  Keep a separate folder for each college. 

3.     Practice time management and get started early.  Take small bites—a little at a time.  It’s better to spend an hour a week intermittently throughout your junior year than to be spending 15 hours a week during your senior year selecting and applying for college.

4.     Finish your standardized testing by the end of your junior year.  Period.

5.     Eliminate colleges.  The college search is a comparative process.  Certainly, initially evaluate each school on its own merits, but remember, you can only attend one.  If you find something in the profile of a school that doesn’t meet your needs, eliminate it from your list.  You have 3500 schools from which to choose.  If you are diligent in your search, you will find several “good fits” where you can apply.

6.     Don’t talk a lot about your college search to people other than your family and your counselor.  Everyone has an opinion.  The only opinions that really count are God’s, the student’s, and the parents’.  It’s important not to “muddy the water” with too many opinions.

7.     The most competitive school is not always the best choice.  Just because a school is highly ranked or “great,” doesn’t mean it’s the right school for you.  Choose your school based on a “good fit.”  Does it meet your needs?

8.     On the other hand, don’t be afraid to reach for the stars.  You never know what will happen if you never try.  At the same time, however, never apply to a school just to “see if you can get in.”  That is a waste of time and money. 

9.     Parents, remember, “we” are not going to school.  Your student is.  Let him be proactive in the search.  Your job is to offer wise counsel and support.

10. If your student is having a problem with fear, procrastination, confusion, or stress in the college planning process, hire an independent education consultant.  Sure, this is a blatant plug for utilizing my services, but if you can spend under $2000, save well over 200 hours (the minimum time that a well-done college search takes), get expert advice, possibly save thousands in tuition through an excellent and targeted application, and help your student succeed, it’s money well spent.  

    The college planning process should not be a time of stress and anxiety.   By following these tips, hopefully you and your student will enjoy the process a little more, looking forward to the future instead of dreading it.

    As always, please forward this newsletter to other friends who might be interested in college planning information.  Do remember to check out the “upcoming deadlines” section of the website for a monthly calendar of what you should be doing this month to stay on track with the college planning process. 

    Additionally, you can “like” my FACEBOOK page (College Advising and Planning) where I post interesting articles and videos about college planning.

    For more information about College Advising and Planning Services or to inquire about our individual college planning services, please check out our website or call us at (505) 918-7669. 

LEARNING THE LANGUAGE OF ADMISSIONS

Entering the world of college admissions is a little like going to a foreign country.  Everything is new to most of us…and in many ways, scary. We wander around baffled and confused, allowing the stress to take over our lives.  One of the first places a person realizes this foreign world is in the terminology that used in college admissions, especially with regard to the ever-looming deadline.  With that in mind, let’s have “language 101” for college admissions.

Regular admission deadline-Regular admission means that this is the last preferred date that a student can submit an application.  The hard deadline applies only to those pieces of the application that you have to submit.  Admissions officers know that letters of recommendation and transcripts will trickle in, however, they also realize that you are the one who has to request those items, therefore, you want to ask in advance of the deadline.  Schools allow a reasonable grace period for all supporting documents, but you need to follow up in order to make sure that those documents are submitted as soon as possible.  If you miss the regular admission deadline, can you apply anyway?  Absolutely.  However, you may not know until later whether or not you are admitted.  Every year, just after May 1^st (the National Reply Date for college candidates), the National Association of College Admissions Counselors publishes a list of schools that still have openings, therefore, it is possible for you to apply quite late and , if you meet the school’s criteria, you may get accepted.  It is quite doubtful, however, that you will receive any financial aid.

Rolling admissions-This is a fascinating concept.  It basically means “non-competitive—judging your application based on its own merits, not as compared to other students.”  A university with rolling admissions accepts students as they apply, usually within 4 to 6 weeks.  In other words, you avoid the long, harrowing wait to know whether or not you’ve been admitted. If a university does not have rolling admissions, it means that, ultimately, the university “ranks” applications based on the total applicant pool. You are compared to the other applicants and if your application is not as strong, it is possible that you may not be admitted.  On the other hand, just because a school has rolling admissions doesn’t mean it isn’t competitive.  Every school sets its own standards.  In rolling admissions you are evaluated primarily on your own merits and whether or not you meet the school’s standards.   In schools without rolling admissions, you will be judged in terms of how well you meet the entry criteria as compared to other applicants.

Acceptance rate-Every school (we hope) has a limit on the number of students it accepts.  If it didn’t, it would be difficult to get classes, and it would be almost impossible to graduate in four years.  (Hmmm, this sounds like a lot of our schools, doesn’t it?)  A school always offers admission to many more students than they know will actually matriculate (come to the school).  They do this because they know that not every student who gets accepted to a particular institution will actually choose to come to that school, and since universities are ultimately a business, this is their way of covering their bases.  If more students matriculate  than they expect, double rooms are turned into triples and classes become impacted (difficult to enter). 

Early decision-If a student applies “ED” (early decision), it means that, if admitted, the student will attend the school.  Consequently, a student can only apply to one school through early decision. Notification or denial of admission is usually received before December 1^st and, if accepted, the student agrees to withdraw all other applications.  The early decision deadline for a school is usually much earlier than the regular decision deadline.  The acceptance rate for early decision is much higher at schools because students are required to attend that university.  This acceptance, by the way, is made regardless of financial aid.  Occasionally, students can back out of ED due to financial hardship, but, believe it or not, word gets around about this student, and consequently, he may not be accepted to another school.  Backing out of early decision is considered taboo.

Early admission-Early admission is the best of both worlds.  In this process, if you submit your application by a particular date, you will be notified of admission by an earlier date (usually February 1^st).  It is important to realize that applying by the early admission deadline (also called the priority deadline) does not guarantee admission, however, it can increase a student’s chances for merit-based aid (if a school offers it). Applying early admission communicates to a school that you are very interested in that institution.  As a result, many colleges may consider your application more favorably. 

These terms are only the tip of the iceberg.  When you speak to an admissions officer or read information on a college website, make sure you understand both the words and the connotation.  If you don’t know what something means, ask.  Remember, you’re dealing with the world of education.  Educate yourself.

HOW WILL YOU FARE AT THE FAIR?        

The Albuquerque College Fair is Sunday, October 16^th from 1 to 3 pm at the Albuquerque Convention Center.  Hope Christian School is hosting a Christian College Fair on Wednesday, October 26^th from 6 to 8 pm. Both of these events are wonderful opportunities for students to speak to college admissions representatives, show “demonstrated interest,” and further investigate whether or not a school might be a great fit.

        Unfortunately, however, many students don’t prepare for college fairs, and therefore, end up wasting a couple of hours wandering around tables and picking up about 20 pounds of propaganda from schools that are far from the right fit. 

        In order to make the most of a college fair, first of all develop some college criteria.  Decide what YOU want in a school regarding size, majors, location, etc.  Think this through carefully and create your parameters based on what your academic and social needs are.  After you’ve developed some criteria, if at all possible, explore the list of participating schools (for the October 16^th fair, visit  http://www.rmacac.org/index.php/events/show/7), research the schools, and decide which college representatives might be worth visiting. 

        If you walk into a college fair “cold,” it’s very easy to become overwhelmed and think to yourself, “This is overwhelming!  I’ll just go to my default school.”  Avoid panic through preparation.  College fairs can open up some great options.

         Fewer than 15% of students in New Mexico attend out of state schools.  Many schools (especially small, private, liberal arts institutions) would love to have bragging rights about having a student from New Mexico.  For this reason, some schools will offer considerable financial aid to attract a student from New Mexico.   Remember, just because you haven’t “heard of” a school before doesn’t mean it isn’t a great university.  Conversely, just because you’ve “heard of” a school, doesn’t mean it’s a great fit for you.  Ask yourself, “Is this school right for me?  Does it have what I need? Is it worth exploring further?” A college fair is a terrific opportunity to explore an “unknown” school that seems to meet your criteria.

        Prior to attending a college fair, set up a college email account.  That will be the address you will give the college representatives.  John_Doe@gmail.com makes a much more positive impression than Dirtydevil@gmail.com.  Some college representatives will also ask to “friend” you on Facebook.  Make sure your Facebook account is something that would work in your favor.  Additionally, in order to save time at the fair, you may find it beneficial to create self stick labels that contain your legal name, mailing address, email address, phone number, year of graduation, and intended area of study.  You can stick these on the inquiry cards instead of filling them out by hand.

         When you arrive at the college fair, look at the map and find your “schools of interest.”  Visit those tables first, asking questions that aren’t readily answerable on the website. (Prepare these in advance.)  In addition to this being an opportunity for you to investigate the school, remember the admissions representative is also sizing you up.  Be professional and courteous.  Come prepared with a list of questions.  Listen to the representative, take notes, and collect business cards.  

         Many college fairs also have presentations on financial aid or other college-related topics.  Usually these presentations are either before the fair or near the end.  Check the schedule to see what is available. 

        After the fair, follow up with those admissions representatives you met.  It’s a good idea to write a brief “thank you” note, and, if you have more questions, give them a call.

         College fairs can be a great tool in college planning, however to make the most of the fair, a student should be well-prepared.  A little planning can go a long way.  Take responsibility for your future so you will fare well at the fair. 

        As always, please forward this newsletter to other friends who might be interested in college planning information.  Do remember to check out the “upcoming deadlines” section of the website for a monthly calendar of what you should be doing this month to stay on track with the college planning process. 

        Additionally, you can “like” my FACEBOOK page (College Advising and Planning) where I post interesting articles and videos about college planning.

        For more information about College Advising and Planning Services or to inquire about our individual college planning services, please check out our website or call us at (505) 918-7669.

STANDARDIZED TESTING MISTAKES

    While over 800 universities now consider themselves “test optional,” the vast majority of schools still require—and heavily consider—standardized test scores as one of their admissions criteria.  There has been a lot of debate in recent years about the validity of test scores and whether or not a student’s scores accurately reflect his ability to succeed in college.  Nevertheless, it is what it is, and it behooves students to do their best on these “necessary evils” of college admissions. 

    Many students blame lower-than-expected scores on lack of aptitude or trick questions, and that may be somewhat true.  However, a large percentage of mistakes are simply due to ignorance—not of test material, per se, but of effective test taking techniques. 

    Unfortunately, a lot of students don’t practice for standardized tests.  That is a huge mistake, but many times, even students that practice make certain mistakes in their preparation.  One common error is that students practice only “the hard stuff.”  A significant percentage of questions, however, is based on “the easy stuff”—pre-algebraic math concepts and basic rules of grammar.  Students often assume they know this information, but the truth is, they have forgotten a lot of that knowledge that they knew in 9^th grade.  Read the test prep book and review the information.  It tells you exactly what concepts will be covered.  If you can’t remember a concept that it mentions, refresh your memory.

    Another issue that comes to mind with regard to making mistakes on the English section of standardized tests is that our ears have adjusted to colloquialisms.  For example, it is common to hear grammatically incorrect expressions such as “these ones,” and “between you and I” as well as other expressions to which students’ ears have become accustomed in everyday conversations. Unless a student intentionally practices proper grammar in his routine speech, he may not recognize some of the “traps” on the English section of SAT and ACT.

    Finally, many students never investigate which standardized test (SAT or ACT) is more appropriate for them.  The two tests are very different, and there are ways to determine which test might be better for which student.  Because two-thirds of students do better on one test than the other, this is a concept worth exploring.  Sometimes this can be determined by comparing the student’s PLAN and PSAT scores or sometimes it can be as easy as asking the student a few questions about his learning style.  Most students take both tests once, which is generally a good idea, but if the student takes the test on which he did better a second time, it indicates the student’s perseverance and determination to succeed.  Unfortunately, too many students delay their tests until the end of their junior year or the beginning of their senior year so they don’t give themselves an opportunity to demonstrate this important characteristic.  

    When it comes to standardized testing, there are simple ways to avoid major pitfalls.  While you won’t achieve a high score unless you know the information as well as test strategies, there are simple ways to improve your scores.  All it takes is some initiative on the part of the student. For more test tips, refer to the “Tips and Advice” section of this website.  If your student is considering a school that heavily considers test scores for merit-based aid (which the majority do), you may want to consider purchasing a time block for one-on-one coaching. 

     For more information about College Advising and Planning Services or to inquire about our individual college planning services, please check out our website or call us at (505) 918-7669.

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