A year in the life… of a high school junior/senior
As promised, on my radio show, College Bound & Determined, here are the highlights of that last crucial year in the the journey to find the colleges that are the best matches.
Every week on my show, I create the space to step back and think about the college search and selection process. Check out my savvy guests, thoughtful questions, and fresh ideas. Parents learn ways to help their teens move away from the frenzy and teens can hear new techniques for making the shift from feeling anxious, confused, and overwhelmed to confident, organized, and successful in finding the colleges that are the right fit! Listen in, here.
The BIG question that’s on seniors’ minds this time of year: Could I possibly get a rejection letter from every college that I applied to? I just completed an interview for an online news service that will post next week-> I wanted to give you the information now!
While it’s unlikely-particularly if you did your homework and found the colleges that are the right match for you, and didn’t listen to your mom, dad, grandparents, or best friend… about where to go to school-because they
- went there
- heard it was impressive/great/fun
- they are going there
- want you close to home…
It is possible to receive a rejection letter from every college that you applied to… Do not despair!
What should you do?
First, focus on these facts:
- Success in life is more than attending a specific college/univeristy
- College is more about the experience than going to a particular school
- Admissions trends vary-you were not a fit for the incoming classes where you applied this year-> perhaps you will be next year, if the schools were truly the right fit
- Call the admission office to ensure that they had all your materials and your most recent test scores (if you did not take that step prior to the admissions deadline)
- Check out the appeals process: It’s possible to appeal the determination at some schools, but not at others
Second, read through all the information of the mindmap, click All is not lost!, as there are details about
- realities of admissions
- actions to take about the admissions package
- options for next fall and the future
- emotionally-where to focus
And, if I can help, send me an email, jill@majorinyou.com, or give me a call!
No time like the present for teens and their parents to be thinking about financing college!
Parents of seniors are completing the FAFSA and CSS/Profile… and maybe doing some last minute searching for scholarships…
Juniors and their parents need to be having those first conversations about college costs… Because how do you start looking for college without having a sense of finances? Remember though, there is a lot of scholarship money available, but the time to start looking is now!
Here are some online resources to check out:
www.finaid.org
www.fafsa4caster.gov
www.ed.gov/index.jsp
www.fastweb.com
www.supercollege.com
www.collegeboard.com
www.xap.com
www.collegepossible.org
www.petersons.com
www.collegeview.com
www.collegeanswer.com
www.studentedge.com
www.collegegold.com
Whew! That’s a good start!
And, there’s a list of books in my previous blog post, here
7 Steps to Exploring the Colleges, Leaving a Great Impression, and Enjoying Yourself
1. Know what you want to achieve
what are you looking for, what do you need and want
~ to understand the different types of colleges
(state, private liberal arts, historically black)
~ to discover the values of the colleges that are of interest to you
~ to explore more about your areas of interest – possible majors, study abroad, campus life
2. Work out with your parent(s) in advance how you will enjoy the fair
~ Will you go on your own? With a parent(s)?
~ How will you approach the college representatives?
3. Speak for yourself
~ Introduce yourself, shake hands
4. Make a connection with the representative
~Have a conversation
5. Have your questions ready
Don’t’s
~ Where is the college?
~ Do you have… specific sport, sorority/fraternity
~ What are the average SAT scores?
(These are questions that indicate that you have not done your homework about the college… Remember you might interview with these representatives and you want to leave a good impression.)
Do’s
Here are questions that indicate you want to learn about the school and students.
~ Did you go to (the college)?
~ What did you major in?
~ What made (the college) special for you?
~ What is the college known for (for example, traditions, or the nature of student body, the political and social climate)?
~ What are the emphases of the admissions process?
By the numbers (GPA, class rank, SAT’s/ACT or more of a portfolio approach)
~ What’s the typical class size?
~ Do students talk with professors outside of class-> beyond office hours?
~ Do students talk about what they are learning outside of classes?
~ Are any special services offered for support of all students (tutoring or a writing center)? Are there accommodations for students with learning differences or physical disabilities?
~ What percentage of students graduate in 4 years? What percentage go on to graduate school?
~ What is the biggest complaint of students?
~ How does the food plan work?
~ What kinds of financial aid does your school offer?
~ Is housing guaranteed for all four years? How soon can student live off campus?
~Is the campus wireless?
Take notes after each conversation, as there are hundreds of schools at these events, and it’s easy to forget information or get confused afterward).
It might even be easier to print out your list of questions so that you can just write down the answers for each school-one sheet per school, with a place for the name of the school and even the representative on the sheet.
7. Request materials from the representative only if you are interested.
It’s October, and that means that it’s time to get organized so that you can accomplish all that’s a part of the college search AND enjoy your junior year!
It’s way too easy to get caught up in the details (test prep, testing, reviewing college websites and brochures, doing research, visiting campuses), feel overwhelmed, and begin to despair. I’d like to suggest that you take a deep breath and think of the big picture…
With the gorgeous fall weather today, I think about the look and feel of campuses. When you close your eyes and imagine… What type of campus comes to mind? Do you prefer
> traditional, ivy covered buildings or more modern architecture
> a compact campus in a city or one that’s big and sprawling in the countryside?
> a campus busy, teeming with students, or moving at a slower pace?
What feels right to you? Or, is all this talk about environment irrelevant to you?
When I went on my solo roadtrip to check out colleges throughout New England, I saw four different schools in the same number of days. By the time I got to the last school I walked from the parking lot to the admissions office, did my interview, got back in my beloved, secondhand car and headed for home. By the time I got home I decided that I wanted to apply Early Decision to the last school I visited. I gave them a call that afternoon to check that I still had time to do so. I did, and the rest is (happy) history. I have to tell you that the look and feel of the campus were not really important to me… though for some students it makes all the difference…
Figuring out what matter most to you is the key here… Take some time this weekend to get clear on who you are: your strengths, needs, challenges, and wants. As you become clear on who you are and what you want, it becomes easier to sift and sort through the wealth of information available about colleges. Know yourself first and the search becomes simpler!
Is environment important to you?
I spent three days last week in sunny southern California at a meeting in a beautiful setting. Just by being there, I was reminded of how important where I am is to how I feel, and the work I am able to accomplish.
What about you? Are you the same way, or is setting of less import to you? This is a great question to ponder as you begin your college search. I believe that a campus should be, and feel, both comfortable and challenging-academically, personally, and socially. What do you think? Getting clear about the answers to these questions-really what matters most to you and what supports you in doing your best work and having a great time-will serve you throughout your college search adventure.
And, check out my newest ebook, The 4 Questions You Must Ask Before you Begin Your College Search! It’s here, www.majorinyou.com/ebook, just download and get started. Let me know what you think about the workbook and if I can help!
How does your teen envision her future? What are his hopes and dreams? How will your teen become an independent, responsible adult?
What do you think about your teen and college, do they seem like a natural match? From your perspective, is it a foregone conclusion that he will go, are there some questions to be considered, or is the topic barely on your family’s radar screen? What is your teen’s thinking on the topic, what does she feel about the subject? Have you had that conversation in depth and over time? It’s never to late (or too early) to have those exploratory conversations.
What the purpose of going to college? Is a college degree necessary? Desireable? Those questions seems almost forgotten in our fast-paced lives… though it’s critically important for you and your teen to talk through and answer.
I believe that the continuing education and environment that college can provide enables teens to transition into becoming young adults even more capable of taking advantage of all life has to offer. College poses opportunities to become even more responsible for all the aspects of their lives: to make decisions about who they want to be, to solve problems of both an academic and interpersonal/social/emotional nature, and to learn to engage with others on a variety of levels-to cooperate, negotiate and resolve conflict, in ways that will serve them for the remainder of their lives.
Can teens develop the same knowledge, skills and attitudes outside of a college setting? Absolutely! Though perhaps college, or a technical school or an apprenticeship provides a more supportive, structured approach to their development. Certainly, there are entry level positions that offer opportunities for mentorship and growth.
These are the questions that lead to the conversations we need to have with teens early in their high school years. By helping our teens explore the possibilities, learn what school systems and the world outside school have to offer (art classes, sports, study abroad, internships, apprenticeships and more) we encourage them to make informed decisions about their futures… whether that includes college in the US, looking for universities or academic programs abroad, making time to enter the world of work before going to college, working and attending college, going to a technical school or beginning an apprenticeship, there are so many choices…
I believe that as parents we owe it to our teens to show the breadth of possibilities so that they can take the reins of the decision-making process and step into adulthood. What do you think? What questions do you have about the transition your teen, you and your family are experiencing? Feel free to contact me.
So really! What do you think?
What does going to college really mean to you?
What is the thinking about college life in your family?
How does society view going to college?
As a junior, you’re probably hearing a lot of talk about college, because now is the time to start making the major decisions about your future after high school… How “big” are your conversations with your family members, guidance counselors, and friends? Do they start with questions about the future and the variety of options available to you? Or, do the people talking around you, and with you, begin with the assumption that college is right for everyone, or at least everyone in the conversation?
Before heading too far down the path on assumptions about college life and what it does and doesn’t have to offer… Have you tried your best to answer these questions:
- What types of work do you envision in your future? What are you passionate about, what interests you?
- Does that field/Do those areas require a college degree? Are there vocational/technical/career training schools that would prepare you for those fields?
- Is an apprenticeship available that might provide exactly the hands-on experience required for such work?
- Have you considered studying abroad for college/university?
- What do you believe a college experience (education and environment) will do for you?
- What expectations do you have of college?
- Do you and your parents have the same hopes and dreams about your future? Have you had long and deep conversations that address your vision of your future?
Make the time now to think through, discuss and think through (again!) the conversations and answers to these questions, and more questions that are important to you… It’s the only place to begin! I can help if you like… Contact me if you want to start a conversation to get clear about what college means to you and your future.
What do you see in your future? What pictures develop in your mind’s eye as you think about yourself at college?
- Where are you?
- What are you doing?
- Who is with you?
Create a multifaceted vision (or a vision board) of environments that interest, excite, and support your needs, wants, and desires.
Do you believe-in your heart-that you will find colleges that are a true fit for how you are and who you will become?
Do you remember, there are over 4,400 colleges in the United States, ranging from 85 to over 55,000 students?
Get clear on what you want and need and you will find plenty that are a match for you!
How will you attain your goals of finding the colleges that are the best fit for you and have fun during (most of) the process?
You attain goals all the time-from school work to fun projects… Your college search is one BIG project!
Use you project managing skills to develop a plan, timeline and strategy.
And, if you need help with planning… I’ll suggest some tools in my next post!
* Check it out! www.PowerOf10event.com I’ll be there… It will be awesome!
In our last session in this series, we talked about the “big picture” and the nitty gritty details of planning your college search, and personally important questions. The recording highlights where the girls are in their process. We focused on:
- learning more about the steps in the process
- financing college and scholarships (blog posts on 2.25 & 26. 09, here)
- how to listen effectively to people’s opinions and yet make your own decisions
- realizing that colleges are seeking commitment and passion in you/your extracurriculars (it’s the quality of your engagement not the quantity)
- creating a plan and a timeline for the process.
Listen in on the call here, and see if your questions are getting answered. If not, post a comment and I’ll write back!
