How Do We Build A College List?

Building a college list can be a challenging and complex process, but there are several steps that students can take to make it more manageable. The first step is to identify what factors are most important in selecting a college. This could include factors like location, size, academic programs, campus culture, cost, and career opportunities. By understanding what matters most to them, students can begin to research and evaluate colleges that fit their criteria. They can use resources like college search websites, guidebooks, and college fairs to gather information about different colleges and compare them based on their preferences.

Once students have identified several colleges of interest, they should conduct further research and evaluate each college based on additional factors like admission requirements, financial aid and scholarships, retention rates and students graduating in four years. Creating a Google spreadsheet will help students evaluate and compare each school according to the factors they consider important. They can also seek advice and guidance from their high school counselors, teachers, parents and college consultants to gain further insights and perspectives on different colleges. Ultimately, the goal is to build a balanced list of colleges that includes a mix of reach, match, and probable schools that reflect the student’s academic and personal profile, as well as their goals and aspirations for the future. By taking a systematic and thoughtful approach to building a college list, students can increase their chances of finding the right fit for their college experience and achieving their academic and personal goals.

Advertisement

What College Planning Activities Should High School Juniors Be Doing Now?

High school juniors should be actively preparing for college and taking the following steps:

1. Research colleges: Start researching colleges to determine which ones are a good fit and align with their academic and career interests. Students should consider what factors are important to them in a college experience.
2. Take standardized tests: Consider taking the SAT and ACT, and research college admission test requirements for colleges they are interested in attending. Even though many school are test-optional, students gain a bonus when they submit test scores.
3. Visit colleges: Plan campus visits to get a better understanding of the college atmosphere and culture. Students can only take virtual tours and attend virtual information sessions.
4. Get involved in extracurricular activities: Get involved in extracurricular activities, such as sports, clubs, and community service, to build a well-rounded college application. Colleges also want to see leadership displayed in the activities students pursue out of school.
5. Meet with a school counselor: Meet with a school counselor to discuss academic performance and future plans, and to receive advice on the college application process.
6. Prepare for the college application process: Start preparing for the college application process by organizing transcripts, test scores, and recommendations, and researching application requirements and deadlines.
7. Explore scholarship opportunities: Research scholarships and other forms of financial aid to help pay for college. Keep in mind that colleges are going to be the best source of scholarships. Look for local scholarships because there is less competition than national ones.
8. Consider summer programs: Consider attending summer programs or camps to gain additional experience in their area of interest and improve their college application. Colleges always like to see students get a job in the summer.
9. Take challenging courses: Continue to take challenging courses in high school to demonstrate academic preparedness for college.
10. Stay organized: Keep track of college-related information and deadlines using a planner or online tool to stay organized and on track throughout the college planning process.

Does Test-Optional Really Mean Test-Optional at Colleges?What are the Pro and Cons of Submitting Scores?

Test-optional policies at colleges and universities mean that applicants are not required to submit scores from standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT as part of their application. Here are some potential pros and cons of applying to a test-optional college:

Pros:

• It allows you to focus on other aspects of your application, such as your transcripts, essays, and extracurricular activities, which may better reflect your academic and personal achievements.
• It may be especially beneficial for students who have faced challenges such as economic hardship, disability, or illness, which may have affected their test performance.
• It can also be a good option for students who are strong academically but do not perform well on standardized tests due to test anxiety or other factors.

Cons:

• If you have strong test scores, they can often be a significant factor in your favor when applying to competitive colleges, so not submitting them may put you at a disadvantage.
• Without test scores, it may be harder for the college to accurately assess your academic abilities and determine whether you are a good fit for their institution.
• Some colleges and universities may still require test scores for certain programs or majors, even if they have a test-optional policy for general admissions.

Ultimately, whether or not to apply to a test-optional college is a personal decision that should be based on your individual circumstances and goals. It is always a good idea to research the specific policies and requirements of the colleges you are considering and consult with your guidance counselor or other trusted advisors before making a decision.

A Wild Ride for College Admissions

There may never have been a wilder ride for college admissions than this past admissions cycle. It has left parents, students, high school counselors and college consultants confused and wondering what is happening. More students than ever before were wait-listed, denied or deferred from schools across the United States.

Many suspect that colleges received far more applications this year than any in the past. Part of this could be due to schools being test-optional. Students often felt that they stood a chance at a competitive university because they had a near perfect academic record, activities and essays to support their applications. Unfortunately, this is often not enough!

This year there was also an influx of international students which added to the college competition. Colleges have also begun hard to push for more first generation and low income students which sometimes means that other students might be overlooked. And then there is the factor of institutional needs that a student has no control over. These can include a college’s desire for more students from a particular geographic area, applicants interested in a certain major or an athletic team that needs more participants.

My advice to students is to make sure they have a balanced list and only concern yourselves with what you can control, not those factors that you cannot!

5 Tips to Improve Your ACT Score

As a test prep coach, students frequently ask me how they can improve their score on the ACT. Since I have been providing test prep for high school students for more than twenty years, I have a few tips that will help students succeed on this important test.

1. FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE ACT 
The ACT consists of four sections: English, math, reading, and science reasoning. Each section requires its own individual approach. Take time to understand the format of each section and the best way to tackle it. Read and make sure you understand the directions so you do not need to waste time on them when you take the actual ACT. The more comfortable you are with the test, the easier it will be to improve your score on the ACT.

2. USE GUESSING TO YOUR ADVANTAGE 
There is no penalty foe guessing on the ACT so I suggest you waste no time on questions if you don’t have a clue what the question is asking. See if you can eliminate some answers and then make a guess between what is left. You can always circle the number of the question and come back to it later if you have a minute or two at the end of the section.

3. MAKE THE BEST USE OF YOUR TIME 
Most students find the time constraints on the ACT a problem. You need to decide what questions can be answered more quickly and which you should leave until later. The science section seems to be the most difficult to finish on time. I suggest students skip one passage on the science test and try to be more accurate on their answers on the other six passages. When practicing on the ACT, it is important to time yourself on each test and figure out how to pace yourself.

4. WORK ON BOTH YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES 
Most colleges are interested in the ACT composite score. Your goal is to do what you can to improve that score. If you are strong in English, try to become even stronger. If math is your weakness, don’t try to learn new math at this time. Make sure you do the math questions you know how to do and don’t make stupid mistakes.

5. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE 
There is no substitute for practice if you want to improve your score on the ACT. Practice on real tests and go over every question you miss. Make sure you understand the reasoning behind the correct answer. On the reading section, check any questions you miss and return to the passage to find the supporting information for the right answer. If you are motivated enough to be successful on your ACT practice at home, then do it. If you need a class or some individual test prep, Google “test prep” and the city you live in and find out what is available.

Is Your High School Junior on Track with College Planning?

College admissions has changed dramatically this past eight months due to Covid-19. It is important that high school juniors get on track with their college planning in order to be prepared for the college application and admission process.

Although many colleges are test-optional for the class of 2021, that does not mean that colleges are test-blind. Most will still accept test scores from the SAT or ACT and consider them as part of the college application if they are submitted. Many colleges will also consider SAT and ACT scores for merit scholarships. For students who choose not to submit test scores, essays will carry more weight than ever before because they allow a school to determine how a student will contribute to theIr college community.

Colleges will be more flexible with who writes the recommendations, because they too will help a school get a picture of a student’s character, which is a big thing this year. Whether getting into college will be more difficult or easier for 2021or 2022 high school graduates remains to be seen. However, students need to write the best college applications and essays in order to be competitive. The more planning that high school juniors do, the more successful their college admissions oportunities will be as a high school senior.

Susie Watts is a college consultant with 30 years experience. She begins working with high school juniors once they are into their first semester. You can contact Susie at 303-692-1918 or susie@collegedirection.org with questions.Love

Who Cares about College Rankings?

Quite frankly, I am sick of college rankings. If it isn’t U.S. News, it’s Forbes, Money or endless other publications ranking what they consider the best colleges and universities.  The college rankings can tell us anything from the most connected schools to the best value universities. These college rankings measure different attributes that may or may not be important to a family when they are considering schools for their child. Often they are more confusing than helpful.

Many college rankings are oversimplified and downright unfair. They can be the result of professors, students, or even the universities themselves answering questionnaires that have been sent to them by a magazine or newspaper.  Many times college administrators are asked to evaluate colleges with which they have no knowledge, not just their own school.

Rankings often lead to misleading conclusions. Some colleges will spend money to improve something that will help their ranking, but may not benefit the students at all. Many use college rankings in their marketing materials.  These rankings often ignore factors that are of concern to prospective students.  Too frequently, they contain the same schools over and over.

As a private college counselor, I pay very little attention to these rankings because I want my students to consider colleges that are right for them. The highest ranked schools may not be the best fit or a college where they will have a successful academic and social experience. That to me is what is far more important than any ranking.

 

Do I Need an Educational Consultant?

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) recommends that high school counselors work with no more than 100 students.  Most public high school counselors have a student load of at least 350 students.  On average, high school counselors spend 38 minutes helping students with the college search, applications, and admissions process.

Educational consultants are also referred to a college consultants or college admissions counselors. They are not associated with a high school or college. They have the time, training, and expertise to provide individual attention to students with their college search, applications and essays, financial aid and scholarships, and the college admissions process.

Here are five reasons why hiring an educational consultant to work with your high school student might be the best investment you ever made:

 

1. Educational consultants understand the college admissions process and visit colleges and universities regularly to discover what makes one school different from another. They meet with college admissions officers at each school so they know about the continuous changes that take place on individual campuses.

 

2. Educational consultants help your student find colleges that are a good fit, not just a big name. They want your student to be successful in the college admissions process and to have a variety of schools from which to choose. They know that students have been bombarded with all kinds of information from schools. After a while, each college begins to look and sound alike.  They help families separate the hype from the facts.

 

3. Educational consultants are able to work successfully with your student because they do not have the emotional investment that parents do. They provide reliable college information and objective advice. They give your family another opinion and try to make the college admissions process as stress-free as possible.

 

4. Educational consultants know that applying to college and college admissions can be a time for students to discover themselves. Students learn to assess their strengths and weaknesses. They determine what it is they want out of a college experience.  This helps them with the college search and encourages students to make better college decisions.

 

5. Educational consultants assist students with their applications and essays. They brainstorm topics that will enable your student to write the most compelling essays that will strengthen their applications. They encourage students to consider topics that have real meaning for them and will convey their personality to an admissions committee.

 

Many parents feel that turning to an educational consultant has been the best investment they could make.

 

 

 

5 Reasons to Hire a College Consultant

 

The college admission process is getting more complicated every year.  For many parents, it is overwhelming and an added stress they don’t need.  Here are some of the top reasons why families hire someone to help them with college planning.

 

1. Parents are busy and don’t have the time or energy to do the necessary research to find the right colleges for their child. They know a college consultant has the expertise, interest and experience to help them make the best college decisions.

 

2. Parents who would rather spend what free time they have on personal and/or family activities and pay a professional to help their child with college planning, teacher recommendations, test prep, extracurricular activities, applications and college essays..

 

3. Parents who want their child to have more personal attention than what is usually available from high school counselors. Many believe high school counselors are so overwhelmed with caseloads of students (average of 475) Counselors spend most of their time meeting with students on course scheduling and personal problems and very little attention given to students who seek help with college planning.

 

4. Parents don’t understand how the college application process works. Most parents don’t want to spend time nagging their student to complete all the necessary forms and keep track of the required deadlines because they fear they will miss or forget something.

 

5. Parents who realize it is not as simple to get into college as it used to be – you fill out the application and wait for your acceptance letter. Those days are over. Students these days must be competitive with their grades, academic rigor, test scores, extracurricular activities and personal statements.

 

Many of these reasons are why families hire a college admissions consultant.  This will allow parents and their teenager to have less stress during the college admissions process.  It will also help you to be confident that your child will receive the individual attention he

Helping teenagers understand what college planning is all about.

Perception is an interesting concept, especially through the eyes of a high school junior. While going over a list of schools with a student, I explained that some colleges make test scores optional and you may send them if you wish. I went on to say that these colleges do not believe that the SAT and ACT are an important part of the college admission process. I could tell he was giving this serious thought and then he replied, “I can’t believe there are many good schools that don’t care about your SAT or ACT.”

This incident helped me realize how confusing the college planning process can be.  It is nothing like it used to be twenty five years ago.  Today there are schools that accept the SAT and ACT and those that are test-optional.  You can apply to many schools early decision, early action I and II, regular decision and some schools accept applications up until their first day of classes. 

Some colleges participate in the Common Application and others require their school application be submitted for college acceptances.  There are colleges that require an essay or personal statement and others that do not find it important to their college admission process.  Other colleges require supplemental essays that are part of their application.

For these reasons, students need to research the schools that interest them so that they have all of the important information on hand.  They should list when the applications are due, if there is a priority deadline, and what is required for each college.  This takes organization and requires careful time management to get everything done.

Most students will benefit from some help with the college planning process.  If you find your student and family are overwhelmed with applying to college, you might want to contact a private college counselor to see what help is available.