Category Archives: college planning

academics, college planning, guidance counselors

Wednesday’s Parent: Choosing Courses to Impress Colleges

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coursesHelping your college-bound teen choose the right courses is one of your most important jobs as a Parent College Coach. Along with your teen’s high school counselor and after doing a little research, you should be well prepared to guide your teen in choosing courses that will challenge them academically. There is no substitute for a solid academic, college focused education. Your teen’s transcript will be the cornerstone of their college application and college admissions counselors weigh the content of that transcript to determine your teen’s ability to handle a rigorous college course load.

A college education builds on the knowledge and skills that your teen has acquired during junior high and high school. Most selective colleges with the highest admission requirements look for students who have taken challenging science and math courses beyond the basics. Basic computer skills are essential, along with three or four years of a foreign language.

Advanced Placement (AP) Classes

Many high schools offer AP (Advanced Placement) courses and exams. AP courses are college level courses in approximately 16 different subjects helping students to prepare for college level work while still in high school. After the course is completed, your teen can take an AP test in the subject and many times receive college course credit. There is a difference between Honors classes and AP classes. Honors classes are advanced classes. AP classes and AP Honors classes offer the opportunity for testing once the course is completed. Having these difficult courses on your teen’s transcript communicates that they are up for the challenge of college and they can successfully complete college-level courses.

Dual Credit Courses

Many schools also offer an opportunity to take Dual Credit courses. A dual credit course is a college course taken by a high school student for which the student earns both college and high school credit at the same time. Some courses are taught at the high school campus during high school hours while others are taught at local colleges during the day, evenings, and weekends. By participating in the dual credit program, it enables your teen to make substantial progress toward their college degree before finishing high school. Students who begin taking courses in their junior year can earn thirty or more college credits by the time they graduate from high school if they also take summer classes at the college. It is possible to earn sophomore status even before they start college full time.

Electives

As you begin to plan your teen’s high school curriculum add any electives that might interest them: art, music, theater arts, JROTC, computer science, and business to name a few. If they are interested in pursuing a college education in theater arts, they should definitely add Drama to their curriculum. My daughter felt like that was what she wanted to do after high school. But after taking a few Drama courses, she realized it was not for her. It saved us thousands of dollars in the long run because she would have had to change majors in college and most likely increase the time of attendance. Letting them experiment in high school will also cement their interest and help in choosing the college that is best suited for their specific interest.

Your teen’s high school counselor should be able to offer additional help in the selection process and answer any questions you might have regarding specific college course requirements.

Read Wendy’s Post: High School Courses and College Admissions

_________________

Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

Join @pocsmom and I tonight with a #WednesdaysParent version of #CampusChat at 9PM ET with guest Nicole Lentine (@nlentine), Admissions Counselor at Champlain College, Co-Host of Admissions Live on the #HigherEdLive network discussing “How to Choose High School Courses.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.

college guidance, college planning

College Rankings

 

college rankingsU.S. News released their college rankings yesterday. There is always a great deal of emphasis placed on these rankings. Colleges boast about their possession in the pecking order and use it for marketing to students. But are these rankings accurate? What do they mean? What don’t they mean?

Personally, I don’t put much weight on the U.S. News college rankings. These rankings are based on a subjective collection of information from the colleges themselves. Colleges have been known to pad their data, cheat on the reporting, and shift the data in their favor in order to rank high on the list.

Parents have been known to use the list to insist their student attend one of the high ranking colleges. But honestly, it’s just a way to claim bragging rights for the parents and has very little to do with the actual quality of the education for the price.

I always suggest that parents use more than one source when comparing colleges and gathering data.

Custom College Rankings

Custom College Rankings is an amazing site created to help you view all the college statistics on a spreadsheet and change the criteria of the spreadsheet as you view it. There are over 2900 colleges and universities with statistics for each gathered from the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.

ETC College Rankings Index

“The ETC College Rankings Index measures the improvement in employability and earnings that a particular college brings to its graduates, relative to students similarly situated at other colleges” – states Michael R. Havis, president and founder of the nonprofit Educate To Career, who adds – “Students and parents are focused on the value-added by going to a particular college and pursuing a specific area of study.”

College Factual

Unlike other college ranking systems, College Factual serves as a decision-making hub throughout the entire college search process, sharing outcomes-based data such as average student loan debt per student and default rates; how well colleges retain and graduate students; graduates’ starting salaries and earning potential; and return on investment based on cost of a degree.

In addition to these sites, you can use College Navigator, Cost of Learning, and College Data to gather more information. Never rely solely on one set of rankings. Use the comparison tools to make a wise college choice.

college planning, interviews

Mom-Approved Tips: Preparing for the College Interview

 

college interviewNobody likes interviews, and the college interview is no exception. Inexperienced high schoolers are expected to enter a room with a college admissions officer and speck eloquently while answering their questions. Factor in the obvious nerves and the inability to know what they are going to ask and you have a very anxious teenager.

My daughter was no different. She had her heart set on a popular New England university and the interview would be the defining factor in their decision to admit her. She had the grades and the extracurriculars, but her SAT scores were average and below the university’s typical applicant. So she scheduled an interview and we traveled to San Antonio to meet with the admissions officer. As you can imagine, she was a bundle of nerves.

Long story short, she was offered admission. Even longer story, she turned them down and opted for a smaller New England college that offered better financial aid and better suited her interests. But the interview made the difference.

Entering any interview unprepared is unwise. Job applicants should learn about the company before the interview; and students should learn about the college and prepare some answers to commonly asked questions.

Can you answer these 10 interview questions?

Here is a list of 10 interview questions colleges might ask and suggestions on how to respond. They may not be exactly as worded, but they will fall into one of four categories: questions about your fit with the college, questions about your personality, questions about interests and goals, and broader questions requiring a more thoughtful response.

Click here to read the entire article on TeenLife.com’s blog

5 Questions you should ask on a college interview

The answers to the questions they ask you (Can You Answer These 10 College Interview Questions?) are important. But the questions you ask them can be just as important and can also help you make your final college decision. In the end, it’s not just them choosing to admit you, it’s you choosing to accept their offer of admission.

Click here to read the entire article on TeenLife.com’s blog

A key thing to remember is that the college decision is your decision. Colleges seem to have the power during the interview process, but the interview is also your opportunity to clarify your choices and learn more about the college. Approaching this interview with this in mind will help you relax and be more confident. Asking questions shows the colleges that you are strong, independent and will be making an informed decision.

 

college guidance, college planning, mom approved tips

Mom-Approved Tips: Does It Matter WHERE You Go to College?

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where you go to collegeMuch is debated about college names and prestige, especially among parents. It’s logical that parents want their kids to have the best opportunities available. It’s illogical that they place more value in the name than in the education itself. But so many parents encourage their kids to make illogical college choices. Where you go to college is not as important as you might think.

A rose by another other name is just as sweet

The college education itself is more important than the college name. Your student can get an excellent education at a community college, a small liberal arts college, or are large state university.

Attitude means more than status

If a student isn’t invested in college, the college reputation won’t make him any more committed to the education. Attitude is everything. A student who desires a learning and life experience can make that happen in any college environment.

There’s more to an education than the cost

Expensive institutions would want you to believe that their price is high because your student will receive a better education. That is not the case. There are over 400 four-year universities and colleges in this country providing quality education.

Employers don’t care about the names

A colleague of mine told me that some of the best government contractors will shun Ivy League graduates over those of the state colleges. Here’s on recruiter’s perspective:

Sometimes the poor kid who had to pay his way through Chico State has the most pluck and is the most driven. These types of employees are sometimes the most successful of all, because they are used to working hard from the get-go and did not come by anything in life through their dad’s connections. They have no sense of entitlement, so are willing to get their hands dirty for the mission.

Read the rest of the article and you’ll see why a college name doesn’t always fly with job recruiters.

Bragging rights for parents doesn’t translate into a good college investment. What matters most is the fit—does the college fit into your student’s wants and needs academically, financially, and socially. Plopping down big bucks in the hopes of a big payback after graduation is not a wise decision unless all the criteria are met.

college planning, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Making the Illogical Logical-The Final College List

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final college listLast week, I talked about Illogical college choices; choices that college-bound teens make that have nothing to do with the quality of education. Without strong parenting and some tough love, those illogical choices might make their way onto the final college list. Be strong and remember that you are the parent and often they need a slight dose of reality to snap them back into the realization that this decision is an important one.

Here are the three components of a final college list: reach schools, best fit schools, and safety schools.

Following a name—the dream team

So many students believe that attending a college with a “name” guarantees success. It’s your job to help them understand this is not necessarily true. The best college is the college that fits their academic, social and financial goals. It could be a “name”, but it will most likely won’t. Those colleges have low acceptance rates and give little financial aid. I’m all for dreaming but when it comes to a college list, practically and logic reign.

Following the money—the best bets

The colleges that populate this part of the list are colleges that would put your student at the top of the applicant pool. Of all the reasons, this is the most logical. After careful research, these colleges should be ones that offer everything on your student’s list: financial aid, academic fit, and an emotional connection. It’s not all about the money, but it sure does make the final decision easier.

Following a whim—the sure things

So many students add colleges on a whim just because they can’t decide. This happens more often than not when choosing the safety schools or sure things. These colleges could end up being the colleges that accept them and/or give them the most financial aid. Discuss the choices and make sure that these colleges are colleges your student wants to attend. It will relieve pressure and stress if they offer admission.

Turning illogical choices into logical ones is a delicate balance. Guiding your student in the right direction without forcing is the key. It’s easy—about as easy as threading a camel through the eye of a needle.

Read Wendy’s post: 5 Fantastic Tips to Refine a College List

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Wendy and I will share more insights into making a great college list on Wednesday’s Parent night (the fourth Wednesday of each month) on #CampusChat, Wednesday, July 23, 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will talk about the many factors to consider, how to finalize the list and the parent role in the process. Join us and bring your questions and comments.

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Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

admissions, college planning, college prep

Is Military College Right for Your Student?

 

military college
Texas A&M Corps of Cadets

I recently had a discussion with an admissions officer regarding military colleges. The conversation arose because he had read my blog post “Motivating an Unmotivated Student”. In it I discussed my son’s college journey from high school, to the Marines, to college. He expressed his concern that many students are choosing the military as an option after high school when students who aspire to college can get the best of both worlds—a military college.

Twenty years ago, my son was in NJROTC and I was well acquainted with the service academies, but no information was given to him or to us about military colleges. The recruiters, however, were a constant presence in the unit. They have the cadets take the ASVAB test and use the test to draw them into military service. For some students, the military is an excellence choice. For others, a military college might be a better option.

What is a military college?

According to The Association of Military Colleges and Schools, “Military schools have a unique culture that is built on tradition and proven practices.  Students wear uniforms and participate in ceremonies that develop self-discipline and foster pride. Most are boarding (residential) schools where the students live together and are part of a student-lead organization that helps each student develop competencies as a follower, team member, and leader. Students learn the importance of self-discipline, time management, and to work together with others as part of a team.”

What types of colleges are available?

There are Senior Military Colleges (4 year), colleges that offer ROTC programs, and Military Junior Colleges (2 year). Cadets have formation, physical training and wear their uniforms. For more information about the specific programs, you can check out these sites:

What is the military service obligation?

Two-year colleges, colleges and universities all offer programs leading to commissioning that include a service obligation. However, none of these programs are mandatory and many students participate in the school’s Corps of Cadets without incurring an obligation. The decisions whether to accept a commission is normally made at the beginning of the junior year.

Where can I get help or ask questions about military colleges?

As with any college information, going to the source is the best practice. Contact the admissions offices of each individual college for information, schedule a visit, and speak with an admissions officer.

Another excellent source for information is the Service Academy Forums. You can browse the FAQs, view the questions and answers already posted, and even post a question. Often these forums provide parents with answers to all of their questions.

The military can be an excellent choice for anyone desiring to serve their country. But you might want to consider a military college, giving students the military experience along with a strong education.

 

college guidance, college planning, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Illogical College Choices–Part 1

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college choicescollege choicesIn March, Wendy and I discussed how to make a good college list (Part 1). Today, we’re revisiting that advice and adding some additional tips on helping them make those college choices.

Summer vacation is halfway gone and families have most likely been making some preliminary college visits. It’s only natural for students to begin formulating a lists of “wants” when they begin to see themselves in college. However, the difference between what they “want” and what they “need” can be miles apart. It’s your job to rein them in.

You student may list the following illogical things as his must-haves. Next week, I’ll discuss how to steer him in a different direction.

  • Going to the same school a boyfriend or girlfriend is going to—The danger here is obvious. High school romances rarely last and once the romance ends, so does the love for the college.
  • Only look at the colleges your best friend is viewing—Friendships, while many last a lifetime, are no reason to make a college choice. Friends oftentimes have different educational goals and career paths. Even if they line up, evaluate the true reasons for choosing the college and be sure it’s not for friendship. Besides, I saw many college friend explosions over the years when my kids were in school. It taints your view of the environment.
  • Choose a college because you love their football team—Being a Texas Aggie fan or a Texas Longhorn fan or a Notre Dame fan is no reason to attend their college. Investigate their academic programs and choose it if it gives you the best education for your needs and for your dollar.
  • Choose a college based on its “party” ranking—You would be surprised how many students choose schools that are ranked high as a party school. They convince their parents it’s for the academics, but truthfully it is not. My son did this after the Marine Corps. It was the worst decision he ever made. Too much partying equals academic failure. Besides, even the most stringent academic institutions have parties.
  • Limiting location—Don’t just look at colleges close to home. Check out some schools that are a little further away. It will increase your options.
  • Let the choice just happen—Many teens just slide in to the most comfortable place: they got an email from someone; their friend suggests it; their parents went there. Neither of these are good reasons to attend college.
  • Pick a college to impress someone—This is not a reason to choose a college. Keeping up with the Jones’ or trying to impress your friends will only result in your teen being unhappy at school.
  • Believe that the harder a college is to get into, the better it must be—The best colleges are sometimes the ones that have a high rate of acceptance. Research is the key to finding out the benefits of these schools.
  • Assume that all colleges are the same—All colleges offer an education, but not all colleges are the same. Programs, athletics, campus life, and even teaching styles vary. All of these can affect the overall college experience.
  • Rely on someone else’s opinion—Never assume anything about a particular college until you investigate and gather information. Opinions vary and at any given time you will always find someone that loves or hates a particular school.

Now read Wendy’s post: 2 Phases, 3 Points for Forming a College List

_____________________

Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

The bonus is on the fourth Wednesday of each month when Wendy and I will host Twitter chat #CampusChat at 9pm ET/6pm PT. We will feature an expert on a topic of interest for parents of the college-bound.

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from parentingforcollege to pocsmom.com and vice versa.

college guidance, college planning, scholarships

Memorial Day

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Memorial Day

 

When my father was alive, one of my favorite activities was to go through his pictures of World War II. He served in the Army Air Corp in India. His unit helped build the Burma Road. He had stories to tell of being on narrow roads, being ambushed, swimming with sharks in the Indian Ocean, and having monkeys for pets. It all seemed so long ago in a time that I could only imagine.

When my son graduated from high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps. As any mother, I worried and fretted over his safety, even though it wasn’t during war time. He would come home and tell me stories of venturing across the arctic circle with the Norwegian military, being part of the task force in Panama when we relinquished control fo the canal, and hiking up Mt. Fuji with Japanese soldiers.

In honor of Memorial Day, following are a few posts that I’ve written with this theme in mind:

The military academies and ROTC in college

Scholarships for military dependents

5 Things military parents should know about college

As you celebrate Memorial Day, remember the sacrifice that so many have made to protect our freedom. And enjoy the holiday with your family and friends.

college planning, college prep, mom approved tips

Mom-Approved Tips: When Do You Start Preparing for College?

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preparing for collegeHow early is too early to start preparing for college? Should you start in grade school? Should you wait until high school? How and when do you begin the process?

Grade School

Some type A, over controlling parents will tell you they start grooming their kids for college in grade school. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But on some level, it’s not that crazy. In grade school you help them form the foundation for academic success and the attitude of serving others. Both these character traits will serve them well as they begin the college prep process.

Middle School

Ideally, middle school students should begin the pre-planning process for high school. Course selection begins at this level as well, carrying on into high school.

Recognizing this need, John Ma, a college counselor, begins coaching students in the 6th grade:

Building up true interests and strong extracurriculars and leadership positions can help students thrive during the brutal top-tier college app season. Booksmart kids with high test scores and high grades are a dime a dozen, and strong academic performance is simply expected at top universities. Highly developed extracurriculars that reflect a standout character and strong communication and leadership skills significantly increase chances for admission.

Middle school is the place to begin developing the traits that colleges consider key in the application process.

High School

It goes without saying that students who enter high school should hit the ground running. The intense years of college prep begin as they become freshmen. From making wise course selection courses to establishing a commitment to community service to striving to excel academically, students who approach college prep early will reap the benefits of their preparation.

If you look at college preparation as training your child to excel in life, you can see that setting the groundwork for success early in life will alleviate some of the stress and pressure during the college application time. A student who has a strong academic record, a solid commitment over the last four years to one area of community service, and planned ahead for application time will be less stressed and more ready to approach the highly demanding months of senior year.

As I like to say–preparation prevents panic. And the college admissions process will be much smoother if you plan early.

 

college planning, college prep, websites

Custom College Rankings

 

For seniors, the college search is almost over. On May 1st, they will make their final college choice and look toward graduation and the fall when they become a college student.

For sophomores and juniors, the search has just begun. We’ve been learning about choosing a college over the last several weeks, with posts like: How to Choose a College, 7 College Search Apps for Parents and Students, and The Student Role in the College Visit. Students and parents are looking for tools that will help them as they begin that college list.

custom college rankingsWhat is Custom College Rankings?

Custom College Rankings is an amazing site created to help you view all the college statistics on a spreadsheet and change the criteria of the spreadsheet as you view it. There are over 2900 colleges and universities with statistics for each gathered from the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.

How does it work?

According to the site, you can use the spreadsheet in three ways:

  1. To find colleges by using as many filters as you like on the spreadsheet.
  2. To compare colleges by checking the boxes on the spreadsheet of the colleges you want to compare.
  3. To look up the statistics for a specific college.

Why create another college search site?

It’s creator, Susie Sadowsky holds a B.A. in accounting from Michigan State University and an M.S. in computer science from San Diego State University. After helping her two teenagers through the college admissions process, she created CUSTOM COLLEGE RANKINGS to give others what she wishes had been available to her.

Her motivation is to help parents with the college search process and save them some of the frustration that I encountered when helping my children through this process. After reading how US News ranks colleges she realized that she didn’t care about several of the criteria they were using. Thus she wanted to create her own rankings. She wanted to combine the search for colleges and data gathering into one central area. The best way to do this she determined was on a spreadsheet

Ms. Sadowsky explains what’s different about her rankings:

  1. My spreadsheet combines searching for colleges with comparing data of colleges all in one spreadsheet. Many websites are good at helping you narrow down your college list but the data for your list of colleges can only be found on separate pages for each college.
  2. Fine tuning of filters when searching for a college. One thing that frustrated me when I was using other college search websites is when it came to specifying your desired size the choices were limited.
  3. Other websites do not include the crime statistics.
  4. My website ranks all colleges together. Other websites like US News rank Small Liberal Arts Colleges, Large National Universities and Regional Universities separately.

Take it for a test drive and let me know what you think. Custom College Rankings is just another tool parents can add to their arsenal of college prep.