Juniors- Use Your Spring Break Effectively

It’s Spring Break!  Now is the time for juniors to begin visiting colleges and narrowing down their list of potential choices.  Visiting colleges while they are still in session will give you a clearer picture and feel for the campus.  Go with an open mind, and thoroughly explore the campus, academic buildings, dining halls, and dormitories.  Try to imagine yourself in each setting.  On average, students spend 15 hours a week in class, so you want to make sure you pick a college campus where you believe that you can live peacefully.

If possible, talk to students who attend each college; put together a list of possible questions in advance, so you feel more comfortable in starting conversations.

Also take photos and notes along the way, to help you remember the pros and cons of each college later, when you’re comparing campuses!

Here are some factors to consider during your break:

Consider your options

There are a wide variety of options available: private universities, public universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, etc.

Two-year community colleges are a good route for some.  They provide the opportunity to complete general education requirements that will transfer into a four year university, which can save tens of thousands of dollars on college tuition.  If you plan carefully, it is possible to transfer from a community college to a university and still graduate within four years.

Here is a great article about private vs. public colleges: www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/000294.htm

Create a list of 10-15 colleges that are of possible interest

Here is a great website that can help lead you in the right direction: www.princetonreview.com/college-education.aspx

For more information about how to select the right college, and how Klaar College Consulting can help lead you to college success, call us at 301-834-6888 and visit the many resources available on our website.

Don’t Forget to Check the Status of Your College Applications

Some of you may have heard back from colleges, some may not.  Don’t get discouraged.

All colleges provide a timeline of when important documents are due.  Closely monitor the timeline so you don’t miss out on the little things.  As time goes on, remember to:

Make sure applications are complete

Check in with the colleges to ensure they have received all the necessary application documents.  Many colleges have online profiles for the applicants; log into your account and see the status of your application.

Send mid-year grades

Many colleges require mid-year grades.  Take the time to go to your guidance counselor and request having your transcripts sent.  Use this opportunity to update colleges about any information that may have changed.

Send SAT/ACT scores

Whether you are taking the SAT/ACT for the first time or are retaking the test, don’t forget to send your scores to all of the colleges to which you applied.

Keep all applications on file

Keep hard copies of all your applications on file.  You never know when you will have to refer back to them.

Be patient as you wait to hear from colleges.  I wish you the best of luck!

Junior Year and the Dreaded College Search

Now is the time to start planning for your college career!

Junior year is known for beginning the college search and preparing for the search and application process.  It can all seem daunting, so here are some tips to help make your junior year more manageable:

Narrow down potential majors

Talk with your guidance counselor and schedule a time to take career tests and assessments.  These can be very useful in identifying your strengths, narrowing down your interests, and pointing you toward possible career paths.

Attend college fairs

College fairs are a valuable resource to gain additional information about a wide variety of colleges.  There will be admissions representatives present for each college, so it is a great way to ask questions and learn more.  For more information about college fairs, read my blog post College Fairs- Helpful Hints to Help Your Child Stand Out.

Create a list of colleges

Create a list of colleges that you are interested in; try to keep the list between 10-15 colleges.  When creating your list, don’t forget to consider important criteria such as: majors offered, location, public vs. private, financial aid options available, demographics of the campus, size, tuition costs, housing options, extracurricular activities, student-faculty ratio, etc.  

Visit colleges before applying

Schedule college visits before applying.  Even if you plan to go on a scheduled campus tour, plan your visit so you can also explore the surrounding community.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions; make a pro/con list of each school so that later you can accurately -recall details of each campus.  The college will be your home for four years, so you want to make sure you will feel comfortable there. 

Colleges monitor students’ interest in their school.  Not only will visiting the schools help you narrow down what you want in a college, but it will show the college that you are interested in them as more than a backup or safety school.

Get to know your teachers

Colleges require students to submit letters of recommendation along with their admissions application.  Get to know some of your favorite teachers.  They will be a valuable resource when it comes to asking for letters of recommendation.

Grades

If you have a low GPA it’s not too late to turn it around.  Colleges look at trends in your GPA, so if you have slacked off, you still have time to show colleges that you’re taking your education seriously.  If you do very well your junior and senior years, colleges will notice your efforts.  

Don’t forget about standardized tests

Deadlines for standardized tests are fast approaching! Make a timetable for SAT/ACT.

March 9^th is the deadline for the ACT http://www.actstudent.org/

April 6^th is the deadline for the SAT so begin thinking and studying for the SAT http://sat.collegeboard.org/home

Begin to prepare for AP exams.  Remember you can get college credit, so the time you spend studying for the exam could save you from taking a course in college.  Put forth the effort now and it will pay off in the future.

There are many study guides available to help you prepare for all standardized tests.

Begin thinking about senior year course selection

Consider taking upper level courses such as Honors, AP, and community college courses.  AP courses and classes at your local community college are great ways to earn college credits.  It shows colleges your intellectual curiosity and dedication to hard work.

Plan for summer

Start planning now so you can make effective use of your summer.  Begin to think of possible jobs or internships and schedule additional college visits.

Here are some additional resources for high school juniors.

The College Board’s action plan for juniors: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/action/juniors.html

College Fairs- Helpful Hints to Help Your Child Stand Out

This spring, your college-bound students may be attending a number of College Fairs.  This can be a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with different colleges, many of whom may not be familiar to your high school child.  Unfortunately, students are often not given the tools to properly navigate these events, and may miss out on a valuable opportunity to make an impression on an admissions representative.

I was recently involved in a College Fair, and was surprised at what I saw and heard.  Help your child prepare, so he or she maximizes the college fair experience.  Below are some valuable tips:

1. Plan Ahead: Your child should go to a college fair with some idea of what kind of college would be a good fit for him/her.  Look carefully at the list of colleges who will be present at the fair.  Narrow down the list and prioritize the college booths that your child will visit and make his/her interest in that college known.

Use this opportunity to have at least a preliminary discussion about size, location, campus environment and other factors which are important in the decision.  Have your child do some Internet research on the colleges present at the fair and use this information to round out the list.  The effort you make researching prior to the college fair will show off when speaking with the admissions representative.  Make the best impression possible!

2. Dress Appropriately: This is your child’s chance to make an impression on the admissions representative taking part in the fair. Think about how you would recommend that your child dress for a college visit to his/her first choice school. That is exactly how he/she should dress for the college fair.  Dress to impress!

3. Speak Intelligently: If your child has done the research on the schools to be visited at the fair, use that information to impress the representative.  Ask intelligent questions about the school, its environment and students.

4. Take Notes: Your child will be speaking to many different college representatives, which can be overwhelming.  All the colleges will blend together by the end of the night.  Encourage your child to take notes after each booth.  Having notes to review later will prove to be very helpful.

5. Don’t Travel in a Pack: Assure your student that this is his/her chance to shine and to gather information. This is done much more effectively if your child is alone with the representative, rather than approaching with an entourage. It is particularly not a good idea for your child to approach a college booth with his/her significant other draped all over him/her.

6. Gum: Get rid of the gum! A person looks more adult and is more easily understood without a mouthful of gum.

7. Go as a family: Most college fairs offer evening hours, which gives you the opportunity to attend the fair with your child. This will impress on your student that, although the choice and process belongs to him/her, you will be there to act as a coach and cheerleader. Encourage your child to ask questions and be sure that you don’t undermine his/her confidence in front of the admissions reps.

College Fairs can be very informative venues. Don’t only focus on the colleges whose names you know. There may be some hidden gems in attendance that would provide your child with just the right fit.

Try to put aside notions such as ‘party school’ and to ignore the person you know who attended a particular college and was not happy. Remember that any school is a party school if that is what your child is looking for.  Your child is unique and what did not suit someone else may be perfect for him/her.

Senioritis... the Disease College-Bound Students Should Avoid

Already accepted to college? Beginning to lose interest and focus in school? Be careful not to catch senioritis!

Senioritis- a disease effecting high school seniors, especially during second semester; identified by laziness, lack of focus, repeated absences, and a strong desire to graduate.

Senioritis can sneak up on you faster than you think! Here are some tips we give students for avoiding this dread condition: 

Take a strong course load

Don’t take a relaxing course load just because you can. This is your time to shine!  Many high schools only require three years of all the basic subjects (math, science, history, etc.) and four years of English.  Go above and beyond and take a fourth year of the quality courses.  Try to avoid taking study hall or three different gym classes to get out of studying your senior year.  Admissions officers view the hard work and dedication you put forth late in the game as a good indicator of how you will perform in college.

Grades matter

Use your senior year effectively.  College acceptance is based on senior year performance. 

Colleges look at your grades for the first three years of high school.  What many students don’t realize is that grades during their senior year are just as important!  Colleges require you to submit your first quarter, mid-year, and end-of-year grades.  If you have a downward trend in your grades, colleges will notice and take that into account in determining your ultimate acceptance, your financial award, and whether you acceptance is rescinded.

The college application process is competitive and there are many students on a wait-list ready to take your spot.  Your grades senior year can make or break you.  Don’t become a red flag and give colleges a reason to revoke your acceptance.

Tired of high school classes?

Take a course at a local community college.  This is a perfect way to demonstrate your intellectual curiosity, plus you can earn college credits in the process.  Not a bad deal!

Time Magazine also has a great article about combatting senioritis: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1191831,00.html  

A Smarter FAFSA and Other Changes

The FAFSA due date is fast approaching (March 1^st).  Maybe you’ve noticed changes, maybe you haven’t.  This year FAFSA 2012-2013 has a few changes that make the application process run more smoothly.

1. Skip logic- The FAFSA is now finally ‘smart’. It takes answers you already provided and eliminates repetitive or unnecessary questions.  Makes the process much quicker!

2. Better navigation- The FAFSA now knows where you left off.  The application auto resumes when you log in.  No more wasting time finding the section you were on!

3. Easy editing options- The FAFSA changes address editing information.  In previous years, you were directed to a different page to make edits which had a completely different look and feel.  Now the edit page looks like the rest of the FAFSA.  Much more user friendly.

4. Advanced notifications- you can choose to set up automatic notifications from FAFSA.  For example, you can get a reminder to update financial information after tax season.

5. IRS DataRetrieval Tool- Starting February 1^st, you have the option of downloading your financial information directly from the IRS to your FAFSA application

Import information to remember

FAFSA becomes available January 1, 2012 and is due March 1, 2012. Colleges set their own deadlines so make sure to check with each college.

FAFSA is based on income from the 2011 tax year.  If possible, file your taxes prior to doing the FAFSA so you have an accurate account of financial information.  If not, you can estimate financial information and correct it after filing taxes.  As always, the sooner you submit all the information the better!

For some grants, financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.  Take advantage of this and turn in the FAFSA as early as possible.

There are many resources out there about FAFSA and different financial aid questions. Take a look at these for additional information!

For the FAFSA application: www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm

A great New York Times blog that addresses financial aid is: http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/

Why Should You Consider Hiring an Independent Educational Consultant?

Independent Educational Consultants bring a wealth of in-depth information to the college choice and application process that families often forget about as they begin to  make decisions for their students. We are professionals who spend a great deal of time actually walking college campuses and speaking with admissions counselors so that we can keep our fingers on the pulse of the industry. A good college consultant can help separate what is marketing on the part of a college and what is truly important to the choice your student will make. A college consultant will conduct an in-depth review of the student’s academic record, standardized test scores, activities involvement, and special talents that the student brings to the table. In addition, the consultant will spend the time necessary to get a real handle on what both the parents and the student want from the college experience. 

To choose the right college consultant for your family you should look carefully at the credentials that the individual offers. First and foremost, the consultant should be a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and be actively involved in the work of one or both organizations. If you can find someone who is also a Certified Educational Planner (CEP), you have hit the jackpot of professional accreditation and a person who subscribes to ethical standards of conduct that place your student at the center of the process. Choosing a college is about fit and match; it is not trophy hunting. An ethical and reliable consultant will know what schools are a good fit and will help the student develop self-awareness and to be empowered in the process. More and more colleges, both public and private, are beginning to understand that students who use a consultant are more likely to complete a degree at the college where they started than are those who conducted the process on their own. Therefore, using a consultant can result in parents spending a lot less overall to educate their student. If you don’t transfer, you don’t lose either time or credits, both of which cost a great deal of money.

The investment in a well-credentialed consultant offers protection for your academic dollar. While consultants are not inexpensive, neither is the amount you spend on tuition, room and board, and peripheral expenses for the student. You would not think of buying or selling a house without a good realtor to protect you. Why would you spend between $100,000 and $200,000 on a college education without having professional  help that is focused on your student?