Junior Year: It’s College Crunch Time!

For many juniors, the end of winter break ushers in an important time in their high school careers, as they begin to seriously look at their college options.  With more than 3,500 colleges nationwide, there are many factors for students and parents to take into consideration. No wonder the college selection process can seem overwhelming!  To help you focus your efforts, here are the top three things to zero in on right now:

1. Define your criteria for choosing a college

Think seriously about the things that are important to you in choosing a school.  Are you looking for a specific academic program, or is student life more important? How large or small of a college would you feel most comfortable with? Do you want a school where there are opportunities to study abroad?  Would you like a conservative environment, or a more liberal one?  How far from home do you want to be? 

2. Realistically evaluate your credentials

One of the shifts that has affected college admissions is “grade inflation.”  In the past, the traditional bell curve for an average grade was C; now the average grade is B, which can give kids and parents of B students a false sense of security. 

Also look at how challenging your high school course load has been. Challenging courses, including AP classes, show schools that you’re committed to academics and that you used your time in high school wisely.

It’s also important to be involved in your school and in the community, and to commit to a few activities. If possible, these should include athletics and/or the arts, student government, and community service activities.

If you’re in Scouting, achieving the Eagle rank or Gold Award levels are very impressive to college admissions counselors, because of the dedication and leadership potential they represent. 

3. Understand the need for a balanced list of colleges based on financial and acceptance likeliness

When choosing a college, it’s important to not only look at what you want from a school, but what the school wants from you. Be aware of things such as the acceptance rate of various schools, and the credentials of the accepted students. 

In terms of cost, local state schools may not always be the least expensive.  Many are facing huge challenges and the pool of funds available for financial assistance has dried up significantly. Private schools, on the other hand, are funded by endowments, and when private schools want an excellent, standout student who will be a credit to them, they can shift more Merit Scholarship dollars towards getting that student, and less towards a more average student who may choose to go there.

If you’d like help in finding the best possible match between your student’s educational, social, and financial needs, and what colleges offer, give us a call.  We’ve guided hundreds of students to college success!  To schedule your first consultation, just call 301-834-6888 or email us at Charlotte@cklaar.com. 

Strong Academics, Idyllic Settings at Women's Colleges

On a recent trip to Western Massachusetts, I visited two wonderful women’s colleges: Mount Holyoke (@mtholyoke) and Smith (@smith). While both are women’s colleges and have many similarities, they are also quite different from each other. I strongly encourage young women to explore these as well as other women’s colleges, before deciding whether to apply only to coed institutions.

Mount Holyoke, in South Hadley, is smaller (2,200 students) and in more of a rural setting than Smith. Tucked into the Berkshire Mountains, this beautiful campus offers the opportunity to think and learn in a comfortable and quiet setting.

Recently, a series of fabulous restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques were added at the edge of the campus. All are within walking distance of the residences.

Academics have always been the strong suit of the Northeastern U.S. liberal women’s colleges known as the “Seven Sisters.”*  As the first dedicated to educating women, Mount Holyoke has never been distracted from its mission of providing a solid liberal arts education, coupled with strong programs in the arts – including dance, theater, and studio arts.  They also offer well-respected programs in business and science. While one might think of South Hadley as a “sleepy little town,” dynamic intellectual pursuits are alive and well at Mount Holyoke. 

Smith College in Northampton is the largest of the Seven Sisters, and is located in a much busier town that’s within easy walking distance. There is a lot to do in the area surrounding Smith, and the campus itself is a haven around a beautiful lake. 

A very strong engineering program is offered, along with its liberal arts core. Smith’s curriculum also has a strong global focus, and encourages students to study abroad to prepare for a future career as a global leader. Their open curriculum, with no core requirements, encourages students to explore their interests in many areas, so students frequently have double majors or minors.

The residential system at Smith is governed by a house system, rather than residence halls, and students identify themselves by their house (all if which are self-governing).

Both Mount Holyoke and Smith have a population of non-traditional women students, as well as significant international populations. Their selection process emphasizes the GPA of incoming students. Both colleges are SAT optional, in recognition of their focus on strong high school preparation. Each is a member of the Five College Consortium, and students can easily take classes at the other colleges via a bus system.

Don’t miss the opportunity to explore these and other women’s colleges to round out your college research.  You may find a good fit and a rewarding college experience!

* The other women’s colleges of the Seven Sisters include Barnard College, Bryn Mawr College, Radcliffe College, Vassar College, and Wellesley College. All were founded between 1837 and 1889.

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.

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

Back Home Again

It is wonderful to be back home again and to touch base with clients and friends in order to share that which I learned in the last two weeks. I saw some exciting colleges while I was away, many of which I had seen before but the changes on their campuses were amazing. A few whom I had not seen that challenged some opinions about them which I had heard from others and caused me to evaluate them in terms of the students to whom I could recommend them.

One of the most exciting things about educational consulting is the constantly changing landscape of colleges which we must keep up on in order to properly serve our students. Although this necessitates a great deal of travel, I find that it keeps me interested in the issues which a good consultant must be interested in. Among these are the changes we find on campuses in both programs and facilities; the financial considerations that we need to know in order to help families make the best decisions for their students; and the general changes to the college process which is a dynamic one.

To do these things well, it is critical to keep up with professional development and attending IECA conferences over the years is one of the best ways I have found to keep abreast of developments in all these areas. It is not only the informative breakout sessions that help me learn but it is also the conversations with colleagues from around the country and the world that help. Keynote speakers are the icing on the cake. Anyone who wants quality training in this industry must turn first to IECA to ensure that they get the best of the best.

Charlotte Klaar

IECA Conference Charlotte, NC

I have just spent a wonderful week doing what I love to do. I have visited eight wonderfully different college campuses, attended some very stimulating workshops in which I learned about adolescents, educational innovations, admissions changes, and many other things which I am looking forward to using with my clients when I return home. What makes all this even more special is the opportunity to do all this with colleagues and friends from IECA.

Early this week I was visited Davidson College, Elon University, High Point University, Queens University, UNC- Charlotte, and UNC-School of the Arts. Each college was very generous to share with us their time and to make sure that we understood their particular niche in the college landscape as well as to tell us about the students who would be a good fit for their particular academic programs. Today, along with two friends from IECA, we drove from the conference hotel to Wake Forest University and Guilford University since we could not be so close and not see these wonderful schools. While spending hours on a bus or in a car may not sound like much fun to many people, for the IECA consultant, it is a pleasure because doing this allows us to expand our knowledge which in turn makes us a more valuable asset to the students we serve.

At the conference, I was privileged to hear two wonderful keynote speakers, Daniel Pink and Nido Quebin. Both are noted authors and each delivered inspiring addresses that both informed and entertained the audience. Mr. Pink discussed the need for us to prepare students "for their future and not for our pasts." Mr. Quebin, President of High Point University, shared with us his vision for High Point and the philosophy that lay behind his plans for this beautiful college. Both are unique and imbued with the common sense approach that offers the wisdom of allowing students to live in environments to which they can aspire as they grow and to give them a high quality education at the same time. Each of them pointed out the need for us to educate students for the future as it will exist in the world that they will inhabit as adults and not for the world for which we were educated since these are vastly different places.

Every time I attend an IECA conference, I return to my work re-energized and enthusiastic about the work I do and the students whose lives I touch. What a great way to make a living and a life!