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. 

Enjoy Your Early Action Acceptance

Did you apply for and receive an early action acceptance (not to be confused with the binding early decision acceptance)?

As you’re aware, early action has a lot of benefits, the biggest being that you don’t have to wait nearly as long as fellow classmates to find out if you’ve been accepted to the college of your dreams. While most students have to wait until spring for their acceptance letters, those who decide to submit their application by the early action deadline typically find out by mid December.

If you’re one of those lucky few who took the early action route and have received an acceptance letter, here are several tips:

• ENJOY IT. Take time during your holiday break to relax and enjoy the fact that you’ve already received an acceptance letter. That’s one less stress to worry about during the holiday season! 

• DON’T RUSH IN. Take your time and keep an eye out for acceptance letters from schools you applied to by the regular deadline. Perhaps another school wants to offer you a scholarship, but your early action school does not. This may be an important factor to take into consideration when deciding which school to attend. Once you’ve heard back from all the schools you applied to, fully evaluate your options to make the choice that’s best for you.

With these two tips, you’ll be able to thoroughly enjoy the benefits of your early action application!

Happy Holidays from Klaar College Consulting!

Which Type of College is Right for You!

Which Type of College is Right for You!

 

There are a variety of different types of colleges available, so narrowing down the right one for you may seem like a daunting task. But, it doesn’t have to be! The below explanation of the different categories of colleges may help you find the one that seems best suited to your individual academic, social and financial needs.

Military

Military Colleges, like the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, teach their students in a unique style with a focus on military history and tradition.

Public

A public university is funded and paid for by public means. These schools are often, though not always, state schools, and they tend to have lower tuition rates than private universities. Towson University in Towson, Maryland (17,517 undergrads) would be an example.

State Schools

A state school is one that is paid for and run by the state. State schools, which are usually public, often have a large student population. For example, the University of Maryland-College Park has 26,775 undergrads.

Private

A private university is not run by the government. These institutions are run as educational nonprofit organizations. Private universities tend to have higher fees than public and state schools. An example would be the University of Richmond in Richmond Virginia.

Religious Affiliated

Religiously affiliated institutions are founded and supported by a specific religion. Because of their basis in religion, they may be a good choice for those with a strong faith. The Catholic-based Loyola University in Baltimore Maryland is an example of this.

Liberal Arts

A liberal arts university focuses on education in the field of liberal arts. Liberal arts include subjects like literature, psychology, and philosophy. As such, these schools would be a good choice for someone with an interest in the humanities. Hood College in Frederick, Maryland is an example of one such school.

Tech Schools

Tech or technical schools provide education in areas of trained labor. Technical schools can prepare students for careers as medical assistants, cooks, electrical technicians, and much more. An example of a technical school would be ITT Technical Institute, which has campuses across the country.

Ivy League

Ivy League universities are a group of academically elite educational institutions. They are private, and have high tuition rates. These universities are very selective. An example of an Ivy League university is Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey. The term “Ivy League” is an athletic designation rather than an academic one.

We hope this list will make it easier for you to find the colleges that match your needs and interests! For more help in selecting the college that is the best fit for you, and that will result in an exciting and rewarding experience that leads to a satisfying career, contact Charlotte Klaar at 301-834-6888 or Charlotte@cklaar.com.

The Letter of Recommendation: Explained

The Letter of Recommendation: Explained

The letter of recommendation has long since been one of the key components of a college application. As such, it can be a major concern for high school students, raising questions such as: Who should you ask to write your letter of recommendation? How much time should they have to write it? What should they say to make you stand out? Is it even really necessary?

Below, we’ll help answer these questions in the hopes of demystifying the fabled letter of recommendation.

• Who are the best people to ask to write a recommendation?

Standard letters of recommendation: Guidance counselors and teachers from your junior or senior years.

Supplemental letters of recommendation: Coaches, employers, religious leaders, and other respected adults who know you well

• How much time should you give the person to write the recommendation letter?

Approximately three weeks

• What should the person writing the letter say in order to make you stand out?

Focus on leadership abilities, extracurricular activities, highlights from your resume, intellectual curiosity, and other abilities/activities that enhance your in-classroom performance

• Is the recommendation letter even necessary?

Most colleges do require at least one standard letter of recommendation

Hopefully, these answers will be helpful in your search for the perfect letter of recommendation.

As an additional note, students should be aware that counselors do not have to alert students as to whether or not they will send a recommendation letter on the student’s behalf. That makes it important that you follow up with your counselor to find out whether they have sent a letter.  If not, it’s doubly important that you get a letter from a teacher or other adult as per above!

Don’t Make Selecting a Major too Stressful

While looking at colleges, many high school students find themselves stressing over what major they should choose. It can seem as if you have an almost impossible deadline for deciding exactly what you want to do with the rest of your life!  But as intimidating as selecting a major can seem, there’s one key thing to keep in mind: It’s perfectly fine to not have a major or career path in mind when you start looking into colleges.

Below, we offer three simple tips that will help ease your career path decision woes.

 

1.     Choose a school that has a wide range of majors.

Don’t know what you want to do? Find a school you like that offers a wide variety of majors. Once you’re there, you can try your hand at a few of the courses in the various majors offered,  and see which ones interest you.

 

2.   Take a general career test.

Need help deciding what career path to look into? Try taking a career aptitude test. A college consultant can help with this, and help you to identify your passions and areas of interests. 

 

3.     Keep your options open.

Many of the careers that today’s students are preparing for don’t yet exist. Therefore, it’s crucial that you keep your options open while learning to think critically and to analyze the information you accumulate. This way, you can apply it in creative ways to different scenarios.

 

4.     Relax.

Remember that you still have plenty of time to figure out what you want to do. In fact, most people are undecided when they enter their freshman year of college and many people even change majors multiple times as they progress through the year. The important thing during your freshman year is to take your general education courses, which will help guide you in determining your major.

With these three tips in mind, picking a major can be a much less daunting task!

Here's What Colleges Want From You!

Between SAT scores, extracurricular activities and GPAs, the process of deciphering what colleges are looking for can seem complex and daunting! Here’s a quick and easy to follow list of what many colleges are looking for in their prospective students to help make the process easier. While some of the items are old standbys, some things on the list may surprise you!

1. A great letter of recommendation. A good word from people you’ve worked with or for is a helpful source of insight into your character.

2. A challenging high school course load. This shows schools that you’re committed to
academics and that you used your time in high school wisely.

3. Good grades with an upward trend. Grades that show you’re working hard and are
consistently improving are very important to colleges.

4. Work and/or community service experience. Real world experience helps to show that
you’re a well-rounded person.

5. Involvement in extracurricular activities. Like work or community service, extracurricular involvement is a great way to show that you’re a well-rounded person with a passion for something. This can help you stand out.

6. Solid test scores. While the importance of these has dropped slightly over the years, they are still a crucial staple for many college admissions offices.

7. An outstanding essay. Essays allow college admissions offices to get a more personal look at the student behind the application. This is the time to show off your skills, insights, and talent for writing.

Knowing what’s important can be the key to getting into the school of your dreams or a college that’s a great fit socially, academically and financially. And who doesn’t want that?!

Fiction vs. Fact: What You & Your Student REALLY Need to do Senior Year

What do seniors – and their parents – need to expect during the senior year of high school?  Here’s a simple list that separates some common myths from the facts.

Three of the most common myths surrounding senior year are:

Myth #1 Students can take relaxed course loads during their senior year.

Myth #2 It’s okay to for students to slack off during their senior year.

Myth #3 Once a student has been accepted into a college, it doesn’t matter what they do.

All of these are complete fiction. Senior year is incredibly important. Even after a student has been accepted into a college, the college will continue to check up on said student’s course load and grades.

If colleges see a slip in performance, they may do any number of things, including withdrawing admission, making students participate in academic advancement programs over the summer, reducing students’ financial aid offers, or placing students in remedial courses during their freshman year.

If your student wants to avoid these penalties, it’s crucial that they stay focused during their senior year.

Now that we’ve cleared up some of the fictions surrounding senior year, let’s talk about some of the facts:

Fact #1 Your student’s guidance counselor can opt out of sending a letter of recommendation when using the Common Application, and they don’t have to inform you of this. Be sure you’re aware of whether or not your student is getting a letter of recommendation.  Also, have other options in place, such as letters  from a teacher, club leader, Scout leader, minister, etc.

Fact #2 Knowing what’s in store for your child and planning accordingly is crucial. Having a financial plan, a communications plan, and even a plan for emotionally letting go, can make senior year and beyond much easier.

Fact #3 Being supportive of your child is very important. Be sure to stress that senioritis is not an excuse to slack off, and that there is a lot at stake. Also be available to your child for informal discussions about how their senior year is going, and what they can anticipate in college.

Remembering the facts and forgetting the fiction can make your child’s senior year a little bit easier for everyone involved, including you!