STUDENT-CENTERED SOLUTIONS FOR COLLEGE PLANNING

October is a time of reckoning for students as they prepare college applications. The senior year of high school is in full swing with new academic challenges and a sense of nostalgia as students wistfully embrace events and relationships for the “last time” in their high school experience. And, for many, preparing half a dozen or so college application represents another layer of activity on top of an already busy schedule.

As a result, the excitement and allure associated with going to college begins to wane, as the process of applying becomes an onerous imposition. With pending deadlines and mounting requirements, there simply isn’t enough time in the day to get it all done! As a result, there is a tendency to choose the course of least resistance—to only do what is “good enough.”

I would like to offer a word to the wise if you find yourself in this situation. Make this year your best! Now is the time to push hard to achieve your goals, even though doing so may mean making compromises in your social life. You can’t “will” great grades. Essays don’t become excellent overnight. Compelling college applications don’t materialize out of thin air.

Keep in mind the competition for admission. Colleges continue to be inundated by applications from more, well-qualified candidates than they can admit. As a result, admission officers will be forced to make fine distinctions between deserving candidates. At highly selective colleges, the pressure to make these distinctions is incredibly intense as only a fraction of the students who apply—in some cases as few as 5-15%—can be admitted.

So what does this mean for you—the applicant? It means that admission officers will be looking at seemingly obscure factors as they evaluate your application. In particular, they will be interested in the choices you make as you press ahead in your senior year to see how you handle the pressure. Will you wilt under the weight of the added expectations? Will you find the easiest path to the “finish line? Or will you step up to the challenge?

Quite frankly, they want to see what you do when you don’t think you have to do anything. When a “B” seems good enough, will you continue to push for the “A?”

They will also be able to gauge your investment in your application immediately. Have you been thoughtful about conveying key messages? How have you told your “story”? What does your essay say about you? I can tell you from experience that applications and, in particular, essays that are pulled together at the last minute have that “good enough” look about them. It should not come as any surprise that “good enough” does not inspire much interest on the part of the person reviewing your credentials.

As a high school senior and an applicant to college, you are still in a position to control the manner in which your application is presented. Don’t give admission officers a reason to say “no” to your candidacy. Resist the temptation to put things off or go into “cruise control.” Now is the time to accelerate! Stay focused and finish strong! You must commit to doing so, however. As one young woman observed after hearing this message at a recent program, “If nothing else, I have learned that good enough is never enough if I want to reach my goals.”

Call me crazy, but I have decided to run a half marathon in June of 2012. It won’t be just any race. No, for my first distance running experience, I have elected to navigate 14+ miles along the pristine Alpine ridges that front Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in western Europe.

And why would I aspire to such a foolhardy notion? After all, the length, altitude and overall ascent of this “race” (nearly one mile) pose challenges for even those who are accomplished runners.

Well, let’s see. I was active athletically as a young(er) adult—and I remain reasonably fit. I love to compete and embrace opportunities to test myself. I understand the meaning of rigorous training and am willing to commit (I think) to the regimen. Besides, the scenery is breathtaking—and wouldn’t it be exhilarating to sprint triumphantly across the finish line to spirited strains of the village brass ensemble?! Ah, what a dream ending that would be!

The bottom line: the race, or rather the course on which it will be run, represents a challenge—an obstacle to be overcome—a race to be won.  Or does it?

At an earlier time in my life, I might have been tempted to look at this race as a competitive opportunity. Now, however, I need to be “real” about what lies before me. My younger brother is a marathoner who has begun preparing for “iron man” competitions as well. He’ll be in the race, too, and “competing” makes sense for him. This is his “thing” and he is committed to performing at a high level. Intellectually, I understand what he does and how he does it. And, there are times when I ponder the same possibilities for myself, that “I can do that, too…” The truth be known, my current training regimen is akin to his warm-up!

As I approach the race, then, I think I have a pretty good handle on reality. My expectation is not to win the race but to do as well as I can. I can run and I love to compete. However, failing to recognize the limitations that have befallen me due to age and a rather sedentary lifestyle would expose me to untold risks, the least of which would be coming short of the finish line. Therefore, I need to be smart about my approach to the tactical aspects (knowing when to walk, run or take a seat!) of navigating the course as well as the manner in which I train.

And, while it is easy to get swept up in the excitement of the event, not to mention the inevitable sibling rivalry, I need to manage my expectations around the reality of my performance capabilities.

The same is true of students (and their parents) in the college planning process. Just as finishing the half marathon is an assumed outcome for most of those who enter it, going to college is a reasonable assumption for students as they prepare to compete for admission. Where each contestant finishes—and how s/he feels about the outcome—though, is highly dependent on expectations. If expectations are congruent with performance capabilities (scores, courses and grades) and a realistic assessment of the variables to be encountered along the way, then the outcomes—whatever they might be—will be celebrated.

On the other hand, expectations that are allowed to run unchecked can prove calamitous if they are unmet. It is then—when students don’t get into their dream colleges—that outcomes point to failure, effort is second-guessed and self-worth takes a big hit. All of this can be avoided, however, by managing expectations through an honestly framed perspective—which brings us to the present.

The start of school marks the unofficial beginning of the college application process. Excitement abounds as the possibilities seem limitless. It is a time when the competitive playing field is most level and even the “casual runner” can dream of running at the head of the pack. Heaven knows I’d love to win the marathon or at least be the top American finisher. Okay, being the top finisher in my age group would even feel good. But I enter the race knowing my limitations and set my goals accordingly.

Be smart about your “race,” too. Know who you are—your strengths and weaknesses. Know what you have to offer and what you want to get out of your college experience. Then, set your course—and your expectations—accordingly in order to put yourself in the best position possible to achieve your goals. It is okay to dream. Go ahead and think big. As you do, however, keep one foot firmly planted on the “rock of reality.” Stay the course that makes sense for you so you are well pleased with the outcomes when you reach the “finish line.”

The college admission process is right around the corner. For many would-be college applicants, the next three months represent a critical staging period as they prepare their applications for admission. In the coming weeks I will use this space to provide guidance to students as they assemble their applications that will put them in the most competitive position possible. My objective: give them the tools and insight necessary to compete for admission at the schools that fit them best.

An important preamble to this discussion involves the question of ownership. Specifically, who is going to manage this process?

On the surface, the answer seems clear. The student should manage the process. After all, it is the student who is going to college. It is the student who will be committing to four years of new educational and social experiences. And it is the student who will be setting out on this new adventure in an environment set apart from everything that she has known thus far in life.

Yet, quite often as I watch families engage in college planning and listen to their conversations, the student’s voice is noticeably absent. While parents talk excitedly about colleges “we’ve been hearing from” and the campuses “we have visited” with the conclusion that “we’re leaning toward XYZ college,” students shrink to the background. In this “committee of we,” they have become spectators. Rather than making the things happen, they are resigned to allowing things to happen to them.

As a result, I find it enlightening—and instructive—to talk with the students without their parents present. I want to hear, in their voices, the perspective they have to give to their life experiences. It is good to hear about their joys and concerns as well as their aspirations as they contemplate an uncertain future. More importantly, it is good for them to hear their own voices on matters of such importance in their lives.

The choice of a college is intensely personal. Making that choice or, should I say, making a good choice requires the engaged involvement of the person who will be most affected. It requires reflection, careful analysis, an attention to detail and a voice that speaks of ownership—all of which will power the decision-making process. It may be tempting for parents to simply charge ahead and manage the college application process in light of the student’s relative lack of experience and/or the inevitably burdensome workload their student will encounter during the school year. When that happens, however, the student’s voice is lost.

There is something to be said, then, for a partnered approach—an approach in which students are supported as they take ownership. This might be challenging for parents who are accustomed to taking the lead all the time. On the other hand, it is a good time (and opportunity) to begin vesting responsibility in the emerging young adult. While the short-term efforts (and outcomes) may be maddeningly erratic, the long-term benefits will be undeniable. By learning to take ownership of the process, including all of the potential frustrations and disappointments, the student will also find much greater satisfaction in the successes.

Finding the student’s voice and encouraging its emergence is an underlying premise of student-centered college planning. It is at the core of my live programming and it frames my approach to the one-on-one discussions I have with students. It is my intent to empower them with insight about college admission as well as with self-awareness and confidence that will carry them through the college planning process.

To learn more about student-centered college planning, check out The College Planning Workbook in the TAG Bookstore. This interactive resource walks students through the application process with a range of hands-on exercises and includes a chart entitled “Whose Job Is It Anyway?” The fourth edition of the Workbook ($20) will be available for shipment in September. Order by August 31, however, to reserve your copy for $15.

Which college is best for you—and why?

On the surface, these questions may not seem very consequential, but they are, especially in light of the college ranking guides that hit the newsstands this month. When you consider the opportunity that lies before you, looking beyond the rankings to the importance of these questions—and being able to answer them thoughtfully—can make a big difference in the outcomes of your college planning process.

A college education is an important lifetime opportunity. Throughout your undergraduate experience, you will meet new people, prepare for a career and learn more than you could ever imagine. If you use your time well, you will also increase your lifetime earning capacity exponentially. The payoffs for education are both immediate and long-term. That’s why families are willing to make the investment.

Unfortunately, the investment can prove costly when college plans go awry. Consider the following:

• Fewer than 50% of the students who enter college graduate in four years.
• Barely half will graduate from any college at any time in their lives!

These are not good outcomes, either for the students or the society that bears the financial brunt of a collective failure to make good on educational opportunities. The inability to reach the “finish line” is indeed a problem of “pay me later” proportions. The ensuing costs are undeniable. When you are not able to finish what you start, your family loses the money it has put into tuition and other college expenses. Attach a dollar mark to the cost of a year’s tuition and you get the picture. The money doesn’t come back if you become sidetracked or leave college prematurely. It is the “cost of unfulfilled potential.”

Failing to stay the course to graduation from college also means you lose time toward completion of an undergraduate degree and the subsequent opportunity to gain an advantage in the job market. Even if you return to the classroom after having been away for a while or you transfer to a different school, the cost of lost opportunity can be significant. Not only must you absorb the tuition and fees associated with an additional year or so of education, you must also wait longer to take advantage of your new earning potential.

While there are all kinds of “good” reasons— personal, financial and academic—to leave college prematurely, the fact that many of them are avoidable only adds to the tragedy.

The key, then, is to get the choice of a college “right” the first time. To do that, you need to reflect on factors that relate to a good college fit for you. In doing so, you put yourself in the best position to find success both in the college admission process and the undergraduate years that follow.

With over 3,000 colleges and universities across the country, you will quickly discover many viable options. Some are well known, if not quite famous. Others will be new to you. Regardless, most have something of value to offer.

Among them, the “best college” is the one that is right for you. It is a quality option if for no other reason than it is the college that will best meet your needs. It fits. It might not hold the cachet or ranking that impresses your friends, but it does fit your aptitude and needs. The college that “fits” you best is one that will:

1. Offer a program of study to match your interests and needs.
2. Provide a style of instruction to match the way you like to learn.
3. Provide a level of academic rigor to match your aptitude and preparation.
4. Offer a community that feels like home to you.
5. Value you for what you do well.

As you consider colleges, start with an understanding of fit from a perspective that is centered on your sense of self. How does each college you encounter measure up against these elements of a good fit? You need be conscious of inconsistencies because they will likely become sticking points for you later on. Don’t settle for a college that only meets one or two criteria. It’s a compromise that could cost you later.

Finally, don’t be surprised if you find more than one institution that seems to fit. That’s great! Not only will you improve your odds of gaining admission to those colleges, you are more likely to stay once enrolled. And that’s a good thing!

You can find a more detailed discussion of the “best college fit” in the College Planning Workbook, which is available in the TAG Bookstore.

The calendar may say July, but it is not too early to begin thinking about—and working on—college applications. And why not?! The applications are unavoidable so what better way to occupy yourself during the “dog days” of summer than by getting a head start in the college application marathon!

The good news is that doing so is easy. Moreover, the more you are able to accomplish now, the less stress you are likely to feel after the school year starts and you begin to deal with competing agendas. The following organizational steps for getting started will make it easier to manage your application process later in the school year without taking too much of a bite out of your summer regimen.

1. Develop a timeline. One of the greatest points of frustration for you in the coming months will be the overwhelming sense that everything is happening at the same time. Take advantage of the opportunity you have now to create order out of the pending chaos. On a wall-calendar that shows 4-6 months at a time, list all of the important dates that relate to the application process as well as those that relate to your school and personal life (special events, homecoming, school holidays, exam schedules). The former should include deadlines for applications, testing dates, submission of scholarship and/or financial aid applications, submission of materials to your college advisor and any other self-imposed deadlines for completing your applications. In addition, make note of dates you would like to target for campus visits. You will be amazed at how having such a timeline or calendar gives you a much better sense of control going forward!
2. Create a spreadsheet that references key information for each of the colleges to which you are likely to apply. The spreadsheet should show requirements, fees, deadlines and any other descriptive information (size, location, cost, etc.) you think is important. Having all of this information on one form can prove to be a powerful visual aid as you make manage information and, ultimately, make critical distinctions between schools.
3. Establish a hard copy filing system for your application materials. While you are organizing information electronically, it also makes sense to keep a file for each college. Include in this file any notes you made from visits to the college as well as photos of the campus. The latter will help to keep the visual images of each campus sharper in your mind.
4. Collect applications from colleges likely to appear on your shortlist. It’s never too early to begin reviewing the forms themselves and becoming familiar with the requirements. While most applications will eventually be submitted online, print out hard copies that can be used as working documents as you assemble/record information. Keep the hard copies in the aforementioned files. Identify the colleges on your developing shortlist that use either the Common Application or the Universal Application. Each application is used by “member” colleges as its own. As a result, you could find yourself completing the Common App or the UA once and submitting it to multiple schools. Make sure you are familiar with the member lists for each application group as well as any additional filing requirements that might be articulated by the member colleges themselves.
5. List the essay topics required by each school. Even if you are not ready to start writing essay drafts, it is important to become familiar with the questions you will need to address. Look for common themes. Begin imagining how you could address them. Make notes about the possibilities. I will talk more about essay preparation in future blogs.
6. Think about the key messages that you want to convey. Theme development in the application is important. One of the biggest mistakes students make as they apply for admission is they allow their credentials to appear as a set of randomly assembled documents. Your job: eliminate the randomness that might be associated with your application. You application for admission is essentially a “personal statement.” What do you want it to say about you? How might these messages set you apart from the competition?
7. Develop a resume. One of the best ways to get your arms around themes and key messages is to write a resume. Don’t worry about making it look professional. Do make it complete and, as you do so, give priority to those activities/events that have been most meaningful to you. The important take-away will be the exercise itself as it will help you develop a broader sense of the talking points that need to be addressed in your application.

As you make plans to visit colleges this summer, be sure to inquire about opportunities for personal interviews while you are on their campuses. The interview gives you a chance to develop a relationship with a decision-maker, someone who will later be involved in the credential review process. While having such a relationship does not guarantee that you’ll get in, it should give you peace of mind that someone will be able to interpret your situation to other decision-makers behind the closed doors of the admission process.

That said, the prospect of having to talk with a stranger for half an hour or so may not seem too appealing. The fact that you’ll probably be expected to talk about yourself or that this conversation might have a bearing on your admission outcome doesn’t make the task any easier. The good news is that nobody ever died in an admission interview! It’s safe—and relatively harmless. The interview is not a test. The people you meet are really decent human beings who are simply interested in getting to know you better. Give them the chance.

As an interviewer, I always looked for opportunities to learn something new with each encounter. This led to fascinating conversations about the mental preparation actors go through as they take on stage personas, theories regarding the convergence of parallel lines in space (way over my head!), and the politics of poverty. I learned how to sail, followed the hand of an artist as it covered fresh canvas, and watched the sun in its early morning ascent from the top of Mount Masada through the eyes of students who had been there.

Each interview was an opportunity for me to meet with and understand a young person from a perspective that wasn’t scripted anywhere else. I could not have otherwise known the circumstances of the political exile who was understandably reluctant to reveal her family’s story. And I would not have met the homeless youth who came to my office with the simple plea: “All I want is a chance. I want someone to believe in me so I can get an education that will enable me to make a difference in the world.”

The interview is an opportunity to provide a conversational window into your world. Think about it. If there are things that need to be made known regarding your academic performance or your life experience in general, this is the time to tell your story. In reviewing your credentials, admission officers need to understand what’s going on contextually. Without explanations or interpretations of unusual circumstances from you, they are left to draw their own conclusions—and you don’t want them to start guessing!

So, you need to ask yourself, “What do I have to lose by going for an interview?” If a college offers the interview, it is a clear indication that it wants to get to know you better. Go for it!

Interview Tips

• Do some research in advance. Be prepared to ask one or two thoughtful questions that relate to your areas of interest (for example, why not find out about opportunities for independent study or study abroad). You don’t want to waste your interview time with questions that can be answered easily from websites and viewbooks.
• Dress comfortably. Don’t let your attire distract interviewers from the opportunity to get to know you.
• Arrive early so you can become familiar with campus life. Check out the school newspaper and read activity boards to get a sense of what’s happening on campus so you are reasonably informed when you walk into the interview.
• Take ownership. The interview is about you and your future.
• Relax. Smile. Extend a firm handshake. Maintain good eye contact. Don’t slouch in your seat. You demonstrate your respect for the interviewer by your posture and mannerisms.
• Eliminate the conversational “hiccups” (“like,” “well,” “you know”)—and stow the gum!
• Be prepared to talk about your passions. Many interviewers are eager to learn something new. You never know when something you enjoy might lead to a broader conversation.
• Have a resume handy, but don’t be surprised if the interviewer puts it aside to focus on having a conversation with you.
• Tell your story. If circumstances beyond your control have adversely influenced your performance, now is the time to bring them to light.
• Make sure you leave with the business card of the person who interviewed you. This person should be regarded as a key resource and you’ll want to make sure you know how to reach him/her with questions in the future.

Did you know that barely half of the students who enter college each year will graduate from any college at any time in their lives? The statistic is numbing when you consider the potential costs involved—your time, your parents’ money, and the lost opportunity to you as a wage earner upon graduation.

Over the last five postings in this space, I have provided ideas about how to find the college that is best for you—a place that is likely to attract and keep you through graduation. Before we wrap up this discussion, it might make sense to address some of the common pitfalls that lead to unproductive college choices—colleges that do not fit well.

Scenario #1: Love I hate to break it to you but the best college for you is not the place that your love interest attends! Before you and your boyfriend/girlfriend get too far along in planning the rest of your lives together, know that the odds of maintaining the relationship over four years of college are not in your favor. In fact, most high school romances break up before the end of the first year of college. Does it make sense, then, for you to commit to four years at somebody else’s college just so you can be together when there is a very good chance that before the end of the first semester she’ll find some other guy—and you’ll end up being a spectator on her campus. Would you call that a good fit?

Scenario #2: Friends The same logic applies to your friends. While you are ready to graduate from high school, you might not be ready to leave the people with whom you hang out. As a result, the whole gang heads off to college together—in many cases, site unseen. If anybody asks why you chose to attend that college, your response will probably be, “my friends go there.”

Now, how much sense does that make?! One or two of your friends have it figured out. They know the program and have made considered decisions. The rest of you just want to hang out. Now, you are on a campus that is strange to you except for the guys you want to hang with. A good fit?

Scenario #3: Parents The best school for you is not likely to be the place your parents attended or the place they want you to attend! This can become uncomfortable if your parents are already talking about the places you should attend. While you don’t want to disappoint them, you want to find your own college—a place that is the best fit for you. After all, you are different people. What worked for them might not work for you.

If you sense a conflict of this nature brewing, you need to find a diplomatic solution to it early in your search. The longer you allow your parent’s expectations of a destination to linger prominently in the picture, the harder it will be to extricate yourself from those expectations later in the process—that is, assuming you truly want to look in different directions.

Scenario #4: Sports The best college for you is not likely to be the place that won the national championship. Everybody likes to be around a winner and there is something to be said for body painting and the crowd frenzy on crisp Saturday afternoons in the fall. Just remember, though, that whatever colors you bleed, you still need to be a student Monday through Friday.

Scenario #5: Prestige Finally, the best college for you is not necessarily the place that will give you the most impressive car sticker! Consider how the events are likely to unfold.

One day in the spring of your senior year, the “thick envelope” from XYZ, a very prestigious college, arrives in your mail slot. One of your parents is home and finds the letter. Instinctively, s/he rips open the letter to discover the good news and euphoria reigns—“We’re in!!” Before you know it, a car sticker has emerged from safe keeping (held there just in case) and is attached prominently on the family car so everyone can see where “we’re going to college!”

This will be an exciting time for the entire family because, of course, “we” got in. And good for you—if this is truly the place that you want to attend. Unfortunately, a lot of students and their families become more obsessed with winning the prize than finding the best fit. The student may have “won” the car sticker and all the bragging rights that go with it, but does the s/he have the right college? Maybe, maybe not.

Summing It Up
You need to remain reflective throughout the process in order to make sure a school, especially a high profile place, is the right one for you. (Would you buy a good-looking pair of shoes even if they were too snug in the toes?) As you move forward, resist the temptation to act impulsively or run with the herd. You must be able to live with your choice for the next four years and it needs to work for you in the years that follow. Invest in learning more about places that might be right for you—not your love interest or your friends or your parents. Now is the time to focus on you and what constitutes a good fit for you—so yours will be a successful four-year college experience.

Over the last month, I have written about elements of a good college fit—elements that are just as important when you are getting started with your college search as they are when making the final choice of a college. “Fit,” more than rankings, rhetoric or the emotional logic that is bound to emerge, is the greatest determinant of success in both gaining admission and completing the degree requirements at a given college or university.

As you know by now, the best college for you will be the place that:

• Offers the course of study you want to pursue—and will provide opportunities for you to explore if you are undecided.
• Provides instruction and learning opportunities in a manner that is compatible with the way you like to learn.
• Is a good match for your level of ability and academic preparation.
• Provides a community that feels like home.

It is vital that you give each of these elements equal regard in your college search. A place that “feels like home” but does not offer your intended program of study is not a good fit. Nor is the place that insists that you declare your major as an applicant if you haven’t come to any good conclusions about a major yet. The best fit will be the place that meets your requirements as defined within each of these elements.

If you have charted your college selection around these elements of fit, you are bound to discover many places that meet your criteria. Among them, the best place for you—the ideal college—will be the place that values you for what you have to offer!

Think about it. Wouldn’t you prefer to be at a college that recognizes your talents and abilities, interests and perspectives—and demonstrates its commitment to investing in your success? As you contemplate your educational experience, think about each potential college destination as a partner you might choose as you attempt to reach your goals. Do you want to commit yourself to a partner that barely acknowledges your presence or one that embraces you with a full sense of the possibilities?

Be discriminating as you look for evidence of the latter. Do you see it when you seek help in finding financial assistance? What is the response when you inquire about opportunities to pursue special independent study projects or to study abroad? Do you find yourself meeting with people who are eager to help you make things happen or are you left to figure these things out on your own? The manner in which a college engages you during the recruitment process is often an indicator of the way it will treat you as an enrolled student. In particular, colleges that value you for what you do well will:

• Give you personal attention throughout the recruitment process.
• Answer your questions about housing, registration and payment plans in a timely manner.
• Provide financial aid to meet your need.
• Recognize your talents with scholarships and/or special academic opportunities, i.e., study abroad, internships, research, etc..

Not surprisingly, this notion of “value” is pervasive as admission officers engage in the selective admission process as well. The question, “Who among the excellent candidates under consideration are of greatest interest to us—who do we value most?” frames the deliberation as highly qualified applicants are considered for limited places in the entering classes at selective institutions. Remember, such schools don’t have to admit you simply because you are good. If they admit you it is because they chose to do so.

The last two bullet points are especially important, then, as you apply for admission. Why? What better evidence that you have found a good college fit than to be admitted and extended the financial support you need in order to enroll?! The best college fit for you will be a place that seems to be saying, “among all of the really good candidates we are considering, we want you because of what you have to offer and we’re prepared to invest in your success.”

So, what does this mean for you? The secret to your success still rests in your ability to reflect honestly on “who you are” and “what you have to offer”—and to find a good college match for those qualities. Take stock of your gifts, talents and perspectives. What do you have to contribute to a new community and where might such contributions be valued most? Be true to yourself, then, and put yourself in a better position to experience a lasting relationship with an institution that makes sense for you.