College Planning Blog

How comfortable are you around water? Are you a strong swimmer or do you struggle to keep your head above water? Are you comfortable venturing into the deeper water or do you prefer to wade into shallow water as long as the bottom is visible and the footing is certain? Most people expose themselves to water and swimming situations according to their respective levels of skill and comfort—no more, no less.

The same might be true as you assess your comfort level with different academic environments in search of a good college “fit.” Just as you might study a body of water to figure out its temperature, depth and current (relative to your levels of tolerance) before venturing in, you need to investigate the rigor and pace of an academic environment—and your ability to keep your “head above water” if admitted—before deciding to apply.

The question of academic rigor as a measure of “fit” can be broken into two parts: 1) What is your capacity to do the work in a given academic environment? Do you possess the level of ability and preparation to get the job done? and 2) How competitive is your academic track record with those of other candidates in the applicant pools at the colleges to which you want to apply?

If you are like most students, you have the basic aptitude or capacity to perform in a range of college environments. Given the opportunity, you can perform with at least minimal success at most of the schools you are considering. The big question is, then, are you equipped to meet the challenges at higher levels of rigor? Do you possess both the aptitude and the preparation (through successful exposure to a regimen of demanding courses in high school) to achieve well in the more rigorous college environments?

Conversely, if you are immensely talented and accustomed to achieving at a very high level, will you continue to test yourself or will you choose environments that do not provide much of a challenge. While the latter might be appealing at first, be prepared for frustration if you choose to enroll. You might enjoy the easy pace for a while, but like strong swimmers hanging out in a wading pool, you will quickly become bored.

Your objective, then, should be to find academic environments where your levels of ability and preparation will enable you to achieve well as you stretch yourself intellectually. These places represent appropriate “bodies of water” for you academically. The best sources of insight regarding your preparedness to meet the academic rigor of various colleges and universities are your high school teachers. Their familiarity with your capabilities can be invaluable in identifying the colleges where you will be well served academically.

Assuming you are able to identify appropriate environments academically, you now need to assess the competitiveness of your credentials for admission to those colleges. How does your record stack up with those of other candidates, most (about 90%) of whom are just like you in that they can do the work, too?

A helpful guide in this regard is to compare your credentials with those of students who are already enrolled at the college you are considering. You can do this by looking at the Admission Profile for that school’s most recent entering class. If your scores and GPA fall within the top quartile of those reported on the school’s Profile, it’s a safe bet you will be a competitive candidate for admission to that school. While not a guarantee of admission, it is reassurance that you are looking in the right place. Your chances diminish incrementally, though, as your credentials fall below the top quartile.

You need to be honest in assessing this part of the picture especially if you are considering schools that can be highly selective. A lot of students get in over their heads competitively when they fail to consider the odds of gaining admission. While you might feel you are a viable candidate at schools that can be choosy, the reality is you are probably a statistical long shot to be admitted. Those schools don’t have to take you—and probably won’t—just because you are “good enough.” By the way, you don’t increase your chances of getting into at least one such school by applying to a dozen of them!

Be smart about choosing where to apply. A key to success in any competition is making sure you are competing at the right level. You know this from your own life experiences. Whether you compete in the pool or on the stage or in the classroom, you have the best chance of finding success when your skills are competitive with those around you. Simply having knowledge of the fundamentals and a passion for the event will not advance you very far in the competition. Put yourself into competition where you fit best and see what happens.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Chris Penn of FinancialAidPodcast.com recently interviewed me about finding the best college fit. The interview was posted on June 4. To listen to the interview, go to:

http://www.financialaidpodcast.com/2008/06/04/fap811-winning-the-college-admission-game

Myth: All colleges and universities are alike.

Reality: This country boasts a rich array of more than 3,000 colleges and universities dedicated to providing post-secondary educational opportunities. Their personalities, curricula and institutional cultures vary, though, as greatly as 3,000 sets of fingerprints! While they teach essentially the same stuff, they do it very differently.

Think about what this means for you. While your educational needs can be met in many places, you can’t assume they will be met in the same manner—or, more importantly, in a manner that is well suited to your learning style. If you and your family are going to invest in a four-year college education, it only makes sense that you put yourself in situation that is most likely to support a successful learning experience.

Finding a good college fit begins with identifying places that provide not only the program you need, but also a style of instruction that is most comfortable for you. Just as students possess unique learning styles—they each process information differently—colleges offer different styles of instruction. For example, let’s suppose you want to study Biology. Some colleges will teach Biology in seminars that include 25-30 students while others teach it in lecture halls of five hundred! Yet others will attach labs to the instruction or offer research opportunities. In each case, the material is the basically same—bio is bio—but the experience is different. How would you function in these different environments? What sort of interaction do you want to have with the information that is being presented?

The objective, then, is to find a style of instruction that compliments the way you like to learn. As you begin looking for a good college “fit,” take stock of your learning style. How do you like to be engaged with learning? Who or what inspires you? Under what circumstances are you most likely to produce your best work? The more you know about how you like to learn, the easier it will be to make critical distinctions among the learning environments of different colleges.

Consider the following questions as you try to get your arms around your learning style. Be particularly attentive to the “why” part of each question.

• Who is your favorite teacher—and why?
• What is your favorite class right now—and why?
• In which type of classroom setting, i.e., large group lectures, seminars, etc., are you most comfortable—and why?
• With what kinds of people and personalities do you enjoy exchanging ideas—and why?

As you reflect on your answers—especially the “whys”—you come to better understand the characteristics of a learning environment that would be the most appropriate for you in college. The next step is to look for colleges that mirror these characteristics. They will be the best fits for you.

If, for example, your approach to learning is to take good notes, read diligently and prepare carefully—all in the relative anonymity of the large lecture hall, then you are more likely to function comfortably in a larger, more expansive instructional setting. On the other hand, if you like the engagement of a small classroom where you can ask questions—where you can challenge and be challenged—then the seminar format will be more productive for you.

Now, let’s take a quick look at what can happen if you are not attentive to the information you are gleaning about your learning style. If you do prefer the large lecture hall experience—but you’ve chosen a college where most of your classes put you front and center around the seminar table, won’t you fell like the proverbial “fish out of water?” On the other hand, if really like the engagement of the small classroom but find yourself in a setting that features lectures of 300 or more students—all the time—will that learning environment bring out the best in you? In the final analysis, you are more likely to get the most out of your ability when you find yourself in an environment that is well suited to the way you learn.

I asked these questions of my daughter as she was looking at colleges. After some reflection, she concluded that, “choosing a college is one of the most important decisions I will make in my life. In order to make a good choice, I need to know myself a little better.” Take the time to get to know yourself—and how you enjoy learning—in order to make good choices that reflect your interests and needs. Doing so will put you in a better position to find and get into colleges that fit you well.

In my last posting, I talked about the importance of staying “student-centered” as you begin your college selection process. Focus on what is most important to you as think about where and how you will spend your years in college. Students who are truly reflective as they enter the process are more inclined to make decisions based on a set of core priorities that guide them in the discovery of colleges that fit them best.

In this first installment of “the good fit” series, I would like to discuss the importance of finding an academic program that meets your needs. Students often enter the college search process with specific academic programs or career interests in mind. And why not? If you know what you want to study in college, it makes sense to target places that will accommodate your interests and support your strengths. For example, if you want to pursue chemical engineering, focus on schools that offer it. The same is true whether your interests lie in business, elementary education, or graphic design.

Follow your passion. If your passion happens to be film studies but a college you are considering doesn’t offer a very substantive program in that area, then you need to recognize early that it is not a good fit. Look into colleges that offer strong programs that meet your needs.

Be careful not to let emotional interests override your academic priorities. Embracing a college or university simply on the merit of its overall ranking or reputation, or because it has a great athletic program or is in a location you like, on the assumption you’ll be able to figure out the academic piece later, is not wise. When you do that, you become “destination-centered” and set yourself up for frustration down the line. Think about it. How often do you hear about students transferring because the colleges they have chosen don’t offer the programs they want to study?

If, on the other hand, you are still searching for that passion and you don’t feel drawn to a particular career interest or academic direction, don’t worry. You’re normal. It’s difficult to know at any age what you’ll do for the rest of your life, so relax. You’ve got a lot of time to figure it out. And here is the good news: hundreds of institutions across the country–liberal arts colleges as well as universities with robust general studies programs–are eager to embrace the undecided student. If you are not sure about your future directions, look for places that will allow, if not encourage, you to explore. Whatever you do, don’t succumb to the notion that there is something wrong if your future plans are not laid out in great detail. You’ll be fine–you just need to plan accordingly to give yourself options.

Whenever I present to groups of students and parents, I like to ask the parents the following question: “How many of you are now doing in your careers what you knew you would do when you were 17 years old?” When I asked this of my audience last night only six of nearly 100 parents present indicated that was true for them. Interestingly, that response is pretty typical of most parent groups around the country. Despite their many achievements in life, most of them have arrived at their current positions by pathways they couldn’t have imagined when they were your age. You, too, need to be flexible in finding and following your path. A good college fit is one that will encourage you in this direction.

For more insight into dealing with indecision, check out my January 28, 2008 blog, “Seize the Opportunity in Indecision.” (http://www.TheAdmissionGame.com/blog/archives/46)

In summary, go into the college selection process with your eyes wide open! Be true to your passions. Be careful about adding schools to your list that don’t offer academic flexibility if indeed what you need is the opportunity to explore. If you are undecided about your future academic directions yet find yourself looking at an application for admission that requires you to declare a major as you apply for admission, you are looking at an institution that is not a good fit for you. Don’t abandon your academic needs in favor of factors that will have little or no impact on your learning experience.

Did You Know?

• You will probably change your major in college? Most college students do at least once.
• Most students enter college “undeclared” with regard to a major?
• The odds are that you will change jobs at least four times and change careers twice?
• Many colleges report that 80-90% of the people who graduated more than 25 years ago are now in careers that did not exist when they graduated?

For help in finding colleges and universities that fit well given your academic interests, check out the following websites:

http://www.petersons.com/ugchannel/code/searches/srchCrit1.asp
http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/adv_typeofschool.jsp
http://www.collegeview.com/collegesearch/index.jsp

“What do I need to do to get into XYZ college?” It’s often the lead question from students, with their junior years of high school largely behind them, as they begin to focus on college planning. Unfortunately, as many ask the question, they have already skipped a vital step in the planning process. They have failed to fully assess their own needs and interests. Instead, they are focused, if not obsessed, on the place—the destination.

Not long ago, a young woman approached me after a program to inquire about rigor as it relates to course selections in her senior year program. “Is it better for me to take four APs or five APs next year?” she asked. Before attempting to answer her question, I asked if she had some colleges in mind as the importance of rigor is correlates strongly with the selectivity of a college. Her immediate and enthusiastic response was to identify schools at the top of the pecking order (or the tip of the Pyramid of Selectivity for those of you who have read my book, Winning the College Admission Game, or seen my program, “The Admission Game”).

Curious about her thought process, I asked her “why” she was interested in these schools. She looked at me with astonishment and said, “Well I always assumed if I could get into one of those schools, that’s where I should go.” Without missing a beat, I again asked “why?” She was dumbfounded. Apparently, no one had ever challenged her thinking before. What’s more, she had no answer. We briefly talked about APs within the context of selectivity, but that was the end of the conversation. I wasn’t trying to talk her out of the schools about which she seemed very excited. I simply wanted to see if she had given much thought to her choices. Based on this brief exchange, it appeared she had not done so. Instead, she was “destination oriented.”

While on the surface this may not seem to be a big deal, it is my observation (over years of watching the admission process unfold) that most of the students who are frustrated by their lack of acceptance into high profile (and highly selective) schools are destination-oriented. Think about it. Every year, it seems the headlines in early April read “Record Number of Talented Students Rejected at Top Colleges.” And why is that? It’s largely because kids (and families) become so consumed with getting into places that they overlook the fundamental needs and interests of the student. They are not student-centered in their respective approaches.

A student-centered approach to college planning begins with a fundamental question: “Why do you want to go to college?”

The correct answer is not: “Isn’t that what you do after high school?” Or “My parents told me I have to go.” Or “I don’t know what else to do.” Regardless of your circumstance, going to college should never be the default answer! There is too much time and money at stake for you to follow a whim. That doesn’t mean you have to have the rest of your life mapped out before you can consider college, but it does mean that going to college needs hold some sense of purpose for you.

If you think college is indeed the answer to your post-high school plans, the next question to ponder is, “What are the three things you want to make sure you accomplish by the time you cross the stage at your college graduation?” As you think about the answers, you begin to identify your priorities or those factors that will be important filters as you process information about colleges that come across your radar screen.

When my son answered this question, he said that he wanted to make sure he got a good education. This struck me as a pretty thoughtful response so I asked what a good education would look like to him. As he talked about how he liked to learn and the type of instruction that inspired him, he began to hear himself describe the qualities of an educational environment that would be important to him. When we had finished working through each of his priorities, he realized that he could be more intentional in evaluating his college options.

Focusing on this question of “what do you hope to accomplish” will also help you get past a lot of the emotional stuff about wanting to live in warm weather climates or big cities—or on campuses with big-time athletic programs. While these characteristics of a college experience are not unimportant, they are the gravy or the value that is added when you have found a college that fits you and your priorities well.

So, stay student-centered as you begin to think about college planning in earnest. Stay focused on you and your priorities. Evaluate why you want to go to college and how you will measure the success of your experience. This is not college for your parents or for your teachers or for your friends. It’s all about you.

Next week’s blog will be the first of a six-part series in which I take a look at elements of a good college fit. I look forward to sharing with you perspectives on what does or does not constitute a good college fit as you look for the colleges that are best for you!

For more discussion about finding the best college fit, check out the audio recording in my Straight Talk About College Admission Series, “How to Find the Best College Fit.” This session provides an effective compass bearing for the college search while helping students develop action plans for finding and getting into the colleges that fit them best.

The end of April marks the conclusion of a long search and selection journey as most high school seniors find themselves at the doorstep of their new college homes. After years of preparation and months of speculation, admission outcomes are finally known and college destinations have been determined. The enrollment “check is in the mail”—literally. Let the celebration begin!

If you are soon-to-be high school graduate, though, you need to be careful as you celebrate. The following are points to consider as you move through this exciting transition in your life.

1. Stay focused academically. While an overwhelming sense of relief is washing over you—and all you want to do is kick back, relax, and enjoy the moment—don’t lose sight of what got you to this point. A quick re-read of the not-so-fine print on your acceptance letter tells the story. In offering you place in its entering class, the admission committee expects you to complete your senior year at no less than the same level of performance than was evident when it decided to accept you.

Many colleges, particularly those that are highly selective, will monitor your academic performance right up to the end. In order to complete your enrollment, you will need to submit a final transcript confirming your graduation from high school. If your transcript reveals measurable declines in your program or performance, you may suddenly find your enrollment status in jeopardy as colleges are known to revoke their offers—and the actual enrollments—of students whose final transcripts fail to measure up to expectations. When I was Dean of Admission, I found I had to send 6-8 such letters each summer. It was, for obvious reasons, one of the least pleasant things I would have to do as Dean.

So what does this mean for you? It doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the rest of the year. However, you do need to keep going to class! Resist the temptation to drop courses. Take final exams. Think of such actions as “insurance.” Don’t fall prey to the intellectual comas that seem to find students at the end of the senior year. The last thing you want to see is a letter from the Dean of Admission sometime later this summer informing you that you no longer have a place in the entering class at that school.

2. Commit to one college! In the face of multiple options, it may be tempting to submit enrollment deposits to more than one college in order to give yourself more time to make the final choice. Don’t do it! Hard as it might be to make the call by the May 1 Candidates’ Reply date, that’s what you need to do. Just as admission officers review final transcripts, they are also prone to comparing enrollment rosters with colleagues at peer institutions.

If your name appears on the enrollment rosters at more than one school, be prepared for the consequences. It is not uncommon for a dean of admission to arbitrarily withdraw a student’s enrollment at her/his school out of respect for the student’s commitment to another school—not the kind of surprise you want to encounter after you have graduated from high school! Imagine if the Deans at both schools took the same action!
Do the smart and ethical thing. Make one commitment and honor it. The possible exception to this well-documented rule involves the sequence of events following admission from a college’s Wait List. Should you be committed to one college when another offers you a place from its Wait List, you may accept the latter offer. In doing so, however, it is understood that you must forfeit your initial deposit at the first college.

3. Complete the financial aid process. The fact that you have received—and accepted—a need-based financial aid award doesn’t mean the process is over. You have accepted the award on the condition that you and your parents will submit tax returns for 2007 in order to verify the data that was reported on your financial aid applications. In addition, complete the FAFSA application if you haven’t done so already. Even if you are not receiving need-based financial aid, most schools will require you to complete the FAFSA in order to secure un-subsidized student loans and campus work-study opportunities.

Finally, be sure to report any scholarships you receive from community organizations to the college you will attend. These awards will be credited to the cost of attendance.

4. Be safe! Tragically, the best of times can turn quickly into the worst of times for young people as they revel in their achievements. Have a good time but take care of yourself.

The next six weeks are indeed a time for celebrating both happy endings and new beginnings. Having made your college selection, it would seem all that is left before you’re “outta here” is the pomp and circumstance of graduation. As you pause to reflect and enjoy the moment, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture that continues to unfold before you.

Congratulations and best wishes!

The countdown to college is nearing a dramatic conclusion with the approach of the May 1 Candidates’ Reply Date—the date by which admitted students make their enrollment intentions known. For high school seniors it’s almost over. Despite months, if not years, of contemplating the possibilities, though, the final choice of a college remains elusive for many. For some, arriving at a choice is a matter of reconciling practical matters such as cost and distance. Others, however, will go “down to the wire” trying to figure out which of their available options is the best.

If you are familiar with my student-centered orientation to college planning, you will know what is coming next: The definition of “best” should reflect less the name, reputation and ranking of an institution and more the qualities of an educational experience that fit you best.

Not long ago, my wife shared the following story with me. As is the case with so many parables, the author of this one is also unknown—at least to me. And, while its message may speak to each us, I was struck by its relevance to young people as they contemplate their educational futures. You may have come across this story before, but I hope you will read it again within the context of the choice of a college.

“A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups—porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite—telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When each of his former students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: “If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and, in some cases, even hides what we drink.

What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups… And then you began eyeing each other’s cups. Now consider this: ‘Life’ is the coffee. The jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain ‘Life,’ and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee. The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.”

Wherever you are in your journey toward college, be sure to keep the “coffee” in mind as you think about what is best for you. After all, you are consuming the experience, not the place. If you become too focused on the “cup” you will lose sight of the factors that define the quality of your life. Be true to yourself. As you work on your own “brew,” focus on your priorities—the factors that have guided you through your college search—and concentrate on identifying the best fit. Choose well and make the best of your experience. Enjoy the coffee!

“But I don’t want to go there!” Such is the all too frequent response of a despondent high school senior as s/he is reminded of the colleges that have admitted him/her. Despite the best of plans, when outcomes don’t match expectations in the college admission process you may be left feeling like your life has gone into a hopeless tailspin. The reality is that things are rarely as bad as they seem.

In this posting, I will address some of the scenarios you may be encountering now that all of your admission decisions are in hand.

Scenario #1: While you have been admitted to a number of very interesting schools, your absolute first choice college has offered you a place on its Wait List. Now, you find yourself in an awkward position. Do you hold out hope that you will be moved from the Wait List or do you begin to invest emotionally in the options that are real?

As you may have noted in my March 31 posting, “Gaining Admission from the Wait List,” Wait Lists are likely to be active at most institutions. The only question is when and for how many students. The key to getting in rests in the decisiveness of your response. If you want to compete for a place in the class from the Wait List, you must get on the “radar screen” of the admission committee at that school. Let them know you will enroll if accepted. In addition to sending updates of grades and achievements, visit the campus and interview if possible. Make sure the person who recruits in your area knows of your interest and knows how to find you. Wait List calls often come without warning and will leave you with little time to react, so be ready.

The trick in this scenario is to maintain a balanced perspective. While you want to do everything possible to enhance your chances of admission from the Wait List, be careful not to under-value the options you do have in the process. After all, you are holding offers from places that are presumably good “fits” for you. Make sure you invest the requisite time and energy in preparing to choose from among them if the Wait List situation doesn’t pan out.

Scenario #2: You didn’t get into any of your top choice colleges, but you have been admitted at a couple of your “safety” schools. Unfortunately, they don’t hold the same luster that is associated with the places that turned you down. As “back-ups,” they we were fine—perhaps because you didn’t think you would ever really have to consider them. Besides, now that your friends have been admitted to some of the places that turned you down, the schools that are left may not seem nearly so exciting. You feel stuck. If this is the case, what can you do?

If you find yourself in such a situation, re-assess the options you do have. They weren’t so bad when you decided to apply. Rediscover them. Find out why they made it to your list in the first place. They may not carry the same cachet as the places that turned you down, but the academic opportunities they present are probably every bit as good as those you would have found at the other schools.

An alternative is to apply somewhere else as a late applicant. This is easier said than done, though, as most schools are reluctant to entertain late applications from students with whom they have little or no history. Your best chance in this instance is to find a college or university with an active Wait List and hope it will see your credentials as competitive with the students it is considering from its Wait List. This is not likely to be the case, though, at places that are as selective as those that turned you down earlier.

Scenario #3: Finally, you might have received an offer of admission that is contingent upon your participation in a remedial program over the summer. If a college likes what you have to offer (it is excited by the way you answered the “what do we get” question!) but is concerned about the degree to which you are prepared to find success, it might refer you to a series of pre-enrollment courses designed to bolster your academic and study skills. In this scenario, it is clear the college values you and is investing in your success. You need to be realistic, though, in your assessment of the situation and make sure you are prepared to do what is necessary to make good on the opportunity.

A variation on this theme involves offers of January admission. You’re in, but there is a catch. You can’t start the first semester. Such offers typically encourage, if not require, you to pursue other off-campus programming during the first semester as a non-enrolled student. You must understand, though, that you are not being offered admission for the fall semester and, in most cases, will not be given the opportunity to enroll in the fall even if the Wait List becomes active. If you really like the place and such a scenario is agreeable to you, go for it. It may represent your best chance of getting into that college.

Finally, if you are uncomfortable with the range of options that lie before you, consider stepping back from the educational treadmill. Take the year after high school “off.” Don’t go to just any college just to be there. The last thing you want to do is waste your time and your parents’ money on an experience that means little to you.

Instead, get a job. Travel. Get involved in community service. In short, take the opportunity to write a new and different chapter in your life. A “gap year” of this sort can be very healthy and productive to your personal development if you use it well. Besides, you are then afforded the opportunity to reapply a year or so later when you are ready to embrace a new educational opportunity. I have yet to hear of an institution that doesn’t see the investment in a gap year as a positive development.

For a compelling perspective on the subject, I would urge you to read “Don’t Worry About College, A Letter to My Granddaughter” by John Taylor Gatto. The article can be found on page 24 of the March/April issue of Life Learning Magazine: http://www.lifelearningmagazine.com/0804/index.html. On the right side of the page, click on “Download a PDF version” for free.

A question that seems to circulate among high school Juniors at this time of year as they make course selections for the Senior Year sounds something like this: “Is it better for me to take a course where I know I can get an ‘A’ or should I take a harder course and risk getting a lower grade?” And the answer is: “Take the harder course and do as well as you can–why not shoot for the ‘A’?!”

There are two perspectives to consider here. One revolves around the college admission process and what colleges want to see from you academically. Generally speaking, the harder it is to get into a college the greater is the likelihood that its admission officers will be checking to see if you are continuing to stretch yourself academically. Because they are choosing from among thousands of well-qualified candidates, they can afford to use the strength of an academic program as a competitive credential or “filter” in deciding whom to admit.

Here’s another way to think about it. If highly selective colleges know that they are setting the competitive “bar” at a certain level in their own classrooms, they will be looking at your record to find evidence that you can meet that “bar.” What confidence do you give them in your ability to do so when you have chosen to compete at a comfortably lower level in high school?

That doesn’t mean you should register for every high level course you can get in order to compete for admission. Rather, you need to know your capacity to tackle challenges and make a conscious effort to move to the next logical level of rigor for you in each academic discipline. Don’t over-reach your capacity! The key, then, will be to focus on colleges that will value you for your experience in those courses.

The second and often overlooked perspective on selecting courses has to do with your ability to prepare yourself for the next level of rigor in college. Wherever you go to college, you are likely to find academic expectations that exceed any you encountered in high school. If you have continued to step up academically through each year of high school, the step into the college classroom will be one for which you are prepared. On the other hand, if the academic challenge you give yourself in your Senior Year of high school is not that different from the one you experienced as a Junior, then the step up to college will be much more awkward if not painful.

The bottom line with regard to course selections–and your eventual college selections–is this: Do what makes sense for you. Take stock of where you are on your learning path, set your college sites reasonably and build a strong foundation through your coursework in high school that will propel you into a successful experience in college.

Whether they realize or not, high school seniors are entering one of the most critical phases of the admission process. This is the time of the year when admission officers watch to see what students do when it would seem the spotlight is no longer on them. They want to see how students respond down the “stretch run” of the senior year.

Consider, then, the mile race. It is an apt metaphor for your high school experience. In order to complete the race, you need to make it around the track four times. Winning requires that you endure the grueling pace and still have what it takes to sprint when the race is on the line.

Let’s suppose, then, that your race has gone exceedingly well through the first three laps. You jumped out to an early lead and have maintained a strong pace. With only one lap to go, you are by yourself. You can’t even see the competition! This is a critical stage of the race because you begin to ask yourself, “Do I really need to work that hard in running the last lap? Should I save myself for the next race and spare the inevitable agony that otherwise comes with a sprint to the finish?”

The question you really need to ask yourself, though, is: “What have I won?” The answer is simple. “You haven’t won a thing!” You may have a “feel-good” feeling about where you are in the competition, but the race isn’t over. Moreover, changing your approach with a lap to go could prove costly as other runners are bound to be pushing hard to catch up.

The same is true of your high school experience where each year is like a lap of the race. Each year was important academically as it prepared you to step up and meet the challenge of the year that followed. In all likelihood, your Junior Year really put you to the test as the work was harder and the expectations were greater. But you made it and that may have been cause for celebration in itself!

Having done well through your Junior Year may have left you feeling good about your prospects of graduating and getting into the colleges of your choice. Nonetheless, you need to ask yourself, “What have I accomplished? How many colleges have accepted me?”

The Senior Year is the all-important “last lap” of your high school experience. If your objective is to not only graduate but to get into colleges that can make choices among hundreds if not thousands of compelling candidates, you need to be attentive to how you are finishing the “race.” Even now, in late February of your Senior Year, the outcome of the race has yet to be determined. And, believe it or not, admission officers at selective institutions are waiting and watching to see who among the competitive applicants will sprint–or stumble–when the race is on the line.

So, stay focused academically. Continue to get the most out of your high school experience–even when it would seem that doing nothing is a viable option. In doing so, you give admission officers every reason to be excited about you as you sprint to the finish!

Few will argue with the assessment that the college planning process is much more complex than it was 25 years ago. Among the myriad reasons for this is the obsession with “having the best” that is manifest in the approach of many families to college planning. In fact, many parents are now spending absurd amounts–often the equivalent of one year’s college tuition–in the belief that the investment will get their kids into college.

Chief among these investments is the engagement of independent educational consultants in the college planning process. These are the folks who offer fee-based assistance to families outside of the high school environment. Such assistance can come in the form of private tutoring, test preparation, reflective self-assessment, college list development, essay editing, dedicated “advocacy” in the admission process, and planning support for students with special needs. It’s a long list and there are some incredibly gifted people who provide high-quality services.

While the advantages offered by some independent educational consultants are undeniable, a lot of families invest in private counseling that is already in abundant supply to them at their schools. Why? The only conclusion I can draw is that, quite often, parents let their imaginations run wild in the college planning process. They imagine, for example, that there are only a handful of acceptable destinations for their kids and, given the odds against their kids getting into these schools, they imagine their only chance is to bring in “specialists” who can give them the competitive edge. “Besides,” these parents rationalize, “everyone else in the neighborhood has a private counselor–why not us!”

This was brought home to me in a conversation with a college counselor recently about the growing tendency of families in his school to engage independent educational consultants in their college planning endeavors. While my friend shrugged off this seeming duplication of effort with resignation, I found it astonishing that anyone would see the need to seek help outside of his school. After all, college planning and placement is his job–and he’s very, very good at it! (And so are many of his school-based counterparts!)

However, if you are in an academic environment that does not routinely offer this type of college planning support, then you might consider working with a consultant–but do so for the right reasons. Ask yourself why you want or–more importantly--need the help. Is the college counseling available through your student’s school truly deficient? Does your student have specific needs that need to be addressed? Or do you simply want the peace of mind of having access to an expert who can interpret the process for you as you move forward?

Many consultants are experts about specific areas such as learning differences or family relocations or financial planning. Make sure you know what you need. If you need college planning support, I strongly recommend that the student be regarded as the lead client. To the parents, that means “pay the bill and then stand back.” I see far too many situations in which the parents are engaged with the consultant as though the student isn’t even present!

Get referrals and ask for references. If you are considering a consultant who lives near you, make sure your student meets with that person before “signing on.” Ask to see evidence that s/he is well educated (former admission officer, college advisor, Certified Educational Planner, etc.) about the college admission process and has been actively engaged in professional development activity over the last 2-3 years. Look for honesty, sincerity (don’t buy what you don’t need!), accessibility and compatibility with your student. This exercise won’t work if your student isn’t buying into the concept or the person delivering it. This is even more important if you are contemplating a long distance relationship with a consultant.

Consider cost and the projected time commitment. You shouldn’t have to pay more than 20% of the cost (you can often get what you need for less) of one year at the colleges your student is considering for qualified assistance. And working with a consultant should not detract from your student’s ability to do the things that are important to her/him.

Finally, be wary of individuals who make guarantees. Consultants do not get kids into college! They should not manage the process nor should they write essays or complete applications for them. Students must take ownership of the process and the required tasks.

On the other hand, good consultants can help young people find the most appropriate colleges and they can provide assistance in gaining perspective on how a student might best present him/herself in the admission process. Make sure the consultation is student-centered and you won’t go wrong!