College Planning Blog

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!

At the end of every program I present, I invite the audience to regard the time spent together as the beginning of a conversation rather than an event that is coming to a close. In doing so, I encourage further communication via email or phone. Please understand, I am not interested in becoming a personal counselor for families. Rather, I want to make myself available for families who have questions as the college planning process moves forward.

Quite often, such conversations speak to questions that are common to many other families. When this happens, I will take advantage of this space as well as The College Planning Newsletter to share the content with others who might benefit from the conversation. The following is an exchange I had with a parent following a recent presentation of “The Admission Game:”

Parent: Thank you for your talk–it was very informative and helpful. I have a couple of questions if you don’t mind answering them.

PVB: Not a problem. Fire away!

Parent: It seems like most of the college admission talks I attend skew the discussion toward the more selective schools. You spoke a lot about the vast majority of schools that are in the middle of the Pyramid (of Selectivity) but still the case studies you used were more on the high achiever side of the coin.

PVB: You make an interesting observation. I think most presentations focus on the more selective schools because that is where, whether right or wrong, most of the family angst and media hype comes to rest. In presenting “The Admission Game,” I needed to create an inclusive model for the discussion. You’ll recall I opened with the notion that all the schools in the country fit on the Pyramid of Selectivity according to how hard it is to get in them. I also pointed out that each looks at basically the same “stuff.” Kids don’t submit different sets of courses, grades and test results to different schools. Rather, the submitted information is the same across the board. The biggest difference in the admission process is that the schools further up on the Pyramid (harder to get into) scrutinize that information more carefully. The Pyramid provides a point of reference, then, that shows the relative importance of the same information at schools of varying degrees of selectivity. That said, you should be able to draw strong inferences about how less selective schools operate based on the points we discussed. Generally speaking, they can be more “forgiving” when a student’s record isn’t superlative.

Parent: How can I relate this discussion to students that are not in the upper 1/3 of their class? Case in point, my son. You mentioned that the ‘light went on’ for your son in his junior year of high school. For my Junior, that has not happened yet.

PVB: The light goes on for each young person at a different time in life and, often, in response to very different stimuli. The problem is that it rarely happens according to the timetables we have in mind for our kids! It is important, then, that he be guided in calibrating his planning for the future in a way that is respectful of his learning path. If college is in the picture, he should look at places that will see the potential within him and demonstrate a willingness to help him develop it.

Parent: Okay, so what can we do next? What is the process for a kid who will graduate in the lower half of his class with fair SAT scores, and has some decent community service involvement? My son has many excellent qualities–most people think he is a ‘great kid!’ He plays varsity soccer and writes for the newspaper but just doesn’t give his schoolwork the time he needs to succeed.

PVB: Have you asked him what he wants to do? I often find that asking a young person point blank: “Why do you want to go to college?” helps provide a beginning point for the conversation. One of the most humbling experiences of my professional life took place when my daughter asked me (very sheepishly) what I thought about the possibility that she might not go to college right away! Suddenly, it occurred to me that I had been working with my agenda for her rather than checking to see what she might have in mind!

I have no doubt that your son is a great kid AND that he will find a direction that enables him to do a lot of wonderful things in life. He may just need a little space (and support) to figure that out on his own. If you go that route (of providing space), be prepared for the possibility that college may not be his first/best option right out of high school. And that’s okay. Admission officers agree that a “gap year” (or two) can be an incredibly healthy and productive choice for an 18-year old. Besides, you wouldn’t believe the number of kids who are wasting their parents’ money in college these days! Oh, they’re having a good time, but they don’t really appreciate the opportunity (to become educated) that is at their fingertips. Rather, they’re in college because they figure that’s what they’re supposed to do after high school!

If your son does articulate a desire to pursue college right out of high school, consider having him look at local community colleges or universities where he can test the water (and build his confidence) one step at a time. I’d also urge him to talk with someone (teacher, counselor in school or privately) who can objectively lead him through the reflective aspects of self-awareness before helping him to think about possible college destinations. If you focus on a student-centered orientation to college, you’ll be amazed at how well this can turn out!

Parent: That’s helpful. It appears, though, like every college we look at online only admits kids above a 3.0 GPA or a very small percentage below that.

PVB: Don’t be misled. Many colleges are reporting mid-points-not cut-offs-for testing and GPAs. By the way, I recommend online resources (check out www.Petersons.com) that will give your son an opportunity to enter info about himself (academic and personal) that is in turn used to identify prospective colleges for him. Again, a student-centered orientation…

Parent: How is the process different if you are applying to transfer after a successful freshman year at a less selective school or even a community college?

PVB: First, you must realize that the more selective schools only offer transfer admission on a space availability basis. In some years, that may mean there is little/no transfer activity. That said, the process is basically the same except the focus academically now rests on the college experience. The high school record, including extracurricular activities, has less impact. I would also observe that the “playing field” is not level with regard to money. Kids who don’t need assistance have a much better chance of getting in as transfer applicants. Finally, if he wants to transfer, her definitely needs to make the case for himself IN PERSON! An on-campus interview is a must!

Parent: This is encouraging. Many people I know who are very successful admit to being C+ students in high school and you seem to be saying there are colleges that can see a kid’s potential and not get hung up on stats.

PVB: You got it! Your son will be fine. He just needs to find his way. Your support and patience will mean a lot as he explores his options.

Parent: Thanks again for your help and for an entertaining and informative program.

I trust you find this type of exchange useful. If you find yourself in need of a friendly voice in the college planning process, please contact me at Peter@TheAdmissionGame.com.

I have received a number of questions lately from students and parents about the importance of having a career direction lined up before heading off to college. It seems the prevailing notion behind these questions is that “you need to know what you’re going to do before you decide on a college.” While it is easy to understand that families want some tangible evidence of their likely “return” on dollars invested in education, the reality is that most kids simply aren’t ready or well enough informed to make career decisions when they are seventeen!

If you are contemplating your college options, consider the statistics:

• You will probably change your major in college! Most students (about 65%) change their minds about their majors at least once while they are in college. Half of them change their minds 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.
• About 85% of the parents I survey indicate they are no longer in the careers they intended to pursue when they were 18 years old!

So, what does this say about the importance of “knowing what you want to do for the rest of your life” before you start college? Not much when you think about it. That is why I encourage kids to make decisions based on finding colleges that fit them best. If you are still searching for some 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. Seize the opportunity to explore. Turn your indecision into an opportunity to opens doors to learning at colleges that fit you well. Moreover, know that you’ve got a lot of time to figure out what the rest of your life will look like. Take advantage of your college years to become educated about a lot of things including yourself and the world around you. In doing so, learn how to learn. Even if you have pretty firm ideas about a career, your ability to process information and think critically will put you in good stead wherever you might find yourself in life.

Be discriminating as you look. If your passion is film studies and a college doesn’t offer a very substantive program in that area, then it’s not a good fit. And if you find yourself applying to a university that insists that you declare your major as an applicant–even though you haven’t figured it out yet–that place will not be a good fit for you either! The good news is that there are hundreds of great places that welcome students who are undecided about their futures! These are the same places that produce doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, accountants, curators and business executives from among the thousands of undecided students who enter their doors each year.

If you do know what you want to study in college, 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 with business, elementary education, or graphic design. Look for places that match up well with your interests and offer strong programs that meet your needs.

Finally, to have some fun, ask your parents to talk about their career aspirations when they were your age. The odds are they had vastly different ideas back then about what they would be doing at this point in their lives! Find out what influenced their thinking if and when they discovered new interests. What, if any, changes would they make?

Just as most people of your parent’s generation followed pathways to success that they couldn’t imagine when they were your age, you, too, will find your own path. A good college “fit,” then, is one that will encourage you to explore, follow new directions and offer you the opportunities to do so.

Two days ago I found myself talking with Jean and her parents about her college future. Jean had submitted six applications including one for Early Action consideration. Now, however, a deferral letter from the EA school had shaken her confidence. While she wasn’t hysterical, it was clear that Jean was questioning herself. Would she get in? Could she get in? And what about her chances of finding admission to the other, equally selective universities to which she applied?

These were all good questions. While Jean possesses the academic credentials to be competitive for admission at any college or university in the country, the deferral letter had left her wondering what it would take to get in and had she done all she could do. I couldn’t find fault with the schools she had chosen nor the process she had followed in choosing them. On the surface, they all made sense for her–they were good fits. Digging deeper, however, I was able to uncover factors that might have influenced the outcome of her EA application and, if not addressed, would certainly have an impact on the outcomes of her other applications.

First, although Jean and her parents had been evaluating college options since her 9th grade year, she hadn’t visited any of the campuses in the last eighteen months. More specifically, she had never formally visited the school to which she applied EA. Despite her passion for the place, its admission officers had no way of knowing about her. Second, she had not sufficiently established her “hook”–the credential that might set her apart from her peers in a tight competition. A student leader and two-sport athlete with aspirations for playing in college, Jean had not made contact with college athletic recruiters in her sports. Finally, Jean had indicated on her application for admission that she would be a candidate for financial aid–a factor that could complicate things even at an institution that is reputedly “need blind” in the admission process.

As I talked with Jean, I wanted her to understand how the EA university might have reacted to her application. While she is a great candidate academically, the admission officers could afford to look for more as she competed with thousands of others who looked just like her. In making its decisions, the admission committee wasn’t asking: “Is she good enough?” Rather it was making a series of value judgments: “Who among these great candidates do we value most? What does this candidate bring us as we attempt to build a new community?”

In Jean’s case, when the admission officers asked, “If we admit her, what do we get?” nothing jumped out at them. What’s worse, they could find no evidence of her interest in their school when they asked, “What is the likelihood that she will come?” Uncertain of her level of interest and likely contributions, it is reasonable to assume that the next question of Jean was, “Is this someone in whom we are prepared to make a financial investment?”

It wasn’t long before Jean and her parents began to see the logic of the decision-making process at the highly selective schools to which she was applying. They could now rationalize the EA decision. More importantly, the despair that had hovered over the start of the conversation had given way to an excited sense of possibility as Jean began to develop a new “To Do” list. Even at this time of the year, Jean realized that it is not too late to get on the radar screens of the schools to which she had applied. Specifically, she saw the need to eliminate the perception that her interest in a given school is random while conveying a sense of the passion and talent within her that would set her apart from the rest of the competition.

Jean would make immediate plans to visit the campuses of the “high priority” schools on her list and attempt to introduce herself to the person(s) responsible for recruiting in her region. She will make sure they have her most recent grades as well as documentation of a couple of honors that have come her way since she submitted her applications. She also took heart in the possibility that she could still contact the coaches at some of the smaller colleges on her list and make sure they got the tapes of her athletic performance.

I admire Jean for her response to the situation. Rather than hanging her head and feeling pessimistic about her college future, she is already taking steps to affect the outcomes. Realizing that applying to college is a process and not an event, she is asserting herself. In doing so, she will eliminate the randomness of her application.

Will this new-found self-advocacy assure Jean admission to her favorite schools? Not necessarily. It will, however, give her the chance she deserves. At the very least, the schools on her list now have reason to pause in considering her possible contributions to the communities they are building. Now, they will have a better idea of what they get should they admit Jean–and they’ll have more confidence that hers is a serious interest that could result in her enrollment if accepted. Finally, if they value her for what she has to offer, they will be more likely to invest in her with financial aid and/or scholarships.

Consider the possibilities as they exist for you. When you apply for admission, take charge of the process. Seize the opportunity to build relationships with decision-makers (admission officers) at the schools that are important to you and be sure to tell your story. Give the admission officers every reason to want to include you in the communities they are building as they admit their entering classes!

To learn more about what is going on behind the closed doors of the admission office and to ask questions about what you can do now to make a difference with your application, plan to join the January 22 Straight Talk About College Admission teleseminar, “Taking Stock of What is Going on Around You.” Go to http://www.theadmissiongame.com/teleseminar_registration.php to learn more about the program and to register for the toll-free call-in information.