College Planning Blog

Periodically, a prominent college or university will gain notice by virtue of announcing bold new initiatives that are sure to improve the college-going landscape. In the last year alone, colleges dropped Early Decision programs, eliminated student loan programs in favor of new scholarships, and modified entrance test requirements–all in the interest of improving access while reducing the angst associated with college entrance. The problem with these announcements is that universities are adept at cloaking institution-specific enrollment strategies as social initiatives. Therefore, you must read carefully to appreciate just who is being served.

In doing so, you have probably noticed that “access” is a buzzword commonly associated with emerging initiatives. And why not? Access to post-secondary education is an important element of this nation’s social agenda. Thousands of underserved students who would benefit from a college education come up short when they fail to receive the support needed to complete the application process and/or secure the funds necessary to afford college costs. Presumably, then, initiatives in the name of “access” are targeting these areas of need. As such, they are greeted warmly–especially when they come from this country’s most prominent universities.

It happened again when Harvard University recently announced a plan to overhaul its financial aid program for undergraduates. Citing the need to improve access for students from middle income families–and to get a greater share of these students who are also admitted to public flagship universities–Harvard has determined that, for families whose incomes range up to $180,000, family contributions to student costs will not exceed 10 per cent of family income in a given year. The University will also remove home equity from calculations of family wealth and eliminate all loans from financial aid awards.

On the surface, the Harvard announcement reads well. An institutional leader–one of the most widely known and highly respected places on the face of the earth–steps forward with a bold new financial aid strategy to, you got it, create access. It sounds great. But before you add Harvard to your short list of colleges, read the fine print. “Where” and “how” will improved access be truly realized? Will this move–and the $22 million that it puts into play–make it possible for more kids to go to college? Will it even make a Harvard education more accessible to thousands of qualified students who dare to be encouraged by the promotional rhetoric? More importantly, how might it affect you?

In reality, this plan is not likely to inspire more middle-income students to go to college, so improving access to education isn’t a likely outcome. And, while more deserving middle-income students will probably apply to Harvard because of the financial aid plan, they must first be admitted before they can take advantage of it. As enticing as the new financial aid plan might be, it offers no assurance that qualified middle-income students will actually be among the 10% or so of students who apply and are admitted at Harvard.

So, take this plan–and the rhetoric that surrounds it–for what it is. In this case, all roads lead back to the institution and not the common good. While a relative handful of students and families might benefit, it is really the institution’s best interests that are being served as it seeks to attract and retain more students whose families fit Harvard’s new definition of “middle income.”

As promising as it might sound, this initiative means little to most students who are considering their college options. It is not going to reshape the social fabric of higher education and it certainly isn’t going to create access outside of the ring in which Harvard competes for students. The good news is you can experience quality options at scores of other colleges across the country. The best course of action, then, is to stay student-centered. Sidestep the distracting rhetoric raised by announcements such as this and focus on finding colleges that represent the best fit for you. Find your point of access by putting yourself into competition at places that will value you for what you do well.

During the December 19 (9 PM ET) installment of the Straight Talk About College Admission teleseminar series, I will go “Inside the Financial Aid Application Process” (9PM ET) with guest expert, Carl Buck. A long-time financial aid professional (Rice, UCLA, Rutgers) and author of Best College Deals, Carl is currently a Vice President at CHASE Bank. Join us to learn how you can make the financial aid process work for you. For more information and to register for the seminar, go to: http://www.theadmissiongame.com/teleseminar_registration.php

Young lives are about to change–again! Why? The results from the October administration of the PSAT are now available. Like it or not, the outcome of one Saturday morning test–a set of number-two pencil marks in a seemingly endless column of bubbles–will become for many the defining element with regard to college admission, eligibility for scholarships, and direction in life in general.

Let’s not underestimate the impact the scores can have on self-esteem. Long before an admission committee is able to view them as part of an application for admission, the test results will have profoundly changed the way students are regarded by others–not to mention the way they feel about themselves. And if this happens to you, it will seem as though the score has figuratively leaped off the page and onto your forehead where it is become permanently imprinted like a big tattoo!

If the number that smiles up at you as you open the envelope bearing the results is “big,” you may suddenly see yourself as having options at a range of highly selective colleges. On the other hand, I have witnessed the devastation felt by students whose results fall out of the competitive range for the schools that had been in their sights. When this happens, the immediate reaction can be one of frustration and hopelessness. Regardless, I would like to offer advice that will help you survive and move past this life-changing event.

First, whatever your result, a healthy dose of perspective is warranted. If you are fortunate to be staring at a “big” score, remember that the score itself is not the ticket to fame and fortune. Big scores without big grades can be a problem especially if you want to compete for exclusive scholarships and/or admission to highly selective colleges. Even with the combination of big scores and big grades, you must compete with thousands of others just like you for limited places at the most selective colleges. And if your scores don’t match your expectations, remember that the PSAT is just a test–in fact, a practice test. Your life isn’t over and you can still go to college. The results may have many meanings, real and imagined but they are not a reflection of your character and achievements.

This leads me to the second bit of advice. Don’t obsess on the test or the results. Don’t let them diminish in any way the good things you are doing or dictate the value you attach to yourself. The odds are you didn’t become a different person the moment you opened the envelope, so don’t let reading the contents change you! And for heaven’s sake, don’t let the determination to improve your scores by 20 points or 200 points affect the way you live your life! The fact is your scores are likely to improve incrementally over time as the lessons of the classroom and life in general broaden your knowledge base and make you a more critical thinker.

If you want to help yourself, concentrate on continuing to do well in the classroom-and read. Lots. The more you read, the more you are exposed contextually to complex ideas and advanced vocabulary. The good news is that subscribing to solutions such as these will cost you very little!

Inevitably, though, your attention is also going to turn in the direction of what might appear to be a quick fix–test prep. While it is true you can be coached to improve your results on future tests, be measured in your approach. Take advantage of test prep instruction that is consistent with the way you learn best. Ideally, such a program will 1) give you exposure to actual SAT questions that have been “retired,” 2) include a thorough orientation to the test and test-taking strategies, and 3) conclude within ten days of the next SAT you plan to take.

The next tip is to use your PSAT results to begin calibrating your college search. Like them or not, they can help you find schools where you are likely to be a competitive applicant. As you learn about colleges, see where your results fall in the distribution of test results for the students they enrolled in previous years. The best fits for you will be those places where your scores fall in the top 50% of those reported for entering freshmen. (The further below the mid-point of the score range your results fall, the longer the odds against your chances of admission.) Will such scores assure your admission to these schools? No. They will, however, position you so that your other strengths and attributes can give you the competitive edge–so you can be valued for what you do well. Even though your testing profile may improve over time, it is better to allow yourself to think broadly about options at the outset.

Finally, remember that you have options. Look into the ACT if you haven’t done so already. It is regarded by many as a student-friendly test in that the content reflects material you have covered in the classroom and the style of the test is much like that you have experienced in other year-end achievement testing in school. Besides, every school in the country will now accept either the SAT or the ACT. Your other option is to explore the 760 colleges and universities that make test submission optional.

The downside to spending too much time talking and thinking about testing is that we have already conceded more to the testing process than it deserves. Yes, you need to take tests to get into college. Yes, there are things you can do to help yourself and improve your scores. And, yes, it is possible to obsess on this part of the admission process to the point of excluding other important considerations. Among them is your need to have a life!

On December 19, the Straight Talk About College Admission teleseminar series will examine “The Role of Testing and the Value of Test Prep” (8PM ET) with guest expert, Rusty Haynes. Currently the College Advisor at The Colorado Springs School, Rusty’s experience with testing dates to the early days of test preparation and he will share some of the secrets to getting the most out of the testing experience. For more information and to register for the seminar, go to: http://www.theadmissiongame.com/teleseminar_registration.php

Writing the college essay or personal statement is one of the most daunting tasks that confront students in the senior year. The fact that they might still be working on an essay or two at this point in time is testimony itself to the degree of difficulty involved with finding the words that will adequately reveal the person behind the credentials. While the essays that emerge generally are solid writing samples and “good enough” to satisfy application requirements, only a fraction actually make a difference in the admission outcome.

Engineering an effective essay–one that will grab the attention of the reader–requires time, reflection and a bit of inspiration. Despite the popular notion among teenagers that the urgency and adrenalin rush of approaching deadlines brings out their best work, the reliance on such strategies leaves them woefully short of the time needed to gain perspective–to step back from their working drafts and edit effectively. Unfortunately, students who are still puzzling over what to do with essay assignments in early December are finding themselves in a time bind. One-draft writers, they deny themselves the opportunity to make a good essay great.

Keep in mind that the most systematic approach to essay writing begins with journal entries at the end of the Junior Year and continues through the development of early drafts just before the start of the Senior Year. That said, there is still hope for students who are trying to find the essay “magic.” Consider the following tips in addressing the task.

• Resist the temptation to look for examples of great college essays for ideas and/or inspiration. They will only confuse you more. Besides, those ideas have already been taken.
• Don’t give up ownership. You will find lots of opportunities to let other people (i.e. friends, parents and essay writing services) “help” you. Colleges want to hear your voice–it’s like your DNA. Authenticity is big here. While others can help with reflective editing, make sure the words you use are your own.
• Think about the messages/impressions you want to convey. What do you want the reader to know about you that won’t be apparent anywhere else in the application?
• Choose a topic about which you are an expert. The topic should give you a platform or perspective from which you are comfortable delivering the message.
• Answer the “why” questions. Why is the topic important to you? Why do you care about it? Why has it affected the way you see yourself in the world? As you answer the “why” questions, you give the reader insight into your soul. That might seem intimidating, but if you can pull it off your essay will make a difference.
• Be careful not to reframe information that is already presented on your application.
• Make sure you tell your story. If little-known circumstances have affected your academic performance or your life experience in general, you need to use a personal statement to address them.
• Eliminate distractions. Make sure the reader won’t have to struggle to read through the essay due to misspellings, grammatical errors or illegibility. Use spell-check and read your essay out loud. Your eyes can play tricks on you as you silently read through a draft for the tenth time. Listen to how your words sound.
• Give yourself time to step back from your work–to reflect on what you have written and to collect other opinions about the strength of your presentation. The more time, the better.

Finally, be honest about your effort. One of the most effective collaborators on my early writing projects was my dad. He would look over an essay and hand it back to me with the simple observation, “You’re not going to hand it in that way, are you?” While he was happy to go over things I had written with me, he wouldn’t do the thinking or writing for me. He knew that I knew I could do a better job and he was willing to help me if I was truly interested in helping myself!

This is the college application process and you know the stakes. Don’t settle for “good enough.” Rather, invest the extra time and effort it takes to produce great results.