College Planning Blog

Five Steps to Organizing Your College Application

The start of a new academic year signals the beginning of the high stakes college application process for hundreds of thousands of young people around the country. After months, if not years, of thought and preparation, it’s now time to begin pulling credentials together so they can be ready for submission to a list of preferred colleges later in the fall.

While the process of assembling application materials would seem straightforward, it is not. In fact, it is fraught with complexity and procedural land mines such that even the most diligent students find completing the process to be an onerous task on top of the regular demands of the classroom. Your objective should be to get from where you are to where you want to be as a college applicant with minimal disruptions to your daily routine.

When students run into trouble in completing applications, it is usually because they lack focus, are poorly organized or fail to take ownership of the process. The following “Five Steps to Organizing Your College Applications” will give you a better chance of getting through the application process unscathed and emerging with happy outcomes.

1. Get organized—today! Read the directions on each application. Know what is required of you and when it is required. Enter this information on a planning calendar. Record meaningful dates/deadlines you must meet in completing your applications. Decide which standardized tests you want/need to take and enter the test dates as well as the registration deadlines. Finally, post the calendar some place where it is easily referenced by you and your parents such as your refrigerator or a family bulletin board.

2. Give yourself and others time to do a good job. Work back from the application deadlines by at least one week to establish your deadlines for sending in the materials. Then, from those deadlines, work backward to establish dates by which you need completed essays and letters of recommendation allowing plenty of time (6-8 weeks) for these documents to be generated. With those dates established, mark your calendar to indicate the dates by which you want to ask for letters of recommendation. By waiting until the last minute to get things started you give up control of the process and lose your ability to put your best foot forward.

3. Keep things simple. Eliminate schools from your list that are there because 1) you think it would be cool to see if you can get in or 2) you’d feel better with a few more back-up schools. You shouldn’t need to apply to more than eight schools—six is an even better number. Focus your energies on the applications for schools you have researched thoroughly and about which you really care—they fit you best. Time and energy are of essence over the next three months. Invest in the applications for the schools that are truly important to you.

4. Establish a game plan. Know how you want to come across to the admission committees at each school and take stock of the opportunities you have with their respective applications to make your case. Develop a theme that speaks to who you are and pulls together the sum of your parts. Keep that theme in mind as you prepare the different elements of each application.

5. Stay focused in the classroom. With all of the traditional senior year and college planning activities going on around you it will be easy to lose track of the work you need to be doing in the classroom. Believe it or not, the work you do in your senior year could turn out to be your most important credential. Make it count!

Your senior year should be one of good times and fond memories. The college application process is daunting but it can be managed effectively. My objective is to give you strategies that will help ease the stress and keep a smile on your face as you work to get from where you are to where you want to be!

Toward that end, on August 27 I will begin an eight-week series of blogs that walks you through the application process. You can learn more about this topic in Chapter 12 (“Time to Apply: Get It Done!”) of my book, Winning the College Admission Game: Strategies for Students and Parents (available in the TAG Bookstore, online at Amazon.com and in bookstores).

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A Consumers’ Guide to College Rankings

It is that time of the year to play the college rankings sweepstakes. U.S News & World Report is promoting its “America’s Best Colleges 2009” (available in print on August 22) and Forbes.com, a newcomer to college rankings, released its version of “America’s Best Colleges” on August 13.

Other ranking guides are sure to follow as editors can’t wait to ply the “science” of their surveys on an audience of consumers eager for a scorecard that quantifies the mythical pecking order of colleges.

Before you get out your credit card or rush to printout a list of the “best” colleges, take a moment to ask yourself three questions:

1. Who is defining the “best” and what does it mean for me/my child?
2. What do the editors of ranking guides know about me/my child?
3. Where is the evidence that rankings will make a difference in our college planning outcomes?

Let’s take a closer look at the importance of each question.

1. Who is defining best and what does it mean for me/my child? Don’t assume that there is a universal application of the term—and don’t assume the definition you are being given by editors is the most appropriate. References to the “best” in any context are heavily value-laden and are offered from the perspective of the person making the statement. Be discriminating. Know that the definitions of “best” that are thrown around to sell magazines may not—and, in fact, should not—be the beginning point for your own definition.

2. What do the editors of ranking guides know about me/my child? Where, for example, do they talk about the colleges that are best for the bright but timid student who wants to study classical archaeology or the student who learns best through engagement in the classroom or the young person whose sense of self and direction is still emerging? Despite editorial acknowledgments that the choice of a four-year undergraduate education is “one of the biggest decisions a typical American family can make” what tangible take-aways do college rankings offer that apply to your situation?

3. Where is the evidence that rankings will make a difference in our college planning outcomes? More specifically, you need to ask yourself, “What’s in it for me?” Unlike the purchase process with regard to other commodities (cars, appliances, etc.), the ultimate choice of a college is the product of a mutual selection process. Rankings don’t get kids into college nor do they point you in the direction that is best for you. This is illustrated by the inevitable headlines in early April that read, “Record Numbers of Talented Students Rejected at Top Colleges.” Who is really being served when the effect of ranking guides is to shine a brighter light on a handful of institutions that already turn down 80-90% of their applicants?

The college-going process has been turned upside down by ranking guides. Whereas the focus should be on the kids—and what is best for them—college ranking guides put the focus on destinations that are presumed to be desirable. The rankings are artificial metrics for quality in education that detract from sensible, student-centered decision-making.

Herein lies the disconnect. If ranking guides are truly useful to consumers, why do so many students apply to schools where the chances of gaining admission are less than one out of four? And where is the usefulness of college ranking guides when barely half of the students entering college this fall will graduate from any college in 4-5 years?

There are no shortcuts or easy substitutions for thoughtful and reflective research in the college planning process. The choice of a college is one of the most important decisions in the life of a family. Avoid unhappy outcomes by establishing the student, not the destination, at the center of your deliberations

* * * * * *

Contact me at Peter@TheAdmissionGame.com for a free copy of “Seven Tips for Interpreting College Rankings.” In addition, my book, Winning the College Admission Game, (available in the TAG Bookstore, online at Amazon.com and in bookstores) gives students and parents strategies for working together to find and gain access to schools that represent the best fit for the student.

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Behind the Numbers

I would like to share a note I received from someone who wrote in disagreement to a statement I made in last week’s blog, “The Magic Numbers.” You may recall that I suggested the young woman’s test results (ACT: 34; SAT: 680/760/730) would put her on the competitive “playing field” at any school in the country. The writer disagreed and, pointing to the average SAT scores posted by the Ivies in the mid-700’s, predicted “she would be knocked out with her 680 Critical Reading.”

On the surface, this response makes good sense. After all, logic would suggest, “if your numbers don’t match or exceed those reported by the college, you’re not likely to get in.” This is where it is important, however, to understand what the numbers mean.

The student’s scores are actually projections of her ability to do the work in the first year
of college. The higher the number, the greater the probability she can do well in more challenging academic environments. That’s why I suggested that this young lady has scores that would put her on the competitive playing field at any school in the country. Please note, however, that this should not be construed as a guarantee of admission. Without compelling credentials in other aspects of her application she remains a long shot for admission at elite institutions.

Now let’s take a look at how scores are often regarded by colleges. Admission officers know from experience that students within a certain range of scores can do the work in their respective environments. While some students might be projected as successful at the Phi Beta Kappa (high honors) level, others might be able to “just get by.” Regardless, students with scores at either end of the spectrum, as well as everyone in between, are on the competitive “playing fields” at those schools. In reality, most students who apply to most colleges fall somewhere within that range.

Therefore the numbers reported by a given college reflect the average score performance for the students admitted to that college. They are not minimal or threshold requirements as, frankly, those numbers (i.e., the lowest possible SAT for an admitted student) are rarely publicized. Therefore, the average scores cited by my reader for the Ivies are actually the mid-points of scores of accepted students, half of which were above the average and half were below.

That said, it is important to remember that the Ivies, and many other highly selective institutions around the country, routinely turn down students with scores above their averages just as they accept kids with scores below their averages. My point in my previous blog posting was that they could take the candidate in question if they wanted to without any worry about her ability to do the work as they certainly take other applicants with scores below their averages. I didn’t say her credentials would guarantee her admission anywhere in the country—only that they would put her on the competitive playing field at any school in the country. She is a viable candidate.

And really, that’s all she or anyone else can ask for—a chance to compete. The trick is to find places that look beyond your scores to see what you have to offer the communities they are building through the admission process. The places that value you for what you do well will be those at which you have the greatest chance of gaining admission.

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The Magic Numbers

It’s that time of year when rising high school seniors (and soon-to-be college applicants) should begin to take stock of their application preparations. I recently received a note from the parent of one such student that raised questions about strategies for reporting test scores. It’s a question I receive fairly often so I thought I would share my response. This parent writes:

“My daughter scored a 34 on her ACT and a 2170 on her SAT (760 math, 730 writing and 680 critical reading.) Her ACT converts to a higher SAT score (2260) so would you be inclined to send only the ACT scores for those schools who will accept either, or would you be inclined to go ahead and send both to show that she did pretty well on both “types” of tests? She has also taken 4 subject tests: 700 in literature and 730 in math this June, and 680 in chemistry and 680 in history as a sophomore.”

In responding, I must first point out that every college in the country now accepts the ACT or the SAT and acknowledge that the young woman in question has produced superb test results on both tests. While it would be wrong to make assumptions about whether she will be admitted, her results will put her on the competitive “playing field” at any school in the country. Interestingly, these scores are not likely to be the credential that tips the scale in her favor at highly selective places even though they speak well to the likelihood she will find success if admitted.

Generally speaking, submitting both the ACT and the SAT can work to this student’s advantage. The same can be said for students who possess closely matched but lower scores. Why? While it might be nice to show that the student is capable of scoring well on all the tests, the presence of two respectable scores for a given college affords its admission committee options with regard to the score it uses to justify an offer of admission. (More on that in a minute).

That said I would like to make several observations. First, be careful about being too literal with regard to how an SAT might convert to an ACT and vice versa. While both test makers provide concordance tables to give you an idea as to how their scores compare, the tests themselves are quite different in terms of what they measure. As a result, you can’t make exact comparisons with regard to the diagnostic benefit of the respective tests.

Second, the need to demonstrate proficiency on both types of tests may be a bit over-rated. At the most highly selective colleges, such proficiency is both expected and rather routine.

And, third, I would like to reflect on the notion of giving admission officers options. Schools that receive a preponderance of one test type over the other are regarded as dominant with regard to that test. For example, a school where most of the applicants submit the SAT is considered “SAT dominant.” While ACT results are considered in its admission process and reported on institutional profiles of entering classes, the ACT scores themselves disappear when test results are reported to ranking guides as the latter only factor in results from the dominant test at a given college or university.

So, what does this mean for you, the applicant? If you find yourself competing for admission at a college where your overall credentials are compelling but your test results are relatively modest, the fact that you submit test results from both testing services allows the admission committee to rationalize an offer of admission based on the scores from the non-dominant test. Without the scores from the non-dominant test, the committee might be wary of offering you admission for fear that your scores from the dominant test will adversely affect its testing profile.

The bottom line: think of your test results, whether they are from the SAT or the ACT—or both—as competitive credentials—numbers that reflect your ability to function on a given test. And know that colleges like big numbers. If you have the opportunity early in the process to sample one of each (perhaps the PSAT for the SAT and the PLAN for the ACT), do so to determine the testing format and methodology to which you respond best. If one test emerges as a favorite, then focus on preparing to do well on subsequent administrations of that test. Trying to master both will only distract you from other more important pursuits in your life.

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No One Ever Died in an Admission Interview!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Interview Tips

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

On another note…I produced a webcast presentation on July 10 for CollegeWeekLive entitled “What You Didn’t Know to Ask About Financial Aid.” You can view this webcast at http://www.collegeweeklive.com. You will need to register to log in to view the archived presentation.

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When Things Don’t "Fit" As They Should (Part Six of Six)

Did you know that barely half of the students who enter college each year will graduate in 4-5 years? That statistic is numbing when you consider the potential costs involved—your time, your parents’ money, and the lost opportunity to you as a wage earner upon graduation. Over the last five postings in this space, I have given you ideas about how to find the college that is best for you—a place that is likely to attract and keep you through graduation. Before we wrap up this discussion, it might make sense, then, to address some of the common pitfalls that lead to unproductive college choices—colleges that do not fit well.

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

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

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

Scenario #3: Parents The best school for you is not likely to be the place your parents attended or the place they want you to attend! This can become uncomfortable if your parents are already talking about the places you should attend. While you don’t want to disappoint them, you want to find your own college—a place that is the best fit for you. After all, you are different people. What worked for them might not work for you. If you sense a conflict of this nature brewing, you need to find a diplomatic solution to it early in your search. The longer you allow your parent’s expectations of a destination to linger prominently in the picture, the harder it will be to extricate yourself from those expectations later in the process—that is, assuming you truly want to look in different directions.

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

Scenario #5: Prestige Finally, the best college for you is not necessarily the place that will give you the most impressive car sticker! Consider how the events unfold. The “Committee of We” has been involved in an exhaustive college search process. I don’t need to explain that mom and dad are integral to this committee! “When are we going to get started?” “When are we going start visiting schools?” “When are we going to get the applications finished?” “When are we going to hear?” Does this sound familiar?

One day in late March of your senior year, the “thick envelope” from XYZ, a very prestigious college, arrives in your mail slot. A committee member is home (not you because you’re in school) and finds the letter. Unable to find restraint, this committee member rips open the letter to discover the good news and euphoria reigns—“We’re in!!” Before you know it, this unnamed person pulls the XYZ car sticker out of a drawer (where it’s been in safe keeping just in case), puts it on the car and begins to drive slowly through the neighborhood so everyone can see where “we’re going to college!”

This is an exciting time for the entire family because, of course, “we” got in. And good for you—if this is truly the place that you want to attend. Unfortunately, a lot of students and their families get caught up in the rush for “gold.” For them, the process is more about winning the prize then it is finding the best fit. They may have “won” the car sticker and all the bragging rights that go with it, but does the student have the right college? Maybe, maybe not.

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

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Who Loves You? (Part Five of Six)

When the dust settles on your college search, there should be abundant evidence that the college you have chosen is excited that you will be joining its number. You will sense this enthusiasm at every step along the way as you get to know the place and apply for admission. More than just another face in the freshman directory, you are someone who will be valued in that population for the things you do well.

Think about your close, personal relationships. A relationship works because both parties are equally invested in its success. Each side values and respects the other. Problems arise when the degree of investment in the relationship is not shared equally. Despite the determination of one party to make things work, one-sided relationships are often doomed to failure.

The same is true of your pending relationship with a college or university. Your investment in the relationship would seem clear. You know what you want out of your four years and you know what you are prepared to do in order to achieve your goals. On the other hand, what type of investment in you and your goals can you expect from the institution? Where is the evidence that it is prepared to do to help you achieve your goals?

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

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

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

What more could you want?! Interestingly, the question, “Which candidates are valued most in the selection process—and why?” is pervasive throughout the credential review processes at most selective institutions. Remember, such schools don’t have to admit you simply because you are good. If they admit you it is because they chose to do so.

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

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“Want to Get Away?” (Part Four of Six)

Do you ever feel the urge to shout, "I need to get out of here!" And "here" is wherever you are at the moment—home, school, community. As in the situations depicted in the airline commercial, you find that just about anywhere else would be a good place to be. It’s a common teenage affliction. The older you get the more claustrophobic your world becomes—you’re ready for a new look, a change of scenery. Right about now, college seems like an inviting destination.

As eager as you might be to get up and go, though, I suspect there is a quiet voice inside you that says something like, “I’m not sure I want to go. They feed me and let me drive their car. Besides, my friends are right around the corner. I actually have a good life here. Do I really have to leave?”

The answer is “yes.” At some point you will need to find a change of address. So, if that place will be a college, why not find one that feels like home to you—a place that includes people with shared values and interests, a place where people will encourage you on bad days and celebrate with you the good days? Why not find a place you can comfortably embrace?

When you think about it, the best college fit will be a place that offers a community in which you will feel comfortable. It will be a place where you won’t be distracted by worries about how you fit in. You won’t worry about what people think about you—how you talk, what you say, how you dress or what you think. You won’t have to prove yourself to anyone. Instead, you can relax and focus on getting the most out of your college experience and that includes, by the way, your academic work. There is a strong correlation between one’s comfort level in college—and one’s grade point average!

So, how do you find such a place? It’s hard to search the Internet for such a fit. Chat room conversations can be deceptive, as they tend to reflect only the opinions of those who participate. And the images you are shown on videos and in viewbooks are rarely unattractive.

As a result, you will need to do some original research. Specifically, you need to experience college campuses and, in the process, be sensitive to your “gut” reactions. Quite often when students believe they’ve found the college of their dreams, they’re hard-pressed to explain the attraction, except to say, “It’s a gut feeling. It feels right—like I would be at home.” As you think about living apart from the comforts of home, finding your niche is vitally important so let your gut go to work for you.

What gut feeling do you hope to find as you look at colleges? Look for students who come from similar backgrounds—who share your interests and your loyalties. While they shouldn’t be exact clones of you, it’s a good sign if they are people from whom you can learn and around whom you can grow personally. In all likelihood, your gut will tell you when you have found people you’d like to get to know better.

Moreover, what does your gut tell you about a college’s inclination to stretch and support you through various aspects of your college experience? Do you sense that there are people in a given environment who will encourage and support you in your journey of self-discovery? Based on your experience on college campuses, where do you see evidence that interaction with others will help broaden your perspective—get you to take risks and think outside of the box periodically? What does your gut tell you about how an environment will respond if you struggle? Will anyone know? Will anyone care?

The answers to these questions will help define the ideal college community for you. At a time in your life when you may be aching to get away and have a different experience, it’s vital that you “land” well when you get to college. Be careful not to react impulsively, then, as you consider your college “home away from home.” Be sure to test your reactions. Until you can experience such a place first hand and come away with a really strong, positive “gut feeling,” that feeling only exists in your imagination. Be prepared to visit campuses—and revisit and revise your list—as your college search continues until one day you know—it feels like home!

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Find Your Comfort Level Academically (Part Three of Six)

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

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How Do You Like to Learn? (Part Two of Six)

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.

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