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Many families make false assumptions when it comes to their ability to pay for their child’s college education. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard, “There is no way we will qualify for financial aid based on what other parents have told me.” Or, “Of course we'll get money - how else can anyone afford to pay full price?” The reality is you may be surprised either way. Ultimately, however, it is never a good idea to go through the college process uninformed.
Most colleges require applicants to supply one or two teacher recommendations, and often a counselor recommendation as well. But it’s only April, and college applications won’t be due until the fall, or early in 2019, so you may think you have plenty of time to ask teachers for letters of recommendation to include with your college applications. However, keep in mind that some teachers limit the number of recommendations they will write as they usually do them on their own time, sometimes over the summer if they have requests from juniors in advance.
Ideally, you should choose two teachers from your junior year. They should be from different subjects; the ideal is one from math or science and one from social studies or humanities. But if you have other ideas, check with the colleges themselves to see what their requirements are.
So, now is the time to ask the two teachers who know you best if they would be willing to write a recommendation for you! Get on their list and check that off your “to do” list for college application preparations. It’s an easy task to take care of now and important to help ensure that your application is as strong as it can be.
Students and parents ask all the time about strategies to improve organization, test taking, and overall school performance. The answer may be simple: getting more sleep.
According to the NIH, not getting enough sleep can exacerbate learning issues.
"Your ability to function and feel well while you're awake depends on whether you're getting enough total sleep and enough of each type of sleep [e.g., rapid eye movement, deep sleep]. It also depends on whether you're sleeping at a time when your body is prepared and ready to sleep. ... Sleep deficiency can interfere with work, school, driving and social functioning.
"You might have trouble learning, focusing and reacting. Also, you might find it hard to judge other people's emotions and reactions. Sleep deficiency also can make you feel frustrated, cranky or worried in social situations. ... Children who are sleep deficient might be overly active and have problems paying attention. They also might misbehave, and their school performance can suffer."
As they note, students with learning differences may also have trouble regulating their sleep. So, in addition to preparing flash cards, reviewing class material, and crunching numbers, don't forget to get some more sleep.
Now is the time for juniors to plan visits to college campuses. Try to carve out time this spring to see a few schools on your list while students are there so that you get a real sense of the campus culture. Inevitably, you will run out of time and have to schedule some visits for over the summer when there are few, if any, students on campus, but seeing as many campuses as you can while classes are in session is most valuable. And don’t forget to take a few notes on things that strike you while you’re there, especially about specific programs or characteristics that appeal to you. This information will be key as you consider which colleges you want to apply to in the fall and for writing the supplemental essay about why you want to attend this particular school - a commonly required application question. It’s easy to forget or confuse details after visiting several schools in a row! Also, many schools track “demonstrated interest” and a campus visit confirms that you are a serious candidate, so be sure to check in at the Admissions Office.
Despite the colder temperatures, it is not too early to start planning your summer experiences. Many students use their summer to explore a possible career path, volunteer, get a job, further their foreign language skills, or explore an interest, to name just a few. Keep in mind that many summer programs have deadlines in the winter or early spring. It would be unfortunate to find the perfect opportunity only to realize you missed the deadline. So, dress for winter but start thinking about summer.
Now is a great time for high school juniors to create or review their testing plan for college admission. Assess what you have taken and what's left to take. Have you taken the SAT? Are you satisfied with the results? Take the time now to consider your options:
Well, maybe not quite that early!
Do you want to play a sport in college? If so, you need to plan ahead -- as early as freshman or sophomore year in high school.
Freshmen should be looking at their four-year plan for academics and making sure that they have the rigor needed to be eligible to compete in college. The NCAA has strict requirements for coursework. At a minimum, you will need to take four years of English, three years of mathematics beyond Algebra I, two years of lab science, and two years of social sciences. Most college-bound student-athletes have far more rigor than that!
Sophomores should begin putting together an athletic resume, thinking about the type of schools that they would like to look at, and contacting coaches to set up unofficial visits. They should also take the PSAT and pre-ACT (if offered at their school) to get a sense for where their standardized testing will land. Coaches often ask about grades, rigor, and scores right from the start -- they don't want to waste their time or yours if the student will not make the cut with admissions. For this reason, freshman and sophomore grades are very important!!
Enlist the help of your club coach or high school coach early on as well. Many college coaches will reach out to the coaches that have worked with you in high school to get a sense of the player's coachability, overall attitude, and potential for success.
Finally, research college showcases and camps for the summer. But be careful -- some are just money-makers for the college and offer limited benefit in terms of recruiting. So proceed with caution before spending a lot of money and time.
Often parent's reach out to us for help as they feel the college search and application process is so emotionally charged between them and their adolescent son or daughter that it amps up stress in the household in a counterproductive way. Therefore, partnering with an educational consultant to de-escalate the process and move it forward can be helpful. We can provide a voice that may be better heard to guide the process, working to establish and meet the educational goals of the student and their family.
By meeting with students regularly as juniors and more frequently as seniors, we earmark time spent productively in the process, supporting the student along the way. The partnership between student, family, and consultant relies on excellent communication and goal-setting. It’s an exciting time to explore post-secondary possibilities, and we strive to keep it positive, ideally empowering students to take responsibility for it with our guidance and their parent's support.
Becoming the other voice that students can hear and a resource for families can de-stress what many feel is a tense and complex process.
Q: I’ve heard that Canadian universities are much more affordable. I'd like to consider that option. What should I keep in mind?
A: It is true that universities in Canada can be quite affordable. There are many excellent options for schools and tuition is often significantly less than at U.S. colleges and universities. Most Canadian universities are medium to large public schools. Smaller, liberal arts colleges are not as numerous but can be well worth the look. Often students must apply to a particular program or school within the university, although “undetermined” can be an option as a choice of program. Typically, the transcript, grades, and test scores are the most important components of an application, with the junior and senior year grades of utmost importance in admission decisions. Standardized test scores are given more weight in admission than at most U.S. schools, so plan ahead in order to present excellent SAT or ACT scores, as well as SAT subject tests. Canadian schools don’t usually require an essay, although there are exceptions, and most do not require recommendation letters.
Go to the official website of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada for more information www.univcan.ca.
Despite the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics, only about 13 percent of high schools start later than 8:30. Nearly half — 46 percent — start before 8 a.m.
