Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year from the College Office!

Senior students and their families - don't forget, the FAFSA goes live tomorrow - gather your documents now and go to www.fafsa.gov tomorrow. Haste makes waste though - so don't rush through the form. Call the help line if you get to a question that you don't know how to answer. Use last year's taxes and the final paystub from 2012 to complete the form now. Then resubmit later in the year once your taxes are complete. 

'Tis the Season

 

As 2012 winds down, I'd like to send out a gentle reminder that the end of the calendar year is a great time to take a minute to thank the teachers that wrote you letters of recommendation. I can speak from personal experience when I say that writing letters is something I just don't have time to do during the school day. Every letter represents time taken out of my weekend to advocate for an ElRo student. A teacher, who shall remain nameless, commented how nice it would be if students would say thank you - not with a gift - but with a card or email. I encourage you to make a habit, as you get older, of thanking those that have helped you along the way. Take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work the teachers have put in to help complete your application. Good karma is real, pass it on.

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PSAT Scores

After tomorrow, all 10th and 11th grade students will have received their October 2012 PSAT scores. I spent time presenting to the 10th grade students in small groups and the 11th grade in a grade-wide assembly to make sure that the score report is as transparent as possible. Here are the key things to remember:

-- The PSAT is a normed test not a "percent right" test - so the scores are distributed among test takers with very few people scoring at the lowest and highest possible scores and most of the people scoring the middle. This means that often times the more meaningful thing to pay attention to is not the actual score, but the percentile. For example, a 60 out of 80 (the high score on each section is 80) sounds like you missed 20 points. But a 60 may represent the 88th percentile for that section, an indication that you actually did pretty well compared to your peers (since only 12% of them did better than you).

-- PSAT scores are correlated to real SAT scores (meaning you can usually predict your range of performance on the real thing based on the PSAT) but they are not perfect. You can definitely end up with a different final score on the real exam. At ElRo, our average PSAT score for juniors most years is a 164 (or about a 1640 on the real SAT) but our average SAT score is about an 1800 - an improvement of about 150 points.

-- Some people are ACT people. Don't fight it. If you are better on the ACT, take that test for submission to colleges.

-- Some people are not testing people. Again, don't fight it. Find some testing optional schools that you are interested in, honor your strengths and find colleges that will too.

-- No one sees your PSAT score besides you, your parents, and me. Colleges don't see it and it won't play a role in your college application.

Want more information about Standardized Testing? Join me for 'Demystifying Standardized Tests' an information session for students and families on Wednesday, January 9 at 5 pm in the auditorium.

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Financial Aid Wrap Up

 

This week there were two Financial Aid related events taking place at ElRo. On Tuesday, I presented an assembly to the senior class (their last college assembly ever!) to explain the basics of the financial aid process. Then, last night, Anthony Becker returned to our school to explain to parents and guardians how to fill out the FAFSA form (completed in January of the student's senior year).

Here are some highlights from both presentations:

-- Financial Aid consideration is like a big conveyer belt - you want to get on as soon as you are able and you want to stay on by completing the forms correctly and on time. The early bird gets the $$$.

-- For any student looking to get any sort of financial aid (including both merit aid and need based aid) they will need to complete the FAFSA in January of their senior year. Then, some schools also require the CSS Profile in order for the school to get a more accurate glimpse of your family financial status. Neither form actually gives dollars - both are just a tool used by financial aid offices to determine your family's estimated family contribution (EFC). Then, each college can use their own algorithm to create a personalized financial aid package for you.

-- WAY too many people enter the college process expecting for aid to cover the entire cost of college. Don't hold your breath. Just like any other $20,000 to $200,000, purchase most families are going to HAVE to change their lifestyle in order to accommodate that type of spending in their budget. Loans are going to be a reality for most families. The key is making sure those loans are minimized as much as possible ($5,000 a year in loans? Pretty reasonable. $25,000 a year in loans? Avoid, start over, pick a different school, you will regret it.)

-- The FAFSA should be completed in January using income totals from the last pay stub of the year and estimates from the family taxes the year before. Don't wait to submit the FAFSA for the first time until your taxes are complete. Submit in January, then amend and resubmit later in the year when the taxes are prepared.

-- Different schools are going to offer different packages - and your EFC may or may not be a number you feel your family can actually afford. That is why having a wide range of schools on the list is essential so you can compare the costs and weigh the pros and cons before picking a school.

-- When in doubt, read the directions. ALWAYS double check your FAFSA answers and don't rush. The FAFSA can feel overwhelming, but most questions are pretty straightforward (ie - they tell you what line number to look at on your taxes). Don't let yourself feel pressured. Have all your paperwork in front of you and never guess on things like social security number or legal name - that will bump you off the conveyor belt - a big no-no. Questions? Use resources like the FAFSA help line or the college's financial aid website and office staff to understand the process and forms.

-- If the parents of the student are divorced, the household where the student lives the most is what goes on the FAFSA (including any step parents and their income if the parent is remarried). The CSS Profile goes one step further and asks for the non-custodial parent's household income information, so in that case both parents information will be required. Even if family relationships are strained, this is not the time to dig in your heels. Come together for the sake of the financial aid package and be cooperative and cordial. It will pay off - literally - in that it will keep the child's financial aid application 'on the conveyor belt.'

Anthony is a Certified Financial Planner.  While the FAFSA is free to file (always use www.fafsa.gov NEVER .com) some families benefit from working with a financial planner to adjust their assets in order to qualify for the most legal amount of aid. These appointments are best had BEFORE the child is a senior. But, sometimes adjustments can me made though even as late as December of the senior year - so if you think your family needs help and can afford to work with a professional (rates for the meeting run between $250 and $300 for a meeting) it is worth it to make an appointment. Anthony's number, should you want to schedule an appointment, is 914 722 1777 - or feel free to speak with your own financial planner. The families that usually benefit most are those in the middle income range, who make too much to qualify for much need based assistance but still have a household income that prevents them from paying for a private school tuition out of pocket. A financial planner probably won't make tuition free, but it might knock off a few thousand a year, which adds up over time.

The good news? Most families do NOT pay the sticker price for college and way more qualify for aid than think they will (including those with 6 figure incomes). Don't let a price tag be the factor that removes a school from your list. Having a wide variety of selectivity ranges and cost ranges as a part of the college list will be the best way to make sure that you have the most options to choose from.

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Hey Seniors, Don't Lose Steam

 

Don't lose steam just because it is December! If anything, now is the time you need to be working harder than ever - both in class and on the college application process. With Early Action deadlines over (with the exception of a few Sandy extensions), there could be the temptation from some Seniors to take it easy. That would be the wrong move! Why? Consider the following:

If you applied EA or ED you are going to be getting your decisions back about 2-3 weeks from now. If you got into your schools, there is a chance your college application process is over - hurray! But, for many of you that did not do binding Early programs (or for some that did, in the event that you are denied admission or deferred to regular decision) you are going to have additional applications that you need to submit.

Call me crazy, but I think there is a chance that the quality of application you can do now, when you aren't rushed or heart broken, will be higher than the one you squeak out in the last two weeks of 2012. Fight the urge to procrastinate and get those other apps ready to go. 

Even if you don't press submit and pay for them yet (in fact, that is a genius way to save a little money - since if you get in ED you will just have to withdraw the apps later anyway). But getting all the essays written, the supplements checked, and the details organized now will make it so that your only application tasks after December 15 will be clicking the submit button and turning in a transcript request form.

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Happy Thanksgiving from the College Office!
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What To Expect From the College Process - Overview

Thank you to all of the students, parents, and guardians that attended last night's 'What To Expect From the College Process." I appreciate the flexibility everyone had with changing the date and working around the smaller space of room 306 for the first session. Needless to say, I'm glad we broke up into two groups, it was standing room only!

In case you couldn't make it (or even if you did, but your brain is overflowing) here are a few general topics that were discussed:

--- How many applications should a student aim for? I recommend no more than 10.

--- What should students do about testing? Click here to see my MANY posts about this but the short answer is try both the SAT and ACT, then focus on re-taking the one you are naturally better in.

--- How can parents stay informed about the college process? Subscribe to this blog, so posts get sent to your email inbox! Sign up for the PTA mailing list, which emails out the ElRo weekly announcements every week, which is where I list information about college related events.

--- How should students spend their summer? Doing something they care about. There is no one prescription for what that has to be, but you are encouraged to explore your passions (maybe that is sports, or camp, or art, or a science class, or volunteering, or traveling, or ________). This is New York City, take advantage of that. Be cautious of 'pay for play' programs that are on college campuses but are not officially linked to the school - they can be overpriced and not as impressive as they sound. Only do them if you can truly afford them.

--- Where do we start? By 11th grade you really should start getting out there to visit campuses. Use the College Board search function to do some preliminary research to see what types of schools may be a good fit for what your student is looking for. Try and visit a range of places at first to get a feel for what feels best. Consider size, location, majors offered (most important if you want something specific like business, nursing, or engineering) and selectivity. If you have a book about ratings - burn it. We want the school rated #1 for YOU.

--- What is Naviance? Naviance is a tool that our school provides to juniors and their family during the second semester of junior year. Before that time, students and families are welcome to log on as a guest (email me for the password). It allows you to research colleges and scholarships and see a grid of actual ElRo students and their admission decisions at the different colleges.

Overall - the point of this Q&A was to hopefully get some pressing questions answered and send home the message that this process can be complicated but it doesn't have to be stressful. There is a college out there for EVERYONE and you (or your child) will find that place. A balanced list with reach schools, target schools, and likely schools will mean that it is easy to have options if you go forward with the college process in a balanced way.

I encourage everyone to attend next month's FAFSA night to learn more about the federal financial aid application -- that event takes place on Thursday, December 6.

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RPI Architecture Breakfast

Thanks to RPI and their CASE (Center for Architecture Science and Ecology) for hosting a counselor breakfast yesterday morning. We got a chance to hear from the Dean of the Architecture school and look at a few of the projects that CASE is working on. The architecture program at RPI is small, but it is clearly doing some really exciting things. They offer all different types of architecture degrees, but the one most applicable to ElRo students is the 5 year Bachelor of Architecture program that will prepare students to work in the world of architecture after graduation without them needing to go on for a Masters degree right away (the other road to working in the world of architecture is to get a bachelors in any degree you want, then complete a Masters of Architecture for three additional years in order to log the studio time you need). Program highlights include some amazing work in the realm of smart and sustainable design (aka - public spaces with a smart canopy that cools people underneath in the summer and heats people underneath in the winter - coming soon to 9th Ave in NYC!) RPI is known for Engineering, but they have other things too - and the intersection between science and art is really embraced in the architecture school. There is a portfolio required for admission, but no one is expecting you to have taken drafting or submit a portfolio of blueprints. What is being looked for is some semblance of artistic ability, a strong creative voice, and potential. The acoustics department is also fabulous -- putting their work into practice with the beautiful EMPAC building on RPI's campus (pictured above). As the world moves greener and greener and jobs in sustainable energy and design continue to grow, the opportunities at RPI are really exciting.

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10th And 11th Grade - Sign up for the Practice ACT

Hey Sophomores and Juniors!

Just like Coke and Pepsi are two different brands of soda, the ACT and the SAT are two different brands of college admission test.  All colleges will accept both the SAT and the ACT so I encourage all students to try both types of test in order to determine the one they are naturally stronger in. Then, you can proceed with things like test prep or flashcards or online practice drills to try and maximize your score.You already took the PSAT last month, so . . . .

ElRo is hosting a practice ACT exam through Kaplan on Saturday, December 8th for any interested 10th or 11th grade student that preregisters at: http://bit.ly/eleanorrooseveltact

Registration for the practice exam will close on Monday, November 26th. 

If this test date is not convenient for you or you prefer to take a practice ACT somewhere else that is FINE. This practice test at ElRo is not required. If you are in 10th grade, we do plan to hold another practice ACT next fall so you'll have the opportunity then. In addition, virtually EVERY test prep company offers free diagnostic exams (for both the SAT and ACT) so just pick one and schedule it if you prefer to go that route. 

Some people will only drink Coke (aka: me) and others prefer Pepsi. Some people can't taste the difference. Give yourself the opportunity to see if one 'brand' is better for you when it comes to college. If both end up being equal, you can pick the one you just plain old liked better.

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Sandy Update

What to do when a major weather emergency falls right as many EA/ED/Priority applications are due?  First off - remember that your family's safety and comfort are always going to be more important that deadlines. So first, take a minute to be glad that you made it through the storm unscathed.

Next, if you have power, you can check with the individual school websites and the Common App website to see if any deadlines have been adjusted for those involved in the storm. Regardless, I always encourage not waiting until the last minute, so even if a school is giving you until Monday to submit, if you have your app completed, go ahead and submit it. Then, on Monday, turn in a transcript request form so I will know what school documents to send. If you need a copy of the transcript request form, it can be printed from the ElRo College Office website 'Senior' tab.

Remember - deadlines are for STUDENTS. Your application should be submitted by the deadline (either original or extended, if applicable). Your teacher letters and school documents will be sent in after so please don't stress if you don't see them listed as 'completed' in Naviance. That is my job to worry about, not yours ;)

If you were supposed to have your Senior meeting with me this week, we will need to reschedule. Be patient and flexible and I promise I'll get to meet with everyone at some point. In the meantime, if you have a deadline, just send me an email letting me know what apps you are submitting before meeting with me. I just want to be in communication with you so nothing is a big surprise.

My thoughts are with everyone that was touched by the storm. Many people are going to have a long road of repair and grief ahead of them. College applications are important, but there is a lot more to life than personal statements and SAT scores.

See you next week.

CORT Tour - Day 3

 

The last day of the CORT tour brought us to University of Rochester. This was probably the school I was most familiar with prior to the tour since six students from ElRo have enrolled there since 2010. Sadly, it was raining all day in Rochester, but as I always say that is actually ideal college viewing weather because if you love a school in the rain, you know you really love it ;). This campus is another with tunnels and we got to see those first hand in order to stay dry today - they sure come in handy! My favorite part of the University of Rochester is that they are willing and able to meet full demonstrated need for admitted students -- translation: generous financial aid for those that can't pay the tuition in full. But the funding isn't the only appeal at this school. With about 5,000 students Rochester is a research university with a smaller college feel. They also offer two unique '5th year' options to allow students to stay tuition free to continue their studies (in something they are not majoring in). Their graduate programs also mean combined admission for highly qualified applicants (aka - being pre-admitted to med school in high school). They strongly encourage interviews and are going test flexible this year. Test flexible means that you can submit your own personalized blend of testing - not just the SAT or ACT, but things like Subject Tests and APs. According to their office of admission, hidden gem majors include: optics, brain and cognitive science, linguistics, and audio music engineering. Our tour guide described the student body on campus as supportive and collaborative, giving the example of a time she was working in a study lounge trying to work out a physics equation on a white board. She left to go downstairs to get a snack and when she came back another student had solved the equation for her anonymously. Wouldn't happen at every school, I can promise you that.

After the tour was over, I got a very lucky opportunity to also quickly get a ride over to SUNY Brockport. Prior to visiting, the main thing I knew about Brockport was that they were a SUNY that gave merit aid. But after seeing it in person, I think it can offer a lot more than just that. A campus of about 7,000, Brockport is only about 30 minutes from Rochester. The campus felt really cohesive and probably ties with RIT as the campus with the most students buzzing about, many of whom were sporting Brockport gear. We got to go inside the new Special Event Recreation Center (pictured above) that just opened a few months ago. All I can say is: what economic collapse? Brockport is renovating and expanding, mostly due to a savvy board of directors and administration. Popular programs at Brockport include things like athletic training and education. There is also an active ROTC program on campus. One of my favorite parts is that the town of Brockport butts right up to campus and the quaint main street has a "no chain stores allowed" policy. For someone looking at SUNY colleges that isn't interested in being at a large university center, this one is definitely worth looking at.

It was a great opportunity to see the schools in the Rochester area. New York City students are lucky to have so many amazing choices in their home state. My only regret is that I still only got to see Wegman's through the window of a bus, but maybe next time. 

CORT Tour - Day 1 and 2

Greetings from Rochester! I've seen three schools in the past 36 hours, and boy are my eyes tired! I'm here as part of the CORT (Colleges of Rochester Tour) which gives high school counselors a chance to learn more about four schools in the Rochester Area. I'll cut to the chase and just tell you about the campuses I've seen:

Nazareth College

Our first school on Sunday was Nazareth College, a school that was once Catholic but is no longer affiliated with the church (though people are often mislead by the name). "Naz," as they call it, is a small college that blends both research and the liberal arts without fitting into either the 'liberal arts college' or 'research university' box. There are pre-professional offerings, like Physical Therapy (6 yr DPT program is the most selective program on campus) and Nursing, but the school is also looking to expand their science offerings. This initiative is certainly going to be helped by their brand new math and science building, complete with a fully operational cadaver lab (something very unique for undergraduate students that will also benefit nursing and PT students). Other unique programs include music business and toxicology. Two of my favorite aspects of the school are that it is Testing Optional and relatively affordable for a private school. The average cost of attendance, after financial aid, is about $15,000 for most students after getting both need and merit based aid. Overall, I noticed the entire campus was very well maintained and almost every building we went into felt either new or renovated in the past 10 years. This is also the first campus I've seen to offer students a key fob that acts as an emergency alert system. Students just click two buttons on their fob and the security officers can track them via GPS and come to their aid. Think of it like a blue light phone on steroids. Very cool. The flight to Rochester was SO affordable and easy, if you want a small classroom experience at a private school, this could be your place.

They also have tunnels connecting the buildings - so no need to worry about the cold :)

Alfred University

This morning we took a bit of a drive over to Alfred University. First of all: ooooh my gosh, upstate New York is gorgeous in the fall. The campus is surrounded by mountains covered with trees (are these hills? I'm from Indiana, I can't tell the difference. Just know, it was beautiful) and I really loved our campus tour. Alfred has this amazing combination of offerings in both engineering and the arts (specifically top rated in ceramics, I'm looking at you people in Ceramics and AP Studio Art). There are other programs too in Arts and Sciences and Business, but I felt Engineering and fine arts really stood out. Plus, (and I SWEAR this isn't why I liked those two), many majors in those schools fall under the statutory college rule where, just like Cornell, there are programs with lower cost for NY residents. We talked to some engineers on our tour that were in the middle of working in the lab  making lens for a pair of sunglasses for an assignment. They seriously looked like the happiest engineers I had ever seen. Never thought in high school about being a ceramic engineer? Do you like melting stuff and using your hands? You'll probably like this.

Our tour guide's print on the left

The view from the printing studio

Can you tell I liked the printing studio?

Then we went to the art studios. Again, happiest artists I've ever seen. The ceramics kilns? Out of this world. Like I'm talking a dozen different types of kilns. I didn't even know there types of kilns! See some art pictures above.

Alfred is the second oldest co-ed college in the United States (Oberlin has them beat by a few years). They also (like, I'm finding, many schools in the area) have excellent equine facilities for all of you equestrians out there. Bottom line, I think this school sells itself much better in person than on paper. If you want a smaller school experience at a beautiful campus tucked away amongst a lovely setting, come visit. For most ElRo students, Alfred is probably a target or a likely, and those don't come along all that often when we are talking about places with great facilities, happy people, merit scholarships, and diverse students. (It is also right across from Alfred State, the SUNY school, which we sadly didn't get to see). PS - Big ups to our awesome tour guide, Sam.

Rochester Institute of Technology

I didn't know what to expect from RIT - it is a technology school with 18,000 students - but I have to say it knocked it out of the park. Similar to how I was pleasantly surprised with Purdue, RIT has this really fabulous blend of school spirit/energy, top notch facilities, friendly students, and not insanely impossible admission stats. If I had to sum up the school in one word, it would be: jobs. The focus is clear: their students are prepared for the workplace and their 97% job placement rate and co-op program in 75% of majors proves it. It now makes so much sense to me that this is the college that sends me the "Job Outlook" poster that I hang behind my door each year that lists all of the careers and their estimated growth/decline for six years from now. The students and the staff made it clear - people come to RIT with a fixation for knowing that they will be employable when they graduate. The school and students struck me as hands on, friendly, and excited about attending their school. They have specialized offerings like game design, pre professional majors like physician's assistant, and almost every type of engineering under the sun. Do you like tinkering with stuff? You'll probably find a major here that you'll like (they also have fine arts, so if you like to tinker with a paintbrush, camera, or pottery wheel, you are covered). Similar to the first two schools, something I really value about RIT is they would be a target or likely for most ElRo students and they give merit aid (the sheet they gave out to the counselors listing scholarship options was double sided. And, in what I can only estimate to be 6 point font). Things to note: they do admit by major so some departments are harder to get in than others. They are also about to transition to the semester system (they currently have quarters, but will be ending that after this year). The campus moved to the current location in 1968, so don't come here looking for Gothic buildings. But I think this school has a lot going for it and is a great option for a student wanting a larger school experience.

Bonus: Maybe the coolest college club I've ever heard of:

Tomorrow we see University of Rochester and I can't wait!

Submitting Applications

With November 1 deadlines around the corner, I wanted to address a few of the basic questions I seem to be getting about applications.

1) Deadlines at 99% of colleges are for STUDENTS. That means that your portion of the application needs to be submitted by the deadline to be considered in that round. The other aspects of the application (like the test scores, teacher letters, guidance letter, and transcript) are certainly encouraged to be there by the deadline too but schools understand and build in time to their reading timeline to accommodate submission of supporting materials. Yes, I say on the transcript request form to give me about 2 weeks lead time if you expect to be able to call a school by a certain date and confirm that all items have been processed. But that is because I don't want (and can't have) 50 requests turned in on October 31 with the assumption that 50 colleges will have marked a file as complete on November 1. It is a good habit to build the pattern of turning in items before deadlines, but your admission decision will not be affected by a transcript being received at a school on November 2. (The 1% of schools that do have firm deadlines are usually pretty clear about it. I'm looking at you UT Austin).

2) You need to have actually pressed submit on your portion of the application before you give me a transcript request form. If you haven't actually applied yet, don't turn in a transcript request form yet.

3) The College Board and ACT have a habit of taking quite a bit of time to get scores out to colleges. Don't wait to send your scores. Send them NOW. I've said this on the first day of school. I've emailed reminders. I've put it in the weekly announcements. I don't know how else to say it: as soon as you have decided to apply to a college, if that college requires testing, order the scores. Even if you haven't seen them, just send them. The computer program that is in charge of computing your high scores won't care if you scored 20 points lower. I pinky swear.

4) There are not trick questions on the Common App. When they ask you your senior year courses, they seriously just want to know what classes you are taking senior year. If something on the Common App is confusing use the advice my 4th grade teacher used to give: "When in doubt, read the directions." If you need information about your high school record the two best places to find that are Naviance (your GPA) and ARIS (your course credit values, previous courses, and grades). If your family doesn't know how to log into ARIS, contact Marty or use the prompts online to retrieve your password.

5) For more information about the transcript request form process, check out my old post about it here.

6) If you didn't schedule a senior meeting yet, seriously, what are you waiting for? Seniors - get on google appointments and pick a time! I want to talk to you before you press submit anywhere. And remember, CUNY and SUNY should be submitted in the next month or so. Out of state public schools, go for the Early Action/Priority round when possible, and next 6 weeks for any regular decision or rolling apps. Private schools, just apply by the stated deadline.

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From the email bag . . .

Have a minute to read about one person's thoughts on writing the personal statement? Check out this article, recommended by an ElRo parent:

Click Here

Denver NACAC Saturday

Today is the closing day of the NACAC conference. I attended three sessions today and will leave in about an hour and a half for a tour of University of Denver.

My first session today was called "Beyond Admission" and it was a look at how the College Board SAT data is used by colleges in phases other than just the 'admit' portion of the enrollment cycle. Before admission, come steps like identifying potential applicants and recruiting them. After admission, come steps like getting them to deposit (aka yield), placing them in classes, and making sure they graduate. I was curious to know a little more about the business of buying and selling student names and information (in case you weren't aware, that is how schools get the names of many of the students they market to). Unfortunately, little detail was given about how that process works (or how much it costs). Instead, we heard a bright and shiny review of how the SAT can be used in many other aspects of the college process other than just whether to admit or deny. I think one of the most telling portions of this session was a slide projected by the College Board showing the different score bands of students and a corresponding bar graph with their retention rate year to year in college leading ultimately to graduation. As the score bands went higher, the percent of students retained got higher. The presenter made the comment that this graph was evidence of the SAT having predictive value for retention and graduation. In my opinion though, this use of "data" is a gross overestimation by the College Board in the value of their exam. I would argue that it isn't the ability to score highly on the SAT that has a relationship to the ability to stick with and finish college. To say that overlooks (as one of my fine colleagues pointed out) the fact that, for example, a student with an 800 total score on three sections isn't being admitted to the same school as the student with a 2200. To suggest that they were EVER on a level playing field in terms of likelihood of retention or graduation is pretty absurd. What about socioeconomic status being predictive? Parent education level? Amount of loans a student is asked to take out? Quality of support on campus?

Why does the practice of the SAT being used for other parts of the enrollment cycle exist? From the prospective of the colleges, they find that buying names from the College Board and using those names as a way to fill their pipeline to identify eventual admits and hopefully eventual graduates is a good use of their dollars. Another element to this session, from the presenting colleges, defended the use of a 'wide brush' when choosing which names to buy, since they need to cast a wide net in order to catch those diamonds in the rough that may not have been reached otherwise. I would counter that to say that it isn't a wide brush being used, it is a paint-roller, with students far outside a school's profile often being added to the mailing list and marketed to when the school knows good and well the chance of admission is minimal. I would urge schools (and the College Board) to encourage stronger ethical guidelines in terms of marketing to students that are so far below the traditional admissible range. The panel also made the interesting suggestion that juniors taking the SAT should use their four free score reports to send scores to colleges they like as a way to show demonstrated interest. I can't say I love this idea, but if schools are using that as a way to see who is most interested, I feel obligated to share that on the blog. As you can see, I could go on and on about my observations from this session and what it means for this industry. I guess I'll close with the comment that I found it telling that none of the presenters mentioned the other side of this coin that, in addition to using SAT scores to identify students that may have been overlooked, the far more common scenario is that marketing from College Board Search name buys serves to inflate the applicant pool, allow for more students to be denied, result in a lower selectivity rate, and mean higher rankings and happier trustees. The admissions arms race is real and don't let any glossy brochure make you forget it.

The next session I attended was "Best Practices for Working with the Press to Advance Public Understanding of College Admission." Let me first say, I was motivated to go to this session after a particularly inane question from a member of the press (at a national newspaper) from the affirmative action session the other day. I also thought that as someone that blogs about college admissions, I should hear what the presenters had to say. The session consisted of journalists and authors who contribute to the national conversation about college admission. My main takeaways were that more journalists covering this topic need to either have backgrounds in the field or be open to learning the nuances before writing. There was also the idea that the public must be reminded that members of the press are just like colleges - they are not all created equal. Some are, by nature, going to be sensationalizing and stirring up a panic and others will aim to be factual, fair, and have the goal of making readers informed consumers. During the Q&A, I found the comments made by Duke University to ring true, which were that any time a college is speaking to a member of the press they must assume that every sentence they utter can be quoted without the sentence before it and after it. This is a unique challenge, but is certainly an ongoing conversation about how to best educate the public about college admissions and what language and journalistic techniques can best do that.

My final session for the day was "The Model Minority Myth: The Reality of Asian College Applicants in the 21st Century." This session delved into the challenges faced by the Asian community in the college process and beyond. The session first pointed out that Asians comprise about 5.8% of the population of the United States. Especially for those of us coming from the five boroughs, I think we would find this surprising. Asians also recently past Latino/Hispanic as the largest racial group immigrating to the United States. The myth is that Asian students are smarter than and better test takers than other racial groups. When it comes to the admission process, a challenge for Asian students is that there are 24 different ethnic groups withing the box checked "Asian" on the Common App. There are some groups that have a profile much closer to the stereotype and others that are drastically different. The question was raised, if a stereotype is a good stereotype (like, for example, Asians are smart) is that really such a bad thing? But the argument is yes, it is bad, because the reality for Asians is quite different. Context is very important, particularly for colleges, so they can understand if other identity groups (like being low income or first generation American or a certain ethnicity) may actually play a larger role in that student's identity. There is a term, the bamboo ceiling, which refers to the fact that despite being the most educated race statistically, only 0.3% of corporate employees are Asian. If stereotypes are used, one may not realize this disparity. Unfortunately, I came to this session specifically to hear from the college admission side and hear how schools are (or are not) falling prey to the model minority myth. But, the presenter from the college side was not able to attend the session, so I wasn't able to learn about that perspective. The suggestions from the panel encouraged disaggregation of the Asian data, separating out the different Asian ethnic groups and allowing for society to see more of the nuances within the very diverse Asian community.

I have to sign off now to head up to the University of Denver, but the final day of sessions leave me feeling tired but thankful to be able to attend this conference every year. As a counselor that works as "an office of one" (no secretary, no assistant, no other college counselors on staff) the ability to come to this conference and be surrounded by 5,000 other people that are as excited about post secondary education as I am is unparallelled. I re-energizes me for the year ahead and reminds me of how fortunate I am to love my job.

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Denver NACAC Friday

The Friday of NACAC is like the middle section of the SAT. You are already exhausted, but you know that you still have more to go. Today didn't disappoint, and it isn't over yet (it is about 7:30 Denver time as a write this).

I started the day with a session called "Research Meets Practice for Young Adults with Mental Illnesses" run by a mother daughter team that authored the book Perfect Chaos. This session addressed a topic that is rarely talked about openly, and that is a shame. The daughter, Linea, has bipolar disorder but, through treatment, has been highly successful. The presentation was a balance of best practices for counselors (notice every student, refer to a psychiatrist and follow up if you are concerned about a student, never suggest a diagnosis, etc) and excerpts from Linea's journals which are printed in the book gave a touching look into the experiences that she has had through her various stages of depression and mania. One in 5 students has a mental health, emotional, or behavioral disorder. Colleges and college counselors (and parents) need to work together to support all students and remind them that things can get better. I'm a firm believer that there is a college setting out there for everyone and students that fall anywhere on the mental health spectrum can find a campus that will work best to support them toward their ultimate goals. In the case of Linea, she was hospitalized twice, took a semester off, and transferred schools before eventually graduating, but the message is that she did it. Mental health isn't a topic that most people talk about opening and the presenters made the astute observation that the reason it is stigmatized is that the faces of mental illness are in most cases not individuals with their mental illness under control. More people who have treated and stabilized their conditions, so that they live well, need to speak out. Others need to see that over time and by working with a counselor and psychiatrist there can be progress to get mental health disorders in check. I applaud the presenters for being so brave as to share their personal story with the world and hope I can meet the call to notice every student and speak up when it looks like a student needs help. If you or someone you know struggle with mental health, or think you might be struggling with mental health, contact an adult that you trust. Go to www.lineacinda.com to find resources related to this session.

My next workshop was "The State of Affirmative Action" a timely topic given that the supreme court has agreed to hear Fisher vs. The University of Texas. Let me say first that race is an uncomfortable topic for many people (I guess my morning was full of uncomfortable topics), but-- as the panel shared-- race is an integral part of our history and our society's fabric. We have to talk about it. It was a very informative session both about history of affirmative action and the implications that this court ruling could have on colleges and universities going forward. One interesting slide showed the racial breakdown of all SAT test takers and the overwhelming majority (and I'm talking like big huge tall bar vs teeny tiny squatty bar) are white. What does this mean? It means that even if you disagree that race should be considered as schools admit candidates, we are still not experiencing an academic landscape where a huge onslaught of underrepresented minorities are stealing away admission places from white students. If you threw a dart at a board of college applicants in the US - you are almost always going to hit a white applicant. The panic of spaces being given away 'unfairly' is unfounded. It is still a reality that in this country today a white high school student has a far greater chance of moving on to (and graduating from college) than an underrepresented minority. Last year at UCLA, 3.8% of admitted students were black. Three. Point. Eight. This is a topic I can't really fully express through a blog post, but it will certainly be interesting to follow what decision the court makes and how colleges adjust accordingly.

The final session I attended (or at least half way attended, because I was camped out outside the door since the session was full. But then they let me in ;) was about the new Common App that is coming out in 2013. The main news to report is that the plan is to eliminate the 'choose your own topic' essay question. Let me tell you, I've been coming to this conference for four years and I've never heard a gasp that large in a session. People seriously started freaking out. Personally, I think people are overreacting. They say they are going to provide essay topics that are broad enough that students will be able to choose one where they can essentially write on whatever topic they want, but you would think that the presenter had just announced that puppies would all be stolen away from their owners. If you hear me Common App, I have your back.

The rest of my day consisted of a massive college fair. And tomorrow is the final day of the conference. Stay tuned for more updates and enjoy the long weekend!

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(If you are too young to get this picture, google John Denver. If you don't know who Kermit is, you lost out as a child.)

Denver NACAC Thursday

I already had to remind myself that despite feeling like I have seen so much and talked with so many people, we've only just completed Day 1 of the conference. Today's opening general session included a keynote speech by Jane McGonigal. Her message centered around the idea that video games are worth much more than what meets the eye. That there are actually deep and meaningful life lessons and coping mechanisms gleaned from playing and that those claims can be backed up by research published in peer review journals. I had two favorite parts within her address. One was an awesome project she did for the New York Public Library where 500 young people were locked inside the Bryant Park location overnight to work together, discover artifacts, and write a book. Learn more here, but she had me at New York Public Library. My other favorite part was when she discussed the fact that 80% of video game playing is failing. In other words, video games are about the only thing around that people voluntarily do where they know they won't succeed very often, but they still try again. There is resiliency, hope, and an optimism that you might make beat the level the next time -- it sheds a whole new view on the stereotypes of video games being a waste of time or the hobby of the lazy. Don't misconstrue - I'm not suggesting that highly selective colleges will start viewing 4 hours of video games a day as a strong resume builder, but it does beg the question of how many positive attributes and strengths are being overlooked in our young people just because their generation uses technology as an outlet.

There was only one educational session offered today and I chose to attend the one called "Commitment to Transparency: The Financial Aid Shopping Sheet." Essentially, the Federal Government has a new initiative to try and encourage colleges to adopt this "shopping sheet" that will be a uniform breakdown of financial aid awards along with information about that school's graduation rate, loan default rate, and how much the family will actually be paying out of pocket. To date, 316 schools have signed on in only a few short months. My mind was already fast forwarding to the dream of the government having a web based shopping sheet where families could plug in aid awards from non participating schools and print their own shopping sheets from home. Like most things full of data, the shopping sheet isn't perfect (as the panel pointed out, the graduation rate may not be an accurate representation of the segment of the population that the student is looking for --- ie graduation rate may include online students, notorious for low completion rate). A one page sheet also can't represent fit -- I would be a bad counselor if the only thing I asked students to use when picking where to deposit was cost. But, I think this tool is absolutely a step in the right direction, helping more families make more sense out of the often murky waters of financial aid. I applaud the schools that have volunteered to be early adopters and hope that it is mandated for all schools in the next five to ten years.

This evening, I finished up by walking through the vendor hall and attending the Big XII reception. All in all, I'm ready for day two!

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Pre NACAC CU Boulder Tour

Today is the first of a very long few days. I've arrived in Denver for the NACAC conference and look forward to tomorrow when the first sessions begin. Today, after landing in Denver I headed over to Boulder to visit University of Colorado, Boulder (aka CU Boulder - yes, I realize your gut says it should be UC, but it isn't).

The Director of Admissions presented to us and I learned a lot about what this campus has to offer and what makes it unique. The campus is sandwiched between two opposite settings, the city of Denver with 2.5 million people forty minutes in one direction and 100% pure unadulterated nature with a population of zero the other direction. Since 1917, the buildings have all been constructed in the same architectural style (see photo above) with stones that really tie the entire campus together in a cohesive way. 42% of students come from out of state and all 50 states are represented. There are a wide variety of majors to choose from in Arts and Sciences, Business and Engineering. Aerospace Engineering is a flagship program, a huge percentage of astronauts went to CU Boulder. Mechanical Engineering is one of the most selective programs (the average SAT score on the first two sections is a 1500). Only one other school in the country sends more students abroad than CU Boulder. Only one other school in the country has graduates who have a higher average starting salary ($48,000, in case you were wondering).

The most exciting part of the day though was that I got to meet up with three very special freshman, Morgan, Briana, and Nicole - ElRo Class of 2012! The overwhelming response was that they LOVE school so far. We ate lunch in the dining hall and I have to be honest in saying I'm not sure I've seen a dining hall at a large public university with anything even close to the quality and options that CU Boulder has. With Denver being a city known for its healthy lifestyle, I shouldn't have been surprised. I also made sure to ask about class size and our ElRo alum confirmed for me that while they may have a few large lectures they also have many smaller classes. The freshman RAP classes help students make a living learning community where they take a course in their dorm that is capped at about 20 students. That is how you make a big school personal. I also have to give a special shout out to Briana - she is the first girl in the history of CU Boulder to have tried out for and made the MEN'S ice hockey team!

For any student looking to be at a large school, with a high quality of life, beautiful facilities, and a national reputation, check out CU Boulder. The direct flight for me from LaGuardia was under 4 hours and cost only about $250. Today was a great day, I can't wait for the conference to officially kick off tomorrow!

 (Disclaimer for picture above, I got up at 5 am NYC time this morning)

NACAC National Conference, here I come!

My goal was to AT LEAST get my summer posts finished before leaving for NACAC. Since I leave tomorrow for a very early morning flight, it is clear that isn't going to happen. So, stay tuned for NACAC updates and then my final summer visit post.

It is always tough being out of the office for this conference, but the benefits of going far outweigh the challenges. I will first be visiting the University of Colorado, Boulder and then attending the NACAC conference. Check back here for updates about my trip!

Summer College Visits: Part 4 of 5

Ack! The year has really gotten away from me already - school has started and I'm still blogging about summer! My apologies, but hopefully you'll enjoy this installment. This day of our trip was centered around Ithaca, New York. It was my first time to Ithaca and it I really enjoyed it! We visited Ithaca College and Cornell University - and made more than one trip to Collegetown Bagels -- ok, fine, it was four trips, but we only bought food three of those times. . .

On the larger side for a private school (with 6,000 students), Ithaca College offers a lot of different liberal arts and pre-professional options. Known for being strong in communications (check out the Parke Scholars program), Ithaca also has fantastic facilities for students in the arts and business. We past by a business lab that offers a live trading station-- not too shabby for upstate New York. Students are required to live on campus for the first three years (always adds to a sense of community and school spirit) and it is a nice example of a school that still gives out merit aid. For the first time this year, Ithaca is going testing-optional so that makes it an even better option for students that are not happy with their test scores. I was really impressed with the people that I met and offerings that I heard about at Ithaca. Admittedly, similar to schools like Hampshire, they are fighting an uphill battle as a school that moved to their current campus in the 60s and thus have no buildings that predate that era architecturally. If you want stained glass and gothic spires, you won't find it. But they have done a great job adding new green buildings to campus and really taking advantage of the amazing views and vistas that surround them. Plus, if you really need a break from the more post modern look, students can take up to 12 credits at Cornell so go down there to get your brick and ivy fix. Ithaca was one of my favorite visits this summer, thank you to our tour guide and the admission staff for taking the time to show us around!

Next up came Cornell University - a real enigma when it comes to colleges. What is its identity? Ivy League School? Land Grant University? Pre-professional behemoth? Stress factory? Chill large school in a small town? A little bit of all of those things? After walking around my conclusion is Cornell's identity depends on who you ask. Like many large schools, I get the sense that different people, with different experiences, would classify it as it uniquely applies to them. I would venture to say that the students learning about bovine farming have a drastically different perception of the school than the students in hotel management program and those different from the engineers and those different from the Political Science majors . . . . Thus, all the matters is if the niche you'd like to be a part of can exists there. An additional layer of mystery exists for New York state residents, who have the opportunity to pay in state SUNY tuition at some of Cornell's schools. While the university strongly tows the party line of 'choose the school that fits you best' - I would have to strongly encourage any student from a middle income family to explore if their major of interest exists in one of the SUNY tuition colleges. Fit is certainly important, but avoiding loans is too. (I say middle income because low income families should get financial aid packages to cover the cost and high income families may not have price as a major concern in the college process). Cornell is a place with a long and deep history. The admissions counselor we spoke with described it as a collaborative environment, but one where no one will hold your hand; independence is essential in order to thrive. Interestingly, she also made specific mention of Tompkins Cortland Community College as a feeder school for their transfer admissions. More to come on TC3 in the next post. Finally, I couldn't resist taking a picture in the student bookstore of one of the largest index card section (with its own sign) I've ever seen ;)

Summer College Visits Part 3 of 5

My second college visit trip took me to upstate New York (with a small pit stop in PA). We started the day with a visit to University of Scranton, a Jesuit university in Scranton, Pennsylvania. To say that Scranton (both the city and the college) exceeded my expectations is an understatement. This small college (only about 4,100 students) prides itself on capping all classes at no more than 35 students. If you think you'd excel in a place where you get individual attention, this school will fit the bill. (Note the individual welcome the 'Allison Cohen Group' got at reception in the picture above). As a Jesuit school, there are two theology and philosphy courses that are required as part of the curriculum, but don't let that scare you - students can choose what exact courses they are interested in. Though the vast majority of students are, indeed, Catholic I was very surprised to learn that one of the largest Orthodox Jewish communities in Pennsylvania is located two blocks away and there is a Mosque on campus. Unique aspects include a 7 year Physical Therapy program and an equestrian club. Standardized tests are not required if students meet certain minimum requirements and there are merit scholarships that the majority of ElRo students would qualify for. Housing is guarantee all four years. If your only frame of reference for Scranton is The Office, I definitely encourage you to come out and see the city and campus for yourself. Dunder Mifflin may have put Scranton the map in the collective consciousness of pop culture, but don't let their comic interpretation of the city be the end of the story. Oh, and one final thing, they have an AMAZING magical milk shake machine in one of their dining facilities.

Next we made our way up to Binghamton University- arguable the most selective (or second most selective, depending who you ask and what data you look at . . . ) SUNY campus in the entire 64 campus system. We had a really nice tour of 'The Brain' (as the students refer to the main campus buildings) and had a chance to learn more about the campus structure. I don't have to spend much space here describing why Binghamton appealing. With affordable in-state tuition, a strong reputation beyond just the state of New York, a location that is drive-able from NYC, and opportunities for research Binghamton is a frequent choice for our students. It was particularly nice to see the sense of identity formed by the housing structure - with students assigned to various housing communities each with their own personality and flair. It was also hard to ignore the significant upgrades being made to the physical plant of the school - SUNY is starting to break away from the square brick building stereotype they may have been known for in the past. We got to tour a brand new dorm facility with expansive views of the surrounding wooded hills. Sometimes students and families criticize Binghamton for not having much of a town nearby. I can't say they are wrong. But, what I would counter argue is that schools like Binghamton - with 12,000 students - do a great job of having enough on campus programing to make the immediate surroundings borderline irrelevant. Word to the wise, Binghamton has an Early Action application that is due November 15 - if you want to maximize your chance for admission, I strongly encourage you to file by this date. The biggest mistake students make with Binghamton is assuming they will get in - Binghamton has had to become more and more selective each year so if this is the only SUNY on your list, think again.

Summer College Visits Part 2 of 5

The second day of the Pennsylvania tour brought us to Lehigh University and Lafayette College.

The joke on Lehigh University's campus is that you won't gain the freshman 15 -- the hill won't let you. They aren't wrong. A small university on a hill overlooking Bethlehem, PA - Lehigh may not be too far back in your memory after their win over Duke this past spring. For a school of less than 5,000 undergraduates, Lehigh is known for being a highly selective school with an emphasis on flexibility. There are no major requirements and students frequently combine courses of study to pursue their specific interests. They are looking for students that do more than just study - they want students that are active in their community and who want to look at the world with a global perspective. More than half of the students hail from only three states (New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania) but given how easy it was to get to Bethlehem from New York City I can see why. They are one of a growing number of schools that have pledged to remove loans from financial aid packages for students with a household income of less than $50,000. And even for families with higher income ranges they have a track record of minimizing the gap between what families can afford and what they are asked to pay. In line with my blog entry from earlier this summer, Early Decision applicants do make up a huge percentage of their freshman class, so if you fall in love think about applying that round. Unlike ElRo, almost 60% of the student body is male - possibly due to the fact that Lehigh is very strong in the Engineering and STEM fields - areas that still enroll more men than women.

Our last stop in Pennsylvania took us to Lafayette College in Easton, PA. About half of the size of Lehigh, Lafayette is the smallest Division I school in the nation. The admissions officer that we met with took an enormous amount of time out of his afternoon to speak with us and show us the campus - a personal touch that really mirrors the individualized support that Lafayette prides itself on. Strong career services and robust alumni connections a community that goes beyond the bounds of campus. As a school that only serves undergraduates, Lafayette doesn't need to spread its resources across anything other than the undergrad experience. The faculty mentorship is top notch -- our admission officer touted a professor that let him do his laundry at his house and who he still stays in contact with now that he's working at the college. On the tour, I loved the integration of the newer structures among the more traditional buildings. The motto of Lafayette is Cur Non, from Marquis de Lafayette's family motto "why not." (He's the bust pictured above). So if you are looking for a strong liberal arts or engineering experience less than two hours from New York City, get yourself to Lafayette to check it out. Cur non?

(Added Lafayette bonus -- Easton is also the home of Crayola Crayons - scene of my favorite Sesame Street clip ever! I want to major in crayon making!)

Summer College Visits Part 1 of 5

Over the past two weeks I've been to ten college campuses. This post will be part one of five to describe where my travels have taken me. Every summer I look forward to seeing more campuses in person and this year was no different. A few colleagues and I got together for two different trips - one to Pennsylvania and one to upstate New York.

The first campus we visited was Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. This is a school that I am really surprised doesn't have more ElRo applicants and deposits. I can't help but wonder if part of that could be that on paper it may seem like a small religious school. But that would be a mistake. It is by no means large, but I think a student looking for a small liberal arts environment would be very happy with a place about five times as large as our high school. And though the school is Lutheran, there is one Jewish student for every Lutheran student (each make up about 30% of the student body) making it one of the highest percentage of Jewish students in the nation. Moral of the story being not to judge a school only by its cover. I was impressed with the athletic facilities for a Division III school and love the feel of the campus. There is also a strong arts community on campus, so many different types of students can find their niche. This is the kind of Admissions office that remembers the names of their applicants-- I casually mentioned that I knew two Muhlenberg grads and the Admissions officers knew both of them. The red doors come from the Lutheran roots and are meant to be welcoming. They are.

Next, we visited Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. One of the biggest assets for Moravian is the town of Bethlehem - it really had a vibrant and bustling vibe and seemed like the type of place that I would want to spend the afternoon exploring. Moravian's campus is historic in nature with a few rooms on one of their main campus buildings visited by our founding fathers. I was also interested to see that even in this economic downturn, Moravian had a ton of construction going on - always a good sign to see that a school has funds to invest in infrastructure, campus expansion and improvement. Moravian has two separate campuses that are connected via shuttle. I thought one of the best highlights of the tour was the fact that studio art students are given individual studio space - a nice bonus for art majors.

Both campuses visited on this day are EXTREMELY easy to get to from New York City -- our drive only took about 90 minutes but it felt like we were a world away. Next up -- Lehigh and Lafayette!

What's All the Fuss About? Early Action and Early Decision Decoded

At College Night this past year we had a question from the audience about Early Decision - mainly why it exists and what the point of it is. The panel was already off to a late start and we had only a few minutes before we started our workshop sessions. I tried to address the question quickly, but promised that I would explore it more deeply on the blog. So, here we go!

First, we need to understand the definition of Early programs. Early Decision is a binding admission program where students submit their application by an earlier deadline in the fall and get their outcome earlier than the general pool (usually by the last week in December). Because the program is binding, students can only apply Early Decision to one college. Some schools have even more restrictions, but for now, just remember ED is binding and you find out if you get in or not in December instead of April (when most Regular Decision letters go out).

An offshoot of the idea of ED is Early Action - a non-binding admission program where students submit their application by an earlier deadline and get their outcome earlier than the general pool but are NOT required to enroll. One more time - all together now -- Early Decision is BINDING, Early Action is NOT BINDING. I'm going to focus this post on ED, since it seems to cause more confusion.

(This is a long one - click below for the full post)

College Summit: Indiana Edition!

After working in the world of college admissions for two years, I had the luck and good fortune to be hired by the New York City Dept of Education as a college counselor. Part of my role, I was told by the new school, was that I would be the coordinator of a program called College Summit. So, before I'd even stepped foot in the school as a counselor, I was sent off to a four day workshop at St. John's University as a writing coach and chaperone.

Five summers later I'm no longer the college counselor at that NYC high school, but I have returned each summer as a volunteer with College Summit, an organization that aims to build a college going culture in schools where there is not one. The summer workshop takes about 10 peer leaders from each of the College Summit schools and gives them a four day intensive experience where they will write their personal statement, learn about life on a college campus, and meet with a college counselor. ANY college graduate out there reading this can apply to be a writing coach and admissions or guidance professionals can apply to be a college coach. Every year it is a great experience!

Over the next four days I will be a college coach at Indiana State University. This is my first time at a workshop in the Midwest and I'm excited to work with a new population of students!

How Juniors Should Spend Summer

 

The space between Junior and Senior year is pretty unlike any other time in a person's life. You are about to enter the final year of high school, but are not yet an adult. You are not independent, but probably think you should be. You have one more year of academics ahead of you to earn your first major academic benchmark: a high school diploma. Unlike your summers in college, you don't have the same pressure to network and get internships that will lead to full time job prospects. You are building a resume, but it is for college admission not a promotion.

Suggestions for Summer:

1) Make your summer count. This means something different to different people, but think hard about how you are utilizing the time you have off of school. Usually, this can mean some combination of the following: a job, an internship, an enrichment class, college visits, and test prep. Like a stock portfolio, there are different proportions of these things that may be right for each person. The main important thing though is making sure that the balance is right for YOU. Summer will go very very quickly. Be sure that you don't find yourself the third week in August looking back at summer and nothing to show for it. (** please note - I never said everyone had to do everything from that list - if you aren't in an enrichment class or are not taking test prep or do not have a part time job that is a-ok!)

2) Missing school to visit colleges is NOT an excused absence. Don't like it? Talk to the Chancellor, it isn't our call. Colleges want to see top academic performance from students. That is virtually impossible if you are missing the foundational element of good attendance. So, be thoughtful about when you plan to visit college campuses. These should really take place over the summer, or in the fall on days when we don't have school or on weekends. Visit the college websites to see when they offer summer tours. Yes, I realize you won't get to see the campus running at full capacity. But that is OK. If you end up getting in and really want to decide about going you can go back on a school vacation in the spring.

3) Draft your essays over the summer, but recognize that they are still in draft form. Getting started early is a great idea. Colleges will typically publish their essay topics in August (The Common App has actually already released their main personal statement prompts) so take advantage of the summer as a way to get some ideas down on paper. Don't fall into the trap though of being so focused on getting essays done that you rush through them or are not open to constructive criticism once the school year starts. Coming up with a personal statement (and the various supplemental essays that colleges will require) takes time and nuance. Being stubborn and saying 'I did them all during the summer' won't help you. Plan ahead with estimated deadlines. You may have a different timeline than your friends.

4) Start to talk about finances with your family. Way too many people wait until way too late to start talking about the financial reality of college. It can sometimes be uncomfortable for parents/guardians to talk about things like assets and income with their teenager. And that is ok - some things can be left to the imagination. But, students and families SHOULD be open about a realistic college budget, the maximum amount of loans that will be an option, and negotiating how much the student will be responsible for paying (either up front or later on in paying back loans). How do you view $30,000? -- some individuals would call this number a great deal for year of college education, others would say that should be the total cost for all four years. If you don't have the conversation you won't know where your child/parent/guardian falls on that spectrum. Remember, a good college list includes 'financial aid likelys' --- it is ok to apply to more expensive schools, but have affordable guarantees as a back up.

5) Wear sunscreen.

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Where did the year go?!

Source: Uploaded by user via Alyssa on Pinterest

I realize I probably say this every year, but holy moly, this year went fast! I know I've only posted a few times recently, but hope to get back to my old pace soon. As the year draws to a close, below I've listed a few general comments for both graduating and rising seniors.

Graduating seniors: you did it! It is such an exciting time for you to be closing one chapter and starting another! You are the largest group of graduates that our school has ever seen. From a college counseling prospective, this was challenging for me. :) I wrote almost 120 letters of recommendation and processed over 1,250 applications and there were times when I felt like getting it all accomplished would be impossible. But we've made it and I'm thrilled to say that every graduate has a plan to enroll in some form of post secondary education next year. As a public school counselor, I am humbled to be fortunate enough to be able to say that. The committment that our school has to the college counseling process is far too rare - many thanks to the PTA for their continued financial support. Without them, and their support for things like Naviance and my attendance at professional development conferences like NACAC, the college process at our school would look very very different.

Rising seniors: buckle up! The next year is going to be exciting, difficult, frustrating, tiring, thrilling, and scary. Just remember that ALL the information you need is right there for you to find - if you start feeling confused or overwhelmed, go back to the drawing board. Use resources like Naviance, the college office handbook, and this blog to try and sift through the myths and find the facts. You will get into college. And you can even have fun doing it if you remember to honor your strengths.

End of the year announcements: graduating seniors, your final transcript will automatically be sent on the last day of school to the college that you have listed in Naviance. No further action by you is required. Rising seniors, if you want to take Kaplan test prep at ElRo for the October SAT, the classes start August 18th and you need to register online at https://erhsnyc.ejoinme.org/SAT. The course is $500, but scholarship discounts are available for students that qualify.

Summer is almost here, dive in!