Becoming a Better Candidate: Giving Back

College admission boards look at many factors for potential students who would be successful at their institution. We all know that academic scores and test scores are part of the equation, but don't forget about opportunities outside of high school.

One of the easiest ways to stand out is volunteering for community service. As Kaneisha Grayson points out in her article "Volunteering and Community Service Matters For Your Applications," "the main school of thought when it comes to life after college is that you will make time to contribute to your community in some meaningful way." Certainly with schoolwork, employment and extracurricular activities, finding time can be challenging, but it's this balancing and prioritizing of time that helps show your ability to manage a schedule and illustrate your commitment to the community.

Finding a charity or volunteer opportunity should fit with your own interests and availability. If you enjoy hiking on the weekends, look for an outdoor charity that helps improve Colorado's 14ers or watersheds. If you're passionate about animals, help your local humane society or zoo. The opportunities are endless.

The service isn't just good for the community or good on paper, these experiences can add fodder to your college essays and will help build your network of community leaders that can support you with recommendation letters and possibly even future employment. You'll meet other students and adults who share your interests and passions. You'll also learn other skills and management techniques that you can draw upon for your future.

Talk to your parents and friends about finding opportunities to give back. The time commitment can be whatever you make of it or have time for. And most importantly, enjoy what you're doing knowing that your service makes a difference.

Changes to the SAT mean changes to the PSAT

Starting last October, students began seeing the new, redesigned PSAT format and there’s room for celebration. As some have heard, the SAT has undergone some changes that, according to Vice President of College Readiness Assessment at College Board Stacy Caldwell, “The test changes are meant to focus exactly on the skills that students most need for success in college.”

That sounds like good news since the test hasn’t been updated in close to 10 years and the admissions world has changed some since then.

The good news is students will see only four multiple choice options versus five and the penalty for guessing is gone. This means your answer confidence should increase and you won’t have to grapple with your level of confidence for an answer.

Additionally, the new PSAT will focus less on those dreaded SAT vocabulary options and have students decipher the meaning of the words using the context of a sentence or passage. While these may seem like improvements, your level of preparation and study remain the same and are further complicated by the lack of study materials available. After 10 years of following a similar test, college applicants had a wealth of study information at their fingertips. Within the initial roll out of the new test, the study materials are still catching up.

Another downside is that the new test is 35 minutes longer, ringing up a whopping two hours and 45 minutes. So, as you prepare to tackle tough questions and reading comprehension, you’ll also need to sustain your brainpower for longer.

At The College Store, we’ll also be studying up on the best training and preparation packages to make sure you’re ready for the big test. We can embrace the change and give you the tools you need to be successful. Ask us how today.

Keep Calm and Test on

For many of us, we headed into the New Year wondering how the recent shift from the ACT to the SAT would affect our strategy for applying to colleges. In the Colorado Department of Education’s haste, school administrators, parents and students expressed dismay at the speedy shift and its impact on student preparation.

 

After the New Year, the drama thickened as administrators scrambled to identify who would have standing to challenge the decision in court.

 

But just as quickly as the SAT decision was made, we learned that students will again take the ACT for one more year and transition to the SAT in the Spring of 2017.

 

Not surprisingly, this fire drill created unnecessary angst among many parents and students looking ahead to their college planning. As I told many of my clients, “Our strategy remains intact.”

 

Even as the ACT and even the SAT alter their content, my goal continues to be to find the most suitable roadmap for each individual student. While these tests remain part of a prospective student’s journey, they each play a role, but don’t dictate, the strategy.

 

So now that the fire drill is over, remember to keep calm and test on.

Friedman: “We’ve Reached the 2nd Half of the Chess Board”

I recently heard NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman give a lunch speech at a STEM conference in Denver. The thrust of his presentation focused on our rapidly advancing world and how technology is now advancing faster than our ability to grasp its potential, hence the comparison to the second half of the chess board.

For students looking at college and life after college, technology will be prevalent in their lives but some age-old wisdom and grit will also continue to be necessary. While technology and automation will replace many functions of our lives, business leaders are looking for people who understand the technology but can match that with empathy for their clients and customers.

Right now we can shop online with our mobile devices, request a ride using our cell phone and even have groceries delivered to our front porch, all without uttering a single word or sharing a simple interaction with another person. This might make our lives more convenient, but we still need to have the social skills necessary to handle customer relations calls or explain why the customer didn’t receive what he or she wanted. While we may be pushing our students to a technology and science driven field, we need to remember the importance of social skills.

Friedman broke this concept down saying PQ plus CQ is always greater than IQ. In short, he would hire someone with a higher perseverance and curiosity quotient over simply a higher IQ. He said people with a higher IQ get frustrated when they don’t troubleshoot problems fast enough. On the other hand, people who are curious, never get frustrated.

To help students succeed, Friedman provided two pieces of advice: 1) help students find internships in their areas of study and 2) take an interest in students hopes and dreams. For the most part, college is about helping young people become more independent, but we still have important roles to play to help them on their journey. 

More Data is Better, But Knowing How to Use the Data is Best

Recently, the U.S. Department of Education released a new web application to help connect students with potential colleges. Referred to as a “College Scorecard,” the application provides search criteria from majors offered, to locations, to student enrollment. Once the search is initiated, the student sees different institutions along with their costs and their average salaries after graduation.

While the scorecard is a good starting point for some students, it still represents a cursory beginning to a larger process. Even The Denver Post weighed in saying, “And while no single data point may be pivotal in the ultimate selection of a school, students clearly ought to be aware of the sort of information the College Scorecard, at collegescorecard.ed.gov, provides.”

The Department of Education should be credited with amalgamating some of the data and making it accessible. However, students need to keep their options open and perform the research necessary to find the right school that fits their career goals while also fitting into their family’s budget.

When I work with my students, we start the road to college with everything on the table. We use aptitude tests and others to find strengths and opportunities for careers and majors that best fit the personalities of each individual. We also schedule and train for taking the SAT and ACT. Once all of these preconditions are met, we holistically approach finding the right fit that matches highlighted majors and test scores. As we evaluate these schools, we do more than just review the data. We look at graduate students and professors in their major and hear about student achievements and opportunities that appeal to each applicant. The culmination of all these efforts will ultimately identify the best option or options for each person.

Certainly more data is better, but having an experienced college planner in The College Store helps decipher the data and steer the student in the best direction.

Finding the right cure for Senioritis

As many of you settle in to your final year or years in high school, fight the urge and the contagiousness of ‘senioritis.’ For those who don’t know, the Urban Dictionary defines senioritis as “A crippling disease that strikes high school seniors. Symptoms include: laziness, an over-excessive wearing of track pants, old athletic shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts, and sweatshirts. Also features a lack of studying, repeated absences, and a generally dismissive attitude. The only known cure is a phenomenon known as Graduation.”

 

Sadly as students disengage in the final years, their grades slip, their ambition and extracurricular activities suffer, and they sometimes get into mischief. Unfortunately, college admissions rely on many of these areas for acceptance. Not to mention, trying to take the ACTs and SATs with this kind of mindset also leads to poor results.

 

This struggle isn’t new. In fact, a recent US News and World Report even pre-empted the symptoms with its “3 Tips to Stop High School Senioritis Before It Starts.” While these are helpful, keeping students on a path to college can help keep senioritis at bay.

 

As I meet with parents and their juniors or seniors, we map out a path together to best prepare them to find and attend the best college that fits their needs. We specifically identify strengths and areas we need to improve to impress potential admissions boards. We also set a timeline to study for and take the ACT and SAT.

 

Working together we develop and put the pieces together to get into the right school. Once accepted into that school, there will be plenty of opportunities to slip into senioritis type symptoms but don’t hamstring your chances of getting into your best school by succumbing to senioritis early.

Finding the right college is about balance

A recent guest column written by a North High School student in The Denver Post recently caught my eye and helps to capture one of the critical decisions students face when deciding on college.

 

In her article, she compares two opinions shared with her colleagues about paying for college. The first opinion is that money and the ability to pay for college should not be a factor in a student’s decision. The second is that cost should absolutely be a consideration when determining what school to attend. To her credit, she found truth in both these statements.

 

When I meet with my clients, my goal is finding the right college that best meets the family’s budget. While investment into a college degree will typically pay dividends in the form of future higher earning potential, families shouldn’t have to sacrifice their current lifestyle, go broke or saddle both the parents and the student with a lifetime of debt.

 

I’ve spent over a decade helping parents and students bridge the divide between the right college and the right price. The challenge is that the path to and through the best college is rarely the same. The advantage that I bring is that I work with families to map out and guide students on the best path and negotiate the best financial aid package available for each of the targeted schools.

 

The author of this opinion piece is correct that students and families should collect as much information as possible. But, it also helps to have an experienced navigator with them along the way.

Packing for your next adventure: College

As summer winds down, students across the country start to transition from time outside to time inside the classroom. While most students gear up for the next year in their current school, high schoolers transitioning to college are packing more than just a backpack.

 

For students heading into their upper-classmen years, the mental packing list should begin knowing that high school is also winding down and college is coming. In addition to their studies, these students also need a plan for college targets, ACT and SAT tests, scholarships and financial aid and the application process. For a more thorough checklist, visit TheCollegeStore.net.

 

For both out-of-state and in-state college students-to-be, they're packing for more than just an overnight trip. They’re packing for life away from home for months at a time. While dorm life does help transition from the comforts of home, it still adds greater responsibilities on the student to wash their own clothes, feed themselves and manage their schedules.

 

To fit this new lifestyle, these students need to be efficient with packing what they have and also preparing for what they might need. There’s no simple checklist since packing depends on the new school’s climate, amenities offered by the new living spaces and a student’s personal needs.

 

Recently, The Denver Post tapped the expertise of its interns to offer advice on what students should bring to college. Time magazine also chimed in with its own list of what NOT to bring to college.

 

Students should also check with their peers and older siblings who may have visited the same or similar higher education facilities. This first research project will help kickstart your college education and better position students for success away from home.

Manage expectations for your future college student

For parents of high school upper-classmen and even college-bound students, the reality of their kids moving on to college is becoming more real. For years many parents have pushed the college conversation and prodded their kids to plan and prepare for what college they will attend. Now that the fruits of that labor (no pun intended) has paid off and your “baby” will soon be off to her next life adventure and even closer to adulthood.

 

With days or weeks left before your student heads to the dorms, you’re probably focused on the material items they need to survive away from home. While their microwaves, laptops, bedding and gaming consoles are important, don’t forget to prepare your newly independent child with your expectations.

 

As Anne Reeves, a columnist with PennLive.com, reports transitioning your child from under your roof to college isn’t easy and even goes on to say, “The transition will sting.” But she confidently says you’ll get through it and offers some sound advice.

 

In particular, she mentions three important pieces of advice that might be overlooked. First, she reminds parents to discuss your student’s finances before she leaves. Between loans, work study and your hard-earned dollars helping to fund the effort, make sure your student knows her budget and her financial obligations while she’s away. This will help make sure everyone’s operating under the same beliefs.

 

Second, she reminds parents to review expectations. Certain scholarships and financial aid packages require minimum grade point averages, attendance levels and usually conclude in four years. If any of these expectations aren’t met, the institution may no longer be a viable option if their financial aid dries up.

 

Finally, she simply states, “Have the talk.” Many of us remember the movie Animal House was about a rowdy group of college students that may have seemed fun when we were younger, but breeds fear among us as parents. While some of the challenges of college may manifest themselves in high school like underage drinking, sex and drugs, it’s always good to remind them to be safe and act like responsible adults.

 

College remains a great learning experience both in and out of the classroom and serves as a unique primer for life as an adult. Does miss any opportunity to better prepare your student for this once in a lifetime experience, so she can maximize her time.

Facts About the ACT

Getting ready for the big test?  Well here are some tips that should help you achieve your best score possible:

• The ACT is an ability test focusing on skills learned over time, so continue to work hard and retain as much information as you can.

• You can re-test as often as you like, but no more than three times are recommended.

• Colorado’s average score is 21 on the ACT. Scores can range from 1–36. You should know what range of score your school(s) of choice will want for admission. You can usually find this information on their Web site or by speaking to a counselor at the college or at your high school.

• Remember that the scores you receive on these tests are only one indicator that your school(s) of choice will consider.

• The ACT consists of four sections: English, mathematics, reading and science. Knowing the directions and the strategies for each section and type of question is one key for succeeding in the test.

• On the ACT, timing can be a major factor in how well you do. Be aware of how much time you are spending on each question. If you are unsure of something, skip it and come back if you can. Wearing a watch and setting it to 12 before each section is a good way to keep track of your time.

• On the ACT, wrong answers and unanswered questions receive no points; whereas, each correct answer is worth 1 point. Answer every question, even if you don’t know the correct answer or don’t have time to complete the test. Pick a letter, either B or C, and stick to it throughout the test.

• If you are stuck on any question, you can always circle it or put an X on it and come back to it if time allows. Do not linger on any question too long.

• Cross out any answer choice that you know is wrong. It is much easier to focus on what you have left after you have eliminated some choices.

• Practice, practice, practice! The makers of these tests have to keep the tests looking very similar year to year. After practice, you will begin to see the same types of questions over and over and will be able to handle them better.

Good Luck!