Happy New Year! I hope you all had a magical holiday season, but now it is time to get to work! If you have been procrastinating with your college process or just avoiding it due to burnout (hello, seniors), here are some tasks to help get you back on track. Seniors Finish up your applications: Get … Continue reading “Get to Work: College Tasks For Every Year of High School”
Have you ever forgotten something? How to do something on a test? A password? The time of your doctor’s appointment? Well, it happens. I had a student mention an interesting research project he did AFTER he was deferred from his early decision school. He “forgot” about it, and it didn’t make it into his applications. … Continue reading “What is a College Application Strategy?”
Every summer, I sit down with my soon-to-be juniors and give them a pep talk. It is no secret that the junior year of high school is notorious for being difficult, busy, and downright stressful. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. No really. I find that if students know the purpose behind the … Continue reading “How To Conquer Your Junior Year”
The college admissions process is not a straight line, and that statement had never been more true than it was for the Class of 2021. As my students head off to college, I am struck by how many twists and turns they have faced. This class learned to live with uncertainty in every sense of … Continue reading “Class of 2021: What’s Next”
Three months ago, I lost my brother, Kevin Barkley. It still doesn’t seem real. I miss him at the strangest times. The other day, I was making scrambled eggs, and they were really fluffy (my eggs are never fluffy), and he popped into my head. Kevin always made the fluffiest scrambled eggs. Over the last … Continue reading “What Does It Mean To Be An Educator?”
Article originally appeared on Applerouth.com/blog As I sat at my desk on Friday, March 13, 2020, I had many questions about the impending quarantine. Utterly blind to the imminent rollercoaster ride, none of us knew we were slowly climbing the hill towards an upcoming free fall and wild curves. Month after month, the changes kept … Continue reading “Hindsight is 2020: College Counseling Lessons from the Year that Changed EVERYTHING”
Like many things with the college process, searching for scholarships can be overwhelming. However, if you start early and stay organized, you can obtain the money you need to close the gap between your college savings and educational expenses. What does that mean? Well, it can put you closer to graduating from college debt-free. So, … Continue reading “6 Steps to Find Scholarships”
Whether you are a senior currently submitting applications, a junior building your college list, or a sophomore thinking about college, determining how you will pay for college is an important step in the college application process. First thing first, why is college so expensive? While many factors affect college costs, the biggest mistake that I … Continue reading “How Will You Pay for College? Financial Aid Considerations”
Are you in a hurry to finish your college applications? Yes, November 1st deadlines are right around the corner but don’t rush to hit the submit button. Here are five tips to help you slow down and give your college applications the attention they deserve: 1. Prioritize: Finish up your main Common Application, including the … Continue reading “5 Tips To Complete Your College Applications”
Want to know all of the details about researching colleges?🤔 Watch College Mindset’s 4 part video series and learn: ✅Why researching colleges is so important ✅Where to find accurate data ✅How to determine your college criteria ✅How to organize your data when creating your college list ✅How to look beyond the data and research the … Continue reading “How to Research Colleges”
Have you ever walked away from a conversation and thought, “I wish I would’ve asked more questions.” You don’t want to bypass an opportunity because you did not ask the right questions. Asking questions is a skill, and it is an important one to master. It shows that you care, can spark the exchange of … Continue reading “Learn to Ask Great Questions”
Last week, I finally mailed my senior gifts. I could send the gifts straight from Amazon and cash in on the free shipping, but I am a bit old fashioned. I think there is something special about receiving a wrapped gift. Something personalized and significant. More important than the present, I send each student a … Continue reading “Hats Off To the Class of 2020”
Does the thought of asking a teacher for feedback on an assignment scare you? Do you lay awake at night and wonder what steps you need to take to reach your goal of making the varsity team? Is there a particular dance move or trick that you just can’t master? If reaching your goals and … Continue reading “Asking for Feedback: A Guide for High School Students”
College Mindset is offering several free webinars to help students during this difficult time. Please feel free to share the information with friends, family, and colleagues. 3-Ways to Start Your College Process Best for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in high school (and their parents/caregivers) Offered: Thursday, March 19th at 12 PM MST Registration Link: … Continue reading “Free College Mindset Webinars”
Hello College Mindset Families, I am sure your inbox is flooded with companies telling you what they are doing to keep customers safe in light of the COVID-19 or Coronavirus pandemic. I am writing to extend my support to all College Mindset families since school and college closings are more than likely affecting your college process. Remember … Continue reading “Coronavirus and College Admissions”
Now that you know which schools you want to visit, do you know how to plan your trip? Katherine has visited over 100 colleges and universities all over the country. In this video, she’ll give you all of her tips and tricks for planning the perfect college visit.
Did you know there are different types of campus visits? Katherine will talk you through each type of visit so you can be sure you will get the most out of visiting a college or university.
Do you know what you should be working on? Watch my video for tips for high school seniors, juniors, sophomores, and freshmen.
Have you ever noticed that the college admissions process full of acronyms and new terms? Sometimes it feels like another language. It is difficult to figure out what you are supposed to do if you can’t even determine what it all means. Below is a list of common college admissions terms. This list will help … Continue reading “Learn the Lingo: College Admissions Terms”
College is here! Whether you just moved into your residence hall or have been in college for over a month, this “college adulting” thing is probably starting to feel pretty real! It seems like just yesterday you were brainstorming ideas for your college essays and contemplating where you might end up. And now you are there- … Continue reading “Transition From High School to College: Adulting 101”
As the students in the College Mindset Class of 2018 prepare to head off to the next step in the college process (orientation, anyone?) I want to take a moment to celebrate everything they accomplished. As a college counselor, it is a privilege to work with young people as they navigate one of their first … Continue reading “Hats Off To The Class of 2018”
This time of year is always bittersweet. It is a time to review the college process for the graduating class, evaluate the outcomes, and look ahead with new information. Here is an overview of the College Mindset Class of 2016: • They received 77 acceptance letters after submitting 128 applications. • Collectively, they were granted over … Continue reading “Hats Off To The Class of 2016”
As with many other aspects of the college process, making your final decision is an excellent way to learn a significant life skill. You will make decisions for the rest of your life, including deciding what to major in, which internship to apply for, and ultimately, what job offer to accept. Making the final decision … Continue reading “5 Steps to Making Your Final College Decision”
The tables have turned. You have spent years trying to figure out how to impress colleges, and now colleges will spend the next month trying to convince you to enroll. They will send you gifts and fancy pamphlets. They will call you and invite you to special programs. You have until May 1st to decide, … Continue reading “3 Questions to Ask When Making Your Final College Decision”
On Saturday, March 5th, the new SAT was finally administered to over 300,000 lucky students. PBS NewsHour provided a comprehensive overview of the changes made to the test and the continued debate about the validity of standardized testing as an accurate predictor of student success. While educators (and the media) continue to deliberate about the … Continue reading “Thoughts on the New SAT From the People Who Matter- Students”
When the Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success was announced in the fall of 2015, questions soon followed. While the main premise of the new platform is to increase access for low-income and first-generation students by providing free tools for the college search and application process, some educators are concerned that the online tools will … Continue reading “5 Things to Know About the Coalition Application”
Whether a student has dreamed of attending a certain college since the age of 5 or has not even thought about what they want from their college experience, I always give students who are beginning the college process the same piece of advice: Do “practice” college visits. It is difficult to expect students to articulate any thoughts … Continue reading “#1 Tip For Students Beginning the College Process”
The applications, standardized test scores, recommendation letters, transcripts and perfect essays are submitted. Your applications are complete and all you can do now is wait. Easy, right? Noooo! Waiting for your admissions decisions can be the worst part of the admissions process. You check your email 20 times a day. You are stalking your mailbox … Continue reading “5 Ways to Handle Waiting for College Application Decisions”
mind-set noun 1. The ideas and attitudes with which a person approaches a situation, especially when these are seen as being difficult to alter.* What is your College Mindset? No matter how confusing or complicated the college process is, YOU have control over one thing: your mindset. How you handle the stress of the college application process, celebrate the victories … Continue reading “Welcome to the College Mindset Blog”
