Advice – Page 2 – College Mindset

College Application Process Tips For Winter & Spring

Do you know what you should be working on? Watch my video for tips for high school seniors, juniors, sophomores, and freshmen.

Happy New Year! The holidays are over and it is time to get back on track with your college process. Do you know what you should be working on? Watch my video for tips for high school seniors, juniors, sophomores, and freshmen.

Do you want more tips for the college process? Check out the College Mindset Ideal College Planning Timeline!

Learn the Lingo: College Admissions Terms

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 you learn the college admissions lingo and start your college process with confidence!

Standardized Testing

Standardized testing is used in college admissions to create a common “standard” to compare applicants. It is one piece of the college application. Testing policies vary from school to school, and some colleges and universities are test-optional. It is essential for applicants to carefully review the standardized testing policies for each school to determine if they are meeting the requirements.

The ACT is a standardized test administered through ACT.org. It has four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each section is graded on a scale from 1 to 36. Scores are averaged for a maximum composite score of 36. There is also an optional writing test portion of the ACT (which is required by some colleges).

PSAT/NMSQT is the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It is often taken during the 10^thand 11^thgrades. Students who achieve a high score in the 11^thgrade could qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program. PSAT scoring is complex, but it does provide a “predicted” SAT score. Students can also link their PSAT exam to their Kahn Academy account for additional SAT practice.

The SAT is a standardized test administered by College Board. There are two sections: math and evidence-based reading and writing. Both sections have scores ranging from 200 to 800. There is also an optional essay section (some schools require the essay section).

SAT Score Choice is the term describing the College Board practice of allowing students to choose which SAT or SAT Subject test scores are sent to colleges. Keep in mind that some colleges and scholarships require applicants to send in their entire testing history.

SAT Subject Test are shorter, subject-specific tests offered through College Board. Students take the SAT Subject tests to highlight their strengths in specific academic areas. The tests are required or highly recommended for a small number of colleges and universities.

Superscoring is when a college or university considers the highest sections scores across all of the dates that a student took an exam. Many colleges will superscore the SAT, but most will not superscore the ACT.

Test-Optional is when a college or university does not require a student to submit standardized testing scores to complete their application. Some schools do not require an SAT or ACT for admission, but they do require test scores for a student to be considered for scholarships. Some colleges are also test-flexible, giving student options regarding which tests scores (or sections of tests) to submit for consideration. Colorado College is an example of a school that practices flexible testing.

Application Process

As a student puts together their college applications, it is important that they understand the terms being used. This will help them determine the best strategy for them to complete their applications, including determining how and when to apply.

Common Application is an application platform used by more than 800 colleges. Students can complete one “common application” and submit it to several colleges or universities. Many schools require students to complete a supplemental section. This allows the college or university to ask school-specific questions, including additional writing prompts.

Coalition Application is an application platform created by the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success. It has over 100 members. In addition to being an application platform, MyCoalition also has tools that students can use to prepare for the college application process.

A Deferred decision is when a student has submitted an early application, but the college determines they are unable to give a definite decision during the early round. The application is then deferred and considered with the regular admission pool.

Demonstrated Interest is how an applicant shows that they are genuinely interested in attending the school. Students can demonstrate interest in a school by visiting the campus, communicating with an admissions officer or following a college on social media. Some schools do not track demonstrated interest while others do consider it when making admissions decisions.

Early Action (EA) is similar to an early decision option. However, the student is not obligated to attend the university. Students usually submit early action applications in November or December. Decisions are typically released in December or January. Applicants have until May 1st to notify colleges of their intent to enroll.

Early Decision (ED) is an application option where a student applies to college or university and commits to attend that school if admitted. The ED option is binding, and a student can receive one of three possible outcomes: admit, deny or deferred. Students usually submit early decisions applications by November 1st or November 15th. Some colleges do offer an early decision 2 option with deadlines in January.

High School Profile is a document that is often submitted to colleges by a high school counselor with transcripts. It gives colleges an overview of the course offerings, grading scale and average standardized testing scores. Colleges use this information to determine how competitive a high school is.

Regular Decision is an application option where students submit applications usually in January or later. Decisions are often released in mid to late March. Applicants have until May 1^stto notify colleges of their intent to enroll.

Priority Deadline is offered by some public colleges or universities to encourage applicants to submit applications by a certain deadline. Colleges often do not guarantee that they will have admissions space or scholarship availability after a priority deadline.

Rolling Admission is when a college or university accepts applications and releases decisions on a rolling basis. Some colleges with rolling admissions do have priority deadlines.

Single-Choice Early Action or Restrictive Early Action is an application option where a student can only submit an early application (ED or EA) to one college or university. Applications submitted under this option are non-binding.

Spring Admission is when a college or university admits a student, but the student is not allowed to enroll until the spring semester. Spring admission is a common practice used to help schools control enrollment numbers. Cornell University is an example of a school using spring admission.

Waitlist is an application decision a student receives from a regular decision application. Students will be reconsidered for admission if the college or university does not meet their enrollment numbers after the May 1^stdeposit deadline.

Yield is the percentage of applicants offered admission to a college or university who ultimately enroll.

College Cost

Figuring out how to pay for college begins with understanding how financial aid works and what the total cost will be to attend. While not every student will apply for financial aid, every student should still know what they are paying for.

Cost of Attendance (COA)is the estimated total cost for a student to attend a college or university for one year. The COA includes tuition and fees, on-campus room and board and estimations of expenses (books, transportation, etc.).

CSS Profile is a financial aid form required by some colleges (mostly private institutions) to be considered for institutional aid. The CSS Profile asks detailed questions about a family’s finances. Students should file the profile by the college or university stated deadlines (usually the same as the admissions application deadline). The CSS Profile is administered by the College Board.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)is an estimated amount a family is expected to contribute to college costs for one year. EFC’s calculators can give a general idea of this number.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)is the application that helps colleges decide the financial need and how much federal aid a student receives. The online application can be found at www.fafsa.gov and it becomes available October 1^stof senior year.

Need-Blind/Need Aware Admission is when a college or university takes into consideration a students financial status when making an admissions decision. Need-blind colleges do not consider a student’s financial situation, and need-aware colleges do.

Need more direction for your college process? Check out the Ideal College Planning Timeline to get started!

Photo by Paul Schafer on Unsplash

5 Steps to Making Your Final College Decision

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 about which college to attend is the first in the long line of “life choices.” However, this particular decision is not the student’s alone. It is a family decision. The student is the one going to college, but the parents are the ones (generally) paying for it. So while it is important for students to follow the steps below, they also need to take into consideration the input of those around them. Student should also consider the 3 Questions to Ask When Making Your Final College Choice, which was covered earlier this week.

When it comes to making a decision, any decision, it is important to approach it in a step-by-step format. Below are the steps that can be taken in order to make the final college choice, but these steps can apply to any decision you need to make in college and beyond.

Step 1: Review your priorities.

As with any major life decision, you need to go back to the core: your priorities. Why did you apply to college in the first place? What were your priorities when you began the process? How have your priorities changed? Examine all of the aspects you are looking for in your college experience: academics, location, support services, a particular club or organization, cost, etc. and rank them. Which ones are the most important to you? Which ones are the most important to your family? There can be a lot of emotion tied up into making your final college choice, so it is important to keep yourself grounded by establishing your priorities.

Step 2: Determine your questions.

When you began the process, your priorities were general: good financial aid, strong academics, an opportunity to play sports, social campus, etc. Now is the time to get specific and find evidence to determine how each campus supports your priorities. For some families, the cost of a college education is the most important factor. Being able to compare financial aid offers side-by-side and determine the out-of-pocket cost for your family is an important component of your final decision.

If one of your priorities is “strong academics,” figure what that means to you. Do you want a campus where students are well-supported by professors? Or are you looking for more concrete numbers such as the percentage of students admitted to medical school?

If you are looking for “opportunities to play sports,” determine what type of sport. Are you looking at club sports or intramurals? What teams are available? For club sports, figure out if you have to try out for the team. How competitive is the process?

The social aspects of college are often an important priority for some students. However, you need to determine what “social” means for you. Do you need to find more information about a particular club or organization? Are there activities happening on campus that interest you? Do students go home on weekends? Is Greek life popular on campus? Determining what you need to happy socially is an important step in making the final college decision.

Step 3: Collect information.

There are many ways you can collect the answers to the questions you brainstormed above. Ideally, you should plan on visiting the final colleges on your list. Staying in the residence hall, attending an admitted student event or sitting in on a class are all great ways to gain insights.

You may also want to consider requesting meetings with other individuals on campus. Interested in a music group? Email the director. Curious about a particular major? Contact a faculty member in that department. Reaching out to individuals on campus may seem like an intimidating idea, but professors and administrators are often very open to meeting with prospective students. Just make sure if you schedule a meeting, you prepare questions ahead of time.

You should visit a college before you attend, but if you are not able to make it out for a second visit before May 1st, there are plenty of other ways to college information.

Call the admissions office and ask to speak with a current student.
Ask your guidance counselor to put you in touch with students from your high school who are attending the school.
Join Facebook groups associated with the school (specifically if there is a group for your graduating class).
Call specific departments and ask questions. Just like the statements about meeting with individuals if you are going to campus, you can accomplish the same goals by picking up the phone.
Review outside sights- but don’t base your final decision on what is posted there. Use the opinions posted to formulate your questions then use the resources above to look into any issues you find further.

The bottom line is that you need to explore EVERY aspect of the final colleges on your list. This not the time to feel like you are being a nuisance or think that you will figure it out later. ASK ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

Step 4: Make a pros and cons list.

After you have reviewed your priorities and found answers to your questions, make a pros and cons list. Sometimes seeing all of the information laid out will make the answer clear.

Step 5: Make a decision, and stick to it.

After completing the steps above, you need to make a final decision. If the answer is not immediately clear, consider these techniques:

Give yourself a deadline. Stewing about the decision is not going to make it easier. By giving yourself a time limit, you force yourself to move forward.
Flip a coin. This may sound like a trivial way to make a decision, but sometimes it will reveal how you honestly feel based on the decision being made for you.
Say it out loud. Telling someone you trust your final decision (before you announce it to the rest of world) is a good way to ease into it. Saying it out loud makes it real.
Sit on it for a few days. Choose one college and then proceed for a few days as if you are a student of that college. How does it feel?

Once you have made your final decision, don’t look back. Be excited for what lies ahead and turn your focus away from what could’ve been.

Often if you are in the position of choosing between 2 or 3 colleges, there is no wrong choice. If you truly have taken the time to examine what you need to be successful in college, you will more than likely be able to make that happen at any of the colleges that were a part of your final decision process.

3 Questions to Ask When 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, so how do you sort through all of the information you are receiving? How do you know that you are making the best final college choice?

The truth is that making your final college decision is not an exact science, and it is going to be a different process for every student, however below are a few questions every student should ask as they are comparing final college options.

1. Which college is the best fit for you academically?

Academics are the center of your college experience. For some students, academic “fit” is a particular major. For others, it is having adequate support systems (i.e. tutoring or academic advising). It is important to know what type of student you are to determine if a college is a good fit for you academically. Here are some specific questions to ask about the academic aspects of college:

What is the core curriculum of each school? Will you be required to take specific courses that you may struggle with (i.e. math or foreign language)?
Do you know what you want to major? If so, research that academic department. Read the faculty bios and look at the required courses. Are there opportunities to explore your major outside of the classroom (i.e. conduct research, internships, etc.)
If you don’t know what you want to major, determine how each college will help you make that decision. How much access will you have to an academic advisor? Will the career center help you explore different career options? Does the general curriculum allow you to take courses in multiple disciplines so you can nail down what academic subjects interest you?
What is the academic environment of each college? Are students competitive with each other or supportive? Are the classes large or mainly discussion based? Do professors meet with students outside of class?

Knowing what type of academic environment you need to be academically successful is an important consideration for your final college choice.

2. How do the colleges compare financially?

It is essential to understand all of your financial aid awards when making your final college choice. So what should you consider when comparing awards?

Determine your budget. Every financial aid award should give you an example student budget. The budget should include an amount for tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, personal expenses, and travel/transportation. If this information is not in your financial aid award, contact the college and ask for it.
Once you determine your suggested budget, figure out if your needs will change aspects of the budget. For example, if are you looking at colleges out of state, your transportation budget might be higher (depending on how often you want to fly home). If you are looking at specific major that requires addition expenses, you need to take that into consideration. If you are thinking of living off-campus, your room and board and personal expenses may change.
Check on the details of each aspect of your financial aid award (grants, scholarships, loans, work-study, etc.). When do you have to pay back each loan? What is the interest rate? Is the scholarship just for the first year or for all four years? If the scholarship is renewable, what does the student need to do to keep it (usually it is maintaining a certain GPA)?
Make sure you understand the difference between taking out federal and private loans. If you need to take out private loans, do your research. Learn the true cost of student loans by using a loan calculator to determine how much your loan will be once you pay it off.
Determine the actual cost of each college. Create a spreadsheet or use an on-line tool to determine the final net price of each school.

Once you have the final cost in front of you, that may be the determining factor in your final decision. For other families, it is more complicated. More often than not, your “dream school” is going to cost more. It means student debt and financial strain for the parents. It is important to have an honest conversation about what debt will mean for the student and the entire family.

3. Which college is the best fit for your everyday life?

Remember you are not just visiting a college anymore, you are going to live there. You will eat, sleep and exist in an entirely new environment. Here are some important questions to ask you look to transition to this next phase of your life.

Consider location. How far away from home will you be? Will be it be a different environment than what you are used to (i.e. urban vs. rural)? Will it is important to step outside of your location comfort zone for the “right” college, you need to consider how location will change how you currently live.
Where will you feel at “home” at the college? Making sure a college feels comfortable is important. Can you continue habits you have already formed (i.e. exercising, hiking, etc.)? Are there clubs and organizations are offered that match your interest? Is there an opportunity (i.e. a church, non-profit organization, etc.) in the surrounding area that will help feel like a part of the community?
Are you too focused on the amenities? So many colleges are trying to emphasize extra services (i.e. room service and valet parking), but are these things going to help you be successful in college? Are they going to help you explore your intellectual interest or develop the skills you need to hold down a job?
Does the overall mission of the college a match to your personal goals? Is the school striving to teach “global citizens” or “critical thinkers”? If so, how have they integrated that mission into the curriculum and community? How does the mission of the college correspond with your goals for your future?

Making your final college choice can be stressful, but if you take the time to make sure all to find answers to all of your questions, you will be able to make a well-informed choice.

5 Things to Know About the Coalition Application

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 feed the college admissions frenzy by stipulating additional application requirements for students to obsess over. Meanwhile, the 91 colleges and universities that are backing the new platform claim the tools will “streamline” the college process and encourage disadvantaged students to consider schools they previously may have overlooked.

No matter which side you stand on, the Coalition is becoming a part of the admissions maze. The new “Locker” platform is set to launch in April, and the application is slated to be available in July.

Recently, Nancy Griesemer of the DC College Admissions Examiner posted several updates on the Coalition, based on her conversation with the new interim director, Colin Melinda Johnson. Griesemer provides information on the online tools offered by the platform and updates on the timeline and testing. While aspects of the Coalition tools are still developing, here are the top 5 things students need to know about the new platform and application:

1. Who are the members of the Coalition? The Coalition member list is up to over 90 schools. All of the members must offer an “affordable education.” Public schools must provide low-cost, in-state tuition and private schools must be able to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need (for admitted domestic students). Members must also have a 70% or above graduation rate over 6 years.

2. Who can use the Coalition tools? While the Coalition is geared towards disadvantaged students, any student can apply to a member institution through the Coalition Application. In fact, three Coalition members, University of Florida, University of Maryland College Park and University of Washington, have announced that they will exclusively use the Coalition platform, so all students applying to those schools will need to use the Coalition Application. The reality is that all students may find it helpful to use the Coalition’s virtual Locker to collect materials whether they plan on applying to a Coalition institution or not.

3. Will all member schools be accepting the Coalition Application for the class of 2017? No. While official announcements have not been made, some members will opt to defer using the Coalition Application for current juniors. These schools may be choosing not to participate in the first year of the Coalition Application in order to have more time to develop their individual application requirements (e.g., essay prompts, video submission questions, etc.).

4. What will the application look like? The application requirements and structure of the Coalition Application remains one of the unknowns about the Coalition. As Griesemer notes in her article, member institutions will have the opportunity to customize their application requirements – for example; some may require students to submit a graded assignment in instead of a college essay. Others may opt for additional supplemental essays to obtain more personal insights into who the applicant is and how he or she will contribute to the college community. Students may also be allowed to submit videos or a detailed resume of accomplishments. It is still unknown if there will be a shared personal statement element (like what is offered by the Common Application), but Griesemer noted that some application requirements will be “similar.” Will this create more work for students? Possibly. But it could also provide students with additional opportunities to present themselves to colleges in a more personalized way.

5. Should students use the Coalition Application or the Common Application? Students should first take a look at their list and determine their application options. While the Coalition site explicitly states that member institutions will not “prefer one application system over the other,” students may want to contact colleges offering multiple platforms to ask how materials from each option will be reviewed. Students also need to look at the requirements for both platforms and decide which one will give them the best opportunity to tell colleges what they want them to know. Students should not look at the platforms and decide which one will be “less work.” Instead, they need to examine how they want to present themselves to colleges and which application platform will give them the best method to meet their goals.

As educators, mentors, teachers, counselors, parents and guardians, it is important that we provide students with information (as we receive it) so they can determine the best way to move forward with their college process. There are still many unknowns regarding the Coalition, but students need guidance, not opinions, to determine which platform to use to apply to the colleges on their list. Teaching students how to make well-informed decisions and examine what is in their best interest is a life lesson that will serve them well in the college process and beyond.

#1 Tip For Students Beginning the College Process

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 about the college process if they have never been on a college campus. Doing “practice” college visits is a practical way for students to begin formulating an opinion on what they are looking for in their college experience.

To do “practice” college visits, you don’t need to spend a lot of money and travel across the country to see “best” university out there. You should begin with a college that is within driving distance of your home. The purpose of a “practice” visit is to collect general information, rather than expressing interest in that particular college. The student can be adamant that they won’t apply to the college or university you visit (and that is perfectly fine).

When planning a “practice” visit, you need to register for the information session and campus tour through the admissions page of the college’s website. Many schools offer Saturday visit times, so look at your schedule and simply pick a day to attend.

Look for local colleges that can offer varying perspectives. Visit a small, medium and large university to gain perspective on size. Try to visit rural, urban and suburban schools to learn how locations vary.

As you visit campuses, pay attention to:

The size. Whether it is a small liberal arts college or a large research institution, you can usually tell immediately if you are comfortable with the size of the school.
The location. Is the college you are visiting in a city or near farmlands? What is the surrounding community like? Can you see yourself living there for four years?
Academic programs offered. Since you are just beginning your college process, you may not have given a second thought to what you want to major in. During your “practice” visits, pay attention to the academic programs described. Are students doing research? Are they participating in hands-on projects? Are they working in the local community? What catches your attention? What majors do you want to learn more about?
Note what you like- and what you don’t like. I always tell my students to document ALL of their impressions of a school. These insights can help you research additional options later on.

If you don’t have different types of colleges and universities near you, try to do a few visits while on a family vacation. Taking a road trip this summer? See what colleges are on the way to your final destination. Again, the point is not to spend a lot of money if you are just beginning to formulate ideas about your college process.

A “practice” visit should be relaxed- designed to ease the student into the idea of college. By doing a “practice” visit (or two) you will be able to shape your college criteria and then create a true list of schools you are interested in exploring.

Need more direction for your college process? Check out the Ideal College Planning Timeline to get started!

Happy touring!

5 Ways to Handle Waiting for College Application Decisions

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 and your stomach drops every time someone asks, “Have you heard anything?”

If the stress of anticipating your college decisions is getting to you, here are 5 ways to keep your sanity:

1. Focus on what you have control over. Right now, application decisions are more than likely done (insert scream here). Admissions offices are just finalizing the details. At this point, you have little control over what your decision will be, so focus on what you do have control over.

Concentrate on your schoolwork (remember they will look at your final grades).
Thank everyone who wrote your letters of recommendation, edited your essays, or just offered advice (baked goods or chocolate are always appreciated).
Continue being involved in your extracurricular activities and start mentoring peers who will take over your leadership roles next year (they will be lost without you).

2. Process the stress- your way. Some people like to talk about how they are feeling and others don’t. If you want to discuss every possible outcome of your college decisions, find a trusted (and patient) individual to talk to. If you would prefer not to discuss the college process any further, tell everyone around you (so they will stop asking questions). If you don’t process out loud, write it down. Journaling is a great way to organize everything that is floating around in your head.

3. Don’t second-guess your list. You could lose a lot of sleep wondering, “What if?” Don’t think about the schools you didn’t apply to. Stop questioning if your “reach” school is too far out of reach. Have confidence in the list of schools you applied to. At this point it can be easy to forget all of the hours you spent researching, asking questions and even visiting colleges.

4. Remain positive. Part of remaining positive is knowing that you have a solid plan- not matter what happens. You may not be admitted to your “first choice” school, but knowing that you will have other options should be your main focus. If it helps, make a list of all the pros and cons of all of the schools you applied to. You may find that you have more positive options than you think.

5. Reflect. Look back on what you have accomplished. A year ago, you did not even know where you were going to apply. You have come a long way from staring at a blank Common Application.

Anticipating the future can be stressful, but in just a few short weeks, you will know. April 1^st will be here before you know it and after that, you are back in control of your college process. You will make the final decision of where you will attend college- and all the anticipation will be worth it!