Last-minute Campus Visit Tips for College-bound Seniors

campus visits in senior year

Every fall, there are are college-bound seniors who decide to add a college (or 2!) to their list that they haven’t visited. In some cases, maybe a senior hasn’t been able to visit any colleges at all. There are still last-minute opportunities to visit a campus prior to the early November deadlines.

I urge seniors to visit those campuses where they have a strong interest. The campus visit can help with determining whether to keep that college on the list and writing the “Why this college?” essay. Also, many high schools encourage campus visits by permitting seniors to visit colleges without an absence penalty.

3 top tips for Senior campus visits

For those college-bound seniors who are visiting in the fall, here are 3 tips to get the most from a last-minute visit:

Blue lights are everywhere!
Blue lights are everywhere!
  • Sleep overnight –This is a great way to experience dorm life, meet students, and getting sense for the campus vibe. You’ll know right away if you “fit in” or not.
  • Interview – The admissions office may offer interviews. This will be a time that you can shine beyond your application. Be careful though . . . if you think that the interview with hurt your application, rather than help, then don’t interview.
  • Visit the campus at night – Almost every campus has a blue-light system. However, walking around the campus at night or the surrounding neighborhood will help you determine if you still feel safe in that environment. This is especially important if you’re concerned about safety and the college doesn’t offer an overnight opportunity.

Special visit programs for College-bound Seniors

So as stressful as the application season may be, the campus visit is still an important component to include on your schedule. Some of the campuses that offer overnight programs or special senior weekends are

This is a short list of colleges but there many others. Check out the admissions page of the college that interests you to learn about their special programs for high school seniors.

Where are you visiting?

How to apply for scholarships like voting in Chicago

Grants and scholarships for college are keenly on the minds of parents. The first part of this series, “Grants and Scholarships 101 for parents of college-bound teens” helps you get started, by overviewing the differences between grants and scholarships plus who will give your teen money. In this second part of the series, I will share how to apply for scholarships.

As you walk through these 5 steps, please keep in mind that these steps are meant to be repeated at least twice a year. I would recommend following these steps in July and January to best plan ahead.

1. Determine which scholarships – there are numerous websites that have listings of scholarships for your college-bound teen. Here are five websites which I discuss my likes/dislikes about each in the above FB Live video:

Other offline places to check may be your employer, credit union, professional associations, and foundations in your local community.

2. Add deadlines to the family calendar so that it’s visible and serves as a reminder. Also, your teen can add the deadlines to their phone so that the deadline is not missed. (see Tip #4)

Posting the deadline helps with planning ahead.

3. Be prepared to write – Scholarship applications often require an essay (or two). If a scholarship application has an essay prompt, your teen must respond in a clear and compelling way. . . which takes practice and time. Your teen can get help with writing through a tutor, teacher feedback, writing program/camp, and reading for pleasure.

Good writing can help your teen stand out among other applications and potentially win the scholarship!

4. Meet the deadline – there are year-round deadlines for scholarships. That’s good news and bad news. The good news is that if you miss a deadline one month, you can always apply to another scholarship the next month. The bad news is that several of the major scholarships like Coca-Cola are one-time only. When the scholarship applies to a specific grade level, then you miss the opportunity altogether.

Make sure your teen meets the deadline.

5. Apply early and often – Many families wait until senior year of high school to start looking for scholarships. There are scholarships available for students as early as age 13. Yes, your middle-schooler can apply for scholarships that can be used for any college they attend. For a number of those scholarships for younger students, there is a wide age range which means that your teen can apply as soon as they’re eligible. If they don’t receive the scholarship the first time, they can re-apply the next year.

Now, do you get the Chicago reference in the title?

What additional steps should be included here? Please share in the comments below.

Part 1 . . . for parents of college-bound teens: Getting started

How to save time when seeking money for college

save time seeking scholarship money

During a recent FB Live show, I discussed “Grants and Scholarships 101 for Parents of college-bound teens”. Although teens are applying for the scholarships, oftentimes, parents are searching and later reminding their teen about available scholarship opportunities. Scholarship searches on the internet can take a lot of time. My aim in this show episode was to give parents some practical tips that will save time when seeking money for college, especially free money that you don’t have to give back. . . grants and scholarships.

The first of this two-part series on what parents must know about grants and scholarships will provide an overview to help you get started. In the second part of this series, I will discuss what parents must know about applying for scholarships.

Let’s get started by answering 2 common questions that I get from parents:

Is a grant the same as a scholarship?

We often use the term “grant” and “scholarship” as one and the same. Grants are usually need-based, which means that a family may only be eligible to receive the grant based on household income. To determine eligibility, the family may have to show proof of income or submit financial documentation.

“Scholarships” often refers to merit-based awards, which means that it doesn’t matter how much money the parents make. And the term “merit” can be defined very broadly. Some of the “merit” scholarships my students have received have been based on musical and artistic talents, geographic location, community service, even being a boy/girl.

Knowing these distinctions in terminology can help with your online searches.

Who gives grants/scholarships to my teen?

This is a great question because if you don’t know who gives out scholarships then you may overlook scholarships that your teen can get. The source can be different based on whether it’s a grant or scholarship:

Who awards grants

a. Federal – Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to determine eligibility for federal grants, like the Pell Grant.

b. State – depending on your home state, the FAFSA may be used to see if your teen qualifies for any state grants.

c. Colleges – colleges also require FAFSA to determine if your teen qualifies for any grants they offer. If it’s a private college, parents may also have to complete the CSS (College Scholarship Service) Profile to determine eligibility.

Who awards scholarships

d. Anybody and everybody, like

  • credit unions
  • private organizations
  • employers
  • foundations
  • non-profit organizations

e. Colleges – the most lucrative scholarships my students have received came directly from the colleges. So when your teen is developing their college list, that will play a significant role in how big the scholarship offer may be. My suggestion here . . . don’t sleep on the importance of the college list!

What other tips or places should be included here? Please share in the comments below.

Part 2 of Grants and Scholarships 101 for Parents of college-bound teens: Applying

What you didn’t know about academics and social scene at MIT

mit engineering computer science

MIT is well known for its highly selective academic programs in computer science and engineering. Most people, however, aren’t aware that MIT also has distinguished programs in the humanities, social sciences, architecture, and business. It’s worth noting that the MIT Sloan School of Management even offers a full undergraduate business program, unlike Stanford.

mit highly selective
MIT highly selective

MIT has a core curriculum with humanities and science courses required for all students. Like Williams College, MIT students take 4 courses per semester and typically declare their major by end of freshman year. For those students who want even more varied course offerings, MIT does cross-register with Harvard, Wellesley, and Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Every MIT student must pass the swim test to graduate, like Columbia University.

MIT started the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, now adapted at many other universities across the country. About 85% of MIT students take advantage of these research opportunities, which can be done for course credit or stipend.

Additional quick facts about MIT:

Acceptance: 8%

Freshmen retention: 98%

Freshmen from out of state: 93%

4-year Graduation rate: 84%

Most popular majors: mechanical engineering, computer science/engineering, electrical engineering/computer science

Social: MIT has the most varsity sports of any Division 3 school, with 20% student participation. In addition to athletics, there are over 500 clubs, 70-80 of which are performing arts clubs. Half of the guys at MIT pledge a fraternity.

Housing: All freshmen live on campus and approximately 90% of upperclassmen. Housing is guaranteed for 4 years, which is especially for the majority of MIT students who are from outside Massachusetts. Similar to the housing system at CalTech, MIT students can choose where they want to live.

Similar colleges to consider: CalTech, Rochester Institute of Technology, UC Berkeley, University of Pennsylvania

Financial aid: MIT offers only need-based scholarships, with 100% of need met. For students with family incomes of $75,000 and under, MIT ensures that those students do not pay anything for tuition. Although the cost of attendance is $67,000, the average need-based financial aid package is $39K. About 90% of students receive scholarships/financial aid.

What do you think about MIT? What about this college is a good fit? Please post your comments below.

4 ways high school sophomores can get ready for College

sophomores get ready for college

High school can be challenging at times—I know— I’ve been there, but it is an incredibly important period of time in your teen’s life that will help shape them into the kind of person they inspire to become. High school sophomores, in particular, have an opportunity to define their school year in a way that positions them to get into their top choice colleges and get money.

It’s a good time to start thinking about their college choices and taking action steps to prepare for life after high school. Here are three ways your teen can do just that:

  1. Consider Starting College Early

If your teen is ready to study at the college level while working towards a high school diploma, many local colleges offer programs just for your teen: sophomores who want to take one or two college classes a year while in high school.

In this type of program, sophomores can choose from a variety of classes while investigating their choice of major and experiencing the college environment -— and each course that is completed counts toward both high school and college credit.

*You should check with your teen’s guidance counselor to see if your high school offers these types of programs.

  1. Study for the PSAT

Taking the PSAT in 10th grade offers an advantage in that students are able to get acquainted with the format and determine their level of comfort with certain test questions. Not every school offers the PSAT to sophomores, although it’s standard for juniors to take it for National Merit Scholarship potential. If your teen’s high school doesn’t offer it, you may consider requesting it through the college or guidance counseling office.

Results from the PSAT may also predict your teen’s SAT scores. Depending on the projected SAT score, perhaps your teen can then focus on the SAT in their junior year testing plan.

  1. Learn about the college admissions process and research potential careers

Now is a great time for you and your teen to become familiar with general college entrance requirements. Colleges will consider transcripts, test scores, extra-curricular activities, and writing samples. If there is an area of concern, then now is a good time to get a tutor or get involved. Whatever your teen does decide to do, my biggest suggestion is that they do those things that interest them. For example, if they have an interest in music, get involved. If they are not interested in Student Council, then certainly don’t get involved in the Student Council just for the sake of college admissions. It’s not worth it!

To learn more about college and get additional resources, please encourage your teen to contact their guidance counselor as well, to find out what support is available at school.

Also, sophomore year is a good time for your teen to research potential careers and understand how much education and training they will need. Usually, guidance counselors may have career resources or state databases for students to access.

4. Apply to summer programs

There are a number of summer programs that high school sophomores may want to consider. Several programs are for sophomores only or may only accept students after sophomore year. These summer programs can have an academic or pre-professional focus. A number of them have an application process that’s similar to what colleges require, i.e. transcript, recommendations, essays. Applying to a summer program would give your sophomore an opportunity to see how strong their application is vis a vis other students in their class.

Certainly, if they’re admitted to a summer program then the experience could be informative for their plans even beyond high school.

In my roadmap for parents with sophomores, I share what parents must know as they guide their teen through courses, extra-curricular activities, and self-discovery. Be sure to sign up for this roadmap so I can partner with you to achieve the educational vision for your teen.

Top 5 College Interview Tips

college interview tips that get in

Many colleges may offer interviews with an admissions representative or alumnus as part of their college application process. The college interview is an opportunity for the interviewer to get to know the student beyond their grades and test scores.

There are 2 types of interviews – evaluative and informational. The evaluative interview is used to learn more about the student and whether they’re a good fit for the college. The informational interview is more casual and not used to evaluate whether the student is admitted.

Interviews are time-consuming for the colleges, so if the admissions representative or alumnus is making the effort to meet with a student, that interview will likely be used to confirm an admissions decision, i.e. evaluative. For the Ivy League and many selective colleges, an interview may be listed as “recommended”, which is a polite way to say that it will be used. Cornell makes clear that interviews are required in the application process for its Architecture program.

Students should take the interview seriously, even if it’s considered “optional”, “recommended,” or “not required.” It’s a chance for students to show their unique qualities beyond the written application. These college interview tips will help students be prepared.

1. Prepare questions in advance to ask during the interview – not having any questions may show a lack of curiosity and/or interest in the college, i.e. red flag. Have at least 3-5 questions ready to ask. These questions can be related to academics, majors, social life, or financial aid. Just make sure the questions are thoughtful and not easily found on the website!

college interview tips2. Review and practice sample questions. Mock interviewing with a teacher or counselor is a good way to practice how to respond to different types of questions. There’s no guarantee of having the exact same questions during the actual interview, but, at the least, the student may be more relaxed after the mock session. Here are a few sample questions to review and practice:

  • What interested you in our college?
  • How have you changed during high schools?
  • What is the best advice anyone has given you?
  • Who is your hero and why?
  • What would you do differently if you were starting high school?

 

3. Take activities resume to the interview. The interviewer may or may not ask for it, but having the activities resume handy will be a good reminder of past activities and awards.

4. Tour the campus prior to the interview, if possible. Taking a tour before the interview would be a good way to refresh what’s already been learned about the college and perhaps get a student perspective. Likewise, the tour may generate new questions to stimulate the conversation during the interview.

5. Dress appropriately. Slacks or khaki pants with belt, dress shirt or polo for guys is appropriate. Girls can wear knee-length dresses or skirts, a dress shirt or polo. I strongly suggest avoiding anything sagging, revealing, “sexy” or very high heels. A good rule of thumb for what to wear to your college interview would be . . . if the interviewer remembers what you wore . . . then it was probably inappropriate.

Which college(s) are you interviewing with? Is it with an alumnus or admissions representative? I look forward to hearing from you in the comments below.

How parents can win at the college admissions game

There’s a lot of stress and hype about college. It’s understandable because we hear so much about how competitive it is to get in to college while the rising costs of tuition makes college a major investment.

Parents of college-bound teens are concerned about their teen getting in to college and getting scholarships. Depending on the grade of your teen, though, those concerns may differ greatly. Here are examples of concerns that I see in my practice at each grade level:

  • Parent of middle schooler concern – how the right high school can make a difference with your teen’s college chances
  • Parent of 9th grader concern – the activities resume and how community service or athletics play a role
  • Parent of 10th grader concern – how the summer before junior year is spent and how to balance academic rigor
  • Parent of an 11th grader concern – how changes to the Common App will affect the college application process

parents can get help with college admissionsThese are very different concerns and each make a difference when it comes to your teen’s chances of getting in to their top choice colleges and getting the money to make college affordable.

Parents play an important role in college admissions because let’s face it . . . sometimes, teens need a bit of nagging to do what they need to do. More importantly, parents often don’t have the same level of support from the school as their teen. Parents are then left to sift through countless websites for reliable information that’s quickly overwhelming.

You can join me for a quick 20-minute training if you have a teen currently in the 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th grade during my FB Live series the week of April 24-28. Attend one or all sessions to get the insight and tools to help your teen achieve their best potential.

Facebook Live: How to help your Teen
Get in and Get Money for College
April 24-28, 2017

 

Day 1: April 24 at 2 pm EST What parents of middle schoolers must know

Day 2: April 25 at 2 pm EST What parents of 9th graders must know

Day 3: April 26 at 2 pm EST What parents of 10th graders must know

Day 4: April 27 at 2 pm EST What parents of 11th graders must know

Day 5: April 28 at 2 pm EST What parents of college-bound teens must know now – Wrap up Party!

 

Please let me know if you’d like a reminder. Also, what questions do you have that I could answer during the event? You may post your questions or comments below.

Questions to Ask at a College Fair: Making the Most of It

questions to ask at a college fair

During the spring and fall of every year, there are numerous college fairs. The national fairs are often strongly represented with colleges from around the US, while the local and regional fairs tend to have more colleges from your area. The more prestigious colleges may have alumni representatives at your local and regional fairs as well. Either way, given the large number of colleges represented at these fairs, families can feel overwhelmed by where to start. Knowing the right questions to ask at a college fair can help you navigate these events effectively.

DAYS BEFORE THE COLLEGE FAIR
To get the most out of a college fair, teens should start before they even go. The three things to do beforehand would be:

1.  Set a game plan of which college representatives you want to meet before attending the fair. Going without a plan can be a headache ready to happen!

2.  Prepare questions (get our comparison checklist for sample questions) beforehand that you can ask college representatives at the fair. It’s OK to ask the same questions to ask at a college fair for each college you visit.

3.  Print pre-printed labels with your contact information. This will save you time. If there’s a long line to talk to a representative, you can still provide your information and follow-up when you visit the campus in-person.

DURING THE FAIR
Now that you’ve prepared for the college fair, it’s time to attend . . . making sure that you’re dressed appropriately, getting there in plenty of time to find parking and visit with your top choice colleges. 

4.  Use the comparison checklist to keep track of each college visited. This will prove invaluable for campus visits and writing application essays.

5.  Make sure you get a business card from the college representatives that you meet to email or call later.

6.  Surprise yourself and visit with a college representative that’s not busy and not on your list. Some of these representatives travel from far distances to meet new students. This can be a great, low-risk way to learn something new . . .you may be pleasantly surprised by what you learn. More importantly, this new contact can inform your perspective on other campuses.

Questions to Ask at a College Fair

Knowing the right questions to ask at a college fair can help you gather the most useful information. Here are some essential questions to consider:

  • Academics: What are the most popular majors? What is the average class size?
  • Admissions: What are the admission requirements? Are there any special programs or honors colleges?
  • Campus Life: What extracurricular activities are available? What is the campus culture like?
  • Financial Aid: What types of financial aid and scholarships are available? What is the average student debt upon graduation?
  • Support Services: What kind of support services are available for students (tutoring, mental health, career services)?

Which fairs will you visit? Safe travels and be sure to take our comparison checklist with you to make sure you make the most of participating in a college fair!

Questions to ask at a college fair

Boston College for undecided college-bound teen

chestnut hill campus boston college

If your college-bound teen is undecided and seeking a solid medium size college with 5,000 to 10,000 students, Boston College may be worth a look. Boston College pursues its mission through rigorous intellectual development, an advanced global research, and integration of religious dialogue and community life. The Core Curriculum at Boston College requires students to take classes in these areas:

  • the artsjesuit catholic university
  • cultural diversity
  • history
  • literature
  • mathematics
  • philosophy
  • science
  • social science
  • theology
  • writing

The name Boston “College” is a misnomer because it’s actually a research university with 9 schools and colleges. (Boston “University” is already taken) By taking classes across varied areas of study and having access to specialized programs, students have a great opportunity to find the major that interests them.

Campus visit tip:  Boston College is a Catholic institution and during your visit, make sure you’re comfortable with this aspect of their mission.

Additional quick facts about Boston College:

Acceptance:  29%

Freshmen retention:  95%top athletic teams boston college

Freshmen from out of state:  75%

4-year Graduation rate:  89%

Most popular majors:  finance, economics, communications

Housing: The majority of Boston College students live on campus. Housing guarantees are either 3 or 4 years. Students with a 3-year housing guarantee study abroad or live off-campus during junior year. Boston College is in a suburban location and only 20 minutes from Boston so the off-campus options are pretty good with varied public transportation options.  Dorms are known to be comfortable and spacious.

Social life:  As at other Jesuit universities, Boston College does not have Greek life. There are still lots of social activities like sporting events, movies, festivals, concerts, and plays, and “volunteer work is huge,” says one student.

Similar colleges to consider to develop list: University of Notre Dame, Georgetown University, Villanova, Columbia University

Financial aid: Boston College offers both need-based and merit aid, with 100% of need met. The cost of attendance is $65,000 and the average financial aid package is $35K, with 66% of students receiving aid.

What do you think about Boston College? Would the Core Curriculum be a good fit? Please post your comments below.

Can Sophomores Take the SAT or ACT?

High school sophomores are in a great position to make the most of the college admissions process. Can sophomores take the SAT or ACT? Yes, they can, and it’s an excellent opportunity to get ahead.

can sophomores take the SAT
All colleges accept SAT and ACT for college admissions.

Now that the transition to high school is over, sophomores can be involved with those extra-curricular activities that matter to them, develop relationships with teachers just because, and use the summers to explore their own interests. Sophomore year is also a great time to plan for testing, either the ACT or SAT.

Will you score higher on the SAT or ACT?

If you know the answer to this question, then you’re already ahead of the class. Whichever test yields your higher score is the one to focus on in the upcoming months.

can sophomores take the sat | can you take the act as a sophomore | compass college advisory

If you don’t know which test you will score higher on, then you have a couple of options. One, you can take an SAT/ACT Comparison test. Students can take a comparison test themselves to get an idea of their score for each test. I suggest that students simulate the testing setting as much as possible by taking the test in a quiet space on a Saturday morning, using a timer to stick close to the timings for each section. When the comparison test is scored, the student gets feedback on whether the SAT or ACT is their higher score and tips on improving their score.

Another way to find out if the SAT or ACT is your better test is to compare scores from a practice SAT and practice ACT. Some high schools may even offer a PSAT and a pre- ACT during sophomore year. The scores from each test can be compared through this concordance table.

Set testing plan for Junior year

For 2017-18, both SAT and ACT are adding a summer testing date. I would suggest that seniors take advantage of these testing dates for college applications and scholarships. However, juniors may want to use the fall to start any test prep and schedule their tests during the academic year.

can sophomores take the sat

Test prep can be done using a book, online self-study or class, live class or private tutor (in person or online). Six to eight weeks of test prep is plenty of time. The key thing you want to remember with test prep is to do it consistently. For example, if you have a fall sport, then perhaps your best time to study is after the season ends since it may be difficult to study for the SAT or ACT along with having practices and games after school. Test prep can end about a week before your testing date.

In junior year, it’s best to allow for 2 testing dates in case a student wants to retake for a higher score. Taking 3 or more ACT or SAT shows a poor use of time and judgment. Beware that some colleges even penalize applicants who have multiple standardized test so please limit the test-taking. (The only time I recommend additional test-taking is for seniors who have selected a college that requires a certain score for scholarship purposes.)

What are your testing plans for junior year?

can sophomores take the sat | can you take the act as a sophomore | compass college advisory