4 Tips for Your Sophomore Year of High School

As the parent of a 10th grader, you may recall the heartaches of this awkward year of high school and how challenging it can be. What can make this year awkward from a college-readiness standpoint is that your teen isn’t quite fully in the college admissions phase. To make the most of this year, here are four sophomore year of high school tips that I have learned over the years:

#1 – Develop Self-awareness

This is a great year for your teen to get in touch with who they are and what they want . . . not just being who their parents say they are or imitating their friends’ interests.

Developing self-awareness can be done through taking some initial inventories and interest surveys that can help with figuring out likes and dislikes. Your school counselor may have access to some really great tools that your teen can take.

The key will be making sure that they review the results with their counselor and you should get a copy as well to discuss with your teen. Perhaps interpreting the results can lead your teen to consider certain careers or help with building their interpersonal skills, depending on the survey instrument taken.

#2 – Re-evaluate friend groups

This second tip may sound a bit harsh in some way, but 10th grade is a good time for your teen to really reassess their friend groups. When I say reassess friend groups, it’s really about your teen thinking about who is a friend and who is not a friend.

And if it’s someone that’s really not a good friend to them, then it’s okay to exit that relationship and not be in a place where they feel bad about themselves or unwanted.

I’ve seen a number of teens go through this experience and it’s been one that’s really been valuable for them in 10th grade. During 9th grade, they may have made some friends that weren’t the best choices. Because 11th grade will likely be a bit more intense, managing toxic relationships at school could be even more challenging.

Sophomore year can be a good time to join a new group because it’s likely that there are some other classmates who are also open to new friendships.

#3 – Pursue interests

Your teen should consider pursuing what interests them . . . whether it’s a particular club at school or community service activity. The key is that whichever activity they pursue, make sure that it’s not about doing what their friends are doing or participating because mom/dad suggested.

BTW, I understand that this may sound easier than it is in practice, especially if your teen does not want to be involved. A parent shared recently that they forced their teen to choose one club to join. Although I don’t recommend “forcing” a teen to do anything, you, the parent, would know best what will motivate your teen to take action.

What have you done when your teen has been reluctant to participate at school?

#4 – Spend summer wisely

Encourage your sophomore to spend their summer in a productive, intentional way.

For example, let’s say that your teen completes an interest inventory and the results show that they may be a fit for business. Then they could consider a summer internship, part-time job and/or countless summer business programs. These summer experiences could help them determine whether business really is an area that interest them.

One of my students attended a summer business program after his sophomore year and realized that marketing interested him far more than finance. That’s an important distinction to make because business is such a broad field. (With an interest an marketing, then that could lead to getting involved with DECA during junior year.)

Whatever the experience your teen pursues during the summer, remember to be intentional about the summer and not just let the summer happen to your teen.

For more insights and tips for sophomore year, check out our 10th grade roadmap which includes specific month-by-month suggested actions, colleges worth considering and scholarships!

3 Tips for Finding the Right College for Business Majors

colleges for business majors | top undergrad business schools | Compass College Advisory

Is your teen planning to major in business and having difficulty deciding which colleges should be on their list? Keep reading for my top three tips for finding the right college for your teen who wants to pursue a career in business. 

Focus on “Business” Majors in the Top Undergrad Business Schools

If you search online for “business majors” you will come up with a list of thousands of colleges, so when students say they’re interested in business, I ask them, “What are the specific areas of business that interest you?” There are many different functional areas within the business realm, such as:

  • accounting
  • marketing
  • finance
  • operations

Looking specifically at one of these areas will help guide them to different sets of colleges. If your teen is looking into a liberal arts college that doesn’t offer business, they could try looking into economics which will touch on business. Again, the first step is thinking about the functional area of interest.

Research Summer Programs for Business Majors

One of the key things I recommend to students who are interested in business is to consider a summer program to learn more about specific areas of business, such as programs focused on investment banking, finance, marketing or entrepreneurship. There are countless summer programs out there, many virtual.

What Does the Program Offer?

After your teen considers their functional area of interest and looks into summer programs, my next tip would be to look at what the college programs offer. For example, the University of Southern California has an international program in different areas of business that allows for the opportunity to study abroad. There could also be organizations within the college to help get your teen more involved and around other students in the same field.  

Side Note: Another thing to consider when your teen is fine-tuning their list of colleges is the math requirements for different programs; many require that you take calculus in high school. If they’re not on track for that, it can hurt their chances of being admitted. For some business programs, there may be an option to test out of that course. If that is the case, make sure they take that test by the end of junior year. 

Recap for Finding the Right College for Business Majors 

If your teen is considering majoring in business, they should first look at the functional areas within business to find their area of interest. Narrowing their interests down will help with finding colleges that are a good fit. Secondly, your teen should look into summer programs as a viable way to learn about the functional areas of interest. Finally, look at what the colleges offer to support your teen’s success so they can thrive while they’re there and have rich career opportunities afterwards as well. 

Junior year is a critical year for the college admissions process. I want to make sure that your teen is successful throughout the school year and not overwhelmed by this process. If their initial list is too overwhelming, your teen may lean towards popular colleges they’ve heard of before and that’s not going to serve them well.  

Grab your copy of our College Prep Toolkit now to ensure your success in helping your teen navigate through this school year

5 Reasons Teens must Set Goals for High School

college fit factor | Academic fit | financial fit | social fit | vocational fit | cultural fit | Compass College Fit

Every school year brings surprises, so teens can’t plan ahead for every event. However, setting 3-5 foundational goals for high school each school year can make a difference in its success. Examples of goals that my own teens and teen clients have set include:

  • Maintain a _____ GPA
  • Meet with a teacher after school each week
  • Increase volunteer hours at _________________ by 1 hour per week
  • Start a ___________ club at my community center
  • Complete art portfolio with __ drawings by end of semester

WHY GOALS?teen with parent

Setting goals during high school can help a teen in numerous ways even beyond college . . . for life success:

  1. Have a Purpose – Goals gives teens something to work for – a sense of purpose and direction. One of the first questions I ask my teen clients is “Why do you want to go to college?” If a teen can articulate why they want to go, then it makes it easier to help them find the best fit as well as have a reason to continue being their best.
  2. Stay Motivated – Goals give teens that extra boost to keep going, especially if they start to waiver.
  3. Believe in Yourself – Goals give teens the inspiration to aim for something that they may not have thought possible.
  4. Be Accountable – Goals remind teens at the end of the semester or school year of what they have accomplished or NOT.
  5. Get help – Goals give teens a way to be more specific when they ask for help. The best help comes when others know how to help

START NOW

The question for every college-bound teen – What are your goals for this semester? School year?

Responding to this question is the first step towards a successful school year. Please share your high school year and goals.

 

Is University of Miami a good fit?

University of miami study abroad

Although the University of Miami may be best known for its competitive football team, the Hurricanes, it also has renowned programs in marine science, music, and business.

 

The residential colleges, strong academics, pre-professional offerings, access to internships, and research and study abroad opportunities serve a diverse body of student interests. The U’s Location Programs offer students a selection of 85 schools in more than 40 countries, providing a chance to travel and become immersed in another culture. All travel programs are taught by UM faculty and coordinated by staff so that the credits earned and financial awards follow the student.

 

Faculty connect with students on projects ranging from research to volunteer experiences. Faculty leaders in the residential colleges in which students reside organize lectures for students to attend, featuring guest speakers on topics such as genomics, the humanities, climate change, and more.

 

Academics

Students at the University of Miami are admitted directly to their major which may or not be the best option for an “undecided” prospect. UM, students have a distributed academic program where they take a minimum of three courses in arts and humanities, people and society, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).

Along with these general requirements, students have the flexibility to design their major coursework from more than 180 majors and programs across nine schools and colleges. The University of Miami also has an Honors Program which provides students additional resources and opportunities for faculty-mentored research.

Additional quick facts about the University of Miami

Freshman acceptance: 32%

Freshman retention: 92%

Freshmen out of state: 66%

4-year Graduation Rate: 70%

Most popular majors: nursing, biology, finance, psychology

 

Social scene

With a wealth of social opportunities, the biggest complaint that students have is that they don’t have enough time in four years to access all that the U has to offer. Students may choose to participate in local off-campus events, such as Art Basel or the Ultra Music Festival, or on-campus events like Sportsfest, where dorms compete against each other, or Gandhi Day, for community service. And of course, UM students have easy access to nearby beaches, road trips to Key West, Key Largo, or the Everglades. Greek organizations are not a not a major part of campus life, with only 16% of guys involved in fraternities and 19% of women in sororities.

 

Housing

Modeled after Oxford and Cambridge, UM’s housing system consists of five co-ed residential colleges. Each residential college has a senior faculty member that organizes seminars, concerts, dinners, social events, and lectures for students to participate. Although about 90% of freshmen live on-campus, only less than 30% of upperclassmen live on campus, with the rest commuting or living in off-campus apartments in the Miami area. UM’s campus security program protects students with campus shuttles and safety escorts.

 

Similar colleges to consider

University of Florida, Boston University, Florida State, University of Central Florida, NYU, Penn State, Northeastern, Florida International

 

 

Financial aid and Scholarships

The University of Miami offers need-based scholarships and grants, as well as athletic, international, and merit scholarships. 97% of the need is met. Although the tuition and fees are $48,000 a year, the average financial aid package is $32,000, with 35% of students receiving need-based scholarships or grants.

 

What do you think about the University of Miami? What about this college is a good fit? Please post your comments below.

Top 5 Tips for Best Campus Visits that Save Time and Money

how to make most of campus visit

Many college-bound sophomores and juniors are visiting campuses in March and April during Spring Break. Those campus visits are an important step in the college admissions process and can shape the application process in surprising ways. Given that many colleges will also have “Admitted Student” events in March and April, it’s a good idea to plan ahead for times when prospective students can visit.

These visits are informational so they offer a great opportunity to learn as much as you can about the admissions process and envision your college experience. Because you visit doesn’t mean you must apply. Again, you’re going to gather information. Once your schedule is set, use these tips for a successful visit:

1. Campus size doesn’t always matter

Visit colleges of varying sizes so that you understand whether size matters or not.  When you’re reading about campuses on-line, it’s sometimes difficult to get a feel for the size. Also, the physical space of the campus may attribute either a “small” or “big” feel moreso than the enrollment numbers suggest. Depending on the urban-ness or rural-ness of a campus, it can feel more “big” or “small” when you visit in person.

 

2. Watch your Attitude during the visit

Remember that you are being “interviewed” at all times when you tour a college campus. Even if you’re not in a formal, one-on-one meeting with an admissions officer or faculty member, when you set foot on the campus, consider it as a 2-3 hour interview. With that being said, it’s important to be on “good” behavior. For some colleges, these visits are recorded as “demonstrated interest” and may matter in the application process.

 

3. Not everyone should go

Tour the campus alone or with parents/siblings. Especially, do not visit with your high school sweetheart.  I have actually been on visits where students are there with a sweetheart hanging on to their every hip move. Think about how this looks. Not to mention that the visit can be short-changed by your sweetheart’s impression of the campus. 

This may also apply if your teen has a sibling who will be tired or annoyed during the visit. When I took my son on campus visits, his sister stayed at home. Her interests were so different that she would have been bored and distracting.

 

4. Check out the neighbors

Many college campuses are shaped by the neighborhoods surrounding them. Some neighborhoods are good and some . . . not so good. Check out the neighborhood surrounding the college campus. If you’re not comfortable there, perhaps that’s a sign! Prospective students should feel comfortable with the surrounding area because the on-campus life is often intertwined with off-campus life.

If you are concerned about security, I would suggest that you get an on-campus (and off-campus) police report of recent incidents.

 

5. Have questions ready
brown university campus

Researching the college prior to your visit almost always generates more questions than it answers. Information from the website and viewbooks can be confirmed during your campus visit. For example, you can ask about parking conditions, security, food quality, dorm life, etc. There are a number of other topics or concerns that will occur in the moment as you’re listening to a tour guide or interviewer.

Always ask questions during your visit and any interview. Asking questions demonstrates your interest and intellectual curiosity

.

Throughout the year, I visit dozens of college campuses and learn something new every time. With each visit, it’s important for me to write notes so that I keep track of all that I learned. Please download our Campus Visit Checklist so that your teen remembers what they learned and keep track of how each college would be a fit for their interests and needs.

Where are you visiting this spring? What additional tips do you have for making the most of your campus visits?

Pros and Cons of ACT vs SAT: Why Taking Both May Be a Waste

taking both sat and act is biggest mistake

This article was originally published on February 20, 2017, and was updated in 2024.

When parents tell me their children are taking both the SAT and the ACT, my response often shocks them…

“Really? What a waste of time and money!”

On their own, the SAT and ACT aren’t a waste of time or money. But taking BOTH the SAT AND the ACT isn’t the right choice.

In fact, this ends up costing you way more money and taking up more time than it’s worth.

Preparing for college can be hard enough without the extra pressure of preparing for multiple entrance exams.

I wrote this article to not only help your teen avoid some of this stress – but to save valuable time and money, too.

Here are three reasons why taking both the SAT and ACT might be a big waste of time and money:

1. Colleges accept either test

Colleges don’t prefer one over the other! Yep – it’s true.

Decades ago, some colleges required the SAT while other colleges required the ACT. This meant college-bound teens in the 80’s would take either the SAT or the ACT based on where they were applying.

Now, college-bound teens can focus on taking the test that’s best for them because all colleges will accept both the SAT and the ACT – great news for high school students who have enough on their plate already!

2. Teens usually perform better on one test

Rather than taking both tests, I suggest students stick with the test that’s best for them. (More on choosing the right test later…)

Why?

It’s likely the score on one test will be higher than on the other.

Now you might be asking, “but won’t I want to be able to choose the better of the two results?”

But here’s the thing: some colleges request ALL test scores.

In those cases, a student may not want to reveal all of their results!

The best way to avoid sending unfavorable test scores is to take the test that will yield the highest score for the individual student.

3. Taking both tests takes too much time

Let’s say your teen is planning on taking both the SAT and the ACT. They also want to retake one or both tests.

There isn’t enough time!

The testing calendars don’t easily accommodate taking each test more than once.

A high school junior who’s planning to take both tests twice during 11th grade could have a testing schedule that looks something like this:  

6 weeks of SAT prep

November – Take first SAT

January – Retake SAT

6 weeks of ACT prep

April – Take first ACT

June – Retake ACT

You know what I think when I look at this testing schedule?

Junior year is far too important to the spend majority of time prepping for standardized tests!

Don’t you agree?

And don’t forget about the SAT II

Your teen might also have a couple of colleges on their list that request 2 SAT Subject Tests.

The 20 available SAT Subject Tests are also referred to as SAT II — and they’ve only been around since 2005.

College Boards write the SAT Subject Tests AND the Advanced Placement exams. So, when students take an AP course, they’re preparing not only for the AP exam, but also for a similar SAT Subject Test.

If a student has AP exams in May, they’d be better off forgoing the May SAT and taking 2 SAT Subject Tests in June instead.

How to decide between the SAT and ACT

Ultimately, decisions about when to take the SAT or ACT and/or SAT Subject Tests must make sense for the teen’s test-taking abilities and college list options. That’s why doing your research ahead of time and getting to know both tests is essential.

And plenty of help is available for this process.

To discover whether the SAT or ACT would be the right choice (and how to ace either one!), don’t miss these articles:

What sophomores must know about the SAT and ACT
Best tips for Acing the ACT or SAT
When to Retake the ACT

Need a little more guidance?

For one-on-one support and other resources to help you or your child get into (or pay) for college click here.

When is the AP Exam necessary?

advanced placement exam

Parents often ask me about the importance of taking Advanced Placement courses and the end-of-course AP exams. My best answer is that “it depends” . . . 

How many Advanced Placement courses?

vanderbilt engineering and music programsWhen parents ask me about how many advanced placement courses their teen should take, they are really asking me how many courses their teen should take to “look good” to colleges. Advanced placement courses are about taking a rigorous course load in high school to signal that a student would be academically successful in college. 

Rather than “looking good” to colleges, I believe that students should take the level of courses that are most appropriate for them personally and be true to what their interests are. If a college admits you only because of AP courses you took, it doesn’t say much for how you will fit or thrive at that college.

A reasonable number of AP courses to take is relative to the number of AP courses that your high school offers. Colleges understand that the number of AP courses available vary by high school. If a school offers no AP courses, then students aren’t expected to have AP courses on their transcript. On the other hand, if a high school has a lot of AP courses available, then students should make an effort to take a few AP courses. For example, if a high school offers 10 AP courses and students can take AP courses starting in junior year, then it’s reasonable to have about 3 to 5 AP courses on your transcript. Those AP courses should be in appropriate areas of academic strength for the student . . . if a student is weak in math, it doesn’t make sense to take the AP Calculus courses just for the sake of “looking good” to colleges.

How important is it to take the AP Exam?

In most cases, the AP Exam is not used in college admissions. The exams that students take for college admissions are either the SAT or the ACT. Scores on the AP Exam are most often used to determine the level of courses taken in college. Every college sets its own policies to grant credit for AP level course. For example, at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, a non-engineering student who scores a 4 or 5 on the AP Statistics exam could get 3 credit hours for the Math 1010: Probability and Statistical Inference course. Also, the credit for AP exam scores may not apply towards a major in that same subject area. Complicated, huh?

I have heard many college students say that they regret using their AP credit because they could have benefitted from having that first level course at the college level. 

Where I find the AP exam helpful to take is in preparation for an SAT Subject Test. The AP courses are mostly aligned with SAT Subject Tests. If a student, for example, is taking AP US History (APUSH) and plans to take the SAT Subject Test in American History, then it could be good preparation to take the AP US History exam in May and the SAT Subject Test in American History in June!

When are the 2019 AP exams scheduled?

Here’s a schedule of when the AP exams are scheduled in 2019.

AP Test Schedule: Week 1

TEST DATE MORNING EXAMS (8 A.M.) AFTERNOON EXAMS (12 NOON)
May 6, 2019
  • United States Government and Politics
  • Chinese Language and Culture
  • Environmental Science
May 7, 2019
  • Seminar
  • Spanish Language and Culture
  • Japanese Language and Culture
  • Physics 1: Algebra-Based
May 8, 2019
  • English Literature and Composition
  • European History
  • French Language and Culture
May 9, 2019
  • Chemistry
  • Spanish Literature and Culture
  • German Language and Culture
  • Psychology
May 10, 2019
  • United States History
  • Computer Science Principles
  • Physics 2: Algebra-Based

AP Test Schedule: Week 2

TEST DATE MORNING EXAMS (8 A.M.) AFTERNOON EXAMS (12 NOON) AFTERNOON EXAMS (2 P.M.)
May 13, 2019
  • Biology
  • Physics C: Mechanics
  • Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
May 14, 2019
  • Calculus AB
  • Calculus BC
  • Art History
  • Human Geography
May 15, 2019
  • English Language and Composition
  • Italian Language and Culture
  • Macroeconomics
May 16, 2019
  • Comparative Government and Politics
  • World History
  • Statistics
May 17, 2019
  • Microeconomics
  • Music Theory
  • Computer Science A
  • Latin

When do AP scores come out?

2019 AP scores will mostly be released in mid-July 2019 .

Good luck!

How is your teen preparing for AP exams?

What University of Southern California has that no one else does

cademic and social st university of southern california

The University of Southern California is a renowned private research institution that fosters both a stimulating academic environment and a vibrant cultural community. Through the years, USC has come into its own as a center for the arts, technology, and communication. USC students enjoy solid academics and a lively social scene.

 

Part of those solid academics is the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation. This undergraduate degree program seeks to promote original thought in self-driven students via networking with professors and fellow students, interactive learning, small class size, and mentorship, with the the hopes of creating breakthrough products, systems, and technologies. By offering lectures, presentations, discussions, tutorials, and trips throughout the year, the Iovine-Young program fosters a culture of constant learning and empowers these exceptional cohorts to change the world.

 

Academics

A core curriculum at USC requires students to take nine courses: six general education, two intensive writing, and one diversity. The school offers a “thematic option” to those students with high GPAs and test scores which allows them to be in smaller classes with some of the university’s best teachers and writing instructors. USC also strongly encourages pursuit of double majors, and offers a wide variety of choices within their seventeen professional schools.

 

USC’s global connections allows for unique study abroad experiences. The Global Leadership program invites academically talented first-year students to travel to China after a year-long seminar and meet executives from regional and international companies. Another program, Learning About International Commerce, features a two-unit course with eight day trips abroad to meet with business leaders in Budapest, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Santiago, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei and Tokyo.

 

Additional quick facts about the University of Southern California

Acceptance: 17%

Freshman retention: 96%

Freshmen from out of state: 44%

4-year Graduation rate: 77%

Most popular majors:  cinema arts, business, engineering, communication

 

Social scene

USC has a diverse student body with 115+ countries represented on campus, which offers a wealth of cultural value and global connections.

 

Since University of Southern California has one of the top football teams, a lot of student life is centered around sports. Trojan athletics, which competes in the Pac-12 Conference, has won more than 115 team national championships in men and women’s sports ranging from baseball to water polo.

 

Housing

30% of USC’s student population lives on campus, with freshman guaranteed a spot in luxurious dorms, equipped with swimming pools and tennis courts. Since there isn’t enough space in the dorms, the other 70% live in nearby apartments or fraternity and sorority houses.

 

Similar colleges to consider

UCLA, UC-Berkeley, Stanford, NYU, Boston University

 

Financial aid and Scholarships

Although tuition and fees are about $72,000, the average financial aid package is $51,000. 56% of students get need-based financial aid, 49% get need-based grants, and 24% receive merit scholarships. 80% of students have their need fully met.

 

What do you think about University of Southern California? What about this college is a good fit? Please post your comments below.

Should my teen visit a campus in the summer?

The campus visit – even in the summer – is the best way to learn if a college is the right fit. Summer campus visits can be worthwhile, but families must weigh the tradeoffs of visiting when there may be few students on campus. However, when I toured Williams College in the summer with my oldest son, there were so many students on the campus visit that we took separate tours with student guides. If there are few students on campus, prospective high school students can still have the opportunity to learn about what the college offers.

Campus visit options

Many colleges offer summer visit schedules and the planning should be done weeks in advance. Here are a few different campus visit options that may be available in the summer:

  1. Individual visit – includes an information session and campus tour.
  2. Open House – comprehensive visit which may include faculty/student panels, financial aid presentation for parents, dorm tours, and/or eating in the dining hall.
  3. Self-guided tour – the short description of this . . . “you’re on your own!”

How campus visit matters

While it may be more ideal to visit during the school year to see the campus in action, the summer may be the only time that parents are available to visit with their teen. A summer campus visit is still better than no visit at all. For colleges that track “demonstrated interest”, the campus visit is a clear indicator that the student is interested in attending. This is especially important if a student lives within a 4-5 hour drive of a campus.

Summer campus visits can be most important for high school juniors. As juniors are finalizing their college list, a summer campus visit can be considerably helpful for writing applications in the fall. Likewise, given how busy the fall of senior year will be, it’s usually not enough time to go on a campus visit, especially if a teen plays a sport or participates in marching band.

When not to visit in summer

For one of my junior students, however, I did recommend a visit during fall of senior year, rather than the summer. She’s a tennis player and will have a couple rigorous AP classes and an Honors course in her busy schedule. Here’s why I made that suggestion . . .

The college she would visit was a small campus in an even smaller town. I have personally visited that same college in the summer and there was not even a student guide available to give me a tour. The campus was extremely quiet and the nearby downtown area was quieter, even on a sunny afternoon.

There’s a strong likelihood that if she visits this college in the summer, it will be hard to picture herself there. That first impression may be hard to overcome and cause her to falsely decide to not apply.

It can be a tough call, for sure, when teens and their parents are already so busy. Traveling a distance to visit college campuses can also be expensive.

The investment for college will be far greater so it makes sense to get the list right the first time. When a student has a strong impression of a campus during the summer, it will still be valuable to get a feel for how spirited a campus may be during the academic year. That visit during the academic year can be done after the student has been admitted, which will be even more telling if that college is the right fit.

Where are you planning to visit this summer?

How to have a Stress-free Campus Visit

how parents have a stress-free campus visit

Many families who take their teen on campus visits, usually visit several colleges at once to make the most of their time away. While it may save time to do these marathon visits, seeing several colleges in a 3-5 day time span can be draining. (Been there, done that!)

Top 5 tips for a stress-free campus visit

  1. Avoid bringing friends or others who may influence your teen’s perspective. It can be a distraction. Sometimes, you may not have a choice in whether you bring your teen’s best friend, family members or a neighbor. I understand so . . . keep reading to tip #2.
  1. Take separate tours. For some campuses, there may be more than one tour guide, especially when you visit during their

    columbia campus
    Concerned about safety? Visit campus at night!

    busy summer or fall months. If you have choice I would encourage you to go with a different guide than your teen. The tour guides bring their own unique experiences and backgrounds to the tour. You may hear different facts and figures about a campus that you can compare with your teen later. Also, when your teen follows a separate tour guide, it gives them the freedom to reflect and take in the tour for themselves, or ask questions that they not ask in front of you! 🙂

  1. Attend the information session even if you think there’s nothing new to learn. There will be some nuances that you will learn during the information session that for whatever reason, you haven’t already read or heard before. (I do these tours year round and some colleges I’ve visited 2-3 times. Each time, I learn something totally new.) Foregoing the information session compromises the purpose of visiting the campus.
  1. Avoid dominating the Q&A session. Most information sessions will have a Q&A session. It’s OK for parents to ask 1 or 2 questions, but please avoid asking too many questions. If you’re on a separate tour, perhaps that’s a time to ask additional questions in private. I would especially discourage parents from asking a lot of questions of the admissions officer. That’s what your teen should be doing!
  1. Check out the neighborhood surrounding the college campus. If there’s time, you may want to walk through the nearby “town” area, check out a restaurant or browse the retail shops. When your teen goes away to college, it will be their home away from home so they should feel comfortable either on campus or off. If you are concerned about safety in the area, I would also even suggest checking out the area at night.

Ultimately, the campus visit is about your teen . . . from making the reservation to deciding to apply or not. These tips are meant to keep the focus on them, their reflections and impressions.

How were your visits? Where did you go and for how long??