The Insider: College Admissions Advice from the Experts

What do college admission officers and high school counselors like to do for fun? Complete surveys, of course! In the spring of 2013, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) asked thousands of college and high school officials to share school-specific information about everything from graduation rates and enrollment trends to admission strategies and international education. Earlier this month, NACAC released the results of those surveys in the highly anticipated “2014 State of College Admission Report.” (OK, well, it was highly anticipated by me, at least!)

As a college admissions consultant with College Coach, I’m frequently asked to compare academics at two different institutions. “Which school offers the better academic experience?”  This is an impossible question to answer because of the incredible variability between institutions and their offerings, not to mention the incredible variability between students (goals, talents, abilities, learning styles, comfort zones, etc.). Nevertheless, it is a question that is asked and so I thought I’d provide an answer… at least to a part of it.

Transferring Colleges: Two-Year to Four-Year

There are lots of reasons – financial, academic, lifestyle – to start your college career at a two-year college.  Whatever went into your decision, you’ve changed and been changed by your two years at community college. Now that you’re thinking about applying to a four-year college, what do you do?

In all the hysteria around the college admissions process, from cross-country college tours to high-pressure interviews with alumni, there is still an old stand-by that is free, low-pressure, requires little travel, and will provide lots of exposure to students: the college fair.

To say that the college admissions process makes students and their families “a little anxious” would be an understatement for most people in almost any grade of high school. The climate surrounding college admissions has shifted so drastically in recent years, and for good reason! Many more students are attending four year colleges and universities, and earning a valuable degree in the process. But because most schools are not adding seats to their classrooms, increased competition in admissions has had a rippling effect on many high school students. Additionally, the increased use of the Common Application has undoubtedly resulted in students happily submitting more than the suggested number of applications to schools which they have no intention of applying. More is more in many minds, even though less is more is the wisdom we encourage in so many parts of this process.

Applying for college is a confusing and overwhelming project, one that is already challenging for students lucky enough to live in school districts that offer well-funded college counseling offices at their local high schools.  Students who attend less well-funded high schools, or who are taking a non-traditional path to college, often fall through the cracks.  Here at College Coach, we believe deeply in the power of education, and we are committed to helping everyone access it.  To that end, we developed a Community Support Committee a few years ago and are always looking for opportunities to help under-served populations with the college application process by working with the non-profit organizations that serve them. 

Most students picture opening the envelope or their email, and finding the announcement of their admission to the college of their choice: the ultimate fulfillment of their dreams as a high school student.  In general, I find students don’t think much beyond this moment, aside from imagining how great college will be.  (For the record, college is pretty great!)  Most parents, however, realize that this celebratory moment is just the beginning.  The transition to college is really exciting on paper, but it is also one of the most challenging moments in the life of a student and her family. 

Summer Before College: Getting to Know your School

This is the third in a series of posts that college finance expert, Laurie Peltier, is writing about her own experience going through the college application and enrollment processes with her kids. Her previous posts focused on how to stay organized during the college search and final decision-making processes. Here, she discusses how to get to know your school before the fall semester begins.

Why am I getting so much mail from colleges?

If you have taken a national standardized test in the last few months and checked the box allowing colleges to send you materials and publications, you’ve probably felt your inboxes swell with electronic and print publications over the last few weeks and months. Don’t worry, swelling is normal and will die down in a couple of years. Nonetheless, with a sudden affliction of this variety, families will have questions. Let’s diagnose the phenomenon together.

Some years ago on a soccer sideline somewhere, or maybe in the chatty pre-show moments of a high school theatre performance, a mom or dad started the dreadful rumor that one must complete hundreds of hours of community service in order to even be considered for admission to the top colleges and universities in the country. Since that day, this misinformation has been taken as gospel by college-bound high school students and their parents. But they’re wrong.