It’s that time of year again — college admissions season. Whether you’re super excited or super nervous about heading off to college, there are some things to keep in perspective when you’re waiting to hear back from the schools you applied to. We talked to current collegiettes about what they wish they knew when they heard back from colleges. Be sure to keep these five things in mind when opening those long-awaited decision letters.
1. Dream schools aren’t always realistic Having a dream school can end up hurting you down the road. There's nothing worse than disappointment. Abby Piper, a junior at the University of Notre Dame, thinks the idea of “one perfect school” is a little insane. “It's cool to have a dream school, but keep in mind that college is whatever you make of it,” she says. “Where you are accepted [or] rejected really should not and cannot determine the fate of your college experience.” She’s so right! Even if you do get accepted to your *dream school*, it’s important to remember that this doesn’t always mean you can go there. Elizabeth Wolfe, a sophomore at Agnes Scott College, was thrilled when she got accepted to New York University, but then she “quickly realized that I would not be able to go because of the minute amount of financial aid I had received,” she says. “I think if I had been more realistic, I would not have been so devastated.” Keep in mind that dream schools don’t always work out, and that’s okay! 2. Rejection doesn’t always mean you weren’t qualified There’s no denying it — getting a rejection letter hurts. But don’t let those rejections discourage you. Colleges take a lot into consideration when accepting students! “I wish someone had told me how much some schools take in-state/out-of-state status into account during their decision making process,” says Caitlin Barkley, a sophomore at Clemson University. “That can become a major factor in some rejection letters, and it's easy to get discouraged if you don't realize that.” Abby had a similar experience. She applied to a lot of top-tier schools and the rejection letters she got killed her confidence. “What I would advise to people applying to Ivy League or really competitive schools is that the admission process is actually pretty arbitrary,” she says. “Not getting in doesn't necessarily mean you weren't qualified, but at some point, so many applicants have all of the credentials [and] it boils down to the preference of the admissions people, which can be pretty subjective.” Had Abby realized this sooner, she may not have ended up so upset. It’s all about perspective!............ (excerpt posted from: hercampus.com)
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Monday, March 27, 2017
Cristiana Quinn, GoLocalProv College Admissions Expert April 1 is just one week away, and most college acceptances will soon be received by anxious high school seniors. Often, students and parents have a difficult time making a decision. While a “gut feeling” based on a campus information session and tour is one good factor to consider, there is other information that needs to be considered. Don’t jump before you look carefully. This is one of the most important decisions and largest financial investments, you will ever make. Here are some key things to review. Beware of Student Gossip The old adage “bad news travels faster than good news” is especially true with regard to colleges. Be wary of online sites that host bitter student reviews. Few happy students have the time or the inclination to go on and post a positive review. Also, take the gossip in your high school or neighborhood with a grain of salt when someone leaves a college. Look instead at the overall statistics; do not make a judgment based on one individual. For a great guide centered around hundreds of student surveys and interviews, I recommend The Insider's Guide to the Colleges by The Yale Daily News. It only reviews about 300 colleges and universities in the country, but it does a terrific job of giving insight into campus life, course rigor, professor access and the surrounding community..... (excerpt posted from GoLocalProv) A new survey of college admission officers delivers a bracing suggestion to helicopter parents: Take a big step back and let your children be in charge of the application process.
If there are offended gasps ricocheting through the tony lanes of America, there are also waves of applause from educators who've seen the ugly side of "parent involvement" during college application season. Just take a look at some of the things admissions officers are begging parents not to do:
The stakes are high, and the critical questions to ask before placing your bet are which college and what major, and how much debt those are worth. RICHARD GREENWALD 03.25.17 9:01 PM ET It’s that time of year again, when a new cohort of graduating high-school seniors finalize decisions on which college they will attend come fall. As colleges sell their worth and endless rankings are released in a dizzying array of information leading to the May deadlines to deposit, the hype makes it increasingly difficult for families to pierce the noise and understand what is truly at stake. There are so many colleges in so many categories and at such different price categories that many families don’t know what to ask, or how to value what they find. But, first, let’s be clear about a central point and ask who we are really talking about. The reality is that the average college student is not someone right out of high school attending a four-year college and living on campus in dorms. In fact, the average student is closer to 26 and more likely to attend a community college or a regional state institution while they live at home and work part time. They are also more likely to take six years to graduate not four — that is if they graduate. They are much more dependent on federal and state financial aid, scholarships and auto-dealer-style “discounts” to list prices than previous generations of students. For many, college will be the most expensive investment they make. So offering college advice only to a select few, who almost by definition don’t really need it, is dangerous. That said, there are some things all college-going students and their families should be considering............ (Excerpt posted from: thedailybeast.com) Hi Laker parents, students, staff and community members. I want to quickly welcome you to this new (well...updated) resource we will be utilizing to share news articles, resources, info and tips about navigating high school, college and beyond.
I read a lot and I also run a popular blog for school counselors outside of work - but I get a ton if great articles that continually add to my understanding, world view and ideas about helping students get through high school. I will update this blog with some links and excerpts of the articles I find interesting (I won't post full text articles as I want to respect the author and their hard work), but I encourage you to visit this blog or subscribe to get new info via RSS feed. Please also note that I may write articles from time to time, but the resources (and comments on posts) we may share are not necessarily the views, opinions or beliefs of NTHS, NTHS staff/admin, TTUSD or our community - but are shared as a tool to help families learn about different tips and techniques to manage the high school process. |
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This blog is meant to share information, resources and tools. Some are original works by staff at NTHS and others are republications of useful posts. These republications, the authors and any comments do not represent North Tahoe High School, it's staff or TTUSD (or it's opinions/beliefs). Archives
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