FIND COLLEGES BY:

Are you questioning whether or not college is for you? Do you have concerns or doubts?  When I made the decision to attend college, finance was my number one concern. Other fears included wondering if I could handle the the college workload, if I was choosing the right program or the right school, if my family would support my decision and and many more. 

This kind of fear and self-doubt can prohibit many people from going to a college which can vastly improve their lives.  A new website, www.college.gov identifies these common concerns and shows ways to overcome them. There are testimonials from students across the country that have triumphed over challenges such as peer pressure, lack of family support, and financial barriers. Against the odds, these students made college a reality.

More features of the website:

• Create your own roadmap.  No matter what year you are in high school, www.college.gov can create a personalized road map that will layout detailed steps necessary for getting to college.  You can keep the roadmap on your computer, or print it out and put it on your wall or in you locker.  Either way, this roadmap can put you on the path towards college!
• Find the school for you.  Universities, community colleges, or vocational schools, whatever you are looking for, this website can help you find a school to fit your lifestyle.
• Why go? What to do? How to pay?  www.college.gov  helps you realize reasons for going to school such as, increasing your income, finding your passion, proving your potential, growing with help and support, and lifting your family.  It also shows you the step for getting into college and payment options.
• Information for everyone. The website is geared towards high school students but also gives information to parents, families, teachers and counselors.

What sets this website apart from other education sites is that it was made by students for students.  The creators of this website have pinpointed real concerns that high school students have about going to college.  Through their college roadmap, they give us the tools to overcome those obstacles. 

Anyone can make their dream of attending college a reality.  www.college.gov is one tool that can help.

Parents: when it comes to helping your child choose a college, you may be tempted to make a decision based mostly on cost, reputation and, possibly, your own alma mater.

However, campus visits can provide insight and information on a school that can’t easily be ranked in statistics. Visiting a school can give you and your child a chance to get a gut feeling about the environment, which becomes just as important as cost and how many professors have a PhD.

Knowing what to look for and what to do on a campus visit can help ensure that your child makes the right decision. Familyeducation.com offers these tips to make your campus visit as beneficial as possible. Read the rest of this entry »

Choosing the right college can be a difficult decision for students and parents alike. Guidance counselors strive to provide the best resources to aid in the decision, but it is ultimately students and parents who have the weight on their shoulders for the verdict.

Students are considering various pros and cons like distance from home, student to faculty ratio, and student housing. However, parents may place importance on a different factor - getting the best bang for their buck.

Choosing the one perfect college or university out of selected few can be difficult; actually getting to the top choices can be even more taxing. You can start by weighing the pros and cons of public vs. private colleges. Read the rest of this entry »

By Andy Schiller
Guest Columnist
When should I start planning for college?
As the saying goes, ‘why put it off if it can easily be done today?’ The earlier you plan, the more opportunities you will have to increase your competitive edge in college admissions and the easier it will be to get into the school you’re hoping to attend.

What are the steps in planning for college?
Here is a list of things you can do to prepare for school, with tasks spread out over the course of your senior year. In addition to meeting admissions and application requirements, it is very important that you keep track of the various requirements and deadlines related to your orientation at school.

Fall
- Find an interested staff member at school who will help you with the college process.
- Request letters of recommendation from teachers and administrators. Don’t be shy; they understand that it’s part of their commitment to your education.
- Take leadership positions in the clubs and organizations you are passionate about.
- Offer to take leadership positions in jobs, even if it’s something unglamorous like food service.
- Attend informational college events at school.
- Research scholarships and financial options, such as this one (link out).
- Register for ACT and SAT tests.
- Finalize your first, second and third choices for college. A good overall number to apply to is four to six campuses.
- Obtain and submit college applications. Read the rest of this entry »

Time magazine recently ran a cover story feature on the challenges of applying to college. While most media coverage of the college application process focuses on the ultra competitiveness of the ritual, Time focused on the liberation of college choice.

With so many great colleges and universities to choose from, finding the best fit is an individual choice that should focus on what a student wants out of the college experience as opposed to the weight the school name carries. In essence, Nancy Gibbs and Nathan Thornburgh, authors of “Who Needs Harvard?” encourage high school students to look beyond the name to the actual benefits the school has to offer.

In addition to providing a much needed wake up call to parents of high school students, high school guidance counselors and high school juniors and seniors, the pair provides some tips for approaching the college search process. Read the rest of this entry »

According to David A. Kaplan, Newsweek writer, the competitiveness of the college admissions process is born of stark demographic realities.

“In recent years, several million students graduated from high school

A college education has historically been out of reach for a number of American ethnic groups. Things have changed drastically in the last century or so, but it is far from perfect. Higher education is still hard to come by for many of the nation’s minority groups. Historically black colleges and Hispanic-serving schools have been providing access to higher education for years. Now, tribal colleges are presenting the same opportunities to Native American students.

Tribal colleges

Today’s high school students spend a lot of time online. Whether they are socializing on the many social networks such as myspace.com or xanga, or conducting research for their homework, teens are internet savvy. To capitalize on students’ connectedness, many colleges and universities are now recruiting their future student bodies online.

Blogs are one of the leading web-based recruitment tools used by colleges and universities. Students can log on to read about the day-to-day activities of current students, or get a behind-the-scenese peak at the school. The school’s web site is also a valuable for providing prospective students information about the school.

College sites now rank higher than high school visits from campus representatives and direct mailings in importance as recruitment strategies, said Steve Kappler, an executive director of Stamats Inc., a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, firm that providees consulting services to about 100 colleges and universities a year.
Read the rest of this entry »

There was a time when sending students with learning disabilities off to college was unheard by most guidance counselors. That has changed and now 32 percent of learning disabled students are pursuing higher education.

The following article by Boston Globe correspondent, Kay Lazar, appeared online March 30.

The question is not whether Christine Logan will head off to college, but rather which passion she will pursue.

The Wakefield teenager became fascinated with forensics after getting hooked on the TV crime show ”CSI” and now thinks law enforcement might be the way to go. But Logan, 16, also is captivated by children — she is the most popular baby sitter on the block — and is considering a teaching career, too.

One factor is certain. Logan, who has dyslexia, will have to navigate a difficult path in her search for the perfect school. But she is determined.
Read the rest of this entry »

By now, your students are beginning to receive, or anticipate receiving, those important acceptance letters. They might be giddy with excitement or nervous with anxiety each day as they check the mailbox. For some, the letter will arrive in a thick packet that includes housing and financial aid information. Others will receive a thin envelope, concealing a single sheet of paper that shuts the door to that school.

High school counselors are privileged enough to experience both the victories and defeats of students. The college application process is an opportunity to share both ends of the spectrum. But a college rejection letter does not have to be the final say. There is always room for students to appeal a rejection letter.
Read the rest of this entry »