When it comes to academic success at the collegiate level, there is one skill more than any other that separates the “A” students from the “C” students: the ability to handle complex reading.

The problem is, too many are waiting until they are college freshmen to attempt to learn how to do this. The time to learn it is in high school, and alarmingly, most states do not require complex reading comprehension instruction at the high school level nor do they have any standards for high school reading achievement (according to an Associated Press report of a study from ACT, the nonprofit company that publishes one of the two tests required for college entrance). Instead, reading is considered a subject for elementary school and is rarely taught in later grades.

What makes an article or book complex to read? Complex reading is characterized by an elaborate organization where the messages are often implicit rather than overt. The interaction between ideas or characters may be subtle instead of obvious.

Most of all, the vocabulary is demanding and intricate.

How many college-bound high school students can read complex works? Of the 1.2 million high school seniors who took the ACT in 2005, only 51 percent scored high enough to show they were ready to handle first year college-level reading requirements. This is a concern not only to colleges, but also to employers. In 2009, the number increased only 2% to 53%. Take a look at the breakdown here: CollegeReadinessBenchmarksbySubject

What can be done? These aren’t easy solutions, but the ACT insists that high school reading standards must be revised in core subjects, and struggling readers need to get help earlier in their education. Also, more teachers need to be trained in how to teach reading within their subject matter. That is, a chemistry teacher must also learn to teach reading as it relates to science.

Here’s a link to helping develop strong readers beyond the third grade.

So, what’s the most important factor that enhances GPA, Test Scores, Extracurriculars, How “wonderful” your boy or girl is? READING! Read, read, and read some more!

It is essential that from grades K-12, students work to build strong reading comprehension skills early and often (just like voting… HA!) in order to prepare for a successful college and work career later in life.

What does student diversity mean to you?

Do you think colleges and universities feel the same way about diversity on campus?

Living on the East Coast, I had never heard of the group called the Future Farmers of America. Might members of that club help add to the “diversity” of the student body at most colleges? Apparently, some colleges consider that “type” of diversity to be too far out of their (political) spectrum to be admitted to their elite, “diverse” institution.

Institutions of higher learning are generally looking (or at least make the claim), to create a heterogeneous study body to enlighten each other by mixing many minds to produce many voices.

Of course, the reality is far from the hype.

In his essay published in the July 12, 2010 edition of Minding the Campus, Dr. Russell Niely writes that, “in practice ‘diversity’ on campus is largely a code word for the presence of a substantial proportion of those in the “underrepresented” racial minority groups.” Niely refers to new study by Princeton sociologist Thomas Espenshade and his colleague Alexandria Radford in writing his essay on how diversity punishes students of certain backgrounds more than others. Take a moment to read his interesting commentary.

I joke about it today but even though my grades and test scores from high school fit the range of the school I applied and was accepted to, I believe I was accepted on “let’s take a kid from Vermont” day when the admissions office was looking to fill some “rural” seats in the freshman class.

If there is only one thing that you take away from this post, it is that you need to understand that college admission is not about you (or your student), but rather about “them” (the particular college or university you’re considering applying to).

If you don’t “fit” what they’re looking for, then you’re barking up the wrong tree. Or worse, you get in, but then don’t get enough financial assistance to make it through all four years and become saddled with an insurmountable amount of student debt.

What a terrible way to start off your young life!

When beginning your college search, find schools that are open to giving you an opportunity to build on your competence and intelligence so that you will become successful in whatever you ultimately decide to do… rather than those entities that demand a certain type of credential before allowing a person to progress.

How would you pronounce the object in the photo? With an emphasis on the “UM” or the “BRELLA?”

UM-brella, or um-BRELLA?

I used to think there was only one way. Growing up in Vermont; it was “um-BRELLA.”

Where I went to college, people emphasized the first syllable instead.
I realized that by traveling a little more than a thousand miles from where I grew up, I could find more diversity than by traveling a much shorter distance across the Canadian border to the French-speaking province of Quebec!

I learned about people, politics, geography, the change of seasons, and most of all, myself.

1861-1865 – What does this time in history mean to you?

People across this great nation of ours are at the same time, both very similar and very different from one another. Certain preconceived notions are found in various parts of society in each state of union and I was fortunate enough to experience a variety of them by living in a different part of the country for four years. For example, I had been taught that the war between the states in the 1860′s was called the Civil War. I discovered that others had been informed that it was the War of Northern Aggression. Amazing how different those terms are, that describe the same event.

We all have seen the red and blue of the political maps on television during election season and can see that the two colors present themselves more brightly than the other, in certain areas of the country. Meeting the people that truly believed in a different point of view than mine was a fascinating dose of reality. It made me review and understand my own views with more conviction, and even open my eyes to a point of view opposite of mine.

The mountains of my home state became rolling hills and open valleys as I drove the 20 hours it took to get to school. It was amazing to see the changes in the scenery as I went off to college.

Going to Football Games

I expected the fall to resemble the crisp, dark days of New England after the leaves had fallen and the local football team was on the gridiron. Instead, I found that attending the college games were nothing like anything I had ever experienced. The men wore coat and tie women wore dresses – “Bizzaro World” for a kid from New England who was used to seeing everyone dressed in sweatshirts, jeans, boots, hats and gloves for the games! It was great to go through winter without a single snow flake sticking to the ground! Discovering the trees, plants, and flowers in bloom in March instead of June, was a real treat!

Best of all, spending time away from the community I grew up in, really helped me mature and learn about myself in an environment that did not confine my learning experiences to the boundaries of my youth. My point is that this is the time in a young person’s life to get out, explore, and really push oneself to break free from your comfort zone!

The Worst College Visit Ever!

“I hated that school,” were the first words that came out of my client’s mouth when I enthusiastically asked her about her recent college visit.

As an independent college counselor, I spend a lot of time coaching high school students on how to have a fun and productive experience on a college campus.

Strangely enough, many colleges do all the wrong things to have a student’s visit be a complete turn-off.  Here is what to do to achieve that result:

1. Make sure that there is no human contact when setting up a visit and/or interview.  Have it be all done on-line with no further communication from the college in terms of confirmation, information about where the admissions office is, where to park, and directions on how to find one’s way around the campus.
2. Make sure that there is no welcome when the family arrives at the admissions office.  Have the secretary be too preoccupied to take the time to be gracious. It’s especially effective if the visitors have the impression that they were unexpected.
3. At the orientation session, make sure that the message is, “This is a very prestigious college, and you’ll be lucky to get in.”  Paint a picture of the typical student as the quintessential overachiever who is so perfect that students in attendance are in awe of their own inadequacies.
4. Don’t have any process for selecting tour guides.  Anyone who qualifies for work study will do.  Guides who are especially uninformed about academic programs, activities, and life on campus are perfect.  Guides who are sarcastic, pretentious, or who have no personality or sense of humor are ideal.
5. As prospective students walk around the campus with their parents, have everyone ignore them.  Don’t smile, nod, or even say, “Hello” (gasp!).
6. When touring the dorms, make sure the tour guide doesn’t have a key to the “showcase dorm room.”  Instead have her offer to show the group her room, complete with hung-over boyfriend in her bed.  This actually happened, much to the delight and surprise of the prospective student’s mother.
7. When touring the dorms, have there be beer flowing down the stairs and empties overflowing trash bins on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning.  Hey, a mid-week party breaks up the monotony of studying!
8. Have the campus look tired and uncared for.  Buildings should be showing signs of wear and be unclean. Outdoor clusters of cigarette butts add a special touch.
9. If a student asks to visit a class, be sure it’s one where the professor is boring and the students are apathetic.
10. Let there be no further contact with the student from the college.  There are so many students who are interested, there just isn’t enough time to stay in touch or encourage them to apply.

An article for families of rising high school juniors and seniors.

How to understand financial aid

What to do when you aren’t eligible for Financial Aid?

I just saved $300 on my car insurance!

Well, not really. I haven’t had that euphoric feeling recently, but I know there are some families who have been shouting for joy in recent weeks, due to the fact that they understood the financial aid process at the higher education institutions in the United States, BEFORE their student was applying.

Their excitement doesn’t come from a savings of ”$300″ but rather from a number that could be closer to $100,000!

Yes, you read that right.

Families that have students heading off to college this coming fall, which prepared a GAMEPlan for their college search, are finding success and happiness in knowing that over the next four years, they will have a financially sound ability to continue to live within their financial parameters. A financial plan that they chose for themselves. Not what the schools have imposed upon them.

High School Juniors (soon to be seniors) – Know this… your “base year” for financial aid began five months ago. You are smack in the middle of what the colleges will see when you apply for financial aid in January 2011. Take advantage of this knowledge and prepare yourselves and your families for the inevitable “sticker shock” that will occur when the acceptance letters and financial aid awards start pouring in next spring.

NOW is the time to start planning for YOUR college success plan. It is important to consider the Money Factor, competitiveness of the Admission process, and the Family Priorities when putting together your college search GAME Plan.

Other material to read: Financial Aid 101: How to Get More.

While this article contains some good information on both short and long-term strategies for saving and paying for college, the underlying point that needs to be repeated over and over is that waiting to figure out how to pay for college AFTER your student has been accepted is WAY TOO LATE! Get yourself prepared and educated on the process when your high school student is finishing up sophomore year! By the time your student is a junior, you’re already “IN” the financial aid “base year.” You’ll thank yourself later!

Happy Now We're Through It All

Juniors are in the midst of the college search process, if they are doing it correctly!

Time To Talk About The Sophomores! Freshmen Too!

“If you are prepared, you will be confident, and will do the job.” ~ Tom Landry

Key Success Factors

1. Students who do well on standardized tests do a lot of reading. Read, read, and read some more!
2. If you don’t like to read, refer to # 1
3. Set your test strategy toward the end of sophomore year
4. Take PSAT in sophomore and junior year. Take PLAN at the end of sophomore year
5. Manage your time. Don’t cram for standardized tests
6. Engage yourself in a challenging high school curriculum
7. Establish a high level of classroom performance in Math, Science, Foreign Language, and History
8. Develop your writing skills over time and get constructive feedback on your writing as often as possible
9. Understand what your candidate colleges will require of you
10. Pay attention to the official record you create! Don’t practice by taking the real test. Use diagnostic tests for practicing

Don’t forget also: “A stitch in time saves nine.”

PS – For those who missed it and are still waiting for or struggling with award letters, here’s a helping hand:
Award Letter Evaluation Tool

Where do I go from here?

A story in KJRH, Tulsa, by Leanna Landsmann recounts just such a tale, in which a reader recounts that her daughter “doesn’t want to go to the colleges she applied to for regular decision” – “She has her heart set on her first choice (early decision).”

Ms. Landsmann provides solid information and advice, and we will take it a step further.

Mitigate this situation with a viable college search plan …

Avoid Unnecessary Pain … Keep an Open Mind

Beware of the strategic difference between being single minded versus tough-minded. Everyone admires the latter. Healthy persistence can achieve many worthwhile goals.

But being obsessively single-minded in the college search and selection process all too often results in self inflicted pain.

This usually occurs when parents or students fail to embrace a goal with a range of potentially successful outcomes. They ascribe abnormal value to a single college or university due to the school’s popularity or reputation for academics, athletics etc.

They allow themselves to obsess on the merits of only one institution due to legend, myth or, even, misinformation. Unfortunately early decision policies foster this mindset.

Students believe they will gain an admissions edge by showing a strong desire to attend early in the game. They also see early decision as a way to bring the whole process to an end. It is indeed very tempting.

Admittedly, if counseled, they will prepare additional applications, but they are just “phantom apps”, because in their hearts they have no intention of attending anywhere but their first choice.

Worse yet, competitive reality is usually ignored.

Any analysis of a college’s admission track record is usually unwanted or, at best, only tolerated during the early stages of the college search and application process.

Look beyond reputation

These applicants and, often, their most trusted advisors do not want to hear about potential obstacles.

Many simply want to know what they can do to guarantee the path to their “dream” college.

Some Hard College Admissions Facts

• Competition for admission in the freshman class at selective and highly selective colleges is grossly underestimated
• The opportunity for significant financial assistance from a “dream” college is grossly overestimated
• The radar screen of a student in the top 10% of their high school class and with 1400 on their SATs does not even sense that they could be only at the mid-range of the applicant pool at these schools

Sad but true …

After twenty years counseling families in public and private high schools as well as in an independent practice that has been active in over a dozen states, I can honestly say this set of circumstances is a real bummer…

It’s like a virus!

And the cruelest cut of all might be the assignment to the infamous waitlist.

It prolongs the agony for everyone with statistically little hope of a favorable change of status.

What Can We Do?

Parents, try to inoculate your family from it from the outset. Recognize that we are blessed in the United States with hundreds if not thousands of excellent post secondary colleges and universities, any one of which can provide a challenging and wholesome educational experience.

Some have even had the good fortune to rise to the surface in popular magazine rankings!

However with that popularity have come tens of thousands of applicants from the USA and all over the world with outrageously competitive credentials. Admissions personnel have an extremely tough set of decisions to make and some very capable students will be denied.

Some College Planning Elements To Help

• Parents, get involved in the college search process early (no later than Sophomore year)
• Approach this as a family team, with parents as coaches and cheerleaders
• Build your college search campaign with a solid foundation
• Assess your student’s competitive position with a thorough look at the available stats for your candidate colleges. This includes:

1. The number of applications
2. The percent of applicants admitted
3. The 25th percentile test scores and high school GPAs of last year’s admitted class tells a lot … not everything, but a lot
4. Include your top choice in your final list but find 4-6 quality alternatives that you evaluate and determine are a good fit
5. Then visit, apply and embrace them if the need occurs

In other sections of this blog, we explain how the college admissions process is largely data driven, certainly from the perspective of the colleges. We encourage students and their families to adopt a similar attitude, while understanding the high levels of emotions that are in play.

We cannot guarantee an emotion/stress free experience with the above approach, but it will give you a strong opportunity to avoid the heartache of the student in Ms. Landsmann’s story.

Fear Of FAFSA?

It is ironic that people who write (and sell) books related to college search and student financial aid, often advise their readers to “go it alone” and that they do not have to pay for counseling in this area.

“Don’t listen to their words; fix your attention on their deeds.” ~ Albert Einstein

Well, in fact, they are correct. Nobody has to engage a professional college counselor, just as they can prepare their own taxes or manage their own investment portfolio. Obviously, as professional counselors, we believe that families gain enormously from working with a qualified independent college counselor.

In a recent blog exchange, we agreed with a poster who argued the merits that “not everyone has the interest, time, or knowledge to prepare the some 130 asset, income, and dependency questions on the FAFSA”.

In the same exchange, we pointed out that “Even doing one’s homework cannot always prevent mistakes”* and that parents should at least do some homework on how the aid formulas work before attempting to complete the FAFSA, to say nothing of the CSS Profile.

Financial Aid – It’s Not An Easy Process

Let’s be clear, the FAFSA is, in many ways, a daunting document, and completing it and other financial aid documents can fill the most hardy soul with dread.

Confusion and nervousness can become even more acute when the CSS Profile and Institutional Methodology come into play, or when the situation involves divorced and separated parents, or a small business owner.

It must be stated that much of the stress relating to the FAFSA stems from the fact that most families don’t plan the financial aspects of college in a timely manner, and have little or no idea of their Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and financial aid entitlement before they actually fill out the forms.

However, these forms represent only one element in the overall process of college search, admissions and financial aid, and should not be viewed with such trepidation, as long as solid planning has been put in place.

FAFSA Stress – How Do You Find Relief?

“Good plans shape good decisions. That’s why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.” ~ Lester Robert Bittel

It may well suit many families to have their FAFSA prepared by a qualified and reputable preparer (just as they do with tax returns). But this does not alleviate the tension of submitting these forms and then waiting to see how much the system is going to impose upon them for their Expected Family Contribution.

A well known financial planning group published a calendar of things to do in 2010. On January 1st. parents of college bound high school seniors were told to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible (and we echo that recommendation).

Yet nowhere was there a recommendation for parents of Juniors and Sophomores to begin to get their financial plan together to optimize their students’ college search process. As financial planners, surely they should be making a clarion call to these parents to get their financial house in order with regard to college funding (see the graphic below).

Quite simply, parents can avoid much unnecessary stress and the uncertainty of financial aid forms by simply understanding the concept of the “base year”, and using a free EFC calculator tool to estimate their Expected Family Contribution (for both Federal and Institutional formulas).

This allows at least one element of a solid college funding plan to be put in place well ahead of any forms having to be completed.

This does not resolve all the issues facing the family, but it will certainly relieve some of the tension.

A Simple Image To Show The FAFSA Base Year (Class of 2011)

Base Year For FAFSA Information

There are several ways for a family to maximize the amount of financial aid, or to avoid being “over taxed”. Since the information to be submitted in the FAFSA and institutional forms is based largely on tax data, the ideal time to put these measures in place is before December 31st. of the Sophomore going into Junior year. Note also that by getting your “ducks in a row by October 31st. you have two months to correct any errors and omissions.

Adjustments during the Junior year may be limited, and by the time it gets to January 1st. of the high school Senior year, there is no time left to plan, and this is when parents acquire that “deer in the headlights” look.

*Note:

On page 27 of The College Solution (which is an excellent piece of work in general terms) there is erroneous information about the impact of 529 savings plans on college financial aid.

While it is true that these accounts are treated as parent assets on the FAFSA for dependent students, the same cannot be said for the CSS Profile. The instructions clearly state, in fact, that 529 savings plans originating with UGMA/UTMA funds are to be reported as student assets.

A parent following this lead would be confused at best having read this part of the book in addition to the instructions for the CSS Profile.

“If it weren’t for the last minute, I wouldn’t get anything done.”
~Author Unknown

The admissions applications are submitted! Now what? Wait until April 1st. to see if you were accepted?

Not quite. The second round of applications (for Student Financial Aid) begins now. And now is the time to submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The (In)Famous FAFSA

Typically, families are scrambling to gather their financial data for the 2009 tax year so that they can prepare the FAFSA for submission. While many of us would like to forget about the financial ups and downs of the last few years, colleges and universities are ready to use that information to the fullest extent of the law!

The FAFSA form for the 2010-2011 school year is now available online. It is with this form that students apply for need-based financial aid each and every year they plan to attend. Yes, EACH AND EVERY YEAR!

Procrastination Can Hurt You

“Procrastination is, hands down, our favorite form of self-sabotage.”
~Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby

I used to work in the financial aid office of a private university several years ago, and I cannot tell you how many shell shocked students I saw in the month of March, each and every year.

Why? They had simply forgotten to get their financial aid renewal forms in on time and then had to face some daunting money issues for the upcoming school year.

Many families end up waiting to file their financial aid applications forms until after their taxes are done.

Do Not Wait – Be An Early Bird!

In my experience, it is more important to get the forms (new or renewal) in on time, than to have them be filled out with completed tax information.

It is better to estimate the financial information based on the previous tax year (2008 in this case) and get the forms in on time, than it is to get all of the (2009) numbers verified before putting them on the forms.

Be Aware Of Your College’s Requirements

Also check with the schools you have applied to (or are enrolled at since the Financial Aid deadlines for new and returning students are usually different) to validate the deadlines and number and types of forms you need to file for consideration for financial aid.

Every school asks for the FAFSA (federal form required by all colleges) and several will ask that you file the CSS Profile (institutional form required by some colleges). Certain schools may even ask that their own institutional financial aid forms be completed.

The simple message is: Get your forms in ON TIME! Don’t be guilty of procrastination, or …

“A year from now you may wish you had started today.”
~Karen Lamb

Icebergs — Just giant floating chunks of ice, right?

Well, maybe not.

As with many things, there is much more to them than meets the eye.

As it turns out, icebergs have a lot more going on than most of us know about (and a lot more in common with the college admissions process than you would think) …

Most of an iceberg’s bulk lies unseen beneath the surface of the ocean, what you see is not all there is (I suppose most people know this).

The higher an iceberg rises above the ocean surface, the more visible it is, and the deeper its base projects into the water.

The unseen portion of an iceberg will be three to nine times the iceberg’s height above the water line.

It might look like nothing’s happening, but these seemingly sterile ice slabs also harbor their own complex ecosystems.

Icebergs are rather ominous, as the history of an “unsinkable” ocean liner can attest — they dot high-latitude oceans like mines.

They are very difficult and time consuming to study — in fact, it can be hard just getting to one.

Scientists explore on top of, inside and underneath icebergs to find out how they work, what lives in them and what makes them so dangerous.

All in all, a pretty hostile environment. (Those of you who have been through the college admissions process know where I’m going with this, I’m sure.)

Oh! And one other thing you should know about icebergs before we compare them to that experience …

Sometimes, they explode!

Let’s draw some parallels between that big old iceberg and The College Admissions Process

The college admissions ritual involves over two million students and their families each and every year.

What should parents and students know about this process before they begin?

As it turns out, plenty. But most have, at best, a superficial view – Just like the tip of the iceberg.

Most of what you need to know is not readily evident. Of course, there is lots and lots of “information” just about every place you look. But the bulk of what you need to know is not on the surface.

In fact, just knowing precisely what you need to know is a daunting task. Where is that list archived? And what you don’t know, or cannot see, can be as destructive as the hidden part of the iceberg when hit by a vessel.

The college admissions process is an all-consuming event for most students. It should rise high above the other extra-curricular events in the life of a high school junior (or senior) taking prominent place among competing priorities.

Yet most students and parents delay starting this process until the last possible moment thus inviting a brush with disaster.

Identifying the right candidate schools takes a lot longer to complete than most parents and students might think!

Like an iceberg, the college admissions process (and each individual college for that matter) has its own very complicated ecosystem (by definition, an ecosystem is a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment).

Do you understand the interactions of this “community of organisms” in the college admissions process? Do you know how to identify the organisms?

The college admissions process will not only seem ominous, it will become ominous to those who don’t understand what’s below the surface. There are many mines and pitfalls along the way.

The process is time consuming. Like a scientific exploration, most folks need to allow at least 18-24 months to study the process, understand how it works, account for all the variables and develop an action plan.

Yes, it calls for a more scientific approach than you appreciate. Like the scientists who venture into the cold and inhospitable environment of the iceberg, you will need to take a deep breath and be prepared to work hard and investigate in great detail so that you can hope to have all your bases covered.

If you don’t …

There is a good chance that something will go “boom!” during the process.