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.