MAKING AN IMPRESSION: NAVIGATING COLLEGE FAIRS AND COLLEGE TOURS (Part 1)

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GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THE COLLEGE VISIT AND TOUR

Whether you are just beginning to research colleges or you’ve narrowed your list down to a few, visiting the campus is possibly the most important step in actually choosing your college.  The visit will allow you to see for yourself whether or not the college is a good fit for you.  The photographs you see and the information you read in brochures and on the Internet are useful to an extent.  The visit is crucial as you consider which school will become your home for several years.

One economical way to visit a variety of campuses is to check out nearby schools during family vacations.  Even if the institutions in the area are not at the top of your list, it is an opportunity to experience a school in terms of its location, size, and overall “feel”.  There are many benefits to setting up a formal tour. Perhaps the most important is to have your “demonstrated interest” recorded with the institution.  Admission officers pay close attention to, and track how students are engaging with the school prior to submitting an application for admission.  And coming out to tour the school is one of the methods for demonstrating interest.

  • Plan your visit(s) well in advance, especially if you intend to complete a tour of several colleges during the spring of your junior year or during the summer prior to your senior year.
    • Visit no more than two schools per day! If you visit multiple colleges during a tour, you will become tired and increase your chances of arriving late to your next appointment.  Plan your tour accordingly.  Ask colleges for advice on travel times, ease of schedule, etc.
  • Contact each college at least two weeks in advance. Difficulty in scheduling one visit could affect your visit to others.

Regardless of when you visit, you should plan to:

  • Arrive on time (If you will be late or need to postpone your visit, call ahead of time as a courtesy)
  • Dress appropriately. Remember that first impressions DO matter!
  • Bring your parents/guardians. Campus tours with friends can also be a good way to get different perspectives of a school.
  • Tour the campus. Guided tours are effective.
  • Speak with an admission representative and/or attend a group information session if available
  • Interact with current students, even working some free time into your schedule to wander around and talk to students who do not work for the admission office
  • Attend a class, if available. Talk with a professor and/or coach
  • See a residence hall and/or student room and eat a meal in a dining hall
  • Collect business cards of the representative you meet with. Also get contact information for students with whom you speak if they are open to being contacted with questions you may have in the future.

After the visit, you should:

  • Make notes of your thoughts, while they are still fresh in your mind and consider having your parents do the same (These will come in handy in the future)
  • Send thank you notes to those with whom you had appointments
  • Contact the people you met if questions arise after the visit

When visiting a college campus you should be prepared to ask questions concerning the things that interest you most.  Don’t be intimidated by a large tour group!  Remember, if you have a question, someone else on the tour is probably wondering the same thing.  Happy touring!

Antoinette Battiste is an Independent Educational Consultant and resident of Evergreen.   She is the founder of Educational Pathways with Antoinette Battiste, a consulting practice that provides college planning and counseling services to high school students and their parents. We focus on the individual needs and talents of students and guide them to find the best match for a great college experience.  For more information about upcoming workshops, available services and additional college planning resources, go to www.antoinettebattiste.com

MAKING AN IMPRESSION: NAVIGATING COLLEGE FAIRS AND COLLEGE TOURS (Part 1)

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There are upwards of 4,000 colleges and universities across the country. This begs the question:  How will I choose one to attend?  How can I learn enough about the different schools so that I can make an informed decision?  An important part of the college search and application process involves researching colleges.  We know that it’s cost-prohibitive to zig zag across the country, trying to visit them all, so there has to be an alternative plan.  Two great opportunities for students to learn about various institutions are College Fairs and College Tours.  This month I’ll focus on College Fairs.

College fairs take place throughout the year, vary in size and location, and may be open to all students or targeted for special groups of students, such as visual and performing arts students.  The goal for the institutions is to make available to students information about the campus, admission process, financial aid, student life, etc., and collect names of students who showed interest by visiting their tables.  For students attending, the goal should be to seek out those schools that are of interest, gather information and make a brief, personal connection with the individual representing the university.  Three great sources for information about upcoming college fairs are:  National Association for College Admission Counseling (www.nacacnet.org), Western Association for College Admission Counseling (www.wacac.org) and Regional Admission Counselors of California (www.regionaladmissions.com).

Have you ever walked into a large gym, filled with tables, college banners and tons of students, feeling totally overwhelmed and wondering where to begin?  Here are a few tips to help you navigate the fair.

  • Bring your list of schools, along with a pen, paper and a bag to hold college brochures.
  • Have an email address ready that you will use for all college application correspondence.
  • Get a map of the fair and plan a route that will take you to the booths of all the colleges on your list. If there is no map available, do a quick survey of the room to locate your targeted colleges.
  • Visit booths and ask college representatives questions (more about this later).
  • Remember to complete student information cards if requested – this is one way that colleges track “demonstrated interest.”
  • Take a minute to jot down any information you think is important before moving on to the next booth.

After the fair…

  • Ask yourself which colleges stood out and why.
  • Organize the college material you collected and review it that week while it’s fresh in your mind.
  • Go over any notes you took during the fair.
  • Rank the schools based on the information you received during the fair and any subsequent research.

Be thoughtful as you formulate questions to ask the college representatives.  You should be prepared to ask 2-3 questions per school, but recognize that all of your questions may not get answered.  You should ask about topics and school characteristics that resonate most with you.   Remember that this exchange is to show your interest in the school and for you to get an initial feel for the environment and culture of the institution.  And one final tip…dress appropriately and take this opportunity to interact with college representatives seriously.  Remember that first impressions DO matter!

Antoinette Battiste is an Independent Educational Consultant and resident of Evergreen.   She is the founder of Educational Pathways with Antoinette Battiste, a consulting practice that provides college planning and counseling services to high school students and their parents. We focus on the individual needs and talents of students and guide them to find the best match for a great college experience.  For more information about upcoming workshops, available services and additional college planning resources, go to www.antoinettebattiste.com, email adviser@antoinettebattiste.com or call (408) 270-1930.

BUILDING A SOLID FOUNDATION – THE MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS

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Is middle school too early to begin planning for college?  That is a question I frequently hear from parents.  My response to them is pretty simple:  a solid foundation is easier to build upon in high school.  Certain activities undertaken in middle school definitely set the stage for high school success.  There are a few key areas in which parents can help support their students during the middle school years.

Forming good study habits early on will serve students well not only as the move on to high school, but also as they matriculate through college. Good homework habits include being organized, prioritizing homework by importance and deadlines, balancing homework with chores, athletics and family commitments, and completing all assignments.  Parents should have a plan for checking in regularly about their child’s schoolwork via the school’s online system (for example School Loop), monitoring homework folders, and scheduling parent-teacher conferences. Early identification of academic challenges and enlisting appropriate support is important. Setting academic and personal goals for the year helps students to have a point of focus, and makes it easier to manage progress along the way; achieving goals is a great motivator!  Develop an understanding of how test scores from school-wide standardized tests are used, especially the role scores play in placement for high school classes. Encourage students to explore and get involved in extracurricular activities including school clubs as well as community and civic organizations.  Let students see what it feels like to be on a college campus by visiting schools in your area or as an activity during family vacations to other cities or states.  Sometimes just being on a campus may get your child thinking about and interested in college.

An often overlooked area for parents to support their middle school students relates to managing stress.  According to a recent survey by the American Psychological Association, 43% of 13- to 14-year olds say they feel stressed every single day; and by ages 15 to 17, the number rises to 59% (American Psychological Association, Stress in America Findings, 2010).  Parents can help their children with stress management by monitoring their health, behavior, thoughts, or feelings; watching for overload; and learning and modeling stress management skills yourself.

Check out College Board’s Big Future website for more tips (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org). Remember that the habits we help our children form will last a lifetime, shaping their success in school, at work, and in the community.  The more a child achieves, the more he/she will want to achieve.

Antoinette Battiste is an Independent Educational Consultant and resident of Evergreen.   She is the founder of Educational Pathways with Antoinette Battiste, a consulting practice that provides college planning and counseling services to high school students and their parents. We focus on the individual needs and talents of students and guide them to find the best match for a great college experience.  For more information about upcoming workshops, available services and additional college planning resources, go to www.antoinettebattiste.com, email adviser@antoinettebattiste.com or call (408) 270-1930

 

THE COLLEGE APPLICATION SEASON IS OPEN – WHAT’S A PARENT TO DO?

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I was always an involved parent – PTA, soccer mom, band mom – so I write this article from the viewpoint of my own struggle of balance.  The old adage “do what I say, not what I did,” is pretty appropriate.  Parents put on your dancing shoes and get ready to “cha-cha” along this journey as your child prepares and submits college applications.

One of the most important ways you can support your children through the process is to know what they need to know – both the big picture and the details.  Encourage your child to meet with his/her school counselor upon returning to school for senior year; the counselor plays an important role in completing and submitting information to colleges on the student’s behalf.

Help your child get organized, as the application process involves managing lots of information, requirements and deadlines for each of the institutions to which applications are submitted. Offer suggestions on good practices for organizing and labeling to alleviate frustration at not being able to locate important documents when needed.

Remember that the college application process is indeed a family affair, however, one driven and owned by the student! Make sure your child feels he/she has the “starring role” and be mindful not to make the process about you.  Be realistic, but supportive, about your child’s college choices – this will help to alleviate stress.  Identify restrictions (financial or geographic, for example) early in the process, which will keep your child from potentially becoming attached to a school that cannot even be considered.  This is a great time to hone your listening skills – let your child talk about his/her strengths or unique talents, or why certain schools are on their college list. Ask meaningful questions and let your child provide the answers; reflect back to them what you hear them saying.

The college admission process can be stressful and strained relations between parents and their children can occur.  This is common and often painful, but you will get through this process together.  Offer your college-bound child plenty of encouragement, a listening ear and gentle guidance.  When you see stress building – especially around critical application deadlines, test dates or school exams – ask what you can do to help. While the offer may be met with immediate resistance, your child will appreciate the offer of help in the long run. Let your child know – by words and actions – that you are in their corner and have faith in their ability to navigate the process and make a sound decision about their college choice.  Most importantly, remind your children that you are their biggest cheerleader and most loyal fan!  Good luck!

Antoinette Battiste is an Independent Educational Consultant and resident of Evergreen.   She is the founder of Educational Pathways with Antoinette Battiste, a consulting practice that provides college planning and counseling services to high school students and their parents. We focus on the individual needs and talents of students and guide them to find the best match for a great college experience.  For more information about upcoming workshops, available services and additional college planning resources, go to www.antoinettebattiste.com, email adviser@antoinettebattiste.com or call (408) 270-1930