BE CONFIDENT, BE YOU – AUTHENTICITY IN THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS!

/in , , /by

“Be true to yourself.” “It doesn’t matter where you go.” “Find the college/university that is the best fit for you.”  These phrases are like guide posts in the world of college admissions – at least in my little corner of it.  Yet, students are bombarded with messages like “You need at least 10 AP courses to be competitive,” “It takes a 1600 on the SAT to be accepted to Highly Selective University,” “You’ll never be admitted to Selective College if you haven’t launched your own company.”  And that line of messaging continues.  As I reflect on the college admission scandal dominating the evening news and social media, the work I do with students on a one-to-one basis, and the many students I advise in workshop settings, I feel compelled to share a few thoughts.

Did you know that the average acceptance rate for all four-year colleges in the US is approximately 66% (~2/3 of applicants) according to a 2017 report from the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC)? But we don’t hear much about those schools because the emphasis is typically on a small number of ‘elite’ institutions with single-digit or less than 20 percent admit rates. A broad brush is painted over schools with a higher admit rate, and without a deeper dive, we are led to believe that such schools are inferior. As the stress levels for students, parents and counselors continues to climb during the college application and admission process, unfortunately some are compelled to engage in unethical actions.

I prefer to challenge students and parents to think differently and I choose messages to help families broaden their own thinking about this process.  Here are a few examples:

  • With 3,000+ post-secondary institutions, there is a college right for you/your child
  • Be open-minded about exploring colleges/universities
  • Don’t limit yourself (and your options!) by focusing only on “name brand” schools
  • Know yourself and the “gifts” you would bring to a college community
  • Work hard, do your best and know that you still may not be admitted to your first choice school
  • Keep your college list manageable: 12-14 schools is reasonable; 20+ is excessive
  • Be your authentic self throughout this process; stop trying to second-guess admissions officers

March and April tend to be agonizing for seniors, awaiting college admission decisions. And yes, many of them will receive unfavorable results. I recently shared the following words of encouragement to all of my seniors, and I include them here, as they can never be said too often:

“PLEASE DO NOT INTERNALIZE THESE ADMISSION DECISIONS AS A REFLECTION OF YOUR SELF-WORTH. Each one of you are smart and talented young adults, with many gifts to share.  Do not allow these admission decisions to define you to be anything or anyone less.”

I have never been more proud to hold memberships in 5 professional organizations that enforce adherence to a code of ethics, and require ongoing training and professional development:

  • Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA)
  • Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA)
  • National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC)
  • Western Association for College Admissions Counseling (WACAC)
  • Southern Association for College Admissions Counseling (SACAC)

All of these organizations have a wealth of information and resources for families navigating the college admission process and even resources to support middle school students.

And on that note, I close with a simple reminder that The Journey Begins with You…!  Good luck!

Antoinette Battiste is an Independent Educational Consultant and 20+ year resident of Evergreen.   She is an active volunteer with many community organizations in Silicon Valley, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Santa Clara County Alliance of Black Educators (SCCABE), Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce, the African American Community Services Agency (AACSA), and the Northern California Association of Morehouse Parents (NCAMP).

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

/in , /by

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)

/in , /by

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.

Attending College Out of State – Without Breaking the Bank!

/in /by

ATTENDING COLLEGE OUT OF STATE – WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK!

Are you interested in attending a university outside of California but are concerned with the out-of-state tuition cost? Do you know what the University of Arizona, Washington State University, University of New Mexico, University of Nevada Reno and Washington State University have in common?  These are just a few of the more than 150 four- and two-year institutions that are members of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE).  The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is one of the program initiatives of WICHE that focuses on 15 western states.  Students who are residents of WICHE states are eligible to request a reduced tuition rate of 1.5 times the rate of resident tuition at participating two- and four-year college programs outside of their home state.  WICHE members include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Here’s an example of how it works at the University of New Mexico…Students with a 3.0 GPA and SAT score (CR+M) of 910 or ACT score of 19 are eligible for a WUE scholarship valued at approximately $12,800.  Students with a 3.0 GPA and SAT Score of 1030 or ACT score of 22 are eligible for the WUE Plus scholarship valued at approximately $16,128.  In 2013-14, WUE and WUE Plus scholarship recipients paid annual tuition of only $7,888 and $4,550, respectively!  WUE scholarships are renewable for four years provided the student meets the stated requirements.

As you can see, WUE is a great option for students who desire to attend college outside of California but are afraid of the out of state tuition sticker shock. In some cases the overall cost can be lower than attending a UC or CSU institution! Application requirements, deadlines and program exclusions vary by institutional members of WUE.  For more detailed information about WUE and WICHE, go to http://www.wiche.edu/info/publications/wueHandout.pdf.

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.