Six Years of Degree Separation

June 2, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Adult and/or Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , , 1 Comment

Trying to find a way to make college more affordable?  Looking for every angle, every left-handed scholarship for Lithuanians, every nickel under every cushion?  Is your spouse ready to channel William Shatner in a Priceline commercial when you meet your financial aid officer?

Well, I’ve added a little story as part of my recent college planning workshops that may be of interest to you.

It’s all about our dear friends – Ashley, Brad, Caitlin and Justin.  They finally go off to college and – lo and behold – they attend the same college, receive identical financial aid packages, obtain the same job after graduation AND hold the same part-time job until they find professional employment.

Uh, so what’s so interesting about that?  How are you saving me any money?  Aren’t they all, then, paying the same amount of tuition and earning the same amount of money?

Ah- ha!  (I might shout, if I shouted such things…)

Here are the rules:

  • We are going to look at where Ashley, Brad, Caitlin and Justin are after 6 years by subtracting tuition costs and adding salary.
  • They each receive the same financial aid package and are left with a $20,000 annual bill (Fall and Spring).
  • The College raises tuition by a standard 5% each year.
  • The local community college costs $100 per credit (with the same 5% rate of increase).
  • The wage at the local ice cream parlor is $10 an hour. (They all work there after graduation)
  • The entry level salary in their profession is $30,000, with an annual increase of 2%.
  • It takes 6 months, after graduation, to find a job within the profession.

ASHLEY: Takes the “standard” track.  4 years, 15 credits a semester.  Finds the professional job after 6 months and works there for the last 1 1/2 years of this study.  Tuition: -$86202.  Salary: $55,700.  NET: -$30,502

BRAD: Also full-time, but takes only 12 credits a semester.  5 years to graduate.  Only 1/2 year in a professional position.  Tuition: -$110512.  Salary: $25,4000.  NET: -$85,112.

CAITLIN: 1st year in school is a disaster.  Takes a year off to re-group and dish out ice cream.  Comes back the following year, but because of failures and a change in major needs 150 credits (and 5 full academic years) to graduate.  Therefore, does not start her professional job search until after the 6 year survey period.  Tuition: -$115487.  Salary: $20,800.  NET: -$94,237.

JUSTIN: Justin goes full time (15 credits per semester), but takes 1 extra credit each year.  He also takes 9 credits in the summer and “wintersession” at the local community college.  He finishes in 3 years, works at Do Me a Flavor for 6 months and is working in the profession for the last 2 1/2 years of the study.  Tuition: -$65,887.  Salary: $86,606.  NET: +$20,719. 

 Same tuition.  Same salary.  Same job opportunities.  And the difference – over 6 years – between Justin and Caitlin is well over $100,000. 

While my husband – Mr. Shatner over there – negotiates an extra $500 in our Citizenship Grant.

Right.  

Now, it may not surprise you that – when I finish telling this little story – parents tend to really, really, really want their kid to grow up to be Justin.  But I have to caution them – and you.  If your “Justin” isn’t able to handle the commitment of year round education, he could easily fall right past Ashley and directly into Caitlin’s territory.   There is no magic answer.  Not everyone is Justin, nor should they be.

I would, however, suggest 2 very powerful “takeaways” from this little exercise.  First, how you do in college – what courses you get and what grades you receive – matters in so many ways, but one of those ways is financial.  And it can matter in a BIG (i.e. – $100,000) way.  Second, there are multiple ways to reduce costs in college AND – maybe just as importantly – there are multiple ways to ADD costs rather easily.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.  Please feel free to email me at info@cc4therestofus.com, call or text me at 908-403-3819, join me on Facebook on “College Counseling for the Rest of Us” and join me on Twitter at @MichaelCCR.

Summer Fun, Some are Not

May 18, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , 2 Comments

Dear High School Juniors:

What are you planning to do this summer?

If you ever wanted to strengthen your college applications by volunteering for Habitat for Humanity or doing a sandwich run for a shelter or volunteering at a position related to your career aspirations or visiting every Major League stadium in the country, do you realize how many summers you have left to do it?

One.  This one.

If you ever wanted to participate in American Legion ball and/or a Summer Travel team, become a lifeguard, learn CPR or shadow a CPA and, thereby, show your college suitors why you would make a great athlete, Allied Health major or Accounting student, do you know how many summers you have left before you start filling out college applications, gathering recommendation letters and preparing personal essays?

That’s right.  One.  This one.

And if you’ve already done one (or some) of these things, do you want to stop now and leave those same admissions counselors wondering, “How come Brad didn’t continue with that?  Why did Caitlin stop right before she became a black belt?  Maybe they aren’t good at completing tasks.  Hmmm.”

Some of you may be very familiar with utilizing your summers to advance your admissions credentials or further your professional interests.  Others may be more familiar with using summer to improve your results on Call of Duty or Beach Frisbee.  Whichever best describes you, this is your summer of admissions.

But Call of Duty and Beach Frisbee are my professional interests…

I have a feeling your Mom disagrees, Justin. 

But, Mr. Szarek, aren’t my grades and my High School curriculum more important to those admissions folks?

Ah, you listen well,  Ashley.

Courses taken and grades received certainly carry the heaviest load in the College Admissions process.  But, for the most part, July and August are an opportunity to influence other parts of the application process.  Here are some thoughts, tips and ideas for a future college applicant to make the most of his or her summer months:

1) Volunteer.  At least once.  You won’t regret it.

2) Work.  For the experience, for something to put on your resume and for the money.  You’ll need more of all of these things real soon.

3) Take a summer course at a local community college.  Saves $ and gives you a taste of college.

4) Take good notes when you travel.  Those may become the outline of a great personal statement.

5) Read a great book that you always wanted to read.  Personal Statement fodder and just a great thing to do.

6) Think about which adults really know you, like you AND respect you.  You are about to ask a couple of them to write about you.

7) Look at a “These Words Appear Most on the SATs“ or “Key Tips to SAT Success” article.  Once.  Maybe twice.

8) Ask yourself, what DO I want to be when I grow up?  Write the answer down and date it.  Don’t worry too much if the answer has plenty of commas or plenty of white space.

9) Look at your Senior year list of courses.  Are they the courses to best help you achieve your goals?  If not, what is the high school’s process to make changes during the summer or during the first week of classes?

10) Write down your top five schools.  (Six, four, eight or ten are also acceptable totals.  27 is NOT.)  Check off which ones you’ve visited and highlight the rest.

11) Don’t forget to enjoy the summer, at least part of the time.  It is a time to re-energize your academic batteries; make sure you do so.

And, now, for your listening pleasure, I give you a choice: Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong – Summertime.  Or, if you prefer:  Kid Rock doing All Summer Long.  Enjoy.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.  Please feel free to email me at info@cc4therestofus.com, call or text me at 908-403-3819, join me on Facebook on “College Counseling for the Rest of Us” and join me on Twitter at @MichaelCCR.

Sophomore, Soph o Less.

May 12, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Adult and/or Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , 6 Comments

I have a College Admissions laboratory at my house.

It’s called “having twins who are sophomores in high school and took the PSATs last Fall and one who filled out a NRCCUA Survey although he has no memory of it and swears it never happened”.

Since October, the lab has received hundreds of mailings addressed to each of these individuals.  I believe the statistics are such:

February 1995-October 2010: 197 pieces of mail – mostly birthday and Christmas cards.

October 2010-Present: 219 pieces of mail from various colleges across this fine nation (and 1 or 2 abroad).

And it’s (almost) all a complete waste. 

I don’t mean in the environmental sense; we can recycle the materials.  But, in the “they don’t even open them, assume Dad will take care of it, don’t even know why they’re getting them or what the people sending them want them to do about it” sense.

The boys also get emails, which they ignore with almost equal vigor.  I don’t believe they’ve had any contact via social media.  Yet.

We are seeing two trends that have emerged in the last decade come together in a gloriously imperfect storm.  First, colleges are trying to reach students earlier and earlier and (correctly) believe that students are, equally, looking at colleges earlier and earlier.  Second, we are at a point in time when communication is in flux.

As for the first issue, students are looking earlier.  But almost all of that looking is via online surfing.  And they are generally casual window shoppers.  They are unsure about the entire college process and a headline on a mailing piece will rarely change that.

As for the second issue, we are in a world that offers phone, email, text, Twitter DMs, Facebook messages, blog comments, Online Gaming Messaging and even snail mail as legitimate modes of communication.  Never have there been more options and less certainty on how to talk to someone.

I don’t really know what the “right” answer is.  However, I do have a few thoughts on how the process might work better.  I encourage other parents and counselors who read this to chime in with own advice and thoughts..

1) Have a Call to Action.  What do you want Ashley or Brad to DO about this mailing you sent them.  However…

2) Do not assume they are getting excited over receiving a free shirt if they enter a code into a website you are directing them to.  Too much work for something they really aren’t as excited about as you are.  I’m talking about Open Houses, presentations in or near their hometown, tickets to a sporting event, scholarship applications.

3) If you are going to reach out to sophomores, think about how to entice the parents.  They are more likely to opening the envelopes, anyway.

4) Compile much data.  Do much thinking.  You are spending a boatload of money to do this.  Is it worth it?  I don’t know.  One sophomore who locks in to a college and goes on to attend and graduate may contribute over $100,000 of income to an institution directly and much more, indirectly, if Justin or Caitlin really likes his or her experience.  So, you can afford a lot of strikeouts.   A LOT of strikeouts.  But, in today’s world, are you hitting ANY home runs with snail mail?  Again, IDK.

4) Email is not dead.  But be aware that it is often used more like texting than snail mail and act accordingly.

5) Use Social Media.  Sophomores can friend, fan, like, comment, connect and view in relative obscurity.  The better question is how to get them to your sites.  The even better question is who is going to be the first college to nail it just right – I don’t think we’ve seen the first truly viral college campaign.  Yet.

6) Don’t do any of this just because you have done it before.  As I said, my sons have received several hundred pieces of mail in the last 7 months.  They’ve opened about 5 envelopes.  Maybe it’s worth it, but I would think long and hard about why you’re doing this campaign and what mode of communication would best meet your goals.  If it is money that can be moved to scholarships or new academic facilities, or improvements to the Student Center, that wouldn’t be so bad for recruitment, now, would it?

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.  Please feel free to email me at info@cc4therestofus.com, call or text me at 908-403-3819, join me on Facebook on “College Counseling for the Rest of Us” and join me on Twitter at @MichaelCCR.

A Course is A Course, Of Course, Of Course

May 4, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Adult and/or Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , 4 Comments

We’ve talked about SATs (“Those Three Letters That Start With S”), Extra-Curricular Activities (“The Social Network”), Personal Statements (“The Art of Candy Stripping and the Trumpet Player on the Moon”) and Interviews (“Interviewing 101”).

But I don’t think that we’ve discussed, yet, the most important part of the application folder.

Uh….yes, you did – Those Three Little Letters….)

Brad, tell your Mom there is something far more important to most admission counselors than the test you took on one, two (or three) Saturday mornings.

OK, but she doesn’t believe you.

There is no better indicator, no more comprehensive piece of information, no more telling tale of a student than the high school transcript.

It tells me the courses taken, the grades received, the school attended.  It shows me trends and gaps.  It reveals questions and concerns.  It puts the dreaded SAT in some type of context, as well as coupling with the extra-curricular activities to reveal the student’s time management skills. 

The high school transcript lets me know what kind of student your high school thinks you are.  Did they offer you the chance to take AP and honors courses?  What kind of courses did you take – it was your counselor and teachers who suggested them, to begin with.  The letters of recommendation only verify or contradict the information that the transcript has already provided.  Everything else in the admission folder is put into context around that transcript.

So, in true blog form, it’s probably worth providing some key bullet points to help you better understand the transcript, its role in college admissions and what you and your child can (and cannot) do to present Ashley or Justin’s best side.

Here we go:

1) What you did at 14 and 15 matters.  More than anything else, this is the part of the admission puzzle you are creating before you know you are creating it.

2) But the more recent grades matter more.  We are getting you at 18, not 14.

3) Colleges do look – very much so – at curriculum.  A 3.2 in AP and honors courses trumps a 4.0 in Basket Weaving.  (Unless you are going to major in Basket Weaving in College).

4) But, please note that a 1.7 in AP and Honors courses does not  help you.  Generally, take the hardest course in which you can do well.  I realize determining that is not always easy.

5) Admissions folks generally recalculate your GPA based on their system and based on your “core” courses in English, Math, Social Studies, Science and Foreign Languages.   I know few schools, if any, that look at an A in Driver’s Ed and a C in English and come up with a “B” overall.

6) If a high school has a 4.0 scale and their top 10 percent is averaging 4.5, we are not amused.  Those type of “110 percent” rating scales are for the families, and for Class Ranking purposes, NOT for the admission counselors.

7) As noted, the asterisk to #6 is Class Rank.  If we use class rank in our calculation, we use the high school’s ranking.  But it may not outweigh our own GPA and curriculum evaluations.

8) The newest trend in admissions – self-reported transcripts.  No kidding.   Link here (video).

9) If Ashley can handle it, be aware that AP courses and college-level courses offered through your high school, can save you $$$ in the overall scheme  of things.  They will cost much less than the cost of the typical college credit.  But don’t forget the “if Ashley can handle it” part of the statement.

10) Help Caitlin and Justin, as appropriate, in course selection each Spring.  The difference between AP Physics and Physics for Beginners is FAR greater than the difference between a B and C.  Again, curriculum matters.

11) And remind Brad that all he can control is to do his best.  And give 100 percent, not 110 percent – unless Math is not one of his strong suits.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.  Please feel free to email me at info@cc4therestofus.com, call or text me at 908-403-3819, join me on Facebook on “College Counseling for the Rest of Us” and join me on Twitter at @MichaelCCR.

Fit, Not Reach 2: Saving You Time, Money and Sanity

April 27, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Adult and/or Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , Leave a comment

IT’S A WORKSHOP WEEK, SO WE’RE:

A) RUNNING A “BEST OF” SERIES THIS WEEK AND

B) OPENING THE FLOOR FOR ALL OF YOU TO TEXT OR DM YOUR QUESTIONS DURING THE WORKSHOP.  THE “BEST OF” SCHEDULE IS BELOW, AS ARE THE DETAILS ON THE WORKSHOP.  THANK YOU, ALL, FOR 6 AMAZING MONTHS SO FAR!!

A) THE “BEST OF” SCHEDULE, AS IT WILL BE TWEETED, POSTED, AND LINKED:

THURSDAY, 4/28 – FIT, NOT REACH 2

FRIDAY, 4/29 – COMMUNITY COLLEGES DESERVE AN “A”

SATURDAY, 4/30 – THE BRANDING OF YOUR CHILD

SUNDAY, 5/1 – WHY PUBLISH A COLLEGE A DAY

MONDAY, 5/2 – PAIRINGS

TUESDAY, 5/3 – THE REST OF US (THE VERY FIRST POST!)

B) If you see this message before Thursday, 4/28 at 7 PM, I would love to have you text me or Twitter DM me with any questions during the Workshop.  I’d be glad to acknowledge them and answer them during the Workshop or immediately after.  And – even better – if you’re able to join the event, please do so.  Here are the details:

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011

EMERALDS @ HOTEL 304 WEST, SPRINGFIELD, NJ (THE OLD HOLIDAY INN)

7 PM – 8:30 PM

FREE

Click here for the link on the Facebook Events Page.

Pretty Pictures on Perfect Days

April 20, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Adult and/or Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , Leave a comment

Warning: Did Brad or Caitlin check a little box on the PSAT?  Did Ashley or Justin fill out some innocent looking survey in his or her Sophomore Social Studies class?  They may experience the following symptom:

17,000 pieces of mail and email from various institutions of higher learning across the U.S. of A.

The more advanced stages of these mailings can be identified by the following signs:

–Pretty Pictures on Perfect Days With the Leaves Just the Right Color Red and Gold. (Unless the School is in Maine or Colorado – hey, look at that gorgeous, white snow!  Or Florida or Hawaii – look at that gorgeous, tanned student body)

–Scientific equipment that looks really, really cool and complicated

–Athletic teams clearly destroying the opposition

-And an incredible amount of professors teaching outdoors.

–A slogan that clearly indicates one, two or all of the following:

We are a School that is: The Best of some World, in a Tradition of Some Type of Excellence that Will Do Something Positive For U.

Note: It was “positive for you” until a marketer in 1997 – whose name is lost to history – discovered that “U” was a hip, cool spin on the words you and University.

This plague can be transmitted via the following forms:

Viewbooks: Glossy paper products handed out at College Fairs and Open Houses.

Websites: Lurking 24/7 for your perusal.

And – the newest permutation – Facebook and Flickr pages, with their array of photographs and memories.

So, what do I do?  I want Justin to know more about Colleges.  I want Ashley to make an intelligent choice.  I don’t have time to stop by the Post Office and stop my mail.

-Keep a shoebox (or seven) or some sort of filing system to store the printed materials.

-Do look at the online material.  But…

-Understand (and make sure that Caitlin understands) that these are the prettiest pictures on the most perfect days in October, when the leaves were the right color gold and/or red.  These are real pictures, but they are probably not “the norm”.  (At least, I hope they are real – I’m hoping none of our brethren has stooped to stock student pictures or photo-shop.)

-VISIT, VISIT, VISIT.  See it with your own eyes.

-In lieu and in support of visiting, ask people you know who attended or have visited these institutions before for their input.

-Feel free to search online for other photos and information regarding these institutions.  (But respect that this information may be far less reliable than the college’s own materials.)

When I started in College Admissions, my first College had a very attractive Viewbook –  wonderful campus pictures and classroom shots with state of the art equipment and interested students, complimented by relevant descriptions of our academic offerings, athletic program successes and state of the art campus buildings.  We even had a slogan that, I thought, accurately reflected our location as a campus in a suburban location overlooking Manhattan – we were “the Best of Both Worlds”.

When I came to my second Admissions position, it was at a College in a northern borough of New York City.  Our Viewbook’s slogan?  “The Best of All Worlds“.  Sound familiar?  (FYI, the two colleges used the same Marketing firm.)

–Bottom line: enjoy the pretty menu, but don’t forget to read the ingredients and sample the product.  And be careful when it says “market price”.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.  Please feel free to email me at info@cc4therestofus.com, call or text me at 908-403-3819, join me on Facebook on “College Counseling for the Rest of Us” and join me on Twitter at @MichaelCCR.

A Loan Again, Naturally

April 13, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , Leave a comment

(NOTE: This topic is far too “BIG” for a 700 word blog post.  I’ve tried to hit the most relevant points, but certainly contact me for further questions)

In the world of the College Search, few things cause parents more fear, anxiety, confusion, anger and worry than Student Loans.

What if Brad doesn’t get a job right away? What if Caitlin transfers, or drops out?

What does a “direct” loan mean? Direct to whom?   Do I pay back or does Ashley?

Does Justin pay while he’s in school? Does Ashley have to take all of the loan amount offered?

Isn’t there loan forgiveness if she agrees to work at a tough school district or joins the Peace Corps, or teaches tough kids in the Peace Corps?

Okay, it’ll be alright, everyone.  Just let go of my jacket,  and I’ll try to provide some answers.

Sorry.

The William D. Ford Direct Loan program is an outgrowth of the Robert Stafford Loan program, which was originally the Federal Guaranteed Student Loan.  Stafford was a U.S. Senator from Vermont.  Ford was a U.S. Representative from Michigan.  (In case you were wondering…)

Direct loans are loans to the student. The student pays them back upon leaving school. Hopefully, that means graduation, but if Caitlin leaves Harvard, Kean or Lincoln Tech “prematurely”, she’s got to start paying.

The “direct” is a reference to direct FROM whom – these loans are from the U.S. government direct to Ashley, Caitlin, Justin or Brad.

There are limits – both annually and in aggregate – to what someone can borrow. For dependent students whose parents are eligible for a PLUS loan, the aggregate limit is $31,000, with no more than $23,000 being subsidized.  The 1st year limit is $5500, with no more than $3500 being subsidized.

Slow down – PLUS loan? Subsidized?  Huh?

Direct loans are either subsidized (the government is paying the interest while the student is in school) or unsubsidized (the interest is growing while the student is in school).  The PLUS loan is a federal loan a parent can take to supplement the financial aid package.  PLUS loans, and the additional Direct Loan eligibility for students whose parents are denied a PLUS loan, are worthy of a separate blog or two, in and of themselves.

$5500 is a lot of money.  Then, I – I mean Brad – just won’t take out a loan.  Or can he borrow a portion of that – maybe $1500 or $2000?

I’m glad you asked.  One of the major mistakes families make is looking at that amount as “all or nothing”.  Brad can borrow $500 or $1500 or $2500.  And generally, the best decision in utilizing your financial aid package is to take a “reasonable” portion of the loan amount available. It provides money to afford college and builds a positive credit history.  It’s considered, when managed properly, “good debt”.  Of course, determining what’s “reasonable” is the tricky part, and varies greatly from student to student.

The current interest rate for subsidized loans is 4.5%, unsubsidized loans 6.8% and PLUS loans is 7.9%.  FYI, the student can pay the interest on an unsubsidized loan, while in school, while still deferring the principle.  And it’s a really, really good idea to do so.

Direct Loans can be deferred, if you are unemployed and/or in economic hardship.  Forbearance is sometimes an option, when you can’t make payments.  But, the key is to keep in communication with the government.  If they request payment or additional information, don’t ignore them.  If you have a question – ASK!

And, yes, Direct Loans can be canceled for certain types of service as a teacher, long term public service, some cases of bankruptcy, permanent disability (but certain conditions apply) and death.

It has been reported that Student Loan Default rates have skyrocketed recently.  Take a look at this graph. Default rates are increasing, but after a big decline.  And there are wide differences in default rates for different sub-groups.  If you are in a baccalaureate program and you persist to graduation, your likelihood of default is far less than if you attend a 1 or 2 year professional program and/or do not complete your degree or certificate program.  But there IS still a real, tangible issue of concern – many of these students will graduate with the equivalent of a large home equity loan at the age of 22.

My take-away would be this:

  • If you borrow, always start with Direct Loans.
  • Borrow “some”. Don’t feel obligated to borrow all or nothing.
  • Stay in School! The chance of default increases greatly for those who do not persist to graduation.
  • ASK QUESTIONS – of me, of your Financial Aid officer and of the government.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.  Please feel free to email me at info@cc4therestofus.com, call or text me at 908-403-3819, join me on Facebook on “College Counseling for the Rest of Us” and join me on Twitter at @MichaelCCR.

Oh The Humanities of It All

April 6, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Adult and/or Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , Leave a comment

I remember reading an article very early on in my career (late 1980’s or 1990) that argued that tuition increases couldn’t continue at the rate they were going.

If these increases kept going at this rate, we’d be paying $20,000 or $30,000 a year for tuition. And then (gasp) $40,000 or $50,000.  How ridiculous!  Of course, this could never happen.  Who could afford such rates?  Colleges would fold; access to college would only be available to the wealthy.

And yet, here we are in 2011, with the $50,000 barrier falling like an Educational Berlin Wall.

And there are more students in American Colleges than at any point in our nation’s history.  It’s not a perfect system, and costs are certainly too high, and I would argue the same point – this can’t continue.  Nobody’s going to pay $60,000 or $70,000 a year for tuition.  (Feel free to quote me/mock me when they do).  However…

Families have adjusted.

They’ve borrowed. And they’ve borrowed some more.  They’ve chosen public colleges over private institutions in ever-increasing numbers.  Students have gone to 5 and 6 year plans and dropped to part-time study so that they could earn sufficient money to pay tuition.  Or they’ve returned to school at 25 or 35 or 45 or 55.

Colleges have adjusted, as well.

They’ve offered financial aid in ever-increasing numbers to make the “actual” price a little more palatable than the sticker price.  They’ve offered greater technology, varied modes of delivery and greatly advanced student services programming.

I applaud those who look for ways to end the tuition madness.  However, I think this is all – the tuition increases and the reactions to them – a reality that is going to be with us for the foreseeable future.

Uh, so, Mike, why the hell are you writing this article?

Because one adjustment has been made by both colleges and students that I think is short-sighted, ill-advised and insufficiently commented upon.  Not to mention, it’s easily fixed.

At some point, the conventional wisdom became that – to make this investment worthwhile – it was necessary to major in a pre-professional program.  You need to learn a skill, a trade, a way to make a living.  Why else would someone invest $150,000 or so in a college education?

Colleges responded in two ways – to a) softly tout the intellectual benefits of the humanities and the liberal arts and b) put a hell of a lot of emphasis and marketing dollars in pre-professional programs.

In related news, we now have half the Humanities majors in 2011 that we had in the mid 1970’s.

In a market where careers change every few years, new industries are created with ever-increasing rapidity and business communication becomes ever more nuanced and varied, we decided that it would be a good idea to all study the same freaking major and narrow our knowledge base, not broaden it.

Make sense to you?

Let me throw this slogan out there –

Want to succeed in a job, impress your boss, get promotions and raises?  Major in the Humanities!

Employers want employees who can read, write, discuss, articulate.  They want staff who understand past events and context and know how to implement that information into successful strategy for the present and future.

Want to succeed in a job, impress your boss, get promotions and raises?  Major in the Humanities!

They can train you in their processes.  But they don’t have the time, energy or desire to teach you how to think, speak, write, influence, plan and implement.  They want to assume that you bring those traits to the table.  And a degree in the Humanities (or, dare I go crazy here, the Liberal Arts!) gives you plenty of experience working with those tools in the tool belt.

Some of the best Doctors in the U.S. majored in English and some great Businessmen majored in Sociology.

Colleges have become apologetic in their promotion of the Humanities and it needs to stop before there’s nothing left to apologize for.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.  Please feel free to email me at info@cc4therestofus.com, call or text me at 908-403-3819, join me on Facebook on “College Counseling for the Rest of Us” and join me on Twitter at @MichaelCCR.

The Social Network

March 30, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , Leave a comment

Long before Facebook had fan pages, there were other outlets for young people with mutual interests in s topic.

These outlets were sometimes called “clubs” or “organizations”.

They way we “liked” a topic was by showing up to a meeting at 2:45 or whenever our high school classes ended.

We would flip baseball cards, or play saxophone or plan a trip to a German restaurant.  We would write and edit and plan a literary magazine.  We would play baseball or softball or basketball or lacrosse or soccer. Along the way, we’d interact and learn from one another.  We’d have officers or team captains.  Some members would be more active and some members less so.

We were in school sponsored teenage social networks, long before such a term would come into vogue.

The thing of it is, these networks are more popular than ever.  And, now, it is your children who are participating.

Yes, we’re talking about one of the more “mysterious” pieces of the College Application puzzle –Extra-Curricular Activities. How do College Admission folks look at them?  Is it worth the car pooling and the hair pulling and the time spent away from home and homework?

Yeah, how DO they fit in?  Do colleges even look at Ashley’s list of activities?  Should Brad join a lot of things or be a leader in a few?  Will colleges verify that Caitlin actually was a member of the Watchung Hills HS Left-Handed Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien or Justin was on the David Brearley Curling Society?

The answers are: kinda like sprinkles or gummy bears, definitely “yes”, probably the latter ( but it depends), probably not and probably not.

I can’t tell you that you get 2 points for being 1st trombone or 5 points for your fundraiser for the United Way.  But I can tell you this.  These activities matter, in terms of College Admission AND Collegiate Success.  And not just will they help you “get in”, but they will help you “stay in”.

  • Colleges DO look at them, and here’s why.

1) Ability to work in a team – College assignments are often collaborative and involvement in extra-curricular activities provides evidence that you can work as a team.

2) Time Management – Although this aspect sometimes seems to be brought to the level of the sublime, the ability to juggle extra-curricular activities while still succeeding in the classroom indicates that you will be able to handle the looser, but more demanding time structure of college.

3) Interest in a Profession – A high school extra-curricular activity can build a resume, refine an interest in a field of study and/or long term career, and show a commitment to the major to which you are applying.

4) Leadership Skills – When an admissions counselor sees an organizational  title, it gives some indication of level of involvement, respect of peers and commitment to take on responsibility.  Of course, the size of the club does matter. (i.e. – SGA President great, President of the Dexy’s Midnight Runners Fan Club – not so much)

5) Provide Insight into the Applicant – Extra-curricular activities provide some insight as to who the applicant is.  It is that much harder to deny admission to someone you know than to a faceless applicant folder.  Extra-Curricular activities allow you to be “real” to the admission counselor, committee and/or Dean.

  • They can help in the admission process, in other ways:

6) Possible Letter of Recommendation sources – Club advisors are often more familiar with a student than a classroom teacher.  In such cases, they can write more insightful, more meaningful letters of recommendation.

7) Ability to complete tasks independently – The College Application process involves getting applications out on time, obtaining letters of recommendation, writing strong, relevant essays in a timely manner and more.  Active participation in extra-curricular activities can provide the type of skills needed to succeed in managing your College Application experience.

  • Extra-Curricular Activities can help you persist to college graduation, too.

8) Ability to appreciate the “whole experience”, inside and outside of the classroom. – Maybe the biggest change when you get to college is that most of the experience is NOT in the classroom.  Those students who were already active in HS extra-curricular activities have a leg up.

9) Social skills and team building skills.  (That’s why admission folks like those traits.  They translate directly to the college experience.) – So much of the college experience is dependent on group interaction, shared responsibility and communication skills.  The HS extra-curricular experience is great preparation for that.

  • As important as all of these, and maybe the best reason to join and participate in clubs and organizations:

10) Enjoyment. You get to be involved in something you love doing.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.  Please feel free to email me at info@cc4therestofus.com, call or text me at 908-403-3819, join me on Facebook on “College Counseling for the Rest of Us” and join me on Twitter at @MichaelCCR.

Sunscreen

March 23, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , 8 Comments

Here are my 10 Tips to Parents Going Through the College Search…

1) Watch Baz Lurhman’s Sunscreen video. Here’s the link to it. (If you wish, feel free to click on it and then click back; I’ll wait.)  Try to get your kid to watch it, but don’t force it on them.

2) Read “Oh the Places You Will Go“. Leave it in their room. Don’t say anything.

3) Buy tissues. (Sorry, probably should have led with that)

4) Say the word “perspective” 3 times. There are no magic answers, magic financial aid packages or guarantees. But there is plenty of good information, good people, good money and good intentions out there.  Be wary of those who tell you the opposite.

5) Record your memories. Take pictures, videos and notes as you visit schools.  “What school was that, again?” is never a good statement.  Plus, you need something to put up on Facebook.

6) Trust your child. They probably are more worthy of that trust than you realize, but even if they’re not, it’s ultimately their life. (Your money, I know.)

7) Deal with that.  Your money.  Their life.  Understand where you stand on this.  Accept where your child stands.

8) Remember this one phrase. “A Match to Be Made, Not a Prize to Be Won.”  Period.  No, I said – period.  Unless you want them to move back in…

9) Sit your child down.  Look him or her straight in the eye.  Look really serious for a moment.  Then, crack a little smile and say, “Enjoy this.  Keep the brochures from the colleges that excite you.  Push the other 3,174 to the side.  Recycling goes out on Wednesday.”

10) Let the process play out. That expensive school may offer a dynamite financial aid package.  It might not.  The reach school (oh,how I hate that phrase) might come through with an offer of admission.  It might not.  Those 2nd SATS might go up by 100 points.  They might not.  But let the process play out.   For, believe it or not, your kid has brains in his head and feet in her shoes.  And this is their chance to steer in the direction they choose.

But trust me on the sunscreen.  (Link)

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.  Please feel free to email me at info@cc4therestofus.com, call or text me at 908-403-3819, join me on Facebook on “College Counseling for the Rest of Us” and join me on Twitter at @MichaelCCR.

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