10 Random Thoughts About the College Search

April 11, 2012

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Adult and/or Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 12 Comments

1) Dear Parents of HS Juniors…I wish you knew now what you will know a year from now.

2) IMPORTANT: When a College Admissions Representative refers to an SAT score, they are usually referring to your READING + MATH sub-score. NOT your Reading + Math + Writing score.   I’ve seen too many schools and families talking about two different things.  To the detriment of the student.

3) Every action taken in Junior Year (and in the summer) saves two actions in the Senior Year.  M.Szarek, 2012.

4) Adult students need and deserve as much guidance in the college search as traditional students.

5) Too often, students take ALL or NONE of their Direct loan eligibility.  Often, SOME would have been their best choice.

6) What IS the right price for a year’s worth of higher education?

7) If they don’t want you, you don’t want them.

8) Of the 4000 colleges in this country, there are 17.9 ‘perfect’ schools for your son or daughter.   Okay, I made that up.  But, I bet I’m right.

9) See it with your own eyes.  Visit. Visit.  Visit.  Visit.  Visit.  Visit.  Visit.  Visit.  Visit.  Visit. Visit.

10) If a picture paints a thousand words, how does that fit into the Common Application Essay requirement?

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.   And now on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/CCRMichael?feature=mhee.

College Unplugged

December 6, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Adult and/or Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

It’s coming.

4.29.2012. 

A College Fair unlike any other.

A College Fair where you’re just not trick-or-treating for brochures, viewbooks and pens, but talking.  Actually talking.  To people with answers – College Reps.  Counselors.  Professionals.

A College Fair that’s relevant, personal, meaningful and fun.

A College Fair that hides all the booths and barriers.

A College Fair that asks “is College worth it?” and “how do I pay for it?” and “how important are the SAT and the ACT?” and “is a Gap Year a good idea?” – AND then provides answers.

A College Fair that talks about not just getting in to College, but thriving, succeeding and graduating college.  And then thriving and succeeding afterwards.

A College Fair that includes not just colleges, but financial experts and some really cool service providers that help you with the college search.  And includes professional schools and community colleges and military services.

4.29.2012.

Meet some of the most experienced, passionate, talented concierges and tour guides for all stops on the College Search journey.  All in one place.  For free.

AND even walk out with a diploma – a one day certificate in college searchology.

Anyway, that’s the plan.

Stay tuned to this channel for more details.

College Unplugged.  4.29.2012. Save the date, tell a friend and start writing down your questions. 

  • If you want to learn more, or offer your thoughts on what you want to experience at College Unplugged, or be a participant or sponsor, PLEASE feel free to contact me.  THANK YOU!!      

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.   And now on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/CCRMichael?feature=mhee.

Miles to Go Before We Sleep

September 30, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Adult and/or Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

If you could determine the key issues that we should work on, in higher education and college admissions, what would they be?

I started thinking about my answer to that question.

And these are the eight items I decided to put on my “Miles to Go Before We Sleep” list.  (I’d love to hear yours.)

  • The College Fair needs to be re-done.  Just saying.  Forget the booths and the paper products.  Welcome to the world of social networking.  Use modern technology to create meaningful face-to-face conversations.  Mr. Gorbachev, tear down the blue and white drapes…)  Flash Mob Admissions, Coffeehouses, Speed Networking-style College Fairs, Foursquare check-ins, TED and 140 style workshops – move the relationships of on-the-road admissions folks and the families they interact with into the 21st century.
  • We need to better prepare for the incredible growth of autistic college students that is about to occur.  In terms of guidance, in terms of ethical admissions, in terms of services, in terms of price structure for those services, in terms of making sure that we are able to offer a meaningful college experience and not simply some ‘separate but equal’ type of college-lite nonsense.  Just like any other ‘hot topic’ (see Physical Therapy majors, Latinos and Lacrosse players), we are talking about human beings, not cash cows.
  • Somebody needs to write a ‘definitive’ guide on the LGBT College Search – best schools, best questions, issues for retention, how to find resources for counseling, networking, etc.
  • We need to stop treating the ACT and SAT as either a) the end-all, most important, almighty piece of the admission puzzle or b) a piece of worthless trash.  It is neither.  It is c) a moderately relevant piece of a much larger picture – aka this actual living, breathing person who is applying to college.
  • To blame colleges for the decline in income of their graduates makes no sense.  You can’t blame production for the sales department’s mistakes.  However, to blame colleges when their graduates can’t differentiate between to, too and two, you’re and your or loose and lose (and their and there) – that’s a different conversation.
  • We still don’t comprehend that the majority of college students in this country are NOT 18-21 years of age, living in a dorm room and taking a full-time course load.  Until we get past that, we are misplacing time, energy and money.
  • I want to see an ‘admissions trends’ article next year that doesn’t begin with quotes from Harvard or Princeton.  Just one.  It’s like telling me that burger sales in the U.S. are up or down based on how much ground beef was used at WD-50, in Manhattan.  (Great place, by the way.)
  • I want to see a ranking of the college rankings.  But only if it’s a parody.

I’m sure you have your own “Miles to Go Before We Sleep” items, and I would love to hear them.  PLEASE add your 2 cents by posting a comment or emailing me or commenting on Linkedin or Facebook or Google+ or Twitter (#MTGBWS?).  What do YOU think our ‘#MTGBWS steps need to be?

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.   And now on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/CCRMichael?feature=mhee.