Uh…What Do You Do Again?

February 23, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Adult and/or Graduate Admissions, Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions, Uncategorized , , 9 Comments

I am an independent college counselor.

Counselor, like helping kids who are in trouble?  Uh, not exactly.

You help them get higher SAT scores?  Uh, no.

You help them study so they get higher grades?  Not really.

You make sure they get into their first choice school?  Only the student can actually do that, it’s one of the topics I stress…

Sorry to interrupt – what do you do, again?

I am a college search planner.

(Silence…)

I’ve had multiple conversations that sounded much like the scenario described above. And I realize that not everybody is familiar with my wonderful professional field.  So, let me explain what I do (and do NOT do).

I do not tell you where to go.  I do not “get you into”  a school. I teach you how to fish, rather than set a plate of tilapia in front of you.   Or, if you don’t like seafood, I am the driving instructor, not the chauffeur.

My goal is to ensure that you make informed decisions during the college search, including your final decision regarding enrollment in college, based on best available information.  I believe, as someone who worked on “the other side” for 23 years, I can provide a special perspective on the college admission and financial aid process.

College is a major investment. It is an investment of money, but also of time and effort.  The college you select generally has profound effects in terms of professional development, but also your personal development.  It dramatically influences your career (at least your initial one), but it also shapes values and friendships.

Like most major purchases, you receive lots of shiny product information and you receive some guidance from generally well-meaning sales professionals. College Education (at least not-for-profit, “traditional” education) is generally done as a softer sell by someone who often doesn’t think of themselves as a salesperson.  And there ARE real fundamental differences between an admission counselor and a typical retail salesperson.  However, you are still buying something from someone paid by the company that sells that product.

Guidance Counselors are generally wonderful people.  They are generally highly qualified individuals, are warm, caring, “people persons” and have excellent educational credentials.  Unfortunately they are often serving a caseload that grows each year, and a clientele with increasingly diverse personal, social and educational needs.  College counseling has become a smaller piece of their daily puzzle at the same point int time that it has become a more common, more nuanced, more complicated part of the typical high school student’s life.

Me?  My Board of Trustees, my Cabinet, my supervisors are…YOU.  Oh, I would love to make money from ads on this site and on my YouTube channel, and makes oodles of money speaking as conferences and workshops.  But my primary clients (and my only ones right now) are the families and adult students that I serve.  And I think that’s pretty cool – for both of us.

So, after all of that, what would be my “elevator speech”? How would I tell someone, in the time it takes to go up to the fourth floor, what I do for a living?

I am a College Counselor.  I provide information and insight to students and families as to how the college admission and financial aid process works and how to best navigate your college search.  I save you time, money and sanity.

How’s that?

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.

Shades of Gray

February 16, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Adult and/or Graduate Admissions, Traditional Admissions , , 3 Comments

So many of the questions asked in the college search process are structured as “either/or” questions.  Should I go to a big school or a small school?  4 year college or a 2 year college?  Public or private?  Full-time or part-time?  On-campus or online? Technical training or liberal arts?

Too often, we lock ourselves into these either/or choices when the options are far more varied, and filled with more nuance than the question asked may suggest.

Online or on-campus? More and more, this is a “false” question these days.  Traditional colleges are offering online courses.  At some schools, most of the courses (and most of the students) are now online.  Meanwhile, for-profit schools have expanded “brick and mortar” offerings and locations.  And probably the fastest growing mode of delivery is the “blended” course, with a few physical meetings coupled with an online component.

For-Profit Schools or Not-for-Profit Schools? Here, too, the battle lines are faded.  The Apollo Group, which is the University of Phoenix’ parent company, has programs at “traditional” institutions (I worked for one such college).   There are for-profit entities that have purchased traditional colleges (along with their regional accreditations).  Here is an article from this morning’s news about the blurring of the line between the two worlds.

Community College or a Four-Year Institution? Here, too, we are not living in your father’s college landscape.   In New Jersey, there are multiple examples of community colleges providing baccalaureate and even Masters level courses, generally packaged so that you can complete the entire degree at the community college.  Here is a link to the Raritan Valley Community College “University Center”. Here is some more information regarding the NJ Coastal Communiversity that was spearheaded by a recent CCR College of the Day, Brookdale Community College.

Even “big or small” has taken on new meaning, as there are several traditional liberal arts colleges with an 0n-campus enrollment of less than 1000 that have online and off-site enrollments many times greater.  And large schools that built their reputation via online offerings now offering small brick and mortar classes.

I guess this is the point in the post where I am supposed to praise or condemn the blurring of these traditional categories.  But, I’ll be darned if I know.

I am generally in favor of this expansion of modes of delivery and in providing options for students.  But there is a piece of me that worries that you can’t be all things to all people, and colleges may be running the risk of not being great in one medium if they try to work in all.

Although I rarely turn to the Monkees for profound insight, I think they sum it up nicely in this song. Higher Education in the 21st century is evolving (Monkees/evolving – get it?) and we are wrestling with uncertainties in some categories that didn’t previously exist.  And I fall back on what brought me to the dance – what fits, what meets your needs, what will get you from point A to point B, what excites you?  Answer these questions and you should do fine in your journey.  Pedigree and labels are only relevant in that context and, ultimately, it’s still about “fit, not reach”.

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.

Interviewing 101

February 9, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Uncategorized , , 5 Comments

COLLEGE ADMISSION INTERVIEWING 101

Be Yourself.  (Okay, we’re done…shortest…blog…ever.)

For those who like their blogs more than 8 words long, read on, McGruff….

Yes, be your most polite, friendly self.  But, be yourself.

And, I know it’s easy for me to say, but…relax.

Just as the College Admission process is a chance for both the College AND the student to evaluate each other, so is the interview a chance for both the college admissions counselor and the student to get to know more about the other.

With an admission interview, the student becomes “real” to the admissions representative.  No longer is this just a file, with transcripts, standardized test scores and other paperwork, but this is now a real person associated with that file.

A few pointers to help ensure an enjoyable, successful admission interview:

  • Treat the interview as a chance to meet a potential new friend.  In most admission settings, the admission counselor wishes to be an advocate for you.
  • Be on time.
  • Be friendly, but not silly.  Be polite.
  • Make eye contact.
  • Avoid slang.  Use appropriate language.
  • Dress appropriately.  No t-shirts with inappropriate writing.
  • DON’T be distant, distracted, rude or condescending.
  • PARENTS: Let your child speak.  This is not your interview and you will hurt your student’s chances if you ‘hog’ the conversation.
  • AFTER: Say thank you at the end of the interview.  Follow up later with a thank-you note (email or snail mail).

Have a few questions prepared ahead of time.  A few to consider:

  • How is your (your academic program of interest) different from other programs?
  • How many students are from (your hometown)?
  • Where have your students gotten internships?
  • Where have alumni gotten jobs?
  • Can you explain the admission process for me?  How do you determine who is accepted and who is not?
  • When do admission letters go out?
  • If I have questions after today, what is the best way to reach you?

A few questions you may want to have answers at the ready:

  • Why do you want to go here?
  • Why are you interested in that major?
  • What other schools are you looking at?
  • What do you see yourself doing in 10 years?
  • What do you consider your greatest strength?
  • What do you consider your greatest weakness?
  • How would College X benefit from your enrollment here?

But do not memorize answers – It is best to be conversational, not like you are reading a speech.

Make sure you know how to reach your interviewer with follow-up questions.  You should ask for the interviewer’s business card if he or she doesn’t offer it automatically.  (If the interviewer is NOT your counselor, make sure you also receive the business card for YOUR admission counselor.)

A little “cut and dried” this week – hope you don’t mind.  As always, I welcome your comments and questions.  Please feel free to email me at info@cc4therestofus.com, call me at 908-403-3819, join me on Facebook on “College Counseling for the Rest of Us” and join me on Twitter at @MichaelCCR.

What If We Break Up?

February 2, 2011

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Financial Aid, Traditional Admissions , , , 4 Comments

“A match be to made, not a prize to be won.”

Maybe the single most important quote ever attached to the college search process.

But, sometimes, even after cross-country road trips and long hours of internet research and conversations with admission counselors and athletic recruiters and comparisons of various financial aid offerings, the wonderful courtship doesn’t produce the perfect match.

That’s why you have divorce lawyers and transfer counselors.

So, what do you do?

  • Acknowledgment – Is this just freshman nerves and insecurity or real issues of incompatibility?  Sit down and write down: What is it that is causing this feeling? Look at what you wrote down.  Is it tangible?  If so, is it fixable?  Often times, it is better to stay put and work through the problems.  But, not always…
  • Acceptance –  The beautiful campus in the brochure has turned to the frozen tundra and the professor who seemed like the perfect mentor has left for another institution.   I thought I would love Nursing, but there’s – like- science involved.  I thought I’d like the country setting, but cows scare me.  It’s just not working out.  Most students who enter college do not graduate from that college.  You are not alone.
  • Plan, Don’t Panic – Don’t stop going to classes.  Don’t withdraw if you’re halfway through the semester.  Make sure you know what your current institution’s policies are in terms of dropping classes.  What will it cost you – full tuition, or partial tuition?  Will you get a failing grade or an incomplete?

What school might meet the needs that this school didn’t meet?  How many credits (and which credits) will be accepted by your potential suitors?  What type of aid package, if any, can you expect?

While it won’t be the length and intensity of your 1st college courtship, this 2nd college search should still be a serious decision, maybe a decision made with more facts and less emotion, now that you’ve been through this before.  Or you may be making a 3rd or 4th trip down the Bursar’s aisle.

  • Talk – to faculty and administrators you may trust at your first institution.  To your parents.  To friends from high school and newly made friends from college.  To a transfer counselor at any school you may be considering for the future.  Heck, call or email me; I’ll be glad to help.
  • Don’t walk away – While I am a big believer in lifetime learning and college being just as viable at 40 as it is at 20, I would strongly discourage “walking away”.  You chose your first college for valid reasons and – unless those reasons have changed – you should continue your journey.  There is a big difference between saying that going to College X was a mistake and saying that going to College was a mistake. Make sure you know what statement you’re making because it is always harder to start something again once you stop.

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

ROI Rage: Let’s Go Crazy

January 26, 2011

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

Dear Parents of Teenagers:

Think back to 1999.  {Click here for the Prince song.}

Who was in your household back then; How old were they?

Now – with that information – if I could get for you a brand new 1999 Porsche 911 {Click here for the Prince song about Corvettes; he didn’t do one about Porsches} or a 1999 Honda Odyssey, {not a Prince song}, which car would you get?

Most folks choose the vehicle with the 3rd row cup holders, not the one that could go 0-60 the fastest.

And yet, too often – when it comes to selecting a college – you are told that you have to buy the Academic equivalent of the Porsche.  It ranks higher in the magazine ratings.  It has prestige.  It’s sleek and cool and gets you to your destination faster.  You won’t be hired if you pull in with an Odyssey.  Hiring managers only hire Porsche owners.

And lately, this argument has taken a turn for the worst.  Since only the Porsche owners get jobs, and you have to pay good money to buy the Academic Odysseys, don’t buy anything at all.  It’s not worth it. Click for such an article; no music attached.

Let me focus on my breathing and take a moment to respond, because statements like this make me delirious. {Prince, with the Muppets}

First, beyond any monetary consideration (and this is part of the argument I sometimes forget to make), there is a value to the discourse, the knowledge of the professors, the intellectual, social, athletic and spiritual gains and challenges, to the friendships, the clubs and organizations and the responsibilities placed upon us.  College, in varying degrees but always in some degree – shapes who you are, who you know, what you know and what you value.  Like a great raspberry beret, there is no price that can be put on such things.

–Second, the monetary value has been both well publicized and horribly understated.  You may have heard that the average person with a bachelor’s degree earns $2.1 million in their lifetime and a high school graduate earns $1.2 million. If I gave you 2 sets of stocks or 2 sets of ANY INVESTMENT with the same payoff, which one would you pick? As I stated, I think this data, is by definition, horribly understated.  Since the Census data deals with with current data, it doesn’t reflect inflation, salary increases, etc.  Although we currently live in a world where COLA salary increases cannot be assumed, it CAN be assumed that – over a 40 to 50 year career – salary data will only become more and more divergent.  In other words, it is a fairly sure bet that the average 2016 College graduate will earn much, much more than a million dollars more than someone who stops in 2012 with a high school diploma.

Of course, this data is all for folks that GRADUATE college.  And that brings me back to my Odyssey.

There are far too many academic “families of five”, too many students who should be driving the academic equivalent of an automatic transmission, who are buying “Porsche Colleges” because they will supposedly provide the best return on investment.  When the opposite – for those individuals – is far more likely.  They run a higher risk of not graduating.  They are far more likely to not get anywhere near the internships advertised at the “dealership” (i.e. – admissions office) and to feel disenfranchised by not following their own Odyssey.

Unfortunately, data for folks who have to trade in their Porsche Colleges after a semester or two is a little hard to find.   But, as a proud owner of a 2001 Saturn, I suggest to you to find the model that’s right for you and meets your needs.  In the meantime, let’s go crazy.

As always, I welcome your comments, your ratings, your Facebook posts and your emails.  I can be reached at info@cc4therestofus.com, on Facebook at “College Counseling for the Rest of Us”, on Twitter @MichaelCCR and by cell at 908-403-3819.

The FAFSA is For Everyone

January 26, 2011

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

TOP 7 REASONS WHY THE FAFSA IS FOR EVERYONE

My guest post for the College Planning Group is now available at this link. Only slightly edited from my original submission, but I forgive them. It touches on why every family should complete the FAFSA.  Enjoy!

I expect to have the “regular” weekly blog up by midnight tonight – tentatively called “ROI Rage – College IS Worth It”.

Why Publish a College a Day?

January 19, 2011

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

Most weekdays, I spend 60-90 minutes on my “College of the Day” feature – collecting data, preparing the post, providing links to the College’s website and social media accounts.

It’s a good chunk of time built into every business day as I try to get a new, emerging business off the ground.  And in many cases, that specific college is of little interest to my “usual customers”.  My Facebook fans (yeah, “likes”, I know), my Twitter followers, my clients and my Linkedin connections are mostly from the northeastern part of the United States, in general, and New Jersey, specifically.   Few of them will ever take a college course in Alaska or Oklahoma or Kentucky.

So why do it?

Off the bat, I can think of 4000 reasons why.  College of the Day is less than two months old. And yet, I’ve discovered the Ranger Rangers, from Ranger, TX and the Bailey Mountain Cloggers.  I’ve learned about the the “SnowTube” video channel and a school that offers courses on flash drive. I found out about Miami-Dade’s Emerging Technologies Center and the only school with an alumni chapter on the Moon.  I’ve learned there is a college in the U.S. that is 320 miles above the Arctic Circle. I’ve learned about a cheerleading dynasty in Kentucky, a Bowling dynasty in New Jersey and an incredible educational value in South Dakota.

And, yet,  I’ve written about LESS THAN 1% of the Colleges in this country – only 30 out of 4000!

Simply, this country offers an incredibly (and wonderfully) diverse menu of colleges and we know about far too few of them.

By posting information about a different college each day, I believe I become a better counselor for all of you.  And I share free information for all of you to access, so that you can become better consumers.  I provide links to college websites, athletics pages and social media accounts.  I meet new colleagues (and friends) who can provide me – and you- with insider information.  And I get a daily “B-12” shot, knowing what great schools – and great people – are out there, waiting to be discovered.

And I can do all of this without using up gas, paying tolls,  adding mileage to my old Saturn or waiting in an airport for a connecting flight. These vignettes certainly do not replace an actual campus tour, but they do allow access to the nation’s colleges without cost or travel time.

So, onward we go until (approximately) 2020. Who knows whether there will be Facebook or Twitter.  Who knows if the websites will be on Web 4.0.  But there are thousands of wonderful stories and worthy colleges whose tales shall be told. Let’s enjoy the ride together!

All Free Today

January 12, 2011

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

If the title of this post sounds familiar, you’ve probably seen Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at some point in your life.

But the topic today is not Benny Hill’s acting career or whether Toot Sweets would have made a great candy. We’re here to talk about how much access we have to FREE information during the College Search process.

And if the topic seems somewhat familiar, I’ve touched on the availability of free “stuff” both in my “Unexpected Friends” post on 11/10/10 and my “One Night in Plattsburgh” post on 12/15/10.  I think it’s a topic worth emphasizing.

You pay enough for college. It’s a fantastic investment, but it is rarely cheap.   Therefore, families look for any savings or deals they can find.  However, when it comes to the information and services needed during the search for College,  families often end up paying for things that they could have obtained for free.  Or they don’t obtain the information or receive the service at all because they think they can’t afford it.

Here a few of the items that are free – no charge – zilch – zero – gratis. I’ve come up with 8 categories of things that are ALL FREE TODAY:

1) Guidance Counselors and the Guidance Office – Ultimately, your taxes (if your child attends a public HS) or your tuition dollars (if he or she attends a private school) do pay for this, but in terms of direct costs, you have a paid staff professional staff member, support staff, paper and electronic access to thousands of books and other periodicals about colleges and the college search.  All at your disposal, with no admission price.  While many are overworked and some are better than others, in general, you have a committed, educated, caring person (or two or three) willing to help you achieve your goals.

2) College Admissions Counselors and Admission Offices – On the other side of the fence, you have an admission counselor who recruited you, is reviewing your file, has a responsible for recruiting cool people like you from their “territory” and went into the position because they like helping people like you.  And they are free (somebody else’s tuition is paying for them – at least for now).  He or she is specifically trained to answer your questions.  And the support staff, generally, are similarly well versed and also – almost always – quite friendly.  And the materials available through the Admissions office are informative, diverse and – yes – FREE.  (Some schools will charge for a PRINT catalog.)

3) The FAFSA – It is the FREE Application for Federal Student Aid.  Free.  No Charge.  It does not cost you a dime to find out if you are eligible for federal grants, loans and scholarships.  If you pay anyone to fill out a FAFSA for you, you should pay only for the convenience of not spending 45-60 minutes filling out a form. Anything more expensive than that should be filled under wasted money (or, in some cases, fraud).  I would strongly suggest that you NEVER pay someone to complete a FAFSA for you.

4) College Fairs – At your high school, your community college, at convention centers – there are college fairs seemingly every day and night.  I can attest to that from years in the field.  And, while my College had to pay to attend some of the bigger fairs, these events are all free to you.  No charge to visit with hundreds of college representatives from around the country – colleges that WANT to talk to you and share their “sales pitch”.  And give out FREE pens and flash drives and rulers and markers and key chains and lanyards and…………………

5) The Library and – to some extent – Barnes and Noble – Some of the Colleges that you are looking at can be pretty far away.  And your guidance office might not have EVERY College Search book (although I bet their catalog matches the library and B&N).  But the hours, quiet, convenience, and – in the case of Barnes and Noble – beverages and pastries (those are not free) – allows you to do your college research in a relaxed environment without the distractions of a high school guidance office.  And, if you are a parent reading this (like, I suspect most of you are), then I assume you would definitely prefer doing research someone other than the high school guidance office.

6) The World Wide Web – From www.fafsa.ed.gov to www.finaid.org, there are a plethora (trying to use that word in all my blogs now) of excellent online financial aid resources – all free.  In fact, that is the clearest indication that the site is worthwhile and legitimate.  If it costs something, run away.  But, also keep in mind that each college has a detailed website with courses, costs, admission policies and much, much more.  As well as – for most of them – Facebook pages and YouTube channels and Twitter accounts….

7) Viewbooks and Videos and Flash Drives and Catalogs and Search Pieces and Brochures – I’ve covered this a bit in the other bullet items above, but the Colleges (other than a few print catalogs) are not charging for their information.  They want you to have it.  Many trees die, as it were as millions of viewbooks and brochures are mailed out handed out to people like you.  All free.  And while they are generally glossy and filled with slogans, there is usually quite a bit of nutritional value beneath the candy coating – courses and mission statements, career paths and student service options, and much, much more.

8) Family and Friends – More so than at any other time in history, you know people who went to college – friends, family and neighbors.  And they are not being paid by a college.  And they are usually more than willing to “tell it like it is” (or was).  Just bear in mind that the information is from their unique viewpoint and may be outdated, if they went to school a few years ago.

So, only pay for what you should pay for.  And enjoy the ride.   I’m off with Caractacus (played by Dick Van Dyke) to find the Bulgarian castle where SATs are made (see below):

The Educational Testing Service's "Secret Lair"

The Educational Testing Service's "Secret Lair"

As always, I welcome your comments, your ratings, your Facebook posts and your emails.  I can be reached at info@cc4therestofus.com, on Facebook at “College Counseling for the Rest of Us”, on Twitter @MichaelCCR and by cell at 908-403-3819.

The Art of Candy Stripping and the Trumpet Player on the Moon

January 5, 2011

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

The College Admission Essay (also known as the Personal Statement) is one of those “qualitative” opportunities provided to candidates to go “beyond the numbers”.

It is so easy to focus on grades and SATs, grades and SATs and – even – grades and SATs when talking about College Admissions.  “What kinda SAT do I need to get in to this school?” was definitely one of the most popular questions I received at high school College Fairs over the years.  But I can never stress this enough: COLLEGE ADMISSIONS FOLKS LOOK AT MORE THAN WHAT YOU DID ON ONE OR TWO SATURDAY MORNINGS!!!

Sorry for shouting, but one of the great ironies of the College Admission profession is that – at least in my humble opinion – parents are far more focused on SATs than College Admissions officers are.  While SATs (and grades, you can never forget grades) are key components of the Admission Decision Process, the courses taken are equally important.  I abhor the bias (2 common SAT words, free of charge) against admission counselors on this issue, when it is not deserved (in most cases)!

Unless we offer a strong basket weaving curriculum, I am far more interested in what College preparatory courses you took than how you did in the ubiquitous (SAT word!) Basket Weaving discipline.   It matters that you took an AP course, even if you struggled.  (Struggled, I said – bombing out is a different conversation for a different post)

And we DO read the Personal Statements, the Letters of Recommendation and review our Interview notes. We do look at what extra-curricular activities you list on the application and what offices you held.  We are trying to make an intelligent decision on whether you and the College will be a good match.  We are trying to determine if you are a student who will be assiduous, with a capacious desire to learn and a willingness to collaborate (3 for the price of 1!) with others.   We really are.  And to best do so, we review a plethora (sorry, had to) of information.

About that essay – listen carefully.  Even though our path may have been circuitous, we’re coming to the zenith of the post.  (At least, hopefully, not the nadir – or even worse – the nader...)  For what what I have to share may sound ambiguous to some, but you need to both write and review your essay with care, but not over analyze your work.  Don’t sweat the small stuff, as it were.

Your essay should be “real”.  It should be from your mind and soul.  Yes, it should be the version that is grammatically correct and it should be written in appropriate language.  And, yes, it should be edited and reviewed – and I don’t mean just checking the spelling by looking at where Bill Gates put the squiggly lines! But it should be YOU – that’s what I, as an admission counselor, am trying to learn more about.  You.

And that brings me to the art of candy stripping and the trumpet player on the moon.

One of the most honest, intelligent, interesting, humorous individuals in college admissions is a man named Bruce Poch.  I do not know Bruce, but I’ve read statements attributed to him in the past and have always found him to be “real”, which is a great, but sometime rare trait in my profession.  And an appropriate trait for today’s blog topic.   In today’s Chronicle, there is an interview with Bruce in which he shares a story about a College Essay.  The request was to identify a moment in history that had personal significance.  The applicant wrote about the day Louis Armstrong set foot on the moon. Well, the kid was admitted anyway, and he now has a Ph.D. in astrophysics.

It reminds me of an essay I read about 15 years ago, from a  Nursing candidate, that detailed her experience as a candy stripper. The essay, other than that spelling error, was well-written and honest.  And, yes, she was admitted.

So, my advice, simply, would be this:  Write honestly.  Edit your work (and allow other eyes to take a look).  But do not sweat it if you described a low point in your life as the “nader”, or referred to your volunteer work at a hospital in terms of ripping off Nestle Crunch wrappers.

As always, I welcome your comments, your ratings, your Facebook posts and your emails.  I can be reached at info@cc4therestofus.com, on Facebook at “College Counseling for the Rest of Us”, on Twitter @MichaelCCR and by cell at 908-403-3819.  And I will be appearing on January 20th, at Hall Stadium, in Union, NJ for a “Fit, Not Reach” College Search Workshop – hope to see you there!

The “Fit, Not Reach” Tour

December 29, 2010

College Counseling for the Rest of Us Uncategorized , , , Leave a comment

It’s time to take the show on the road.  I strongly recommend playing this link as you read on…

On Thursday, January 2oth, the first leg of the College Counseling for the Rest of Us “Fit, Not Reach” tour will commence.

We’ll be able to talk face-to-face, discuss the importance of “Fit, Not Reach”, and share free food and beverages.  (Well, free for you, anyway).

Although I prefer the intimacy of small crowds, I am delighted that we are starting with a stadium show.  We’re opening at Hall Stadium, (874 Lehigh Avenue) in beautiful Union, NJ, home of the world’s largest watersphere, as well as Kean University.

Doors will open at 6 for informal conversation (actually, 5:30, but you’ll be helping me set up if you come that early).  The formal workshop will commence at 6:30 and we will be around, again, for informal conversation from about 7:30 to “whenever”.

I say “we” because I’m happy to report that I will be sharing the stage with David Sawicki, who is an incredible resource for the athletes among “the rest of us”.  David was an Union High All-Star, a pitcher for the renown Division I program at Seton Hall and a Coach and Director of Athletic Recruitment at Division II and III programs at NJIT and Centenary College.  He is currently managing member of GameTime Sports, in East Hanover.

So, David and I will be able to give you a tour of the College Search process from both the College and the student perspective, as well as for athletes and non-athletes.

To be up front, Hall is a little smaller than Madison Square, Wembley or Dodger Stadium. We will be in the clubhouse of a little league facility.  Seating is limited.  I encourage you to RSVP via Facebook or Linkedin. And you can always email me at info@cc4therestofus.com to reserve a space, as well. But we are not working with Ticketmaster on this one, or Stub Hub.

I hope to add more tour dates as the snow recedes, so stay tuned.  But, I look forward to meeting with many of you on January 20th!

As always, I welcome your comments, your ratings, your Facebook posts and your emails.  I can be reached at info@cc4therestofus.com, on Facebook at “College Counseling for the Rest of Us”, on Twitter @MichaelCCR and by cell at 908-403-3819.

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