After all the 2021 admissions stress, several of my seniors are now wrestling with too many good options! They may be on one or more waitlists, but those are on the back burner now as they picture themselves at one college or another. I weigh in, and my nation-wide network of consultants has shared invaluable insights on colleges I’m less familiar with. The truth? These high-achievers will do well, and likely be happy, wherever they go. Just ten days left to make that final choice! (Of course, who knows what will happen with waitlists this summer.)
The official GPA is set when final junior year grades are in. Students should focus on academics above all (even test prep). While my juniors are earning their best grades, I’m prepping for essay and application season. Common App Essay Workshops are on Saturday, May 22nd, at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 4:00 pm. Students will leave ready to write!
High points of last week’s conference: How to help students handle a problem on their record (misconduct, academic, or both) that requires further explanation on applications; how to prepare future-ready students; how liberal arts majors still get great jobs; all about international options (UK, Ireland, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada); and most of all: how to help students and families through admissions changes that were in the works but exacerbated by the pandemic.
Back to college: An hour and a half “speed-date” through the University of Delaware, College of Charleston, the University of Vermont, and the University of North Carolina Raleigh brought me up-to-date on new academic programs and admissions outcomes. Then onto Trinity University in San Antonio, the 7th largest city in the US (who knew that?) with a major (and growing) economy. Trinity combines the best of the liberal arts with strong business, computer science, and entrepreneurship programs. They offer great merit aid, internship/career support, and fabulous weather. Think outside the box!
Learning the definition of “prestige" on Jeopardy! really clicked for me.
Going back to the original Latin praestrigae juggler’s tricks...derivative from base of praestringere “to blunt (sight or mind), literally, to tie up so as to constrict.
>French: deceits, delusions, juggler’s tricks, 1650-60
The Gothic architecture of some campuses and the terracotta Spanish colonial buildings of others draws me in. I love seeing new science buildings with huge labs (bonus points for planetariums), small classrooms with Harkness tables that spark great discussions, dining halls with locally-sourced meals, and living/learning dorms that house individual tutoring and even career centers on the first floor. Some of these (not the architecture) are directly linked to serving students, or at least those who choose to use them. But are these elements of prestige? Prestige, as noted above, is an illusion.
Though the pleasure of huge gyms with climbing walls and other such amenities for non-athletes is not lost on me, their explosion at many schools represents a small crack in the veneer of our purest idea of a quality education. These, and the lazy rivers, private hot tubs, tanning salons, and resort-style pools with cabanas were created to conjure the mood of an upscale resort on a campus. Colleges seduce families with the trappings of paradise, masked as prestige.
But the point is not about expensive add-ons, but the value of four+ years spent at a college. Families and the media focus on how few spots there are at top universities, but colleges follow the demographics, knowing that the number of students, especially those who can afford full tuition, is declining. Colleges did their part playing the prestige card; that was the impetus for building the new athletic centers and boxing gyms years ago. But we play a role in tricking ourselves.
Is there a spot for every qualified applicant on a mid-sized Ivy-League or hyper-selective campus? When we choose to deny logic, we buy into the delusion.
Where does the conjuring truly originate--with the colleges or within us? College rankings also work their flawed magic on us (see 3/14/21 blogpost). Can we honestly think about what drives real success on college campuses?
Our students are real, prestige is not. They transform themselves and their institutions, creating what we equate with prestige (knowledge, reputation, achievement) when they engage on their campuses. Some of them may not be ready to actualize or define their version of it until they are older, in graduate school or the work world, but that’s the nature of being human. There is no magic, but there is always promise. And belief in that promise, what students will make real beyond the tricks the colleges sell or we tell ourselves, is what captivates me every time I walk onto a campus.
This past year has created new educational needs as well as increased needs that existed prior to the pandemic. That’s why I am offering some suggestions on my Resources Page under the heading “Recommended Professionals.” Whether your students are working with me on their college process or not, these professionals are available to help you and your students manage the pressures of high school in 2021 and beyond.
This past summer, I spent hours essay brainstorming with students in their beds in semi-dark rooms. As you might guess, this did not yield the most effective results! While remote learning works for some, many of our kids are losing their ability to focus (even if they are seated at a well-lit desk). Worst of all, they are losing confidence and simply not completing work. The support of an Executive Functioning professional can help them develop skills for success; specialist Lisa Leskiw, M.Ed., MSW teaches students how to organize and manage tasks so they regain control over what they lost during virtual school.
Despite the test-optional trend, I still recommend that students take standardized tests to see how they will perform. We develop strategies on submitting scores, school by school. Cheryl Anderson is a longtime Verbal and Math test-prep professional I have worked with for many years. She offers well-priced packages, including diagnostic testing to assess students’ needs before tutoring them for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, as well as for some graduate school tests.
Each year, I hear from a family in search of colleges where their student can pursue a BFA or BA in dance, theatre, voice, or teaching those subjects--sometimes in addition to another major or minor. I prefer to recommend an expert in this area. Margo Rudman Gold works exclusively with performing arts students and has expertise in the mainstream colleges that offer strong programs in these areas, as well as arts-specific schools.
I recommend Don Fuchs, an extraordinary tutor and retired scientist who helps students approach challenging STEM subjects in a way that makes them less obtuse. AP Science tests are Don’s specialty.
Finally, the college lists I build are always viable and realistic financially for families. Now, I need to gather information on how individual colleges’ financial health was affected by the pandemic. In addition to building my own database and sharing information with colleagues, I am enlisting the services of a private researcher focusing on need and non-need based aid as well as the colleges’ financial status. This will allow me to build smarter lists.
Here’s a link to the Resources Page! https://www.lesscollegestress.org/copy-of-resources
