Still Can’t Decide? Try This

by Patrick O'Connor, Ph.D.

As you make your way to making a college decision, consider these ideas:

• Think college qualities, not college names. There are reasons you loved the colleges you applied to—the small class sizes, the classes they offered, the feel on campus. Write those qualities down, and see how each college measures up to them.

• Review your research on each college—one way or another. In a perfect world, spring of the senior year is the perfect time to visit each campus again. If that’s just not an option, take another online tour (you’d be amazed what you see the second time).

• Debrief at the end. Once you’re done with your list and your fact finding, talk with your parents about what you saw. What’s there that you like? What new questions do you have, and who can help answer those? Can you see yourself at this college?

• Seek parental input. It’s great to show some independence, but your parents/guardians know you well. Invite their input. “Do you see me as being happy there?”

• Compare the colleges you have, not the ones you wanted. Once you’ve reviewed the colleges, compare their strengths and weaknesses—but make sure you’re not thinking about the dream school that denied you. You may not find a perfect campus, but you’ll most likely find a best one. Focus on that as your goal, and you’ll be fine.

• Don’t forget your heart. You might not be able to describe what makes a college right for you, but that’s OK. You’ve done a lot of research and thinking—at this point, you can trust your heart to lead you. Your head will remember why you felt this college was the right one once you get to campus in the fall.

• Think about what makes sense now. When you applied to all of these places last fall, you likely said “If College X takes me, that’s where I ‘m going to go.” There’s no doubt you felt that way then—but was seven months ago, and your interests and way of looking at the world may have changed since then. How you felt then is a factor for sure, but how you feel now is more important—keep that in mind.

• Check finances one last time. If you have a college and it’s a little out of reach, call the admission office and the financial aid office—that’s two separate calls—and tell them so. A sincere call shows them you’re interested; not calling gives them no impression at all—and may leave you short in the wallet for no reason at all.

• Start the hunt again. If your choices really don’t thrill you, wait until May 5th or so. That’s when many colleges find they still have openings, and of course, they want to fill them. Getting financial aid might be a challenge, but you never know until you ask. The National Association for College Admission Counseling keeps an online list of college that are looking, but don’t hesitate to call any college and ask about space.

• Wait. Many colleges you’ve applied to or expressed interest in may continue to send you emails and calls, even after you make your choice. In some cases, they will offer you some kind of incentive- financial aid, better housing—to get you to change your mind. These contacts can last for a long time—in some cases, even once you start college.

If any of these offers seem tempting, proceed with caution. Your first choice college may not be perfect, but you likely know that college better than the colleges calling after May 1st to get you to go there. If you think a change makes sense, do your homework make sure you know what you’re getting into, then notify your first college you aren’t coming after all. You likely won’t get your deposit back if there was one, but you can ask.

Advice to Juniors on Sending Test Scores

by Patrick O'Connor, Ph.D.

Juniors, welcome to the college application process. Many of you have been thinking about college, and some of you are just starting. Either way, the nuts and bolts of applying to college will soon be an important part of your life, and each part of the application has its own special needs. (Psst—need help with essays? Try this.)
 
That’s certainly true about sending test scores. For the longest time, the adults who work in college admissions—counselors and college admissions officers in particular—saw this as an easy idea. Make submission of test scores optional, and that will make for a much less stressful college application experience.
 
Then again, maybe not—and there are a good couple of reasons why:

• If they haven’t already, there’s a good chance your counselor will offer this advice on sending test scores to test-optional schools: “If your scores are below the college’s average test score for admitted students, don’t send them. If they are higher, send them.”

As a rule, this isn’t a bad strategy, as long as you’re looking at an average that will help you make a good decision. If you’re applying to a college’s Engineering program, and all you have are averages for all admitted students, you may not be making the right choice. In cases like this, call the admissions office, or the Engineering school, and ask about average scores for admitted Engineering majors. There’s likely to be a big difference.

•  A number of students believe test optional schools really prefer students who submit test scores. As proof of this, students point to the few colleges who actually break down their admit rates by category; in one case, a college took over 7 times as many students who submitted test scores over those that did not. This would suggest students would be wise to submit test scores, no matter what they are.

This strategy deserves a second look. Some would argue the only students who don’t submit scores are those students whose scores are low. I’m generally willing to go along with this idea, but if there’s a junior out there with a 1500 on the SAT who isn’t submitting them because they don’t think their future should be judged on one four-hour test, that’s the kid I’d take first if I were a college—and they’d get a full ride scholarship.
 
Building on this, the next assumption is students with low test scores also have low grades, so it doesn’t really matter if they submit test scores or not—either way, they wouldn’t get in.
 
This is where things fall apart. Many colleges first went test optional because they felt test scores didn’t really tell them anything they didn’t already know. Others—mostly school counselors—insisted some of the brightest students they know who would tear it up in college are just plain bad test takers. I can attest to this; I worked at a school for gifted kids, and out of a senior class of about 45, typically 3 or 4 didn’t test well. Since that represents up to 8 percent of the class, you can see where the “low scores means they can’t do the work” doesn’t hold up.
 
Juniors shouldn’t overinterpret the admit rates for non-test submitters. Your better bet is to look at the average GPA for admitted students; if your GPA is at or above that, and your scores aren’t great, apply anyway, and keep the scores out of it. The college may not admit many non-test takers, but the ones they do take are likely to fit your description.

College Admissions and the French Horn

by Patrick O'Connor, Ph.D.

I started my college education as a music major, but two things dissuaded me from pursuing this career path. First, five minutes at a college music program showed me I wasn’t in Kansas anymore—there were lots of folks better than me, and that gave me pause. Second, a summer camp job led me to consider education as a career, especially since I heard it came with a starting salary of — wait for it — $10,000, money most musicians never saw at that time.

My interest in music came to mind the other day when the latest round of admission data was posted. A record number of applications led to a record low in admit rates at many colleges; we’ll never know if that happened at some colleges, which decided this year not to release their admit rates at all. That’s really not much of a loss, since their admit rates last year were less than 5 percent. Once you get to that level, you already have the data you need to tell students admission to that college isn’t a sure thing.

As always, the low admit rates have led to discussions about just what colleges are looking for in a candidate. One counselor lamented that colleges with single digit admit rates aren’t admitting students; they’re admitting eighteen-year-olds who have demonstrated adult propensities.

That’s where my music background kicked in. In my music major days, symphonies had an interesting way of auditioning for open seats. The applicants would assemble backstage, where they were randomly assigned a number. Then, in order, each would walk to the center of the stage and play—except that the stage curtain was closed. Those in the audience listening to the audition couldn’t possibly know who was playing—so they had no idea if it was a friend, someone they’d played with before, what they looked like, or if they hopped on one foot while playing. All they were judged on was their ability to play.

I say this because many involved in college admissions are looking for a similar method to use when reviewing students. Admissions officers freely admit the current system is far from equitable, with every part of a college application offering an advantage to the wealthy. What’s been lacking from these “tear down the system” discussions are proposals to review applicants that are more equitable. If only it would be possible to put each applicant behind a metaphorical curtain of some kind, and ask them to do something that measured their ability to succeed in college, we’d just be all set.

The problem is that we don’t know what that is. Students with sterling high school records come home from college in less than a year, either lacking the emotional stamina to endure life outside the classroom, or unable to endure not being top banana at a college full of top bananas. Conversely, students whose high school careers were less than stellar end up in leadership positions because college makes sense to them in a way high school didn’t — that, or they simply grew up.

Some argue a new series of requirements are required in the admissions process that would even the admissions field, but as I’ve pointed out before, there is no skill out there that money can’t improve. If a college decides to let students in based on their cake-baking skills, summer culinary programs will pop up, and will only be attended by those who can afford them. It’s interesting to talk about finding the right curtain test for college admissions, but developing it is quite a different song.

 

A New Group of College Counseling Videos Arrives. Are They Any Good?

by Patrick O'Connor, Ph.D.

There’s a new series of college advising tools in town. Crash Course, in collaboration with Arizona State University, is rolling out a series of YouTube videos on How to College. The introductory video promises the new series will discuss a wide array of college-related topics.

Crash Course is the brainchild of Hank and John Green, aka the Vlog Brothers, who have been sharing their insights online for quite a while with their followers, the Nerd Fighters. Subscribers to Crash Course number over 13 million, in part because of John’s well known teen books, most notably The Fault in Our Stars.

A quick review of any Hank and John video clearly shows these guys are smart, aware, and nerd savvy—but is this the sufficient mix needed to be effective aids in the transition to college? As the Crash Course college videos roll out, it will be crucial to evaluate their effectiveness the same way any college counseling tool is evaluated:

Beyond “Sit and Get” If a video is simply a presentation of facts and suggestions, the video is basically doing what most counselors do in classroom presentations—without the opportunity to solicit feedback. Are those opportunities available here? This is crucial.

A Curriculum, or Just Videos? It’s nice to have some ideas about college on video. It’s better when those ideas are structured as a larger whole. Add a workbook or a narrative, along with some activities, and you’re good to go. (Take a look here for an example.)

Doing Something with the Information From journal keeping to online quizzes, many videos put the students in charge of their own learning by making them do something with what they’re learning, and providing feedback on that activity in the video. Counselors know talking a subject to death is a sure turnoff; here’s hoping Crash Course has avoided that trap.

Linking Students to Counselors Many students have no college counselor or adviser to talk to at school, but many do—they just don’t connect with them. Part of this may be due to large student caseloads, but I can’t think of a counselor who isn’t going to help a student who knocks on the counselor’s door with a question. Crash Course could go a long way to connecting counselors with students if they urge students to do so in every single video (perhaps as a tag line—and devoting a video to this topic), making a crucial connection for the personalization of the advice they’re offering.

Creating a Community of Learners College-bound students benefit from talking about their understanding, and their feelings, about the college process with others. Crash Course can meet this need two ways, starting with a chat room for student subscribers. Students talking to each other about the college process always risks a sharing of misinformation, but the affective value of these rooms generally surpasses the damage that misinformation can provide, since it helps students know they aren’t alone.

The second source of processing involves counselors. If a student truly has no school-based assistance with college choice, Crash Course can meet that need by partnering with established groups of counselors and running chat rooms once or twice a month. This is the kind of work state or regional affiliates of the National Association for College Admission Counseling could take on, or independent college counselors who are members of either the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) or the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA). Working with one or more of these groups will build on the content of the Crash Course videos in meaningful and personalized ways.

Waitlists

by Patrick O'Connor, Ph.D.

A letter indicating you’ve been waitlisted usually comes all by itself. The letter indicates the college is still considering your application, but must hear from the admitted students before they may—again, that’s may—offer you admission.

This is tricky for two reasons. First, it’s tough to wait longer; you were ready to hear yes or no, and instead, you got “give us a little more time”. Many students just can’t live with now knowing anymore. If that’s you, thank the college, say you’re not interested, and move on.
 
Second, waitlist rules vary by college—so…

• Re-read the letter from the college to see if it gives you any information about the waitlist—how the order to making offers is determined, when it is determined, and what you need to do to stay on it. If all the admitted soccer players turn down College X and College Y, College X may only go to the waitlist for soccer players, while College Y may start offering admission to the students at the top of a pre-determined list, whether they play soccer or not. This makes for a pretty bad soccer team, but this does still happen at a few schools. Find out if you’re dealing with an X or a Y.
  

• If this information isn’t in the letter, call the college and ask. They may give you some suggestions on what to do; use them, since they are basically telling you how to improve your chances of getting off the list.
  

Next, it’s decision time. Given the options you have, do you still feel you want to wait and hear back from this college? As you think about this, let these two questions be your guide:

1. If a slot doesn’t open up at this college, what other college will I choose to go to?
2. If a slot does open up at this college, what college will I select?

If the answer to both questions is the same, you don’t need the waitlist. If your decision depends in part on financial aid, remember that the amount of aid that’s available to students who come off the waitlist is usually limited. Colleges typically offer all their aid to students who are admitted; as a result, the aid offered to students taken off the waitlist is limited to the amount of aid turned down by admitted students. That’s no reason to give up—it’s just something to consider, or ask about.

If you decide to go for it, don’t be shy. “I want you to know I am still interested in attending College X this fall” sends a clear statement on where you stand; if this is your first choice college, make sure you say that, as long as you mean it. Grades in current classes, additional awards and maybe another letter of recommendation could make a difference, as long as the college lets you submit them. Send in one complete package of new material as soon as it’s ready, then call or e-mail about two weeks after that to let them know of your continued interest.

Most colleges won’t review their waitlist until after May 1, which is when most colleges want students to send in a deposit, or at least tell then they are coming. If you’re still waiting to hear from a waitlisted college on April 30, put in the required deposit at another school, so you have somewhere to go in the fall. If the college of your dreams pulls you off eh waitlist later on, cancel your admission in writing at the other school—and know you probably won’t get your deposit back.

If you want to go for it, give it your all—but remember, you already have a life; now, you’re just looking for a college.

College Without Beer Pong, and Other Issues When a College Says No

by Patrick O'Connor, Ph.D.

I’m really behind when it comes to posting my When a College Says No article. Two dozen stories have floated past my social media accounts, important reminders that we make sure students know their life isn’t in a yes from a top college. Magic Johnson’s two years at Michigan State were game changers, and MSU didn’t make the US News rankings that year. (OK—there was no US News rankings then, but you get the idea.)

Since the well-being of the student is being nicely covered by others, here are two other tidbits that could come in handy when you talk to your students and your parents about plans that have become unraveled. Many of you will be talking with people who are disappointed about what Harvard and Columbia told them, but with a little creativity, these tips can even be of help to them:

The House Jamie (not his real name) closed the door to his pickup. He’d graduated from high school two years ago, and the ensuing fifteen months had been nothing but false starts. Convinced college wasn’t for him, he enlisted in the armed forces, only to discover that really wasn’t going to make him all that he could be.

He came home, waited a while, and decided maybe college was worth a shot after all. He enrolled in a local community college, taking three classes because he was told that would be a more manageable load, and off he went.

By October, it was clear he was right in the first place. He stopped by the registrar’s office and withdrew from all his classes.

The empty page that seemed to be his future filled his thought, until something caught his eye. He was taking the same route home, but for some reason, he’d never seen the building site for a new home that filled his attention now. “I wonder how you get to do that kind of work?” he thought, as he pulled his pickup onto the site, deciding his question deserved a direct answer.

Jamie stopped the first person he saw with a hard hat, and asked his question. After a thoughtful pause, the hard hat—who happened to own the construction company-- said “Ya know, anyone with the guts to drive onto a job site and ask that question deserves a shot. Go buy some good boots, and we’ll see you at 7 tomorrow morning.”

Jamie didn’t know it, but he was entering a world of work that was in high demand, and paid a starting hourly wage of $20, that quickly went as high as $41 once it was clear you could do something with a hammer. True, he’d still be living at home; but with no student loans to pay, and with the sandwich shop pay only $12 per hour, in a few years he could have enough money for a new truck, a place of his own, and money to try college again if he wanted to. Keep in mind—Jamie was 19.

Life and College The second thing to remember is a factoid—the average age of most community college students is about 27. This means they graduated high school for a “good paying” job that, three kids and ten years later, isn’t so good anymore. Yes, college at 27 is a different world—one’s penchant for beer pong is typically long gone—but it’s still another try at the larger goal.

Keep these in mind. They may be more helpful than you think.

Three Phrases to Keep in Mind as Decisions Come Out

by Patrick O'Connor, Ph.D.

More than a few colleges have already sent their admissions decisions out, in a year that’s starting earlier than ever. Some feel this is a sign that the old NACAC dates—notify by April 1, decide by May 1—really are on their way out, but either way, the decisions are coming, and we need to be as ready for them as the students are.

With that in mind, I’d like to revisit three chestnuts we all seem to rely on—and sometimes, over-rely on—this time of year. These phrases are always delivered with the best of intentions, but without some critical caveats, they don’t always serve their intended purpose, which is support of the student. Ready to refresh?

“You’ll be happy wherever you go.” This oldie but goodie tries to ease the pain of a student who didn’t get into their first choice college, and was given a significant boost in the thought world of college admissions with the 2016 release of Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be. The idea here is simple; there’s more than one school where you will be able to tear up the curriculum and make the most of everything the college has to offer, as long as you are willing to work hard, take charge of your own future, and not wait for an invitation to participate.

I completely agree with this sentiment, and just wrote about a student who was in this exact position. I also know of several students where the opposite happened—they were indeed admitted to their first choice college, and chose to spend their four years either at tailgates or in their dorm rooms, deciding that a diploma with the name of a prestigious school was all they wanted out of the experience.

But these cases are something very different from picking a college at random and telling the student they’ll be happy there. Second- and third- choices—and I still believe it’s OK to call them that—are still choices that were made as a result of research and reflection. There are reasons why they ended up on the “Yes” list, even if they didn’t end up on the “YES!!!” list. Saying the student’s choice doesn’t really matter shows a lack of respect for the student, and for the effort they’ve put in to building their future. “You’ve worked hard to create great options for yourself” conveys a sentiment that the student has, and is still, driving the college bus, and it’s going to take them places, without patronizing them. Give that a try.

“We’ll see what the waitlist brings.” With rare exception, waitlists no longer serve the lone purpose of saying to a student “We’ll love to have you once we have room”. They now serve every purpose from a consolation prize (“Hey, you made the waitlist”) to one more piece of data that, in the eyes of some, increases the college’s prestige. Sure, colleges take students from waitlists, and the number varies greatly from year to year, but do your homework before you get a student’s hopes up. A waitlist of 2,000 is more likely a lottery than an opportunity. Be sure to frame the context.

“There’s always transfer.” Actually, no, there isn’t. As a rule, the lower the admit rate, the more likely it’s harder to get in as a transfer student—if they take transfers at all. Be sure to do your homework before throwing this option out there. Going as a guest student may be an option, but transfer isn’t always the gimme you think it is.