College Plans? You Need A College Plan!

Yes, we are in the midst of those lazy, hazy, and oh so crazy days of summer, with Back To School sales just a faint reminder that fall -- and the senior year of high school -- are not all that far off.

And while that class schedule may not be in your pencil case (did I just say, "pencil case?"), the rigors and challenges of 12th Grade -- not to mention that minor inconvenience of having to actually apply to college -- are just around the corner. [Actually, at least as concerns the college application and admissions process, it has turned the corner, and is standing in your front yard, peering through the living room window!]

Believe it or not, it is August, and the Common App for 2018-19 (along with many other online college applications) are going live. [If you can call that, "life."] Soooo, NOW is the time for rising high school seniors to take action!

What can soon-to-be seniors do, aside from planning for prom and downloading the latest app on their iPhones? Well, here's a short (and by no means all-inclusive) list:

1. Plan A Rigorous Course-load for Senior Year. Sorry, but senior year of high school is no time to slack off. Basket Weaving 101 is out. College level courses (for which you might actually score college credit) are in. That's not to say you should be loading up on five or six APs. In fact, we advise against that. You should, however, make a strong academic showing, challenging yourself, and demonstrating to college admissions officers that you've got what it takes to succeed once inside those ivy-covered gates.

2. Take the ACT and the SAT Once. [Assuming you haven't taken and finished the rounds of these dreaded tests.] Then, take the exam on which you scored higher, relatively, again. After that, leave it alone. In preparation, while those prep courses may provide a good foundation, and private tutors can help shore up weak spots and give you focus, nothing beats practice, practice, practice.

3. Take A Look At Colleges. Maybe you packed up the car and headed off on a road trip this summer to the colleges that top your list, but heck, with the Internet, you can -- and should -- take a virtual tour of almost every college (University of Guam, anyone?) without having to get out of your PJs (like you were ever planning on doing that, anyway :-) or leaving the comfort (and pile of dirty clothes) of your bedroom. Virtual tours are available -- and FREE -- any time of day or night, at websites such as YouniversityTV.com, CampusTours.com and eCampusTours.com (because CampusTours.com was already taken :-). Check 'em out before you spend the time and money to head out to campus! [And when you do head out to campus, let them know you're coming (It's called, "demonstrating interest"). Schedule a tour. Meet with an admissions rep. Sit in on a class. Stay overnight in a dorm room. And, by all means, try the food. Remember, Mom won't be cooking for you while you're away at college!] Want to get a rough guesstimate of your "chances" of gaining admission to a particular college or university? Visit CollegeData.com. [Also a great place to begin to build your college list, along with CollegeRaptor.com and College Board's Big Future.]

4. Look Over (and actually start) The Common App. While not every college supplement (Questions and/or Writings) was ready for prime time on August 1 (it may take until September for some colleges to get on the ball), you can still get a pretty good idea as to form and format, which will help you prepare, organize and gather data and information needed to complete the Common App. The "common" sections of the Common App (Profile, Family, Education, etc.) -- under the tab labeled, surprisingly enough, Common App, are ripe for the picking, so get to work on those right now. For students who created accounts in their junior year, or earlier, Common App data did "rollover" and save from the 2017-18 application to the 2018-19 version. [So high school juniors, sophs, and even freshmen can actually start working on their Common Applications now.]

Many proprietary (the colleges' own) applications are now available (check college websites under Admissions or Prospective Students), as is the Coalition for Access app, the CAPPEX App, the Universal College App, and sundry others that seem to be more prolific than tweets from a certain occupant of the White House. [Alas, there is no app for Trump U. Sigh...]

NOTE: A good rule of thumb is to plan to have your college applications ready to roll in time to submit for non-binding Early Action (typically, EA deadlines fall between October 15 and December 1, with the majority being November 1 or November 15). Of course, it is always better to submit a well thought out and thoroughly orchestrated application Regular Decision, than to submit a half-baked app EA.

5. Create Your Resume On Naviance. Yes, during the college application process, you will be building that Resume, over and over and over again. Start with the Resume on Naviance (for those high schools utilizing this platform), found under the About Me tab. Include everything you have done, in and out of school, academic, sports, clubs, community service, etc., from the 9th Grade on.

6. Give Some Thought to Your Personal Statement. The "Topic of Your Choice" has returned in the 2018-19 version of Common App, along with last season's essay prompts. You should be thinking about the essay -- if not putting pen to paper (paper?) -- creating a brief outline, and developing a theme that -- within the context of the stated topics and the confines of 650 words -- will tell college admissions who you are, who you hope to become over the next four years, and what you will bring to campus (other than those Joe Boxer shorts and the 65" Ultra4K HDTV). Keep it simple. Write about what you know (YOU!) and what you are passionate about. And don't stress out. Just write. It's only an essay!

7. Start Searching and Applying for College Scholarships. Sure, it's tough to get high school seniors (let alone those already in college and footing that hefty tuition bill) to apply for scholarships. Still, there's lots of FREE money out there, if you know where to look for it and how to go after it. Strike while the iron is just getting warmed up (and your classmates are consumed by that barely visible zit on their chins). Good places to start? Go for the big money and for the small change (it adds up). Try scholarship search engines such as Fastweb, MeritAid, NicheCollege and Chegg. [They can also help you get started on your college searches.]

8. Avoid The College Fiscal Cliff. While we discuss financing college education elsewhere -- and everywhere -- it is critical that a plan to pay for college be put in place as early in the game as possible. [By "early" we mean right out of the womb!] That said, it's never too late to start saving -- and keep saving -- for college. For starters, think 529 Plan! Always consider cost when choosing colleges to which to apply and attend. And be sure to visit the Net Price Calculators available on almost every college website.

And once classes start...

9. Get To Know Your Guidance Counselor. How many times have you met with your Guidance Counselor this year? Once? Twice? Not at all? Stop in the Guidance Office. Introduce yourself. Make an appointment to sit down and chat. The Guidance office is a gold mine, and yet, it is all too easy to simply pass by the mother load on your way to lunch. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Stir some interest in Guidance and your efforts are likely to pay off, bigly. [Remember, your Guidance Counselor writes that all-important Guidance Report, which often outweighs Letters of Recommendation (be sure to requests teacher recs) in Admission decisions.]

10. Keep Up Your Grades. This is first and foremost on the "To Do" list once classes start in the fall. For all the talk about grades not meaning what they used to, guess what? They do and they will. If your grades are up there, keep it going. If they need improvement, hit the books. It will be too late midway through your senior year to say, "Gee, I should have put more effort into Chemistry." And believe us when we say that raising that GPA becomes more difficult with each passing semester. Think a tenth of a point doesn't matter? Think Olympics. That squeaker that beat out the other guy by 1/100th of a point makes all the difference in the world! Almost every college requires both mid-year and final transcripts, so, yes, grades matter!

11. Get Involved and Stay Involved! Nothing speaks of a student's character like involvement in the community. Nothing. And saying, "woulda, shoulda, coulda" in your senior year just doesn't cut it! Yes, you may be active on the playing field, but there's so much more to the game of life than Lacrosse and Track. Volunteer. Roll up your sleeves. No such thing as "once and done." Make a commitment to a single activity that in some way improves your community. Consistency and frequency speak volumes. It will be so much more than a resume builder (which is another topic for another post).

12. Hone A Unique Talent, Skill or Interest. You never know when a college may be in desperate need of a bassoon player, baton twirler or robotics whiz. Then, too, there may be a scholarship in there for you -- sometimes even a full ride. If you've got it, flaunt it!

13. Speak With An Independent College Planning Counselor. [Hey. If we don't toot our own horn, who will? :-)] Back in the day, when words like "competitive" and "selective" were not in the college admissions vernacular, you could go down that long, if not sometimes lonely road to college admissions alone. No Sherpa Guide was necessary. Today, having a college counselor -- your own personal guru who knows the detours, side roads and rock falls of the application and admissions process, is no longer a luxury. [And if you are coming out of, say, one of Long Island's competitive school districts, having a college counselor at hand to help you successfully navigate the road to college is an absolute must!] The telephone consultation, like every one of the steps listed above to help get you started, is FREE!

So, what are you waiting for, you rising high school seniors (and parents thereof)? College is closer than it appears in the rear view mirror. Let's get started!

At College Connection, We've Got Your Back. And Your Best Moves Forward. Plan. Prepare. PREVAIL!

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The College Whisperer™ and Official Sponsor of College Admissions Success™ are Trademarks of COLLEGE CONNECTION. The road to college begins at COLLEGE CONNECTION! Whether you are applying to college, planning for college, paying for college or simply thinking about college, COLLEGE CONNECTION can help! Call TODAY for a FREE telephone consultation. 516-345-8766

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