How to get the most out of your college campus visit

Visiting a college campus plays a vital role in the college admission process for both the student and college. The student is able to see firsthand what the campus grounds, building, staff and students are like, and the college gets to see what the student’s personality and character is like. The recommended time to visit a college campus is during the spring of the student’s junior year of high school through the fall of their senior year. Visiting during the summer is fine but realize that most college student will not be there so you may not get the full vibe of the college.

In order to schedule your campus visit come up with a day and time that works best for you and your family (always have a back up date too just in case) and then call the college to see what their availability may be. Most college websites will have their available hours of operation and all of the contact information. It is very important for the student to be making this phone call as this is your education and you need to start taking responsibility for it yourself. When visiting the college, show up prepared and nicely dressed. You do not have to wear a suit but look at it this way: would you wear a t-shirt and jeans to a job interview? This interview will help you get into the college you want; thus, the career you want. The major things to accomplish during a campus visit are to tour the campus and have an Admission interview. Touring the campus allows you to see class rooms, residence halls, sport and recreational facilities, libraries, student centers and any other areas of interest. For example, if you are interested in majoring in Nursing, ask to see the nursing labs or if you want to be on TV or Radio ask to see the stations. The Admission interview is your time to shine and allows your personality to shine through, allowing the Admission Counselor to acknowledge your potential at the college and lets them put a face with your name. This is also your time to ask questions and this is where being prepared comes into play. Having a list of questions to ask shows that you’re interested and you have the maturity of wanting to find the right college.

Here are some great questions to ask:

What are the class sizes?

What is the student to teacher ratio?

Are there any support services like tutoring and is it free?

Is housing guaranteed?

Are there any resources on campus for internships and job placements?

How are your study abroad programs?

How are the sports programs, intramurals, weekend life and activities?

What is the % of students that live on campus? Percent that are out of state and where?

What is the student retention rate?

More questions include: is there part time or full time faculty?, future strategic plan for the college?, what is allowed in the residence halls?, wireless and where?, meal plans and what is the surrounding area like? Some good final questions include: why the counselor likes working for the college and what makes that college different from the rest? After the interview, ask for a business card so you can send a personal thank you card.

If you are traveling and trying to see as many colleges as you can in a set amount of time think about this: the average college campus tour is around one hour and the Admission interview will last around thirty minutes to an hour. If you schedule yourself to meet with a coach or person from any other specific program then that is additional time as well. This can add up to around three or more hours at just one college so I suggest only two colleges a day; one morning visit and one later afternoon visit is plenty. This will allow your brain to let it all sink in as there is a lot of information flying at you for one day. If for some reason you are going to be late for your appointment or cannot attend at all, make sure to call and cancel. Not showing up without explanation is unacceptable.

To conclude, always have this in the back of your mind: the Admission Counselor’s job is to find students that can add to the prestige of their university. What do you possess that they are looking for? What are their weaknesses you can help to make their strengths- academically and socially? Sell that and you will have them knocking on your door.

By: Aaron F. Smith and Jerrod Zertuche
University Advisors

University of California Regents Change Admission Policies

The UC Board of Regents approved a change to the University's admission policy that will affect current high school students graduating in 2012 and beyond. The new policy requires the same number of "a-g" courses and the same GPA as current policy.

The two key differences are:

1. These changes will not change the way students prepare for the University: students still need to complete the"a-g" requirements, earn the best grades possible, and take the ACT Assessment with Writing or the SAT Reasoning Test. They will also need content knowledge in case they choose to take an SAT Subject Test to demonstrate specific subject-matter proficiency.

2. Students who graduate from high school prior to 2012 will be held to existing admissions requirements. Moreover, this means that these students will be required to submit scores from two SAT Subject Tests in order to be eligible for admission (which is the policy now).

You can find out more information about the policy here.

Liam Dunfey
University Advisors

Be Realistic: Plan Ahead for Your College Options

Colleges can't accept everyone. Just like any other consumer product (and yes a college education is a consumer product!) there is supply and demand.

Many colleges have only so many places and the job of the admission office is to find students to fill those places without over enrolling. The Ohio State University marching band can only have one tuba player dotting the "i" on Ohio during the halftime show! And colleges only have so many seats in classrooms and beds in the residence halls.

Supply and demand is what makes certain colleges or majors selective; thus, they can pick and choose exactly who they want and who they think will enroll.

This selectivity causes many very good students (even valedictorians) and those who are class presidents with many extra-curricular activities to be rejected from their first choice college. It comes down to is a numbers game. And sometimes these numbers are not SAT scores, GPA, yards per carry, number of extra-curricular activities or leads in the school play.

If you've “got the numbers and resume” you should still apply to the selective places, but you should also apply to others that are not as competitive for admission. You will get in somewhere. It may not be your top choice, but you will find the place which will be "exactly the right school for you.”

This is also the reason for applying to schools that you definitely want to go to or where you will be happy if your first choice college doesn't accept you. Being realistic about the places you apply will eliminate the stress of the process not only for yourself, but also for your parents.

Plan ahead for options now!

Brian E. Davis
University Advisors

Holiday Break and College Admissions Help

The holiday break is finally here for students across the country! For seniors, this could be a time to reflect on early action/decision matters and for the majority of students, it’s crunch time to complete personal statements, applications, and maybe even visit a campus or two.

The holiday break is a time to step away from the hustle, stress, and routine of school and reflect on what you really want from a college experience. Do you feel the same way about a school as you did in September? Have your goals changed? Perhaps you’re rethinking an intended major? This is completely normal. Investing your time and resources into the next fours years is not to be taken lightly, so over the next few weeks, consider all your options and which path you’d like to go. If you’re not sure, talk it over with people that are close to you. Besides yourself, they know you best!

For juniors, next month is traditionally the month that begins the college search. You may want to take a look at your school’s calendar and/or NACAC’s to figure out when a college fair is coming to your area. These fairs are an excellent way for you to learn more about what’s out there beyond the brand name school in your region. With over 4,000 accredited institutions of higher education, there’s many to choose from and learn about. Focus on the possibilities and not the limitations.

Liam Dunfey, M.A.
University Advisors

Helicopter Parents: Are They Hovering Too Close?

Over the past few years there has been more and more talk and research about “Helicopter Parents” a term given to parents that tend to hover over their child, never giving the child full control of their educational life. Wikipedia defines helicopter parents as “a parent who pays extremely close attention to his or her child's or children's experiences and problems, particularly at educational institutions. These parents rush to prevent any harm or failure from befalling them and will not let them learn from their own mistakes, sometimes even contrary to the children's wishes. They are so named because, like helicopters they hover closely overhead, rarely out of reach, whether their children need them or not. An extension of the term, "Black Hawk parents," has been coined for those who cross the line from a mere excess of zeal to unethical behavior, such as writing their children's college admission essays. (The reference is to the military helicopter of the same name.) Some college professors and administrators are now referring to "Lawnmower parents" to describe mothers and fathers who attempt to smooth out and mow down all obstacles, to the extent that they may even attempt to interfere at their children's workplaces, regarding salaries and promotions, after they have graduated from college and are supposedly living on their own” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter_parent). The new trend for parents of today’s college bound students is to not only help them through the admission process but to do most of it themselves. Parents are the ones making the phone calls to college admission offices, asking questions at college fairs and on campus tours, sometimes not even giving their child a chance to do it themselves. The child cannot learn to advocate for themselves if the parents always do it for them. One of the biggest issues I personally tend to see on the college campus I work for is in the residence halls. Students are not filling out the roommate information correctly because parents are either doing it all for them or hovering over them while they are doing it. Students are being improperly matched with other students thus making roommates incompatible and constructing issues that could have been avoided. An article by Shannon Colavecchio-Van Sickler of the St. Petersburg Times has some great insight from college professionals on this subject. “Administrators say they know these parents mean well. But their frequent phone calls and unreasonable demands stunt student development and test the patience of college officials. Where parent behavior becomes a challenge for us is when they encourage dependence, and they become too involved because they are afraid their son or daughter will make a mistake," says Tom Miller, a University of South Florida dean of students. "Our students are graduating," says Jeanna Mastrodicasa, associate dean of the UF honors college. "But they are not ready to go into the real world." (http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/19/State/Mommy__tell_my_profes.shtml)

Now I know this all sounds very negative so far but there is also research that suggests being a helicopter parents is not all bad. A study done by the National Survey of Student Engagement show that students whose parents were very often in contact with them and frequently intervened on their behalf "reported higher levels of engagement and more frequent use of deep learning activities," such as after-class discussions with professors, intensive writing exercises and independent research, than students with less-involved parents. "Compared with their counterparts, children of helicopter parents were more satisfied with every aspect of their college experience, gained more in such areas as writing and critical thinking, and were more likely to talk with faculty and peers about substantive topics," said survey director George D. Kuh, an Indiana University professor. Another thing that the NSSE study also indicated was that although engagement levels and use of deep learning activities were up, the grade point averages of students reporting more frequent contact with parents and whose parents intervened more frequently on their behalf were lower. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/04/AR2007110401754.html) Also found in a recent study done by Shilo Henriques the Associate Director of Admission at Cape Code Community College in her thesis Information regarding the long-term detriments of helicopter Parenting. Her study overwhelmingly indicated that “college students and faculty alike agree that the detriments of helicopter parenting outweigh its benefits. Development of important qualities and life skills are greatly affected when parents do not allow their children to learn from their own mistakes. The development of independence, self-advocacy and decision-making skills are crucial to being a successful adult and often times are lacking in people who have not been allowed to fend for themselves."

The College Board web-site has a great test for parents to take if they are questioning their helicopter tendencies. Follow this link and scroll to the bottom to take the quiz for yourself or if someone you know needs a little help to figure it out please feel free to send them the link. The better ready and prepared students can be for college and the real world the better. http://www.collegeboard.com/parents/plan/getting-ready/155044.html.

By: Aaron F. Smith
College Counselor and Learning Disabilities Specialist
University Advisors Admission Specialists

Which College is 'Right' for Me?

With over 3500 colleges and universities across the United States, not to mention the numbers around the globe, the possibilities for higher education are almost infinite. But how do you determine which is really the "right one" for you?

Seniors - and in some case juniors and sophomores - already have been receiving publications from a large number of colleges. And again the question, "How do you determine which one is 'right' for you?"

The college and university ratings and rankings often are of minimal assistance even if they do purport to be distinctive and individual. So how do you sort through all of these guide books, web sites, and rankings?

One way to approach finding the "right college" is to identify the institution where you will be most engaged: that is, where you will find an educational experience that will keep you connected and involved - inside and outside of the classroom - and where you find "like minded" students.

The report titled "Promoting Engagement for All Students: The Imperative to Look Within" was released this last week by Indiana University's Center for Postsecondary Research. It was sponsored by Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Remarkably the study found that a student's experience does not differ much among institutions.

It was not so much the specific college or university attended that made the educational experience special and worthwhile; rather it was differences amongst students' attitudes and behaviors where "educational quality" occurred.

Specifically the report focused on academic challenge, collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, enriching educational experiences and the supportive campus environment. While the report honed in on these five areas, the key for students is to be "totally engaged" -- both inside and outside the classroom.

A senior from Wichita State University, quoted in the study, said, "The time spent out of the classroom (i.e. extra curricular activities) has been just as valuable, if not more valuable, as time spent in the classroom. The administration and faculty have taken the time to continue the learning experience outside the classroom." (Blog writer's note: Blogger is a graduate of Wichita Sate University).

When trying to answer the question of which college or university is "right" for you, look at the entire experience and the ability to immerse yourself in the learning culture of the college rather than just considering reputation, professors, and location. Key to the quality of your post-secondary education is to choose a college that facilitates your choice to connect, engage, participate, collaborate, and enjoy the total college experience.

Brian E. Davis, M.T.S.
CIO, University Advisors Admission Specialists, LLC