College Search Tips for 10th and 11th Graders (and Parents!)

May 1 is national college decision day!  Seniors and their parents can finally say they have survived the college admissions process!  Congratulations to all in this enviable position.

Juniors and Sophomores (and even freshmen!) - believe it or not, you are already in the middle of your college search process - your grades from 9th, 10th and 11th grade will count very heavily when you apply to colleges in the fall of your senior year.  Keep those grades UP!

If you feel like you're behind because you haven't started looking yet, this can be fixed.  Don't save all of the college search process for that senior year fall, when you'll need to spend your time on your academics.

Juniors:

• take some time over the summer to visit colleges and start making your list.
• start working on your personal statement - this is not something you should save until the last minute!
• if you haven't taken the SAT or ACT yet, you should prep over the summer and take one or both of them in September, October and/or November.

Sophomores:

• start thinking about college now
• begin to draft your resume, keeping track of your extra-curricular activities and any jobs you have had
• talk to friends who are a few years older about college to see where they are looking

Parents:

The college search process is an opportunity for you to let your child explore where their future may take them.  You may choose to hire an independent college counselor to help you through the details of the process; many of us spend time traveling to learn more about colleges so that we can help our clients find colleges that really fit their social and academic needs. [My reviews and photos of colleges I've visited are here (in CA) and here (outside of CA).]  Most of us are also members of professional organizations and keep track of trends in college admissions so that you have all of the information you need as your child is going through this process.

The college search can sometimes be overwhelming - costs and financial aid options vary wildly, we don't know where to start and everyone has an opinion to offer.  It seems like you hear more about shrinking acceptance rates than any good news - but the good news is that there are over 2,000 colleges in the United States and only about 100 colleges reject more students than they accept.  There is a college where your student can be happy, learn and most importantly, get in!!  

Keeping charts and/or checklists, with target deadlines, is one way to keep the process organized and help you and your student feel like they are on track.  Remember that UC and Cal State applications are due November 30th and most out-of-state and private colleges have application deadlines generally between December 1st and January 15th.  Some are even into February.

If you'd like to be added to Magellan College Counseling's monthly newsletter e-mail list, where I give regular tips like the above, please contact me at evelyn@MagellanCounseling.com.