College Application Tips for Students and Parents

The website for the Berlin High School guidance department has a listing of the Top Ten Ways to Enjoy the College Admission Process.  “Enjoy” might be a strong word given the amount of work involved in applying to college these days, but the BHS counselors are eager to provide guidance and take some of the pain out of the process. 

The Class of 2011 is similar to classes from recent years in that about 88 percent will be heading off to college next year.  Yet at this point in the year, only 50 percent of the class has applied to college.  Deborrah Ramirez, Director of School Counseling at Berlin High, has a few tips for college-bound students and for members of the Class of 2011 who are still undecided about their future plans and are starting to feel the pressure:

Get your applications in as soon as possible.  Ramirez said if a student thinks he or she wants to go to college, even if they’re not sure where they want to go or what they want to do, the earlier they submit their applications, the better.  The guidance department can provide help with applications, essays and letters of recommendation.

Ramirez said that each year more and more students apply ‘early action’ because it’s not a binding agreement with a school whereas ‘early decision’ usually is binding.  “Early action means that students can apply early in the school year, and by December they’re notified if they’re accepted or if they’re deferred to the regular applicant pool.  If they’re deferred, they won’t know if they’re accepted until April,” Ramirez explained.  “More kids are applying early action, so they can know up front and start looking at scholarships and financial aid possibilities.”  

Ramirez noted that some schools accept ‘early action’ applications as early as mid-October.  “It makes it tough for the guidance department when we’ve only had a student in senior classes for less than a quarter.  So it behooves us to make sure we really know our kids, which we try very hard to do.”

Financial aid forms need to be completed.  “Students really need to make sure they get the financial aid form done as early as possible, because many times the aid they get will help narrow down the decision (as to which school to attend),” said Ramirez.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form must be completed by all seniors who are seeking financial aid.  Anyone who hasn’t already completed this form should visit www.fafsa.ed.gov right away.

In addition, many schools require students to complete the CCS PROFILE financial aid form in order to qualify for non-federal financial aid.  Once again, students should complete this form as early as possible.  Students can register with PROFILE at http://www.collegeboard.com/ .  Students and parents can also check with the guidance department about upcoming financial aid seminars.

Choosing a strong liberal arts school is always a good bet.  “Even if students are undecided about what they want to study, they can at least start taking core courses at a four-year college because students generally don’t have to choose a major until the end of sophomore year,” said Ramirez.

Don’t rule out two-year schools.  “Two-year schools are a great way to get yourself started, especially if you’re really not sure what you want to do,” said Ramirez.  She said local community colleges have very strong programs that don’t get the respect they deserve.  “It used to be that if you weren’t a great student, that’s where you went.  But that’s really not the case anymore.  There are some fantastic university professors teaching at these schools, and the price is phenomenal.  You can go there and get some coursework under your belt and maybe work a little bit.  You can really save yourself some money and get a tremendous amount of credit and then transfer to a four year school for junior year.  Our community colleges have great affiliations with our state schools, so pretty much every credit will transfer over to those state schools.”   Ramirez said she saw a slight increase in the number of students applying to two-year colleges this year.

Review scholarship opportunities.  Ramirez said the guidance office has a listing of many scholarships available.  College-bound students can visit the office to review the list and to learn more about how to apply.

The guidance department isn’t just for college-bound students.  Counselors provide direction and ongoing assistance for those students who will be attending trade school, entering the workforce, or going into the military.  They advise these students to have a counselor proof their resume, check the “job board” regularly, research apprenticeships and explore the many different technical school options available.  Ramirez said there are a lot of opportunities out there and that many parents today are so college-geared that it’s easy to forget some of those other options.  

“High school counseling is very different from when I went to school,” said Ramirez.  “I graduated in the 80s, and I don’t think I ever saw my guidance counselor.  Today we’re always hustling and bustling and trying to provide as much as we can for the students and the parents.”