Mayfield High Helps Juniors Make College Decisions

Making a college decision is a difficult choice for many Hillcrest residents. There are several steps students should take in college planning while in their junior year, as outlined at a recent Mayfield High School program.

Morgan Snider, a junior and the oldest of six children, attended the program with her mother.  “I’m paving the way,” she said. “Although the possibilities are overwhelming.”

Speaking to a packed house of more than 70 students and their parents, counselors demystified the college selection and application process.  Silvia Teffler, Beth Udisky and Traci Wright outlined a month-by-month program juniors should follow.

“Colleges are looking for reasons to accept students,” Teffler noted.

The steps were clearly explained in the information packets provided. Knowing yourself, considering college characteristics and comparing colleges were topics Udisky and Wright discussed in detail. These topics were of obvious interest as both parents and juniors took notes.

Marc Kaminicki, chairperson of school counseling, introduced Naviance. The features of this computer-based college search program were powerful yet student/parent friendly. Colleges can be selected based on a wide range of variables like geographic location, degrees offered and student population.

In addition, demographics of the colleges can be accessed, including their acceptance of students within a grade point/test score range. Kaminicki added that there is no substitute for meeting people and visiting the location.

There are college fairs and visits by recruiters. Harvard University visited Mayfield High for the first time this year.

Jantzen Mace attended this college planning meeting wearing a green Wildcats letter jacket with Music and Tennis on the back. When asked about the highlight of this program, he enthusiastically said, “Naviance, because it gives me easy access to college data.” Although unsure of his major, Mace said that both music and law figure into his plans.

Morgan Snider’s mother, Diane Snider, a Mayfield Heights City Council member, was impressed with the information available, but was also looking into more test preparation options. She discussed this after the meeting with Peggy Balzano, whose youngest child is now planning for college. They agreed that as parents it is a bittersweet moment to see your child take the next step to a new beginning.

Although Morgan Snider said the opportunities were overwhelming, she seemed to be very much in control.  Keeping up a 4.0 average, she also found time for many extracurricular activities, from fastpitch to Cat’s Closet.  As she ran to join rehearsal for the upcoming musical Fame you could see her headband, which read "Just Do It."