December 10, 2008

Risky College Essays

You have consulted everyone, right? You have asked your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors, classmates, teachers, siblings, coaches and confidants, not to mention the amount of time you have spent racking your own brain about what you can do to make your college application essay(s) stand out. You don't know where to start, how to narrow your options, whether you should try to make it funny or academic-- or both. First of all, stop talking to everybody else. They will only plant seeds in your mind that will become the impetus for your eventual writer's block. I see it every year. This is a personal essay. It's you. The essay is the most important aspect of any application. You must execute it well. You may regret writing an essay that's too cute and has you sacrificing the grammar and structure. I have had students write poems, songs, dialogue, portraits. Everything under the sun I have seen. These are about creative freedom. But, if there are a few basic pointers that I can teach to any senior it would be:

1. More...Give yourself something to start off with. Invent a first line and it can be as boring as, "The paint on the wall hadn't been redone since I moved into this room . . ." or something more forceful, "I found myself in the middle of this party, alcohol was all around me and I had an interesting decision to make . . .". You can even start with a quote (although I would advise against using something a bit too cliche (i.e. no Robert Frost, Dr. Seuss, Benjamin Franklin, etc . . .). Just get started with something and see where that can take you. You may end up getting a great essay out of it and then scrapping the opening line in the final edits. Or, you may keep it. Who knows? Give it a shot.

2. Remember who is reading these essays. These are men and women who, more often than not, read application essays for a living. They are closer to your age than they are to your parent's. They are getting a little tired of reading the same old story about a broken leg teaching you patience or building a house in Costa Rica teaching you charity or a family member's death bringing you to the verge of crisis. Certainly these are all possible and they could work, but if that's your basic premise, you're in trouble. Although these events are certainly significant, many have broken a bone. Many, also, have volunteered. Too many have experienced tragedy. Strike them with something shocking, interesting, innovative, or even just a good story.

3. But to do any of this, you have to write it well. If they don't get your humor, sarcasm, dialogue or metaphors, you're likely to be in for a disappointing piece of mail. You must write it well. Try short sentences. Use your own vocabulary. Express yourself-- and do it clearly. I always tell students that I don't care if they write about staring at a goldfish swimming around in a bowl, just as long as they transport me with their words and ideas to help me imagine that I am staring there with them or am inside of their head at a critical moment or, perhaps, that I am the goldfish looking back.

4. Write formally. Do not write like you speak. Don't use "I feel" when you really mean, "I believe" or "I think".

5. Embrace the creative freedom that you are being given. Even on supplemental essays for some schools where they only allow you a very minimal amount of space, you can still create something entertaining and compelling. Don't slack just because you might think that the school might want something specific from you.

6. Which brings me here, if you try to write an essay for the person reading it, you're going to be just another one of the masses. Remember, your job is to explain why you're different from all those other applicants out there who share similar GPA and SAT/ACT scores. If you're writing to please someone else, that's going to be very obvious. This comes back to my first recommendation. When you're letting others read your essay and hear your thoughts, don't let them deter you with comments like, "are you sure you should write that?" or "Do you think they'll like that idea" or, my favorite, "that seems a little risky". Ahh, RISK! This is what the whole process is about: taking risks. Right? Now if somebody remarks that your grammar is poor or they are having trouble understanding what point you're trying to make, then you should reassess. But if risk comes through to those who read it, I think you're on the right track.

7. Get someone who has some relatively recent experience and who may not feel so personal to you to read your essays and help you brainstorm if you need it. You can always write or call me. Visit my blog, http://collegecounseling101.blogspot.com, if you're looking for some experienced, honest feedback!

November 16, 2008

Obama on Education

Recently I read an article about President-Elect Obama's priorities, as he has stated them thus far. On his list, education and a reform of the system comes in at a heaping #5! (see article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/opinion/13kristof.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=obama+on+education&st=nyt&oref=slogin) This, at first, made me feel good. I mean, I am certainly aware of the number of challenges that will be awaiting this President as he enters office. Obviously he is, too. There are the obvious issues that were at the forefront of every voter's mind: the economy and the war. But then I thought, wait! Isn't education ALWAYS at the front of everyone's mind. Sure, right now, in this very minute, the two biggest issues facing our country (that our country isn't perennially facing) are a recessed economy and a blundered war. This is true. However, these are, hypothetically, temporary problems. I feel guilty just writing that. It's true that people have given their lives in the war and many have lost everything they've worked so hard for in the stock market and I don't mean to disrespect either of these facts. However, the truth is that they are short term problems. The war can be ended almost immediately if the President made that choice. The recession is a product of quantifiable and qualified elements and is a part of market volatility and historical trends. Right?

But EDUCATION! Education is something that we cannot ignore any longer. We have continued to show greater and greater lack of interest in our system. We still have no incentives for teachers. We regurgitate the same standards for students. We have no true recognition of the home life or the neighborhood and the impact that either has on the education and development of our youth. We are a country that belabors the idea of hard work paying off in the end, but parents still complain when their kids get homework or disciplined. I do not subscribe to the Rich Dad, Poor Dad hypothesis of potential, but I do agree that regardless of whether a young person chooses to work harder in the classroom or outside of it, there is reward for hard work. Sadly, it just seems like we continue to ask less of our students both in and out of the classroom and expect equal results while developing countries the world over are surpassing our classroom performance because they emphasize the fact that education, no matter where you come from or where you want to be, is the best mode of public transport. If we don't focus on fixing our education system in this country- from kindergarten through university- we will have greater problems than a recession. We will have a decline, across the board, in the quality of life of every single person in America which will see no end for lifetimes to come.

November 1, 2008

College Applications: #1 MOST Stressful Time

I recently read in an article on the internet (forgive me for not remembering where, precisely, this article can be found) that the period of time when a student is applying to college is the #1 Most Stressful Time in that person's life, in general. I thought to myself how it sure doesn't seem that many of my students are losing their minds, going gray or really lacking sleep as they undergo this process. Why aren't they? Because I'm doing it all for them.

Let's be honest, is this really a time in our students' lives that should have them tearing their hair out? I do not condone the fear-factor playing a role in the college admissions process. Yes, if the only schools that a family wants their student to apply to are Stanford, MIT and those in the Ivy League, then it can be stressful. However, if the process is a well-informed and well-prepared time, there is absolutely NO reason why it should be a stress-inducing experience. On the contrary, one of my seniors recently said to me how much she has really enjoyed writing these creative essays and learning more about the schools to which she is applying. Granted, we've been working together on her applications and essays since July, but that's just necessary in this day and age. It's simply preparation and awareness. There is nothing as important as this process, so why wouldn't one be enthusiastic about investing such an amount of time in being thorough and well-researched?

The bottom line is this, there are plenty of events in a young person's life, in which they have to look forward to stress, confusion, fear and, certainly, rejection. Let this not be a time that strives to prepare them for this as if it's doing humanity some significant favor in preparing our youth to be numbed, stoic and learning to fear those events in life which pose both a challenge and the prospect of a significant process being undertaken.

And just as a side note, the #2 Most Stressful Time in a Person's Life . . . anybody want to take a guess? That's right, the wedding planning. For those of you who don't know, I will be a very fortunate man come January 3rd, 2009.

October 20, 2008

It's Going to be Competitive

In the wake of the current economy, you would think that college admissions will slack off a bit from the intense and selective creature that they have morphed into in this past decade. However, my prediction, based on my experience, is that it will be just the opposite. Why? You ask. That's a very good question. At first, it would not seem to make any sense, right? Financing college over the course of the next four years will be more difficult than ever as the value of the dollar grows weaker and universities and colleges across the country maintain (or even raise) their costs and fees. But this will not be the application deterrent that we might expect. It may, very well, be a determining factor in selecting which college a student will attend after offers of admission have all been gathered and assessed. However, what will happen with the actual application numbers and, thus, the offers of admission, will be startling for most young students and their families.
I believe that what we will see in another five months as the admission decisions are flowing in and students are anxiously checking their mailboxes on a daily basis, is that fewer and fewer students are getting in to fewer and fewer schools. This is happening because the number of applications will rise like the phoenix this year. This is the case because parents are going to tell their students to apply to even MORE colleges and universities than ever before. Why would they do this? For a few reasons, actually.

1)
It's an ego thing. Parents want their kids to feel like they have been accepted into schools. Even if a student can only, ultimately, choose ONE university to attend, a parent wants their son/daughter to be admitted to ALL of them.

2) So many smaller liberal arts colleges are dropping their application fee and increasing their marketing material. This means that if they only require one essay or, better yet, participate in the commonapp.org, completing that school's application is a no-brainer.

3) Parents are going to advocate that their son/daughter apply to the wealthiest institutions this year, regardless of whether their chances for admission are realistic or not. They will have their kids do this because in the past year there has been so much more information circulating about these well-endowed schools awarding the most significant financial aid packages and in tough financial times, there's nothing that seems more valuable than having your kid take on a little extra responsibility (filling out yet another application), paying a $50 application fee, rolling the dice and seeing if it pays off in the end, with an offer of admission and a healthy financial aid package.

4) Parents still want their students to apply to all of those cool, out-of-state schools, but they also want to make sure that there will be in-state options also, seeing that in-state tuition is going to be looking all the more attractive this year. This will definitely cut down on the anxiety that comes with paying tuition bills when there seems to be no current end in sight, with regard to this financial mess.

5) Being that the universities are still in the business of making money, they will begin to accept a higher number of qualified foreign students to enter their gates. Foreign students ordinarily pay full tuition and fees. If a university wants to award more financial aid to those qualified domestic students but don't want to decrease their overall revenue, they will have to start admitting a higher number of internationals. If they do this, then the same (or, if I'm right in my above ideas, a larger number of applicants) will be competing for an even smaller percentage of domestic student slots.

In other words, what I have heard this year from an overwhelming number of parents is that they still want their kid to be able to apply to all of those great out-of-state and private schools, but they know that it's really unlikely that they would consider a $40,000 per year education in this economy when, for that same amount, they could cover the entire degree, practically. Because this financial turn of events has been so quick and unexpected, this was never a thought that they expected to have to consider when the college search process began.

Anyhow, that's my thought for the day. Please stay interested in education. It means the world.

October 2, 2008

Higher Education and the Election

Granted, the most pressing issue in this current election is not funding for higher education, access in higher education or any other area of higher education, as we know it. In fact, one of the most distressed and failing programs of W.'s Presidency is his N.C.L.B. education policy. So, should this be at the front of the minds of all voters? No. I don't think it should be. There are far too many other issues that require more pressing attention from our lawmakers. Especially considering the fact that education, like religion, should not mix with politics. Furthermore, at our universities and colleges in America we have the most intelligent and literate members of our society- in all different vocations and fields- who should, by themselves, be broaching the subjects of admissions access, affordability, job opportunity post-graduation, and overall higher education policy reform. I have always been a believer in the autonomy of colleges and universities. The effect of dependent institutions on local government is evident currently in the State of Florida. It is here, that the vast system of state universities is going so broke because of ill policies and mismanagement at the political level, read: mismanagement at the political level, not the university level. So, while there are definitely more urgent matters that should be factored into the vote on November 4th, is there still not some need to overhaul a failing and struggling highly politicized system. In other words, should education be at the forefront of the issues? No. Should it be a consideration in this election? Most certainly. Because, when the war is over and the market recovers and houses need selling and the U.S. starts to turn again, the only thing that will ever save us from destroying ourselves, the only element that will help us to persevere with calm and rationale through difficult cycles and times, is education. Not kindergarten and not college. Not high school or middle school. But the entire system, from top to bottom. The whole kit. Everything that we want our future to be, the future of our children and the future of our world, relies on us, as a country, getting smarter and becoming more well-informed. We must, as a society, recognize in our education system, the most rich resource that we have available. If nothing else in our country is truly a democracy, but instead a republic, education is the one opportunity that should afford all with equal opportunity and a level playing field.
Don't know if it makes any sense, but I feel better after writing it.
Smile.

September 24, 2008

TED: Ideas Worth Spreading

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

I don't often feel so strongly that I feel compelled to put someone else's ideas on my blog. This was just too good.
If you care at all about education, about ideas and about creating wonder, check this talk out from Sir Ken Robinson.
This has reaffirmed my idea to develop the High School Hikes program so that kids can clear their minds of clutter, focus on art and creativity and healthy ways to express themselves. Sorry if this somehow offends anyone. That was not my intent. I just believe that his talk has many interesting points which we often recognize but seldom act on. And it's good, at times, to hear someone else say things that we, perhaps, thought no one else in the room was thinking.
All my best and I'll work harder to blog more often. I would love to get more feedback from anyone on topics or interests that you may be interested in reading . . .

September 8, 2008

First Month Phone Calls From College

This has been an interesting few weeks of fielding phone calls for me. Without getting too specific or personal, regarding the individual students, I want to just express, here, what I would tell (and have told) any student who calls me in the first semester, to explain to me a negative trait of his/her college life:

We are humans. For humans, change is not easy. Drastic change, such as a move, being responsible for your own well-being and/or trying to create your own sense of happiness, all while existing in the midst of a community of new people, this is NOT easy! On top of this, it's almost always predictable as to which aspects of the college life are going to be the most difficult for each individual, in my experience. One particular student will struggle with a roommate; one will struggle with eating healthy; partying moderately; managing study time. There are so many aspects that make this move to college difficult. But just because it's difficult does not mean that it's not also exciting. Most of the students are totally satisfied with the physical location and environment of their college choice (hey, this IS my job!). It's letting go of their high school life, their nurturing environment and their amenities of home that makes the adjustment difficult. College is not a cult (well, there are some, but those aren't the schools my students attend). To enjoy the college experience does not require 'drinking the Kool-Aid'. All it requires is an open-mind and embrace. You see, it's an almost-guarantee that difficult times bring negative thoughts. We all doubt ourselves on occasion. This is normal. But there are formidable ways of coping with this doubt. The one that I highly recommend: call ME. If that's not your choice or you need something extra, try to confront your anxiety. In other words, make an effort to recognize what is so difficult about this change that you're undertaking and plan methods to make that change more manageable. If you're not making friends as easily as you would like, look at what your personal investment in making friends is. Maybe you have to go and say "hello" to everyone wearing a blue shirt on campus. Maybe you have to go join a club. Maybe you should reach out to a professor. If it's more a situation of being homesick. You're calling home several times a day, talking to your friends who stayed at the local college, plan trips back home for weekends, perhaps you need to self-impose limits. You start by calling home once a day (this will dwindle to, maybe 4 times a week, more or less). You get yourself off of Facebook. Instead of investing time and resources into planning trips home, go around campus and find information about the various weekend activities offered through the student body, clubs, town/city you're living in, or find a friend and plan a road trip!
Look, I might not be the most sympathetic in this situation. I understand that. Students work so hard to achieve during their high school years, that it seems to me a bit irresponsible to get to college and, within a semester, decide that it's not the appropriate fit. However, I do realize that there are some extreme situations. My word during these rare incidences (and I take it from my background in water polo): Leave it all in the pool. Leave it all in the classroom. Leave it all on campus. Don't leave any stone unturned, any connection unmade, any ally unaligned, any opportunity untaken! You may think that you would be better off at University X, but until you live there, you will never know. And, if you do end up transferring (which, after all options have been examined, is a fine idea) you should make certain that your effort at the first school was the best that you could have given. Because if you don't exert that positive attitude and work hard for a great collegiate experience, you are doing an injustice to yourself. Not only that, but being that change is not easy and college is (likely) the biggest change that you've undertaken thus far, college is not easy. Remember, cliches are cliches because they're true. The grass is always greener. The biggest change creates the greatest growth. You get out what you put in.
With that in mind, get back to the books.
Today you WILL make a new friend.
Today you WILL find out something new about your school or your school's town.
Today you WILL embrace all that hard work you put in to earn for yourself this amazing opportunity!

August 26, 2008

Does Your Senior Year Really Count?

Welcome to your senior year. It’s an exciting time full of change and celebration. Many people may have told you how unimportant your senior year is. For example, they maybe told you that your grades don’t matter one iota, (although they usually stress, ironically so, that you should do better in the first semester than the second). Or, maybe, they told you that colleges will not look at your grades from senior year because they already have accepted you based on your 9th-11th years. Well, my young, goal-oriented high schooler, THESE ARE LIES. Your senior year counts. Not only does your senior year count towards your high school graduation, it counts towards the trend that you have worked so hard to set over the past three years and that you promised you would continue to achieve when you applied to college.

But, fret not. The senior year, although it does count as a significant factor in the college admission decision- as far as the strength of your curriculum, your GPA and your class rank are concerned- it is not unlike any of the other years that you have entered. My advice is the same for seniors as it is for freshmen: it’s better to get an A in a regular-level course than a C in an AP course; it’s better to challenge yourself with courses that reflect your intellectual interests than courses that you feel pressured to take (i.e. if you really want to take anatomy-physiology instead of physics, go for it!).

The senior year is about you getting comfortable with directing your own academic pursuits. Don’t do what your guidance counselor tells you to do if her/his reason is “you HAVE to take this class for college”. Instead, take a constructive balance of courses that shows you are academically serious but also intellectually curious. If you have taken AP courses in the past, take an AP course or two. You may also consider taking a more creative course or pursuing an internship. Whatever you do, don’t fill your schedule with courses like “study hall”, “teacher’s assistant” and/or “typing”. These are courses that just demonstrate laziness and a lack of curiosity.

The worst thing that you can convey to colleges is that you are not taking your senior year seriously. Remember, at most schools, your senior year WILL count as 25% of your academic history. At some, it will count as even more (33%), as many universities do not calculate your 9th grade year as a part of your overall academic GPA and history. In other words, continue to work as hard as you always have, in classes that similarly challenge you.

August 20, 2008

A Winning College Essay

Granted, most high school seniors find the most difficult part of their senior year to be brainstorming the ideas for their college admission essays and then, once they’ve got their topic chosen, writing it in the preferred amount of words. Before I go any further, let me say here what I know to be true, the application essay(s) are the most important component of the applications. The point is not to be well-organized with the transition sentences and the specific number of supporting arguments. The point is to be creative and execute whatever you undertake to write (a poem, song, short story, typical essay, etc. . .) with style and verve. Take a risk. Challenge yourself.

That’s the point of pursuing a college education, right? It’s one big risk. You have to move away from home, live with a complete stranger, eat in the same place all the time, get yourself to 8am class, live on hardly any money, choose for yourself what you want to get involved in and be happy about it all—and when you’re not coping with the pressures of this transition, recognize it yourself and seek out your own help. See, college is all about testing YOUR limits. May as well start testing yourself during the application process.

Believe me, I understand how difficult it is to sit down and write about a specific topic, especially when the topic is personal. Writing about oneself is THE most difficult. The only people who seem to be really effective at this are politicians and I don’t know if any of them truly write their own books anyway. Then again, they have lots of practice talking about themselves. The everyday layman, however, does not. This doesn’t mean you don’t have some really interesting or tragic experiences to write about. And, if you can’t think of any- no worries. I always tell my students, the topic doesn’t have to be brilliant. You could write 1,000 words about staring at a fish in a bowl. Just so long as you make it fascinating. You see, the essay is a different type of exam. Though it is by no means standardized, the admission essay does test your ability to say something important about yourself (your terms) but in a regulated number of words (their terms). It’s sort of like your chance at an interview. But it’s also a bit like your first true test of expression.

In high school, no one cares about expression. Your assignment is never to write a poem or a passionate stream of consciousness piece, right? Correct. Your job in high school is to comply with the various and varied standardized tests and write all assignments in such a manner that you’re constantly preparing your organizational writing skills to look like this:

Paragraph 1- Present your generic point of view

Paragraph 2- Present your first supporting argument and example

Paragraph 3- Present your second supporting argument and example

Paragraph 4- Present your thi- . . . and on and on and on

Conclusion - Conclude your paper by re-stating your point of view but don’t present any new facts.

Wow! Doesn’t this just bleed creativity? I know that I, for one, am fairly confident that if a student can write creatively in order to express him/herself caring not whether every thesis statement is perfectly positioned in the first paragraph (as students are taught in high school to be the ONLY proper way to create an introduction) but that the thoughts are organized in a manner that promotes flow and easy understanding for the reader, they will not have to be taught the concept of written expression as it pertains to communication in the post-high school years. And I don’t think there is a single university professor out there who is anxiously awaiting a group of really inept freshmen writers hoping to teach them all how to write a creative and well-thought paper. You see, every person must be able to express emotions and ideas on paper if, for no other reason, than the fact that he/she wants to become effective in the professional world (not to mention one’s personal life where writing and written communication are becoming more and more necessary with the advent of email). I have conversations all the time with both students and parents, alike, where the ability to effectively communicate inevitably comes up as a significant concern of both groups.

The biggest concern for most parents is that their student(s) cannot express themselves on paper. Have they ever been taught? Regardless, this is not the issue. In my opinion, if a student is an avid reader, whether or not he/she has ever had good writing instruction, the level and reading ability comes through in his/her writing. Writing is so unique in that it is not really a teachable craft. I believe that grammar is teachable and a basic knowledge of it certainly will benefit any writer. However, to truly be able to convey a message, one cannot be pushed or prodded but instead must be creatively inspired and practiced. In other words, start writing NOW! Write for ten minutes every day. Write poetry: haiku; limerick; stream of consciousness, etc . . . Write fiction using creative first lines to get you started. If nothing is coming to mind, try this: “Stuck. She was experiencing another case of writer’s block and this time . . .”

Seriously, go for it. Write away. Oh, and don’t forget, the key to all good writing- err, at least the key to all things written well is READING. You’ve taken the first step by reading this blog. Now, go read something more interesting. Then, if you finish your fiction and poetry writing and you are, for whatever reason, craving another assignment but cannot conjure up any ideas, drop me an email, actgroupbrady@gmail.com and, if you want me to read it (and respond), make sure that you have expressed yourself clearly and creatively. I’ll look forward to great things from you in the future.

August 7, 2008

Where I've Been

Greetings, College Enthusiasts!

Alas, I am working from a computer at the library as my new laptop has been delayed in shipment, yet again! For those of you who don't know- and may care- my laptop was stolen right out from under me, literally, at the San Francisco Airport, two weeks ago. What a tragedy, eh?! But I have recovered and the sense of a new school year will help me even more.

Being that I'm at a library, it has made me notice what, exactly, the young people are doing. Is it just me or has gaming absolutely infected the current high school generation? In hearing from a colleague at North Carolina State University a few months ago, I found out that gaming is the #1 reason for students in the engineering and computer science programs to drop out. That was absolutely shocking. In accord with the previous blog, about Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods, I have decided to act as responsibly as I can and incorporate into my education curriculum, a new educational program called High School Hikes. After reading Louv's book and hearing, seeing and feeling the evidence of sedentary lifestyles all around me, I believe that if I can do something to open the eyes and minds of some young people, I can help in the fight against nature deficit disorder. Starting now I am soliciting for students to join me on the maiden voyage: most likely a drive up to the Great Smokey Mountains for a few days of exploration, introspection and good, old fashioned fun! What a wonderful world we will discover-- after the 12 hour drive, that is.
Wonderful nonetheless. Be in touch. Ask questions. Read a book. Never stop learning. Never stop growing!
Be well.

July 16, 2008

Latest Reading

In a recent phone conversation with my best childhood friend, who now teaches, among other things, Human Development, our conversation diverged to a common concern. Not only has the adjustment to life in Florida been difficult for me as the mountains seem so distant, but the awareness that these students are growing up in an urban jungle, replete with transplant sand beaches, palm trees and highways, like arteries, running through the middle of everything. It's not easy being a young person in our world. I don't think that we make it any easier by removing ourselves from nature. I am thrilled that my students enjoy listening to music on their ipods. I think music provides a lot of positive and creative stimulus for the brain. I am dumbfounded that my students might not be able to create a craft of some sort or put together a puzzle . . . or recognize the difference between a Redwood or Oak Tree!

My friend then told me about a book that he had recently picked up that he thought I might enjoy, Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv. The book focuses on what we can do to prevent our children from acquiring, what he has coined as nature deficit disorder. Although I have not finished the book yet, I can already tell that there are many parts of it, if not the book in its entirety, which would be helpful for both adults and young people.

It's not uncommon to link the idea of many of the current learning disorders to a lack of certain stimulus or over-stimulus. Many of the ideas that we, as educators, are fearful of: teaching to the tests, cutting recess and physical education, larger class sizes, longer class periods, shorter lunches, etc . . . are all feeding an epidemic of restless and under-stimulated students. So, how will these young people, our children and students, be able to access nature for their children and students? As the generations perpetuate themselves, we grow further and further away from nature.

Stay tuned . . . I am organizing programs to take a group of students to Yosemite National Park and a few other trips in the coming year.

Pick the book up if you have a chance. We all must be agents of change. Go for it! Make a difference.

June 30, 2008

When to Hire a Private College Admissions Counselor?

Of course, like everything, every student has different needs. It is not universally true that every high schooler undergoing the college application process needs to hire an admission “expert”. Granted, hardly any who call themselves such truly know much more than any guidebook could tell you. There is, however, one thing that is indisputable: all young people need advocates in their lives. Sadly, a common trend in education, private and public, alike, is that the high school guidance and college counseling departments are too overworked and underfunded to offer much more than one or two generic meetings to discuss the local and in-state university landscape. Not to mention, they all too often quickly dismiss certain universities as unrealistic and impossible for the student to gain admission. There have been very few instances that I can recall where I have said to someone that he/she can’t gain admission somewhere. It’s just not a good habit to practice. With the constantly changing state of the college admission process, you might want to look into hiring a private counselor if you meet any of the following criteria…

You might benefit from a private college admissions counselor if…

  1. You are not in the top ten percent of your high school class (the students who the school counselors ordinarily tend to focus on)
  2. Or, you are in the top ten percent of your class, academically, but have doubts about what you want or what might be a healthy fit for you.
  3. You’re seeking a less traditional academic path, in that you are a student looking to pursue athletics, theater, music or art at the university level.
  4. Your high school has a very poor record of college preparation and you believe that you are unique among your peers for wanting to pursue 4-year university immediately following high school graduation.
  5. You want to apply to out-of-state or in-state schools that your guidance office says are a “bad fit” or “out of your reach” or “not financially viable”.
  6. No one is helping direct you to potential options or many people are offering differing opinions on your future.
  7. You are a student-athlete and unsure of how to initiate conversations with college coaches.
  8. You need motivation and a lot of positive reinforcement during this very stressful process.
  9. You don’t want an all-out war in your house because of the intensity of the college search and application processes.

As for instances when, I believe, working with me has made a significant difference in a student’s life, there are many. Each different student has a different set of needs and recognizing this is the first of many steps. I have many students who had committed so much of their lives to athletics and were extremely talented, but did not want to focus on that in the college process even though it could be a tremendous benefit. They pursued that angle and it helped significantly. I had one student whose SAT test scores, combined for math and reading, totaled less than 800 but was accepted to the flagship campus of one of the top state systems in the country- a top 50 university. He got it because he really got to know the admission counselor for his region on a personal level and she helped become his advocate on the inside because she knew he would be successful once he got there. I have worked with students who had no support at home and those who had parents hovering above them at all hours. Both of these groups needed me to serve as an outlet.

Some need a mentor. Some, a teacher. For others they need a mediator or a counselor. I have been called a big brother and a father-figure, a disciplinarian and a friend. I have been rewarded, many times, with the first phone call once a student finds out that he/she has been accepted to their top-choice school.

But, like everything else in life, do your homework. Check references of the private counselor. Ask if you can meet with former/current students of theirs’. Ask as many questions as you can and be prepared for the extra time that a good consultant might ask you to put towards this process. Remember, we all need advocates in our life. In one form or another, paying for a mentor or a counselor is no different than paying the soccer coach who might end up as a role model or the tutor or the private music instructor. Just be aware of what you expect out of the process and make sure that the counselor you choose is on the same page as you are.

June 12, 2008

Setting A College Admissions Schedule

I've been doing some writing lately for a few other higher education organizations. I wanted to go ahead and publish, on this blog, an article that I had been asked to write for a wonderful college admissions group based out of Colorado, My U Search. I thought the article had some really positive points. Decide for yourself . . .


No matter how much anyone tells you that you can prepare for the college application process beforehand, it’s inevitable that it will, ultimately, feel like a time-crunch. Too often, the process seems like a race against the clock. And, along with everything else going on during the senior year, the necessary organization is essential if one hopes to find any gratification or enjoyment in this process or senior year, itself.

Although there is no single step more important than the submission by the appropriate deadlines, to assure that these deadlines are met with ease, what you need to do is, read the entire article below, take a deep breath and get to work.

Get to know your teachers. You don’t have to be a “teacher’s pet” just to let your teachers know you care. Introduce yourself the first week of class. Look interested. And once in a while, get to class early or be the last one to leave and make a comment/ask a question about the material that you’re studying that shows you’re thoughtful and intelligent—even if you’re not, it’s good to practice. When grading period comes and you’re hovering between a B+ and an A- (or a C+ and a B-), you bet they’ll remember all those times you went out of your way to be friendly.

Tip #1: Teachers are your greatest allies. Think about how many teenagers they see every day. By showing interest and being thoughtful, you can really stand out in a positive way. This can make all the difference.

Realize that the process involves many steps and the actual applications (requesting information from you like D.O.B., SS#, Address, etc . . .) are the most simple part. So, just because an application is not being released for you to view and fill out, until October of your senior year, does not mean that you can’t get started on it earlier.

Tip #2: Gather basic information about you, your parents and your academic history in a single document, saved somewhere.

The most difficult part of simplifying the process is the selection of colleges that are within your range of possibilities. This means that while not all of your applications should be going to schools that might be a long shot for your acceptance, you can apply to a few- if that’s really where you could picture yourself going to school. Don’t ever apply somewhere just to see if you get in.

Tip #3: No need to apply to 10 schools. Seriously. Apply to 2 that you know you can get in, 2 you want to get in and 1 you would love to go to . . . anywhere! At the end of the day, you only get to go to ONE college. This is a time when you need to learn good judgment and exercise sound, practical thinking.

Over the summer, prior to senior year, begin brainstorming essay ideas. One of the most common essays, which, once it has been written, can be edited to fit many of school’s requirements, ‘discuss a significant obstacle you have overcome, goal you have achieved or event that was meaningful in your life’. Think about it. Get creative. Write it. Refine it. Re-write it.

Tip #4: Don’t go to your parents first for their feedback on your essay. Why? The essay is a wonderful opportunity for you to express yourself in a creative fashion and parents, ordinarily, think that creativity is too risky for something like this. If you intend for parts to be humorous, show it to one of your friends (a smart one, please) and see if they laugh. If not, keep working.

Make sure that you have sat for your standardized tests at least once (SAT and ACT) during your junior year. If you are taking any AP exams, also sit for the correlating SAT II test around the same time (try the May or June dates). This goes for someone who might be a sophomore or freshman taking AP courses, as well. Note: there are not always coordinating SAT II’s, but in most cases, there will be.

Tip #5: You can’t cheat the tests! Know what they look like and how long they take. Sadly, though I hate standardized tests, it is the case that people who score higher on the SAT/ACT tend to earn it. They have prepared and motivated themselves. No one else is sitting for you.

Letters of recommendation should not be just a written description of your activity resume. That information, the applications have gathered. If a college/university is taking the time to read your letter(s) of recommendation, keep in mind that it’s important to utilize a teacher who can speak personally to your strengths, struggles, motivations and goals. Perhaps he/she can emphasize an obstacle that you’ve overcome, a turning point in your academic career that they witnessed, an anecdote that exemplifies your maturity, etc . . . This comes back to #1. To put yourself in the best position to have strong recommendations, you need to be open, honest and intellectually curious with your teachers.

Tip #6: Letters of recommendation are tiebreakers in the application process. If a school wants a letter of recommendation from a teacher of yours, don’t necessarily go to the teacher whose class you got an “A” in, but go to the teacher who witnessed you grow, challenged you to push yourself and would be your biggest champion.

After you have all of this in order, be aware that the application deadlines come and go quickly. Do your best to have a schedule set aside for work on your application essays and short answers (i.e. every Tuesday and Thursday from 3-5:30). When you’re done with those, use your allotted time to go ahead and complete and submit the applications. If you start working on your essays and gathering your information in the first week of September of your senior year- and you were to commit 5 hours each week (as the example above)- you would have invested, well . . . A LOT of time as the deadlines draw near. You would certainly be able to turn in any state school applications (which are on a rolling admissions basis, usually) extremely early (November). If you’re applying for any schools through their early action or early decision options, let those be the first applications you prepare when they become available in the Fall.

Tip #7: If you set a schedule and follow through with it, you will find yourself with much of the application process completed before some of the schools even release their applications. Just by being prepared and giving yourself time to dedicate to this goal, you’re beating the crunch.

College/University-based, merit scholarships are as simple as this: if a school has specific levels of academic scholarships for incoming freshmen, they will, most likely, offer them to a certain percentage of the incoming class - top 10%, for example – based purely on GPA and standardized test scores. You can inquire to learn what their average scholarship recipient was for the year before. But nearly every school increases their selectivity each year as the overall applicant pool is more competitive. Public schools do not always offer these merit scholarships, but most private schools do, excluding the very elite, top-tier universities where every student is deserving of a merit scholarship.

Tip #8: Apply to where you want to apply and worry about the money later. Honestly, college is expensive; you’re going to look at the costs once you’ve been accepted. Don’t let that come into play right now.

As for “outside” scholarships, begin looking into these options as early as possible—perhaps during the summer before your senior year. Before anything, look into all of the local service organizations (Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions, Knights of Columbus, etc . . .) to see what their qualifications are. Then, make some phone calls around to some companies which are based in your area (insurance companies, law firms, technology companies, restaurants, etc . . .) to see if they offer any scholarships for local, graduating seniors. Also, check in with your school’s guidance office to see what resources they might have available for local scholarships. Be aware that there are many scholarship websites available. However, before you pursue the national $5,000 scholarship that requires an essay about “virtue and what it means to you”, I implore you to look around at these local resources which are offering $250 and $500 opportunities, for, in most cases, much less work and a much higher chance of winning.

Tip #9: Like with your food, shop for scholarships LOCALLY, first. Before your senior year, begin asking around to friends, family, college graduates, teachers and local professionals to see if they can point you in the direction of scholarship opportunity. It will also be a great opportunity to learn how to network yourself!

FAFSA is not as difficult as it seems. You will need the appropriate tax information and a healthy amount of both time and patience. So, FAFSA is the LAST thing you’ll probably be worrying about as it can’t possibly be completed until the taxes from the previous year are filed. In other words, you can’t start the FAFSA until after January 1st of your senior year and just for the sake of the timeline, try to have it completed around March and you will be okay with the deadlines. This means being organized and getting your taxes done early.

Tip #10: Be organized, be organized, be organized. You WILL be off to a wonderful college, soon. We just don’t know where, yet.

June 5, 2008

I can't tell them everything I want to tell them ...

Granted, most high school seniors find the most difficult part of their senior year to be brainstorming the ideas for their college admission essays and then, once they’ve got their topic chosen, writing it in the preferred amount of words. Before I go any further, let me say here what I know to be true, the application essay(s) are the most important component of the applications, by far. The point is not to be well-organized with the transition sentences and the specific number of supporting arguments. The point is to be creative and execute whatever you undertake to write (a poem, song, short story, typical essay, etc. . .) with style and verve. Take a risk. Challenge yourself.

That’s the point of pursuing a college education, right? It’s one big risk. You have to move away from home, live with a complete stranger, eat in the same place all the time, get yourself to 8am class, live on hardly any money, choose for yourself what you want to get involved in and be happy about it all—and when you’re not coping with the pressures of this transition, recognize it yourself and seek out your own help. See, college is all about testing YOUR limits. May as well start testing yourself during the application process.

Believe me, I understand how difficult it is to sit down and write about a specific topic, especially when the topic is personal. Writing about oneself is THE most difficult. The only people who seem to be really effective at this are politicians and I don’t know if any of them truly write their own books anyway. Then again, they have lots of practice talking about themselves. The everyday layman, however, does not. This doesn’t mean you don’t have some really interesting or tragic experiences to write about. And, if you can’t think of any- no worries. I always tell my students, the topic doesn’t have to be brilliant. You could write 1,000 words about staring at a fish in a bowl. Just so long as you make it fascinating. You see, the essay is a different type of exam. Though it is by no means standardized, the admission essay does test your ability to say something important about yourself (your terms) but in a regulated number of words (their terms). It’s sort of like your chance at an interview. But it’s also a bit like your first true test of expression.

In high school, no one cares about expression. Your assignment is never to write a poem or a passionate stream of consciousness piece, right? Correct. Your job in high school is to comply with the various and varied standardized tests and write all assignments in such a manner that you’re constantly preparing your organizational writing skills to look like this:

Paragraph 1- Present your generic point of view

Paragraph 2- Present your first supporting argument and example

Paragraph 3- Present your second supporting argument and example

Paragraph 4- Present your thi- . . . and on and on and on

Conclusion - Conclude your paper by re-stating your point of view but don’t present any new facts.

Wow! Doesn’t this just bleed creativity? I know that I, for one, am fairly confident that if a student can write creatively in order to express him/herself caring not whether every thesis statement is perfectly positioned in the first paragraph (as students are taught in high school to be the ONLY proper way to create an introduction) but that the thoughts are organized in a manner that promotes flow and easy understanding for the reader, they will not have to be taught the concept of written expression as it pertains to communication in the post-high school years. And I don’t think there is a single university professor out there who is anxiously awaiting a group of really inept freshmen writers hoping to teach them all how to write a creative and well-thought paper. You see, every person must be able to express emotions and ideas on paper if, for no other reason, than the fact that he/she wants to become effective in the professional world (not to mention one’s personal life where writing and written communication are becoming more and more necessary with the advent of email). I have conversations all the time with both students and parents, alike, where the ability to effectively communicate inevitably comes up as a significant concern of both groups.

The biggest concern for most parents is that their student(s) cannot express themselves on paper. Have they ever been taught? Regardless, this is not the issue. In my opinion, if a student is an avid reader, whether or not he/she has ever had good writing instruction, the level and reading ability comes through in his/her writing. Writing is so unique in that it is not really a teachable craft. I believe that grammar is teachable and a basic knowledge of it certainly will benefit any writer. However, to truly be able to convey a message, one cannot be pushed or prodded but instead must be creatively inspired and practiced. In other words, start writing NOW! Write for ten minutes every day. Write poetry: haiku; limerick; stream of consciousness, etc . . . Write fiction using creative first lines to get you started. If nothing is coming to mind, try this: “Stuck. She was experiencing another case of writer’s block and this time . . .”

Seriously, go for it. Write away. Oh, and don’t forget, the key to all good writing- err, at least the key to all things written well is READING. You’ve taken the first step by reading this blog. Now, go read something more interesting. Then, if you finish your fiction and poetry writing and you are, for whatever reason, craving another assignment but cannot conjure up any ideas, drop me an email, actgroupbrady@gmail.com and, if you want me to read it (and respond), make sure that you have expressed yourself clearly and creatively. I’ll look forward to great things from you in the future.

May 24, 2008

Education: The Road or the Destination?

I recently distributed a link to a NYTimes article about two private, extremely rigorous, Korean schools and their learning methods. See the article, here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/world/asia/27seoul.html?scp=1&sq=korean+schools&st=nyt

The responses that I received back were all extremely thoughtful. While some were humorous and others seemed distraught at the tactics of the schools, only one caught me off guard, at first. One person, a friend I respect tremendously and who I have known for a very long time, pointed out an interesting trend: “so, to what extent do American writers go to protect our schools from criticism? In every article I read like this, foreign students are characterized as maniacal, insanely-driven students with no goals. Yet, American schools fall behind in every measurable statistic. What are we trying to say in these articles? That other national will try to keep us but they’ll never succeed? Is this a way for us to claim superiority while our economic and social status continues to fall in the world? I’m confused by this article. Students from overseas are consistently smarter and more determined than their American counterparts—why do we vilify and mock them?”

Although I do not believe that the schools mentioned in this article- and any like them, domestic or international- are healthy models, there is an idea of achievement that they are pursuing, which, in relation to many low-performing American schools and in light of the competitive atmosphere for college admissions, is admirable. However, setting unsustainable examples for young people to try and live up to (also, see a more recent article, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/24/nyregion/24lunch.html) and giving them few reasons to achieve, never explaining what the purpose- or road- to achievement can provide for them, is borderline abusive.

In other words, let us think about the idea of education as the end, achievement as the byproduct of a healthy education. Perhaps I’m being obscure. What I mean to say is that no one can guarantee achievement- based on education, social class, physical prowess, etc . . . However, the one element that is universally understood as an indication of success is what a student can do in a discussion, in a free-thinking environment . . . in a classroom. Granted, not every family can provide the luxury of allowing their son or daughter the opportunity to pursue academics without the thought of earning potential. In fact, even if they could, many families insist from early on that their child(ren) begin to exhaust themselves in order to have a “better life”. But, just imagine if we could afford every student the opportunity to pursue whatever interested him or her, academically and vocationally. That it were somehow financially beneficial to pursue the study of philosophy just for the sake of ideas used to be something that people did. It seems like this is an antiquated idea of the American dream. No longer is it feasible. Somewhere, somehow, there has to be a happy-medium between the students in the articles above and the typical, disinterested, unmotivated, purposeless American high schooler. I believe that this can be overcome, one book, one student, one mentor, one step at a time.

May 14, 2008

Quick follow-up on Potential

In my professional experience as an educational counselor and in education as an industry, there is a very disturbing vocabulary phenomenon: potential. This is the new overly- competitive or out-of-touch parent’s excuse for/defense of, their child’s underwhelming academic performance. It is my belief that potential has its place in the context of positive reinforcement. In other words, when a person is dedicated and committed to achieving a specific goal(s), I say they are putting effort into realizing their potential. This takes place in the classroom, the arts and the athletic arena.

However, all too often, parents defend their children by placing blame on someone, or something else, for the child’s own obvious lack of motivation, enthusiasm and success.

It is imperative for teachers to begin to reassert themselves in the classroom as experts on education and understanding each individual student in their care. In other words, the days of parents making phone calls to change a “B+” to an “A-” or complaining that their student cannot possibly be the cause of interruption as the teacher claims, should be over. Not only does this give a false impression of a student’s intelligence, it undermines the role of the teacher and punishes them for being objective, but it also gives the student an inflated sense of accomplishment and comfort while setting him/her up for failure when the primary school years come to an end.

May 6, 2008

The "P" Word: A Musing on Potential

Why are the educational appetites of our students so diminished? Is it the spirit-draining war in Iraq? Is it the fear of (not getting in to) college? Perhaps it is the cell phone, text message, email-age of quick communication, condensed vocabulary and instant-gratification? But why, when the current generation of our youth is viewed in contrast with other important generations in American history, does our generation come up so (a)pathetically short? Is it the comfort of middle-class American life which seems to be exponentially increasing this silo effect? I doubt that the answer is simple. I doubt the cause is singular. And I doubt that the remedy is achievable without drastic systemic changes being implemented. I do think that there are certain fundamental steps that can and should be taken which will, if seriously implemented, slowly reverse this current downward spiral. I can almost sense the lack of oxygen in this room! We’re all pondering the same question: where do we start?

First of all, begin to hold schools more accountable for why your child is not reading. Why are some schools focusing so much on teaching to these antiquated tests which have very little impact or long-term indication of student intelligence (or success, for that matter), instead of just fostering the creative senses that all children tend to view the world through . . . the senses that only reading, writing and activity can enhance? I know of a school that will not allow students in eleventh grade to advance to the twelfth grade unless they have taken the SAT and the ACT at least once (no matter their GPA, no matter their educational or vocational goals). This is certainly a marketing tactic which does resound with those parents who have been sold on the fear factor. In other words, ‘for those families who believe that education and children are a hands-off endeavor, here, we are the school for you.’ For the other 99% of parents out there, do not buy the pressure. Perhaps what you want to check out first, before enrolling your student into a school, is not whether they will help prepare your son or daughter for one, four hour exam, but whether the teachers can recommend any pleasure-reading books for your child? Perhaps they are keeping up on grade-appropriate reading themselves and they have recently read a story that your child would really enjoy because of a specific link in character between your child and the one in the story. Call me non-conformist, but I do not want a child taking swim lessons from a man who does not know how to swim, himself. And this seems to be the analogy that I can link to the idea of a teacher not being able to offer parents an idea or two for some simple, pleasure-reading books. Other questions: What are their homework philosophies? Are teachers accessible for after school help or tutoring? Perhaps, most importantly, what can your child learn from one teacher at “X” school that he/she cannot learn from another teacher at “Y” school? In other words, ask a teacher why HE/SHE would send a child to their specific school and not the one down the street. Sometimes, honesty and humility is exactly what you’re looking for from a person who will be influencing your child’s development.

Indeed, I am very good at what I do. I have some strong relationships with college and university admissions offices and I take my job as an advocate of education very seriously. That being said, I cannot help a student who was not already potential Ivy League-material gain admission into Columbia, Brown or UPenn just because a parent pays me. That’s not the goal of the “right fit” student/university relationship. I also know that there are no ways to “cheat” these standardized tests, the lengthy admissions processes or, for that matter, the rest of your life. All too often I hear the word “potential” used when a parent sits down with me to describe their son/daughter. A word of advice, do not think that potential is the answer to anything. Parents can only claim potential until they experience the reality: potential is like effort, but the bottom line is that a student either does or does not do something! In other words, “X Man” may have the potential to be able to finish a marathon under 4 hours, but as long as “X Man” keeps running 5 hour marathons because he chooses to not train, his potential is actually not so much “potential” but unrealistic and out of touch. Potential does not mean a thing to a high school physics teacher who teaches a class of mostly-failing kids, all of whose parents have been swearing, since the fourth grade, that theirs really has a lot of potential for science- if only they would be less lazy and apply themselves! Too often parents expect that their son or daughter will work with me and, voila, they will achieve off-the-charts results. On the contrary, my little reading “secret”, the one that I just shared with you, is the same thing that I tell even my most loyal and trusted families. Now, how we go about making this happen . . . this is a whole different mystery.

April 27, 2008

It's Gettin' Hot in Here: Professional Pressure Cookers

One of my fiance's good friends from Columbia recently came to visit for a weekend. Quick background: this friend happens to be a former private college counselor; she is currently enjoying life in the admissions office at a top, private school in Wisconsin. Aside from all of their hilarious memories shared (sadly, though I have heard them before, they still make me laugh), many interesting higher education topics discussed and a little trip to South Beach for some people-watching, I was offered some very interesting insight on their Ivy League experiences and the "pressure to find a 'successful' career", as they remembered it, for many months leading up to graduation day.
I can't easily compare my experience with theirs as I was enrolling, immediately upon graduation, in an M.A. program and to me, that was all that mattered. Luckily, I was offered a full-time position on campus after graduation, then (oh my goodness!) a graduate assistantship coaching, then a part-time research job, then another graduate assistantship . . . For me, this period of my life seemed blessed. At the time, it was living a dream. I was actually able to pursue avenues that were mine to choose. However, at the same time, I remember very little pressure coming from my mom, my friends or professors. I was never venturing home to find someone waiting for me with tips on how to approach an interview, how I should dress or what I should say to people. I never heard anyone say, "You need to be networking!" Thankfully, people in my life seemed to think it was okay for me to just pursue whatever options I had at the time and that no life decisions had to be made on the spot. This, however, was so clearly not the case with these two Ivy Leaguers.
Not only did they both suffer great anxieties during the entirety of their senior year but so did everyone else who they could remember. There is the friend who got an "amazing" job as an investment banker but quit within months and has since, four years later, been earning $7/hr getting coffee for folks on various production sets in Hollywood-- she's 26 and still working towards her dream. There are the group of friends who all got the coveted internships at the financial companies (i.e. Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch) and who, since getting these prestigious positions post-graduation, have all left them and entered into 'power firms' such as The Peace Corps, Teach America and Teach English as a Foreign Language, in any of a number of exotic countries abroad. So, naturally, the next question that comes to mind: where is this pressure created? Who is it created by?
My answer (my answer for just about everything): Parents. Why? It is true that parents work hard and want more for their children. It is true that parents, whether they are financially supporting a student or not, ARE responsible for support in other forms (i.e. emotional, psychological, verbal, etc . . .). So, it's easy to understand, taking this (and so much more) into consideration, why a parent would feel so invested in the college education of their student. And then, say a family did invest anywhere from $10,000 to $200,000 in that university education, it's fair to expect something in return, right? It's fair to expect that your student will come out of college as an enlightened and highly motivated, money-earning machine. No. In fact, it's not only completely unfair to have those (or any) expectations, but it's entirely illogical and impractical. A parent can have no concept of what their student went through, learned or experienced during the college years. I spoke to my mom on an extremely regular basis (still do, in fact) and am extremely open with what I share with her. However, for her to have a concept of what should fulfill me . . . not a chance. Every parent applauds the son or daughter of their friend who enlists in the Peace Corps or Volunteer America. But the minute your son or daughter tells you that this is what he/she wants to do-- err, not good, right?
My fiance's friend told us about how her mom still says things to her like, "you graduated from Columbia, why are you dating HIM?"; "You have an Ivy League education and you're making so little". Aye, as if young people who have been well educated, ever needed anyone reminding them of the disparities in life or, for that matter, the possibilities on the "other side".
Certainly it's not ALL on mom and dad. Another significant contributor to the pressure- the schools, themselves. They reap the rewards of having their alumni become CEO's and Senators. However, if you do the simple math, it's impractical to think that each student is going to be a financial "success" directly out of college- or EVER, for that matter. Just like every university is looking to diversify its student body with valedictorians and athletes, thespians and activists, when these folks graduate they won't all be streamlined into the financial sector. But what are they told when they get to school, at orientation, during freshman commencement ceremonies? They are told that they are tomorrow's leaders, the next President, the next CEO . . . Well, what about being the next Teacher or the next great Librarian? What about being the next person to volunteer with an orphanage in Namibia? Or climb Mt. Kilimanjaro? Or, perhaps, instead of being the "next" anything, maybe they could tell you how you're the First YOU and because of that, they will open up and make available any doors and avenues that they can, in order to give you a better opportunity to blaze your own trail. Ahh, the old art of being an individual. Don't succumb to the pressure of the place. Create your own environment and reaffirm that your convictions are right.
Now, understand that I do not believe that everyone who takes that coveted Goldman Sachs internship straight out of college is just confused. There are certainly those out there who do know precisely where they want to be and how they're going to get there. More power to them. This, however, is rare. Commendable, yes. But rare, nonetheless. So, instead of urging colleges and universities to tout their elitism according to their quick graduate job placement, let's take a survey of satisfaction with university career services and centers , 4, 10, 16 months post-graduation. Let's see which schools are really in it for their students and which are in it for their ranking.
So, when you're starting to feel the pressure to be placed in a fantastic position after your senior year. Please remember, there's always going to be time to feel anxieties and pressures. Senior year of college is such a valuable time and transition that it does not need to be overshadowed by the job search process. Oh, that reminds me, the idea is the same for high school. The next step will work out just fine. You will get in somewhere. We just don't know where . . . yet. Keep working hard and learning to enjoy your hard work for what it is- purposeful. I commend you all on your patience and perspective. Parents, you especially. What I have said is extremely difficult to do as a parent, I am sure. However, know that you ARE doing everything you can by giving your student the freedom to choose and the freedom of his/her convictions. Cheers!

April 24, 2008

Going to a School with a Big Game

. . . that was nothing like I had anticipated. Granted, there were certainly many impressive aspects of my visit to Auburn University: the grand, colonial architecture; the massive libraries; the faculty I met; a wonderful lecture from a Continental Airlines executive, etc . . . However, on this trip, which found me accompanying father and son (a soon-to-be Auburn Tiger), Ian and Dan Watkins, so much of the experience was unexpected. Having never been to an S.E.C. Conference university (especially not on homecoming weekend), I had very little concept of what, exactly, the hullabaloo felt like. Little did I realize that it not only felt amazing, but looked amazing, tasted amazing, sounded amazing and . . . well, dare I say, smelled amazing also?! I was privileged to be on this trip. Ordinarily when I go with a student or group of students on a campus or college tour I will be the adult in lieu of the parent(s). With Dan, for example, this was my third state and probably tenth campus that I had been to with him. However, this was our first trip with one of his parents also accompanying us. The idea of getting to experience the campus and environment with Ian and being a ‘fly on the wall’ of their father-son relationship during this eye-opening, football-ing, introduction-to-the-college lifestyle-weekend was no less than fantastic.

Let it be known, this is a wonderful family and Dan, quite clearly, is trusted and appreciated by both his parents. He’s a wonderfully intelligent and thoughtful person who also happened to be a pretty great high school student, graduating a year early, like I wish so many others could motivate themselves to do. Together, we saw a lot of the expected: fanaticism; Auburn flags waving on every building; lots of RV’s; tailgating and orange- everywhere. We also witnessed many things which were unexpected: an entire town square covered in toilet paper; a live tiger in the middle of a downtown sidewalk; the best lemonade on Earth! (one of the only times I can say I am in agreement with Oprah); 80,000 people applauding a marching band; and, of course, the Auburn/Opelika Airport, where all of the Auburn planes and the few University jets are docked and maintained. It’s also where young Dan will be fueling some of his best college memories.

The energy of this town is magnetic. Perhaps this is why Auburn becomes the third largest, most concentrated population in the state of Alabama on any given game day. We ate southern barbecue, stayed in a small, adjacent-to-campus lodge and carried ourselves like we were locals once we found the hot-spot to eat breakfast (and once Ian and Dan found the bookstore to purchase some paraphernalia). Even with all of this, the wonderful experience that comes with getting to learn first-hand about a spirited and beautiful college campus and being in the company of good people, there was a subtle, underlying theme that took my attention away from much of the goings-on: I was accompanying a father and a son who were experiencing their first anxieties, apprehensions and enthusiasms for this enormous step, this ritual writ of passage. Of course Ian and Sue Watkins are both extremely proud that Dan will be enrolling this coming Fall as a member of the prestigious Honor’s College and Aviation Management Program. But the pride of every parent is accompanied by trepidation and a bit of distress over whether the son/daughter is ready to exist outside of the family. For certain, I have been close to this anxiety in the past. In fact, I go through it with every family, every year. However, being on this trip with father and son was an “ah-ha” moment for us all. For Dan, he gained a great understanding of what he could expect from the Auburn experience. For Ian, he was feeling many emotions: pride; relief; excitement; all coupled with equally strong feelings of sadness and, always, apprehension for the fact that his first child would soon leave the house, leave the state of Pennsylvania, leave he and his wife and leave them feeling a bit helpless. We did not talk about this much, Ian and I. In fact, only for a moment when Dan had left his seat during the Auburn Intersquad baseball game (yes, it was a guy’s weekend) did Ian assure me that this transition would be- err, in fact, it already is difficult for both he and Sue— and this was only just October. Dan was not scheduled to leave the house for nearly one more year. This peek into the transition of not only a high school senior, but the parent(s) was so valuable.

Ordinarily my role entails so much focus on maximizing options and enhancing opportunities and the fact that parents can often be more high-strung about the process than their student, made this sound bite that much more memorable for me. I do understand where Ian was coming from when he told me this. I grow extremely close to some of my students and feel a great excitement accompanied by a similarly great anxiety when they earn what they deserve, academically. I, too, hope that they will use their good sense to adapt in a healthy and positive way to this new, often overwhelming, environment that is college academic and social life. However, it would be irresponsible for me to say that I know how parents feel. I do not. Being that this transition is so complex, it was very beneficial for me to have this experience with the Watkins men. I am forever in debt to them both. But shhh, don’t tell that to Dan, I don’t know if my senses can survive another homecoming weekend at Auburn.

April 21, 2008

What if I just check “Native-American”?

Well, first of all, regardless of what you may have heard or, perhaps, if you think YOU are the first to come up with the idea, it’s NOT true and you’re NOT original. Just for your information, for anyone who is a member of a Native American tribe, they are documented with what is, essentially, tribal identification. When one checks the box on a college application indicating that he/she does identify as Native American, if it’s not directly requested upon that box being checked, your tribal identification information WILL BE requested before the application is reviewed entirely. In short, if you do not truly have tribal heritage, nip this absurd idea in the bud right now. However, if you do have tribal affiliation, you’re in luck. Native Americans in higher education are the most underrepresented minority. Though you still must have basic minimum requirements for any public universities or near average requirements for the privates, your heritage will be a factor (if, at the least, a minor one) during the review of your application.

As for the other boxes that one could potentially check. Race and heritage are no longer able to play strong roles in the admission process. However, it would be ignorant for me to say that schools with little diversity on campus – who ARE trying to increase their minority numbers – would not consider strongly a competitive candidate who comes from a minority group. The key word here is “competitive”. And, also, keep in mind that when an applicant checks that box indicating that he/she is of a certain minority group and then puts his/her signature on the end of the application, verifying that the information contained in the application is true, they are signing a contract which, if accepted (the student is offered admission), states that the acceptance is contingent upon the accurate and honest representation of the student’s record. In other words, if you have been dishonest in any portion of the application (i.e. stating that the courses you took were not taken, stating that you are a different race than you claimed, stating that your parents either did or did not attain a certain level of education, etc . . .) your admission can (and most likely will) be rescinded.

Not only will your offer of admission be rescinded but it will most likely be punished by, at the least, the university not refunding any deposit you may have made or, worse, banning you from submitting an amended application or transfer application or application for graduate school in the future. Best policy: be careful and be honest. There is a college out there that needs a person just like YOU, just the way you are!

April 15, 2008

College Costs How Much?

It's true what they say in many cases: you get what you pay for. A friend recently told me that the cheap deoderant I had just bought will really end up being more expensive for me because . . . well, because it wasn't working. So I will, obviously, have to go back and purchase a better product. But, is this the case with colleges and universities? I'm not so sure. As recently as 2003, George Washington University could not be found on any of the various (albeit extremely similar) Top-10 lists for "Most Expensive" college in America. In fact, the most expensive, ‘traditional’ university in America, according to CNN Money in November, 2003, was the $30,824 per year tuition at Sarah Lawrence College (a phenomenally creative and academic place to be, for sure). However, Sarah Lawrence now takes the backseat to our reigning champ from Washington D.C. at a staggering $39,240 per year . . . and that's JUST tuition. The total cost of a year's education at G.W. tops the $50,000 mark. And you want to know something? Since they first made the top-10 list in 2004, George Washington has received a drastic increase in the number of applications to their undergraduate programs. So, it's working for them, right? They raise tuition costs and more people apply. It seems that families who desire a G.W. education cannot be out-priced- nor are they alone. Though G.W. still receives fewer freshman applications than, say, Harvard, Stanford, Yale or Princeton, would it be fair to assume that with the rise in cost of a G.W. education and the fact that their applicant pool has increased with it, that they WILL continue to raise their tuition rates on a yearly basis? Wouldn't you?

Until they hit a boiling point where the tuition rises to a level that actually deters applicants, resulting in fewer applications to the University than the year before, they have no reason to halt the tuition increases. So, while many people are up in arms about the rising cost of tuition for both public and private universities in this Country (especially Congressmen and women, some of whom, I’m certain, have paid staggering tuition bills themselves), it seems that our actions are speaking louder than our words. Ponder with me one point: Why is it that when gas hits a certain price, the sale of hybrids start to increase exponentially. But when costs of higher education begin to rise to these levels, which, as recently as 5-10 years ago were considered unrealistic, applications increase and faux-status (rankings) builds right along with it. I would warn anybody from using the various annual lists of top universities as a starting point in their research on where to apply (or a middle or ending point, for that matter). Even though paying attention to statistics such as faculty:student ratio is valuable and can be found in these rankings, when applications seem to go up in number as in correlation to tuition increases, it's no wonder some universities take their rankings so seriously. Are universities not run as for-profit businesses these days?

I do not intend to tell anyone how or where they should spend their money. I just wish to take contention with the notion that college cost is a direct relation to classroom quality. Universities cannot outbid their counterparts for tuition increases as a sign of true academic strength. However, it seems that, perhaps, we are falling for the old adage: you get what you pay for. And in this case, I’ll be the first to say, you’re paying too much. I realize that intelligence IS invaluable and our education is the only thing that can never be taken away from us. In fact, this is a statement of fact that I am constantly espousing to my students and their families.

So, please be prudent and conscious when shopping for an education. I am not saying that it should be cheap. Heck, one of the cheapest public systems of higher education is the State of Florida’s and, because it’s so cheap, the whole system is floundering on the brink of bankruptcy. This is not a scenario that a student wants to find him/herself in halfway through their undergraduate education: program cuts; larger class sizes; hiring freezes, etc . . . At the same time, just because a school is one of the most expensive universities does not guarantee anything other than . . . it’s very expensive. There is a whole spectrum of schools out there. Look at publics that are in and out-of-state, as well as privates on both coasts and, of course, in between. Remember, just because you can (spend the money) doesn’t mean you have to. And, just because it’s the most (expensive) doesn’t mean it provides the most.

April 14, 2008

Gimme, Gimme: My Ideas on Positive and Negative Reinforcement

If someone told you that they would give you a FREE CAR upon turning 16 and all you had to do was . . . absolutely nothing, what do you think you would say? Answer seems pretty easy for anyone who has ever encountered the idea of responsibility and reward. However, I’m encountering more and more young people today who expect reward without accepting any responsibility. The car when one turns 16 is not only NOT APPRECIATED, it is expected. It's completely appropriate for a parent to want more for their children than what they had when they were growing up, sure. But isn't reward a bit more appealing?

For independent men and women, the need to be proactive is essential. If you don't work hard first and you don't satisfy necessary needs, you fall behind. In other words, you don’t get a paycheck until the work has been put in, in most cases, right? That's the bill-paying, 9 to 5 world of those who Work-to-Earn. I don't mean to sound like an old curmudgeon, but there's an inherent difference between the lives of those who LIVE at the home and those who SUPPORT the home. If a primary wage-earner of the house is not proactive in their responsibilities- and those responsibilities are usually pretty clear and general (i.e. mortgage, car payments, utility bills, groceries, etc . . .) - the potential for reward is minimalized as basic needs are even more difficult to achieve. But, for teenagers, even the understanding of responsibility is often vague and unclear.

Perhaps one family expects grades of straight-A's whereas another family expects a son to be starting quarterback. The expectations can be tremendous and, so often, not articulated clearly or supported by any sort of positive or negative reinforcement. In other words, if an expectation is met, it is completely appropriate for the agreed-upon reward to be bestowed. However, what does it teach a young person if they do not follow through with their side of the bargain- or, worse yet, there is no clear quantifier of what “their side of the bargain” is- but their actions are reinforced with some sort of positive reward, regardless, as if they had followed through with the responsibility? What happens, most often, in my opinion, is that the rewards offered are not specifically for the student. For example, perhaps it is a bit of a schlep for a parent to take their student to school and so the offer of a car for an outstanding report card is not only as a reward for the student, but also to lift a burden off the parent’s shoulders (aka: reward for the parent). This is one of the biggest mistakes made in the positive reinforcement process.

The rewards offered to young people have to be rewards which, if not earned, would not have a negative impact on other members of the family. Parents have to be prepared to follow through with their rewards and, likewise, repercussions. This is such a pertinent aspect of the teachable moment in young people’s development. Just as bad for helping to shape a young person’s value code as setting unrealistic expectations on them, is the trend to offer reward whether or not reward has been earned.