Making College Decisions in Unprecedented Times

We’ve long felt that the campus visit was the best way to learn about the colleges you are considering, so you can judge college fit and picture yourself living on campus and participating in the college community.  But now, with campuses closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, students sent home and the San Diego area under stay-at-home orders, juniors and seniors need back-up plans.

Seniors

Most seniors were hoping to attend accepted student days or revisit campuses and possibly attend a class or stay overnight in a dorm.  What should seniors do now to help choose between admitted colleges?

Begin by checking on your colleges’ plans for virtual accepted student days. Sign up for the Facebook Accepted Student groups for each of the colleges on your shortlist and engage with the group members. Reach out to your regional admission representative via phone or email. Ask for their recommendation on how best to virtually experience the college. See if they can connect you with a student ambassador online or put you in touch with a current student in your intended major. Use social media to get a better feel for campus life.  YouTube videos, Instagram and Snapchat are all useful here.

Explore the college website. Check out curriculum requirements for your intended major. If undecided, investigate advising resources for students unsure of their path. Go to the student life section and check on student groups and organizations.  Are there groups you are eager to join?

Attend virtual tours on a variety of sites.

Finally, make a spreadsheet of pros and cons. List all of your “must haves” and compare.  Don’t forget the financial aspect—which colleges have offered you aid, what will your net cost of attending be, how long will it take you to complete your degree?

Be sure to check each college’s final enrollment date. Although traditionally May 1, there are a growing number of colleges that have pushed their deadline to June 1 to help students make better informed decisions.

Juniors

Juniors were looking forward to spring break college tours to help decide their application list.  Without the traditional campus visit, you’ll need to utilize other resources.  Virtual tours through YouVisit or Campus Reel or YouTube provide college-produced videos and those uploaded by current and prospective students. 

Dive deeply into the college websites. Review the mission statements, academics and student life sections. Read the colleges’ newspapers to get an idea of issues that concern different student groups. Reach out to your regional admission officer asking how you can best experience their institution virtually. See if they can connect you to a student ambassador online. Ask about the admission officer’s plans for visiting your area or high school in late spring or summer. When you have real questions about the college, reach out to your admission officer and ask them. Be aware, too, that many requirements for the class of 2021 may change. Make sure that you are on the college’s prospective student list so they will keep you informed about changes and or meetings.

If you have carefully researched the colleges on your application list, you’ll know which ones will be most important to visit once you are able to do so.  

Appealing Financial Aid Award Amid Covid-19

Families who are suffering financial hardship due to job loss or income reduction from Covid-19 can consider appealing their financial aid award offer from their student’s top choice college.

Colleges will generally reconsider awards for two reasons:1) the EFC from the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) has changed due to a change in the family’s financial situation because of an illness, unemployment or significant drop in income, or 2) there is a competing offer from another college.

Financial aid administrators have the authority to make adjustments to the financial aid package on a case-by-case basis. They will use their professional judgment in cases where an employer may close for a period of time or if a parent was laid off due to the virus. Documentation will be required, and parents should contact the financial aid office at their child’s college to present their case. Colleges will require an appeal in writing, and additional documentation. Parents may want to do this for each of their child’s top choices, since each college administrator may present a different package.

If you plan to appeal your student’s financial aid award and you’d like to discuss strategies with me, please call me.

Spring Admissions

Over the past few years, many colleges and universities have received huge increases in their volume of applications. There has also been a sharp rise in the number of students choosing to apply early. As a result, admit rates have dropped, some classes have increased in size, and residence halls are groaning under the weight of so many students! Students living in triples and even quad rooms is common.

These and other space constraints have prompted some colleges to offer a select number of students the option of spring admission. Spring seats open up after December graduates have left, and when study abroad students are no longer on campus. Colleges will typically offer this opportunity to high-achieving students who exhibit evidence of independence, leadership and flexibility. Students who are offered January enrollment must first pay their enrollment fees to secure their spot. Colleges will want to understand their plans under consideration for fall semester and will likely encourage classes, travel, community service or employment. During the fall, these students will be contacted for housing and meal plan options and will attend a first-year orientation before arriving on campus in January. Students who accept the offer cannot enroll elsewhere or defer their enrollment to the following fall.

One of the main concerns first-year students have about entering college in spring is whether they can still graduate on-time with their peers. The answer is almost always YES.  Spring students must work closely with an academic advisor to select the right coursework to stay on track. Some students choose to complete coursework at a local community college during the summer or over winter break – again, talk to your advisor first because it is imperative to select transferable courses. Spring admits may also want to study abroad and this is also doable. 

Some spring admits may worry about coursework within their major that is offered in strict sequence. Examples of this may be in the fields of mathematics and science.  For example, Calculus 1 may only be available in the fall and required of an engineering major before entering a specific Physics class in the spring. Pre-health students wishing to complete Organic Chemistry may find that Chemistry 2 is a prerequisite, but if Chemistry 1 is offered only in the fall, they may have to wait to start the sequence. Again, as soon as you are clear on accepting spring admission, look into course sequences and prerequisites, and talk to your academic advisor. 

Some spring admits report transition challenges: fall first-years have already built friendship bonds, spring orientation rarely has the fanfare of the big fall orientation programs, and it may be harder to learn about clubs and organizations. But look on the bright side – the smaller size of spring orientation will mean a more relaxed atmosphere and more one-on-one conversations with students and faculty are possible. Residence hall advisors create programming to ensure that newbies are quickly connected to other students. Make sure you also learn about any financial aid implications to spring entry. Some colleges also require that students live on-campus for a semester before being able to join a sorority or fraternity.

For many students, being a spring first-year is a wonderful opportunity. Treat the fall semester off’ like a mini-gap year and explore your many options. Consider an internship and start building your resume; take classes to accelerate your major completion, if the spring college allows; or just get a job and save money. 

Appealing your Financial Aid Award

If your first-choice college offers everything you want but the price tag is making you cringe, consider appealing your financial aid award.  While colleges and universities don’t encourage it, the financial aid officers are empowered to make adjustments, if warranted. 

To appeal, do the following: 

Do not deposit until you’ve settled the financial aid discussion. Once they have your money, colleges will be less motivated to offer a better deal. 

Be realistic. Show the college that this is a partnership that you want to be part of, but need just a bit more assistance. Know exactly what you CAN afford. If your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is more than the cost of tuition, then make sure that your request makes sense. Do your homework and negotiate in good faith. 

Be informed. Make sure you have researched the specific financial aid policies at each college before entering into a conversation with them. Don’t contact a college, touting fabulous grades and awesome SAT scores, only to find out that the school offers only need-based financial aid but gives no merit aid awards. 

Many colleges offer “preferential packaging” – a practice in which they will meet a larger share of financial need based on the academic stats of the student, i.e., stronger grades and test scores will receive more money. Take a look to see if your test scores are in the “middle 50” or in the “top 25.” There will be more money at schools where the student’s scores raise the school’s profile. 

Be prepared. Colleges will generally reconsider awards for just two reasons:1) the EFC from the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) was incorrect due to a change in the family’s financial situation because of an illness or unemployment, or 2) there is a competing offer from another college. If you plan to mention the competing offer, be prepared to share a copy of the award letter to the financial aid office. 

Ask about “second chance” or conditional aid. See if the college is willing to add any additional aid if you complete senior year with straight A’s.

Send a letter. Put all of your reasons down in writing and ask for a follow-up meeting, in person if possible or by phone. 

Stay cordial and don’t become desperate or melodramatic. Any college that accepted you will now want to do what it can to help you enroll.  Respectfully assure the financial aid officer that this is your first choice for college and ask if they can help you to make this a viable option for your family.  It never hurts to ask!

Selecting your High School Classes

Students often struggle when making decisions about which classes to take during their four years of high school. How do you choose?

College admission officers review five parts of an application: standardized test scores, if required; college essays; recommendations; listing of academic honors and extracurricular activities; and the high school transcript, covering grades 9-11. Without question, the most important part of that review is the students’ complete academic transcript. When analyzing the document, the reader may have to first determine that a student has met that college’s minimum course requirements: typically 3 years of math, 4 years of English, 2-3 years of social science, 2-3 years of science and 2-3 years of a foreign language/ASL. Assuming that the applicant has completed those, the primary focus will be on the strength of the coursework selected. Admission decisions rarely hinge on just one aspect of an application, such as test scores, but the overall trends in performance, challenges of coursework, and grade trajectories are all-important.

When a high school sends an applicant’s transcript to a college, it is usually accompanied by the School Report. This document provides the college with detailed information about the applicant’s placement within their overall class and the choices of coursework the applicant had available each year. Universities want to see that students have chosen to really engage in their high school experience, push themselves to take on increasingly rigorous coursework and have been successful in their endeavors. Why? Because that is exactly the type of student who will also excel on a university campus!

The School Report shows whether or not you had the option of taking an AP course or a College Prep course, as opposed to a regular course in any given subject. Admission officers want you to take full advantage of courses that are available to you.  They will never expect to see a class on your transcript that your school does not offer or require - just try very hard to shine within the range of opportunities available.

Make sure your transcript reveals your passions and interests. If you are applying as a foreign language major, have you taken the most advanced options available? If you are applying as a STEM candidate, have you taken the highest level of the math and science courses available? 

Your high school years are your way of preparing yourself for the increased challenge of a college classroom. Take classes that give you a solid foundation so you can be ready for college-level math, writing, and science classes. As you take on those tough classes, are you also engaging in activities? Think about showing consistency in extracurricular choices too. This is the balance that colleges love to see – consistency, rigor, determination, dedication and resilience. 

High school is the start of your academic journey, and is your time to explore who you are and what you want. Make your transcript a clear indication of your ongoing journey of self-discovery, your time management abilities, and your areas of academic and personal interests. Look for ways to stimulate your creativity and leadership skills, take risks and grow. Challenge yourself in and out of the classroom, try new things and maintain balance – after all, maybe you’ll find that you shine even brighter in your Calculus BC class after you’ve enjoyed painting a peaceful landscape in art class.

Effective Campus Visits

For many families, the college tour is a rite of passage. These visits are often determined by an applicant’s school schedule, parent availability, financial resources, and family commitments. Colleges offer a wide variety of visit options – Open Houses, Diversity Days, Group Information Sessions and Campus Tours. Given these many opportunities, we’ll zero in on one particular visit option, the one that you take advantage of during the school year. 

Many families lean towards visits during vacation times, on the weekend, or on holidays when, typically, people are off work. These visits do not, however, come close to giving a prospective student a real look at life on a particular college campus. This is why we strongly advocate for a visit during the school year, on a regular school day. Most high schools will allow students some time off for college visits, but if that is not an option, talk to your guidance counselor about a reasonable solution.

This regular school day visit is important for the following reasons:

If school is in session, you will get a realistic idea of regular, every day student life. You’ll see students walking between classes, eating in the cafeterias, sleeping on the green, studying in the library and just enjoying each other’s company. Ask yourself if these scenes feel comfortable and stimulating.

During the school year, it’s possible to attend a Group Information Session and participate in a campus tour with a current student. Make sure you register for these ahead of time, typically online. Each university will show off the new science building, the updated gym, or the enlarged library on this tour. You can also look at the flyers and announcements posted all over campus and pick up the college newspaper. Prior to the walking tour, there is almost always an Information Session led by an admission professional who will give you the school’s ‘big picture’, provide some valuable statistics, and answer general questions about the college and the admission process.

Meeting the experts is possible on a regular workday. There are three categories of ‘experts’ with whom you can meet during a school-year visit. 

If possible, schedule a one-on-one appointment with the admission counselor who reads applications from your school. Take a short resume with you that s/he can add to your file and be prepared to ask 3-5 questions that reveal both your strong interest in that school and give you more information about your possible choice/s of major. Important – go into that conversation alone! You are the prospective student (not your parents!) and you want to show confidence and maturity. And always send a quick thank you email after your conversation. It matters! 

When the student tour guides are introduced, check if any guides share your possible choice of major and join that tour if possible. Walk up front next to the tour guide, and ask as many questions as you want. Remember, these are students who love their school and know it well, and telling others about their college is exactly what they love to do. Share email addresses so you can ask any further questions that come to you on the drive home. 

Paying for college is a huge issue for parents and during your weekday campus visit, it is a great idea to meet with a financial aid representative, to ask your many important finance questions. Making an appointment ahead of time is usually required.

Personalizing your visit is often possible on a regular school day. You can check online or call your college’s admission office and ask if a more personalized visit is an option. During these days, you may meet with a student in your possible choice of major, attend a class, speak with a professor and for some, sleep overnight in the dorms. Some colleges offer specialized overnight programs; check the admission website for visit options.

If you have to attend one of the large open day visit programs, formulate your questions ahead of time. You may be in the company of hundreds, and you need to really review opportunities to get your questions answered. Do the tour of course, but look for specific academic presentations, class visits, student panels and make sure you eat in the dining hall - good food is important.

Talk to students! Whichever visit program you are able to attend, seek out students. You’ll see them in the library, the dining hall, walking around campus and chatting with their friends. Summon up all your courage and tap some on the shoulder – ask them if they are happy and why, where else did they apply, why did they choose this particular school, and ask them about their living environment. These first-hand  conversations can make or break your impressions of your possible new academic home far more than the weather on the day of your visit!

Paying for College: Understanding Net Price

Families often experience sticker shock when contemplating the cost of college, but it’s the net price, rather than the sticker price, that prospective students  need to consider.  Each college publishes the COA or Cost of Attendance at that institution.  The COA includes room, board, tuition and fees, along with an estimate for books, personal expenses, and travel to and from campus.  The COA is the sticker price.

Relatively few families actually pay the full COA for their child. Various grants, loans, and work-study all affect the actual net price of college.  Let’s look at the factors that affect the net price. Net price depends upon the family’s individual financial situation as computed by the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), the form required by all colleges. The FAFSA will calculate an Expected Family Contribution, or EFC. Your actual net price, however, may be influenced by the college’s financial aid policies that determine the percentage of need they will meet, and further affected by how much the college actually wants a particular student to enroll.  

Need is the difference between cost of attendance and expected family contribution. Some colleges will meet 100% of need, while others with smaller endowments meet a lower percentage of need. When a college strongly wants to enroll a particular student, they will offer grants to make up a larger percentage of the difference between need and COA. In addition to having excellent grades and test scores, certain applicants may be sought-after by colleges because they contribute to geographic or ethnic diversity, because they bring special abilities and aptitudes (musical, athletic, etc.), or because they have interests and skills in particular majors.

Your net price can be met in several ways. One component, the expected family contribution (EFC), might be met through the family’s assets, college savings plans, and/or loans. A second way to meet your net price is through self-help money earned through the student’s employment, and money that a student might borrow through a federal or state loan. The GAP is the balance needed beyond the EFC and self-help, which can be met from family assets, income, or parental loans.  

Merit aid is free money provided in the form of scholarships and grants because the college is eager to enroll that student. Applicants are most likely to qualify for merit aid if their GPA and test scores place them in the top quarter of accepted students. Soon after admission decisions are released, students who applied for aid will receive notification of their financial aid package. Compare these packages to determine the net cost of education to your family before making a final decision as to which college to attend.

"Elite" Summer Programs

Your student may have been impressed by the fancy mailings they’ve received notifying them that “You’ve been nominated” or “Congratulations, you’ve been identified as a strong candidate for our selective summer program.” 

Hopefully, your scam antenna is up. You are probably asking yourself why so much money is being spent on these fancy envelopes, the personalization, the multitude of enclosures, etc. Yes, you’re right, it is a marketing ploy. We often wish we could convince these companies to reduce their marketing costs and then cut the fees for these programs. 

Many of the programs are solid. Students may have great experiences, learn a lot, and enjoy being in an academic environment on a college campus away from their families - those are all points in their favor. The downside is that they are very pricey, hence elite, and are typically not very selective at all. We refer to many of them as “pay-to-play” programs. They carry little or no weight in the college admission process. 

The companies and the colleges behind such programs have typically created for-profit enterprises to benefit their company or college, even if they are offered at or by a non-profit institution. Often, they run elaborate marketing campaigns that make the programs look as if they are incredibly selective. That is usually not the case. 

The big question is, “Will these programs help get you into college?”

Colleges may be happy to see these programs on a student’s resume because they may indicate the student has intellectual/personal interests and commitment, but they also generally indicate that the student is from an upper-middle-class background and can afford a $3000-$10,000+ summer experience.

So, if the biggest reason you’re considering one of these programs is because you think it will seal the deal to gain acceptance at your dream college, think again. These programs won’t hurt you, and if your family can afford it, they can provide great learning experiences and exposure to professors and other motivated students. 

Another motivation to attend might be to “test-drive” a college campus or a city to see if it represents a good fit; if that’s the case, then these programs can be incredibly valuable on a variety of levels. You may have assumed you wanted the hustle-bustle of a city, but the reality of noisy streets and a more impersonal campus and student body may not jibe with what you anticipated for your college experience. How wonderful to learn that now, while you’re still in high school, instead of finding that out freshman year! 

The most important thing to do this summer is something that matters to you; show a college what you care about, what you’re curious about, what motivates you, what makes you different. Use your summer wisely.