Advice for the College Search and Improving Advocacy
Dear Parents:
Spring break has come and gone, as has this school year (almost)! The two articles included in this issue are not closely related, but great information to keep in mind as you and your students begin their college selection and application process.
The first article gives us the argument for being “grounded” as we search for the best colleges for our children. It is easy to get caught up in the name of a school and how selective it is, but there are more important points to pay attention to regarding the specific needs of our own students. The article supports my personal philosophy regarding the highly selective schools and how to keep them in the right perspective when students are applying for admission.
The second article is a good one for reminding parents that the high school counselor is a great resource when your student needs someone to advocate for your student when the recommendation letter cannot express why a certain activity, or a particular class grade does not tell the true story of how fabulous the student is. Another way the counselor at school can advocate effectively is when a student has been deferred at a school or waitlisted. Oftentimes, a call by the student’s counselor at school can make all the difference.
The last six weeks of the school year are filled with AP exams, lots of papers due and final exams. It is important for our students not to lose focus with the beautiful spring weather. It is also the time students need to be finalizing their summer plans. Please encourage your students to be proactive and to not wait until school is out to figure out what they are going to do.
I love to receive feedback on the articles I select each month. Please feel free to drop me an email if you have comments or thoughts. I will respond promptly. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Catherine Marrs, CEP
Ivy League isn't everything. Here's what we get wrong about getting a good education.
Nearly 3,000 four-year colleges and universities enroll students in America. Only about 25 of them have an admittance rate of 10% or less, which means that we’re effectively letting the 1% dominate the conversation around higher education – and not for the better.
A narrative has taken hold in the public imagination that if you want a good future, you have to get into one of these highly selective schools.
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Advocacy Is Missing in College Applications
Early spring means college acceptances and rejections will begin to flood in, and students along with their parents will be left celebrating or questioning the letters they receive. We’ve all had these conversations, and we know how they go.
“How did X student get in?” It’s a question I am constantly asked by parents who want to understand what made X student unique or interesting enough to earn an offer from a selective university.
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