Educate yourself
In just a matter of days, most high school seniors who were accepted to colleges this spring will finalize their decisions by choosing their college and submitting their deposit (if they haven’t done so already). The college application process, year(s) in the making, will come to a close. Having helped other families through this, and done it a few times with my own children, I offer this free advice (worth every penny) for those who will go through this with their own children in the years ahead.
Stop using the phrase “Best College”. We see this used all the time in “Best College Rankings” (see comment about rankings below). You’re not looking for the “best” college, you’re looking for a college, actually colleges, that you believe will provide the “best fit”. There are literally thousands of colleges out there, many that would be a great fit for your unique child. Whether they appear on some subjective ranking published by a media conglomerate or not is inconsequential.
Use rankings, but don’t get caught up in them. College lists, and to some extent rankings, can be helpful in sorting out the thousands of colleges. While the individual numbers they put next to particular colleges aren’t important, you can use these guides to research colleges and help uncover schools you might not have thought about otherwise. If your child likes a particular university, use the guide to find similar ones they might like as well. Until you fully understand and agree with the ranking methodology, the numbers next to the colleges are just that: numbers. And when forced to talk about schools and rankings myself, I try to use big categories like “Top 40 schools”, knowing there are about 60 colleges that can be called “Top 40”, depending on the publications.
Don’t put your own college experiences and expectations on your child. The very large, metropolitan, state university with a strong greek system and D1 athletics that you attended years ago might not be the best place for your child. None of those factors might be what they’re looking for. You’re not going to college (again); they’re going for the first time. Help them choose, provide parameters and guidance, but let them find the university that’s a “best fit” for them.
Visit as many universities as possible. Walk through the campus. Visit college websites. Take in-person tours. Participate in online information sessions. The college you visit on a whim just might be the best fit for your child and the one they fall in love with.
Finally, educate yourself. College admissions has changed tremendously since you attended college, and it’s changed quite a bit since your older child applied years ago. I personally follow the following admissions experts on Twitter and read their blogs as well. I might not agree with everything they say, but they provide great advice and guidance for students and parents going through the application process.
Rich Clark - Georgia Tech - @Clark2College
David Graves - University of Georgia - @drgravesUGA
Dean J - University of Virginia - @UVADeanJ
The process of applying to college can be long, exhausting, frustrating and incredibly nerve-wracking. Enjoy every minute of it.