Colleges don't expect your teen to know exactly what he wants to do with his life by the time he is a high school senior.  They do, however, expect that he has a general sense of direction when he applies.  The purpose of college is to get exposure to a wide range of fields and to also develop a set of skills that your teen will be able to use in the working world. Many students agonize over which intended major to select on the application itself; some hoping that this will make a difference between an acceptance and a denial. 

What does your teen's major choice tell the admissions office?

Colleges want to know about your teen's interests and aspirations for a few reasons.  The first is somewhat selfish, they want to be certain they are able to provide the right resources to students across interests.  Most schools want a well-balanced incoming class with a diversity of goals. 

Secondly, admissions officers are trying to get to know your teen better and do this by getting a sense of what he has so far accomplished in life and what he hopes to accomplish in the future.  This does not mean every activity in high school needs to revolve around his intended major. However, your teen should show an interest through extra scholarly study, clubs and extra-curricular activities.

For certain universities, the college your teen chooses can impact his chances of admissions. 

Within a large university, there are several colleges, Colleges of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Performing Arts, College of Business are examples.  And each college will then house more specific majors.  If your teen applies to a specific college within the university, the university will simple review his application in the context of that college.  If he is not admitted to that college, he will not be admitted to the university. 

This is true for many, but not all, business programs and a few engineering programs.  If your teen is applying to these type of majors, he has to decide what is his priority - the school or the major.  If he is having a tough time deciding, reading college reviews from current students will help.  Go online to the school's website and begin a correspondence with matriculating students.

Picking a less popular major does not improve your chances of getting in.

This where it also gets tricky.  Many students have asked if putting down some random, less popular and less rigorous major will help gain admittance into the university with the plan of switching into a more difficult major once enrolled.  The chances of being able to do so is slim to none in some cases.  Also remember, the application has to make sense. 

If there is no indication of an interest in the major chosen on the application, admission officials are going to wonder if your teen is trying to pull the wool over their eyes.  If your teen truly wants to study business, engineering or other selective subjects, make certain the application supports that interest and that your teen has the experiences to back it up.

Remember, your teen isn't stuck in the major picked on the applications.

Colleges are well aware that your teen might change his major once he is there, but with a strong application they will have faith that he will continue to create and achieve his goals successfully.  Some universities may even ask your teen for his intended major but will also consider him for an alternate major or an undecided option because they believe he is a strong fit for the  university.

Sometimes there just isn't enough space to admit your teen initially into the first choice major.  At many of these schools, your teen should be able to get into his desired major but after the first semester/quarter or year there.  And other universities will ask him about his interests without tying him down to a specific major until he is nearing the end of sophomore year in college.  This is the point where colleges will ask  him to select a major.

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Excerpted from Purvi S. Mody, co-owner of Insight Education, blog post on Student Advisor.com

The cost of a higher education is on the rise.  The cost is being outpaced by just about everything in society today - the cost of food, gasoline, goods and services.  The three main reasons - the value of a college education is more important than ever, a college workforce is one of the most expensive to hire, and colleges are spending lavishly to try to attract your child.

The value of the education exceeds the expense

Recent studies have shown that workers with college degrees make on average 44% more than workers with only high school diplomas. According to U.S. News and World Report, the best estimate for what a student's college education is actually worth over an entire career is around $300,000. So even as the cost of tuition at schools increases, it's still more than likely that whatever you end up paying for college, your student will end up making it back and then some.

This fact hasn't been lost on students.  Today 7 out of 10 high school students enroll in college with the hopes of getting better jobs and earning more money.  Of course this leads to a natural supply and demand situation.  A college education is HIGHLY in demand.  Not just from employers, but from the students themselves that want it.

Colleges are of course well aware of what their services are worth and therefore as college graduates continue to be hired for better jobs with bigger salaries, it's their natural inclination to charge more.  After all, you can't argue with the numbers.  As long as the "value" of a college education is worth more than what a college charges you for it and because there's only a certain number of students schools can accommodate each year, they'll keep on raising their prices as long as the demand for those spots exists. 

A college faculty is one of the most expensive workforces to hire

The cost of putting together a qualified faculty to dole out that education to all these students is growing higher and higher. Remember what I just pointed out above.  The cost of hiring an educated workforce is rising every year.  And the workforce a college or university is hiring is among the most highly educated you can find.  The majority of instructors will have Masters degrees and doctorates.   And those accolades earn a healthy paycheck. 

According to www.salary.com, the median salary for a typical liberal arts professor is $80,000.  Those with tenure and who publish work can expect to earn much more.  In fact, in 2009, CNN ranked college professor as the 3^rd best job in America. Depending on the size of a school, a college faculty can number in the hundreds.  And with an average salary of $80,000 or more, that can add up to a hefty payroll very quickly. That's not to mention the hundreds of other jobs a college has to pay for.  Coaches, librarians, admissions counselors, dining staff, maintenance crews, etc... Managing a college's workforce is no less of an undertaking than managing one of a major company.  And no less expensive either.  Hence why your costs continue to rise...

Colleges are spending lavishly to try to attract your student 

Take a minute and think about all those glossy, beautiful looking promotional materials schools have been mailing you over the past few months. What's on the cover?  A new stadium?  Perhaps a modern looking student center?  Or a newly built academic building with all the bells and whistles you could imagine?  Well there's good reason for that.

Schools are spending more and more money on campus amenities in an effort to attract students.   Things like fitness centers, modern on-campus apartments, athletic facilities, computer labs, new cafeterias and other dining options... these are the new pieces of eye candy colleges are putting front and center in their marketing plans.

And of course, all of these fancy new attractions cost money.  And lots of it.  So where's that money coming from?   Sure there's private fundraising and donations... but much of that tab is paid for by you - the tuition holders.

Every student wants to attend a school with the best facilities, academic, athletic, living or otherwise... but keep in mind those pretty looking buildings aren't paying for themselves.   Not to mention things like organic fruit in the cafeteria, free Wifi all over campus or a new treadmill in the gym.  

These perks get passed onto you in your bill.  The more updating a college does, the more it'll cost you to attend. 

Remember, to weigh the cost of what a school offers next to what your student really needs to have.   A great education should be at the top of the list.  Everything else is a nice bonus... but one you'll have to be willing to pay for.

If you have any other questions about selecting a college, or the admissions process, feel free to contact me through my website at www.Prep4CollegeNow.com  or call me at 760.877.7200.  I'd love to answer your questions!

[1] Excerpts taken from Scott Weingold, College Made Simple - The Free Educational Resource of College Planning Network, LLC

http://www.nasfaa.org/Main/Financial_Aid_in_the_News_Format/2011/Admissions_and_the_Adolescent_Brain.aspx

When considering colleges, the most important criterion for choosing a college should be the question: Will your teenager be both "comfortable and challenged" there? This criteria should be applied to every college or university that you and  your teen consider. You and your teen should also think about these three kinds of college environments:

• Physical environment - Is the college big or small, old or new? Which would your teen  prefer? It's important -- after all, he/she will be there for four years!

• Academic environment - Does the college have the programs and/or major your teen wants? Is it academically rigorous? What are the faculty's expectations of students? What's the overall academic atmosphere -- is it a grind or a party school?

• Social/cultural environment - Is this university a rural school or a city school? Is it conservative or liberal? Is it religious? Again, we're back to the question: Will you be comfortable there? Students are encouraged to view diversity on college campuses as a good thing -- something between the homogeneity of high school and the wide diversity of the "real world."

Other considerations should include a frank look at the question: What are my teen's chances of being admitted to this school? It takes some homework to get the answer.  Start with a school's website, checking to see if it includes a profile of the entering class or discusses the kind of students it is looking for. Another revealing way to learn about a school is to visit it! You'll get a pretty good idea rather quickly about what the school is like. In fact, a campus visit is very often the decision-maker in cases where students are accepted at more than one desired college. (Check out Collegiate Choice's Walking Tour Videos for a look at 330 universities and colleges in the United States and abroad.)
Of course, You and your teen will need to consider the college's costs per year. Although that is certainly important, cost should not stop your teen from applying to a school he/she would really like to attend. "Don't let the 'sticker price' of a school keep you from applying. As a rule, the less you can afford a school, the more financial aid you can get there. You might be pleasantly surprised -- even without scholarships -- at what need-based financial aid can offer.

Students should apply to 10-12 colleges and universities. The list should include 2-3 "safety schools" (relatively easy for your teen), several "target schools" (places where your teen's chances of getting accepted are 50%), and the remainder "reach schools" (schools your teen would like to attend but may not be qualified to attend). But remember, all of the schools your teen applies to should fall within the "comfortable and challenged" category.

Students generally find it easy to pick their reach schools, but difficult to choose their safety schools. There are many wonderful colleges and universities where your teen can have as enriching and rewarding experience. A wonderful book about colleges is "Colleges That Change Lives," by Loren Pope. The book looks at about 40 small schools and focuses on how they're preparing students to go out and make a difference in the world.

Once the preliminary list is completed, the application process starts.  My next blog will deal with the application process.

High Schools require your teenager to engage in community service projects as part of graduation requirements.  Colleges and universities, as part of the admission process, want to see a commitment to a particular charity, community project or event throughout high school.  The college is interested is assessing your commitment to the world at large.  Community service projects cast you in a different light,  allowing each college to see you as more than just a GPA and SAT/ACT score. It give them an insight into your beliefs and your passions and helps them determine if you are the type of person they want on campus.

It is important to plan for and begin engaging in community service projects as early as ninth grade.  The more committed your teen is to a particular cause, the more hours spent helping the organization, the  better when applying for college.  It is far better to choose one or two causes and stick with them throughout high school than to pick a myriad of service projects over the years.  Consistency is the key to success in planning appropriate activities.  Many teens have difficulty determining what to do and where to find volunteer opportunities.  Below is a list of general ideas, websites, and books that discuss a variety of opportunities available throughout your area.  Before getting started, discuss  your idea with your high school counselor, fill out the necessary paperwork and you are ready to go!

Happy volunteering!!

Volunteer Organization Match is a great tool for finding volunteer opportunities in your community.
http://www.volunteermatch.org
 Help the Environment
Ideas For Community Service Projects And Activities
- Plant a tree.
- Clean up trash from a park, sidewalk or other public area.
- Recycle.
- Plant a garden and share the produce with your neighbors.
- Start a community garden and invite neighbors to plant produce and help tend the garden.
- Start a compost pile.

Three excellent online resources to steer you to ways to help the environment are:
Do Something.org  http://www.dosomething.org
Adopt a Highway  http://www.adoptahighway.com
Take Pride in America  http://www.takepride.gov

Help Those in Need
Ideas for Community Service Projects and Activities
- give a homeless person a pair of socks
- give a homeless person food
- give a homeless person a blanket
- help habitat for humanity
- have a yard sale and donate proceeds to a homeless shelter
- buy a gift for a needy child at Christmas
- volunteer at a soup kitchen

Three excellent online resources to steer you to find ways to help those in need are:
Do Something.org  http://www.dosomething.org
Habitat for Humanity   http://www.habitat.org
Red Cross  http://redcross.org

Help The Elderly
Ideas For Community Service Projects And Activities
- make a craft and give to an elderly person
- rake an elderly neighbor's yard
- help an elderly person carry in groceries
- go to the store for an elderly person
- just spend some time talking to an elderly person
- Sing Christmas carols at for an elderly person close to Christmas
- pick flowers for an elderly person

An excellent online resource for helping the elderly is:
Meals on Wheels  http://www.dontalmostgive.org/Volunteer/Seniors

Help Children
Ideas For Community Service Projects And Activities
- help children in your neighborhood do homework
- play with children at a local park
- help children complete a service project
- teach children how to play a game
- read to a child or group of children

An excellent online resource for helping children is:
Big Brothers Big Sisters  http://www.bbbs.org/site 
 
Book Resources
Arthur I. Blaustein  Make a Difference: America's Guide to Volunteering and Community Service.
 Barbara A. Lewis  The Teen Guide to Global Action: How to Connect to Others (Near & Far) to Create Social Change.
Jenny Friedman  The Busy Family's Guide to Volunteering:  Doing Good Together. 

What  Students with Learning Disabilities Should Know About College Admission[1]

As students advance through high school and the college process those with learning issues must have a good grasp of what their learning disabilities are be able to articulate this to professors.  This skill takes proactive and will need repeating  and explaining so that both the parent and student understand the learning disability.  The following list includes areas students should thoroughly understand:

·      The history of their learning disability and its date of diagnosis.

·      How their disability affects areas such as listening, writing, spelling and speaking.

·      How much help they have needed from school resources in order to be successful.

·      Which  academic areas are most challenging for them and why.

·      The importance of being enrolled in mainstream courses in high-school (for those who are college-bound).

This information will be instrumental in allowing those students to develop long term goals that are realistic and concurrent with their strengths.  Students must lead the discussion at their annual IEP meeting beginning in ninth grade.  Students must be able to articulate their disability and be comfortable seeking the appropriate accommodations.  They must be in the driver's seat.

When searching for  the appropriate college setting, students and their parents  need to have a good idea of the level of support the student will require in college.

·      Will the student need a structured support program which usually charges an additional fee?  Such services may be providing certified LD staff, tutoring, mentoring, skills classes, and monitoring.

·      Most colleges offer basic services to students with disabilities such as extended test time, reduced distractions environment for tests, and books on tape.

·      A 504 coordinator to determine appropriate services and review documentation must also be available.

Here are some questions students and parents can ask of colleges:

·      Are there members of the disability support services staff who are certified in learning disabilities or do they employ non-certified staff?

·      What documentation is required to request services and who is responsible for determining eligibility of these services?

·      Is there a separate program for students with learning disabilities that requires a separate application in addition to the general application?

·      Is there a fee for services?

·      What is the waiver/substitution policy for required graduation courses?  Is there any flexibility in the admission criteria relative to required courses (such as foreign language), and are foreign language and/or math required to exit the college upon graduation?

·      How will professors be notified of the disability and approved accommodations?

·      Who will be an advocate for the student on campus?  Will the student need to request services each semester? How will the student know about these services?