Dear Babs,

My parents don’t seem to understand the concept of a “best fit” school. I think that I would feel more comfortable at a large public school with a lot of school spirit and many opportunities for research  (and I would like a chance to watch D1 athletics). However my parents swear by college rankings and think that state schools are for slackers. How do I defend my college choices?

-D1 Die-Hard

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Dear D1 Die-Hard,

It’s great that you are looking for more than just the “top-ten” schools. You have clearly given your college search a lot of thought, taking into account your personality and college goals, not just your SAT scores.

It’s unfortunate that your parents don’t see eye-to-eye with you (and me) on this. It can be very easy to fall into the trap of only looking at a ranked college guide. Sticking to only the “top ranked” schools is an easy way for them to narrow down 3,000 schools and boost their egos. However, you’re the one who is going to be going to these schools, not them. You need to make sure you let your voice be heard; otherwise you may end having to live with their choices for four-years.

Your parents are probably concerned that “big state school=party school,” especially since you’ve expressed interest in playing sports. Assure them that you are not only interested in them socially, but academically as well. Have you tried pointing out some big-state schools that are consistently in the “best-of” rankings? University of California-Los Angelos (go Bruins!), University of Michigan -Ann Arbor, and University of California-Berkeley are all famous for their programs. Actually, if you look at the Graduate School rankings, you’ll find that these schools often out-rank even Ivies like Princeton and Harvard. Attending one of these schools as an undergrad may give you a boost into their leading graduate programs-a point that should not fall on deaf ears with your parents.

It also never hurt to try and humor your parents. Find colleges that have both first-rate athletics AND the pedigree that you parents want. Duke and Northwestern, two prestigious private schools, both have top-notch athletics. Hopefully, with a little persuasion and an open mind, you’ll be able to find a college bumper sticker your parents will be proud of.

Good Luck!

Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Admissions, Dear Babs, parents

01.19.09

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Dear Babs,

What is the most important factor when I search colleges online? Location? Size? Program? I don’t know how to prioritize!

-2many_Choices

Dear 2many_Choices,

The answer is D: all of the above.

All joking aside, there really is no “most important” factor for your college search. Rather, it is a combination of factors that are important to you. Ask yourself this: would you like to live in New York City for four years? If the answer is an enthusiastic “yes!” than start looking for schools in not only New York but other big cities as well, like Chicago and L.A.  If you’d rather die than live in a concrete jungle and the outdoors is more your thing, check out rural colleges like Alfred University, Williams College, and Bennington College.

Or maybe location doesn’t matter but you know that finances are going to be tough. In that case, try searching for in-state colleges or colleges where your academic record is a bit above par. Do you want to study engineering but minor in music? You’ll need to find colleges with strong programs in both.

The easiest way to go about your college search is by starting with the deal-breakers and then moving on to more detailed preferences. What I mean by a deal-breaker is a factor that would make you absolutely not want to go to a college. Hate feeling lost in the crowd? Well, you just eliminated every college with a student body over 5,000. Now start thinking more specifically. Do they need to have an engineering program?  Now that you have a list of colleges with a student body fewer than 5,000 and an engineering program, find out which of these schools allow you to minor in music? And of this even smaller list, where are you most likely to get a scholarship?

Your search for for college may seem daunting, but once you start this process of elimination, you’ll find that it’s easy to come up with factors that either make-or break-your college search.

Good Luck!

Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Admissions, Dear Babs

01.14.09

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Dear Babs,

I was attending a local community college this past semester, but I got way too distracted with my friends and with playing soccer and I ended up failing all my classes. I got a letter in the mail saying I have been dismissed from the college. I had wanted to transfer to a 4 year college (I’m in a 2 year program now) but I will have no chance of getting in after being dismissed from community college. Do I have any options left?

-Getting the Boot

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Dear Boot,

Don’t give up on your college dreams just yet!

So you messed up. You let your college fun get in the way of your college success. Believe it or not, you are not the first person to have let this happen. Don’t waste time beating yourself up over it-you’ll only move farther away from your goals. Refocus your energy to come up with a strategy NOW that will help you achieve all of your future ambitions.

The trick to staying on-track is to keep your strategy focused on the present. In the past, you had one big long-term goal: to transfer to a four-year college. Along the way, you let immediate gratifications (partying, playing soccer, meeting new friends) get in the way of this dream.  Instead of focusing on your desire to transfer in a few years, come up with a list of goals for the next few months. Do you want to get re-admitted to the community college? Search for a job? Party less? These are objectives that can be met almost immediately. Once you see yourself meeting your goals in the short-term, accomplishing your ultimate dream of attending a four-year college will not seem so daunting.

First things first: you need to get readmitted to community college. This may take some time and effort. An appeals process is a start. Go to your academic advisor at the college; information should be available on the standard procedure for academic appeals. Perhaps instead of trying to be readmitted on a full-time basis, ask to be allowed to take one class for credit while you work part-time. Sometimes the open schedules of college can leave you too much leeway for fun on campus. If you only have 10 hours of class a week, it can be very easy to spend the other 30 hours on the soccer field instead of the library. Working part-time will help you structure your days and manage your time better. It will also show the admissions committee that you are making efforts to be more responsible. Try adding classes slowly-the last thing you want to do is overwhelm yourself and slip up again.

Know that it may take another semester of pleading, promising, and apologizing for you to be able to be readmitted to college. Guide yourself away from parties and sports, and soon you will be moving towards a four-year college degree.

Good Luck!

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Dear Babs

01.13.09

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Dear Babs,

As I search for college information on state schools, I’ve noticed that a lot of state schools have an Honors program. What is the purpose of Honors College? Apart from the obvious “provide a challenge,” what are the benefits to signing up to be in Honors college?

-Applicant of Honor

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Dear Applicant,

An Honors College is a specially designated program in a university that provides a more rigorous curriculum and, as the name implies, awards honors upon graduation to its students. In most schools, you must be admitted into the Honors College in order to participate. In some schools, students of the Honors College reside in specific dorms and take part in special activities exclusively for Honors students. This is meant to foster an intellectual community beyond the classroom.

Honors colleges are popular in state schools as a way to attract high achievers who might otherwise attend private schools. It is also a way that large, less selective schools can create a small, liberal-arts college feel to boost their academic profile. Many top state schools, including University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Maryland-College Park, and University of Massachusetts-Amherst all have Honors colleges.

If you’re adding state schools to your college search to save money, but still want the close-knit feel of a smaller school, an Honors college at a state university may be just for you. But be warned, these colleges are not for the academically timid. Some universities require you to apply separately to their Honors College, in addition to the school’s main application. Others consider students from the main application pool, and accept the ones that show promise. Sometimes, students who are not admitted as freshman can apply as sophomores. Some schools don’t have separate Honors Colleges, but Honors programs. The difference is that there is not specially designated faculty to your program, and you probably won’t live in an Honors dorm. Instead, students complete extra graduation requirements and achieve a certain GPA so that they may graduate “with honors.” Make sure you find colleges with the program that you want. Whichever route you choose, know that being part of an Honors College shows an enthusiasm for academic pursuits-and a commitment to the work load that follows.

Good Luck!

-Babs

POSTED BY Dear Babs IN Admissions, Dear Babs, trends

01.07.09

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