College Counseling 201: Stuff Your School Doesn’t Always Tell You
College counseling and the college process can be daunting as a parent to a teenager. So what are the things you need to know as you begin to prepare to send your kid off to college? In this episode, we dive into what you won’t get in your hour-long junior college counseling meeting! Cathy and Meredith take us through the importance of being well-versed in context. How context plays a role in the college selection and admissions process and why you need to take both the volume of applicants and the competitive nature of admissions into account. We drop some truth bombs, talk about different admission software, and take a dip into course selection and extracurricular truths. This episode is jam-packed, so buckle up! It’s also so important to take heart, and recognize that there are thousands of four-year institutions in this country at different levels of selectivity and that you need to fit your kid into where they will be successful — where they feel they can thrive academically, emotionally, and socially. Don’t forget that there are a lot of really wonderful options out there!
Key Points From This Episode:
[0:01:28] An introduction to our topic for today’s episode.
[0:03:20] Stuff to know about the college process.
[0:03:35] The importance of knowing context.
[0:04:44] The role context plays in your list of schools.
[0:05:20] We talk about the appreciation of the volume of students applying.
[0:06:00] The appreciation of the competitive nature of different schools.
[0:07:45] Meredith drops a grade-related truth bomb.
[0:08:32] Why it can be helpful to ask about grades/GPA/admission history.
[0:09:08] Software parents might not be aware of used by high schools (for context).
[0:10:30] Data is available, publicly, for context.
[0:11:11] Course selection; what’s expected and what’s important.
[0:13:45] Factors that affect your profile as it relates to course selection.
[0:14:30] Why you need four years of everything.
[0:14:53] Pursuing progressively more rigorous curriculum.
[0:16:25] The role of extracurriculars, why it’s important, and how to choose them.
[0:17:23] Why ten activities over the course of four years.
[0:19:07] Why a light extracurricular schedule won’t fly at highly selective admission.
[0:19:48] The importance of finding the right calibration for your child.
[0:20:00] We talk about fit and all the possible options for college.
[0:22:00] Thinking about financial (aid) options as part of the college journey.
[0:22:30] Why it’s important to educate yourself on the scope of options.
[0:23:23] Why you need to go get a FISKE guide.
[0:24:19] Start college visits early.
[0:24:45] Some resources we recommend.
[0:25:00] Take heart and recognize there are thousands of great options out there!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: