Some Homework For The Parents

Are you spending these lovely summer days wishing your rising senior would do some of the things on that check list I posted recently? It's time for you to put that energy into some homework of your own! 

Stop by your high school guidance office (the staff there would probably LOVE to see a fresh face in the quiet halls) and pick up copies of all the helpful resources they provide for the college application process. Most of these forms are for your student, and it wouldn't hurt to have an extra copy in case your student hasn't seen them. But one in particular happens to be for the parents. At Monticello, it's labeled the Monticello High School Parent Recommendation, but I'm sure all the high schools have their own version.

This form is an invaluable resource for your guidance counselor as they write a recommendation for your student. While not every college requires teacher recommendations for admission, the vast majority DO want some sort of counselor recommendation or counselor evaluation form. With each counselor having to write MANY this fall (our counselor told us last year that he had 75 seniors!), they can't be expected to know every characteristic of each one. This form gives them a quick reference so that they can create a recommendation that is thorough and detailed.

This is the information requested on the form:

• List 5 adjectives which best describe your son or daughter. Explain when necessary; give a supportive anecdote when appropriate.
• Assess your son or daughter in terms of academics.
• What personal characteristics are significant for your son or daughter?
• What do you see as your son or daughter's greatest achievement? What makes him or her unique to you?
• What do you think will be your son or daughter's greatest challenge in college, and what way do you think he or she will meet the challenge?
• Is there anything else that is important for us to know in order to understand clearly your son or daughter? (Medical background, family history, educational interest...)
• What special characteristics are you looking for in a college? (Geographic area, public, private, size, single sex, coed, military, religious affiliation...)
• Feel free to write anything else that you would say in a personal recommendation for your son or daughter. Include anything that you would want a college admissions office to know about your student.

This is not the time to be modest about your student's accomplishments and activities! This form is not very long, but it does require some time and attention. The more detail you give, the better your counselor can capture the essence of your student and convey it to the admissions people.

By the way, Jane Kulow has a blog post over at Dr. StrangeCollege today with some links to great resources for writing college application essays. You should check it out!
http://drstrangecollege.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/who-writes-the-essay-doonesbury-weighs-in/

Checklist for Rising Seniors

I mentioned the other day that The New York Times has archives of a helpful blog called The Choice.  One post that caught my eye included a great checklist for rising seniors: http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/04/counselors-calendar-june-juniors-2/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

I'll summarize the major points here, but take a look at the archives when you have the chance. 

• Finalize your senior schedule and try to maintain the highest rigor possible including a foreign language
• Ask for teacher recommendations
• Do something this summer that will be worth adding to your college application
• Standardized testing review: Have you taken what you need? Do you need SAT II's or to try the ACT?
• Start those essays! The prompts for the Common App are available here: https://appsupport.commonapp.org/link/portal/33011/33013/Article/1694/2014-15-Common-Application-Essay-Prompts and the prompts for the University of Virginia are available here: http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/2014/06/2014-2015-first-year-essay-questions.html
• Check on extra requirements for athletes and artists
• Visit college campuses
• Have family discussions about how you're going to pay for college tuition
• Read! I've seen this mentioned in a lot of brochures coming through our house the past few weeks. Summer reading will help you with testing, vocabulary, essays, interviews, general intelligence, and more, so grab a book!

Admissions Blogs

I love that Melody had questions about my post Middle School Students Taking High School Courses and spoke to admissions people to get more information.

In my first post, I mentioned that Dean J in UVA Admissions has a fantastic blog that you should follow called Notes from Peabody. You'll find that blog here: http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/.

Just yesterday, Dean J's post recommended reaching out to her office with admissions questions, and she pointed out the importance of consulting someone who is an "insider" vs. an "observer." She told readers that they shouldn't hesitate to call or email when they've been unable to find the answers to their questions.  As she puts it, until the reading season starts and the admissions people get crazy busy, their job is to help students get the most current information they need.

Many schools have their own blogs, and I recommend you subscribe to all the ones that your student is considering submitting an application. Go to the schools website, click on admissions, and you will usually see an opportunity to sign up for a blog or follow them on Twitter. You can also google the school along with the words "admissions blog", and if they have one, it should pop right up.

I follow the admissions blog for the University of Georgia (http://ugaadmissions.blogspot.com), and today the post was all about the essay. Not only did they post all of the essay questions for this year so that you could get an early start, but they also posted an actual essay from a 2014 incoming freshman's application that they consider strong. Reading this short, creative piece is helpful for any student no matter where they plan to apply. (Hint: if you apply to UGA early action, you don't have to write any essays!)

Roaming around the internet, I discovered that The New York Times had a helpful blog called The Choice: Getting Into College and Paying For It.  I say "had" because it is no longer an active blog with new posts. The online archives, still exist, though, and it looks like a great resource for advice on the college application process. You'll find it here: http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/.