Searching for a College

When you start the college search – the answer lies in you! (And not in the mountains of junk mail you are probably receiving from various schools across the country.) I know, that sounds a bit cheesy, but it is true. Before you really start looking for the “right” school it is important to figure out what you want in a school and that can only be found by looking in yourself and determining what factors are most important to you.

For example, for some students distance from home may be a big deal. Being close can have it’s advantages – like being able to come home and have a free home cooked meal or a place to do your laundry and also not having to worry about flying half way across the country any time you would want to come home for a visit. Going to school at a college far from home can also have it’s advantages – often a different climate, a new experience and adventure where you can be independent, and no concerns about mom or dad just dropping in unexpectedly. And, of course, there are some students who will elect to find a school that is not too far and not too close. (Remember, that by communicating with your family about what you are looking for in a school you may find that a college outside of your comfort zone is still worth looking at because you and your parents may be able to reach some mutually agreed upon ground rules – so the concern that they might come see you or you might come home too often can be eliminated by talking about those issues up front.)

The size of a school is another factor for many students. Small, Medium, Large or somewhere in between – the challenge is that many students will say, “I don’t know” and that is where making a variety of visits to different sized schools can be advantageous. You can explore a small school and see if the experience of knowing lots of people on campus and in your classes is better for you than a medium or large school where you may have a class in a lecture hall with hundreds of other students. As you visit the schools you may find that there are experiences or advantages that a larger school can provide that a smaller school can’t such as a wider variety of clubs or groups for students to be involved. The key is to figure out what size school fits you and then you can narrow your search to explore more schools in that range.

Other factors that often influence a student’s college decision will include the types of majors or programs offered at the school, their athletic programs – both collegiate sponsored and intramurals, the food, the dorms, the cost (but don’t necessarily eliminate potential colleges simply based upon cost because often the private schools are much more expensive, but also offer a much larger financial aid package to make it competitive and comparable to a public school), extra-curricular opportunities, and on and on.

Once you have an idea in mind of what you are looking for in a college, then it is time to start investigating which schools might be a good match. Spend some time searching on PrepHQ. There is a wealth of information available. (Click on Colleges and then click on College Search to pick out criteria for your search. You can save searches if you want to compare what schools might overlap when using different criteria.) If you find a school that looks appealing after reading their snapshot summary, visit their college website using the direct link on the upper right corner of the summary box. If it is a school you are interested in keeping as a "possibility" on your radar screen then please be sure to "Add to Your College List" by selecting that box below the snapshot summary. The school will then be included on your "My Organizer" page. Schools that are on your college list is also how we (counselors) will be able to look at different students who are interested in a particular school and how you will automatically receive notifications (on things such as college visits to WKHS) if it pertains to a school on your list.

Again, I cannot stress the point that everyone is different and what is best for one person is not necessarily the ideal school for someone else. All too often I listen to students who are only looking at the 2 or 3 schools that their best friend or sibling looked at rather than trying to find the school that fits best for them. Also, I truly believe that it is about being a good match – for both you and the college.

I know, it can be a bit intimidating to search for a school and to try to figure out what you really want in a college and for your future, but it is also supposed to be fun so try not to put too much pressure on yourself to find “perfection” and try to take a step back and figure out what will make you happy. It really can be fun, but I know it is also overwhelming so remember that I am here to support and help you in any way that I can.

PSAT

The PSAT (practice SAT) will be administered at WKHS on Wednesday, October 15th. Registration for the test started today and will continue until Monday, October 13th. Juniors and interested Sophomores can register in the Counseling and Career Center by bringing in a check for $15.00 made out to WKHS. (There will also be a registration table available during Thursday night's PTO Open House.) This is an important practice test for the SAT and it is also the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship competition. Even if you took the test as a Sophomore you should re-take the test as a Junior!

Colleges Visiting Kilbourne

Last week I talked about things to think about and do as well as questions to ask when you are making visits to a college, but I didn't mention the fact that college admissions representatives also come to WKHS in order to visit with you. Stop for a moment and think about that – the schools are paying someone to come to Kilbourne in order to meet with you and showcase the opportunities available at their college.

While a meeting with a representative cannot replace the actual experience of walking on campus, seeing the people, and experiencing the classes, it can be an important piece of your information gathering process. Possibly even more important, you are expressing your interest and desire to attend their college! The admissions representatives who are traveling to the schools keep track of who they see. Many colleges can go back and tell you exactly how many times a student has come to tour campus, contacted the admissions office, or had an official interaction with a representative of the school. You never really know what can make a difference so if you are able to attend a meeting with a representative, it can only help you.

It is easy to find out what colleges have visits scheduled – simply look at the College Events section on PrepHQ (in the College area) and scroll through the list. If you are looking at the summary page on a college, you will also be able to see there if they have a college event coming up. If you want to sign up to attend one of the visits, it is simple – all you need to do is click on the button that says, “Sign Up” next to the college event. If you make a mistake or realize that you cannot attend, you can also cancel your visit in the same way. It really couldn’t be any easier. If you are not using PrepHQ (why not?!?) you can also stop into the Counseling and Career Center and look through the list of college visits and sign up for any that interest you that way.

Juniors and Seniors have unlimited opportunities to attend these sessions. Please be reasonable though. If a visit is scheduled during a time when you have class you MUST get your teacher’s approval in advance of attending the information session. You are responsible for all missed work and teachers are not supposed to excuse you from tests, quizzes, or labs. (You can pick up a pass to have your teacher sign in the Counseling and Career Center or you can download one off of PrepHQ in the Shared Files section.)

Sophomores are also invited to attend the sessions with the college representatives, but are limited to participating in the visits during your lunch or Academic Prep/ Probation periods. If you have academic prep, you will need to secure a pass just as the upperclassmen are required.

There are LOTS of colleges that are scheduled to visit WKHS in the coming days and months so please take advantage of this opportunity! (In case you need it - you can link to PrepHQ using the link on the right side of this page.)

Simple Things...

I freely admit that the simple things often make me so happy...

Today while you enjoyed a day off we had a day of professional development which means we had a bunch of meetings to attend. That was fine, but wasn't what made me happy - what made me happy was a phone call from a friend, hearing from a former student and knowing I can sleep in tomorrow - the simple things! :-)

One other simple thing that makes me happy (because it was productive) is that today I created a blog site for the career fair (http://wkhscareerfair.blogspot.com/). The goal is to have an easier web address so that people can link to the career questionnaire and participate in the career fair so that you will have a chance to talk to them. While I have moments of wondering if I have lost my mind by trying (with a fantastic committee!) to plan the career fair, I honestly do believe it will be a great event and helpful for you as you explore career options for your future. If you have a career that you want to know more about - especially if it is a "unique" career - make sure you let me know so that I can try to find a professional that can come and share their insight.

Enjoy the weekend!

Making College Visits

Some of you may be making the most of the extra day off tomorrow by traveling to visit a college campus so I thought it might be useful if I gave you some information to help you during your campus visits. This is a long post, so please bear with me. :-)

During your campus visit, ask questions as you tour the school. After each visit, review the list to see if there are any other questions you might want to add. Remember, you are visiting campuses to get a feeling for the atmosphere of each place – something you can’t get from a brochure or website.

Questions to Ask During a Campus Visit:

- What activities and services are available to help students get settled (academically and socially) during their first year?

- How big are the classes?

- (Ask students) How easy is it to meet with faculty?

- (Ask students) Are you able to register for the classes you want?

- What is the total cost of attending the college?

- What types of financial aid does the college offer and how do I apply?

- Are all freshmen assigned to an academic advisor?

- Where do most freshmen live?

- Can I take a tour?

- What activities are available for students?

- Who teaches the majority of the courses for first-year students?

- How successful are the college’s graduates in finding jobs?

- What services (such as transportation and shopping) are available locally?

- What is there to do on weekends? Do most students stay on campus or leave on weekends?

- Are the dorms spread throughout the campus or clustered in one area?

- Is there any kind of shuttle service between classroom areas, the library, the student union, and dorms? How late does it run?

- Is there a security system to bar outsiders from entering dorms?

- How large is the campus security police force? Does it patrol the campus regularly?

- What services are offered by the campus health center? How large is it?

- Does the student health center refer students to the local hospital? Is there a nearby hospital? How large is it?

Ask Students:

- How many of your courses are taught by a big-name professor and how many by a teaching assistant?

- Is the teaching innovative and project oriented or is it mostly lecture oriented?

- Do most freshmen class lectures take place in an amphitheater?

- What are the strong majors? What are the weak majors?

- How hard do you have to work for your grades?

- What’s the reputation of the ________ department?

- How adequate for your needs is the campus computer network?

- Do fraternities and sororities dominate the social life of the college?

- What do students do on weekends? Do most go home?

- How is the advisement system? Do you feel your professors really care?

- How helpful are the other students if you miss a class? (Are they willing to share a copy of their notes or review the information covered with you?)

- There are a lot of organizations on campus. Are they dominated by a few groups or is anyone welcome?

- How active is the ___________ (fill in the activity in which you are interested)?

Pay Attention to/ Take note of:

- Are the dorms quiet or noisy? Do they seem crowded?

- How large are the dorm rooms? Is there adequate space and light to study?

- Does each dorm room have access to the internet and the campus LAN?

- What’s advertised on dorm and classroom bulletin boards? What does this tell me about campus life?

- How good is the lighting around each dorm, classroom, and lab buildings?

- Do the buildings and grounds look well cared for or do they need painting and general repair work?

- Is the grass cut and are the grounds landscaped?

- What’s the condition of the playing fields and the sports equipment?

- How is the quality of the food in the cafeteria or dining hall? How are the sizes of the portions? Is it healthy or fast food? Are there meal plans?

- Does it look like there is much to do outside of campus?

- How easy is it to get to places off campus?

- Are there places within walking distance?

- Are there places to get extra furniture, like bookcases, for your dorm room?

- Is there a supermarket nearby to stock up on snacks and soda?

- If you move out of a dorm after freshman year, what are the options in apartment complexes or buildings?

Things to Ask Yourself:

- While waiting how did the staff members that you observed interact with students? Were they friendly or did they approach students – both potential freshmen like you and enrolled students – as if they were interfering with the staff members jobs?

- Was the Admissions office a friendly and inviting place with a great deal of information about the school or was it cold and sterile with little information to pick up?

- What did your parents find out about the career planning services offered to graduating seniors and to graduates? What do the services include?

- Do most of the students seem to be like you or are they completely different? Can you imagine being friends with the people you see on campus?

- How would you feel being in a classroom full of these students? Sharing a dorm with them?

- Do the students try to make you feel at home? Are they happy to answer your questions or do they make you feel like you’re intruding? How do they interact with one another?

- Does the campus seem too big or too small?- Do freshmen live in their own dorms? How do I feel about living in a single-sex or coed dorm?- Do you feel comfortable and safe?

- Think about the kind of person you are. Are you a self-starter or do you need someone to motivate you? Do you like being part of a crowd or would you rather be alone or in a small group? How important is it to be near your family? How comfortable are you with challenging courses?

- Compare your offers – financially and what the school has to offer. Make a list of pros and cons of each school and the key reasons for your decisions. Remember some factors may be more important to you than others.

After the Visit/ Interview:

- Write thank you notes to your interviewer and anyone else you met with formally, such as a coach or a professor.

- If you spoke with any students and traded e-mail addresses, send an e-mail thank you.

And, of course, by now it should hopefully go without saying, please don’t forget to take a picture of you on campus to bring back for the “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” display! :-)

Recommendation Letters

Last night at the Senior College Night I briefly hit on a lot of different topics. One of those involved recommendation letters. It is definitely an area that creates a lot of stress, headaches, and confusion for students, but the anxiety and drama over the rec letters is not necessary!

Personally, one of my absolute FAVORITE parts of my job is the time that I get to spend sitting down, one on one, with each of my students to talk about your entire high school experience as a whole and listening to the stories you share when I am "interviewing" you to get information to write your recommendation letter. I find your stories fascinating, your insight remarkable, and quite often your humor to be very entertaining. Of course, I will also admit that the excitement goes away pretty quick when you walk out the door and I am left with pages full of notes and the actual letters to write. (Talking = Very Happy... Writing = Not so much...)

While the seniors are certainly the students who are more focused on the need for recommendation letters, it is also a great reminder of why it is important for students of every grade level (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior) to drop by my office throughout the year to allow me to get to know you better. I sincerely want to hear about the things you are involved in and are accomplishing during high school.

For the seniors, have you started looking at your college applications to see if they require recommendation letters from me or from your teachers? Some schools will require it and some will not. OSU, for example, does NOT require any recommendation letters. (Can you blame them? Imagine trying to read 22,000 recommendation letters on top of the applications and essays that they receive.) Miami University, on the other hand, will require rec letters from a teacher and from me. If you are having problems determining if the colleges you are considering require recommendation letters – just stop down to see me and I can try to help you figure it out.

If you do need recommendation letters, give some thought ahead of time to who you would like to ask for the recommendations. Look at the requirements specified by the school – are they open to coaches or advisors writing letters or do they want them to come from academic teachers? If it requires that the letters come from teachers, can it be from any subject area or are they only open to the core subjects of English, math, science, and social studies? Are you looking at a career in a specific area that a teacher at WKHS can write about your strengths in that field? For example, if you are considering majoring in Spanish perhaps a recommendation letter from one of your Spanish teachers would be appropriate. What teachers know you best? Who can speak to your work ethic and classroom contributions? If possible, it is often ideal to show your strengths across multiple subjects, so if you have a few teachers to pick from and 2 are math and 1 is science perhaps it would be beneficial to ask 1 math and 1 science teacher rather than the 2 math teachers simply to show that diversity. Remember, in recommendation letters from teachers, the colleges are asking for information about you as a student and your potential for handling the academic rigors of college.

Once you have figured out the teacher or teachers that you want to ask for a recommendation (if needed) it is then time to ASK them if they are willing to write a letter for you. It is really important to be reasonable in the amount of time that you are allowing them to have to write your letter. (Think 30 days or more!) They are very busy with their classroom work and grading homework and papers and of course life in general and many teachers are often bombarded by students requesting recommendations. If a teacher is unable to write a recommendation letter for you – either because they don’t feel that they know you well enough to write a strong letter or because they have too much on their plate, don’t take it personally, simply ask another teacher. You will be thankful that you didn’t force them to write the letter because it wouldn’t be as solid of a recommendation letter if they were rushed or only had vague highlights to discuss.

In the Counseling and Career Center we have a form you can use to ask your teachers to write a recommendation for you. It is also helpful to provide a resume or the type of information which is frequently seen on a resume to your teachers. (To make this easier, if you don’t have a resume, there is a recommendation information sheet on the back of the recommendation request form just mentioned.) It is also really important to specify the number of letters that you need, for which schools, and to provide envelopes as well as any forms required by the schools for the teachers to complete. (For example, the common application has a 2 page form for the teachers in addition to their recommendation letter.)

Once your teacher has completed his/ her recommendation letter they will either give it directly to me to add into your application packet when we mail it or they will give it to you to bring to me. You are the one ultimately responsible for making sure that the recommendation letter is submitted to me, so if you are unsure if your teacher has provided me with the letter, stop down to see me.

If a counselor recommendation is required it is beneficial to come and see me as soon as you realize it so that we can set up a time to meet. (Yes, I do require EVERY student that I am going to write a recommendation letter for to actually come in and TALK to me… but the good news is that I do NOT make you write out the short answer essays!) I write the letters on a first come first serve basis. It is the only way I know how to be fair. As I mentioned at the senior college meeting last night, I have a *bit* of a perfectionist streak and so I tend to put a lot of time and effort into the letters – last year it took me an average of 5 hours per letter which adds up quickly. So please, watch your deadlines and try to help me write the best letter possible by allowing me to have plenty of time. The reason recommendation letters take so long is that each letter should (hopefully) capture the essence of you – and each of you are very different. Remember, when writing recommendation letters generalized praise is wasted space so I need stories and examples to help give admissions officers a better understanding of who you are and what you can bring to their campus. Plus, it needs to be more than just what they can read about you in your application. While I do not ask you to complete the short answer essays, that are on the "Counselor Supplement Sheet," I do ask that you have your parents complete a "Parent Brag Sheet" and provide me with a list of activities. (You can use the same form that you gave to your teachers if you do not have a resume or list already created.)

So, for the next few months, if you are curious about how I will be spending my "free" time - the answer is writing recommendation letters. Thankfully, I will also be balancing that out with lots of time talking to each of you and getting to know you better... and I am REALLY looking forward to that!

Do Not Rank

At Worthington Kilbourne High School we do not rank students. The only exception is for students who have a 4.0 or higher grade point average. All of these students receive a rank of #1 in the class.

The reason behind this procedure is that WKHS is a highly competitive high school environment. For example, in our school, a 3.8 is not in the top ten percent of the class, but in a less competitive high school it might be and so we do not want anything that could potentially reflect negatively on our students to be included on your applications.

When you are asked on applications to write in your ranking or percentile simply write, "School does not rank." (Unless, of course, you have a 4.0 or higher in which case you can write 1st.)

When I complete the counselor report forms that is what I write as well.

Some of you may be curious about your class ranking and while no one else will ever see it, you are welcome to check out your ranking in PrepHQ. (The data has finally been updated.)