Monday, August 4, 2008

First blog

In this first blog, I share my current thought process on the college admissions process. I welcome feedback.

As students and families finish the seminal summer before twelfth grade, they hold such dreams and hopes for their futures. I do all I can to help demystify the college admissions process.

Yet, I can only do so much. I give the analogy of a basketball game. Some players can shoot so well they swish or dunk the ball in. Some players require a tip in from another player...their shot must be close enough but just need a little push. Others completely miss the basket.

What can I--Rebecca--do this late in the game. I can help the students who clearly chose great match schools and those who need a little tip in help. I cannot help those who have no hope of making the basket or in this case meeting the requirements of competitive colleges. That would be wrong of me. But I do not think it's wrong to hope. I just think it right to try to find the right schools for your children...and that means colleges that will want your children.

What everyone must remember, however, that with the competitive nature of college admissions, everyone is affected. There are no longer clear admits at the top colleges. There are so many top students that colleges cannot take often 90% of their admissions candidates. The trickle down effect impacts second and third tier schools and thousands and thousands of students.

So ultimately, students and families need to think really hard about multiple college pathways. They must choose a nice range of schools...all of which the student can imagine attending.

They must plan Option A and Option A and Option A...Not just Options A, B, and C.

Most importantly, families must look for what is best for the student and try the best they can to pull out their notions of the past...College admissions is not the same as 20 or 25 years ago. They must look at what is best for their child as it matches what colleges look for. This is so difficult and so hard to do. Yet it is possible.

Let me help you go through this process. I am honest, clear, and powerful. I do not shade the truth, yet I make this process powerful and possible. It's all in how we make students feel and how they experience the process of finding schools that match their talents, experiences, and goals.

What are your thoughts? Your hopes?

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