| No more than a few years ago, college
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| | encouragement of students to attend a
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| planning started in 12th grade where it
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| | college or university out of state has
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| was the first time students learned about
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| | increased as well as the encouragement
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| the SAT tests and build their list of
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| | for students to consider applying to more
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| colleges. Times have change with many
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| | colleges. At the same time, these
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| students currently beginning their
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| | colleges and universities have become
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| planning as early as 9th grade. While
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| | aggressive in their recruitment and
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| some may argue that beginning the college
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| | marketing techniques introducing more
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| process this early is ridiculous, the
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| | attractive opportunities that a student
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| truth is that it’s quite necessary.
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| | has to choose from. As a result, students
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| Keep in mind that asking young students
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| | must begin researching what colleges seem
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| in 9th grade what colleges they are
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| | the “best fit” for them deciphering
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| applying to does not define good college
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| | the difference between persuasive
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| preparation; however, asking them if they
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| | marketing messages. Just a reminder that
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| would like to keep the educational doors
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| | finding the “best fit” does not mean
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| open after high school is a conversation
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| | finding out about the likelihood of being
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| that must happen early on. Before
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| | admitted. Instead, finding the “best
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| reviewing the aspects of good college
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| | fit” college means to conduct campus
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| advising, let’s look at three major
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| | visits, research their personalities and
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| influences that have impacted the way we
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| | atmosphere, and asked themselves “where
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| plan for college.
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| | do I really fit best?” All this
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| Competitive Labor Market:
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| | requires more time for investigation and
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| According to the Current Population
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| | planning outside regular high school
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| Survey conducted by the U.S. Census
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| | counseling hours.
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| Bureau in 2003, 77% of students who
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| | It’s evident that the college going
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| receive a high school diploma will enter
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| | culture is growing by the minute, and in
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| the labor force compared to 85% who
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| | order for students to end up happy and
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| receive a bachelor’s degree and 91% who
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| | successful (in that order), the college
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| receive a doctorate’s degree. The same
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| | conversation needs to start early. Be
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| survey also revealed that the average
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| | aware, however, there is a damaging
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| earnings in 2002 increased with each
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| | assumption that in order to help students
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| education level with high school diploma
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| | prepare for college, we must use tactics
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| workers earning an average of $27,280
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| | that instill (intentional or
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| annually, compared to the average annual
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| | unintentional) anxiety, fear, and
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| income of $51,194 earned for the
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| | uncertainty to the process such as
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| bachelor’s degree holder (Stoops,
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| | national rankings and statistical GPA and
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| 2004). The pressure and expectation of
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| | SAT averages. On the contrary, students
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| students attending college is no longer a
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| | who are most successful in the college
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| “dream” or family quest, but more a
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| | process are those who can reflect on
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| requirement in order to obtain a career
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| | their own needs and interests, and more
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| that gives a decent paycheck.
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| | importantly act on those needs and
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| Population and Demand:
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| | interests, as well as establish good
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| With competition increasing due to the
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| | study habits and time management skills.
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| sheer numbers of high achieving students,
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| | Also, keep in mind college admissions
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| students and parents applying to college
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| | review student’s academic and
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| are feeling the pressure to prepare
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| | extracurricular activities for the entire
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| early. The panic of becoming the “top
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| | 4 years; not only 11-12th grades. Many
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| student” or “winning the race” has
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| | students who do not have a sense of what
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| evolved into an obsession that leads
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| | colleges expect of them risk the surprise
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| students and their parents to push the
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| | of not meeting specific requirements or
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| college planning envelope as early as
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| | not having enough time to build on their
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| possible. The good old American
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| | interests in time. In order for students
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| “competitive spirit” is out there,
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| | to reflect on what makes them tick, we
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| and although often having negative
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| | must challenge our students to find their
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| effects on student performance (if this
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| | voice early in life, introduce the ideas
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| competitive spirit is not nurtured
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| | of what a college education means in
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| appropriately), the desire to become
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| | terms of opportunity, and prepare them to
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| number one demands early college
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| | be advocates for themselves as they
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| planning. It also ensures successful
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| | decide which high school courses to take
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| results in getting students in the
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| | and which activities to be involved in.
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| college of their choice.
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| | This is the process of finding their
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| Increase Colleges Choices
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| | voices, and it is their voices that will
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| With over 3,000 colleges and
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| | drive the college process as we as
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| universities in the United States and the
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| | educators, counselors, and parents become
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| bridging of a more global world, the
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| | their cheerleaders.
|
