Originally published on 5 May 2022 on Hey SoCal

St Salvator’s Hall, University of St Andrews (Fife, Scotland, UK) | Photo courtesy of May S. Ruiz / Hey SoCal

The road to college

In the San Gabriel Valley, parents go to great lengths to instill in their children good learning habits at a very young age. A majority of them enroll their kids in competitive high schools to ensure that they earn admission to some of the most prestigious universities in the country.                            

My only daughter attended an over-a-century-old K-12 independent school in Pasadena, an institution renowned for its rigorous academic and wide-ranging athletic programs. I was confident she would be well prepared for the challenges of university. However, the school administrators and faculty did not discuss the college admissions process until the spring of junior year. They felt that students should enjoy high school and campus life – there was plenty of time to work on college applications.

It was when my daughter and I first met with her college counselor that we realized that while she was academically ready for college, she hadn’t been fully apprised of what admissions officers were looking for from applicants. And because she had to scramble to put together a resume that looked impressive, the next 18 months proved more stressful than if she had been preparing for college application since 9^th grade.                                 

Happily, it all turned out well for my daughter and she graduated from high school in the spring of 2014. She then went to the University of St Andrews in Scotland. About a quarter of the seniors in her class of 97 students matriculated to the Ivies and the rest of them attended the most selective universities in the United States.  

For my family, the college admissions experience felt like getting sucked into a vortex. But I learned that we weren’t alone – many parents felt lost and powerless to assist their children through the process. And so, in January of 2015, I launched this monthly college search guide to help parents and their children navigate the complicated admissions process. And because education is very important to me, I also began writing about schools in the area. Through the years, I have met and interviewed many schoolmasters, parents, and students who shared their experience and opinions on issues that affect them.

Writing this admissions process series has been a fulfilling endeavor for the past eight years. It is therefore with a certain degree of sadness that I’m letting you know that this will be my last college search guide. If your child is a senior who’s eagerly looking forward to graduation and going to university in the fall, I hope that this monthly guide has helped them (and you) get to the next stage of their educational journey. Thank you for the privilege!        

FRESHMAN

This is the final call for 9^th graders who need to improve their grades! The GPA is the most important component of your children’s college application. If their marks are not adequate for college acceptance requirements, they need to confer with their college counselor to arrange for remedial summer classes.

Your children should have already registered for internships and planned their summer volunteer work. Admissions officers look for students who have demonstrated sustained community involvement. It isn’t the quantity but the quality of activities that’s important – they want to gauge the depth of students’ intellectual and ethical engagement to a given cause.

The summer after their freshman year is the time for your children to find activities that truly speak to their interest and passion. Let them choose one that really resonates with them which they should carry through their four years in high school.            

It’s also a great time for your children to read books. Encourage them to explore various genres and different authors. At the very least, reading will help them expand their vocabulary and expose them to different writing styles. This will come in handy when they write their personal statement and supplementary essays for their college application.

SOPHOMORE

Sophomore year is when your children have fully transitioned into high school. They are comfortable about how this phase fits into the whole secondary school experience. They have taken the practice PSAT as a preparation for junior year when the results determine their eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship. They have also taken some AP tests, if they took an AP course.

Hopefully, your children have also done well in their studies, have maintained good grades this entire year, and have prepared for final exams. Admissions officers expect grades that are consistent, and, if their freshman marks weren’t that great, their sophomore grades should at least show improvement over last year’s.    

Make sure your children have lined up their summer activities. They will probably have more choices than they had the summer of freshman year when there were safety protocols in place, but they should try for something related to what they did last summer. Admissions officers want to see commitment to a particular interest.     

JUNIOR

Make sure your children have registered to take all the required standardized tests for college admissions. While these are not required by the Cal State and UC systems, they are still part of the application for some and, if your children are applying through early action or early decision to these schools, they need to take the SAT or ACT this summer.     

Your children’s final grades are extremely important! Eleventh grade is the last complete year that college admissions officers will see on the application and they expect grades that are either consistent with, or better than, the first two years’.

SENIOR

The high school graduation is a rite-of-passage that signifies a teenager’s first step into adulthood. Take the time to mark this occasion with a celebration!           

If your children are still sweating it on the waitlist of their first-choice college, they need to  ensure their final grades are terrific! They should keep up with all their schoolwork and send the college admissions officers any updates on awards and honors they receive. They should ask their college counselor if an additional letter of recommendation might be helpful. Keeping in touch with the admissions office reinforces their interest in attending the school if accepted.

They should have put a deposit on their second-choice school to guarantee them a place for the incoming class in the fall. Although, if they come off the waitlist on their first choice, they will lose this deposit.

Be there for your children to support them whatever the outcome of their college application; it has been an important learning experience. In the end, though, what matters is not where they had been accepted. The college they attend will not guarantee success in the real world; it’s how they use their education that determines how well they do in life.

Originally published on 3 March 2022 on Hey SoCal

Princeton University | Courtesy Photo

The road to college

Two years into the pandemic, infection cases are finally decreasing; but death rates remain high. On February 15, several states, counties, and cities around the country eased or ended indoor mask mandates; last week, the L.A. Unified School District dropped the outdoor mask requirement. There’s speculation that California schools will no longer be requiring their students to wear masks on campus sometime this month.         

However, some counties in California – where infection cases still cause worry – are still imposing it. Many private schools and privately-owned establishments are also choosing to go their own way, practicing safety measures they deem necessary to ensure their employees’ and the public’s health and well-being. And, as usual, the seemingly arbitrary rules are creating dissent. But wherever your beliefs lie on this ongoing debate, I hope you are doing your utmost to keep safe and healthy.

If your children are attending in-person classes full-time, you must be so relieved after more than a year of having to home-school them. As we all know, though, the long-term remote learning resulted in unprecedented learning loss and widened the achievement gap. Students are playing catch-up on their schoolwork.

Fortunately, there are several tutoring services available if they require help. Find one which offers options that fit your children’s specific need and your family’s budget. A company called Mundo Academy provides excellent tutoring services in the Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley area. Likewise, some high school and college students have created free tutoring services and learning platforms to help children during the coronavirus pandemic. Two of these organizations include Sailors Learning and Wave Learning Festival.                     

Anxiety and depression have been on the rise among children and adults during the pandemic. Please don’t ignore your and your children’s mental health; reach out for assistance when you or your family members feel overwhelmed. The CDC has put together a resource kit for parents – divided by age group – to help ensure their children’s well-being. The site also has links to other resources that cover various concerns. Another CDC website is dedicated to helping parents manage stress during the coronavirus pandemic. 

In spite of the pandemic, the University of California broke records for first-year applications for the second consecutive year, according to data it recently released. Additionally, this past admissions cycle drew the largest and most diverse pool of applicants. While this is great news, it also means that it has become even more competitive to get in. And, as more colleges and universities join in scrapping standardized tests, your children need to be prepared to face ever greater challenges.     

FRESHMAN:

Your children should have all their grades on track. They need to concentrate on maintaining good study habits now to be better equipped to handle the rigors of the workload in the coming years. If they haven’t been reading much, they should seriously consider taking up reading as a hobby during spring break to help them increase their vocabulary – it will come in handy when they write all the supplemental essays many universities require.   

It’s also a good time for your children to consult their class dean regarding summer activities – academic enrichment programs, volunteer work, or part-time employment. College admissions officers are looking for students who explored their passions while getting good grades.

Admissions officers will not expect your children to have extra-curricular activities during the  coronavirus pandemic. However, they will be interested to know how students spent their time outside of remote learning. Encourage your children to find volunteer work and community service activities.             

SOPHOMORE:

Tenth graders who are taking AP courses need to register for the AP exams administered in May.  While there is a slew of small independent tutoring schools offering courses to prepare for the AP tests, some children do not need to take on this additional burden on their already busy schedules. Your children have enough on their plate with the intensive homework associated with an advanced placement course. That said, your kids would still have to show competence on the AP exams as all scores are submitted to the College Board; all the colleges to which your children apply will see the AP scores.

JUNIOR:

Spring break is usually the time when juniors visit various campuses. Many schools organize tours for their students and college counselors provide a prepared college visit checklist with a page or several pages allotted for each college or university. They can also write their overall impressions which they can consult when they create their college list.    

If in-person tours aren’t available at the college or university you want to visit, make sure you and your children do a virtual tour or a webinar. Many universities offer a live virtual tour where someone takes you around the campus on FaceTime or Zoom. There’s usually an admissions officer on hand to answer questions. And, as in pre-pandemic years, you and your children need to make an appointment to attend the tour.        

Even when tours are conducted virtually, you can still ask some of the questions you normally would during an in-person visit. Here are a few examples: What is the advising system for freshmen? Are there opportunities for independent/study abroad? Is there guaranteed housing for four years? What are the dining options? What safety measures and precautions are offered by the school during the pandemic?

Especially during the pandemic, it’s advisable to arrange to speak with a current student about campus life. Here are some questions to ask: Do students stay on campus or do they leave on weekends? Are students practicing healthy campus lifestyles, like limiting parties? Even before the pandemic, these parties led to excessive drinking and wild behavior; these gatherings could be super spreaders of the current coronavirus variant.        

One major concern for parents and children should be security on campus (Can outsiders gain access to the library, the fitness center or student union? Are there video cameras around the school periphery?). Of course, the most serious threat to students’ well-being may actually be within the confines of the institution. This topic has become part of the national conversation   and some universities are addressing the topic upfront. I, personally, would want to know if officials have safeguards in place to prevent such crime from occurring. Do administrators disclose information about it or do they hide and blur the facts? What consequences does the school impose on perpetrators?

SENIOR:

You and your children should research all scholarships and grants available to them. Many colleges offer merit scholarships to applicants with excellent academic records to motivate them to matriculate. The package usually includes the full cost of tuition and fees and may also cover room and board.

Universities also extend need-based grants to applicants who demonstrate a financial hardship. These reduce the cost of a college education and do not need to be repaid. Your children should complete the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid. Other schools may also require a college-specific financial aid application.

Some useful websites to help you get started in your research include: CollegeXpress; Fastweb; National Merit Scholarship Corporation; Scholarships.com; Scholarships360; and Student Aid on the Web.

As I expounded on last month, some colleges will be sending out decision letters sometime in March or April. Your children should keep their wits about them as they await word from the colleges they applied to. 

After the marathon they finished, your children may be quite restless and anxious to know if they have been accepted to their school of choice. Remind them to use this quiet time productively by keeping their focus on academics and their grades. They should still engage in other worthwhile activities like arts. 

Tell your children that they may be getting letters of rejection from some schools. While you might be more disappointed than your son or daughter, avoid showing it as that sends the wrong message. Not being accepted to their first choice isn’t the end of the world. In fact, while it may not seem like it at first, that rejection usually turns out to be a blessing in disguise – in most cases, they end up in the school that is the right fit for them.                  

Originally published on 1 October 2021 on Hey SoCal

The road to college

The road to college involves four years of complicated planning and complex scheduling. High school students are extremely busy – homework, extra-curricular activities in art and sports, campus clubs, all compete for their time. As if all that weren’t difficult enough, they have to make sure they get excellent marks in their courses and on the standardized tests. Their GPAs and SAT/ACT scores have to impress college admissions officers to really consider their application. If standardized test scores are no longer required by the schools to which your children are applying, their GPA is all the more crucial – it becomes the single, most important component of their transcript.         

I know several parents who enroll their kids in SAT prep courses as early as ninth grade and some independent counselors recommend that students sit for the SAT in 10^th grade. However, I feel that taking the SAT this early isn’t necessarily the best course of action – students still have so much to learn and aren’t really ready for this test. Unless there are extenuating circumstances (if the SAT is a requirement for an advanced math course, for instance) that necessitate them to take it, I would suggest waiting a bit. I would recommend taking the SAT and ACT the summer before senior year. By then your children have accumulated as much knowledge as high school covered.

In the past 18 months tutoring service became a booming enterprise (and I don’t mean those offering test prep, which is a multi-billion dollar industry) for students who had difficulty during remote learning. While your children are now back on campus for in-person classes, they may be behind on some subjects so a tutor might still prove helpful. Find one that offers options to fit your student’s specific need and your family’s budget. A company called Mundo Academy provides excellent tutoring services in the Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley area.

FRESHMAN

Encourage your children to keep their focus on their schoolwork. By this time, they should have figured out what extra-curricular activities they are interested in pursuing and what sports they want to participate in. Give them guidance as they navigate this new phase in their school life, and support the choices they make.

SOPHOMORE

Depending on your children’s course choices and load, there could be standardized testing required of them. Your children should be taking AP exams following completion of the course while the knowledge they gained in class is still fresh in their minds. The best preparation for the exams is for your children to make sure they understand the subject matter and do well in all tests the teachers give in class. If there is something they don’t understand, they should right away speak to the teacher to ask for clarification or, possibly, find a tutor for additional help. The results of these standardized exams are required by some colleges.       

JUNIOR

Your children should be aware that junior year is the last complete year of high school performance that college admissions officers will see. They have to put more effort at doing well and getting good marks.

They should register for and take the PSAT, which is also the qualifying exams for the National Merit Scholarship. It is also a good time for your children to meet with their school counselor to make sure they are taking all the courses they need to graduate and apply to college.

Your children should also be keeping up with their extra-curricular and sports activities. College admissions officers look at several components as they try to assemble an incoming class made up of the best candidates to add to their student body. 

Several high schools in the area hold college fairs on campus. This is an excellent chance for you to see what the different colleges and universities are offering. Students get to meet and speak to admissions officers – usually the same people who would be reviewing your children’s application, reading the essay, and sitting around the table – who would be making their case for your children during the all-important decision-making rounds. Make sure you and your children attend these college fairs.

SENIOR

Your children should now be in the process of completing the common app, and finalizing their essay topic or personal statement. Unless recommendations can be sent to the universities online, your children should have provided the teachers who are writing their letters of recommendation with stamped envelopes.

Depending on what course your children are applying for, they may be required to send supplementary material (auditions or portfolios) with their application and they need to get those ready. Audition tapes for arts performance, for instance, can be uploaded on YouTube for easy access. Your children should check the website of the college or university to which they are applying about supplement material requirements. Your children’s school counselors are also a great resource as they are always in contact with college admissions officers.

Be on top of application deadlines; most schools offering Early Action or early Decision have to receive your children’s application by the 1^st of November.  

You and your children should be researching scholarships. Some websites include: CollegeXpress, Fastweb, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, National Merit Scholarship Corporation, Scholarships.com, Scholarships360. You should also attend the financial workshops being offered at your children’s high school. Most high schools offer on-site guidance, with specialists who can answer your questions.

Your responsibilities as parents are limited to offering encouragement, guidance, and moral support as your children go through this stressful time. But while you need to let your children manage this process, you should also express your concerns and expectations. Communicate with your child, the counselors, and the teachers when you have inquiries. 

Be there for your children but learn when to get out of their way. Never try to communicate with the college admission officers as it is the surest way to sabotage your children’s chances for admission. Do not be overzealous about getting your children accepted to their dream university; there is a school out there that’s the right place for them. The counselors at your children’s school and the admissions officers at the colleges, or universities to which your children are applying, are actually the experts at finding the best fits. And while this may sound hollow at this time when you’re in the thick of college admissions, this is actually a wonderful learning opportunity for your children. Give them the chance to succeed on their own.