Ask the Consultant: Should I go Greek?

Deciding whether or not to join a fraternity or sorority can be tough, especially at colleges and universities where rush occurs for freshmen in the fall. You’ve barely stepped foot on campus when you’re asked to choose your BFFs for the next four years! (And they are choosing you). It’s like applying to college all over again!

So here are a few pros and cons to think about when deciding whether or not to go Greek.

PRO: Being in a fraternity or sorority can make a big campus feel smaller. In high school, did you have a tight-knit group of friends that hung together most of the time? Then Greek life may be a great transition to college.

CON: It’s expensive! Each semester there are dues to pay as well as fees for parties, formals, and swag.

PRO: If you join for the right reasons, not just for the parties, Greek life can be an excellent way to develop leadership skills and cultivate a network of alumni. Your LinkedIn is gonna’ explode!

CON: It’s time-consuming! Do you have high aspirations for a higher level degree? Something like medical or law school that screen by college GPA? Studies have shown that student’s GPAs drop while pledging a Greek organization.

PRO: All Greek organizations are philanthropic — some more than others. Are you a giver? You could find a niche!

CON: Hazing! Unfortunately, every pledging season brings stories of tragedy. Usually, these hazing deaths are the result of binge drinking. Do your homework before you join!

Ask the Consultant: Breaking Up is Hard to Do!

Congratulations on making your decision!

Q: I’ve decided where I’m going to go next year. Do I need to tell the other colleges that I’m not going to be coming?

A: You should! College admission deans watch numbers very carefully leading up to the May 1 deposit deadline. Letting them know early helps them predict and plan for what’s to come. Should enrollments not be setting pace with expectations and former trends, the college may decide to go to their waitlist early, which could help that classmate of yours that has their fingers crossed for that school.

You can let the college know in one of two ways: via your admission portal for that college (there is often the option there) or by emailing them. And while you do not have to tell them where you are attending, it is a nice thing to do. It helps them to discern their most popular overlap schools and who they are losing students to.

Ask the Consultant: College Closure WARNING

Mt. Ida, Green Mountain College, Hampshire College have all recently been in the news: struggling to stay afloat or closing completely!

Q: I’ve seen recent news stories about colleges closing. How can we make sure that we don’t choose a college for our child that won’t be here five years from now?

A: Of course, there is no guarantee that a college will be here five years from now. But there are a few things that you can do to assess the financial health of the colleges you are considering.

Each year Forbes compiles College Financial Grades for four-year institutions. In 2017, they gave Mt. Ida a D-, the lowest grade assessed. Hampshire College, however, seemed about average and less of a concern.

It should be no surprise that the most highly selective institutions generally have the largest endowments and, therefore, are the most financially stable. But there are exceptions!

Moody’s gives credit ratings to colleges and universities on a yearly basis. This past year, Moody’s estimated that only 11% (or 500) institutions have the financial stability to stave off demographic, economic and technological shifts. And several well-known universities have credit ratings far below what one would expect. Georgetown University? UMASS Amherst? Baa2!

So, when on campus, ask about the credit rating, how is all that new building being paid for, how tuition-dependent is the school, what is the endowment. It won’t give you a perfect answer on financial health, but it’s a good start.

What Courses Should I Choose to Maximize College Chances?

It’s all about finding the right balance. Choose challenging courses where you can find success!

Q: It’s course selection time at my school. What should I think about?

A: The question that we always seem to get when we sit down with a student to discuss course selection is, “What do colleges want to see?” We meet with hundreds of college admission reps each year on campus, at conferences, and in our office. So, we ask them! There are definitely some commonalities to their responses.

• Identify your goals. The level of rigor you take on should be directly proportional to the selectivity of the institutions you are targeting. I was once at an Ivy League college information session and a parent asked if it was better for her son to take an AP course and get a B or take a college prep course and get an A. The answer: “If you want to be considered here, take the AP class and get an A.” Enough said!

• Appropriately challenge yourself. College admission reps want to be assured that you will be ready for the rigors of college, which will be a step up from high school. A student with straight A+ grades and less rigorous courses can appear as if they are afraid of challenging themselves.

• Build a foundation. Yes, high school is a foundation for college-level material. For this reason, colleges generally like to see four years of English, math (through pre-calculus), and foreign language. The also like to see a good background in science (biology, chemistry, and physics) and Social Sciences.

• Choose electives that interest you. We know that those students that have a course load like the one outlined above often do not have a lot of room for electives. So when you do get an open spot in your schedule, fill it with something that you’d love to learn!

• Be consistent. If you are a STEM kid, your rigor should be in math and science. Love to write? English and social sciences. Admission officers admit that they get suspicious when they see a student transcript that has honors or AP classes jumping around from subject to subject. Are they just choosing the easy ones?

• Assess your limits. How hard are you working now? Do you have more in the tank or does your current course load seem right? Only you know how much you can reasonably take on. Be honest with yourself and those guiding you in this process.

Should I Consider a Women's College?

Q: Why should I consider a women’s college?

A: When we begin to put together a college list for a high school junior, we always ask if they are open to considering a single-gender institution. Most young women say the same things: I don’t want more girl drama! I want to have fun in college! What about the male perspective? It’s not the real world!

The reality is that students at women’s colleges report that they feel tremendously supported in the classroom. They are far more likely to do research with faculty, be leaders, graduate in four years, and attend graduate school, especially in STEM.

The feeling of empowerment that is fostered in women’s college students is carried with them outside of the classroom and beyond. Once they find their voice, they use it.

And the male perspective? You’ve got the rest of your life to live that!

Early Decision NO! What to Do?

Q: My son was just rejected by his early decision college? I’m trying to stay calm for his sake, but every time I get into my car to drive to work, I panic. Any tips?

A: First of all, give yourself a pat on the back for being a good parent. What your son needs right now is your reassurance, not your doubt.

We’ve seen some parents take their disappointment out on their kid, berating them with I told you so. “I knew that B+ in AP Chemistry would ruin your chances!” “You should have spent more time on your essays!” “I told you that you didn’t have enough community service!!!”

Others lash out at the unfairness of the system, or even their student’s classmates that were admitted. “She’s totally undeserving!!!”

Rejection is hard! And we’ve found that it’s often harder on the parent than it is on the child, especially when they’ve worked hard to achieve a particular goal. For many high achieving teens, a college admission “no” is their first failure. So it is a particularly important time for parents to watch what they say and do. Remember, even as teenagers, they are watching and learning from you. You are modeling for them how they will react to future setbacks… and achievements. Trust me, the achievements will also come!

So here are a few tips:

• Be positive. Nothing can be gained from ruminating about the past.

• Don’t throw blame. The biggest loser in the equation is the college! They’ve missed out on a terrific kid!

• Celebrate the achievements of others. You’d want others to do the same. And they will!

• Have a plan.

At this time of the year, we work with new families to our practice who need a second look at an application, list of colleges for subsequent applications, and admission essays and supplements. Give us a call and ask about our Second Look Assessment. We can help!

College Application Submission Delays

Q: My application is ready to go but my transcript and teacher recommendations haven’t been uploaded. Should I wait to submit?

A: You don’t have to wait! Submitting your application early will give you the chance to make sure that everything is submitted correctly and then the college can start to assemble your file. When the rest of your materials are submitted, they will be added to the file and it will be marked complete and ready for review.

That being said, most colleges do not review an application until it is complete, so once you send your application, make sure to let your school counselor and teachers know that it has been submitted!

To ED or Not

Forced decisions tend to be those which we regret.

Q: I'm trying to decide where to apply Early Decision, but I'm a bit stuck. My first choice school does not offer it, so I'm left deciding between schools that I really like but aren't at the top. How do I choose?

A: Don't. If the college that is your first choice doesn't offer early decision, don't sell out! We never want our students to have buyer's remorse at the end of the process. 

So what do you do if your college of choice does not offer a binding Early Decision option? Make sure that they know that they are at the top of your list! If you've met your regional admission representative, send them an email letting them know of your interest. Check to see if the regional rep will be visiting your school this fall. Visit the college. Interview if that is an option. Don't go overboard -- you don't want to seem desperate, but be honest about your interest. That will go a long way. 

National Merit Commended Scholar or Semifinalist? What's the Difference?

Q: What is the difference between being a Commended Scholar and Semifinalist for the National Merit scholarship?

A: High school juniors take the PSAT each October, many with hopes of becoming a National Merit Scholar. Scores are released in the winter months, but students have to wait until September of the following year to learn if they will be progressing in the competition. 

Commended Scholars are those that have a high score, but their results are lower than the selection index in their state. This year, the cutoff for Commended Scholars is 214. So a student who scores a 219 in Connecticut, where the cutoff to move on is 222, will be given a letter of commendation in recognition of their achievement, but will not be in the running for a scholarship. They may, however, be able to get money from a corporate award through a parent's workplace. 

Those that meet or exceed the National Merit cutoff will become Semifinalists and are eligible to complete an application to become a Finalist and vie for a scholarship. At this point, the committee looks at more than just a high test score. Finalists must have a strong academic record and an excellent letter of recommendation from their principal. 

Ask the Consultant: Another SAT?

Q: I took the SAT this past weekend and don't think I did so well. I was hoping to apply to a few schools early action. Will I have time to take it again?

A: First of all, take a deep breath! We often have students tell us that they "bombed" a test initially, and then are pleasantly surprised with the results.  Good news!  Most colleges will consider October or even November SATs, or September ACTs, for consideration for early action. As always, check the college website or call the admission office to confirm!

There is still time!

You can indicate on your Common Application or Coalition Application that you are planning to take a test in the future, which will signal to the college admission team that they need to wait for that score to render a decision. Just make sure that you send an official score report to each college via the College Board or ACT website as soon as scores are released. You can then go back into your Common or Coalition app and update the testing section with your better scores!