Welcome Back, Common App!

We're back and just in time for the launch of the new Common Application (or CA4) tomorrow, August 1. However, that doesn't mean you have to submit your applications at 12:01am!  Don't be in such a rush to get everything done.  There is no grand prize for being first to submit an app!

Seniors,  the first thing you need to do is schedule a meeting with your counselor to review your list of schools and go over procedures (like how to request transcripts).  If you're getting anxious, then schedule that meeting sooner than later (even before school starts!). Although you may have started a rough draft of your essay, you will be writing college essays in English class, and your teacher will provide you with appropriate feedback.  Mrs. Goldbach and I also want to proofread your applications (including essays) before they are submitted.

If you're coming to Application Boot Camp next week, we will go over all of this (and more), but if you can't come, don't panic.  In one way or another, we'll provide you with everything you need to know.

So take a deep breath!  The year will be a busy one, but we'll get you through it.

The Blog Takes a Vacation

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the most beautiful words in the English language."  - Henry James

I agree with Mr. James 100%, and so the blog is going on summer vacation. But we will be back on July 30, so stay tuned!

Explaining Away Bad Grades

You're pretty proud of your transcript. Your grades have been mostly good ones, perhaps all A's and B's, but there's that one C- you made in Algebra 2.  So, should you explain that grade to colleges?  That is an excellent question, and the answer can be yes and no.
It really comes down to the reason for the C-.  If it is truly because of circumstances beyond your control, like a serious illness or a death in the family, then yes, a brief explanation might be in order. However, if your explanation includes something like "well, he's the hardest teacher in the school," then the answer is no.  There's no way you can say that without sounding whiny.

Let's go  in a slightly different direction. Let's say in the middle of your senior year, you suddenly decide you don't want to take that semester AP Comparative Government course, but we've already sent your transcript.  You need to let them know your schedule has changed, but what reason are you going to give them? Are you dropping it because you just don't want to work that hard your last semester in high school?  Are you changing your schedule because you really have developed a love for forensics (or fill in the blank)? Do you see how tricky this can be?

To be honest, students usually want to change their schedule because they really don't want to work that hard anymore. They're tired, and we get that.  But it's still going to be almost impossible to explain. Maybe the college won't care; maybe they will.  It's ultimately your decision, but you need to think about it very carefully. 

It's kind of the same thing with the infamous senior slide.  Seniors are well-known for, let's say, not working quite so hard second semester.  Read that acceptance letter carefully.  Here's an excerpt from one:  "We expect you to maintain a continued high level of academic performance for the remainder of your high school career. If there are any significant changes, you should notify us immediately."  What are you going to say? "I just stopped working?"

These are but a few of the choices you will have to make.  What direction will you choose?

Student Loan News

The news has been abuzz recently with stories about student loan interest rates (and Congress's struggle to deal with the issue), but a tentative agreement was reached late yesterday.  Here are several other stories that I think have value.

1.  Tips For Minimizing the Pain of Student Loans from the Huffington Post Education section - http://huff.to/15jCQW8

2. Comparing Two Different Ways to Pay Off Your Student Loans from USA Today - http://usat.ly/13QKv1l

3.  The ABC's of Federal Student Aid - a glossary of terms from the US Dept. of Education - http://1.usa.gov/13DEHJK

And while I'm thinking about it, here is the list of Best Flagship Universities for the Money from the 2014 Fiske Guide. 

Discovering a Career...Now or Later

Here's the reason I love this story: sometimes you never know how the odd or seemingly inconsequential things you loved as a kid (or in this case, the things you are deprived of), have the ability to influence your career choices. And just so you know, those things can make great essay topics too! 

I always enjoy looking at the alum news in the GPS magazine.  Some of our former students are following life long passions - engineering, medicine, dance, and architecture - while others have discovered new interests like international tourism, the Middle East, and the culinary arts (who knew you could be a food stylist?), careers I don't think they considered while in high school.  I didn't know that college counseling existed as a career when I graduated,  but I've been fortunate in that two of the things I love to do most - writing and traveling - are things I get to do in this field.  Sometimes the things you consider hobbies - like food, reading, travel, television, or the great outdoors - can lead you to the most interesting places.

I believe our students are preparing for careers that do not yet exist, so it is important to stay open to the possibilities. You never know what direction your career might take.

Testing Your Faith in College

One of the things we often talk about during college classes is how your ideas, beliefs, or code of conduct will be tested or questioned when you get to college.  That's not necessarily a bad thing, you know. Some people would even say that it is one of the good things about college life.  You will be exposed to a variety of opinions, and those ideas often serve to strengthen your own.

But in case you're a bit insecure about the prospects, this rising college senior offers some ways to cope when you are questioning your own faith.

What Seniors Should Be Doing This Summer

This is good advice for seniors, but I don't quite agree with all of it.  I understand that some girls want to get their applications done as quickly as possible, but sometimes it pays to slow down and be a little more thoughtful.  So while I agree that summer is a good time to visits colleges, practice for the SAT or ACT (if you are really going to do that), and talk to your parents about finances, there are drawbacks to finishing the paperwork so fast.  It all goes back to allowing for the unexpected or allowing for that eureka moment I talked about in yesterday's post. 

GPS seniors will be writing college essays in English class this fall, and although you can brainstorm ideas over the summer - and even start a rough draft - your most compelling topic might come from an experience you're having right now.  I think ruminating on your idea for a while - perhaps jotting down some ideas or stories - can be helpful, regardless of whether you are writing about a past event or a current one.  But take your time with your essay. This is an important piece of your application, and you don't want to rush through it simply for the sake of getting it out of the way.

Likewise, if you begin your application now (remember, the Common Application doesn't open until August 1), you still might want to think about it for a while. Did you explain your involvement in activities in the best way possible? Have you demonstrated your leadership abilities? Have you allowed someone (preferably your college counselor) to proofread it?  The application may seem cut and dry, but there are nuances that you might not be aware of and changes you might want to make.

Your college application is not simply a box you can check off.  It should be thoughtfully completed and proofread carefully by multiple sources.  Perhaps this quote by Albert Einstein says it all: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."  Your college counselor will help guide you through it all.

*Seniors, don't forget we will discuss a lot of this during Application Boot Camp on August 7.

Random Thoughts on Building a Life

While going through some old notes yesterday, I ran across a comment that really resonated with me, and it's excellent advice for high school students.  "Build a life, and then find the colleges that fit you."  Too often students try to  manufacture a resume that they believe will fit a certain college rather than creating a life built around what they love and looking for colleges that will appreciate them for who they really are. 

Of course asking a sixteen or seventeen year old who they really are can be kind of tricky.  But I believe my students already have some ideas, and I think this article is excellent advice for young women embarking on the college search or a career.

I've written before about the problem with asking a high school senior what they want to be for the rest of their life. When I was eighteen or twenty-five or forty, I had no idea I would end up being a college counselor (and loving it so much!). When I was eighteen I didn't even know there was such a job!  I understand parents want to know their daughters will be able to take care of themselves, but asking a high school senior to declare a career doesn't leave room for the unexpected. It doesn't leave room for that "eureka moment," as the article suggests, and very often the best ideas come from those moments.

I think every high school student could benefit from this advice from Kate White, former editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine and one of the contributors to the article.

"...people often suggest that you think about what you love or write down what you are good at. But successful women I interviewed had often found their first or next passion by bumping into someplace. You don't necessarily know what you want until you see it. Go out into the world. Take trains and planes to places you haven't been before. Visit your friends at their workplaces. Go to plays, museums, and galleries. Surf the web. Visit URoulette (a site of random links) and click on tons of different websites. Listen to talks on YouTube. Read your old diaries. Volunteer. Be open to your eureka moment."

I would add that you should read up on lots of other successful women. Follow their blogs if they have one. Ask questions of the women you know personally (okay, men too).  How did they discover their career? What path did they take? What advice would they give? Find several mentors (yes, you can have them in high school). Your mentors will change over time, and that's a sign of progress. Just don't feel like you have to know it all now.  You've got your whole life ahead of you and building a life takes time.
    

Are you ready to go to college?

It's almost time for the class of 2013 to head to college, but no matter how confident they sound, some of them are at least a little apprehensive about leaving.  Even if they're going to school with some of their high school friends, the transition is not always an easy one.  That's why I thought this article about how a little fear can be good for you made sense. 

Some girls find a new home or group of friends by joining a sorority.  It's one way to gain organization and leadership skills, and it can be a terrific networking tool. But it is also a huge time commitment. "There are obligations, dues, service requirements, a time commitment, and academic expectations," says Jordan McCarter (GPS '96) who previously worked for the national office of her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi.  You will only get out of it, what you put into it.  And that applies to any activity or group!

Finally, I can still remember the day two GPS alums sat in my office lamenting that they didn't have any college friends like they had in high school.  Mind you they had only been in college for a few months whereas they had had seven years to build relationships at GPS.  Making new friends can be intimidating for some, so here's some good advice straight from girls who've been there.

Conversations and Interviews

Do you find yourself tongue-tied when you meet a college admissions representative?  Does the prospect of a college interview scare you? If you said yes, you're not alone.  For some people, that first introduction or one-on-one conversation  is a bit daunting.  But over the course of your life, you will most likely find yourself in some sort of situation that requires you to introduce yourself, start a conversation with a total stranger, or sit for an interview.  And you want to be prepared.

Seniors - do you remember the concept of the "elevator speech?" That's the idea of having a prepared 30-45 second introduction so that if you do find yourself with the opportunity to talk to an admissions counselor, you know what you want to say.  Think about it. You only have a minute, so what do you want that person to know or think about you.  What are two or three things you want the rep to remember about you?

Now let's say you have to sit down for an interview.  What questions might you have to answer? This career advice is not a bad place to begin.  I can easily see a college interviewer asking you what you enjoy (perhaps academically) or do for fun (extracurricular).  You might also be asked what challenges you have faced and how did you handle them.  Most interviewers really just want to know about you - what your dreams and aspirations are, what talents and interests you have - and colleges want to know how you're going to fit into their community or what contributions you are going to make.  Thinking about it ahead of time will help you feel less stressed, and the more you practice, the less daunted you will be.

The Importance of Extracurriculars in College

This advice is not unlike what we have shared with high school students in the past. One of the best ways to meet new people is to join a club or other extracurricular activity.  Having a few meetings to attend can provide some structure to your day or week, and as we have mentioned before, people who are involved in at least a few activities in college tend to be better students.

But what clubs should you join?  Your interests are a good place to start. For example, if you enjoy service work, then look for any type of service organization.  If you love taking pictures, check out the newspaper staff.  However, college is also a good place to try some activities that you haven't considered before.  I know of one GPS alum who joined a ballroom dancing team even though she had no previous experience.  She absolutely loved it!

And let's face it.  Some of your extracurricular activities in college will also look good on a resume.  There are lots of academic and professional organizations on college campuses, and they can offer some great networking and internship opportunities as well.

Just promise us you'll join something.  We know from experience that our alums who are active in some sort of college activity are generally happier students and less likely to get homesick.

Majoring in Show Biz

GPS has an incredible theater department, but more than once I've heard a parent warn their daughter about majoring in the theater.  But having just read about one of our alums who is on her way to California to perform with the B Street Theater, following your passion is not always foolish!  (By the way, there are plenty of GPS alums who have successfully found careers in the fine arts, including one who won an Academy Award!). 

Anyway, if you are one of those students who is considering a performing arts major, here's some good advice from students and professors who've been there.

Scholarship Possibilities

It seems to me that this may be one of the easiest scholarship contests you can enter. You might have to sign up, but it's free, so why wouldn't you?

http://www.zinch.com/scholarships/weekly

You might also want to check out their general scholarship page: http://www.zinch.com/scholarships

This scholarship is more specific, but if you are the daughter of a breast cancer survivor (or you have lost a parent to breast cancer), you should investigate.  If you apply, make sure you are applying for the next school year.

http://melfoundation.org/#/scholarships

The Importance of Getting Involved

Now that you've decided on a college, we want you to enjoy your four years there.  Getting involved in campus activities - just like you did in high school - is one way to connect to other students, and from the studies I've seen, involved students tend to do better academically as well. 

Almost everyone gets homesick at one point (especially during the first few months), but signing up for at least a couple of clubs, committees, or service activities will keep you from sitting in your room and feeling sorry for yourself.  An extra benefit is that it might give you something to put on a future resume, or you might discover a new passion.