Advice for freshmen (and other people too)

My thoughts about college counseling for high school freshmen have changed over time.  For many years I believed that if we talked about it (a lot or even just a little), we were simply adding to the anxiety that many of them already feel.  I even published a piece on this blog (November 2013) explaining my views.  As a professional however, I know that I might be doing my students a disservice  by not providing them with some college related advice for the next four years.  Though some of the following suggestions will be shared with our freshmen parents at our program tonight, they are applicable to every grade level.

1.  Everyone - counselors, boards, parents, and students - need to remember that the college search should be about finding the right "fit," not finding the most recognizable college name.  If the college culture, academic expectations, and other aspects do not resonate with a student, she is unlikely to be as successful as she could be.  The college choice is about the student, not the rest of us.

2.  As a high school freshmen, students should be open to the possibilities.  Too often a young student sits in my office and says, "I have to go to (fill in the blank)," or "I'm going to be a doctor."  They may in fact achieve both of those goals, but it also limits them from discovering the possibilities available to them. I once had a parent tell me that his daughter was going to be a doctor, she just didn't know it yet.  Personally that comment made me sad, until I discovered many years later, that she chose an entirely different career path.  Good for her!

3.  Don't believe everything you read or hear.  There is so much information available on the internet these days - much of it worthwhile - but you need to be a good consumer.  Over the holidays I read one article on writing the perfect college essay and one stating the perfect college essay does not exist. Likewise, I cannot count the number of times someone has commented " I heard that little Susie or Bobby was admitted to "this school," but her GPA/scores were lower than my daughter's." Maybe, but you also don't have all the information (strength of schedule, recommendation letters, essays, the college's institutional needs, legacy status, etc), and quite honestly, parents don't necessarily share all that information with everyone.  They'd prefer to happily brag about their child, and who can blame them? I would too.

4.  Don't compare apples and oranges.  Colleges evaluate students based on the high school they attend and whether or not students have taken advantage of the opportunities that are available to them.  So, they will not directly compare a student at GPS to a student, let's say at CSAS, Red Bank, or even McCallie.  Some colleges may be looking to fill out a class with more male students, or the STEM fields might be looking for more females.  It's tempting, but you just can't make direct comparisons.

That's enough for today, I think, but I'll be back tomorrow with a few more ideas, and yes, I will address a few specific things students can do during their ninth grade year to get started on the right foot.