How to contact your admissions rep

We've written frequently about demonstrated interest, one of many factors more and more colleges use when considering your application.  There are many ways to show your interest in a college, including through that all important application question "Why do you want to attend this college." However there are also other simple ways you can get your name out there.

First and foremost, make sure you get the name of your college admissions counselor.  Ask for their business card when you meet and follow up with a brief email.  Questions are always good, but don't send them a laundry list, especially if the answers can easily be found on the website.  Be thoughtful with your questions.  Don't expect immediate replies.  Counselors are traveling during the fall, and it may take them some time to get back to you. Don't keep sending them an email, and don't ask why they haven't answered you yet!

I cannot stress enough how important these simple ideas are, so take the time to read the above article from our friends at The Prospect blog. And follow them on Twitter if you're not already.  They have some excellent posts and advice for high school students embarking on the college admissions process.

Exciting New Standardized Test Prep Opportunities!

Redesigned test prep opportunities to be piloted fall semester!  Highlights include:

• Khan Academy's individualized free tutoring for SAT 
• River City Workshops ACT and SAT weekend test prep at GPS (fee-based)
• Endeavor Test Prep program available to GPS students on the McCallie campus (fee-based)
• Intensive interactive online course for GPS students through Method Test Prep (fee-based) 
• Under supervision by a learning center specialist, dedicated help class time for students who want to work on any of the above-mentioned options

Details and registration information will be sent via email and USPS during the first week of August. 

Writing Your College Essay

It's about that time of year.  Seniors are gearing up for their college essay (or already writing it), and that makes this advice from the University of Richmond all that more important.  However, I particularly like the comments about the college search process as a whole.  If it's just a series of checkboxes and jumping through hoops, then you will miss an opportunity to discover something valuable about yourself, and ultimately your essays may not be very interesting.  Take a few minutes to read the article and take the advice to heart.

And thanks to a GPS senior for sending me the link.

Small College or Big College?

When beginning their college search, one of the first things students need to think about is what size school they want to attend.  Many of my students immediately gravitate toward medium or large colleges, partly because they've been in a relatively small school for the last six or seven years. However, because they've been in a small school, they also aren't necessarily ready for a university with 50,000 or more students.

If you find yourself wrestling with the question of college size, take a few minutes to thoughtfully consider this advice from the National Association of College Admission Counseling. NACAC's best advice - something we agree with 100% - is that no matter what students think they want, they should always visit a variety of colleges before making their final decision.  That means taking the time to tour both small and large campuses, urban and rural ones, and public and private ones.

You never know what you might discover.