Paper Airplanes and College Admissions

Last year I read how a counselor friend of mine, Ginny Maddux at Montgomery Bell Academy, used paper airplanes to explain college admissions to her ninth grade boys.  It sounded like a terrific idea, so we tried it with our freshmen this afternoon.

First, each girl wrote the names of all the colleges she could think of on a sheet of paper.  Using that same paper, we asked them to make an airplane and then took them outside to see if their planes would take flight.  It's a simple and fun exercise, but it offers two very important lesson for ninth graders who are (hopefully) just beginning to think about college.

Lesson #1 - Almost everyone needed help today.  While most did not hesitate to ask their friends how to fold the paper, some experimented and came up with their own design.  Similarly, whether it's seeking out extra help from your teachers and parents or relying on your college counselor's expertise, students should take advantage of all the assistance that is available to them (and at GPS it is considerable!).

Lesson #2 - Almost none of the airplanes landed where the girls wanted them to land.  College admissions is very much like flying a paper airplane.  You can consult books, on-line sites, family, friends, alums, newspapers, but none of them can guarantee you will be successful. You may have dreams to attend a certain college or have plans to be an engineer or a nurse, but you could still be denied admission. There are always some things you can't control.  With airplanes it might be wind speed, the weight of the paper, or your arm strength, and in college admissions, it could be anything from the ratio of boys to girls, the major you choose, or even what state you are from.  What is important to remember is that you can still achieve your goals, but you may have to alter your flight plan, and sometimes the alternate route turns out to be the best one.  (If you have any doubts, I have plenty of examples I can share with you.)

For now, we want freshmen to concentrate on being the best student they can be, and remember that there is more than one way to achieve their dreams (or fly their planes). It's okay - even advisable - to ask for help.  The rest will take care of itself.

Don't be an idiot.

Acceptance letters in hand - and in some cases, decisions made - seniors have a tendency to think that the college process if finished.  They can now let their hair down, relax, chill...whatever they call it, they start taking everything a little less seriously.

Don't do it.

Don't be an idiot, as our friends in the Georgia Tech Admissions office explain in their blog.  If you must celebrate the end of your senior year by doing something risky or just plain stupid, don't post it on facebook, instagram, snapchat or twitter.  By all means don't do something so bad that your college counselor is compelled to report it to a college.  And keep studying.  They can - and will - rescind your admission is it gets too bad.  I've seen it happen to a GPS girl (and still have the letter to prove it), so don't let it happen to you.

Be smart. Make smart decisions.  We want to make sure you actually get to the college you have decided to call home.

What to ask at a college fair

Tomorrow night is the third in our series of GPS/McCallie college night programs or mini-fairs, if you will.  For seniors, this is perhaps the last opportunity to make a personal connection with the college representative, but for juniors - and this week, sophomores - it is a wonderful chance to discover some colleges they might not know anything about.

But how are you supposed to begin that conversation?  We have some tips for you, starting with don't worry if your questions seem unususal or off-beat; if it's important to you, then it's important to get the answers.  Besides, the reps will probably appreciate hearing something different!  Bottom line: you don't have to talk their ear off; just pick a few questions and jump in there.

• Start off with a firm handshake and say, "Hello, my name is Susan, and I'm a sophomore/junior at Girls Preparatory School."  It seems obvious, I know, but it's important and polite to introduce yourself first.  
• Try not to ask vague questions like "Tell me about your college." Instead, ask something specific like "I really love biology, so can you tell me about your science department?" or "Although I may not major in theater, what opportunities are there for me to get involved in the theater department?"  Another fun option might be "Can you give me some examples of campus traditions?"  Never miss an opportunity to tell them something about yourself.  They might be more likely to remember you if they can associate your name with a particular interest or talent.
• Ask about admission requirements, of course, but you may also want to ask whether decisions are based on numbers (GPA, test scores) or if they really consider activities, recommendations, essays.
• Since this might be your first time in a college fair setting, ask about the college's surrounding area.  If it's in a small town, what do students do on weekends? If it's in a large city, is there much campus spirit?
• Ask for a list of majors that you can take with you and look over later.
• What are classes like? Lecture style or seminar style?  As a freshman, will classes fit how you learn best?
• Go ahead and ask about Greek life, football, tutoring services, career counseling, religious organizations, club sports, whatever you are interested in doing.  Remember, you will have to live there for four years.
• Don't ask what the average class size is.  Instead ask "What is the largest class on campus?" (My guess is it will be something like biology or psychology.) You should also ask what the smallest class (probably in your junior or senior year).  
• Remember the off-beat questions I mentioned? If you want to know about ultimate frisbee or bringing your dog to campus, then ask.  One student I know wanted to make sure there were stacks of old leather bound books in the library, and one student wanted to know if all the buildings were made of the same materials. And in both cases, the answer was yes!

Last but not least, make sure you talk to at least three schools you are are completely unfamiliar with...this is how you often find that hidden gem that is exactly what you are looking for, and they just might need a girl from southeast Tennessee.

There are many more questions you can ask, but start with a few of these, and you might be surprised where the conversation takes you.  See you at 7pm at McCallie tomorrow night.