In! College Admissions and Beyond: The Experts’ Proven Strategy for Success

In! College Admissions and Beyond: The Experts’ Proven Strategy for Success
By Lillian Luterman and Jennifer Bloom (Authors)
256 pages

Booktalk: It’s that time of year again. College starts in a few weeks, and a new crop of freshmen will move on campus. If you’re still in high school, you’ll be next! What can you do to “make it” in? Let’s ask the experts!

Chapter Book of the Day is hosting Interview Wednesday today. Two expert college admissions consultants—a mother-daughter team—share their step-by-step, proven strategy for creating an application that stands out and gets you IN!

The Top Questions Parents and Students Ask When They Want to Get In.
A Conversation with Lillian Luterman and Jennifer Bloom, founders of Entryway

Q: When do we need to start thinking about and looking at colleges?

Lillian and Jennifer: We recommend students begin looking at colleges before they need to. Visit a college while on a family vacation if there is one in the area, or spend a morning touring a local campus that’s a short drive away. This way, it becomes an easy, stress-free family event. By the summer after sophomore year, students should have seen several different kinds of colleges and will have begun to get an idea of what they like – and don’t like.

We also advise students to begin thinking about the college application process toward the end of the sophomore year or at the outset of the junior year. Beginning too early can cause burnout. Begin too late, and you’ve missed a crucial window.

Q: What are the steps to evaluate whether a college will be a good fit for my son or daughter?

Lillian and Jennifer: We always like to ask students if they feel that they fit in on campus. Do the other students look like people you would like to be friends with? Do you feel comfortable?

There are also specific factors to consider. For example: Does the college offer strong academic programs in areas you want to study? Do the size, location, and distance from home feel right? Can you afford it? Do you like the social scene on campus? Only by visiting and determining what you want in a college can you decide if an institution is a good fit.

Also, remember that you want a college to grow with you. You’ll be spending four years in this setting and your criteria and needs may change and evolve. When evaluating a university, look for a school that will feel right in your freshman and senior years.

Finally, don’t be afraid of falling in love with a school. We’ve worked with many students who abandoned certain criteria when they found the school that felt like the perfect fit.

Q: How many colleges do we need to visit and apply to? And do we need to visit all those colleges that we will apply to?

Lillian and Jennifer: Optimally, a student would be able to visit all the schools on his or her list. However, this usually isn’t possible. We do recommend visiting (and spending the night at) any school he or she applies to early decision. Those applications are binding – and if you get in, you must attend.

In addition, we generally recommend applying to three or four schools in each of three categories: safeties (you feel certain of acceptance), probables (it is likely you will get in) and reaches (those at the upper tier of your test scores and capabilities/qualifications). Try to tour the campus of one to two schools in each category as well.

Finally, the smaller the school, the more necessary a visit, since the school wants to make sure the student will be a welcome part of its community. While it may be important for the student to see a large state school, from the school’s perspective, it’s not as essential.

Q: Should all students take the SATs and ACTs? How many times? When should they start preparing for them?

Lillian and Jennifer: All college applicants should take either the SAT or ACT or both. Even if they plan on applying to colleges that don’t require the SAT – of which there are many – they should still take either test, as there may be one school on their list that still requires the test. Students typically need about six months to prepare for the SAT or ACT. We don’t recommend taking the test more than three times.

Q: What can we say to kids who don’t believe that admissions officers are looking at their Facebook pages?

Lillian and Jennifer: Just as students are online, students should be aware that admissions officers are online, too. If they’re curious, they’ll look up an online literary journal that a student mentions creating. They may even look at a student’s Facebook page. We always advise students to post only information or images they would share with their grandmother or reveal on the front page of their local newspaper.

Thanks so much for your advice, Lillian and Jennifer!

Lillian has generously offered to give a free 1-hour College Admissions counseling session for your favorite high-schooler to one of the readers of this blog! ETA. And a reader from California was the winner! Thanks to all who sent in their names. I hope you enjoy reading this fabulous book!

Are you celebrating Interview Wednesday? Add your links to the comments and I’ll add you the round-up!

1. Madelyn interviews Kelly Barnhill about her new novel The Mostly True Story of Jack.
2. Megan interviews author Joanna Philbin on writing — and the story behind her YA series, The Daughters.
3. Uma talks to Sheela Chari about her new middle grade novel, VANISHED.
4. Carmela interviews Allan Woodrow about his first middle-grade novel, The Rotten Adventures of Zachary Ruthless.
5. At Tales From The Rushmore Kid, author Vicki Leon gives a great Revision Tip of the Day

My NEW book is here! Read and Write Sports: Readers Theatre and Writing Activities for Grades 3-8
Copyright © 2011 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Advertisement