There seems to be a direct correlation between the number of questions I receive and parental anxiety levels.
Here are two recent college admissions questions:
Q. Is it worth my son’s time to get out of class and meet with the college rep when he or she visits his school?
A resounding "yes." The college representatives tend to be young alumni who travel around their territory for most of the fall. They may not have tremendous tenure in the admissions office but they can often serve as an advocate for students who have impressed them.
Patrick O’Connor, a college counselor in Michigan, writes a blog entitled "College is Yours Weekly" and had this to say: "College reps aren’t salesmen; they are dream weavers, and their task is to take what they know about their college, apply it to what you know about yourself, and see what kind of tapestry the two of you can create."
Before a student attends a college visit at their high school they should be sure to carefully scan the college Web site and prepare questions. It is important that the questions not be ones that can easily be answered off the Web site or from a guidebook. Asking specific questions about double majors, study abroad or internship options are good places to start.
If the students have already visited the campus, they should be prepared to share their insights. Make sure they fill out the information card because, in most cases, it will be noted in their application folder that they attended the session.
If the college is a student’s first choice, I recommend requesting a copy of the representative’s business card and sending a brief e-mail thanking the rep for the visit and asking any questions that didn’t get answered.
The larger and more popular college rep visits are not typically as meaningful. It makes a big difference if you are in a small conference room with four other interested students versus the cafeteria with 100 kids who just wanted to get out of class.
Access to recommendations?
Q. Should students waive their right to access their recommendation on any college application?
Some students and parents have strong feelings about the Freedom of Information Act and feel entitled to know what is written about them. They are uncomfortable waiving their rights. The problem is that if a student refuses to waive rights – i.e. insists on being able to read letters of recommendation – it typically raises red flags in an admissions office. It also diminishes the credibility of any recommendation, and colleges will wonder what the student is worried about or trying to hide. Teachers would be compelled to be less candid if they knew the student would be able to read the letter. This is probably a time to more practical than intellectual.
Bierer is an independent college adviser based in Charlotte.
Send questions to: lee@collegeadmissionsstrategies.com; www.collegeadmissionsstrategies.com.
