Tomorrow is a big day for college admissions

On October 10, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in Fisher v. University of Texas. "Fisher" is Abigail Fisher, a white student in Texas who asserts she was denied admission at the University of Texas at Austin because of her race. Texas is a state that guarantees admission to any state institute of higher learning to graduates of any Texas high school who place in the top ten percent of their class. In this instance, Abigail Fisher was not part of the top ten percent and was also denied admission as part of the general process. She has since graduated from Louisiana State University. 

Some numbers on UT-Austin (2011, from collegeboard.com):
Total undergraduates: 38,437
Total applicants: 32,589
Admitted: 15,172
Enrolled: 7,149

Based on these, the admit rate is 47% of applicants, which is highly selective according to College Board.

The racial breakdown of the student body is listed as 48% white, 21% Latino/Hispanic, 18% Asian, and 5% African-American. 91% of its population is made up of in-state residents. 

I've come across a few thought-provoking articles and they're all worth a read--

From New American Media: Fate of Affirmative Action Hangs on Fisher v. Univ. of Texas

A tie vote would mean that the University of Texas wins, but a tie doesn’t have the same precedential value as a majority five-three decision. Likely to back Texas would be Justices Ginsberg, Breyer, and Sotomayor. I think these three are fairly safe predictions. As the court’s health care decision shows, you can never be sure what’s going to happen. Nobody expected Justice Roberts to be the savior of Obama’s health care. So you don’t want to say you can be sure, but if you look at what the justices have written in the past, the remaining justices are skeptical of affirmative action. Sometimes people vote for what they’re skeptical of, but one of those five would have to change for Texas to win [by getting a four-four vote].

From the New York Times: Play Close Attention to the Supreme Court This Week

Among the reasons that nearly every public or private college or university utilizes racial preferences in admissions – other than in states like California where voters have banned the practice – is the belief that students learn at least as much from their classmates as their professors, and that a broadly diverse student body creates an educational environment most conducive to learning.

From the Washington Post (opinion): Why race matters in college admission

As a practical matter, we do not understand how a rule forbidding all consideration of race could possibly be enforced. Essays and letters of recommendation are critical components of the application process at law schools. They allow us to evaluate intangible virtues such as courage, commitment and moral compass. In their personal statements, many applicants discuss how race has influenced their lives. Writers of recommendations frequently mention race in explaining how an applicant has overcome challenges. Would those advocating race-blind admissions have us censor the statements of applicants and their recommenders? How could we carry out such a task, even if we were inclined to do so?  

Also from the Washington Post: Supreme Court considers about-face on racial preferences in college admissions in Texas case

The case also raises several contentious side issues, including whether affirmative-action programs hurt the very people they are supposed to be helping. A new book by law professor Richard Sander and journalist Stuart Taylor argues that “large preferences often place students in environments where they can neither learn nor compete effectively, even though these same students would thrive had they gone to less competitive but still quite good schools.”

I don't envy the decisions any admissions office has to make. Every student has a story and a case to admit could probably be made for each one. My point is only this-- admissions is a maddening process. Sometimes policies make sense, sometimes they don't. We don't always get the answer we want. The process isn't always fair. I know Ms. Fisher wants this to be about an applicant's merits, and on the surface I believe that to be true. Yet... if it were that simple why would colleges ask for essays, recommendations, extracurricular activities? Why wouldn't they solely consider test scores and grades? Because it's not that simple. And after tomorrow's arguments, the whole process could get turned on its head.

Why hire a college consultant? I'll tell you

I've seen a few articles lately that question whether it's worth it for families to hire an independent educational consultant. To me, it's simple: if you need help and you're not getting it, hire a college consultant. 

I know the value of objective help when it comes to figuring out college plans. I was fortunate to attend a school that had dedicated college counselors, but I know this is not typical. In most schools the person responsible for guiding the process is the school counselor, who is also responsible for one hundred different things-- administrative tasks, conflict resolution, and whatever else is needed. They’re a valuable, necessary resource and the demands placed on them are increasing.

On average, a single school counselor is responsible for over 300 students. I earned my master’s degree in secondary school counseling, so I’ve seen what these wonderful professionals are expected to achieve with increasingly limited resources. College planning falls down the list because there are simply more important things that need immediate attention. In 2003, a National Center for Educational Statistics study found that “43 percent of all public high schools reported that more than 20 percent of their counselors’ time is spent on college advising, which meant that 57 percent of school counselors spend 0-19 percent of their time on college advising. Using NCES’s ratio of 315 students per counselor in public high schools and the estimate of hours the average counselor spends on college counseling, ”counselors are spending 38 minutes per year per student for college advising" (p 9, NACAC Fundamentals of College Advising). 

Back to School!

Back-to-school ads always seem to start a little earlier every year. I no longer have a need for a new backpack or notebooks every August, but those ads always make me frown just a little because it means summer is inevitably winding down. And I hate to see it go. If you're gearing up for your Junior or Senior year, college is getting awfully close. But if you're a Sophomore or even a Freshman, it's not too early to think about college too. So, in honor of new colored pens, I have one tip for each year.

Freshman Year: Sign up for some activities.
Start to get an idea of what you’re interested in and what activities you’d want to see through to Senior year. It’s ok to sign up for a bunch of different things now because the whole point is try.

Sophomore Year: Test Prep. Yes, those tests.

As a sophomore, you can take a practice PSAT or the PLAN, which is the pre-ACT. If you do well, then that’s fantastic! If you don’t, then you’ll know where to focus your energy. And remember, it’s only practice so even if you do well on the practice PSAT you’ll still need to take it again as a Junior. If you don’t want to take any actual tests, then get yourself some prep books. Just make sure they contain actual test material.

Junior Year: Lead

By now you should be involved in activities you care about. This is the year to start to take a leadership position. Go after an editor position if you're on the school paper or chair a committee.

Senior Year: GRADES

Don't think for a minute that once your applications are in you can go easy on your work. Colleges have the option to rescind, and believe me they'll do it. You've worked hard for three years; don't let it all be for naught.

6 Questions about transferring

A new study released this week showed that one-third of all students transfer at least once as they work towards a degree. (Students who earned an associate's degree and then moved to a four-year institution were not counted as transfers). The study followed nearly 2.8 million full and part-time students from 2006-2011. What's most interesting about this data is that 51.9% of students transferring from four-year public institutions transferred to two-year public institutions. Why this was the case isn't something the study examined, but I would think that the economy played a big role, at least for some of those students. Community college is becoming an increasingly popular option, especially amongst families with annual incomes over $100,000. A Sallie Mae study found a six percent increase over the last four years, from 16 percent to 22 percent. Community colleges can be fantastic options. They tend to have smaller class sizes and it could be a quicker path, depending on your career aspirations.

But plenty of students still transfer from one four-year institution to another. How do you know if it's the right move? A lot goes into a decision like this, but unless it's really, truly awful, don't transfer in your freshman year. Try to see your first year through instead of just one semester.

Ask yourself these questions:
1. Is it social? Are you putting yourself out there? Much of what makes college a great experience is your own devotion to it. Are you getting involved in clubs or other activities?
2. Is it because you aren't attending your first choice? Again, college is what you make it. If you never got over the fact you didn't get into your first choice, then maybe you aren't giving your current school a fair shake. For the sake of the tuition bill, make the effort.

Take transferring as seriously as you (hopefully) took applying to college the first time around. Be thoughtful about this. If you don't think you can make your current college the place you want to be, then you really need to think about what didn't go well. This might be made easier if you have a college in mind that you want to transfer to. If you know that transferring is what you need to do, consider these questions: 

3. Did you do your research? Simply put, if you know why you're transferring then you should know why you want to go to the school you're transferring to. Have you looked at the transfer admission rate at your targeted school? Some college make room for transfer students and some really don't, so it could be even harder to get in than at the incoming freshman level.
4. How many credits do you have? Make sure you know where you'll stand as a transfer student. If you're changing majors, will you lose credits at your new school? Will you be ok with that? Credits will also be important for how your new school will see you. Too few and you'll be seen as a freshman. Talk to an admissions counselor at your desired school to see how they handle things. And make sure you keep those grades up!
5. How does the school handle transfers? Are there any orientation programs or other activities to welcome transfer students? Maybe that's a big deal to you, maybe it's not. But what about housing? Ideally, you want a school that's as welcoming to transfer student as it is to incoming freshman.

Transferring can be tough. You've got to make a plan and stick to it, same as when you were a senior in high school. They're going to have deadlines and expectations too, so don't think that the application process for a transfer is totally different from that of incoming freshman. So, the sixth question I have for you: are you ready?

I can actually speak from experience on this one. I spent my freshman year at a school in Boston (my first choice school), wasn't happy, and transferred to a school in Philadelphia. These were the two schools I couldn't decide between when I was a senior in high school. I don't regret my decision for a minute. I changed majors, added a minor, and still graduated in the traditional four-year timeline. I made some wonderful friends who welcomed me just as though I'd been there with them the previous year. It can be very discouraging to go away to college and be completely disappointed after a multi-year build up to what are supposed to be some of the best years of your life. Take some of the pressure off yourself. Be thoughtful, weigh your options, and chances are it will all work out in the end.

Are you a Junior in high school or know someone who is?

Juniors, you're up. I firmly believe that it's never too early to plan for college (and I'll delve into that in a future post) but right now it's time to start paying attention. Seniors are rounding the bend into decision-making land, and the focus will shift primarily to Juniors.

A little organization will go a long way right about now. The end of the school year is overwhelming, but it's important to set yourself up for next year, now, too. It's time to come up with a plan.

Let's talk about the SAT and ACT. Based on your PSAT or PLAN test results, you should have a good idea of your strengths and weaknesses. March 9 is the deadline to register for the April 14 ACT exam. May 4 is the deadline for the June 9 exam. For the SAT, you must register by April 6 (April 20 is the late registration deadline) to take the May 5 exam. You can find test prep materials for both of these tests online (ACT, SAT) much of it is available for free. If you know you want to take the SAT or ACT twice, I would suggest a spring/fall split. December can be too late in the game, depending on the application deadlines for the schools you will apply to.

What else can you do to prepare over the summer? If your family is going on vacation and there's a college nearby that you think you might be interested in, it might be worth swinging by for a visit. College campuses are pretty quiet in the summer, so keep that in mind if you're hoping to get a "feel" for campus life. However, it could be a great opportunity to talk to members of the admissions office, especially if the representative for your area is around. Call ahead and ask.

Summer is also a perfect time to start working on the essay. Don't worry so much about a specific question or topic, but focus on getting into the habit of this kind of creative writing. Buy a notebook or create a binder and starting jotting down ideas. Try to keep all of these ideas together though, or the notebook isn't worth much. Think about your experiences and some of the things that make you, you. What have you found rewarding? Challenging?

Read this post I wrote for more writing advice: Just how important is the essay?

Applying to college is a stressful process and my goal is always to minimize stress. The stress level is up to you though. That's why having a plan is so important and I'll emphasize it over and over again.

I'm Not the One Going to College

Earlier this week Mark Sklarow, Executive Director of the Independent Educational Consultants Association wrote a blog piece that generated a lot of buzz. It was titled: "Getting Kids Into" Ivy League Colleges: Absolutely NOT the Job of an Independent Educational Consultant.

He was a little fired up because he'd been reading a lot of membership applications that espoused "insider knowledge" and "admission secrets" that would translate into an "advantage" for the student working with the consultant.

Outrageous claims like this get me a little fired up too. Admission to a college is not a prize to be won. Don't forget-- you still have to GO to college once you're admitted. This is why ethical independent educational consultants focus on the student as a whole and help students discover schools where they can be successful.

Think about this scenario-- Let's say Emma is a solid student at a good high school with good standardized test scores. She could get into any number of schools, but a school such as Harvard would be a long shot (and an academic struggle, to boot). Maybe she applies anyway and gets in. Any number of people would question her turning that down.

But this is exactly why admission is not the prize. Emma might flunk out. Or she might struggle to graduate in seven years with poor grades. Is that worth it? Or is worth going to a school where she could graduate with honors, be a leader on campus because she's not struggling academically, and graduate on time? That's the scenario I'd rather see.

If the Ivies were the end-all, be-all, then the thousands of other wonderful colleges out there wouldn't exist.

I'm not yet a member of IECA, but I strive to abide by their Principles of Good Practice. This is why I will never claim to get a student into college. Students get themselves in, IEC's help get everyone through it all.

3 Things to Remember About Your College Application

It's official-- we are in the throes of the holiday season. Between the constant holiday music and piles of decorations everywhere, there's no escaping it. And what do the holidays mean? Stress! Yet somehow it all manages to come together, even if it's at the last minute.

We're also in the the throes of another season, college application season, and that means another stressful deadline lurking behind the holidays--the regular application deadline. Those who applied earlier will actually get an answer soon; what a lovely present that could be. Just like the holiday eventually sorts itself out with some thought and organization, so do the college applications.

There are a three things to remember that I think will help, even if you've already got an application in.

1. Colleges want you
Think about it--do you think a college would exist without you, the student? This isn't meant to be a if-a-tree-falls-in-the-woods-and-no-one's-around kind of question but they need you, they really do. Yes, a lot of it is business driven, with staff to pay and a lot of building upkeep, but the professors are also there to teach YOU. None of it can really exist without students.

2. Admissions officers are people too
Ever see a teacher outside of school, in regular clothes? It's kind of a weird feeling, isn't it? Kind of like they shouldn't be there? Admissions officers seem like that too. Who are these people? Talk to them; you'll find they're quite reasonable. They're looking for the best qualities in each application they comb through.

3. You will go to college
I know sometimes it feels like this isn't true. And I don't doubt how disappointing it will feel if you don't get in to your first choice. But if the list of colleges is a thoughtful one, there's more than one good choice on that list. The common denominator in this whole equation is you. You are the only one who can make your college experience great. Take advantage of the incredible opportunity that's in front of you. If you do that, you'll thrive. And what's stressful about that?

Are you doomed to high unemployment because of your major?

So, what's your major?

When you're a senior in high school everyone asks where you're applying college. The follow-up question inevitably will be about your major. Most people change their major at least once in college. I myself switched from business to psychology. For some, it can be a tough choice to make. There's been a lot in the news recently about whether or not college is a worthwhile investment, especially when you consider just how many recent graduates are struggling to find jobs. Unemployment rates for people aged 20-24 is at 16.5%, 10.9% for those aged 25-29. All higher than the national unemployment rate of 9.0%. Couple that information with the recent news about student debt climbing ever higher and, well...

Feeling any pressure to pick a major that pays well?

A friend emailed me a link to an interactive chart by the Wall Street Journal. Based on 2010 Census data, I can sort by unemployment, popularity, and earnings.

Do the most popular majors pay? Are you doomed to high unemployment because of your major?

Keep reading to see how the most popular majors fared.

Organization will set you free

I re-tweeted a NACAC link to a list of schools that extended their November 1 Early Decision deadlines due to that delightful October snowstorm. Thankfully my neck of the woods was only snowy for about a day, but those who live farther northeast were not so lucky.

These schools were generous to offer those extensions, but there's a life lesson here that we've all learned before: don't leave things to the last minute. That will be especially important to remember as a college student. There's more freedom in college and there's responsibility that comes with that. You'll be in class less than in high school and you'll need to be more proactive in those off-hours. Do you know how long it takes you to write a paper? How long will the research take? There's a really good chance that there will be a weekday where you only have one class. Can you maximize that time efficiently? You'll be the only one hounding you to study.

The goal, always, is to get the work done and have fun later. If you can plan your time right you won't have to watch your friends hang out without you, and you won't be tempted to blow off your work either.

Listen to what he says

I'm sure a lot of people are posting things like this today, but for good reason. Jobs will give you a lot to think about in just 15 minutes.

Innovate. Don't be afraid to fail. Follow your heart. Do what you love.


Steve Jobs' 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford.