Welcome to the wild ride called college applications. Below are resources that Park Slope Parents members have found helpful in the journey through planning, touring, applying to and accepting offers from colleges. It can be an emotional time, so make sure you have joined the PSP College Discussion group. We will get you and your kids to the end of this rollercoaster intact.
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Pre-application resources
College fairs in NYC:
College Readiness. "There’s a fair at the American Museum of Natural History in October and I think they do them typically in the fall. Usually your college office invites you." .">
The Colleges that Change Lives hosts virtual and in-person college fairs and information sessions.
On high school involvement and prepping in junior year:
Colleges Love Activities (And You Should, Too). Insight on the importance of not just being involved throughout high school, but being actively involved. Here you will find ways to prioritize extracurriculars in ways that will exude active involvement on applications.
College Basics for High School Juniors. For high school juniors who attend a prep or elite public school, advisers are readily available to help you find the right college. For everyone else, here are the basics.
On testing:
Preparing for High-Stakes Admissions Tests: A Moderation Mediation Analysis. A study that builds on current research surrounding the outcomes of SAT preparation.
Verifying SAT Scores. A resource for double-checking and verifying SAT scores as well as access to the difficulty levels and types of each answered question.
Colleges that Allow Self-Reporting of SAT and ACT Scores. It costs money to send test scores. Here are some places that allow self-reporting.
On test prep:
The Two Codes Your Kids Need to Know. The College Board came up with a surprising conclusion about keys to success for college and life.
On college essays:
Essay Brainstorming Activities Workbook. The purpose of these activities is to help uncover a menu of potential essay topics, or perhaps specific images or details that you can use in your college essays.
College Research and Essay Topic Tracker. Use this Google spreadsheet to organize your thoughts.
How I Know You Wrote Your Kid’s College Essay. “Every college is like a dinner table. What will make you the most interesting contributor to that dinner table conversation? What will make you help everyone else have a more interesting experience?”
On college counselors:
On college visits:
Daytripper University. A resource for both students and parents that provides tips, tools, advice, and wisdom on college tours.
The College Bound Mentor College Visit Guide. A guide to college visits that provides you with an extensive list of questions you should be asking while on campus.
On applications:
College Resume Templates for High School Students. Tips and information on college resumes, plus access to free college resume templates.
How to Write a Narrative Essay. An instructional video for a 15–20 minute exercise with questions that will assist in the mapping of a personal statement.
Applying to college: Why there’s no shame in safety schools. An argument for the benefits of applying to “safety schools” and why they should not be dismissed just because they are considered "lower quality."
The Real Way Teens Should Respond on their College Essays. Advice and direction on writing college essays from an experienced parent who has gone through the application process with her three children.
Personal College Admissions. Click on "resources" for a helpful spreadsheet on early decision acceptance rates.
On comparing stats and chatting with fellow applicants:
Naviance allows you to compare admissions decisions for other kids from your school. You should start your account in ninth or tenth grade. This will help you manage your expectations based on your high school's admissions history. It's also easy for staff to send letters of recommendation through Naviance, and it streamlines workflow by keeping all your resources in one place.
College Confidential is a college admissions counseling company founded in 2001. It hosts popular college admissions forums on topics such as admissions chances, financial aid, standardized testing, and school life.
On choosing a college:
The Common Data Set Part 2: Colleges by the numbers. Connecting with the Common Data Set (CDS) for a particular college or university will provide you with a wealth of information to kick-start your college search.
College Admission, Helplessness And Choice. A helpful article that outlines the admissions process, discusses choosing a college, and puts forth realities that will bring you back to earth throughout the admissions process.
Challenge Success, Ignore College Rankings And Engage. An argument for the devaluation of college rankings. More specifically, a college’s selectivity is not an accurate predictor of student fulfillment or academic success.
The 5Is. This assessment asks students look within themselves to determine five key factors that can affect their college choice.
How to Choose a College: A Step-By-Step Guide.
CollegeXpress. Search tools for schools and scholarships, plus extensive data on lists and rankings.
Kids may change their minds about the type of college. Your kid (or you) may think they want something small and liberal artsy, but that may change.
Some NYC kids may want to get outside of the “NYC bubble” to gain a wider range of experiences. Keep in mind, though, that some universities are just replacement bubbles where kids won’t actually get a diverse (ethnically and financially) experience.
Pre-enrollment resources:
On deferrals, decisions, and disappointments:
Dealing with deferral. Advice and tips on handling a deferral and proceeding with the admission process.
Preparation Day. More advice on handling deferrals that is directed towards students applying to schools with admittance rates that are less than 50%.
I Got Rejected 101 Times. How to turn inevitable “nos” into a positive experience. An interesting take on how we can make rejection work for us.
On scholarships and aid:
Scholly. A helpful tool that takes the hassle out of the scholarship search so that you can direct your energy towards scholarship applications.
Unigo. Search tool for a wide variety of scholarships sorted by various criteria.
Post-matriculation resources:
On college loans (and debts):
Understand the Consequences of Student Loan Default. Most struggling borrowers know that their loan is in default or at risk for going into default, so some of the consequences such as tax refund and wage garnishment may not be a surprise. But there are other consequences of defaulting on your federal student loan you may not be aware of.
Personal College Admissions. Click on "resources" for helpful spreadsheets on financial aid (need- and merit-based).
On choosing a major:
Knowdell Card Sorts. Recently revised career-aptitude instruments that could potentially help a student choose their major.
CollegeBoard - College Majors. This website features a variety of resources and articles that provide a vast and useful range of information on the major selection process.
On dealing with the transition:
Grown and Flown (website and Facebook page). Grown and Flown is the destination for parents of teens and college-age kids to find information, insight and support for this season of life.
How to Help Your College Freshman When They’re Homesick.
This Video Explains Everything About Being Lonely Freshman Year.
Advice to College Freshmen from Recent Grads.
Leaving for college? Why families argue more right before the separation.
Parents, We’ve Created “The Loneliest Generation”—Here’s What We Need To Do About it Now.
Paying For College 101. This Facebook group is a place for families to discuss and ask questions related to financial aid, college search, test prep, merit scholarships, private scholarships, college applications, student loans, college costs, and everything/anything else related to paying for college.
Final thoughts:
Keep in mind your GOAL: to get your child into a school that’s the right fit for them. That means a school that will help them grow, but won't force them into four more years of a pressure-cooker environment—unless they thrive in such environments!
In parenting through the college processes, reflect on your own experiences and regrets, as they can impact what you think your kids should do. Remember: It's not about you. Let your student feel like they are driving the process; the last thing you want is for them to end up blaming you for a decision they weren't ultimately happy with. Be careful not to sour the process by placing too much of your own worries on your kids. Students are already inundated with pressure at this pivotal, so try to be a source of levity rather than stress.