in the College Admissions Process

1. in the College Admissions Process With Parents

2. Moderator: Jeff Chiapello, Asst. Director of Admission University of Saint Francis Presenters: Kris Donahue, Parent Naperville Central High School Jean Childers, College & Career Assistant Naperville Central High School Martha Stolze, Director of Admission North Central College

3. Parents – Goals • Want the best for their child • Want kids to have opportunities they didn’t • Invest in their only child • Guide child through process with minimal stress • Long term success of the student

4. Parent’s Stress • Does my student want to go to college? • Family & societal expectations • Parent’s report card • Will my student get a job? • Letting go of an unfinished child • Financial worries – can we afford college/loans • Loss of control & separation from child

5. Students - Goals • Make money, be happy • Preparing self to look good for college • I just want to draw/play ball • Meet parent’s and societies' expectations • Career goal influenced by experiences

6. Students - Stress • Increased homework; AP classes • What if no one likes me – on my application • Not getting into their first choice college • Look to quality of college for self-worth • Indecision of major/career • Fear of the future and next life transition • Strained parent relationships • Upcoming departure from home

7. Parents Seek Information • Knowledge is power and cure for fear • College-educated may have tools to help student • Others can’t guide students who need most help. • Internet • Family, friends, other parents • High School Counselor • College Admissions Counselor

8. What Parents Want From High School Counselors NCHS Parent Focus Groups 2011

9. Timelines College process timeline • Present timeline every year • Delineate tasks for students & parents Counselor advising timeline • Freshmen – attention grabbers – “Jr. Joiner” • Sophomore – college & career exploration • Junior visits – college selection; course review • Early senior year – college application advising

10. Information Programs • Course selection – college academic preparation • Extracurricular involvement – college importance • Career planning • College admissions testing • College selection • College application process • Financial aid workshop

11. Workshops • Generic information sessions • Workshops for special groups • Highly selective • NCAA • Career training • Illinois state college options • Engineering/business • Parent forums – share experiences

12. Specialized Information • Helpful hints – if you go to this college then… • College specific requirements for admission • Highly selective criteria – beyond ACT & GPA • Professional program information • Paint picture of college criteria • Parent Newsletter–information & calendar of events

13. Counselor Knowledge • Broad knowledge of many colleges • Depth of knowledge of Top 50 colleges • Aware of special requirements for selectives. • Know where to find information requested Things Counselors Should Know

14. College Counseling • Counselors suggest colleges • Apply their unbiased non-parent view • Recommendations – address glitch issues • Advocate for student in application & contacts • Don’t discourage student from reach schools • Parent comments for recommendation letters

15. Career Counseling • Career counseling for all grades • Learning style assessment – college match • Use interest & personality data in career counseling • Promote career training options • Pathways for careers – classes/majors

16. What Parents Want From College Admissions Counselors NCHS Parent Focus Groups 2011

17. College Visits • List of “smart questions” • Tour guides make or break visit • Enthusiastic tour guide • Informed tour guide • Major specific sub-tours

18. Information Parents want • Return rate/grad rate/4 year grad rate • National survey - student engagement results • What is parent’s notification policy? • What is campus safety plan? • Timeline – notification dates/next steps • Paint a picture of life on campus

19. Website • Campus service directory • Admissions & Financial Aid Contact phone # • Calendar of important dates & events • FAQ • Parent Association • Newsletter • Travel/ Hotel information

20. Parents want to know • Impact of HS course selection on acceptance • Which colleges superscore or unweight grades • Admissions data by major

21. Financial Aid • Publish total cost on website • Publish minimum ACT/GPA for merit money • Transparency in scholarship requirements • Emancipation & residency requirements • Financial aid seminars

22. Government - Goal US Department of Education Promote partnership to increase parent involvement • Goals 2000 Educate America Act • Partnership for Family Involvement in Education • NCLB mandates • Title 1 School funding

23. School District - Goals • Form partnership with parents • Open communication with parents • Inform parents • Support parent involvement • Included parents in college process

24. Counselors - Goals • Increase college readiness of students • Good match college choices • Continued support of family • Healthy graduate who can leave home • Foster independence of graduates

25. Parent Involvement • College educated parents are often very involved in their student’s college selection. • First generation & low income students have the most to gain/lose and may have little parent involvement.

26. Parents – Helicopter Defined • Parent’s obsessed with kid’s success • Success requires parental involvement • Hover over students ready to intervene on child’s behalf • Rescue student or attack their enemy • Living their lives through students • Parents micromanage students • Unwilling to let children make independent decisions

27. Causes of Helicopter Parenting • Control – lack of faith in system; parent knows system • Time management – student’s time, parent’s patience • Doubt – student’s diligence & capability • Relive youth – athletics & academic potential • Protective – fewer children, societal danger • Anxiety – fear of failure, past experience with child • High Expectations – from parents & society; prestige • Access – 24/7 instant communication • Competition – highly selectives

28. Helicopter Parents Enable • Drop off: • lunches • Gym clothes • Homework • Sports equipment Homework Register for ACT tests Write college essays Fill out college applications Wake-up calls

29. Helicopter Parents Monitor & Problem-Solve for Students computer espionage Facebook creeping cell phone usage grades teachers & counselors Friends Coach from sidelines

30. Helicopter Parents Make Decisions Parents control college interview Parents choose student’s major Parents choose student’s college

31. Unintended Consequence of Hovering • College academics suffer without parent’s help • Dependency; student doesn’t develop independence • Irresponsibility; trouble taking on responsibility • Incompetence; tell child they can’t make it • Family conflict & lack of trust • Poor self esteem; more self conscious & vulnerable • Low motivation; anxious adults who take few risks • Can’t make decisions or deal with problems • Failure to launch; immaturity

32. Counseling Helicopter Parents • Assess parent’s needs • Address parent’s fears • Sensitive to cultural differences • Encourage parents to mentor with other parents • Help parents know when they are crossing the line • Facilitate appropriate parent involvement • Provide welcoming environment for parents

33. High School Counselors Role in the process • Counselors serve all students & plan all programming unassisted • College Counselor leads College & Career Center & program planning • Several Post High School Counselors serve class & plan programs • College & Career Assistant with all Counselors sharing program plans

34. Photo omitted to be able to upload to website • College & Career Center Partners with Parents • Thursday night services for family advising • Answer student’s & parent’s questions and address their concerns • Advise families throughout the college admissions process • Focus groups for parent input to improve Student Services

35. Photo omitted to be able to upload to website • Parents Assist College & Career Center • Prepare handouts • Research information • Copy info for students • Collect info from college visits

36. Photo omitted to be able to upload to website • Benefits of Parents Volunteering in the College & Career Center • gather information • oversight of college visits • promote center and spread information into community

37. e-Counseling WEBSITE • Post info on website • Podcasts or post recorded programs on website NAVIANCE • Naviance for all grades • E-mail contacts/info • Electronic survey of students SOCIAL NETWORKING • College & Career Center Facebook page • No counselor to student social networking

38. What: College Information Night Who: Junior Parents When: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 7PM Where: NCHS Auditorium

39. Counselor’s Career Advice to Parents • Listen to understand your student’s needs • Help your student assess their abilities, interests, goals, and personality • Be realistic about student’s interests & skills • Let your students pursue own passions – not yours

40. Counselor’s College Search Advice to Parents • Talk about college planning early - 9th grade • Engage help of friends, coaches, relatives • Research colleges best suited for interests • Help develop criteria for selection • Let student take the lead in choosing college • Work college trips into family vacations

41. Counselor’s Financial Aid Advice to Parents • Parents greatest involvement – college cost • Communicate financial limitations early • Explain the debt students may incur • Don’t initially rule out a college only on cost • Utilize net price calculator on college websites

42. Counselors Advice to Parents Interaction with their Students • Listen to your student and observe struggles • Support child. Encourage without acting • Roll back over-protectiveness • Guide rather than pressure • Be patient – keep lines of communication open • Understand importance of friends in process

43. College View

44. Helicopter Horror Stories • Defending their student • Doing the work for their student (essays, etc) • Dictating their student’s choice • Over-protecting their student • Spying on their student

45. Positives of Involved Parents • Increase applications, name recognition, etc. for your school • Potential long-term financial support for your school • Increase student retention and graduation rates • Give their student confidence and support

46. Fostering a Positive College/Parent Relationship • Educate About Process • Inform With Data • Collaborate

47. Educate About Process • Provide tools such as “smart” questions to ask • Be as transparent as possible about Admission, Scholarship and Financial Aid processes and timelines • Help parents understand from early on how FERPA impacts them • The safety of their child is key – explain emergency notifications, etc.

48. Inform With Data This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License. This means you're free to copy and share these comics (but not to sell them). More details.

49. Inform With Data • Make Information easy to find on the web • “NSSE” National Survey of Student Engagement results • Retention and Graduation rates • Important contact information • Dates to know (orientation, siblings weekend, etc.) • Area visitor information

50. Collaborate • Build relationships with high school side • Work with other campus areas such as Student Affairs, Athletics, Parent Office • Engage parents of current students in programming and communication