The College Search Process

1. The College Search Process Colts Neck High School Dickinson College

2. A COMPLICATED LANDSCAPE • More choices than ever before • New application options • Outside pressures, including rankings and the national media • Significant demographic shifts • Increased competition—more applications, same number of spots • Rising cost of higher education • Ever changing global market place—AACU study of occupation variation over the next two decades

3. College costs vs family income

4. Common application trends 2017 • Over 4.3 million applications submitted through the Common App last year (9% increase over 2016) • Almost 960,000 unique application submissions (7.3% increase over 2016) • Over 700 member institutions

5. So what can be done?

6. Researching and Narrowing your list

7. Where to begin • Plan your college search • Starting Local • Use some of your vacation each year • Starting too early • Use your resources • Give yourself plenty of time for self reflection • How do I learn best? • Who are my favorite teachers and why? • What does my academic voice sound like? • Be open-minded, but also be skeptical • Design a thoughtful search—employ a system that works for you

8. Finding the right fit…

9. …often involves asking the right questions.

10. Research: asking deeper questions • Types of research opportunities, internships, community-based projects? When do they start? • Percentage that study abroad? For how long? On which programs? Credit and financial aid transfer? • Graduation and retention rates? • Job and grad school placement? How is it calculated? • Curricular initiatives? Strategic plan? • College’s 5-10 year building plan? • Percentage of the budget spent on instruction compared to student services? • Percentage of students that graduate with debt? Average debt? (Perhaps ask about college’s debt—about bond ratings?) • Institutional priorities (diversity, curriculum, initiatives, etc.)?

11. Setting yourself up for success

12. Standing out from the crowd • Take the lead—evidence of self-management • Demonstrate your interest • Find the right fit(s) • Colleges are crafting communities of diverse and engaged students • Build a network of advocates • Regional counselor, faculty, coaches, guidance counselor, administrators, alumni, current students, family, and friends • Craft a well-organized application that reflects who you are (be your most genuine and mature self) • Write a thoughtful essay(s) • Communicate, as appropriate, with colleges and representatives • Celebrate each of your successes

13. The application process

14. Constructing your Application • TELL YOUR STORY—What are you passionate about, what do you value, how do you thrive? • ORGANIZE your achievements thoughtfully • Consider how all parts of your application work together • Address areas for growth head on • Read the instructions • Enlist a proofreader • Use your resources • Give yourself plenty of time—BE REFLECTIVE

15. academics

16. Activities and passions

17. Building a Community Well-Rounded Well-Angled

18. Letters of recommendation

19. Essays

20. Essay tips • Don’t • Lose your authentic voice • Take inappropriate risks • Draw overly simplistic conclusions • Use another college’s name • Make simple grammatical and spelling errors • Do • Focus—write about a blade of grass, not a field of grass • Respond to the prompt • Read your essay aloud to someone • Be your most genuine and mature self • Ask yourself, “What do I want the reader to know about me after reading this essay?”

21. deadlines

22. Role of the Parent

23. Questions?