August college search guide

The road to college

Amidst recent headlines about the rise in COVID infection rates caused by the delta variant, most school districts in the San Gabriel Valley are planning to reopen this fall. Many parents have reservations about sending their children back on campus, and that’s not surprising. Even after getting fully vaccinated, a lot of us have remained vigilant – masking when we go to the grocery stores and other high-traffic places, putting on gloves, and social distancing – to keep ourselves and others safe and healthy. We certainly don’t want all that to be for naught.             

The pandemic has altered many of our usual activities, but what hasn’t changed is that getting ready for college application begins in high school – whether your children are just starting ninth grade or are already in 12^th grade. The only difference is the pace at which they are working on their resume. They start building all the components that go into their transcript as soon as they get into high school. By the time they reach their senior year, they should have a transcript with excellent grades balanced with an equally impressive array of extra-curricular and enrichment activities.       

Make sure you attend ‘Back to School Night.’ I’m quite certain that besides orienting you and your children about academics, administrators and teachers will be giving an update on safety and social distancing protocols.        

You and your children should determine their interests and career goals and see what courses the school offers which appropriately meet those. These should be the guidelines for your students during the four years they are in high school. The outcomes of their work then determine which colleges or universities they should consider when they put together their list of where to apply.

An important factor in the admissions process is the students’ (and parents’) preconceived ideas about where they should apply and what their dream school is. Oftentimes, kids apply to the same dozen or so most-recognizable university names. This creates an unreasonable expectation which, more often than not, leads to unhealthy behavior. There are innumerable institutions that offer excellent teaching; there is a school out there that is the right fit for your child. 

FRESHMAN

High school is vastly different from middle school. Teachers have higher criteria from the work students turn in. Your children need to develop their analytical skills as their teachers will require deeper thinking and subject exploration from their papers. They should also have better time management skills to handle the more rigorous course load and extra-curricular activities.

In the first few days of ninth grade, your children will have several things they will be making decisions on, and tackling. I have to add here that high schools send their profile to the college or university to which your children are applying. Admissions officers will know what opportunities were available and if the applicant took advantage of them. I have listed them here with a brief description or explanation:

AP COURSES

Make sure your children choose the AP subjects they will need in the course(s) they will be taking in college. They shouldn’t pile up on APs to pad their resume because they will need to take the AP and SAT II exams for these subjects. Some universities only accept a 4 or a 5 on an AP exam for it to have any merit at all. While college admissions officers favor students who took on challenging AP subjects, they don’t look kindly on low AP grades or SAT II test scores either. Encourage your children to take courses they are truly interested in; students who study something they really like generally do well on it.     

CLUBS

Your children should join the clubs they actually want to be involved in; encourage them to participate actively. Ideally, your children would start a society based on their interest or something they feel strongly about. It can be something socially impactful, or it can be a fun club for student members to take a respite from their heavy academic load. In my daughter’s school, one student formed a Superhero Club where they went to all the openings of the latest Marvel or DC Comics films. Needless to say, this isn’t a smart idea during the pandemic.        

ATHLETICS

This is an essential component of high school life that is being severely impacted by the pandemic. Schools are being challenged to find a way for students to safely participate in sports at this time.                    

ARTS CLASS

If your children’s school offers art electives, encourage them to take a course. Usually, in the first year, the grade level dean encourages students to try various classes on offer so they can determine what they really want to focus on in the next three years.        

LANGUAGE

Besides the core subjects – English, history, math, science – a world language is a requirement for admission into college. In some elementary schools, students can take Mandarin and Spanish immersion classes. The Pasadena Unified School District, for one, offers French in addition to Mandarin and Spanish. If they continue on, these children will be ready not merely for college; they will be well-equipped for an increasingly global society.   

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Your children should do something they feel strongly about and work it every summer; it shows commitment to the activity they took on. This is going to be an essential component in your children’s transcript. Admissions officers are looking for depth of community involvement.       

SUMMER CAMP/ENRICHMENT COURSE

If your children have a passion for a particular activity, they should pursue a summer program related to it. Guidance counselors in some schools compile a list of the most engaging courses locally, out-of-state, or internationally.  

It goes without saying that all the above activities are merely supplements to good grades in the core subjects. Loading up on extra-curriculars at the expense of grades is definitely ill-advised. While admissions officers at all the universities talk about their holistic approach to their selection process, a student’s GPA remains a very critical, if not the single most important, component of your children’s college application. In fact, with the UC and Cal State systems’ dropping the standardized tests (ACT and SAT), your children’s grades are the most significant determinants of their college-readiness.  

SOPHOMORE

Your children have fully transitioned into high school, the demands of which were drilled into their subconscious the past school year. They have to put ninth grade behind them and face 10^th grade with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

JUNIOR

This is going to be your children’s busiest school year. Make sure your children confer with their school’s counselor to ascertain they have all the courses required for graduating and for college. If they are applying to schools that still require standardized tests, they need to know what these are and when to take them. They should research which colleges and universities offer the course(s) they would like to pursue.

SENIOR 

By this time, your children should know where they will be applying and have visited (in-person or virtually) the schools. They should have taken all standardized exams required for college applications, firmed up their college/university list, researched all kinds of scholarships, lined up teachers to write their recommendations, perfected their personal statement, and learned how to complete the common application.

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