Hello families! It’s finally here; the HHS College Admissions Night. In this post, I answer questions related to the college search. Please keep in mind that all families are individual, and your child may take a different approach than another peer. Generally speaking, there is no “wrong” way to go about it but if you do have concerns, please reach out to your designated counselor, or to me, kwurster@hopkinton.k12.ma.us, as I can direct you appropriately.
Looking forward to seeing you tonight!
PARENT FAQs, PART I: The College Search
How do I find out which schools are strong in certain majors?
Many websites/periodicals attempt to rank majors, ranging from US News and World Report, niche.com, and ruggsrecommendations.com. However, bear in mind a ranking does not guarantee success at that college or university; one must always consider whether the school “fits” the student’s profile (size, location, campus feel, and other important factors to individual students). Check out Malcolm Gladwell’s lecture on “Why You Shouldn’t Go to Harvard.”
How important is it to do virtual or in-person college tours to increase chances of acceptance to a college?
It is true that many colleges track students’ contacts, whether that is emailing to the admissions office, attending a virtual tour, or visiting the campus. It is essential that you make an attempt to visit a local school; if you don't, it may hurt you, as the college may perceive that you're not interested. Although it is crucial you make an attempt to take these opportunities as they arrive, please note that these visits won’t balance out other more important factors (grades in academic classes, letters of recommendation, the resume, etc.).
How do you start this process? / How to best narrow down all the potential colleges and universities into a manageable list?
During the junior year, counselors usually recommend that a student visits a few local colleges to see the difference between campuses; for example, one might start with visiting Stonehill, Northeastern, and UConn to see a variety of options (e.g. small vs. big, urban vs. suburban/rural, homogenous student body vs. heterogeneous study body). Once the student has gotten a feel of the differences, they can start to use online search engines or make an appointment with one’s counselor to suggest similar schools to explore next. Students can then start to visit college websites and go on virtual tours to narrow down what schools are worthwhile for an in-person visit. Families can also start by looking at HHS’s average acceptances (GPAs and SATs/ACTs) for specific colleges using Naviance. If you are a parent and don't have access to this awesome college resource, please reach out to your school counselor.
Most students eventually whittle down their list to about 8-12 colleges to which they will apply, and it’s best that the schools are broken down into categories such as “likely,” “target,” and “reach,” ensuring that roughly a third are in each group. However, this process takes many months, and please feel free to reach out to your school counselor for advice; each family is different, and while some finish the process in December of the senior year, some don’t get to the finish line until graduation. The process is a marathon, not a sprint, so take it at an even pace so your student or family doesn’t get burned out at the beginning.
How to decide which college to pick? / What do you think are the top three things to consider when determining the right school for the student?
This is truly an individual decision, as families have different priorities when evaluating options. I’ve had students apply only to Big Ten schools because they wanted to be in a sporty environment, while others seek prestige or affordability. Most parents want to consider the return on their investment. No factor is wrong to consider, but it is important to contemplate whether the student feels comfortable in the college environment (i.e. the location, size, campus culture, diversity, and so on), as the right fit will likely precede academic success.
How can we keep the process feeling fun and exciting rather than just more work, stress, and pressure for our kids?
Personally, I think the process depends on the child; some students are naturally excited by it, whereas others refuse to engage. Some are in the middle. You can’t really change your child’s opinion on it, but do recognize that starting in their junior year, at every holiday or family get-together, relatives and friends will ask about your child’s college search: where they’re applying to, what their favorite school is, and so on. It can get exhausting. Try not to get swept up in the process, even unintentionally, and find other topics to discuss when you’re with your child. A good suggestion is to designate a college night (perhaps on Sundays, for about an hour) to tackle any burning questions you want to ask, but by doing it in one block, it comes off as less “naggy.” Another department member whose children have all gone through the process suggested posting a whiteboard in a visible location where the parent could write short questions to the junior/senior (“Remember to ask Mr. Smith for a rec letter this week!” or “Did you sign up for your SATs?’), which creates a prominent reminder without causing verbal (sometimes caustic!) interactions. Regardless of how your teenager reacts to the process, please remember: it’s not your fault. If you’re lucky enough to have a child who handles their applications seamlessly with minimal reminders, throw yourself a party and kick up your feet. If you’re not so lucky, don’t beat yourself up; contact your school counselor and we can help.
