From the Miss Hall's Office of College Counseling

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College Counseling Update for Junior Parents | February 2018

College Admissions: "Good" Colleges, Good Lists, and Rankings

Individual meetings are being scheduled now for juniors, but Ms. Hatch Blauvelt has also enjoyed the opportunity to speak to juniors in larger groups as well. In our first class, we discussed the following topics (see link below for a copy of the slide show).

What is a "Good College"? At Miss Hall's School, our college counseling philosophy emphasizes that a good college fulfills the needs and interests of the individual student. This means that a "good college"...

Is in a desired location and environment
Offers academics of interest to the student
Offers internship, research, and experiential opportunities relevant to those interests
Is affordable for student and family
Is a place that will both challenge and support
Is a place the student will graduate from
Is a place the student wants to attend

Image: New York Times "How To Make Sense of College Rankings" by Frank Bruni

What is a "good" college list? Our college counseling process is individualized, so there is no standard recommendation of an amount of schools. However we do have general recommendations for your ultimate college list, which should include:

At least 2-3 "likely" schools (commonly referred to as "safety", at which a student's application would be above average, compared to previously accepted students)
No more than a third of the list that are "reach" schools (schools at which a student's application would be below average compared to previously accepted students)
Every school meeting the student's main priorities
Every school as a place the student would want to attend
Every school accounting for family's financial situation
Represents collaboration between student, counselor, and family

How do you know what a school's average accepted student population looks like? This will be discussed in-depth in individual meetings, but one way to find this information is to Google the college name with the phrase, "accepted student profile" or "incoming class profile." Keep in mind this information should only guide and inform, and would not guarantee or rule out admission possibilities.

What About Rankings?

If you consider rankings, you should take a close look at the rankings methodologies to make sure they reflect the student's values and goals. For example, U.S. News and World Report relies heavily on college acceptance rates, which can be easily manipulated, as well as the college's financial resources and alumni giving rates, which reward wealthier schools. "Best Value" rankings by Time and Forbes Magazine look primarily at student financial outcomes, such as levels of debt and salaries. Washington Monthly rankings focus on college's values and contributions to society, which most closely align with Miss Hall's School's mission and core values.

View a copy of the group presentation given to all juniors here, which includes extra links and resources.

What Is the College Counseling Process Like for Juniors?

This year Ms. Virden and Ms. Hatch Blauvelt are spending February and March meeting individually with juniors as close to weekly as possible. After March we will meet a bit less frequently to accommodate seniors making decisions. Here's a brief outline of what we're doing in our meetings:

1) Get to know the student through written and in-person questionnaires, as well as getting parents' perspective through the Parent Survey - please take it if you haven't already!

2) Review and sign our college counseling contract and follow our junior year timeline.

3) Learn to use online tools such as Naviance/Family Connection and College Board "Big Future" to search and research schools.

4) Assist with planning, registering, and practicing for standardized tests such as SAT and ACT.

5) Encourage open family communication, particularly about costs, location, visiting colleges, and making summer plans.

6) Discuss college admission factors and work with student to research, build, and shape a college list based on their academics, interests, strengths, and family finances.

7) Create a log-in for the Common Application and review the questions and sections.

8) Discuss potential financial aid and scholarships, including college net price calculators and application requirements.

9) Provide resources and exercises regarding writing personal statements/essays for college applications.

10) Give advice and encouragement to help students identify and ask teachers for letters of recommendation.

10) Work on a customized schedule of summer college application "homework" to complete prior to senior year.

Stay tuned for future newsletters where I will cover some of the above topics in more detail.

You can email me at [email protected], or call me at (413) 395-7047.