College Admissions: A dress rehearsal for the future

Advances in technology have opened the U.S. job market to many talented and skilled young people from around the globe. This is giving employers in all of today’s top fields—from teaching to nanotechnology—the ability to pick workers from the best and the brightest.

Given the nature of today’s work world, it’s no wonder that more and more teens are choosing college as a way of expanding their marketable skills. According to the National Information Center for Higher Education Policymaking and Analysis, nearly 70 percent of today’s high school graduates in New York head off to two- or four-year colleges.

College admissions officers say that the efforts that teens make to narrow their interests and build their skills through challenging coursework and extracurriculars during the high school years will make a difference once they begin the formal process of college application. This is much like the effort teens will make as young adults in order to land their first professional jobs.

During the high school years there are many activities, some part of the day-to-day routine others intentional, that add up to a successful run for college. In an effort to demystify the process for families, here is a year-by-year breakdown:

Freshmen

• Work with guidance counselors to put together a schedule of  courses that start them on the path toward college.
   
• Bone up on basic skills such as note-taking, and organization  to help stay on top of ever-increasing academic and personal responsibilities.
   
• Explore careers and majors with the help of personality and career profilers.
   
• Plan for summer jobs, internships, or volunteer positions that related to their academic or career interests.
   
• Now is the time to have students begin setting aside their financial contribution to their education. The College Board offers a college savings calculator at http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/college_savings.jsp that families can use to find out how much money they’ll likely need for college and how to begin saving.

Sophomores

• Talk with guidance staff and search online for colleges that  offer a course of study that match students’ academic and personal interests.
   
• Research the courses and tests colleges required for acceptance.  Guidance staff, college fairs and the Internet Web sites such as that of the National Center for Educational Statistics, http://ncesd.ed.gov, are great resources as students begin this search.
   
• Start a calendar with important dates and deadlines for college board exams.

Juniors

• Narrow the list of important college characteristics—private or public, two- or four-year, near or far from home?
   
• Create a file of college brochures and information. Talk to guidance staff and search online for scholarships that match students’ skills and interests.
   
• Make a resume of accomplishments, activities and work experiences.

Seniors

• Resist senioritis. Students who slack off in their senior year will not be well prepared for the rigors of college. Colleges are less inclined to take a chance on students who have not put their all into the senior year.
   
• Create a list of possible schools, including one or two “safe” schools, one or two “reach” schools, and two to four “realistic” schools. Request applications, brochures, financial aid information, tour and open house schedules from the admission offices. 
   
• Visit college campuses.
   
• Keep track of important test dates as well as application and financial aid deadlines.

21st century skills=college success

As with landing today’s jobs, being accepted at a preferred college or university can be a challenge. Many schools that were once considered “safe,” or easy to get into, are now picking and choosing students and wait-listing the rest. Much like employers, admissions officers say there are characteristics that will help college applicants shine. These include:

• Strong communications skills. Students need to show, with a persuasive and well-written application essay, as well as in a face-to-face interview, that they can sell themselves. This is when the efforts that teens have put into their high school English language arts coursework really pay off. 
   
• Dedication. There are many opportunities, whether through internships, volunteerism or part-time work, for teens to learn what interests them most. College admissions officers and employers view these types of efforts as indication of true dedication, both to a declared course of study, as well as to future careers.
   
• Extra- and co-curricular activities that build “soft” skills. Today’s employers value employees who work well with others, problem solve, think creatively, manage time and are organized. The ability to independently tackle challenging coursework, meet deadlines and take what they know and apply it to new situations will also put teens in good stead once in college.
   
• Tech savvy. As in today’s workplaces, colleges and universities now require students to be proficient in much more than basic computer skills. Nearly all colleges have on-line catalogues in their libraries, Internet-equipped study stations, Ethernet access in the dorms and often offer college courses online. Laptop computers have become not only commonplace, but also an essential admissions requirement for freshmen entering many colleges. [top]