101 Things I Wish I'd Known Before the College Search

[Granny]

Maybe Harvard over Kansas Community College makes sense, but I would give a lot of thought before taking Harvard over the University of Kansas if I planned to live in Kansas for the rest of my life.

Stop at all flagship universities as you vacation - this means from first grade on up. As your kids see their friends older siblings go off to college they will have a campus to put with the person and they will begin to understand the personality of each school.

Look at flagship universities west of the Mississippi, north of Texas and east of the West Coast. Most of the states are smaller, they are looking for quality students and many have money for quality out-of-state students.

[FLVADAD]

I would add:

Recognize that the obsession of the CC community with rankings and stats is not an accurate reflection of the college bound public at large. Don't get sucked into the madness.

[dsm2]

#71 If your s/d applies EA or SCEA to their first choice school, don't send safety schools application in until you hear. We wasted hundreds in applications fees, SAT scores, ACT scores, being sent to several schools that he was no longer interested in after early admit. Prepare your essays etc, but you don't need to send them if you get your first choice.

[highlander12]

71. If you don't have a 'hook', get one. Now.

72. Your transcripts should be looked at as personal assessments of your high school learning experience. Not like a ****ing job application.

73. If the time and money spent finding scholarships ends up higher than the actual scholarships you are eligible for, you've screwed up (This excludes very high merit ones like Siemens or National Peace Essay, but you never lose money if you qualify for those).

74. ^ Same goes for ECs.

[Mr Payne]

75. The PSAT is more important than the SAT in terms of merit money. Study for the PSAT more than the SAT, like, a lot more.

[VeryHappy]

76. Make sure the GPA that your HS has calculated is correct. In my S's case, the computer program that did the calculations didn't include a summer school class he took prior to ninth grade. (And the grade, of course, was an A+!) It took several attempts before they got it right.

[shelley14]

Another GREAT CC thread. Wonderful insight from those who have been there.Thanks for sharing.

[dragonmom]

# 78 or so
Before the end of Jr year, order an official copy of your transcript (even if you have to pay your high school a few bucks) Look it over with a fine toothed comb. If you ask for corrections get another copy and make sure that the correction didn't just make a new problem.

[TrinSF]

Start a "resume" in 9th grade and update it twice a year. Include awards, clubs, summer activities and community service. When you get to applications, you won't be trying to remember what you did "way back" in 10th grade.

[thumper1]

If you don't want your kid to consider a $40,000 plus school, don't take them to see ANY. None of those $20,000 schools will look as good.

[unalove]

--Realize there will be a point after which studying for the SAT's is useless towards score improvement. Do something productive instead of obsess over making the scores higher.... think about sunshine. Or sleep.

[ShesOnHerWay]

During college information sessions, the admissions counselors go down a list of criteria they look at. Usually SAT/ACT is last on their list. This leads one to think that it isn't as important as grades, ECs, rank, etc. When in fact it is the final quantifier that separates and categorizes students. A student can pass all the hurdles until the SAT; but the SAT is the one criteria with enough granularity to resolve differences between otherwise equally matched, highly talented students. Rather than being the least important, the SAT may be the most important indicator.

[ridonkulous0]

#82ish?

If you take an admissions decision personally, or any part of the college process for that matter, then YOU are the idiot. Not the colleges. Not the admissions people. And definitely not your URM, Athlete, Legacy, semi-mentally challenged best friend who got in over you.

[erhswimming]

#83 Apply to those schools that will let you use the common app for them for free. Even if you don't know anything about the school, it might be an enticing choice later and there is nothing to lose for applying there.

[treefarmer1]

Start doing overnights your junior year. You probably won't be able to arrange them this early through the admissions office, but you can often find a student willing to host thru friends, family or CC. (And send them brownies after they host).