Does winning state championships help getting in?

Olymom
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:01:25 +0000

Admissions and scholarships are like playing poker. You play the hand you are dealt as shrewdly as possible. For instance, a cheer champion will be more cherished at a college that has cheerleaders (not all do – or, at some schools, like Texas A&M, the cheer leaders are male). Evergreen College here in Washington does not have any cheer squads. It does have girls and guys basketball and soccer.

Don’t load her down with statements like “For sure you’ll get a scholarship!” Because that may not be true at all. Make sure you learn as much as you can about the weird world of college financial aid (Paying for college without going broke by Khany is good). It doesn’t matter whether she gets financial aid or merit award or a Pell grant (three different things)-- it matters that she gets an education without acquiring a huge debt load.

Tell her you are proud of her hard work and her team work. That will serve her well no matter where she goes next. Congrats!