If I recall, there is a “matching” process with Naviance. The process is something like, first add at least one college in Common App, then login to Naviance and follow the instructions in the banner on the top of the Colleges I’m Applying To page. I recall something about the emails for Naviance and Common App maybe needing to be the same (temporarily).
Not all high schools that have Naviance use it for document submissions. It varies. I would poke around on the high school website looking for instructions on college apps. Many high schools have a PDF or powerpoint with this sort of information.
OK, can I cry a minute. I have put in countless hours helping D25 curate a huge list because her interests and needs vary by the minute. Her dad (my ex) is not helping because he doesn’t want to do anything or take her anywhere until she narrows down what she wants to do. Do I tell him what would he do if she chose “undeclared” as a major?
This girl is more than capable and super excited to get out of this state. She wants to explore. And her dad is just angry she has too many (free app) colleges on the list.
This is our second rodeo with colleges. The kids have access to potential reduced tuition through my employer but that list is limited and with her lower gpa she is less competitive so we have to cast a wide net to assure affordability. It worked for S23. Just sucks he hasn’t given any input with either kids list yet of course I have done it all wrong.
Cry away! Sooooo many kids don’t know what the want to do. They are 17! My 2023 has a solid plan, but my 2025 is pretty much only focusing on her sport. (Your ex would flip lol) I was very anxious about this, but all of her options have several programs she likes and she may go in undecided either way. She told me that she feels comfortable with it and there are many scenarios she’d be happy with. She says she only has these next four years to do her sport, so the most important thing to her is finding a team and a coach that’s a great fit for her and and the rest will work out. I’m sure many would disagree with me, but I am choosing to reframe and go with it! Good luck! Hopefully he’ll come around….
I’ve been wondering about the timing on that—knew it was soon, but the older siblings weren’t in the mix for it, so this part is new. My C25 is very likely NMSF, and we’ve been holding off on sending in any applications until knowing for sure so that we can put it on the “honors” list if so.
The only school on her list she was really uncertain of acceptance already sent the congrats you’re in (Iowa State). Its a much bigger school than she initially thought she wanted but the majors and minors are of much interest to her and she knows a few people there.
We were the opposite - waiting for older kid, because we knew it was likely. This kid clearly had a bad day on PSAT day as the score was so much lower than it was the year before when he was a sophomore. So last time I remember holding the apps, this time… not so much.
I have no more insight into this than anyone else, but my philosophy is that a school should have a solid offering across several programs that are of interest to the student, not just the intended major (if they have one). I have no particular data about this, but my instinct is that a majority of people finish college with a major different from that indicated on their application. Then, I feel that a good number of those that did indeed complete their initially intended degree do not have a job / career in which that specific degree is essential.
At our small company of about 100, our CFO, CIO, and about 5 people in marketing are doing work that was directly tied to their college degree program.
I further argue that for the remainder that did go to college, that college was not a waste simply because they are not working in a field directly tied to their degree. College provide many benefits along the way. I, for instance, have 3 degrees, and none are directly applicable to my day to day work. Spouse has 2 degrees, an neither are directly applicable. Our CMO was a psych major, etc.
My point is, I would think it odd that a 17 year old has mapped out the next 10 or 20 years of their life as there is so much that they do not yet know about the world or themselves for that matter. This is a time for exploration. They may have interests or ideas of what they might want to do and those should be encouraged. But I do feel that a school that has strengths in several areas does provide a necessary level of margin of error so that you can eventually graduate with a degree in something that fits with who you are and what you want to be.
Not sure if any of the above makes sense, but if you made it this far, I agree with you. The only downside to your approach is that making a final choice with so many schools may prove to be a challenge. But, that is better than having no choice.
Is why I’m having a hard time with the way my S25 is looking at schools. There is ONE school on his list that has his two main areas of interest.
Then there’s one school that only has option A, four schools that only have option B, and I think I’ve now convinced him to apply to one more school that has both A & B but it’s pretty low on his list.
In my mind, he should really be adding some weight to the schools that have both options, because there he just has more room if he changes his mind. But if he were going to rank his choices right now I suspect the schools with the options would be either 3&4 or 4&5.
Realistically, I know that regardless of which school he chooses, he’ll find SOMETHING that works for him, and it may or may not be relevant to his future career. It’s just funny how differently he and I would approach the balancing of factors.
Yes, and I did not mean to infer that D25 is following my philosophy at all. Well, maybe indirectly, but not as I have framed it. She is one of those who thinks she has everything mapped out and a plan for the next 20 years. It is not an unreasonable plan and I indulge her in it as it is flexible and can lead to many paths.
Her top choice school is by far the superior school for her current career path, but is also an exceptional school in a wide range of studies. So, I’m happy for her to apply there. The second choice school is exceptional in a wide range of studies, but nothing directly in the line of her ideal career. That is fine with me as she would likely need grad school and that would be a time to focus / narrow.
Then there is the rest of the schools which is similar to the boat of 2plustrio’s daughter. There are 5 or 6 of those and they are really quite fungible. I’m not really sure why she would apply to so many with similar characteristics and I have urged her to apply to a few of those (cut that list by 2 or 3), but then apply to some LACs or other types of school. Then, if all goes well during application season, she will have a range of choice, not just in school location, but type of school.
But, she knows better.
But, back to 2plustrio’s post, so long as the schools on the list offer several options and the students have good outcomes from those options, then I see no reason to doubt the path. Iowa State does seem like the answer to the question “which one of these is not like the others”, but Iowa State is a wonderful school and she will have many options coming from there. The biggest hurdle I would see is the relative isolation of Ames, Iowa compared to some of the other schools. However, since she has friends already attending, it seems like others from her area do not find that too off-putting (I am not assuming that she would ever connect with any of those friends).
The moment the higher-ed sector started marketing itself as “Get a degree in X because then you can get a job in it!” is the moment it basically prefigured all the public disinvestment that has resulted in a lot of the issues it’s been facing these past few decades.
The notes from the webinar you attended are appreciated. Some interesting info in there about the latest college stats.
I guess in California the rates are higher b/c the consultant cost you noted seemed rather nice to me. I may sign my son up for a consultant that charges $200 an hour…ouch! I know 2 families that have used the service and both were super pleased, but I’m still debating if it’s worth it…
S25 already has aspirations of getting into a competitive college, based on your info, seems like he better plan on taking the SAT/ACT as even though most colleges say they’re test optional, it sounds pretty clear that taking those tests will be pretty important.
Well, we’re back from the dance weekend and things feel in flux. Flux is not my favorite state, for the record. We went through her college apps and modified a couple options, but at the end she had a few tears in her eyes and said, “I want to be around dancers who are really good and who push me a lot…and I’m not sure I can get into those programs.” She also said that every school on her list has some sort of compromise, which I get is life, but I wish there were one that has the exact combination of dance and academics she longs for. One of the places she did a summer intensive at this summer has a one year training program that is what she wants; I’m encouraging her to audition for it as well as do the college applications and then take a gap year if she gets in (and the college lets her). They take 18-25 year olds, so I have no idea if my newly minted 18 year old stands a chance, but this is the year for taking her shots!
I keep thinking about this when you describe your daughter’s dilemma. I worked with someone who had been in the Joffrey Ballet before going to college (Wellesley, if memory serves – she was also no slouch academically). I think this is not an uncommon choice – it’s not unusual to go to college at age 20. But if she chooses college right now, she’s basically shutting the door on a dance career, isn’t she? Here are some things I wonder…
–does she really want to do dance professionally, with all that this would entail? Has she had the chance to shadow professional dancers and understand what the lifestyle tradeoffs are, etc?
–or is she just reluctant to stop performing/dancing at a very high level (which requires more commitment and time than college would probably typically allow), or sad about the idea of no longer making progress in this pursuit?
I have done two things (not dance) at a reasonably high level (though not really close to what I’ve had needed to do to go pro.) But I was surrounded by people for whom going pro was the logical end goal. It was tantalizing. When you are immersed in one of these (competitive, two-dimensionally focused) spaces, it’s hard to remember all the other dimensions of life that you enjoy. People in those worlds know you as a (skater/dancer/violinist/bike racer) and evaluate you based on your ability to perform in that sphere. It can kind of warp your sense of what is important. At the same time – stepping back from those worlds can be really hard. First, because your social world changes–you need to go figure out how to be a normal person who doesn’t spend 30 hours/week in an ice rink or on a horse or whatever…and then too because it’s such a huge part of your identity. What does it mean to no longer be able to say “I’m a dancer”?
All of which is to say…I see very little downside to taking a year or two to sample the dream, and live wholly in dance world and see where it takes her. Odds are that she’d discover quickly (even if she did make the cut) that a two-dimensional life becomes tiresome. Most people aren’t cut out for such singular pursuits. But then she could happily move on to college with no regrets (and I don’t think schools frown upon this kind of life detour. It honestly would probably work in her favor in the admissions process, wouldn’t it?)