As a high school student or the parent of one, you should take some time to acquaint yourself with the counseling/guidance/or college planning center at your school. Most high schools offer many “information night” sessions throughout the year…call to inquire!
This brings us to our next group of resources…which will be very helpful to you when overwhelmed by the opportunity to apply to any of the 3,000+ colleges in the US… which you then have to pare down to identify a group of 20 to 30 schools to really consider further.
Naviance:
One of the most dynamic tools offered to students is a web-based program named Naviance. School districts pay a substantial cost to offer this program…which, I’d like to note, is free from spam, advertisements and pop-ups. Guidance counselors and teachers also have access to data and documents which allows for seamless transmission of letters of recommendation, counseling opportunities, and application tracking.
One of my favorite areas of Naviance is the About Me tab where students have access to multiple career-interest and personality assessments…which really should be the starting point for all college and career planning activities.
Additionally, there is school-specific data on admission trends from previous years’ seniors…including maps and outcomes.
Ruggs Recommendations on the Colleges:
I love the fact that Mr. Ruggs has a photo of himself, dressed as the detective Sherlock Holmes, on the cover of his book. It is a perfect characterization of how he investigates each of the most studied Academic Programs and Majors until finds the best colleges for each of them….and it’s not based on heresay, or from the neighbor’s wife or from the college’s own staff…Ruggs is independent…he is like the Consumer Reports of colleges.
You can find copies of his previous editions on every counselor’s bookshelf or at the local library, but his newest, the 32nd edition is only available as a PDF.
At first, I thought this non-paper copy would be problematic, but when I realized that I could get a classroom of high schools seniors searching his life work simultaneously with the ability to print out single or multiple pages…I was sold.
Your Guidance Counselor and Teachers:
Well, here we go…these people care about you very much. They are older than you and they have you best interest at heart. Be kind and courteous when receiving their advice…consider their wisdom and incorporate what “feels right” into your own plan.
Don’t neglect those who are right under your nose when making your plans. Tell everyone your developing plans and see the consistencies in their responses.
Also, reach out to those professionals you meet…speak to your dentist, doctor, lawyer or accountant. Ask them where they went to school, ask them their opinions of the industry and what their experiences have been with recent graduates.
You will be overwhelmed by how these people will go out of their way to support you and assist you in reaching your goals.
You are literally surrounded by resources to assist you in the college planning process. Just using the internet along will give you access to thousands of college-related websites.
College Push iPhone App
A favorite “hand-held” resource is theCollege Push App, available on iTunes. Some of the greatest features about College Push are:
My Passwords–Store usernames and password hints to the most-used college planning portals, including College Board, Common App, FAFSA and more. Add additional URLs through the customize option
My Vitals–Store your important academic information at your fingertips, including your advisor’s phone number and email address, SAT and ACT scores, and more.
Daily Pushes–Receive daily instructions, tasks and reminders to assist you through the college selection and application process.
Plus, College Push includes an export feature that allows you to send this information in report form to your parents, guidance counselor or yourself.
Thanks for spending time with me in Room 106. I hope that you gained a deeper understanding of the resources available to you for college planning and decision-making.
Trish Portnoy is a blogger, writer, app developer and high school teacher who helps high school students and their parents to research colleges, understand their options, and make choices using resources from the Internet, guidance counselors and other helpful people.
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