Last week President Obama introduced the College Scorecard, an online tool for students and parents researching and selecting colleges. Reviews of the site and its data have been mixed, as discussed in Jordan Weissmann’s post “The Government Just Made it Much Easier to Tell Which Colleges Are a Waste of Money” where he appreciates the information on the earning power of schools’ graduates. His view directly contrasts with J. Randall O’Brien’s Huffington Post article “President Obama’s New College Scorecard Receives an “F” where the university president criticizes salary information as an indicator of a college’s worth as it may discourage liberal arts or service majors by focusing on the lower earning power of these graduates.
Taking the College Scorecard for a Test Drive
(www.collegescorecard.ed.gov)
Dear Mr. President, the underlying issue is not a lack of data…there are thousands of websites that already use solid US Government data to provide ratings, rankings and profiles…but rather how students and parents should be using data, along with advice from guidance counselors, admissions officers and well-meaning community members, to make mindful decisions.
As a classroom teacher, I create exercises where students use these tools for college research and planning …basically, we take them for a test drive by compiling specific data in an organized fashion and then attempting to draw conclusions which will assist students in their decision-making process. At West Islip High School on Long Island, we offer a semester-long course where students have the opportunity to explore and use many of the tools available on the Internet in a structured environment. Students reflect and share their results with peers, guidance counselors and parents to take command of the college planning process while synthesizing an individualized course of action for higher education.
And, I am sure Mr. Arne Duncan, Secretary of the US Department of Education, knows that there is no tool or website that can take the place of the arduous, stressful and sometimes complicated multi-step process of #ApplyingToCollege. Students and parents need instruction in how to go about the whole thing…they need more guidance, more structure, but no more data, please. @ArneDuncan How about a video series, grants for weekly, hands-on workshops for parents and their children or specific funding for college planning courses in high school like we have in West Islip?
To begin the conversation, this type of program should include the following objectives:
- Identify the student’s interests, including aptitudes and natural abilities, by using resources available on the Internet and at his/her school.
- Match potential college majors and career paths to the student’s interests, aptitudes and abilities.
- Begin a List of Colleges to Consider by asking the guidance counselor, professionals in the field, and well-meaning community members for their recommendations.
- Conduct research on career path(s), including education and licensing requirements, daily tasks, and expected salary. The student should consider obtaining an internship, part-time position or Job Shadow experience in the intended field to build confidence and confirm interest.
- Add more schools to the List of Colleges to Consider by reviewing Rugg’s Recommendations on the Colleges and other valued references and resources, including the newly introduced College Scorecard at https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/.
- Use data-heavy tools such as College Navigator at http://www.CollegeNavigator.gov and College Scorecard to compare and contrast factual information about each school on the List of Colleges to Consider.
- With the guidance counselor’s assistance, pare down the List of Colleges to Consider to create a List of Colleges to Apply To based on many factors specific to the individual student and his/her family’s expectations and needs, including admissions requirements, location, cost, etc.
The “mix of schools” on the List of Colleges to Apply To should include local and “away” schools, expensive and sensibly-priced schools, and schools where the student is reasonably assured of acceptance. Once the acceptance letters are in, the student should ideally have two or three schools to choose between based on “factors of the heart” and cost.
- Students and their parents should visit colleges to get a feel for the campus facilities, surrounding area, current students and faculty. It’s VITAL to visit while classes are in session (not during summer!) so that the student connects with the “factors of the heart” which are identifiable when stepping foot on campus, touring dorm rooms and dining halls and interacting with students.
Note: Parents can wait until acceptance letters arrive to visit schools in order to cut down on unnecessary expenses and time off from work.
- Complete and submit the required college applications which may include the student’s transcript, SAT or ACT test results, extra-curricular resume, essays, portfolio of creative arts, letters of recommendations, and so on.
- Once the college applications are submitted, students and their families can focus on scholarships, financial aid and finishing high school on a high note.
An Exercise Using College Scorecard
As listed in objectives five and six, the College Scorecard is a useful tool when used within the process of #ApplyingToCollege to identify additional schools for consideration and to compare and contrast a limited number of colleges.
Here’s how I would use the College Scorecard in class with my students:
Use the College Scorecard website to identify schools to add to your List of Colleges to Consider by completing the following steps:
- Navigate to the College Scorecard website, open the Programs/Degrees tab (+) and select the appropriate Degree and Program from the drop down lists.
- Open the Location tab (+) and select the States and/or Regions you are considering. If you are planning to stay close to home, enter your Zip Code and 40-mile radius.
- Click the Find Schools button to continue.
- Use the Sort By menu to sort the results by % Earning Above HS Grad. View the list of schools and learn more about each by clicking the View More Details link. Consider adding schools to your List of Colleges to Consider based on the possibility of earning the highest salary after graduation. Email the listing of schools by clicking the Share button.
(www.collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Use the Sort By menu to sort the results by Average Annual Costs. View the list of schools and learn more about each by clicking the View More Details link. Consider adding schools to your List of Colleges to Consider based on paying the least amount for your education. Email the listing of schools by clicking the Share button.
- Use the Sort By menu to sort the results by Graduation Rate. View the list of schools and learn more about each by clicking the View More Details link. Consider adding schools to your List of Colleges to Consider based on other students’ ability to successfully graduate from that school. Email the listing of schools by clicking the Share button.
- Select a school and open tabs (+) to view additional information on Costs, Financial Aid & Debt, Graduation & Retention, Earnings After School, Student Body, SAT/ACT Scores and Academic Programs.
- Record data on ten (10) schools on the provided worksheet.
(www.collegescorecard.ed.gov)
College Scorecard in the Toolbox
The College Scorecard is the Obama Administration’s effort to assist students and parents in the college selection process understanding that the fall-out from the Student Loan Crisis could have been prevented by properly educating consumers. But, selecting a college is quite different than buying a car because there are fewer options to consider with a car, and hundreds of facets to each student’s interests, abilities, goals, expectations, and resources. The College Scorecard, while trying to meet a need as Edmund’s auto-rating website does, falls short as there is no easy way or short cut, each student and family must put in the hard work to find the right fit college.
Trish Portnoy is a blogger, writer, app developer and high school teacher who helps high school students and their parents research colleges, understand their options, and make choices using resources from the Internet, guidance counselors and other helpful people.
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