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College on your mind?
By Mike Longaecker
October 31, 2008
There are few things in a high schooler's academic career more alluring than the senior slide.
Easy classes. Light workload. Auto-pilot until spring break.
Though enticing, the senior slide can also be a risky endeavor for students with post-secondary education on the horizon. In fact, college admissions experts say senior year is no time for high school students to throw it into neutral.
Right now, seniors should be submitting college applications and visiting prospective schools if they haven't already, said Red Wing High School guidance counselor Heidi Raasch. They should also be mindful of what's going on those applications, and joining any activities that could beef up a resume, she noted.
College admissions expert Katherine Cohen said now may also be an ideal time to visit universities. With classes in session, prospective students will get a real look at what life looks like on campus.
Raasch agreed.
Stretch your legs during visits, she suggested.
"Any extra people that you can connect with on campus" will help give you a better feel for the campus atmosphere.
Plus, she said visits with admissions officers may be worth the trip.
"Anything, so you're not just a piece of paper laying on a desk," Raasch said.
Raasch interviews every senior at the high school and keeps their plans on file. The reason isn't to steer students to colleges, she said. It's much more pragmatic.
"So everyone has something to do on June 6," Raasch said.
Four-year institutions draw the majority of Red Wing High School graduates. According to school data, 61 percent of seniors over the past three years have selected the four-year route.
About 90 percent of all students polled over those years chose some form of post-secondary education. Raasch noted that many of those students - 32 percent among the class of 2008 - planned for a two-year institution or trade school.
Many students in this year's crop have already sent out applications and are anxiously awaiting responses. Students should expect to know by January or February, Raasch said.
That's also about the time filing for financial aid begins. Now is a good time for students are parents to start planning for expenses, Raasch said.
"Financially, what can you afford?" she said.
Financial aid estimators are available online, Raasch said. The Internet offers many tools to prospective college students their parents never had access to, including online applications. Raasch said cautious parents shouldn't stress over the new process.
"It is safe; it is secure," she said.
But once acceptance letters start hitting mailboxes this winter, students should take the reins on their final decision, Cohen urges.
"This process is ultimately about the applicant," Cohen said. "Parents should take a step back and listen to their child's thoughts as he or she researches colleges with an open mind.
College on your mind?
By Mike Longaecker
October 31, 2008
There are few things in a high schooler's academic career more alluring than the senior slide.
Easy classes. Light workload. Auto-pilot until spring break.
Though enticing, the senior slide can also be a risky endeavor for students with post-secondary education on the horizon. In fact, college admissions experts say senior year is no time for high school students to throw it into neutral.
Right now, seniors should be submitting college applications and visiting prospective schools if they haven't already, said Red Wing High School guidance counselor Heidi Raasch. They should also be mindful of what's going on those applications, and joining any activities that could beef up a resume, she noted.
College admissions expert Katherine Cohen said now may also be an ideal time to visit universities. With classes in session, prospective students will get a real look at what life looks like on campus.
Raasch agreed.
Stretch your legs during visits, she suggested.
"Any extra people that you can connect with on campus" will help give you a better feel for the campus atmosphere.
Plus, she said visits with admissions officers may be worth the trip.
"Anything, so you're not just a piece of paper laying on a desk," Raasch said.
Raasch interviews every senior at the high school and keeps their plans on file. The reason isn't to steer students to colleges, she said. It's much more pragmatic.
"So everyone has something to do on June 6," Raasch said.
Four-year institutions draw the majority of Red Wing High School graduates. According to school data, 61 percent of seniors over the past three years have selected the four-year route.
About 90 percent of all students polled over those years chose some form of post-secondary education. Raasch noted that many of those students - 32 percent among the class of 2008 - planned for a two-year institution or trade school.
Many students in this year's crop have already sent out applications and are anxiously awaiting responses. Students should expect to know by January or February, Raasch said.
That's also about the time filing for financial aid begins. Now is a good time for students are parents to start planning for expenses, Raasch said.
"Financially, what can you afford?" she said.
Financial aid estimators are available online, Raasch said. The Internet offers many tools to prospective college students their parents never had access to, including online applications. Raasch said cautious parents shouldn't stress over the new process.
"It is safe; it is secure," she said.
But once acceptance letters start hitting mailboxes this winter, students should take the reins on their final decision, Cohen urges.
"This process is ultimately about the applicant," Cohen said. "Parents should take a step back and listen to their child's thoughts as he or she researches colleges with an open mind.
