Dear Friend,
Summer is definitely here. It’s 100º in the shade, the apricots just keep falling, and my basil is ready to harvest. Last week the huge combines finished cutting the wheat field directly in front of my window so there is a sea of golden stubble as far as the eye can see. I love the seasonal rhythm of the rural countryside and, for all its hardship, consider myself blessed to be a part of it.
Whatever your landscape or your rhythm, I hope summer is providing a change of pace and a time to reflect. Life is hard, but God is good.
Blessings,
Jeannette
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[High School] Strategically Applying to College
The horror stories are out there, like the one about the valedictorian and National Merit Finalist that didn’t get into a single college. It happens, but there is no reason that it should.
With the advent of online applications and the Common Application, more and more students are applying to more and more colleges, driving the competition numbers into the stratosphere. Some top schools have as many as 27,000 applications for 1,500 slots.
In response, there are families who apply to huge numbers of schools. I’ve overheard mothers talking about 17-25 schools! That gets horribly expensive (often $65-$100 per school) and there is no way a student can do a good job on that many applications.
We have to acknowledge that competition is an issue, but we also need to keep our sanity. We do this by spreading the risk.
No matter how outstanding the student, they should apply to a range of schools:
1 or 2 schools that are not very competitive in admissions (but might have great scholarships) 2 or 3 schools where your student is a great fit (test scores, interests, potential majors) and are mid-range on the competitiveness scale 2 or 3 schools that are a stretch, but your student might have a shot if your application does its work well
By following this strategy, your student only needs to apply to 7- 8 schools.
Part of the job of a college consultant is to help you determine what schools are a good fit for your student and how to spread the risk out so you wind up with a school that your student loves that helps them grow.
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[Younger Years] Feeling Alone?
If you are training for excellence, your family will not look like other people in your world. My clients routinely report feeling alone, being unsure of the direction to take since they’ve never seen anyone doing what they are attempting, desiring but not finding close friendships for themselves or their children. It’s easy for me to understand because I’ve been there.
It can get rugged. It can feel that you are wandering in the wilderness without a map and sometimes, without a drink of water. You just have to remember that the desert experience is found throughout scripture. The great men of the Bible spent much time alone:
It was always a time of preparation. A time of strengthening. A time of growth. After coming out of the wilderness, these men challenged their culture and impacted the world.
It can help if you re-frame a wilderness experience by looking for the lessons you are to learn from it (and helping your children do the same). It’s not a time to complain or grow weary, but a time to stretch and make new discoveries about yourself. Have courage!
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Resources: Summer Reading Suggestions
Summer often gives us the chance to step back and look at life from a different vantage point. If there is a hammock and a glass of lemonade calling your name, I would encourage you to check out Margin and The Overload Syndrome. They were required reading for my adult children, especially for my college-age daughter. We often share them with my friends.
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About Us
Jeannette Webb is the founder of Aiming Higher Consultants, a firm dedicated to helping Christian students gain admission to great colleges. She has a heart for assisting parents as they train their children for excellence. Jeannette works to empower families to make thoughtful choices for their younger children, to confidently navigate the difficult high school years, and then ace the college admissions process.
If you liked today’s issue, you’ll love her personalized consulting services that help you map out a holistic plan for your student.
While Jeannette is best known for her clear-sighted counseling, her clients feel that her biggest gift to their family was permission to be themselves.
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