Dear Friend,
Settling back down into the routine of school and life can be a bit difficult after the rush of the holidays, but I always found these months in between Christmas and spring to be among our most productive in an educational sense. It’s really too cold to spend much time outside and the weather too dreary to lure us out to activities. So we spent our days doing schoolwork, reading by the fire, and investigating topics of interest. I wish for you all such rich memories!
It’s been a busy winter of writing for me and am I hoping to have several new resources for you by summer. As the college application process continues to get increasingly competitive, more and more families are realizing that they need guidance to help their children be successful. Our team has been busy putting together a brand new series of books, The College Application Series. I am excited about how they are shaping up and can’t wait to share them with you. I’ll keep you posted!
This week we continue with the topic of selecting the best college for your student.
Blessings,
Jeannette
Back to top
Feature Article: Researching Colleges
Check your Field
It is easy to Google the top ranked schools in your field of interest to get the industry take on various colleges. This will tell you which schools are considered powerhouses and command the attention of recruiters in particular fields. It gives us a place to begin our research.
While some students are fairly sure of their major, it is always wise to select a school that gives you room to move. It is also important to think about what else your student would like to pursue. For example, my daughter wanted an engineering major at a well-respected science school AND continue her violin study with master teachers. As a safety net, she also wanted a strong math and physics department should she decide to change majors. We had to find a school that offered all of the above (not an easy task). Finally, we needed schools with a history of generous financial aid, either need-based scholarships or merit scholarships.
As we began our search, we found some schools that offered a fabulous math department but a mediocre engineering department. For my student who could go either way, this was not a good choice. Some schools were engineering only, leaving no room to change majors. Some schools did not have engineering at all. Some schools had great science, but had limited opportunities for music or did not have good financial aid. This sifting and sorting process was the first of many steps.
Be aware that if your student plans to go to graduate school at a top ranked institution, chances are they will need to get a bachelors degree at a good mid-tier school or be an absolutely stellar, top-ranked student at a strong state school.
Once you’ve narrowed the schools to those who have what you want, you must then carefully scrutinize each school.
What to Read
If you are considering a top or mid-tier school, I recommend starting with Choosing the Right College: The Whole Truth About America's Top Schools by Intercollegiate Studies Institute. Updated annually, this huge book looks at America's top 100 schools and gives you a perspective on campus life as well as statistics on admission, crime, cost, and student debt. They look at the outstanding professors on campus, core academic requirements and whether the school offers a true Western civics core component. While ISI does tend to focus more on the liberal arts rather than the quantitative subjects, it is invaluable to get a feel for each campus. They report the overall on speech codes, co-ed bathrooms, sensitivity requirements, alcohol and drug use, etc.
ISI also publishes All American Colleges: Top Schools for Conservatives, Old-fashioned Liberals, and People of Faith. This book has the same format, but lists ISI's favorite schools - usually small, liberal arts schools that do a good job with the Western canon.
I also keep an eye of publications like World magazine which frequently reports on the academic freedom of colleges both Christian and secular.
The feature for the next Transitioning to College e-zine will be “Questions to Ask Colleges.” Stay tuned!
If you enjoyed this essay, check out Jeannette’s new book Called to Influence which contains this entire essay plus many more dealing preparing your children for college and the application process itself.
Back to top
Resources: Recommended Books for College Research
The Intercollegiate Studies Institute does a great job of looking at America’s top colleges and answering the questions that lay heavy on a parent’s heart. Choosing the Right College and All American Colleges are both valuable resources in your college search. We offer them both on our website.
Back to top
Forward
Do you know someone else who would benefit from this newsletter? Forward it to them!
Did someone else forward this email to you? Subscribe here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox!
If you’ve missed past editions of Training for Excellence, visit our Archives!
Back to top
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.
Back to top
|
