10 Ways to Research a College When You Can’t Visit in Person

The best way to get the real scoop on a college is to visit. However, that can be expensive and time consuming. Here are our suggestions for other ways to research a college if you can't visit in person. 1. Use the college website. Specifically, a student should look at the admissions section, academic sections, student organizations, and most importantly the student newspaper. The student newspaper is the one "unfiltered" piece on most websites. Some campuses might also have student blogs…

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If You Don’t Ask the Question, The Answer Is Always No

I just explained this quote to my 9-year-old son. He was puzzled. What does that quote mean and why should he care? I think it’s an important life lesson; don’t you? It's Always Best to Ask We all have moments where we wish we had asked a question. For instance, I learned the hard way that I would never get a discount for auto services if I didn’t ask. I now ask EVERY single time if there is anything that…

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How Do I Get Professors to Know Me?

So many students are intimidated by college professors and with good reason. The stereotypical professor is old, immersed in their own books and is way smarter than the student. Students assume correctly that professors are busy and they don’t want to waste their time. However, students need the mentorship of teachers. Ideas and intellect grow with this nurturing. Most faculty are excited about teaching young people. Many professors say that they sit at office hours waiting for students to come…

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College Planning: The 3 Most Important Documents

We are currently meeting with many Sophomores and Juniors in High School. Everyone has the same question before we meet: what do we need to bring to the meeting? Here’s our answer for what we need to know for an initial meeting and generally what your family needs to start the college planning process. High School Transcript Colleges look at the type of coursework a student has taken and how they have done in those courses. The GPA is a…

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How to Stay Safe on College Campuses

Many college students are simply unaware that they must look out for their personal safety and security at college. Be sure to talk with your college-bound student about campus safety. This may be the first time that they are away from home without a family member or close friend to look after them. They must get used to new ways of doing things, a new place and a new schedule which may leave them walking around unfamiliar areas at odd times…

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Beware Senioritis

Senioritis--Why Avoid It? We often joke about Senioritis. Technically it means the pain of being a Senior but for most, it’s not exactly painful. It’s that time when students are so close to finishing up and want to coast their way to the finish line. After all, there is so much going on with prom, upcoming graduation parties, the taste of their new college life and that impending freedom from parents. Students have worked so hard and just want a…

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College Safety: How to Stay Safe on Campus

Many college students are simply unaware that they must look out for their own safety and security at college. This may be the first time that they are away from home without a family member or close friend to look after them. They must get used to new ways of doing things, a new place and a new schedule which may leave them walking around unfamiliar areas at odd times of the day and night. I always suggest that students find…

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Top Scholarship Myths

As an independent college career counselor, I hear lots of scholarship myths. Here are the most common: 1. Everyone has a scholarship. This scholarship information is not true. Most money comes from the college itself in the form of grants or loans. Most people do not apply for, nor have scholarship money. Schools often use the word “scholarship” in reference to many different things, even things like a “tuition discount.” Beware of the use of the word “scholarship.” 2. You should…

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What is the Most Important Skill for Finding a Good Job?

Many people have been over-emphasizing the fact that students need special credentials and certifications to prove themselves (for example, see Jeffrey Selingo's newest book.) They take endless classes, get a myriad of certifications, and read informative articles to educate themselves. I think this is the wrong approach. Instead, I think we need to do a better job of articulating what we have learned. People in the workforce today seem to be having an unusually hard time articulating their skills. This…

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The 2 Questions You Must Always Ask Yourself

I often think about two basic questions which have shown up multiple times in my life and will continue to keep me thinking. Since I struggle with these questions, I am especially empathetic to young people as I ask them and they ask themselves these important questions. Questions You Must Always Ask Yourself: #1 - What do you want? This first question is usually the harder of the two and the more important of the two. We have so many…

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