April 8, 2013

High School Students on Learning, #EDTech, and College Admissions

Apr. 8, 2013 at 08:00 AM | By Marlysa Connolly | Comment Count

From deciding where to apply to taking those first steps onto campus to receiving a degree, join Hobsons over the next few months as we follow students, counselors, and their families on the path from college choice to completion. See more in the series.

Before the final bell rings for summer break, we reached out to the source, high school students, to garner their perspective on learning, education technology, college search, and their advice to younger students starting the college admissions process.

Here’s what Maya, Rachel, and Fabio had to say.

Education and Technology

Why is education important and what class activities help you learn best?

Maya: I think education is extremely important because it helps you develop into a human being. It gives you knowledge and life lessons that you need later on. It helps you get into university, which provides you with a good job.

The teaching methods that work best are the ones that actually get you engaged. Something visual or something to get you involved. There’s nothing worse than a class where there is a teacher talking on and on and doesn’t stop until the end of the lesson.

How is technology used in the classroom at your school?

Maya: Most work in subjects such as Humanities, French, and English, sometimes we need to use the computers for research or to write out a paper. If so, the teacher books us in for a computer session at one of the computer labs or in the library. Although, this will change next year because we will have laptops.

Most of my friends have Facebook and I like it because it’s another way to communicate to friends and also connect.

College Choice

Deciding where to enroll is sometimes as stressful as deciding where to apply. How did you make your final decision?

Rachel: As I, a senior at Westhill High School, went through this process during the first semester of my senior year, I began with choosing a major. I chose to pursue a career in pharmacy due to the fact that I am interested in medicine.

Naviance was a great tool in helping decide what schools I should apply too. Naviance allowed me to choose a school based on all academic requirements and based on price, location, campus life, and of course my major.

As letters from colleges came rolling in, my first college acceptance also granted me a presidential scholarship. Ecstatic about the good news, I immediately whisked my parents into visiting the school. Everything seemed to fit about this college, until I walked through it; it just wasn’t a satisfactory fit for me. I pictured college to be a social and working atmosphere where I felt comfortable to be myself.

Why should high school students visit college and/or university campuses before choosing to enroll?

Fabio: I began researching for colleges last year. I used multiple resources, including: U.S. News Best Colleges, Payscale, Naviance, and college mailings. I have visited over a dozen colleges over the years. I believe visits are crucial and that every student should visit the colleges they are applying to because you really get a feel of the community, the programs it has to offer, and most importantly, if you fit in.

Lessons Learned

What recommendations do you have for students and families beginning the college search process?

Fabio: I would recommend to students who are just starting to research colleges to truly invest their time in writing college campuses. You definitely do not want to be the kid who enrolls to a school and then find [s] out you really don’t fit in and your would have been better elsewhere. During your campus visit, you should have questions for the admissions department and talk to fellow students. If you set yourself apart, I really think you will have an advantage in the admissions process. Best of luck!

Rachel: As senior year approaches, the pressure of college sets in on students across the country. For the past four year [s] we have been building a resume full of grades, test scores, writing [samples], sports and extracurricular activities to compete against each other, and be noticed by college admission officers. All this work goes into the aspiration of being accepted into a school of choice and pursuing a career that will secure jobs for the rest of their lives.

I highly recommend visiting a college before deciding on what school to attend - don’t judge a book by its cover, there’s a difference between how a college can be portrayed on paper than in person. The college process can be stressful but you don’t have to go through it alone. Visit your guidance counselor often, start the process early, get your parents involved, and use Naviance to answer any question [s] you have.

Maya Harrington is fourteen years old and attends St. Michaels in Melbourne, Australia

Fabio Jaime is a graduating senior at Westhill High School in Stamford, CT. He plans to pursue a degree in Finance or Business Economics in college.

Rachel Vatman is a graduating senior at Westhill High School in Stamford, CT. She plans to pursue a doctorate degree in pharmaceutical medicine.