March 11, 2013

The Long Road from College Choice to College Completion: Accepted, now what?

Mar. 11, 2013 at 09:00 AM | By Chelette Stephenson | 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.

Accepted, now what?

Even though your soon-to-be college student has celebrated with an “I got accepted” happy dance, the journey to enrollment often doesn’t stop there. Once accepted, a whirlwind of new challenges can arise. If they are anything like the average applicant these days, they probably applied and got accepted to more than one school – opening a whole new can of worms on deciding which school is the right choice. Regardless of the circumstances, deciding what steps to take after acceptance can be just as painful as deciding where to apply. College Acceptance Letter

Getting through this process is often made easier by throwing away preconceived notions about selectivity, prestige, affordability, campus life, etc. Why? The reasons for choosing to apply to a certain school are oftentimes different from the reasons a student should use when choosing to enroll.

The formula for making the most of college selection: start from scratch!

That’s right. When I tell this to my seniors they typically look at me like I’m crazy, but the truth is, starting the college research process over is your best shot at making the right decision. This entails revisiting college websites, community forums, and campuses (I highly recommend visiting again, overnight if possible) but, most importantly, this means asking the right questions.

I find that, for whatever reason, students and their families are afraid to ask questions, especially the tough ones. This can lead to making the wrong choice. I often tell my students that they would be surprised at how many people are willing to speak and help them with college besides me – friends in college, admissions officers, alumni, financial aid officers, professors, career services - they just have to find the courage to ask.

Here are a few questions for students and parents to keep in mind:

Friends in college – Besides _______, why did you choose to go to _______?
Admissions officers – How many students graduate in four years? Can you help me schedule a campus visit? Is it possible to speak with a current student or alum? Will my transfer credits be accepted (AP/IB, dual-enrollment)?
Financial aid officer – How much debt do most students graduate with? Do you have work-study programs? What is the FAFSA and when is the deadline? Can you help clarify my financial aid award letter? What other options do I have for financing tuition and other expenses? Can you recommend any financial aid resources?
Professors – Student to teacher ratios? Average class size? What are the academic requirements for a particular major? Can I sit in on a class lecture?
Career Services – What services do you offer students preparing for internships and job search? Do you offer any career assessments? What is the college/university’s job placement rate after graduation? Are their alumni services?

When reevaluating college selection criteria, it is helpful to create a simple list comparing your choices. This list should compare the pros and cons of:

academic and career interests
programs offered (how well do they relate to potential majors)
expected costs including financial aid, scholarships, student loans, living and transportation expenses
location and campus life (athletics, student activities, housing)
career services.

Getting into college is an awesome feeling. After all that hard work, nothing feels better than knowing an open door to the future awaits. However, as with any new beginning there are also new challenges and these new challenges sometimes mean starting from scratch. Students and their families can ensure this process is as painless as possible by reevaluating college selection criteria, visiting campus, and, most importantly, holding nothing back when asking the right questions.

It’s the simple things that change lives: Chelette Stephenson is the college and career center advisor at Magnolia ISD in Magnolia, Texas. For ideas and activities that work, check out Chelette’s blog, Texas College Lady.

Photo by mt 23 licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic.