Dear High School Seniors, This blog is for you…

Dear Seniors,

As usual, it has been a pleasure to work with you, see you grow and watch you through your final years of high school and prepare for the next step in life. I have a few pieces of advice to share. After being a first year seminar professor for many years and from working with teens for decades, I’ve learned a few things. The overarching theme is to gain social capital while in college! Here is what I mean-

1. Go to Office Hours: What are office hours? Professors and TA (teaching assistants) hold office hours either once or twice a week. They sit in their office and you can either stop by or meet with them virtually to discuss a recent paper you just received back, your overall grade, a question you may have or to gain guidance on how to navigate college in general. Establishing relationships with faculty will help you succeed in college, create connections outside of the classroom, effectively demonstrate communication skills and possibly build rapoire with a teacher who you might need to ask to write a letter of recommendation for either an internship, job or course.

2. Find a mentor: This can potentially be the result from attending office hours! But if not, seek out your academic advisor, coach, professor or another administrator such as a dean who is willing to work with you through college. A mentor can really coach you through the ups and downs of college life.

3. Build Social Capital across groups: This is key. Don’t just have one click of friends. Not only does that limit your social life but this limits your social connections that later in life could be a connection to an internship or potential job offer. Have friends in different groups- so join three types of clubs:

   1. An academic club

   2. A career-related club

   3. A club just for FUN!

4. Use Campus Resources: There are so many great offices that colleges provide. You need to use them when needed such as the writing center, academic advising, health center, mental health services and the gym. No one goes through college without using the great resources on campus.

5. Go to class: This goes without saying but you will miss relevant information and you will be behind in the course if you do not attend class.  Plus you will find your college experience more rewarding by attending class and you will do better grade-wise as well. Attend!

6. Give yourself Grace- The first semester is meant to be rocky. The first 4 weeks is the “OMG, I’m in college” phase but after that wears off, you start to feel the realty-check that this is where you are for now and you need to settle down, attend class, forge relationships and live a balanced life. So, go easy on yourself. Everyone feels homesick but know that if you keep a set schedule and stay balanced, it will pass.

   Want to learn more about how to work with Suzanne through your college years? She counsels students through college as well. Click here to learn more and to contact her.

A few thoughts on making the final decision….

After you receive all of your college admission decisions, you will need to assess your choices and make a final decision.

1. Lay out all of your acceptances on a table. Look at each school and think over how each makes you feel.

1. How does the college make you feel?

2. Review the location and size of each school

3. At which college can you imagine yourself at most? Why?

2. Re-visit Campus: Many schools offer an accepted student day. If not, make a plan to re-visit a few campuses, if you are unsure of which to choose to attend.

1. Meet with financial aid if you have any questions.

2. Ask about important issues to you such as housing, resdential life, support services for students such as disability resource center or mental health support.

3. Talk with current students while on campus.

3. Compare financial aid awards and contact the offices with questions.

4. While there is no rush, make sure you do not miss the deadline for notifying a college.

5. There is NO perfect school. Sorry folks, but it’s true. Just like all decisions in life, it’s part of your journey and what YOU make of college is what you’ll gain. And congratulations!f

   Want to learn more about Suzanne and Lagemann College Consulting, click here to get in contact with her.

Requesting teacher letters of recommendation

Now that the end of the school year is near, it is time for high school juniors to ask teachers for letters of recommendation. Spring is the best time to ask. This gives teachers the summer to write letters. Remember, teachers do not get paid extra for writing letters of recommendation. They write them on their own time.

Here are my tips for how to ask.

1. Ask in person: Find a time, either before school, after school, or at lunch time to ask a teacher when they are not too busy. Make eye contact and ask if they’d be willing to write you a letter of recommendation for your college application. During the conversation, share with the teacher anything of interest about you that may help the teacher write a compelling letter. What major you may be interested pursuing, courses you might be interested in taking, an internship you are looking into etc. If your school provides a brag sheet for you to complete to help the teacher write the letter, make sure you complete it.

2. Ask a Core Course Teacher: Admissions offices look for letters of recommendation to be written by core course teachers. So, request a letter from your science, math, history, English, or foreign language teacher.  If you are applying to a specialized college (STEM) and they request that you have a science or math teacher recommendation, make sure you follow through.

3. Ask a teacher that gave you an A (or B): Did you do well in the class? But most importantly, who can talk about your character. Even if you received a B for one quarter but improved your grade after that you can still ask that teacher. You want to ask a teacher from a core course that you did very well in and showed participation and enthusiasm.

4. Is the teacher from 11th or 10th grade? You should request a letter of recommendation from a teacher from 11th grade. But if that is not possible 10th grade would be the next best option. 9th grade is too far in the past. 11th grade teachers can write about your most current performance which admission offices look for.

5. Does the teacher specialize in what you want to study? If the teacher teaches in the field in which you want to study, bonus! This will help support your application tenfold!

Last, make sure to say thank you when asking for the letter of recommendation. Send a thank you note after the letter is written. Teachers who write letters of recommendation should be thanked!

Want to learn more about working with Suzanne? Click here to read about her services.

The RECIPE for college admissions

I have been a college admissions counselor for over a decade and have worked in higher education for almost 30 years so I can now say that there has been one question parents often ask me at our initial meeting: “What does my teen have to do to get into college?” Or “What is the recipe for my teen to get admitted?”

These types of questions can be answered in a simple way. I tell the parent that the teen should be authentically themselves to their best ability.

And here is the RECIPE to do that:

1. R: (Self-Reflect) The teen should reflect on what they find purpose in doing. Are they an artist, performer, dancer or singer? What about an athlete or maybe they started their own business walking pets. Whatever it may be, they should pursue it because it gives them purpose in life. When teens find purpose, they feel needed, self-confident, important and passionate about life. This, in turn, makes them feel ready for the next step in life: college. And this will show in their application.

2. E: (Educate) yourself about the right level of academics and academic rigor. This is very important in the admissions evaluation. This ingredient in the recipe for success in college admissions allows you to make sure you are taking courses in high school at the appropriate level. It’s important you are taking the courses colleges and universities look for, not just fulfill your high school graduation requirements; these can often be two totally different lists. Review course lists and analyze which courses you should register for and speak with your school counselor.

3. C: (Comprehensive College List) It is imperative that a teen has a well balanced and realistic list. This would include likely, target and reach schools. Use the latest admit rates to analyze and create a list with your teen. A well balanced list will give your teen a successful college admissions experience.

4. I: (Itinerary)Use a timeline through the college admissions process. This will keep the teen organized when writing their college essays, completing applications, requesting letters of recommendation and registering for standardized tests, etc. When a teen is organized they will feel grounded and self-confident throughout the college admissions journey.

5. P: (Prioritize)and manage expectations. Life always has bumps, twists, and turns and so does the college admissions journey. Know that your teen might change their mind (a few times) during the process and that’s totally normal and OK. They are only 16, 17 or 18 years-old! And it’s OK to not know what they want to major in as well. Show them support and grace as they navigate entering into young adulthood. They need all the support possible in order to fly.

6. E: (Empathy) As their parent, give empathy and grace throughout the college admissions journey. This is one, if the not the biggest decision your teen will make in their short life. They, at times, need time to evaluate, assess, and digest this decision. Have empathy for them.

   Want to learn more about working with Suzanne? Click here to learn about her services and to get in contact with her.

Essential Tips for writing your college essay!

The common app essay is a unique part of your college application. Aside from your transcript, application, and test scores (possibly), it is one of the only parts of the application that can show a part of who you are that stands a part from the rest of the other applicants. It is your voice. I have helped hundreds of students write their essay.

Here is my advice and my tips for how to write an amazing essay!

1. The essay should tell an authentic story about you. You have complete control over this part of your application.

2. Admission committees do not take a long time to read and review each application. Therefore, an essay that ‘hooks’ the reader will stand out in the admission officer’s mind, for whom, will inevitably, be the person that delivers and discusses your application to the committee.

3. Don’t write what you think the admissions committee wants to hear. I repeat, don’t write what you think they want to hear. Your entire application should be about you, not someone who you think they’ll accept.

4. Do not repeat any information about you that has already been communicated in other parts or your application.

5. Speak directly. Your voice will be heard. Discuss parts of you that you are most proud of.

Here is a quick outline of how to go about creating your essay.

1. Writing is a process. Have patience. Many students have been asked to write a personal narrative. If so, you can refer back to that assignment to help you start the process of your college essay. It should take at least 3 to 4 drafts for a well-crafted essay.

2. Take time to choose the right topic. A unique quality about you, experience or event should be discussed but it should be relevant to who you are today and who you want to become in the future. So, take time to write down a number of topic ideas. Think about them and start a draft of one or a few of your ideas. Over time, you will see which topic stands out and for which you feel most passionate about.

3. The idea you chose to write about should be simple. Simple.

4. Share a piece of who you are and reflect: For example, I am a listener. I like to ask questions and take the time to listen. At one of my first jobs, I realized that I enjoyed advising and working with students because I am a person in their life that listened to their thoughts and problems. It has helped me to be a strong student advocate, counselor and teacher.

5. The essay has a 650 word maximum. Make sure you are answering the essay prompt. 

6. Have a teacher or counselor review your essay.

7. Ensure that you have carved out time over the entire summer to dedicate to working through each stage of the writing process. Manage your time. You’ve got this!

8. Want personal help with your essay? Suzanne uses a one-of-a-kind exercise to help generate a unique topic for each student to write about. Contact her here to inquire about working with her.

Here is the website for the common app essay prompts:

https://www.commonapp.org/blog/2022-2023-common-app-essay-prompts

Four Tips on how to write a great brag sheet

Each Spring, high school guidance departments request that each rising senior and their parent(s)/guardian complete their own brag sheet. These brag sheets help the guidance counselor write their own letter of recommendation for the student. The brag sheets can be very helpful. Here are a few tips on how to complete it.

1. Be descriptive: Use as many adjectives and nouns as you can to describe yourself or the student throughout the brag sheet. Tell specific examples of how and why.

2. Do not describe your weakness or biggest struggle. This will be used if you write it so leave it out. Only use positive stories and description about the student.

3. Do not list awards, honors or accomplishments. This can be found in a resume or on the application. It should not be duplicated in a letter of recommendation.

4. Do not pigeonhole yourself by mentioning a major unless you are 100% sure you want to major in that field. Instead, discuss your strengths and interests that you’ll carry into college and beyond.

For more detailed and personalized advice, contact Suzanne here.

What are employers looking for in college grads…

This chart says it all. These skills are not learned from a finance major or accounting degree. These are ‘soft skills’ a term I really dislike. But, in the end, this is what employers value.

My point of this blog, is to say that often, and I mean often, I end up explaining to students and families that you do not need an undergraduate degree in business, such as finance or another quantitative degree. In fact, future business leaders need the skills, listed below, more than ever. Sure, you need a background in the field of the business you are in but if you are unable to communicate both verbally, and via writing, it will be tough. Roughly only 30% of undergraduates enter the field they majored in. Read that twice.

Managing relationships is key. Social capital is something that is not discussed enough. Communicate and work your network of social circles as you never know where a lead to a job might come!

Want to learn more about working with Suzanne? Click here to learn about her services.

Six Tips for attending Admitted Student Days

So you’ve been accepted into a number of colleges and universities. Now you need to decide which to attend. A great exercise to help you make the big decision is to attend Accepted Student Day events. Here are my six tips on how to make the best of these events:

1. Talk to as many current students as possible. Ask them about campus life, courses, housing and everything else.

2. Go on a campus tour and ask the student tour guide as many questions as possible. Read bulletin boards around campus during the tour as well. This will give you a feel for events held on campus.

3. Eat a meal in a dining hall. It is a great way to see a lot of current students and to check out the food.

4. Sit in on a class to get a sense of the faculty.

5. If offered, attend an activities/club fair. This will help you determine what activities are available to students.

6. Meet other fellow accepted students. You can get a feel if you feel as though you socially ‘fit in’.

   Want to learn more about working with Suzanne? Click here to learn about her services.

Campus Visits 101

As you embark on planning your spring trips to college campuses, here’s some definitions you’ll want to know: 

1. Campus Information Sessions, Tours and Financial Aid Sessions

   A. Make a plan- start out visiting schools that are within easy access so that you do not need to take time away from work and school for too long. Visit schools in the small, medium and large range if possible to get a feel for each different size school environment experience. Then once the student gets a better feel for the type of school, you can plan a multi-day trip to visit multiple campuses. 

B. Schedule visits. Typically on the admissions page of a school’s website, you can book your visit on their online calendar. The student’s information should be used. Make sure to use a personal email address, not your high school email address when registering. 

When scheduling you will most likely have the option to attend both an information session and a campus tour. Many times, schools offer a financial aid session as well. Decide what’s best for your window of time and register for one or all of the offered events. 

C. Information session usually starts off your visit and is held in the admissions office or in a large space where many can congregate to hear the presentation. Sometimes it’s a powerpoint presentation, often it’s simply a representative from admissions welcoming you to campus and providing you with an overview of life at the college or university and giving you key details about the school that they want to make sure you go home with. In other words, this is their sales pitch!

Tour: Most campus tours will cover the following:

Academic buildings

Recreational facilities

Library

First year-Residential dorm

Campus landmarks

Financial Aid Information Session:

Need based aid

FAFSA: Free Application for Student Aid

CSS Profile (if applicable)

Merit based aid

Loans

Grants

Work Study

2. Open Houses are typically offered once a month and on a weekend day. It offers the prospective student a more in-depth look at a college or university. Usually a school offers a campus tour, information session, academic and student panels, lunch or brunch and time to talk with other current and prospective students. You also have the opportunity to have a more specific tour that is geared toward what you may want to major in. For example, at an open house at Union College, they offer an engineering specific tour, led by an engineering major.

3. Virtual Tours are a great option as no one can visit every school you apply to and it gives you the same information that an in-person information session typically does. 

4. Self-Guided Tour: If you are unable to register for an official tour or visit. Use a school’s self-guided tour which is usually vis podcast or on their admissions website. 

5. Overnight Stays are great at any time in the college admissions journey but especially when you are deciding between acceptances, spring of your senior year. Spending time with a current student and staying on campus overnight is the best way to be exposed to campus life both in and out of the classroom.

6. Admitted student days take place in winter and spring of your senior year. After you are accepted, you will be invited to attend. They are very helpful in making the final decision on which school to choose. Typically a school provides tours, academic presentations and panel discussions, student panels, meals with current students and time to meet other accepted students as well. 

Visiting colleges is essential in deciding what type of school you’d like to attend. 

• If you want to learn my tips and strategies on what to do while visiting, reach out to Suzanne for a free consultation

Teacher Cadet Program

In states across the US, high school students are getting hands on exposure and experience to the career of teaching in K-12 public schools. The Teacher Cadet Program in many states offers high school students the chance to gain practical experience and knowledge about the field of education and many of them decide to enter the field of teaching after graduating from college.

The Bureau of Labor & Statistics states that over 200,000 openings in K-12 public education will occur over the next decade. The Teacher Cadet Program offers a promising solution to the teacher shortage nation wide.

Some of the goals of the Teacher Cadet Program is to:

1. Teacher Cadets learn about the science of learning, professional expectations and responsibilities of teachers, human development and the history of education.

2. The program has another key benefit — encouraging local students to pursue education and hiring teachers from the community helps schools recruit and retain a diverse faculty.

If you would like to embark on a college planning journey, set up a free consultation with Suzanne, here.