Should I apply early?

Many colleges and universities have Early Decision and Early Action deadlines coming up, some as soon as October 15. One of the strategic decisions I often help students with is deciding whether or not to apply early. Here are a few general thoughts I share with my clients on the different options:

Early Decision: This is a binding agreement with the college where you agree to attend that school if you are accepted during the Early Decision process. You may only apply Early Decision to one college or university at a time. Applying Early Decision can increase your odds of being accepted at that school, so it can be a great option for students who have a clear first choice. The downside is that you probably won't be offered any merit-based scholarships via this route.

Early Action: Early Action is a non-binding way to get an admissions decision back from schools long before the regular admission pool. This may help you to eliminate schools from your college list, and it can also provide peace of mind knowing you have been accepted to one or more schools that you like.

Regular admission: This is a good option for students who want to weigh acceptance offers from multiple schools before deciding which school they want to attend. If you want to wait and see what your financial aid offers are, and if you want to know whether or not you’re eligible for merit-based grants, it can be best to enter the regular admission pools at multiple colleges.

Rolling admission: Some schools do not have a specific deadline for admission. It can be nice to have a rolling admission school or two as backup options in case you are not granted admission to one of your top schools.

Above all else, recognize that your situation is unique! You don’t have to apply Early Decision just because your friends are all doing it. Conversely, it can be kind of nice to have your college decisions for next year made before the winter holiday break—if that’s the right choice for you. This is a great discussion to have with your college admissions counselor. At Confluence College Admissions Consulting, we can help you think these decisions through with your unique situation in mind.

#ieca #iec

Bridges and Bonds

If you or someone in your family is a graduating senior applying for college, you're probably experiencing the stresses that come along with the college admissions process. These can range from being overwhelmed by all the complex aspects of the college application process to feeling worried about the financial implications for your family.

I'm excited to announce that I am teaming up with resonant healing coach and family constellations facilitator Ann Malabre to offer a free six-session workshop, "Bridges and Bonds," in which we'll tackle these and a number of other thorny topics surrounding college admissions. Structured around a series of circle discussions, we'll form a supportive small community of people seeking to build stronger relationships between parents and graduating teens in the midst of the transition from high school to college. These will be opportunities to share strategies and information, and troubleshoot problem areas together.

We'll meet twice a month from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. in the Cottonwood Room on the second floor of the Bozeman Public Library. Our first meeting will be this Thursday, October 5. Future dates are as follows:

Thursday, October 26

Thursday, November 9

Monday, November 27

Monday, December 4

Monday, December 18

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions: jim@confluenceadmissions.com. I hope to see some of you there this Thursday!

College visit: MSU Northern

This week I toured the campus of Montana State University Northern, a four-year university of about 1100 students located in Havre, a community of about 9,300 people and the "crown jewel of the Hi-Line,” the east-west rail line running between Havre and Whitefish.

One of the things about MSU Northern that became most evident to me during my tour was that everybody on campus knows each other by name. Many colleges boast that they have small and intimate campus communities, but this was the first time I've ever been on a college tour when everybody we passed greeted my tour guide by name, and I counted six people who either high-fived him or fist-bumped him as we walked by. Students are noticeably friendly and welcoming toward one another in a way that was impossible not to see.

MSU Northern serves students nationwide, as well as some international students, but at the same time, its flagship programs are well tailored to the needs of the largely agricultural communities of northern and central Montana. Northern's Bachelor of Science in Diesel Technology is recognized nationally as the premier program for diesel technicians who are aiming for a career in the industry, from technicians through management positions. Northern's program provides students with a balanced, detail-oriented education that not only teaches the principles and systems used in the industry, but also includes hands-on training on a wide variety of industry-standard machines and equipment. Through this well-rounded, in-depth program, Northern graduates receive a technically sound education that can open doors all over the world. The Diesel Technology Center facility houses a line of big bore engine technology utilized in the railroad and shipping industries.

Other popular, high-quality majors include advertising, communications, biology (including pre-nursing), psychology, and kinesiology and exercise science.

If you're looking for a small school where you'll build meaningful relationships with your peers and faculty, MSU Northern might be the college for you!

#iec #ieca #pnacac #collegecounselor #collegecounseling #collegeadmissions #collegeadmissionsconsulting

Prescott College info session

I am excited to be working with Rebekah Dodson, Assistant Director of Admissions at @prescott_college, to present a free special college information night at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, September 18, at Bozeman Field School. We'll be sharing with students and their families our insights about how to get ready for college, how to apply, how to pay for college, and more. Refreshments (read: pizza) will be provided.

I'm especially excited to partner with Prescott College because they offer some really exciting experiential degree programs and follow a block schedule that lends itself well to giving students a valuable and memorable college experience. And I'm excited to reunite with my friends and colleagues at @bozemanfieldschool, the school that first brought me to Bozeman back in 2017.

Come see us next Monday evening, September 18, at Bozeman Field School! #collegeadmissions #collegeadmissionsconsulting #collegecounseling #collegecounselor #ieca #pnacac

College visit: University of Montana Western

Last week I paid a visit to the University of Montana Western, located in Dillon, Montana. Dillon is a small town of 4,200 people, and Western has about 1,300 undergraduate students. My tour guide told me that the largest classes at the university this fall are capped at 27 students. So if you're looking for a small-town feel, with a tightly knit campus community where everyone knows each other and small class sizes throughout your undergraduate years, Western might be the school for you.

One of my favorite things about the University of Montana Western is its block schedule, called Experience One (X1). With X1, you take one course at a time for 18 days, take a short break, then move on to your next course. This structure provides students with immersive experiential learning, giving them a distinct advantage in their future careers and preparation for graduate school. Montana Western is the only U.S. public university offering this unique scheduling option. (There are a handful of private colleges that do this.)

Popular and high-quality majors at Montana Western include early childhood education, business administration and management, and exercise science and kinesiology. Beyond these, Montana Western has several unique programs, including the nation's only bachelor's degree program in natural horsemanship. Students in the Natural Horsemanship program are taught the “La Cense Method,” a progressive, step-by-step process that blends the best of traditional horsemanship training with the art of training and riding horses—all in a manner that works with a horse’s behavior, instincts, and personality. Taking a positive and respectful approach, the La Cense Method gradually builds trust and frees horses to be confident in all they are asked to perform. During my visit, it felt like every person I met on campus had some connection to horses, rodeos, and ranching, and the Dillon area feels like the ideal place to pursue equine studies as a field of serious academic study.

If you'd like to learn more about Montana colleges and universities, as well as colleges nationwide, use the contact form on my website to schedule a free consultation.

#ieca #pnacac #iec

Preparing for college visits

September and October are popular months for juniors and seniors to visit colleges. Many high schools will excuse students for a certain number of college visit days. If you’re going to physically visit colleges, which I strongly recommend before enrolling at any school, here are my top five suggestions for preparing for these visits:

1. Find out who your regional admissions counselor is. Most colleges and universities have a member of their admissions team designated for your region of the country. This is the person who’ll be your strongest advocate when it comes time for the admissions committee to review your application. It’s great if you can get to know this person a little bit—by email, Zoom, or in person.

2. Participate in an on-campus tour, information session, or open house. This will give you a good sense of what the college believes its own strengths and selling points are.

3. If available, schedule a personal interview. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic started, many colleges have moved away from doing in-person admissions interviews. But some schools still do them, either in person or via Zoom. If this is an option, do it! It’s a great way to learn more about the school, and it will almost certainly make your application stand out (in a good way).

4. Leave time for exploration. Take a self-guided tour of the campus. This is a good way to visit the studio art spaces if that is an interest of yours, and it’s also nice to sample the food at the school cafeteria or check out the library. You’ll learn more about the school from this informal walking tour beyond what you were able to experience as part of an official tour.

5. Visit multiple schools. Ideally, visit different kinds of schools. Visit both large and small schools. Both highly selective schools and less selective schools. Private liberal arts colleges and state universities. Through your multiple school visits, you’ll develop a sense of what kind of school feels most like the kind of place you want to spend the next four years.

If you’re looking for support with any aspect of your college process, please use the contact form on my website to schedule a free one-hour consultation!

Eleventh grade: looking ahead

The junior year of high school is the time I recommend for most students to begin their college search process in earnest. Here are Jim’s top 5 tips for high school juniors wanting to get ready for college:

1. Do well in school. If you’re applying to selective colleges, doing well academically is always important. But it’s especially important to rise to the challenge during your junior year. Eleventh grade is the year colleges examine most closely when they look at your application. Be sure to shore up your study habits, take care of your health, and ask your teachers for extra help when you need it.

2. Begin drafting a college list. This can begin with thinking about your high school. What do you like and dislike about your high school’s community? Do you like a small school or a large school? Do you want the option of taking honors classes? Do you like sports teams and a strong sense of school spirit? Do you prefer urban or rural? Then make plans to visit schools, either as part of family travel or as a college-specific trip.

3. Study for, and take, the SAT and/or ACT. Many colleges and universities are now test optional, but some still require standardized testing. Once you get your results back, then you can decide whether to take the test again, send your results to colleges, or omit sending scores.

4. Practice kind, respectful self talk. You may experience pressure from parents, teachers, coaches, and peers to get good grades and also perform well in sports and other extracurricular activities. This can be stressful. Remind yourself that you are doing your best, be proud of your achievements, and offer yourself words of affirmation and positivity. You deserve it.

5. Make use of your college counselor. Whether this person is an employee of your high school or an independent college admissions consultant, this person knows the process inside and out and is there to support you.

If you'd like to learn more about any aspect of the college admissions process, use the contact form on my website to schedule a free one-hour consultation.

#iec #ieca #collegeadmissions #collegecounselor #collegecounseling #collegeadmissionsconsultant #pnacac #sat

Success in tenth grade

Sophomore year of high school is often regarded as a kind of “middle child” year. Some students report experiencing a kind of existential ennui—and a resulting loss of purpose. But it doesn't have to be that way! Here are my top 5 tips for making tenth grade a meaningful year in the college preparation process:

1. Read, read, read. If there’s one thing you can do to improve your academic performance across all classes, it’s developing your reading skills. The great news here is that it mostly doesn’t matter what you read; to derive the intellectual benefits of reading, it only matters that you read.

2. Continue to grow as a learner. How did freshman year go? What do you want to build on, or improve on? I recommend setting goals that are less about results (“I will get an A in Spanish”) and more about habits. “I will show my English teacher a draft of all my papers before handing them in” is a worthwhile goal, as is “I will read one book for pleasure over winter break.”

3. Deepen your involvement. Maybe last year you joined your high school’s badminton team. Consider committing to a regular practice and training schedule to help you improve as a player and team leader.

4. Keep a journal. Write in it at least four days a week for 30 minutes. No need to show it to anyone else—this journal is for your personal use only. It’s a great way to collect thoughts, process your experiences, vent your frustrations, and celebrate your successes. Research shows that keeping a journal is good for your emotional health. This is especially important during the inevitable turbulent times that will come.

5. Prepare for, and take, the PSAT. Taking the PSAT in the spring of sophomore year sets you up to take the SAT in your junior year. That way you can re-take the SAT if you wish to improve your score. Before you take the PSAT, I strongly recommend preparing for it so that you’ll be familiar with the test format. Khan Academy has a free online course designed for PSAT prep.

If you'd like to learn more about the college preparation process, use the contact form on my website to schedule a free consultation.

#collegeadmissions
#collegecounselor
#collegecounseling
#collegeadmissionsconsultant
#iec

Settling into ninth grade

High schools in the Bozeman area are set to begin the fall semester next week. If you are a ninth-grade student or parent of one, here are some thoughts about what you can do now to get yourself set up well for life during and after high school:

1. Prioritize healthy routines. Establish a consistent bedtime and stick to it. Aim for at least eight hours of sleep every night. Put your phone away an hour before bed. Eat nutrient-rich food, mostly vegetables. Start with a protein-packed breakfast. Get regular exercise: at least 20 minutes a day, five days a week.

2. Get involved. Pick two activities to participate in. They could be activities you’ve done for years, or you may choose to do something entirely new. Ninth grade is an ideal time to explore. If you feel like joining the wrestling team, do it. If you want to try out the forensics club because you’re a true crime aficionado, give it a whirl. You’ll create new friendships, and you’ll learn new things. Make your selections based on what sounds good to you. Don’t try to guess at what colleges want.

3. Focus on developing good study habits. Rather than setting goals centering on grades (“I will get an A in math”), set goals focusing instead on your own habits of mind (“I will study math 30 minutes every school night,” “I will meet with my math teacher after school one week before every exam”).

4. Plan intentional family time. Sit down for a home-cooked meal with your family at least once a week. Everyone should put their phones and digital devices away. If your parents are too busy to cook, consider volunteering. It might sound hokey, but consider planning an interesting conversation topic for your time together. Make your family memories something you’ll look back on fondly.

Consider signing up for my ninth-grade package to help with all this! And note that I've said basically nothing about college. That's intentional. We'll have plenty of time later to get you set up for success in college. Let's focus now on getting you situated in high school.

If you're ready to take a deeper dive into getting ready for college, use the contact form on my website to schedule a free one-hour consultation!

#iec

Montana Tech

Our next stop in this summer's tour of Montana colleges and universities is Montana Technological University, which I visited earlier this week. Montana Tech is Montana's premier STEM-focused university and a great option for students looking for great return on investment, in terms of their earning potential upon graduation relative to how much it costs to attend.

Montana Tech is located just a few miles from the Continental Divide in Butte, a city of about 35,000 people situated in southwest Montana. Formerly one of the biggest copper mining towns in the country, Butte's economy today centers on renewable energy and health care. It has extensive historic neighborhoods with an abundance of lavish Victorian homes and Queen Anne style cottages built in the late nineteenth century, and is surrounded by beautiful mountains with exciting recreational activities including skiing, hiking, mountain biking, whitewater paddling, and much more.

A main draw to Montana Tech is its excellent programs in mining and petroleum engineering, civil engineering, management sciences and information systems, and public health. It so happens that I toured the university with a prospective student who is interested in the university's relatively new program in construction management, an interdisciplinary degree in which students develop skills in both business management and construction technology. The business training includes a general business curriculum as well as specific coursework related to estimating, construction contracts, labor issues, safety, information technology, and project management. Students studying under the Construction Management track have been very successful in landing industry-related internships and full-time professional employment straight out of college.

Because Montana Tech has an undergraduate population of only 2,500, students get lots of personalized attention from faculty members, the campus feels compact, and there is a strong emphasis on a family-style community culture.

If you'd like to learn more about Montana colleges, career opportunities, and the college admissions process, visit my website and schedule a free consultation today!

Why today’s students are anxious

This afternoon I attended a webinar entitled "The Post-Pandemic Landscape of Educational Consulting: Key Industry Shifts and Insights." This webinar covered many useful topics, but perhaps the most important was the changes we've seen in the current crop of high school students preparing to start college, compared to their peers from years past.

I think the overarching theme I took from today's webinar is that students today are more anxious than ever before. There are lots of reasons, but here are a few general trends:

1. Today's students feel unprepared, socially and emotionally, to leave home and start college. Many of them feel that they lost an important year of social development, or more, during the pandemic, and haven't fully recovered. Many of them don't feel ready to be away from home, living in a dorm, and taking on full responsibility for their future.

2. Students feel--and in some cases are--behind academically, especially when it comes to reading and writing. They worry that they will not be able to keep up with the heavy reading and writing responsibilities they'll have as college students, and they worry that they won't understand the material.

3. They worry about the financial side of attending college. They worry that they'll take on large amounts of student loan debt and then find themselves, after college, unable to repay it.

4. They lack confidence in their own skills, sense of purpose, and decision-making ability.

5. They lean more heavily on their parents than students did in the past, especially when it comes to decision making and executive functioning.

I can help students reduce their anxiety in all of these areas. First, I get to know students so that I can understand their hopes, dreams, and fears. Second, I do interest and aptitude surveys with them to help them recognize the skills they do have and feel more confident about them. Third, I advise them while they draft their college lists, personal statements, and supplemental essays to help them see how they will contribute to a college community.

For more on how I can help reduce your student's anxiety, use the contact form on my website and schedule a free consultation!

The new FAFSA

If you are seeking need-based financial aid to help support your college education, you and your parents will need to fill out the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It gathers information about the student’s and family’s financial situation to determine eligibility for grants, scholarships, and loans. FAFSA opens doors to funding opportunities that can make higher education more affordable.

Something to know, though, is that the FAFSA is currently undergoing major revision, and this year won't be available until December. Here is what we know so far about the 2023 changes:

1. The new form is shorter and simpler to fill out. The new FAFSA has only 36 questions, rather than the previous 130-plus. Keep in mind that Student Aid Index (SAI) replaces Expected Family Contribution (EFC), although these two terms are essentially identical in meaning.

2. The family’s contribution will no longer be divided by the number of students they have in college. Instead, the new SAI will represent what each student is expected to be able to pay. Siblings will no longer get a financial advantage for being in school at the same time.

3. For divorced parents, the parent who provides the most financial support has to file the FAFSA with their income and assets. In most cases, this makes the SAI much higher than if the custodial parent (who may have made much less) filed and reported, as they would have with previous years’ FAFSAs. It also includes spousal income for the remarried parent who makes the most.

4. The government will automatically collect your tax return data from the IRS for FAFSA purposes. Previously, parents had the option to import their tax data, but it didn’t happen automatically.

If you'd like guidance on how to fill out the FAFSA, about how to pay for college, or about any other aspects of the college readiness and admission process, use the contact form on my website to reach out and schedule a free consultation.

#collegecounselor #collegecounseling #collegeadmissions #financialaid #collegeadmissionsconsultant #collegeadmissionsconsulting #ieca #iec #pnacac

University of Montana

The next stop on our summer tour of Montana colleges and universities is the University of Montana. Located in Missoula, a charming city of 75,000 people with its plethora of great restaurants and microbreweries along the banks of the Clark Fork River, U of M is home to about 7,000 undergraduate students. The campus has a friendly, laid-back feel to it, with tons of recreational opportunities including hiking, skiing, and tubing right from the main campus. An annual tradition, the Freshman Float, happens in August when the new freshman class meets near the Campus Recreation building and rides shuttles upstream on the Clark Fork. Groups of students then float several miles of river back to campus, where the university hosts a party on the Riverbowl with snacks, games, and music.

Popular and high-quality majors at the University of Montana include business management and marketing, natural resources and conservation, biology, social work and public health, documentary film, and media arts.

One program I'd like to highlight is the University of Montana’s Wildlife Biology program, an interdisciplinary program that was named the #1 wildlife biology program in the nation for 2022-23. This program provides students with an extensive knowledge of ecology, population biology, wildlife biology, and critical thinking and quantitative skills. U of M students become leaders, bringing science to the dynamic management of wildlife and fish populations and their habitat, communities, and ecosystems. Undergraduate students from this program are doing groundbreaking research on grizzly bears, moose, wolves, and many other species.

I asked my tour guide what first drew her to U of M, and she told me it was the Oval, the grassy area in the middle of campus with its expansive and inspiring views of the campus and surrounding mountains. It's a place for students to hang out in Adirondack chairs, relax in hammocks, toss a frisbee around, and ice skate in the winter.

If you'd like to learn more about Montana colleges, or about any aspect of the college admissions process, use the contact form on my website to schedule a free consultation.

#collegeadmissions
#collegecounseling

Free Information Session

I will be hosting another FREE college information session for Bozeman students and their families at Cold Smoke Coffeehouse on Huffine from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. on Monday, August 21. Topics covered will include preparing for college while in high school, building a college list, planning college visits, taking standardized tests, applying to college, and paying for a college degree. Please bring your questions. I look forward to seeing you!

Careers in the trades

Recently I had an exchange that I think is very important, and that I want to share with everyone who follows my page(s). I was talking with a fellow I met who works as a machine operator in Alberta. He was razzing me a little bit about my line of work.

"Why do you people [college counselors] always push your best and brightest students to go to college when they could start making bank right out of high school?"

I bristled. I try very hard not to push my clients toward any particular choices, but to help them understand what their options are. I try to provide as much information for them, and teach them how to do research, so they can make great decisions for themselves.

But this gentleman had a point. Often, when students perform well academically in high school, people assume that the logical next step for them is college—often a highly selective (and likely expensive) one. But is that really the best choice for every student?

He went on to tell me that he earns between $250,000 and $300,000 a year as a machine operator. He said he knows welders who make $500,000. Granted, those are Canadian dollars he's talking about, but that's still really good money. He insisted that average salary statistics often don't tell the full story because they may not include overtime pay, pension, non-taxable living allowances, and other attractive benefits. He said there is huge demand for people in the trades, and smart people with certifications have a huge leg up on their competition because they bring a broader range of skills to the table.

"Encourage your students to research job ads," he said. "Have them get a feel for how in-demand the industry is. Get them to understand actual incomes that they can expect as a new hire versus a journeyman. Encourage them to reach out to union halls and get a feel for wages and benefits and actual work expectations."

These are great suggestions. I share this exchange because when I work with my clients, I have no agenda other than helping them get set up for a successful career and a fulfilling life. Our work together may take us to unexpected places, and I'm here for it.

#careercounseling
#collegecounseling
#careercounselor

Montana State University

This summer and fall I'll be doing a series on colleges and universities here in Montana. I'm doing this for two reasons: first, I'm hoping this information will be helpful to my Montana clients looking for options close to home; and second, for lots of reasons Montana schools are becoming increasingly attractive for students outside Montana.

Yesterday I toured Montana State University. I was struck once again by what a great university we have here in Bozeman. Obviously a main draw to MSU is the local area, with its world-class skiing, hiking, mountain biking, whitewater paddling, rock climbing, ice climbing, and more. From the MSU campus you can access trails leading all the way into Yellowstone National Park and beyond.

Life on campus is a draw, as well. The Rendezvous Dining Pavilion, a 30,000 square-foot facility that seats 830 people, recently won the grand prize for large-school residential dining facilities from the National Association of College and University Food Services. The campus itself is beautifully landscaped, with views of four different surrounding mountain ranges.

Popular and high-quality majors at MSU include mechanical engineering, nursing, computer science, business, political science, and mathematics. I'd also like to give a special shout-out to the programs in kinesiology and exercise science. I meet regularly with a personal trainer at a private health club in Bozeman who is a rising senior double majoring in these related programs. I never cease to be impressed by the breadth and depth of her knowledge, and she has been able to earn her degree while receiving credit for her real-world experience as a professional trainer. Whenever I have questions, she has an extensive network of people who can help her answer questions about human anatomy and physiology, and she always seems to have creative solutions to problems that crop up. The type of education she's receiving exemplifies the type of hands-on learning that MSU is becoming increasingly known for.

If you'd like to learn more about Montana colleges and universities, or college admissions more generally, reach out to me to schedule your free consultation today!

Free College Info Session

I'll be giving a FREE college information session for the Bozeman community on Thursday, July 27, from 10 a.m. to noon at Cold Smoke Coffeehouse on Huffine. The address is 64 Willow Peak Drive, Bozeman, MT 59718. I hope to see you there!

This event is pitched to high school students and their families. Topics I will cover include preparing for college, choosing a major, building a college list, studying for standardized tests, planning college visits, paying for college, and more. Please come with your questions about the college process--that's what I'm here for!

Please come to the back conference room at Cold Smoke for this information session. Looking forward to seeing you!

#collegeinfosession #collegecounselor #collegeadmissions #collegeadmissionsconsultant #collegeadmissionsconsulting #collegeadmissionscounseling #ieca #ieca #pnacac #collegeessay #collegecounseling

Summer college tours

I have often heard the conventional wisdom given to high school students and their families that they should avoid touring college campuses in the summer because campuses will be "dead." To an extent this is true. It is true that few, if any, classes meet during the summer, and there won't be concerts, poetry readings, and sporting events on par with what happens during a regular semester.

I've attended open houses, group tours, and information sessions at dozens of colleges. I have toured at all times of year, including summer and college breaks. Here are my thoughts:

Yes, colleges are quiet during the summer. And yes, absolutely, you should take summer college tours. Here's why.

Most students and their families do not have enough time during the school year to devote to touring an appropriate number of colleges to build a strong college list. Some high schools do allocate days for seniors to visit colleges, but this type of travel is often difficult to squeeze in once the school year begins—especially if it involves getting on a plane. And in most cases, an excused absence doesn't relieve the student of the responsibility to make up schoolwork they've missed.

College tours are essential to a thorough and thoughtful college admissions process. Students who take several college tours come to understand their college preferences and confidently choose the right schools to apply to. They engage deeply in the admissions process. They don't procrastinate on their applications as much as students who are passive about building their college lists. They devote more time to their college essays. They work harder in school to improve their grades because they are able to visualize themselves at the colleges and universities of their choice, and are motivated to get there.

Please do tour colleges in the summer. Build college tours into the travel plans that you already have. It will be relatively quiet on campus, it is true, but I guarantee the experience will be well worth your time.

#collegeadmissions #collegecounseling #collegecounselor #collegeadmissionsconsultant #iec #collegetour #collegetours #collegetourseason

The future of legacy admissions

In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision ending affirmative action in college admissions, a civil rights group is now challenging legacy admissions at Harvard University, saying the practice discriminates against students of color by giving an unfair boost to the mostly white children of alumni. The vast majority of Harvard's donor-related and legacy applicants are white, and being a legacy student makes an applicant roughly six times more likely to be admitted.

It's unclear whether or not the new Harvard case ultimately will have any impact on legacy admissions, or whether or not the Supreme Court will choose to weigh in. My own best guess, though, is that colleges and universities that value diversity and equity in their admissions process will have an increasingly difficult time justifying legacy admissions in a post-affirmative action world.

For most of my clients, I don't at this time recommend making any major changes to their college lists or their application strategy based either on the recent affirmative action decision or the possibility of legacy admissions being diminished or eliminated. The main scenario where I might recommend shifting one's strategy might be on the personal statement, where applicants have the option to tell about a personal circumstance or challenge that they have overcome. Depending on the individual student's experience, this could be an appropriate place to discuss one's race, ethnicity, disability, or some other identifier.

One final point: I expect legacy status—which already was being de-emphasized at some selective colleges following the 2019 Varsity Blues scandal—to continue its trend toward being a diminished factor in college admissions, especially at highly selective colleges. So if you've been counting on your student attending Dartmouth, Harvard, or Cornell because you or someone else in your family attended there or made a substantial donation to the college, it's likely that this tradition could be reduced, or eliminated altogether, in the near future.

If you'd like to learn more about college admissions and writing college essays, visit my website and schedule a free consultation today!

The end of affirmative action

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that college admissions programs that consider race as part of their admissions process are unconstitutional. This decision will have sweeping implications for college admissions, and may affect my advice to clients applying to college. Allow me to explain.

First, though, let me offer a few words of perspective. Colleges and universities have been anticipating this decision for some time now. Most admissions departments have been planning for race-based affirmative action admissions programs to go away. Many colleges count diversity, inclusion, and equity among their core values, and this decision does not change that. The trend toward reducing the role of standardized testing in college admissions has been part of an effort to improve access to higher education to include students who do not have the resources to pay for a course, or hire a tutor, to study for the SAT. So I encourage families not to overthink what might happen.

That said, I do think there may be a few things students of color can do to enhance their college prospects in a post-affirmative action world:

1. At least two of the Common App personal statement prompts allow students to reflect on an identity that is important to them, or describe how they've overcome an obstacle. If a student has a compelling story to tell that highlights their race or ethnicity in one of these ways, this is an opportunity to tell admissions committees that story.

2. In an effort to ramp up their racial and ethnic diversity, colleges in the future may offer more scholarships that consider race and/or ethnicity. The Supreme Court's decision, as most legal scholars understand it, targets admissions, but not scholarships. Consider applying for these.

3. Take another look at HBCU's. Most experts think these schools will see an uptick in applications in coming years. These institutions tend to offer lots of support internally to help underserved students succeed academically.

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