Many moons ago, we were high school students trying to figure out the college puzzle. For one of us, it was a few more moons than the other.
But that doesn’t mean we don’t remember the process of trying to come up with a list of schools, thinking about what we wanted to pursue as a major and doing all the research to ensure the school we picked was the right fit. Not to mention the whole financial side of getting a secondary education.
So we get the fact that students and parents have a lot of questions. You’re not alone, and that’s why we checked in the folks over at the NHHEAF Network Organizations to get some directives on how to approach the whole college conundrum.
While Tori Berube, VP of college planning and community engagement, told us that spring of a student’s junior year is really when the real work begins, she also said that getting comfortable with what college is, taking a walk around a campus and beginning the conversation earlier is a good thing. No, you’re not likely to discuss college with your second grader, but bringing a middle schooler (or freshman/sophomore) to a college, taking in a sporting event or a theater performance, and eating some food is a great way to get them thinking about college and what the experience will be like. And a little tip would be to do it when the college is in session because that way they can an idea of the whole experience.
“Just to get them on a college campus and show them around,” Berube said.
But let’s get back to the real work. When junior year rolls around, students should attend a college fair, consider taking classes that earn college credits and get ready to take the SATs in the spring. That’s also when you want to develop an initial list of prospective schools, start visiting some schools and making sure they offer the major or majors you’re interested in. A good rule of thumb is to make your list rather large, upwards of seven to 10, including dream choices, academic fits and at least one safety.
“For a lot of kids, we work with them right up until they go to college to help with their lists,” Berube said.
You might even want to consider spending your April vacation looking at schools.
“It’s a great time to do college admission tours,” Berube said.
During the summer before senior year, it’s a good time to visit more campuses, start working on your admissions essay and start a conversation about the family’s financial budget. And once senior year begins, narrow down the list of schools, retake the SATs if need be and get organized. You’ll also want to start the application process, apply for scholarships and take one last visit to your school of choice before formally finalizing your admission.
A great way to get a lot of information in one place is by attending the 19th annual Destination College, New Hampshire’s statewide college planning event on Saturday, April 7. It’s not in Concord (shhh), but that’s okay – it’s worth bending the rules because a lot of high school juniors and parents will want to know about this. It will be held at Southern New Hampshire University from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and it’s free. Check out destinationcollege.org for tons of details about the event.
This summer, NHHEAF is hosting a couple boot camp workshops that will be quite beneficial for soon-to-be seniors to attend. There’s the four-hour college essay workshop, where college counselors guide high school seniors as they begin the essay process. Students will review successful college admission essays and learn what schools are looking for in a college essay. You’ll get a chance to start a draft essay and get one-on-one time to discuss your topic choice. There are four workshops, July 17, 18, 25 and 26 (from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.), and each one is limited to 15 students. Cost is $25.
“We’ll look at some good college essays and some not so good essays,” Berube said. “And what makes a good essay.”
Students can also sign up for the admissions workshop, where they will create a personalized application organizer, start the Common Application and learn what colleges are looking for in a college essay. There are four dates for this workshop, Aug. 7, 8, 15 and 16 (from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.), and each is limited to 20 students. Cost is also $25.
“It’s a great way for students to spend a morning of summer vacation wrapping their heads around the college admissions process,” Berube said.
They also host College Overview for Juniors and Paying for College 101 at schools all over the state. The next local event is Paying for College 101 at Merrimack Valley High School on April 10 at 6 p.m. NHHEAF also holds early college planning nights for parents of younger students.
To register for a workshop, call 1-800-525-2577, ext. 119.
And N.H. Federal Credit Union Center for Finance and Education is offering a free workshop – Paying for College – on May 2 at 5 p.m., in case you want to get a head start on your college financial planning.
For more information, visit nhheaf.org.
