August

College Access ChecklistCollege Access
Written By Alyssa Bowlby

In progress: working on your college list!

We greyed the part you’ve probably already done so you can focus on the dark part for August!

A few important August dates:

August 13: Late phone and online registration deadline for August SAT (Register here)

  • Remember that you can register by the late registration deadline FOR FREE if you're using a fee waiver 

  • Note: It is important especially now to encourage your mentees to be on top of SAT registration deadlines because of SAT testing site closures. They should try and register the moment it opens because it's possible that the August test was cancelled. If they can't register for the October one, make sure they register for the November one.

  • August 24: SAT

One big question: Do your kids qualify for Posse and/or QuestBridge?

These programs COULD mean that your students get to go to school for free without going through the normal college application process, AND that they get a ton of support and a ready-made affinity group at college (which can REALLY move the needle on college graduation stats!).

Your kids may already have applied and need to do their essays/applications - and they may not have thought to mention it to you, but your help could turbocharge their essay/apps!

Here’s a bit more info:

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[1] Make a big, inclusive list

  • Make a list of schools they're interested in applying to - this can include any schools you are even tangentially interested in

  • What other kinds of colleges should you consider?

    • HBCU? (see addendum at end)

    • Women’s college? (see addendum at end)

  • Other colleges that your college access person/teachers/friends have recommended?

  • Explore some of these colleges that might have a program for you:

  • Does it have your major, or something major-adjacent?

    • Eg. med school/nursing/PA - you can major in bio

    • Eg. physical therapy - science-heavy curriculum will get you there

  • MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT PICKING A MAJOR and then only applying to schools with that major!

    • Remember major-adjacent is often enough!

    • Historically, students in college change their majors often, and if you lock into a specific college that has a specific major but not a lot of other options, you will not be able to change your mind later

      • Students are more likely to drop out if they can’t switch to something that seems better when they find (especially in STEM, which our students often are not adequately prepared for) that they are struggling academically in college - which almost everyone does (it’s normal if you do!)

      • Remember that there is no way any human can accurately predict at 16 what they’d like to spend the rest of their lives doing.  We need to make sure students have room to change their minds as they get more information about what they’re good at and what they want to do.

  • Look at the regional and demographic-specific resources:

[2] Narrow your big list: academics + fit

  • Get the GPA and SAT score of each college

    • check Naviance to see if anyone from the student’s school has applied and if so, did they get in (at what GPA/SAT score)

    • FYI: Colleges really want to support our students.

      • Our students will be competitive with GPAs .1-.3 points lower than what’s listed as “average”

        • unweighted, on a 4.0 scale. Most GPAs are out of 4.0; if you don’t know what it’s out of, it probably is out of 4.0

      • Our students will be competitive with SAT scores 150-200 points lower than what’s listed as “average”

  • Weigh your options: yes to ED1, ED2, EA or regular?

  • Are there fly-in programs in the fall you should attend? https://www.appily.com/guidance/counselors/college-greenlight/fly-in-and-diversity-programs

  • Think about each school from the following metrics - what do you want?

  • Learn about the colleges you’re interested in:

    • Visit!

    • Read student reviews of that college:

  • Question: Should I apply only to test-optional colleges?

    • You are up to 7x more likely to get in if you submit SAT scores than if you don’t

    • Our policy: take the SAT and see what you get on it

      • If you hate your scores (and remember that they can be lower than what’s posted), apply for test-optional schools!

      • Test-optional schools - the definitive list: https://fairtest.org/test-optional-list/

      • IS IT TRUE THAT SOME COLLEGES WANT ME TO SEND ALL OF MY SCORES?

        • Under 2% of colleges.

          • Some colleges prefer to see a student’s entire testing history. For example, Georgetown and Yale are among the schools that prohibit or restrict Score Choice (the ability to just send the scores you want colleges to see).

        • Conversely, Harvard and MIT both state that students are free to use Score Choice. Of the 400+ colleges profiled,

          • less than 2% require that all test scores be submitted

          • approximately 23% recommend that all scores be submitted

          • approximately 98% accept Score Choice.

          • Most colleges that “recommend all scores” also superscore - cherry-pick your highest math and verbal scores to use in their calculations.

[3] Narrow your big list: Financial need

  • List of schools that meet 100% of need: https://blog.collegevine.com/schools-that-meet-100-percent-financial-need

  • To figure out how much need a school meets and what the breakdown of loans/grants is: 

    • Go to College Board’s Big Future: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/

    • Type in the name of the school you’re interested in in the search bar

    • Click on “Costs” on the top menu bar

    • Look at:

      • “Distribution Details”

        • Freshmen With Need and Received Financial Aid

        • Percent of Need Met

      • “Aid Package Details”

        • Look at the percentage of scholarship vs loan amount

[4] Create your list: minimum requirements

  • Include targets, reaches, and safeties

    • targets: 5

    • reaches: 3 up to as many as you want

    • safeties: 3

  • All schools on this list should be financially feasible for both you & your family!

    • You should be willing, if not excited, to attend EVERY SCHOOL on this list. Because you might have to.

[5] Once the college list is done: What else can I do this summer?

  • Start thinking about essay - what will it be about?

    • Needs to be interesting - draw the reader in

    • Should be about a way you’ve changed (before and after; you describe the before and after)

  • Brag sheet - letters of recommendation

  • SAT prep/standardized test prep - keep practicing so you don’t lose your progress before you take the test in August!

[6] Addendum: Specific college types to consider

  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

    • Very different from other school experiences: know if you want that experience 

    • Do your research: try to talk to students at both

    • List of HBCUs, organized by state: https://hbculifestyle.com/hbcu-colleges-list/

    • Look at the money: https://www.instagram.com/hbcumoneyguide/?hl=en

    • Pros:

      • Sense of community

      • Doing things with people who get you - will understand what you’re going through

      • Can give you more confidence/don’t have to deal with as many racist views/microaggressions as you might at a predominantly white institutions (PWI) 

      • Inspirational to see other people of color succeeding and thriving

      • More professors of color, read more works from scholars of color

  • Women’s colleges

    • Very different from other school experiences: know if you want that experience

    • Do your research: try to talk to students at women’s colleges List of women’s colleges: http://www.womenscolleges.org/colleges 

    • Pros: 

      • Surrounded by women supporting other women

      • Sense of community and collaboration

      • More of a focus on LGBTQ

      • Amazing network post-college

Resources from mentor training:

Scholarship resources

Alyssa Bowlby
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