I believe that the missing element in most college visits is perhaps the most important element of all. Of course that is assuming that our faith is a central and driving force in our college decision. Most of you reading this blog are reading it in fact because you are either looking specifically for a Christian college or university, or because you are a believer and though you are planning to attend a secular school you have chosen to you U-Prep as a framework for your search. Either way, the problem is often the same. We profess that we are looking for an experience that will strengthen us in our faith, but fail to include one of the most crucial elements on that in our college search process.

No, I am not talking about attending a chapel service while visiting your school of choice. And I am not talking about going to that praise and worship service they have every Wednesday night either.  In fact, the element I am talking about is one of the hardest to incorporate into your college visits. It is visiting a local church.

Let me first speak about those of you who are looking for a Christian college, then I will address the rest of you a little later on.

Most college, in fact I don’t know of any colleges that would claim to be a replacement for the local church. Christian education was not and is not intended to replace the need for being a part of a church body. Many Christian colleges do not hold any type of chapel service or otherwise on Sunday’s, simply because they desire to see their student involved in a local church. This is an opportunity, as you are sending your children out of your home to connect them with a body of believers that will be nearby them and able to stand in the gap for them in times of need. In addition, most churches in college towns see ministering and connecting with colleges students as a central part of their calling as a church body

Now for those of you seeking a secular school:

I had a parent come in my office one day, very worried about her son who was looking at a state school. To her son’s credit, the program he was looking at was fantastic. She was planning on telling him that there was no way, but thought she would ask for my opinion first. My advice to her was this: If you tell him no, it will start a fight. Why not encourage him by helping him set up the visit and plan it as an event for him as well as for mom and dad. Then while you are planning it, get online and find out what kind of christian organizations are on campus (i.e.: Campus Crusade for Christ, or InterVarsity) and see if you can set up a time to meet with the leader of the organization to expose your son to what christian community is available on campus. Then in addition, plan to attend a local church on Sunday morning. In the extra time you are in town, walk the campus without a tour guide for a change or maybe take in a sporting event.

The name of the game is helping out students make provisions for their faith. Parent’s we cannot just expect that in our students first encounter of freedom from the home they were raised in, that the first thing they are naturally going to think of is going out and finding a church home. We have to model this for them. Trust me, it works. I saw my own parent model this, and the effects are amazing.

Self Reflection

In a day and age when we are driven by consumerism, we have been conditioned to ask ourselves “what is the very best” of any product or service we are examining. This is evidenced by the way in which we rank everything from the best products to buy to the best businesses for which to work. We even rank the best colleges. But just because a college ranks highly, does it mean that it is the best place for you? Or, just because a college ranks lower than another, does it mean that it is not the best place for you? The answer to both questions is “maybe”.

The reality is that college ranking systems are objective and based on measurable data like graduation rates, student to faculty ratios, percent of freshmen who graduated high school in the top ten percent of their class, etc. While your experience in engaging a college is subjective, it is based on your own personal views and experiences. Looking at the percentage of students who complete their degree from a college or university does tell you some valuable information about the school as a whole, but it doesn’t tell you whether you will complete your degree to at that institution. It is simply a piece of data to take into consideration.

The reality of our existence is that God has created us to be in relationship, and this is true even in the college search process. While the data presented in the college ranking systems has value, it cannot be the only piece to consider. Students should be cautious to think through their own individual needs and the capability each potential school has to or meet those needs. The essence of the college experience is that it is going to play a major role in a student’s development into adulthood especially as it relates to beliefs and values. So the question is not, who is ranked the highest in the degree program I want (although this might be something to take into consideration), but rather what institution do I want building into my life for the next four years?

As students begin to think through this process of self-reflection it is highly encouraged that they engage their parents and other adults in their life who can help them analyze their areas of unique need. No two students are going to be exactly alike, just like no one school is going to fit perfectly. But the idea is to find the place that is the best fit for the individual student; with the goal being to begin a journey which allows the student success both in college and in life.

The following self-reflective questions are good to consider as you look towards college. Please know that this is not an exhaustive list; if additional questions arise, please feel free to pass them on to your guidance counselor so that they can be added to this list.

1. Why do you want to go to college?

2. What values are truly important to you (spiritually, politically, financially)?

3. How important is your faith to you? Do you want a school that values the same beliefs?

4. What kind of person would you like to become?

5. What do you want your relationships to look like in college (friends, roommates, professors, etc.)?

6. What kind of accountability do you want in your life?

7. In what ways are you gifted, and how would you like to continue to develop those gifts?

8. How academically competitive are you? Do you thrive under pressure? Do you choke? Are you even academically oriented? Are you self-motivated or do you need close accountability?

9. Do you like being known or is there more freedom in being anonymous?

10. Do you function best in a place where everyone is like you or do you prefer diversity in a student body? How much diversity have you experienced?

Now What Do I Do With My Answers:

Now that you have taken some time to reflect on your own values and what is important to you, you are probably asking yourself the question, “Now what?” The answer seems simple, but is much more complex. It is now time to start looking at individual schools and applying the answers to the self-reflection questions as your search criteria.

How? It starts by examining the mission statements, vision statements, statements of faith, and information on residence life programs of the institutions that appeal to you and evaluating the content of these. As you learn from these statements, ask yourself if they are consistent with your needs and desires. If they are, then this is a good school from which to request additional information. If not, then you might want to pass on that particular school. This information is usually available on the school’s web site under headings such as: “Prospective Students”, “About ______”, “Welcome”, “Student Life”, or “Mission”. This is consistent for both Christian and secular institutions.

September 15, 2011:  Westlake Christian Academy, Grayslake, IL; 7:00 p.m.  This will be the 4th consecutive presentation to the families of Westlake Christian Academy.

September 24, 2011:  Heritage Christian Academy, Olathe, KS; 10:30 a.m.  This will be the second year U-Prep 101 will be presented to the families of HCA.

October 12, 2011:  Westminster Christian School, 6:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.  This is the second time U-Prep 101 has been presented at WCS.

December 1, 2011: Christian Life School, Kenosha, WI; 6:30 p.m.  This will be the fourth year that U-Prep 101 has been presented as part of the junior/senior college night at CLS.

All U-Prep 101 presentations are free and open to the public.  For more information about the presentation or to host one at your church/school, click here.

“I write to inform you that upon further review of the FAFSA data and other factors, ISAC is extending the time for processing MAP grant awards through the close of business next Friday, March 25th.

Based on information that we have obtained as recently as this morning, combined with our understanding of the temporary shut-down of the Federal FAFSA web-site  this weekend, we have determined that we can and will extend MAP processing through this next Friday the 25th of March, 2011.”

What this means for you:  If you are a resident of the state of Illinois and planning to attend college this coming fall, it is imperative you complete the FAFSA by this Friday, March 25, 2011.  This applies to all students, new and returning.  If you have specific questions about the MAP Grant, feel free to contact any Illinois college or University.

Board of Directors,

We are still working with ISAC to come to a better understanding of the unrealistic MAP cutoff deadline they imposed yesterday, and the contributing frustration of the FAFSA website being down (for repairs) from  6:00 A.M. (ET) Saturday, March 19, 2011 until 11:00 A.M. (ET) Sunday, March 20, 2011.

We recognize the MAP program faces an unprecedented disparity between funding and application volume, yet it’s clear that students in every sector, public or private, are not served well by this recent action. We believe the decision to give 24 hrs notice has created unnecessary confusion and alarm.

To be fair, ISAC cannot spend appropriations that it has not received, and the imposed cutoff date is based on the start-up formula which recognizes the amount of money appropriated this year, roughly $404 million. The Governor has recommended an additional $25 million for FY 2012, which if attained, would allow for an additional 5 days of processing. Therein lays the difficult situation faced by not only ISAC, but our own aid offices, in communicating award letters and managing expectations of students and parents. Historically, ISAC has errored on the conservative side (the start-up amount), which partially explains their move yesterday.

The following represents our take on a number of questions we have received:

1.      ISAC referred in their communication that the cutoff date was “on or after Monday, March 21, 2011.” What does this mean?

It’s badly worded, but our take is that the deadline becomes Sunday afternoon (March 20), after processing on FAFSA opens back up.

2.      Does this advantage one sector over another, and does this somehow drive more students to the community colleges?

With such an unprecedented early cutoff date, this clearly affects all sectors, but still would impact negatively the community colleges the most. If students shifted from the public four or private institutions to the community colleges on price alone, it’s more than likely they would not be showing up at the community college with a MAP grant.

3.      Can we/should we advocate for a later cutoff date?

That’s a complicated question. We can ask for a later cutoff date, but that unfortunately doesn’t change the condition that there isn’t enough funding for the overwhelming demand within MAP. Arguing for a later cutoff date could also be interpreted as supporting a “reduction factor”. With a burn rate of $5 million a day, based on ISAC’s own numbers, a one week extension of the deadline would cost around $25 million, which could roughly be equated to a 6.25% reduction. Our take given the pressure to reduce award size already, most notably some radical changes suggested by our colleagues in the community college sector (i.e.- reducing all awards by ½), is that we think carefully about sending a message that we are somehow comfortable with further reductions. There is more institutional diversity in the Federation than ever before, but it’s essential that we continue to recognize and advocate a balanced aid approach between students served and a meaningful award size for a MAP grant.

4.      What can we do?

Although yesterday’s action is frustrating from an ISAC agency management standpoint, I think we have to channel our energies into making a renewed case to our Reps and Senators, and Governor that this situation is the direct consequence of underfunding MAP, and that students across all of high education bear the true burden of these decisions. We’ll have an updated set of materials to all of you by early next week.

Regards,

David W. Tretter

President

If you are a resident of the state of Illinois, I would highly recommend you complete the FAFSA by Monday, March 21.  As more information is available, we will update you on this site.

1.  Submit that FAFSA!  Most schools won’t be able to send you a financial aid package unless they get your information.  It’s FREE.  It doesn’t cost anything.  It’s worth it.  www.fafsa.ed.gov

2.  Make second/third/fourth visits:  Most seniors are down to 2-3 schools at this point.  Go visit campus again.  I believe that visiting on a “normal” day is the best way to go about your final visit.  Stay a night in the residence halls if you can.  Attend a class or two in your major.  Eat in the cafeteria.  It is vital you get a good sense of what it would mean to be a student at (insert school).  Don’t forget to give the admissions office a ring before you visit!  They can only help you to the degree you let them know what you want.

3.  Understand that Award Letter:   Most admissions counselors are equipped to talk you through the awards you received and what you will owe after all aid is calculated.   Take advantage of this help.  In addition, don’t try and “negotiate” with a school.  Most universities adhere to best practice principles that require them to make their best financial offer to students first.  If a college changes the award amount just because you call them, that may be a warning sign. (Note: If your circumstances change…ie…loss of job, death/disability of a parent, etc…schools can adjust the EFC from your FAFSA and you may qualify for more federal and institutional aid).  For financial aid reminders and tips, click here.

Now is not the time to “clock out” of the college search.  It is important to stay fully engaged in the process until the end.  Do the three things listed above and you will be less stressed and have more time for other things that matter…like March Madness or the start of the baseball season.

These questions are appropriate given how large the investment can be for a college education.  I typically encourage students with a few thoughts:

1.  The rankings are based on numbers alone:   Does US News & World Report really visit every school and interview students?  The answer is no.  Schools submit elements of the Common Data Set (CDS) and US News uses the data gathered to form rankings by Carnegie Classification.  Depending on the college/universities CDS numbers and which Carnegie Classification group they fall into, they may or may not be ranked highly.  I have worked at schools who have appeared high on US News rankings and at those who have been farther down the list.  Both schools were accomplishing their mission and achieving their objectives.

2.  Your choice should not be based on rankings:  Some students start with rankings and narrow their list from there.  While this may be a time-saving strategy, I would argue that students should start with the “value question.”  “What do you value in a college/university?”  Is the ranking the most important thing?  If it is, then start there.  However, for most students, other factors play an important role in their decision.  If you find a school that provides you with a great education, one that will challenge you in all areas of your life, a school that “feels right” and will partner with you in the learning process, then that’s the school you should attend.  The rankings don’t matter.

Here is an article I read recently that addresses the dissonance admissions professionals feel quite often in using rankings to market their institutions to prospective students and parents.  This may provide you insight into how many admissions offices are not huge fans of the rankings done by different publications.

Dear Parents:

As January 1^st is quickly approaching, it is my desire to get some key information into your hands regarding the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). I encourage all parents of seniors, even those not currently planning to pursue any form of higher education in the fall of 2011, to fill out the FAFSA for following three reasons:

1.       It is free, it will only cost you the time it takes to fill out the application with your child

2.       It allows for student to potential alter their plans for the fall of 2011 and still have federal funding available to them

3.       If you are planning on pursuing any form of higher education in the fall of 2011 (including attending: community college, four year colleges and universities, or vocational school) it is required in order to receive federal funds (including federally funded student loans) as well as institutionally based scholarships

FAFSA application must be completed between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2011 in order for a student to be eligible to receive federal student aid. Parents and students are encouraged to file their FAFSA as early in the year as possible because:

1.       Federal Financial Aid is awarded on a first come first serve basis

2.       Some colleges and universities do have FAFSA Application Deadlines in order to be considered for institutional financial aid (Don’t know if your school has a FAFSA Application Deadline – Ask your colleges financial aid officer or refer to their financial aid website for more information.)

While to process of filling out the FAFSA can seem overwhelming, being prepared ahead of time can make it a much easier process. For this reason I would encourage each of you to review the following U.S. Department of Education publications. Reviewing the Federal Student Aid is, and becoming familiar with the process for applying for Federal Student Aid, and taking a few early steps now, will help you be ready come January.

• Federal Student Aid at a Glance: A quick explanation of Federal Student Aid and how it works
• Do You Need Money for College: Highlights were to start and helpful hints on being ready to apply
• Steps to Federal Student Aid: 7 steps in applying for Federal Student Aid

Two Steps You Can Take Now:

1.       Get a Federal Student Aid PIN Number: http://www.pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp

2.       For Male Students 18 or Older – Registering with selective services: http://www.sss.gov/

“If you are a male born on or after Jan. 1, 1960, are at least 18 years old, and are not currently on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, you must register or arrange to register, with the Selective Service System to receive federal student aid. (Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands or the Republic of Palau are exempt from registering.)” (“Funding Education Beyond High School” 49)

I write all of this to highlight the importance of a student’s writing sample in the college application process.  Here is a great article that talks about the importance of the admissions essay. I would add a few other tips:

1.  Have at least 3 people read over your college application essay.

2.  Always write the essay in a WORD document.  You will benefit from Microsoft’s grammar & spell check

3.  Read your essay out loud…slowly.  You will be surprised how this can help you avoid incorrect phrases and wording.