<p>My son is thankfully finished with the college search and admission process, and I have learned loads of useful information while assisting him in this process. His high school guidance counselor has asked me to assist at the Junior parent college night next week, and do a presentation on our journey, and what was helpful in how he searched for colleges, how he narrowed the list, how we navigated through financial aid and merit aid, etc. I am glad to help out however I can, and pass on whatever helpful information that I have gathered. </p>
<p>I am trying to put together a list of resources that I used, and CC has probably been the most valuable resource for us. However, I don't want to just give them only the CC website; I would prefer listing some of the most valuable threads for parents of high school Sophomores and Juniors. That way it won't be so overwhelming, and they then have the website if they want to do some of their own digging. </p>
<p>This school is considered college prep, and has varying income levels, and also a diverse group of students academically, from those planning on attending community college to those trying to gain admission to lottery schools. </p>
<p>If you know of a thread that would be helpful in this way, could you post it? I will compile the ones I think would work for this group of parents.</p>
<p>Some of the resources useful for those at your school are mainly of local interest, such as information about your state universities and community colleges, including course articulation listings between the community colleges and state universities.</p>
<p>andison’s experience is very important I think - both to realize the importance of safeties and also that the chances of getting into the same institutions on the second round is no more likely. </p>
<p>I actually think the top 20 - 3.6 and under GPA is useful. It gets at what kinds of outside credentials (high SAT scores, great activities, funny essays) can bump a B+ to A- student into a contender, maybe not at Harvard, but at schools that normally would be considered out of reach.</p>
<p>The thread by momfromtexas about full ride scholarships. While some of the awards no longer exist, her strategy for finding maximum merit aid for her two kids is timeless.</p>
<p>Were any of the second list of schools (in post #3 of that thread) actual safeties? Seems like andi’s son was risking a second try shutout.</p>
<p>From what I observe locally, many students are content to go to community college and then transfer to a state university to complete their bachelor’s degrees. Someone who does not want to use community college as the default safety should really have a true safety that s/he likes in his/her application list.</p>
<p>Years ago, someone suggested buying a Fiske Guide, or any other college guide and tearing out colleges that are of interest ( or you could leave the ones you like). I thought it was a good way to narrow choices. We put each school in a file folder.</p>
<p>I also made up a checklist for each folder with deadlines and requirements for each application, which I taped on the outside of each folder. I helped my kids with the organization part of the process and had them do one application per weekend over the fall admissions season. Neither of them were overwhelmed by the process.</p>
<p>I think following the “Parents of…” threads for the class year ahead of your’s is also helpful. You can get a general timeline of how things go, etc. They tend to be REALLY long so hopping in the middle of one is difficult but if you find the pages that deal with say, November and final apps going off you can see the ups and downs of what that class year experienced.</p>
<p>Also, not a thread, but I strongly suggest finding a “group” (even one or two people) who have kids the same age and feel the same way about college that you do. So there’s someone you can tell when you’re stressed or angry or think you failed or are jumping for joy… and that person won’t think you’re crazy/bragging/too involved/not involved enough, etc. I’m lucky enough to have that here on this site and also one person in real life. It’s a huge help in keeping things happy and friendly at home.</p>