Posting here for the first time and really looking forward to all the feedback and help. Our son, who is a junior this year, is the first generation to apply to college in the United States. We are all looking for any resources that explain your application process. We are not familiar with any of the language that is being used here. For example what are the three different tiers of colleges that students apply to; “safeties”, “matches”, “reaches”. Really appreciate it now at the beginning of this journey so I get as much information as possible upfront. Thank you
Your school counselor should be a resource, its their job. Meet with them often.
Consider a book on admissions. I recommend “Admission Matters”, mostly because its the one I read.
Try to find someone in your community that is will to mentor you. Your counselor might be able to help their, Boys and Girls Cubs, places like that. You want someone who has been to college and helped others to get there.
Safeties - Colleges students apply to where their ACT and GPA are Above the norms for the college. These are schools where admission is highly likely and scholarship opportunities are greatest.
Matches - Colleges where ACT/GPA scores equate with the norm for the college. Admission is likely.
Reaches - Colleges where ACT/GPA scores are at the low end of the norm for the college. Admission isnt likley (but possible).
GL
There is a website/ blog called Best College Fit. It is run by a man named Peter Van BUskirk, who was a college dean of admissions for many years. He gives a great 2 hour presentation at my daughter’s school each fall during Parents Weekend. We have really gotten a great deal out of his books and website… Very helpful. You might want to have a look at that. Good luck to your family!
@mitchklong Your advice of meeting with a school counselor often is laughable on most large public high schools. I am a parent that is currently on my fifth year of having children at our local high school and I have never met the guidance counselor. They only meet with parents when there are problems. If your kid doesn’t get in trouble and isn’t failing out, you don’t get attention. Their job is taking care of the hundreds of kids that are assigned to them, not spending lots of time on one kid that is doing fine.
@AGparent I frankly suggest spending time on this site. I didn’t know what safeties, matches and reaches were before coming here and I grew up in this country. The process has changed quite a bit from when many parents went through it themselves and we are all in learning mode at first. Our high school had a presentation for all parents of juniors about mid way through the year to start getting them up to speed. This is where I got my initial information.
@me29034 Your observations are undoubtedly true at some schools, but that wasn’t the case at our smaller public school. Hopefully poster’s counselors are more prep oriented. I think it is still worth talking with them and asking for references to other organizations that can help.