Helping students lies at the core of College Confidential’s mission. Every year a new generation of high school students discover our rich discussions. We know that most of these students will only visit for key moments in their college admissions journey:
- Preparing for standardized tests
- Picking schools to apply to
- Submitting applications
- Finding out who was accepted and who (sadly) was not
- Sorting out their financial aid options
However, students face a lot of challenges between these events. As a parent of a student who has just started college, I’ve seen the stress up close. While finishing their high school career, teenagers face momentous choices about their future. Parents, even well-meaning parents, often add to the pressure. Students can feel alone as they face the fear of missing opportunities and of stepping into the unknown.
CC is a great place for students to learn from the experience of those who have gone before. We want CC to also be a place where students can support each other. Therefore we are introducing opt-in groups for:
- Seniors: High School Class of 2021
- Juniors: High School Class of 2022
- Sophmores: High School Class of 2023
- Freshmen: High School Class of 2024
We will be encouraging high school students to join their peers in these groups. That will allow them to participate in a dedicated category for their class year and access to a private, student-only category. Students will also get a special designation on the site:
In addition, joining a group will give students access the trust level needed to post images.
Again, this is entirely optional. But we think it’ll help members of the community to encourage students as they strive for their goals.
As an aside, we know that parents participate on CC on behalf of their students. That’s wonderful! However we ask that you not join these student groups if you are a parent.
With this modest beginning, we’re looking ahead other ways CC can help students. For instance, we could offer AMAs and webinars specifically designed for juniors in high school. Last year I asked how CC might support African American and Hispanic students and their families. One suggestion was to create a dedicated space for minority families. Student groups provide a foundation for all sorts of future improvements.
None of this is intended to take away from other discussions on CC. The main difference most users will notice is that students on the site will be more clearly indicated. We hope you’ll take a moment to welcome them to the start of their higher education journey!