The Not-so-daunting College Process and Beyond
With the help of guidance counselors and administrators, Alexander Hamilton High School students and their parents learned how to tackle the college application process through a step-by-step informational workshop on March 11th.
College Information Night offered a chronological blueprint of junior and senior year tasks for applying to and selecting a post-secondary institution of learning.
Guidance counselors Monica Ahern and Stephanie Luccioni used a PowerPoint presentation to outline the counselor and parent roles; year-by-year timelines; what to look for in a school; what a school looks for in an applicant; the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and Internet resources.
Ms. Ahern spoke of the importance of maintaining good grades, participating in extra- or co-curricular activities, and requesting recommendations early in senior year.
AHHS principal Marc Baiocco also advised the upperclassmen in attendance.
"New York State requires 22 credits (for graduation)," he said. "When you get to senior year, it does not look good to remove a class from your schedule. Make sure your courses of study are rigorous. Be passionate about your education and willing to learn."
Whether students submit the college's own application form, or the Common Application - a generic form accepted by approximately 400 U.S. colleges, which can streamline the process for students - they must be organized in keeping track of their applications and deadlines, and get to work early on the all-important essay.
"The essay is the part of the application where the school finds out more about you," said Ms. Ahern. "Make it stand out." The English department at Alexander Hamilton assists students with selecting topics for and revising their college essays.
Sharing a personal story about her husband, who plays the bagpipes, and used his unusual musical talent to "sell" himself to schools, Ms. Ahern said an applicant's uniqueness is what catches an admissions officer's eye.
It's not just the college doing the shopping, however. Students must use keen research skills to find the right fit in an undergraduate education.
Size of the student body, campus location, competitiveness, specialization, cost, facilities, student life, and athletics are just some of the considerations to ponder when interviewing college representatives and visiting schools.
Perhaps the most anxiety-ridden part of the process is figuring out how to pay for it all. The counselors advised audience members to fill out the FAFSA, even if they think they might not be eligible for aid. The application is a tool for receiving federal loans as well. Using 2010 tax returns or estimates, parents should assist their children in completing this important document and submit it as soon after January 1st as possible.
During the question and answer session, Ms. Ahern addressed concerns about accumulating sufficient volunteer hours and what type of volunteer work a student should do.
"Anything that interests them," she said, and suggested that if a student is interested in medicine, for example, he should consider volunteering at a hospital. Churches and community organizations such as Habitat for Humanity offer opportunities for students wishing to accrue volunteer hours to enhance their profile.
The program then moved to a more somber discussion after the question and answer period.
Richard Julius, Student Assistance Counselor at AHHS and other area high schools, spoke of the dangers that often ensnare teens at this transitional time of their lives.
In the presentation "Senior Year and Beyond," he spoke about his role as a prevention education specialist, someone who runs interference between the student and "anything that might be a hindrance to his progress in school."
He warned of how college administrators want to lower the drinking age to 18 again so they don't have to deal with the illegalities associated with underage drinking, which is prevalent in America's colleges.
"There is a strong link between anxiety and alcohol and drug use," he said. Teens bordering on adulthood commonly have a decreased perception of harm. Pro-drug messages assault them from everywhere, glamorizing the feeling of being high at a time when peers wield more influence than adults.
"The pre-frontal cortex is operating slower than the limbic system," he explained. Judgment is impaired, and adolescents make knee-jerk decisions.
With alcohol remaining the leading cause of death in young people ages 16-24, parents must consider one last feature of the colleges as they visit with their children.
Mr. Julius advised them to check out drinking episodes from the last three years and talk to graduates and current students at the school. "Recognize signs of stress," he warned.
He reminded those in attendance that colleges are largely unsupervised settings, and that parents cannot control who will be their child's roommate. He suggested that parents do a little homework of their own in preparation for what can be the most exciting and enriching time of their child's life.
For more information on College Information Night, and our Guidance Department visit the Guidance Department section of our website.
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