The Science of Applying to Art and Music Schools

You think the personal essay is tough? Imagine what it's like to apply to an art school or conservatory. It means providing a portfolio or recordings or possibly auditioning. That sounds pretty scary to me.

Kids involved in the arts can talk to their counselors and arts/music teachers for tips. But if you are at sea about what might be requested, take a look at this collection of tips.

It's basic, but will get you and your teen thinking about college vs. conservatory, or art school vs. a college with a great fine arts department. And here are some additional points to remember about the arts application process, including my favorite: "Parents, take a chill pill."

That means in this gyrating and ugly economy, many parents want their kids to major in something practical, that will lead to a good job. And they fear that will not be the case with the arts. But, arts students are generally skilled at presenting and are accustomed to taking and acting on criticism.

So, applause for the arts!


Karen Horton blogs at NJ.com/Parental Guidance

Getting Your Head Around Those Applications

Ah, how to answer some critical questions on college applications.

Our teen isn't at this point yet, but here's Q&A that addresses some issues I hadn't thought of, from whether to indicate a major (yes, if you have one); does the student have to indicate the other schools being applied to (no); some hints on writing the Common App essay; and how to explain to a college that a student has learning disabilities.

So, though it's still summer, it's not too early to start thinking about these questions, and discussing the topic with your teens.

After all, everyone can think more clearly when not under the pressure of a deadline.

How Do They Do It? One School on Merit Scholarships

Here are some insights on how one head of admissions/financial aid gives out merit money.

This example represents just one school, the University of Rochester. But it may give us all a look at the process of apportioning largesse. Imagine this: Just for expressing serious interest through interviews, discussions with financial aid people, etc., can be worth $3000. Every "A" grade nets $62. Coming from outside New York State, well, that's good for $2,000.

So on days when we are all worried about money and portfolios, it's good to know that colleges may be looking out for our kids, and our purses.

Virginia's Struggle with In-State, Out-of-State Balance

Some states have what seems to be an enviable problem: colleges that kids from other states really want to attend. One of the most obvious examples is Virginia -- particularly the University of Virginia and William & Mary. A long time ago William & Mary rejected me. Sounds as if it would be no different today.

These schools are so popular that in-state families complain about the inability of their children to be accepted. And sometimes they blame the out-of-staters, as described here. A state legislator wants to put even greater restrictions on the numbers of accepted students from out of state.

It's a real problem. Here in New Jersey, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get into state colleges because the economy is forcing students who might normally have gone elsewhere to stay in their home state. We don't seem to have the influx that Virginia faces.

As easy as it is to understand the frustration of Virginians who see carpetbaggers coming in and taking their kids' spaces, it's also true that college should be a horizon-expanding experience -- and that would include gaining the viewpoints of students from all over the country, and the world.

What do you think? Should state schools be more restrictive when it comes to who's accepted?

Try, Apply and Never Look Back -- Good Advice for College and Life

Try, apply and never look back. What great advice! I found this gem at the end of this list of myths about college.

The gist of this advice, by Steve Loflin, founder and CEO, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, is that if teens are interested in a particular school, they shouldn't let the belief they can't afford it or can't get in stop them from applying. Instead, teens should do their best and see what happens. You'll have more regrets if you don't try than if you do. And if you give it your best shot, you might get in; if you don't, you move on to the school that wants you. Loflin even noted that some recruiters or potential employers ask where the applicant applied to college, finding that as revealing as where they attended.

Of course, parents may be realists and understand the likelihood is slim for admission to a certain school. And of course it would be foolhardy to apply only to those schools considered a reach. But maybe sometimes parents should keep their pragmatism to themselves. Hey, you never know.

Sallie Mae Has Some Issues

So be sure to do a little investigation before you get too involved with her. Sallie Mae is, according to the website, "the nation’s No. 1 financial services company specializing in education." This corporation has 23 million customers, provides loans, tuition payment plans and other products to help students pay for college.

Sallie Mae, listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is also big business, managing or serving $238 billion in education loans and administering $37 billion in 529 college savings plans.

I am particularly bothered by one bullet in a recent mailing: "Get the money you need. Borrow up to 100% of your school certified costs of education." There's nothing in this mailing that counsels on the downside of college debt -- particularly what could well be more than $100,000 if indeed a student elects to cover all costs through Sallie Mae loans.

It also does a lot of marketing, with direct-to-student mailings. And a lot of people -- students, parents, co-signers -- have had lots of problems dealing with the company's aggressive collection techniques, as just some rudimentary Googling reveals.

The company also has a tuition refund insurance policy that will give a family back tuition money if an ill student must pull out of college. The policy returns all the money for illness or injury but only 75% for mental health-related withdrawals. Read this article to learn more.

It might not be a bad policy -- the article argues that it may be too generous -- but think carefully before signing up, particularly since mental health issues are the primary reason kids withdraw from college.

Hard Evidence on Financial Value of College

Who knew? Dishwashers, childcare workers and hairdressers are among the group of workers who receive a significant salary increase just by going to college, up to an 83 percent increase for dishwashers who went to college vs. colleagues who did not. These findings are discussed here in an op-ed by David Leonhardt.

We're definitely at a point where all sorts of experts are wondering if college really pays off, particularly at a time of high unemployment and equally high debt loads for graduates. This year college loan debt is higher than credit cards, reaching a trillion dollars. A college grad with loans averages about $24,000.

I've argued that it is a major loss to the U.S. that we don't value and pay skilled technicians more, so that there can be actual, respected career paths for woodworkers and plumbers and electricians. But that is not the case, and we are left with this situation: "Sending more young Americans to college is not a panacea," says M.I.T. economist David Autor. "Not sending them to college would be a disaster."

Leonhardt's final assessment on whether college is necessary rings true. He describes those skeptical about the value of college as well meaning people, almost always with college degrees who are going to make certain their kids go to college.
"But in the end," he says, "their case against college is an elitist one -- for me and not for thee. And that's rarely good advice."

The Search for Scholarships Can Yield Decent Results

I've heard so many people say there are lots of scholarships out there; you just need persistence in looking for them. I thought it was an urban myth and it has seemed like a waste of time to me, time better spent working on homework or personal essays.

One young man went on a serious scholarship quest, netting more than $22,000 in 22 scholarships ranging in size from $500 to $4,000.

OK. Maybe I was wrong.

I was impressed at his approach and his organizational skills in tracking these scholarship opportunities. But part of me wished he'd been as successful at applying to schools as to getting money. He had good grades and a good story - he'd worked one summer in South Africa. Yet he was only accepted by two of the eight schools to which he applied.

But he helped me see two advantages to the scholarship hunt I'd never considered.
-- Since most of the scholarships were local, he was interviewed by people in the organizations offering them; he gained lots of interview experience.
-- He had to write essays for most of the applications. Again, worthwhile practice, with a purpose.

So give the scholarship search a shot. There's no harm and it's possibly a good and lucrative experience.

Why Can't Americans Teach Their Children How to Speak -- Other Languages

I am embarrassed to be an American when we travel -- on my own behalf and on behalf of my country. Europeans are often fluent in several languages. When we were in Spain recently, even shopkeepers in tiny produce stores could communicate with us. We at least tried to respond in our host country's tongue.

Our daughter did well - she was able to understand several speakers and managed to conduct several transactions on her own. The trip certainly made her more confident and she enjoys Spanish. But when I hear people move effortlessly from one language to another, I am jealous and humbled.

I took French and German in high school -- and got great grades. I could read and write (somewhat) but I could not confidently speak -- and I'd say I have lots of company. Just think of the hours all of us have spent in language classes. What do we have to show for it?

Now, New York State's famously tough Regents tests will, after this year, no longer measure what's been learned in French, Spanish and Italian classes. You can still take classes, but there will be no statewide gauging of success. And I just learned that the Spanish lit class our high school offers as a final, in-depth study of the language, will likely be cut for budget reasons.

I doubt that when our teens head off to college that their skills will improve. Why are we such a nation of language louts at a time when clear communication becomes more and more critical?

Je ne sais pas.

No Meritocracy at the Top Colleges

Is college admissions to the nation's top schools rigged? Need only the affluent apply?

I certainly don't believe it's rigged in any classic sense but there sure are inequities. And these lead to a class/economic divide.

No matter the occasional heart-warming stories of smart, plucky kids from poor neighborhoods making it to the big time of the Ivies; no matter the daydreams of middle class kids with the grades and scores to get them into a highly selective school. The top colleges, for the most part, select students whose image reinforce the notion that elitism is alive and well.

As this column points out, the president of Amherst, Anthony Marx, decided others needed a chance, too, and created a model that encouraged more low-and middle-income students to attend. Why did he think a change necessary. Marx mentions a Georgetown study that found that the class of 2010 at 193 of the most selective colleges had only 15 percent of students from the lower half of the U.S. income spectrum, while 67 percent came from the top 25 percent in income.

One of the significant changes Marx made was to admit transfer students primarily from community colleges.

More schools are looking at how to diversify while still having an exceptionally gifted student body. Cheers to the colleges who are working hard at being more fair.

My High School Does Walk of Shame

I have always been proud of my education at Western High School in Baltimore, the oldest all-girls public high school in the country. When I went off to college, I was as prepared academically as fellow freshmen from private schools. Good school, great teachers, a character and confidence-building experience.

But Western has really screwed up this year. First, there was a guidance department failure, it appears. Transcripts and related materials were not sent to the colleges the girls applied to. As a result, the students might not have gotten into the schools of their choice.

But that, to my mind, is not the worst thing Western did. Get this. It had a rule that only girls heading to four-year colleges could walk in the graduation procession. Even if they met all requirements for graduation, even if they are headed to a community college or into a profession.

At a time when students are graduating from college in debt, when we know that one size does not fit all when it comes to post-high school graduation and that community college can be a fine option, the Western rule was insane.

PS: the rule was suspended and all graduates were able to walk in the grand procession, as one group, proud graduates of Western High.

*** Also follow my posts at NJ.com's Parental Guidance section.

Soon It Will Be Summer, But Don't Forget Thoughts of College

As much as teens need a break from the early morning risings and pressures of homework and projects, they can't shove thoughts of college too far back. Summer is a great time to think about schools and what kind of place might make sense.

Here's an overview, particularly geared to juniors. From thinking about which colleges to visit to mapping out a testing schedule. After all, do you really want to take SATs at the same time you're taking AP and subject tests?

The truth is, I can't remember when I started thinking seriously about colleges. But there was enough time to visit a number of colleges. And that, as the article above points out, is really important. The more contact with the school, the better.

***

You can also follow my thoughts on admissions on NJ.com.

Happy Mother's Day to all Moms -- Especially Those with College-bound Kids

Don't we all wish we'd appreciated our parents more? And if we did appreciate them, did we let them know it?

Because of the blog, I think about college a lot. And recently I've been thinking back to a long ago Mother's Day, when I graduated from college. My mother was so proud of me, and so thrilled to have such a momentous event occur on her day.

She deserved the happiness. She and my dad had worked hard/budgeted carefully to pay for college. And four years later, they had their very own Duke graduate. I remember that I did not share the absolute elation. I didn't have a job lined up yet and I would be heading back home to Baltimore, clueless about my future. Why do I suspect I didn't tell my parents how grateful I was.

I've found a stash of the many letters my mom sent me while I was at school. They were filled with the everyday stuff about her friends, my grandparents, how work was treating my dad, how my brother was doing in high school. I understand now how much she missed having me around -- the letters were a surrogate for face-to-face chat.

And I apparently expressed anguish about some difficult classes and even about my social life. She offered good, straightforward good advice. There were also letters in which she was upset with me -- about something in a previous note, or something I said on the every Sunday phone calls. Who knows what foolishness I said at 18, or even 20.

I am already wondering how I will react when our one and only child heads to college. I sure hope I have things to keep me busy. I miss her already.

But I still have plenty of time to drive her crazy, and she will sweetly reciprocate. My mother's day gift to my child -- maybe I will start some form of meditation so that I can remain calm in times of deadlines and angst. So that I can be, at all times, a good, supportive mom through the challenges ahead. Involved but not suffocatingly so. Questioning but not tormenting. Understanding but firm. All the usual mom stuff, multiplied by a thousand.

Happy Mother's Day!

Excuses, Excuses

Mom's College Cram Course has not disappeared. It's just that I have been spreading my wings as a blogger on college admissions issues for NJ.com -- and true to form, have struggled a bit in the past week with the mechanics of a more complex blog program.

But dear reader, you will continue to see my musings and concerns here. And please let me know what's on your mind when it comes to all things college.

On Days Like This, College Madness Seems a Little Less Important

Our daughter was in first grade on Sept. 11, 2001. It was a day when the only thing that seemed to offer hope was that beautiful blue sky, the sky that had also ushered in devastation. Thoughts of college were a long way off then -- but we also didn't know, at that moment, when we'd see normal again.

So today, nearly 10 years later, the world has a shorter to-do list. And we need to be grateful for our heroes, dead and alive, who've enabled us to continue living our lives in relative comfort and safety. So that we can squander untold hours worrying about college and how much is too much to spend on getting our children ready for what is, in the end, just four years of their lives.

Let's celebrate the good, in the now. College will take care of itself (with a little help from dedicated, determined parents).

Also follow Karen at NJ.com/Parental Guidance.

When Good Majors Turn Bad

Remember the days when we thought we could follow our dreams, choose a major that gave us pleasure, stretched our minds. We knew we could figure out something to do with it -- or else were certain that some employer would perceive our brilliance and hire us. We might not get rich, but we'd be doing something we liked.

Right.

Those days are gone. And it pains me that kids need to start thinking about their majors in high school. But in order to identify prospective colleges, it sure helps to know which would have strong departments in the likely major. Now, more and more, high school kids are already thinking about finding majors that will pay the bills.

Here's a list of what the Daily Beast calls the 20 Most Useless Degrees. It looks at how many jobs will be available to majors in English, theater, music, and so on, and what mid-level pay might be. It's not pretty. These are useless majors because the recipient of a degree in them may have few employment options.

But as we turn pragmatic (a justified decision, of course), just think about what we will lose. Schools will suffer even more -- not enough English teachers. Opportunities to hear music will shrink -- no musicians. Fewer horticulturists might mean fewer public gardens. And with fewer psychology majors, we may have fewer therapists. Just when we really need them.

trends

It's time for spring break, one of the last non-college related trips we'll be taking for a while. I'll be back the week of April 24. But here's one more take on the year's admissions news.

OK. Now it's time for the post-mortem on the 2011 admissions process.

Yes, the news seemed dismal and all over the place. As guidance counselor Sue Boer at Columbia High School in Maplewood, NJ, said, "We are having trouble making heads or tails of admissions. It is hard to see any rationale."

But she balanced the insanity with an admissions tidbit that was fascinating. She added, "What we have discovered, however, is that schools are noting interest on the part of students. They keep a log of when the students call with questions or information and those that show the most interest are more likely to be accepted. Please note that it is the student’s calls that are logged. They really do not want to hear from the parents."


This intrigues me because it is something in the process that is within the student's control. Now, of course, this doesn't mean that emailing, calling and touring can make up for mediocre grades. What this demonstrated interest, as it is called in the college trade, does show is that the student is going beyond the usual required communications, that the student really does care about getting in.

And it's a reminder that we -- the parents -- need to stay out of the process, other than completing the FAFSA forms.

Here's another take on the top trends this year. Please enjoy.

Can a Book Change Lives?

For several years I've heard about Loren Pope's Colleges that Change Lives, especially around this time of year when kids have found out they didn't get into the prestigious/well known college they'd hoped for. It's cold comfort for kids who sought the bright lights of the Ivies and got a cold shoulder.

But it's a good time for us as parents to remember why we want our kids to go to college -- and what we really hope they get out of it. Okay. To me that means that college should be a time of learning, discussing, challenging – all in pursuit of finding something that really matters to them and that also allows them to earn a living doing it.

Yesterday I read the used copy I'd ordered from Amazon -- complete with notes and underlines from, I'd guess, a high school student. Then I looked at the Colleges that Change Lives (CTCL) site. It's an up-to-date look at the 40 colleges that comprise the CTCL list. The mission of this non-profit organization? It's "dedicated to the advancement and support of a student-centered college search process. We support the goal of each student finding a college that develops a lifelong love of learning and provides the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life beyond college."

No one can argue with that premise. I confess, though, that as I read about the colleges, they seemed to blur. They are, for the most part, somewhat obscure, small colleges that seem to exist in their own universe. But they share admirable attributes: small classes taught by professors, not TAs; a strong and committed academic community; students who come in as average on paper and then are nurtured, worked hard and are transformed.

The innate goodness of these colleges sounds almost too good to be true. That said, I wouldn't mind if our teen wanted to visit some of them. Still,
In a way, the CTCL perspective is almost radical. Putting the student first! Gosh, I'd bet a lot of colleges might be forced to shut their doors if "students first" became a mandate.

Yet Another Path to Admission -- the Long Way

"We like you, don't have room for you now, but could sure use your help when our sophomore class shrinks due to drop outs, transfers, study abroad or internships."

How's that for a quasi-acceptance letter from the college of your choice?

That's not the actual wording, of course, but it captures the meaning. Some schools are offering guaranteed admission if the student attends another college for a year or so and earns at least a pre-set grade point average.

The advantages to the schools are clear. By not accepting (immediately) students with lower grades and scores, they keep their precious high rankings intact. Then they can fill empty slots -- and keep the cash flow strong -- after freshman year when there is always a loss of students.

I didn't know such an admittance category existed. Our source at a highly selective school said the deferred admission wasn't done there, except in rare cases. But she has seen firsthand that a world of options exists. Her teen was deferred early action by one school, then offered January admission and fall waitlist. Another deferred her early action, then offered her January admission with the chance to study abroad in the fall as part of a special program.

The schools who are getting the benefit of a student for just a year or so are crying foul, suggesting students should be committed to four years -- not two semesters as a holding pattern before moving on to greener campuses. One admissions officer said it was unethical of students to do this.

Oh please. When we see the acceptance rates, hear the tales of kids who did so much right and still didn't get into schools, why is it unethical if they try to make the most of a compromise situation?

Here's what I think. If a student believes admittance at a particular school is a long shot, even with a solid record embroidered with requisite extra-curricular/community activities, but really wants to attend, it would be nice if the application had a spot to declare interest in an unorthodox admittance option.

Who knows? It could happen yet. And maybe that's a path to giving students just a little more say in the process.

Sleuth Before the Big Decision

Not to be annoying, but I have one more consideration to add as students and their families think through college options.

Are you absolutely sure of the health of the program or major you are pointing toward? Take the time for a little detective work before making your final decision.

Why? Some colleges may not be as committed to a program as you are. Penn State just announced cutbacks in its English department,home of a literature doctoral program ranked in the top 15 in the country by the National Research Council; the department is not taking any more students into its MFA in creative writing program. A subset is a nonfiction masters program ranked among the top five in the world.

You'd think Penn State would build on this strength, which, I am sure, attracts prospective English majors because of its stellar reputation. But no, that's not the case in this crazy, economics-driven world. According to a dean, the reason the cuts have been made is because the English department has a smaller enrollment of undergraduate students than other departments.

I get it, on the filthy lucre level. But for an institution to have worked so hard to build a significant, well thought of department, only to tear it down so quickly seems shortsighted, frightening and sudden.

So, before you sign, do a little digging. Make sure you check chat rooms, contact any majors in your chosen field that you may have met, and do a general search to see if the intended college has a history of cut backs in departments important to your teen.

Maybe there won't be any danger signs. Maybe the Penn State situation is an anomaly. But no harm in doing a little more homework before making this big decision.