College Roommates

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Most freshman-to-be have already completed surveys about their living habits in order to facilitate a roommate match up. If you used this survey as though it were a submission to Saturday Night Live, you should worry. John Q. a student at Harvard U decided to take the contrarian approach and fill in the opposite of his tastes and interests. No surprise, he had a really tough time with his freshman roommate. He tried to switch roommates right away but was unable to until well into the semester. The lesson here is to fill out the survey honestly and don't let your mom fill it out for you!

Colleges match roommates in a variety of ways. Some colleges such as Champlain College and the College of Wooster use the MBTI personality assesment in addition to student surveys to aid them in making good matches. Other colleges such as MIT have pre-frosh events where many people choose their roommates in person. Most colleges use a student survey to assist them and then assign the roommates in the summer.

Most college freshmen have never shared a bedroom prior to college. This can create some tensions. Contacting your roommate in the summmer before college can help to smooth the transition. You can share likes and dislikes online through Facebook. Sharing music or videos online can be a great ice-breaker. It also helps to deal with some of the practicalities, like who is bringing a refrigerator or a couch etc. Talking about if and how you plan to decorate the room can also be helpful. Shared living space can seem a little scary but most college students report that they made some of their closest friendships in the dorm freshman year.

Summer Reading

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Believe it or not summer reading can give a boost to chances of college admission. Of course it depends on what you read. Think of reading at least one book that interests you that you could talk about in an admissions interview. Remember that colleges are looking for students who are intellectually curious, which means that the latest best selling James Patterson thriller or the latest Danielle Steele romance will probably not give you any extra points with admissions. That still leaves a lot of choices in literature, history ,biography, current events and even business.

Some personal favorites in each of these categories are "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd, "Citizens of London" by Lynne Olson, "John Adams" by David McCullough, "Ghost of War-The True Story of a 19 year old GI", and "Make it Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath.

You can develop your own list of favorites and if you're stuck, you can ask friends, family or even a librarian what they would recommend for summer reading. Enjoy!

Colleges like Hogwarts?

The Harry Potter series has inspired a generation so it is not surprising that high school juniors and seniors think about Hogwarts as the ideal college setting. After all, many of the themes in the books relate to college or boarding school experiences including taking tough exams, making friends, finding love, breaking the rules, playing sports, fending off bullies, dealing with professor's favoritism etc.

After spring break travels to visit colleges Molly said to me. "I wish those colleges looked more like Hogwarts." Another said, "if they have a big dining hall with beams like Hogwarts, I feel happy."

So, what colleges DO look like Hogwarts? In my travels, obviously the university that looks most like Hogwarts is the one that inspired it, which is Oxford University in the UK. Glimpses of architecture that remind me of Harry Potter's school are also to be found in the US. Annenberg freshman dining hall at Harvard University is one place that seems both historical and magical. I could almost picture running into Hermione at one of the libraries at Lafayette College pictured above. "The Castle" at Arcadia University also reminds me of living in a novel. In fact students can enjoy castle living in gigantic rooms. Willard Straght Hall at Cornell University has beams in the main hall that are carved to resemble actual professors but in some cases they look more like wizards. There are also gargoyles in some of the walkways at Oberlin college that seem fanciful enough for Harry Potter fans.

Fanciful architecture is not the only rembrance of Harry Potter at U.S. colleges of course. Several colleges have established Quidditch teams (without the flying brooms and snitch of course). Some of the more established teams include Boston Univerity, Emerson College, Harvard University, Lafayette College, Middlebury College, MIT, University of Vermont, and Vassar College. I would love to see one of these Muggle Quidditch matches ... Maybe on my next college tour.

Keeping College Visits Straight

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NBC's Ann Curry confused Wheaton College in Massachussetts, where she gave the commencement address, with Wheaton College in Illinois. How embarrassing! However, the consequences are worse when the confusion happens on a college application. Believe it or not it is easy to confuse colleges, since there are many with similar names. For example, there is a Wesleyan University in CT, a Roberts Wesleyan College in NY, and an Ohio Wesleyan University in OH. There is a Cornell College in IA and a Cornell University in NY. There is a Washington College in MD and a Washington University in MO. You see what I mean.

Students sometimes get universities mixed up when they visit several in a row. After a few visits, the universities all blend together especially their similar features such as blue light security stations. It is important to remember the unique programs and facilities of each college for later applications. I visit over 30 colleges per year and I need to keep their features straight in order to help my students. Here are some of the strategies I use.

I take notes. I take pictures. I may even sketch a unique feature. I also find that talking to students helps especially when they share funny stories. At the end of the day, I review my notes and put them into a spread sheet. Different strategies work for different people. You may think you can remember it all but you would be amazed how the details blur and even vanish with time.

Summer College Visits: Value or Waste?

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The value of summer college visits is less than during the school year because the students are not there. Many universities have summer programs but the student culture is dramatically different than during the school year. Some families only have time to get away in the summer. A summer visit is better than no visit.

On a summer visit you can usually evaluate:

1) The campus layout and location
2) The surrounding neighborhood
3) The athletic facilities
4) The library
5) The facilities for LD support and the director.
6) The food (not of small colleges)
7) Transportation options to campus
NOTE: Small colleges may not have many of their facilities open.

In summer you can't evaluate:

1) The student culture
2) School spirit
3) The weather during the school year
4) The learning environment (visiting a class etc.)
5) Weekend activities

Visiting in the summer, you don't get an accurate view of the small colleges. They may look sleepy or even empty. I have had students come back and tell me that XYZ College was boring and dull or overrun with little kids in sports camps. Universities often have summer classes so they look more vital and active by comparison.

If your college visits do take place in the summer, make sure to make a second visit to colleges that you are seriously considering.

Should I take an AP, Honors, or Regular Class?

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Students and Parents often ask me, " Is it better to get an A in a regular class versus a lower grade in an Honors or AP class for college admissions?"

The standard answer to this from various admissions offices that I have talked to is not satisfying. The standard response is, "It is best to get an A in the most difficult course possible". This really states the obvious.

Clearly, you do need to show colleges that you are challenging yourself. My rule of thumb is; take the AP or honors class if you think that you can achieve at least a B in the course. If you are likely to get a C or lower because you have always struggled in the subject (science for example) it is better to take the less challenging course and keep up your GPA.

Keep in mind that the ultra-competitive colleges (such as Middlebury, Pomona, Columbia, Cornell etc.) like to see plenty of AP classes, IB courses or college classes on the transcript especially if they are offered by your school.

Can Seniors Relax?

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It's spring and for high school seniors their mind is on anything and everything except school. This coming week there will be AP exams and that is the final push for most students. Colleges have already sent out their acceptances for the most part. Is it safe to coast to graduation?

The answer is "It depends." What do you mean by coasting? If you mean getting "B"s instead of "A"s, it is probably OK. If it means skipping school, playing pranks, and getting "C"s or lower, it is not OK.

The colleges have developed an array of consequences for students who don't work at all at the end of HS. I have listed some of their possible actions below.

1) They can rescind the admission offer.
This is rare but it does happen, most often at highly selective colleges.

2) They can require you to take a remedial course.
Do you really want to substitute a remedial course for something you are interested in?

3) They can require you to take summer school.
Yuck!

4) It can affect your ability to get into special programs offered by the college.

In short, you have spent years of work getting to this moment in your education. Why risk it!