Admission Secured

The college search process is just that – a process. A process has a timeline, and now is the time to shift to a new set of questions. The balance of that process if heavily weighted towards the search and the application process. Yet it's that final decision that sets students up for success. Think of the months – even years – students spend building CVs, perfecting test scores, striving for top grades. Then more months are spent keeping track of deadlines and requirements, polishing the essay, toiling over the application. With so much thought devoted to the application process, I'm amazed how little time is left to ponder how to make that enrollment decision. Many offers come late, and narrowing down choices to that "best fit” school can cause panic and stress. Here are a few guiding points to help families shift their mindset and truly focus on finding the place that will be a home away from home for four years.

Here are some suggestions for posing questions and steering conversations as you meet with students/families over the next month or two.

Deciding factors

Families should once again sit down and make a list of the top factors under consideration. Perhaps parents' factors are different from the student's. How can they get on the same page? Which one factor is the driving factor – is it cost? Is it major or academic based? Does the deciding factor revolve around something very specific such as sport, other talent, specific location (near relatives, etc.)? Are those factors still as important today as they were 4-6 months ago, or have they changed? Once the deciding factors have been jotted down from most important to less important, it's time to do another deep dive into researching those factors.

Comparing Costs

Make sure that offers are truly being compared equally. First and foremost, when comparing offers, check that the stated costs are from the same academic year – I can't tell you how many students show me other award letters with costs from the current year, not from the upcoming year. If the upcoming year costs can't be found on the university website, be sure to factor in at least a 3% increase. And costs may be likely to rise each year, whereas a scholarship may not increase each year. If a scholarship is awarded, is the scholarship guaranteed all 4 years? Or just the first year? Is any minimum GPA required to keep it?

Think about all of the expected (billed) costs: meal plans (14 vs. 3 meals a day?), housing (guaranteed or required all 4 years? Or just the first year?) Are there other fees mentioned on the website that are not mentioned in the award letter? Lastly, I'll mention that personal costs may vary from university to university, as they are just an estimate. The same is also true with campus jobs – most international students can get a campus job, but earnings will depend entirely on hours worked and that state's minimum wage. So don't put as much emphasis on personal expenses or campus job earnings that might be mentioned in an award letter.

U.S. vs. other countries

When comparing awards from different countries such as the UK, the Netherlands, etc. where students might live off campus from the beginning, try to get a realistic sense of apartment rental, commuting costs, and all costs that go with living off campus.

We all know that a U.S. university education is a costly investment. Please consider what goes into those extra costs. The U.S. advising system, especially for international students, is highly personalized. Advising doesn't just take academics into account, but the social and emotional well-being of the student.

Determining "Fit"

So often international students make their lists based on well-known universities, states, cities, etc. Without the opportunity to have visited a campus, international students may be less likely to choose based on "feelings” and “fit” than brand, ranking or location – or even weather! The reality is, students may be busy enough with campus life that they don't take advantage of proximity to a big city or make time to see that relative who lives in the same state. Or, they may end up choosing a different major. Fit should truly focus on how the student feels about the university – from the communications, YouTube videos, virtual admitted student programs, student testimonials. The student should take the time to seek out specific answers from current students and even professors, coaches, advisors, etc. Quite often this information can be found in a student's application portal. You'd be surprised what information is available in the portal, yet students still think that the portal is just a place to check what items are missing and to view the admission decision. Make sure your students know how to log into their portals and encourage them to check in to each one for new updates.

Other factors related to fit should focus on the overall experience. Quite often I hear that students are looking at huge universities and small ones. Yet those experiences will vary vastly! If comparing a small college and a large university, the student truly needs to research the following: Is it easy to change majors? Is housing guaranteed all 4 years? How are religious or dietary needs handled? Do grad students teach classes? If considering a large or public university – do most students graduate in 4 years, or does it actually take 5 or 6? Be sure to look at retention rate.

I'd love to stay in touch and continue the conversation. I welcome you to contact me at kkcrosby@owu.edu.