Some thoughts on extracurricular involvements

I recently attended the North American College Admission Counselor's conference in St. Louis. In one of the workshops I attended, the presenter suggested that "two is enough" when it comes to extracurricular activities. Although I'm not sure I entirely agree with that limitation for every student, I do think that many students make the mistake of overcommitment and try to get involved in too many activities.

Many gifted and/or high-achieving students are multitalented and interested in many different things. It's hard to make a choice between "likes", so they don't choose- they try to do them all. Many of these students are also perfectionists who must put 110% into anything they attempt. The result is that they are usually chronically sleep deprived and unbelievably stressed. It's no surprise that, by continuously burning the candle at both ends, some of them burn out, sometimes even before graduation.

If this describes you, I would urge you to select those activities that are the most meaningful for you personally, and to "just say no" to overcommitment. Some of you will have to make hard choices, because you may like many different activities equally, and you hate to limit the possibilities. Look at it this way: choosing among "likes" is practice in decision making skills you'll use for the rest of your life. Most of you will choose one college to attend; it's generally a bad idea to spend one year at Grand Old Ivy, followed by one year at State U, followed by....you get the picture. You'll have to pick a major at some point, assuming you want to graduate, and after graduation you will (hopefully) find a job on your career path. Parents, please encourage your kids as they make these hard decisions. I know you're proud of them and all they can be and do, but they can't do and be everything at the same time.

Here's another trap: Because students have heard that colleges are looking for well-rounded students, they erroneously believe that this means they must have a long resume that resembles a Chinese takeout menu...a little from Column A, a little from Column B...with something from every possible extracurricular category included. For some students, this practice exacerbates their already high stress levels; for others it leads to shallow involvements that won't impress any admission committee, much less give any degree of personal satisfaction.

If this describes your main concern, relax! Colleges aren't looking for "well rounded students" as much as they are looking for "well rounded classes". They want an interesting and diverse group of students who will add to the campus community. That means some soccer stars, but also some tuba players. Some student government presidents, but also some newspaper editors. You do not have to be the star football player who also sings the National Anthem before the game and marches in the band during halftime. (I actually once had a student who did this once...he said it was pretty stressful!) What do you enjoy the most? Follow your passion, and it will shine through on your college applications. It is better to have consistent, deep involvement in a few activities than sporadic or cursory involvement in many.

There's another group of students I haven't mentioned- those who don't participate in anything, either because they spend all their time studying, or because they are "slackers". Those are not good choices either. You don't have to do everything, but do something! Pick a couple of activities (two is enough) and participate in high school life outside the classroom. It goes without saying that colleges are not impressed by slackers, but I've also seen 4.0 National Merit Scholars lose out in the admissions game because they did nothing but study in high school.

October 4 Update on AIMS Scholarship Changes

According to this update, sophomores will continue to be allowed three tries to exceed on the AIMS test. They will also have to meet minimum ACT and SAT requirements which are here specified as an ACT score of 28 or an SAT score of 1300. Although not specified in this update, I would assume that the 1300 minimum SAT requirement means a combination score of 1300 on the verbal and quantitative parts of the exam only and excludes the writing score. 1300 out of a possible 1600 is well above average; 1300 out of 2400 is below average. (For comparison, the three state universities generally require a 1040 combined verbal + quantitative SAT score, or a 22 ACT composite for admissions)
Here's the link.

Link to AIMS Scholarship Information on ADE Website

As of today, ADE hasn't updated the scholarship information on their website, but here's the link to it and here's a link to the latest article in the Arizona Republic. The newspaper article says the Regents voted to add ACT/SAT scores to the qualifications in addition to AIMS scores, but does not mention raising the required GPA, or requiring students to exceed on all three AIMS tests on the first attempt. I'd suggest checking the ADE site regularly for the official answers.

AIMS Scholarship Changes

Here's a link to the latest: it appears that the current rules will stay in place for the classes of 2011 and 2012, but will substantially change for the classes of 2013 and beyond.

It's going to be interesting to see how the changes affect school ratings, which in part are based on the number of students who exceed the standards on AIMS tests. If there is no longer a financial incentive to exceed on the AIMS test, I predict that most students who meet the standards on their first attempt will not bother retaking the test. This is likely to result in some schools having a lower rating, as these are based not only on percentage of students passing the AIMS test but also on percentage of students exceeding the standards. I expect the next few years will see much wailing and gnashing of teeth from pundits who bewail the failings of the public school system...probably from both sides of the political spectrum. Only the explanations of "why is this happening" will differ, depending on who's doing the talking.

Update on AIMS Scholarship

Here's a link to an updated proposal for the AIMS Scholarship. Looks like good news for juniors, and bad news for younger students. According to this article, current seniors and juniors would be "grandfathered in" under the old criteria, but sophomores would have to exceed on all three AIMS tests AND achieve certain scores on the SAT....and the amount of the scholarship would be greatly reduced.

"AIMS Scholarship" Under Review

I've expected this move by the State Board of Regents for several years. The state has been paying out much more than originally anticipated for this scholarship. For some reason, no one anticipated that students would continue retaking the AIMS test and/or retaking classes in order to qualify. Plus, scores on the ACT and SAT (which have been around for decades) are better predictors of college success. The good news is that the scholarship will continue "as is" for current seniors. The bad news is that the qualifications will be significantly tightened for current juniors. To qualify, class of 2012 students will need a 3.8 GPA and must exceed on all three portions of the AIMS test during the sophomore year. (No retakes) For class of 2013 students, SAT and/or ACT test scores will replace AIMS test scores. Here's a link to an article in the Arizona Republic discussing the proposed changes.

"Sticker price" vs. real cost of college

Recently I visited my old school and talked to a group of IB juniors about preparing for college. During the presentation, I encouraged students not to rule out any college on price alone, because most students don't wind up paying "sticker price". Here's a link to an NPR article which discusses this subject in more detail.

Welcome to High School; Now What?

The freshman year is often a step up in difficulty academically, and may seem overwhelming. For many bright students, elementary or junior high classes were just not that difficult and it may have been possible to coast on brainpower alone, earning A grades with little effort. In addition, high schools are just plain bigger places, with more people and more choices. Here are some tips to help freshmen survive and thrive the all-important first year of high school.

First of all, realize that you are not alone. Every other freshman has similar anxieties and concerns, even if they pretend otherwise and try not to show it. Every senior was a freshman once, and experienced what you are experiencing now three short years ago. It also helps to remind yourself that your teachers want you to be successful and stand ready to help....you just have to ask them.

Second, accept the fact that high school classes are supposed to be more challenging than the ones you had in junior high. This is particularly true if you are taking honors classes for the first time. You will have to put in more time and effort to achieve those good grades now, and this is the way it's supposed to be. You may be familiar with the athletic adage "No pain, no gain." Although I hope school is not painful for you, there is truth in that saying. If you are an athlete and you want to get stronger, you have to increase the difficulty of your workouts....lift heavier weights or run further. The same is true for academics. If you want to "get smarter" and grow intellectually, you are going to have to increase the difficulty of your academic subjects. Taking challenging classes is like weight training for your brain. 1-2 hours of study time outside of class is not unreasonable for college bound students. If you are spending much more than that on a regular basis, it would be a good idea to talk to your counselor and make sure that your classes are at the right academic level for you, or you may need help in learning how to study more effectively.

Third, get organized. Lack of organization is the downfall of many otherwise intelligent and creative students. You may not be a naturally organized person, but it is a learned skill. You probably couldn't ride a bicycle the first time you tried it, could you? How about hitting a baseball...or playing a musical instrument? With time and effort, you can learn organizational skills, too. Don't know where to start? This site has some simple suggestions you may find helpful. One tip I would add (not mentioned in the link above) is to get contact information from another student in your class. That way, if you forget "what's due when" you can call or text someone for an answer.

Here's my last tip, which doesn't have anything to do with work ethic, organizational ability, or study skills, but it is highly correlated with school success. Find a sport, club, or extracurricular activity that you enjoy, and get involved! Studies show that students who are involved in these kinds of activities make better grades and are happier in high school than students who aren't involved in them. On the other hand, don't try to get involved in everything, which is also a problem for some students. You will have to make choices....choose the ones that are most meaningful to you and that you enjoy the most, and you will have made the right choice.

You can survive....and thrive....during your freshman year of high school. Expect to work hard, but also to enjoy it. Believe it or not, you will be a senior before you know it!

Fall Tips for College Bound Juniors

The junior year is a busy time for college-bound students, and many students find that it is another "step up" in difficulty from the previous two years. It's also an important year. Since most students apply to colleges in the fall of the senior year, the transcripts colleges will be evaluating as they make admission and scholarship decisions will only include grades through this year. Juniors also should take several standardized tests this year which may play an important role in the college admission process. Here are some "things to do" during this busy and crucial year.

First, you should plan to take the PSAT (pre SAT) in the fall. The PSAT is also used as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, and you only get one chance to take it each year. The test is given in high schools on one Tuesday and one Saturday in October each year; the dates are set by CollegeBoard and each high school must choose either the Tuesday or the Saturday testing date. This year, test dates are October 13 and October 16. Check with your guidance counselor for your school's test date and deadline to sign up. If your school does not offer the PSAT or you have a conflict on its test date, try calling other high schools in your area to see if they have space available. You should prepare for the PSAT before taking it; at a minimum you should work through the practice book provided by College Board. More intense prep books containing several practice tests are available at major bookstores. Click here to read more information about the PSAT on the College Board website.

Plan to take the SAT and/or ACT in the spring. Most colleges will accept either test, but if you can afford the time and the money, it's better to take both. Because the tests differ in several ways, you may do better on one than the other. Colleges will take your best score, so why not give yourself two chances rather than one? Unlike the PSAT, you do not sign up for these tests at your high school; you sign up online on the College Board and ACT websites, and there are several testing dates for each. You select your testing date, location, and pay online. Again, you should prepare for these tests before taking them so that you are familiar with the format and timing of each section. ACT and College Board have a great deal of helpful information on their websites, or you can buy a practice book at major bookstores.

Now, about those grades. Try to earn the very best grades you can in the most challenging classes you can handle. This is particularly important if you got off to a less-than-desirable academic start in high school. Often, an upward trend in your grades can mitigate somewhat lower grades in say, the first semester of your freshman year. It's also a balancing act. You want to challenge yourself, but you don't want to take so many difficult classes that your grades suffer. Many students take their first AP or IB classes as juniors, and some are shocked by the difficulty of these classes. They are probably harder than classes you have taken so far, even honors classes, and this is something you should expect. After all, you are doing college-level work and may be rewarded with college credit if you do well on the end-of-course exams! In general, I think it is better to earn a "B" in a more difficult class than an "A" in an easier class, but if you are making too many "C" grades, it may be time to reconsider the difficulty of your class selections. There are always exceptions to any general rule, so you should discuss your specific circumstances and goals with your guidance counselor.

As if studying and taking standardized tests weren't enough to do this year, you should also evaluate your extracurricular portfolio. This is especially true if you are seeking admission to a more competitive college, or are hoping to be awarded a scholarship. Although grades and test scores are the most important factors for most college admission offices, your activities outside of school are also important. There is no such thing as a list of "best activities" that are guaranteed to get you into the college of your choice, and you don't have to be involved in everything. Your best choices will usually be the things you truly enjoy doing and do well. (If they serve to make the world a better place, and are related to your planned field of study, so much the better!) Again, these are very general suggestions and I'd encourage you to discuss your specific choices with your guidance counselor.

Finally, junior year is the time to seriously investigate possible colleges and narrow down your choices. You can do a lot of your research online- check the list of links to the right as a starting place- but there is no substitute for making an actual in-person visit to the colleges you are considering. Talk to your parents, teachers, friends and acquaintances. Ask them where they went to college and what they liked and didn't like about it. There are also books that many of my students have found helpful, including Rugg's Recommendations, Colleges that Change Lives, and Looking Beyond the Ivy League, along with many others. Spend an afternoon at a bookstore and skim through a few of them.

Sounds like a lot? It is, but it's manageable if you start planning now, and you'll be much better prepared, have less stress and more choices once senior year rolls around!

Does Class Rank Really Matter?

There's yet another story making the rounds on the internet about a high school valedictorian whose graduation speech had the general theme of "why did I waste my time working toward a goal I now believe to be meaningless?" A few years ago, another valedictorian, suffering from extreme burnout and at a loss for words, actually mooned his audience. So what's the real deal? Does class rank really matter? In my opinion, the answer is yes and no. Class rank matters to a certain extent, within certain parameters, but achieving a particular numerical rank is not nearly as important as some parents and students believe.

The more selective and competitive colleges want top students who will be successful in demanding post-secondary programs. Therefore, they look for students who have earned excellent grades in challenging classes. These students will generally have higher class ranks than students who have earned mediocre grades, or who took less difficult classes. But there is no magic about being ranked #1 vs. #6. Many times the difference between a higher and a lower numerical rank is not ability, or even grades, but scheduling issues that allow one student to take an extra honors class the other student couldn't fit into his or her schedule. Some class ranking calculations even penalize students who take extra classes. I remember one situation where two students had exactly the same grades in exactly the same classes for four years....but Student A was ranked above Student B because Student B had taken driver's ed in summer school! The extra "A" in driver's ed "diluted" the ratio of honors to regular classes.

In general, a student considering the more selective colleges should take honors, AP, or IB classes where that choice is possible. AP and IB classes tend to be regarded a bit better than honors classes, because they are nationally (and in the case of IB, internationally) recognized as having certain standards. The difficulty of "honors" classes may vary considerably from school to school. He or she should also take "five solids" (math, science, English, social studies, foreign language) each year, and select honors/AP/IB options for these where possible. Obviously, a student who makes these choices, and does well in them, will have a fairly high class rank.

It is not necessary, and may be counterproductive, to choose electives based on whether they carry honors weighting. Besides being incredibly stressful, taking all honors classes might cause a student's overall grades to drop. In addition, most colleges are looking for students who will make an interesting addition to the college community. Typically these students are curious and willing to try new things, enjoy learning for learning's sake, and have a sustained passion for something outside their academic goals. These qualities may best be demonstrated through eclectic elective choices or long-term extracurricular involvements in something the student truly enjoys. This student may well graduate with a lower numerical rank than another student who chooses only classes that will enhance his or her class rank, but will probably be more attractive to selective colleges- and I think, a happier and more well-adjusted person.

The bottom line? Challenge yourself; work hard and do your best; but don't obsess over class rank to the point where you destroy your love of learning and of life!

Back-to-school tips for college bound seniors

I hope you have had a restful and productive summer and are ready to begin a new school year! Here are a few things seniors should think about as the semester begins:

You will want to schedule a meeting with your counselor early in the semester to verify that you are "on track" for graduation and for meeting the college admission requirements for the college or colleges of your choice. It is better to find out about any problems now, when there is still time to correct them and add a class to your schedule if necessary. Admission requirements can generally be found on college websites. You can find a link to an index of college websites on the resource list at the right of this page, or you can just try googling "(name of college) admission requirements". In institutions where admissions and/or scholarship assistance is competitive, it is always better to go beyond the minimum requirements. Colleges want to see that you have challenged yourself, not just done what is necessary to "get by". A good guide is to aim for four credits in each of the "five solids"...math, science, English, social studies, and foreign language. (Hint: Don't walk into the guidance office the first day of school and expect that your counselor will have time for a detailed conversation about your college prospects. Counselors tend to be very busy the first week of school with scheduling issues, new enrollments, etc. You'll be better off waiting until the second week of school to ask for an appointment!)

College bound seniors should have taken the SAT and/or ACT during the spring of the junior year. If you did not, you should sign up ASAP for the earliest possible fall test date. If you were not satisfied with your spring test scores, you may sign up to retest. Sign up online at www.collegeboard.com for the SAT or www.actstudent.org for the ACT.

You should also begin to think about how you will pay for college. Parents and students need to have a serious talk and honestly discuss how much the parents will be able to help. Do not make the mistake of assuming that because you are a good student, you will get scholarships that will pay for everything. Unfortunately, "full ride" scholarships have always been pretty rare and even more difficult to get in today's economy. Have "the talk", and then begin to research all possible options early this fall. It won't hurt to sign up for a scholarship search service (as long as there is no fee for doing so- scam alert!) but don't count on finding a lot of money through one of these. Most students get most of their funding from the colleges themselves. Check the financial aid page of colleges you are considering; sometimes they have a separate scholarship application and sometimes you are considered for scholarships as a part of the admissions application. Another good place to check is your school guidance office or website; most will have a book or online listing of scholarships. Look through these on a regular basis, and apply for any and all for which you meet the qualifications. Your best bets are local scholarships, or those that will otherwise draw a fairly limited pool of applicants. National scholarships with fairly broad criteria (3.0 GPA) are probably a waste of your time as the applicant pool is so large. You can also check with your parent's employers, or with religious or community organizations to which you or your parents belong. Wherever you start looking, start looking and applying early, and continue the process throughout the fall. If you're serious about looking for scholarships, one book I would recommend is Ben Kaplan's "How to Go to College (Almost) For Free". Here's a short YouTube video with the author giving some more tips:

The Importance of Distributed Practice

"Distributed practice" is one of the best ways to prepare for any exam, and that includes standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. With this method, you practice a little bit each day over a sustained period of time, rather than trying to "cram" and learn all the information right before the test.

If you are an entering freshmen just beginning high school, you may find that to be successful, you must put more effort into studying than you needed to do in middle school. Distributed practice is particularly helpful in learning new vocabulary words either in both English and foreign languages, or in preparing for a map test in geography class. Spending 15 minutes each day going over your notes from class and going over vocabulary will yield better results than putting in hours of study time the night before a test.

If you are entering your junior or senior year, you are probably thinking more seriously about college and facing the dreaded college admissions tests. If you will begin now to apply the principles of distributed practice, you will see better results when you take those tests. There are practice books for both the SAT and ACT at major bookstores, and you can also find practice helps on the College Board (SAT) and ACT websites. SAT has a "question of the day" on the College Board website, and did you know that ACT posts daily practice questions on Twitter and Facebook? The questions rotate through the four sections of the ACT test: reading, English, math, and science. Click here to go to ACT's Facebook page and here to follow them on Twitter. It's a great (and almost painless) way to get in some distributed practice!

ACT May News You Can Use

Here's a link to more suggestions for a productive summer from ACT. For those juniors who got their ACT scores back from District Choice testing, it also contains information about how to interpret your test scores.

Making the Most of Your Summer

School will soon be out for the summer. Yes, you want to relax, “de-stress”, and enjoy your time, but if you are a college bound student, you shouldn’t spend it all sleeping until noon and playing video games. Here are some things to consider that will help you make the most of your time this summer:

1. Visit some college campuses. There is no better way to get a “feel” for a particular college and how comfortable you might be living there than to visit the campus. You can make a day or weekend trip to in-state colleges, or if your family has summer vacation plans that include a trip out of state, you can easily fit in a side trip to one or more campuses.

2. Read. Spend some time each day reading the newspaper, magazines, or books you enjoy reading for pleasure. It doesn’t matter what you read; the more you read the more you will increase your reading speed, comprehension, vocabulary, and even writing skills. I have noticed that invariably, the students who score the highest on college entrance exams like the ACT and SAT are the students who read the most. The best writers are prolific readers; if you read good literature, you can improve your writing skills almost by osmosis. You don’t have to read classic literature, but that’s a good idea too. Here’s a link to summer reading suggestions from the National Association for College Admission Counseling, or you might try College Board’s list of “100 Great Books Recommended for College Bound Students”.

3. Volunteer. Beyond the good feeling you get by helping others, giving of yourself to your community has many practical benefits. One of these days you will be filling out a college application, and there will be a space to describe your volunteer activities. You may be able to use your supervisor as a reference on a college or job application. If you can find a volunteer opportunity in an area that is related to your proposed field of study, that’s even better.

4. Find a part time job. Not only will you gain work experience and hopefully a good recommendation from your supervisor, you earn money for your college savings account! Although financial aid is readily available for capable students who wish to pursue higher education, it is a myth to believe that good students can pay for everything through scholarships and grants. A large part of any financial aid package comes in the form of loans, and you want to keep borrowing to a minimum. The more you earn and save, the less you will have to borrow. Here's a link to a website where you can learn more about finding your first job: Snagajob.com

5. Look for a summer enrichment program. Many community colleges offer special programs designed for high school students at a reasonable cost. If you have a bigger budget, check out the residential programs offered by many major universities, from Ivy League-type schools like Harvard and Stanford to state universities like the University of Arizona. You can find books listing hundreds of summer opportunities in libraries and major bookstores, or search for them online at sites such as Teen Ink.

6. Pursue a passion. What is it that you really love doing? Use the time to increase your skills or deepen your understanding in that area. For example, if you really love performing arts, the best use of your time this summer might be to become involved in a summer theater production.

7. Research colleges and scholarships online. College View, College Board and The Princeton Review are well-known, extensive sites where you should be able to find everything you ever needed or wanted to know about college planning and preparation. But there are many other helpful sites where you can research campus safety, read the school newspaper, chat with students about campus life, or take a virtual tour of the campus and/or dorms.

8. Take some practice tests for the PSAT, SAT, and/or ACT. There are prep courses you can take through agencies like Princeton Review, Kaplan, and Sylvan, but these can be expensive. An inexpensive and effective alternative is to purchase a test prep book, read the suggestions for how to approach each part of the test, then take and score a practice tests. Test prep books usually include several complete tests with answer keys. You don’t need to take an entire test in one sitting; just do one section a day and rotate through the various sections. Set a timer and time yourself as if you were actually taking the test, check your answers against the key, and then try to figure out what you did wrong on the ones you missed.