PARENTS’ PAGE

You are starting on an important journey supporting your child as s/he researches and applies to universities. From choosing which colleges to consider to visiting campuses, to finding ways to pay for college, the college application process requires hard work, research, and planning for both students and parents. It is also important to remember that your child deserves to take responsibility for this process himself/herself. There are many factors to consider in order to determine the best “college match” for a student. Beyond academic criteria, the social and geographical aspects can be critical to a student’s happiness. These four years will be a time of learning and maturation, and our goal is to find the best environment for this to happen. We are here to gently guide the student during this important step on the path toward self-discovery and independence.

HOW DOES YOUR CHILD SEE THE WORLD?

The Marist Mindset List is produced every August and is a respected description of the worldview of the incoming freshman class. Another view of the dramatically evolving world is, Did You Know?.

THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE

There are many articles and books about college admissions and some of them give particularly helpful insight into the process. We recommend you shadow an admissions officer at Wesleyan College through a season in the admission office by reading former NY Times educational writer – Jacques Steinberg’s book The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College. Williams College also has a useful article in the Williams Alumni Review “Recipe for Success” written by Doug Lederman, editor of Inside Higher Ed. Most college and university websites have a special page dedicated to parents’ concerns. We can direct your attention towards more resources throughout the college search process.

CAMPUS TOURS

Organizing college visits is an important part of a parent’s role in the college search, especially when families live far away from the schools. See College Visits for some ideas. Virtual visits can give you a good sense of a college campus, but don’t forget that what you see may be a little staged, as this is the school’s opportunity to put their best foot forward. Check out eCampus Tours and Campus Tours. You can make college visits at any time during the high school years. To make the most effective use of your college tour there are many strategies and details you need to plan out in advance, so please contact us for guidance.

We at Educational Advisory Services travel every summer to conduct on-site visits – part of our ongoing process of having the most up-to-date, first-hand information when we assist you.

THE TRANSITION

One of the concerns that parents face is safety on campus. You can go to Security on Campus to search for statistics on crime at any college or university as well as to find safety tips. Curious about how many students complete their studies and graduate successfully? Check out The Education Trust for college graduation rates.