District Home
Select a School...
Select a School
College and Career Connections

 

arial

For Parents
 

“Great colleges can be found all over the United States and not just at the top of the college rankings.  The best advice for students as well as parents is to start with a careful examination of personal goals for college.  What do you want to get out of college?  This places the focus of the college search on the ‘fit’ between the student and the school.  College rankings should not trump the ‘fit’.  Ultimately, this is what becomes most important when the student sets foot on campus.”

 

Ronald A. Crutcher, President, Wheaton College

 
Many parents believe that the primary concern during the college search is the list of schools under consideration. It's not. The most important thing is your student's personal growth and happiness. 
 -Colleges that Change Lives
The articles in this link are geared towards parents of college bound students who are seeking a better understanding of the contemporary college admission process. 
 
 
For Parents: Everyone in My Child's Space
College Parents: An Organization Just for You
A Parent's Guide to Financial Aid
Books for Parents of College-Bound Students
Tips for Parents: Dos and Don'ts for Helping Your Child Through College Admission
Tips for Parents: Countdown to College
Tips for Parents: Preparing Your Child for the Social Aspects of College
 
Forbes.com Lists of America's Best Colleges, Best Business Schools, Guide to College Finances, www.forbes.com/education/
 
How Admission Decisions are Made: Making the Final Cut
www.studentedge.com/crc/code/article.asp?id=1034&product=rc&sponsor=52262
 
Class of 2011 College Acceptance List
 
Parents of Seniors Planning Guide
 
 
The College Exploration Process / Parents List of Do's and Don't's
Your child is interested in exploring the option of attending college.
 
DO:
  • Take a deep breath - you are beginning yet another stage in your child's life.  It will be exciting, frustrating, seemingly never ending, and yet over all too quickly.
  • Let your son or daughter take ownership.  Step back and ask the three "w" questions:
--Who should be doing/leading this?
--What is my role?
--When should I help or not help?
  • Be proactive behind the scenes:
--Pay attention to dates/deadlines.
--Attend parent workshops.
--Entrust your son or daughter to the counselors but don't be afraid to ask questions.  Call the counselors if necessary and let them prod your son or daughter.
  • Be certain your son or daughter has made copies of applications.
  • Encourage college visits - with or without you.  Your son or daughter should spend the night on campus if they feel comfortable.
  • Enjoy the process as much as possible.  Ten years from now, it will not make a difference where your son or daughter went.  What will make the difference is what he or she does with the experience.

DON'T:

  • Don't bug your child.  Don't expect your son or daughter to be ready to plug in right now.  Time may be wasting, but the process will go nowhere until he or she is ready.  Don't give advice freely.  They don't want it.  They just want you to listen.  Don't force them to read it all, visit everywhere, spend the night, etc.
  • Don't compare your child to others.
  • Don't ever discuss your son or daughter's SAT/ACT scores or GPA.
  • Don't decide now where your son or daughter is going to college. Let them explore and discover.  Encourage their curiosity and their decision making.
  • If your son or daughter visits a college, do not go to the interview with them unless specifically invited by the college to do so.  Many times colleges say they couldn't get a sense of the student because the parent dominated the interview.

Remember that the college process is ever-changing.  Consider these recent trends:

    • Competition for the same schools is greater now than ever before
    • Much higher GPA and testing scores to get into highly competitive colleges
    • Erratic economy: many families will be stretched to the limit to afford tuition
    • Many more applications at every school drives down admission rates
    • A high percentage of the class is taken early decision.  This skews acceptances for those not choosing early decision making it tougher to get in under the "normal" December 1 deadline.
    • Title IX for sports.  This has swelled the ranks of females competing for college scholarships in sports.
    • Number of legacies

How does weighted GPA differ from unweighted GPA?

Some secondary schools choose to grade students on a 5.0 scale rather than the typical 4.0 scale for certain classes. A student typically receives 5.0 grade points for a class if he or she earns an “A” grade in an Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) class, while each subsequent grade is worth an additional point over its worth in a non-weighted system. An “A” grade in a non-AP/IB class still earns 4.0 grade points. While the system described above is the most common weighting system for GPA, there is no single standard for weighting secondary school grades. Different schools have different weighting practices, while others do not weight grades at all. Check with the college to which you are applying for which GPA they use.