| For college-bound high school juniors and their | | | | offer them more money to help pay the college bill. |
| parents, this is an exciting time -- a time when | | | | As more families apply to the public colleges, the |
| they're trying to find that educational environment | | | | competition to get IN will get tougher. |
| that can provide that cornerstone to their future | | | | The days of the "I can always go to the community |
| success. | | | | college" may even be coming to an end. Squeezed |
| When it comes to the college admissions process, | | | | by budget cuts and shoestring budgets, community |
| much of the focus and concern lately, on the part of | | | | colleges may not be able to accommodate the |
| the families I've had the pleasure to meet with, has | | | | onslaught of incoming students that may result if the |
| been primarily about the paying for college. College is | | | | economy goes through a long-term lag. There's some |
| essential, but it's also expensive! In today's economy, | | | | speculation in come states that community colleges |
| resources to pay the college bill - for parents as well | | | | may have to start introducing certain standards and |
| as the colleges - have been shrinking due to losses | | | | benchmarks for admission! |
| on investments. | | | | What is your student's plan to stand out against the |
| And, you have to consider that a lot of the states | | | | increased competition? Hundreds if not thousands of |
| are also experiencing budget deficits. They are | | | | the students will have great grades and good SATs |
| cutting the funding to the public colleges, including | | | | or ACTs. What, besides grades and activities will help |
| community colleges. That means you need to expect | | | | your student stand out among all those other |
| an increase in costs. For out-of-state students at | | | | applicants to get one of those coveted spots in the |
| public universities, the increases will likely be much | | | | freshman class? |
| higher for you as the schools try to keep expenses | | | | Students need to present themselves in a clear, |
| lower for in-state students. | | | | concise way to the colleges. A clear, concise |
| In spite of these possibilities, many of parents I'm | | | | message will help them stand out from the |
| meeting are automatically jumping to the conclusion | | | | competition. Just knowing what you might want to |
| that the public universities or "state schools", will be | | | | do for a career is not enough. Why will a college |
| the cheapest options for their student. It might. But, | | | | want you on their campus? Why should they choose |
| what if your student doesn't get IN? | | | | you over the other great students who also applied? |
| With rising college costs, the misconception by many | | | | Once you have a message, you need to |
| families has been that the public university is the | | | | systematically deliver that message. You need a |
| cheapest option. Many popular public universities | | | | marketing plan. |
| already have acceptance rates well below 50%, | | | | Your Assignment (Should You Choose To Accept It): |
| which means it's a lot more difficult to get in these | | | | Get clear on what you offer a college besides good |
| days then it was just three or four years ago. | | | | grades from high school. Begin to develop your plan |
| Now, add the current economic crisis. Even more | | | | to get the attention of the college admissions officer |
| families are having that initial gut reaction that the | | | | by gathering information on your career goals, how |
| public university will be cheaper so they won't even | | | | and why you are pursuing them. Then begin crafting |
| look at or consider private colleges that might actually | | | | YOUR MESSAGE to the schools. |