F ISK E COUNTDOWN o Ct OLLEGE 2nd Edition 41 TO-DO LISTS and a Plan for Every Year of High School EDWARD B. FISKE BRUCE G. HAMMOND FiskeCountdownToCollege_2e.indd 1 4/11/18 11:42 AM Copyright © 2009, 2018 by FGC Associates LLC Cover and internal design © 2018 by Sourcebooks, Inc. Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other profes- sional service. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.—From a Declaration of Principles Jointly Adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers and Associations. All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, regis- tered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders. Sourcebooks, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor in this book. Published by Sourcebooks, Inc. P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410 (630) 961-3900 Fax: (630) 961-2168 sourcebooks.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Fiske, Edward B. author. | Hammond, Bruce G. author. Title: Fiske countdown to college : 41 to-do lists and a plan for every year of high school / Edward B. Fiske, Bruce G. Hammond. Description: Second Edition. | Naperville, Illinois : Sourcebooks, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references. Identifiers: LCCN 2018004353 | ISBN 9781492650775 (Trade paperback : alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Universities and colleges--United States--Admission--Handbooks, manuals, etc. | College student orientation--United States--Handbooks, manuals, etc. | High school students--United States--Handbooks, manuals, etc. Classification: LCC LB2351.2 .H34 2018 | DDC 378.1/610973--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018004353 Printed and bound in the United States of America. VP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 FiskeCountdownToCollege_2e.indd 2 4/11/18 11:42 AM contents Introduction: Fasten Your Seat Belts................. v 9th Grade......................................... 1 List #1: Getting a Good Start List #2: Learn about Honors, AP, and IB Courses List #3: High School Begins List #4: What to Do with an Underachiever 10th Grade....................................... 15 List #5: College Looms Closer List #6: Registering for the Tests List #7: Get Informed about the SAT Subject Tests List #8: The Truth about Test Prep List #9: The National Merit Program List #10: The SAT and the ACT: What’s the Difference? List #11: Explore Careers List #12: Know the Top Five Myths of College Admission College Admission Pledge for Students College Admission Pledge for Parents 11th Grade....................................... 45 List #13: Academics List #14: Standardized Testing, 11th Grade List #15: The College Search, 11th Grade, for Students List #16: Find Out the Cost of a Year List #17: The College Search DON’T List, for Students List #18: The College Search, 11th Grade, for Parents FiskeCountdownToCollege_2e.indd 3 4/11/18 11:42 AM List #19: Know the Facts about Athletics and Admission List #20: The College Search DON’T List, for Parents List #21: Making the Most of College Visits List #22: College Visit DON’T List List #23: The Summer after 11th Grade 12th Grade....................................... 83 List #24: Standardized Testing, 12th Grade List #25: Getting Teacher Recommendations List #26: Early Decision and Early Action List #27: The College Search, 12th Grade, for Students List #28: The Application DON’T List List #29: The College Search, 12th Grade, for Parents List #30: Get to Know the Admission Officers List #31: Get Informed about the Performing Arts Application Process List #32: The Scholarship Search List #33: Surviving the Essay List #34: College Essay DON’T List List #35: The Financial Aid Process List #36: Winter of Senior Year List #37: After the Acceptances, for Students List #38: Handling the Waitlist List #39: After the Acceptances, for Parents List #40: The Summer before College List #41: Letting Go Epilogue ....................................... 141 Acknowledgments............................... 142 College Counselors Advisory Group............... 143 Notes.......................................... 144 FiskeCountdownToCollege_2e.indd 4 4/11/18 11:42 AM introduction: fasten your seat belts Welcome to a unique phase of life: the college search. It is a time when teenagers are no longer kids but are not quite ready to be full-fledged adults. Parents, including many who are accustomed to doing things for their teens, must take a step back. Students, who have always relied on their parents to clear the way, must now step forward and chart their own path. The transition is easier said than done. Any parent can pay lip service to the idea that students should take control, but when the chips are down, the urge to step in and make things right can be overwhelming. On the other hand, students constantly talk about wanting to be on their own, but as the college search heats up, they often hesitate just long enough to lure Mom or Dad to come to the rescue. For many students, picking a college will be the first adult decision they make—and the real beginning of their higher education. The purpose of this book is to help students to take charge and parents to understand their vital supporting role. For every crucial phase of the college search, we offer comprehensive to-do lists to help ease fears and eliminate uncertainty. The lists are written directly to students and/or parents. Specially marked items highlight the best resources on the internet for the college search. Perhaps most importantly, the book includes scores of quotations from real students, parents, and high school counselors who offer the ultimate insider’s perspective on the college search. Listen carefully to their advice. FiskeCountdownToCollege_2e.indd 5 4/11/18 11:42 AM The college search has its share of stress, but when things get intense, remember the big picture. It isn’t about getting into Big Name U or carrying on a family tradition. The college search is about launching a young person on the path to success and happiness. As long as families stay grounded in this reality, success is guaranteed. C Pa rents vi Fiske Countdown to College FiskeCountdownToCollege_2e.indd 6 4/11/18 11:42 AM 9 th grade College seems a world away to most ninth graders. It takes imagination to picture yourself on a college campus when elev- enth and twelfth graders look like giants. Parents are the ones who see college on the horizon, and they inevitably are the first to focus on the college search. C Pa rents � GETTING A GOOD START It’s never too early for a parent to start thinking about the college admission process, as long as you don’t make too big a fuss about it. Tread lightly and get informed now—before the pressure heats up. ■ Control Your Anxiety If you’re already thinking about college, remember that your son or daughter is still adjusting to high school. Be gentle. Push too hard and you’ll risk creating an oppo- sitional dynamic that may last throughout the next four years and beyond. ■ Help Your Son or Daughter Make Choices Some kids need a nudge to get involved in activities; others need help in narrowing down their commitments so they can focus on a few. It is better to establish leadership and distinction in a couple of activities than to dabble in many. FiskeCountdownToCollege_2e.indd 1 4/11/18 11:42 AM ■ Do a Four-Year Plan Some schools host an event for eighth graders and their parents to map out plans for high school. If yours does not, ask for a meeting with the guidance counselor, to include your son or daughter, to go over expectations for the next four years. ■ Assess Family Finances Now is a great time to begin thinking about how much you can afford. You and your student will face a menu of possibilities ranging from about $10,000 per year (regional in-state public university) to more than $75,000 per year (expensive private college). Scholarships and financial aid may come into play, but be prepared to go without either. ■ Liquidate Custodial Accounts This applies to families who will seek need-based aid, which could include anyone with less than about $200,000 of annual family income. Putting money in your child’s name gives a tax advantage, but it is a killer for need- based aid. There are legal ways to spend down custodial accounts on behalf of your child. Speak to your lawyer or financial advisor to find out how. ■ Be Realistic Your son or daughter might not get into your alma mater, but if you were applying today, you might not either. Don’t sweat it. Today’s world is much more competitive, but there are also a lot more great colleges today than there were thirty years ago. 2 Fiske Countdown to College FiskeCountdownToCollege_2e.indd 2 4/11/18 11:42 AM ■ Stay in the Loop about School Keep your ear to the ground for any changes in academic performance. Ninth and tenth grades are typically the time when students make the lowest grades of their high school careers. A lot of them still need help getting orga- nized and staying on top of their work. ■ Help Your Son or Daughter Think about Summer Activities The days of going to summer camp—unless it is as a counselor-in-training—should now be over. Encourage your son or daughter to do something meaty. Good options include volunteering, shadowing a working professional, or even becoming a small-scale entrepreneur. ■ Get Informed Your odds of getting your son or daughter to read about the college process in ninth grade are slim to none—but that doesn’t mean you can’t look ahead. For a complete overview of the college process, check out The Fiske Guide to Getting Into the Right College. ■ Understand That It’s Not about You Parents tend to assume that the path they took themselves will also be best for their child. And though parents may clearly see how their son or daughter is influenced by peers, they often overlook how their own priorities in the college search may be shaped by the groupthink of their adult friends. Stay tuned to your student. 9th Grade 3 FiskeCountdownToCollege_2e.indd 3 4/11/18 11:42 AM