By: Annette L. Orbert

Where did the time go? Your friends and colleagues are telling you time is running out!  They are telling you how difficult it is to get accepted to certain colleges or they are telling you what you need to do.  First, do not panic!  Unfortunately, things may change each year, so your friends may not know what a college or university may be looking for in a student.  It is up to the student and the parent to find out what needs to be done.  The best thing to do is to do your homework and contact the college. They will be your best resource with what they are looking for in a student and they are the experts in what is required for acceptance.

In order to make the process a little easier, I recommend setting different goals for each class year.  Also, several websites such as www.cfnc.org and www.collegeboard.com have planning tools that will assist you with the steps to take.  

As college counselor, I meet with the students to discuss the application process.  Although there is not a lot to do the first year of high school, it is the ideal time to do your homework and begin researching different colleges and universities.  During my initial meeting with the freshmen, I encourage them to start thinking about different factors such as:

• What do you want to do after high school?
• Do you have a career in mind?
• Do you want to attend college out of state or in state?
• Have you thought about the size of the college or university?
• Have you done any research on colleges and universities?

These are just a few of the questions that can jump start the student to begin the process.  I also encourage the student to get on college mailing lists in order to learn more about the college.

During the sophomore year I meet with the students individually.  We discuss the information obtained during the freshmen year.  Also, I recommend to the student to  visit the colleges that they are considering.  The PSAT is administered to all sophomores, which provides a foundation for the SAT.  The student’s high school class schedule is also reviewed to make sure that the student will have the requirements needed for college.

The juniors all attend a non-credit college counseling class. The class will cover all parts of an admissions application. This includes interviewing skills, writing an essay, the campus visit, SAT verse ACT, volunteer requirements and the recommendation letter and other information about the application. Not only will the juniors take the PSAT again, the SAT is recommended by the end of December. Also, writing the college essay will be a requirement during their senior year in their English class.

 If the seniors follow the information provided the junior year, it will be easy sailing! The most important factor is meeting the deadlines required for all colleges. I will meet with the seniors on a regular basis to make sure all of the information is in and that I am aware of the colleges they are considering.

The college application can be time consuming but if it is manageable. For a breakdown of suggestions for each class level please see The Elon School's college counseling webpage. For additional information please contact Annette Orbert at 336-538-6123 or annette.orbert@theelonschool.org