SUMMER SCHOOL!

Choosing a College with the Future in Mind

Ah, summertime and the living is easy? Well not for people who have children that are juniors in high school. They’ll spend some of this summer preparing for college, including campus visits. It’s amazing as parents and their children begin the process of choosing a college and possibly spend up to $100 thousand over the next 5 years that so little assertive behavior is employed.
Colleges know how to intimidate parents and use their “hallowed halls” to the college’s advantage. Higher education is big business and getting your money is the goal. The competition for students is one “fight”; more important is finding parents who don’t require much encouragement or financial support to enroll their child.
For example, at both my undergraduate and graduate schools, I was given a campus tour that included the football coach’s main office. Even though I had no plans of playing ball at either school, I was still overwhelmed by the each office. Rich wood tones surrounded executive desks that rivaled any Fortune 500 office. Trophy cases were filled with awards and memorabilia and the atmosphere was heavy with success. I doubt if there are many student-athletes that can say “no” to either school.
Colleges know the importance of rich, glorious history with “name-dropping.” Walls are adorned with pictures, awards and letters from very important people. It’s hard for parents not to be intimidated. You have to remember that this is a strategy, not just decorations. The goal is to get your son or daughter to register and for you to pay the bills.
It’s like the last time you wanted to buy a new car. The salesperson talked to you at length about the benefits and features of the auto, but when it came to making the “best deal” that went to the manager. The scenario was pre-determined and you can bet that their conversation was nothing more than “I’ve got them hooked.” The same is true with college admissions: it’s all planned and as you absorb the surroundings, the admission person says, “I’ve got them hooked.”
So how do you “fight back?” Here is a list of questions to ask each college admissions person:
1. Do professors teach or is it "passed off" to grad students?
2. On any given day, what percentage of time are professors in the classroom or his/her office?
3. Are professors full-time or part-time faculty?
4. How are professors recognized for teaching excellence?
5. Are professors’ peer reviews available to the public. What about student reviews of their professors?
6. What is the ratio of professors to students?
7. What percentage of your students graduate in 4 years? What disciplines typically graduate in 4 years?
8. What are the top 5 reasons for students transferring to another school?
9. What percentage of your budget is spent on the athletic program? How much has it increased over the past 3 years?
10. How many of your graduates are accepted in graduate school? What percentage of your graduates earns a doctorate?
11. How many of your graduates are S&P 500 CEOs?
12. Explain how your network for job placement is organized. How does my son/daughter will benefit from that network?
13. If my son/daughter maintains a 3.5 GPA over the next 4 years and graduates with a degree from your school, do you guarantee job placement in his/her field of study?
14. If you fail to match my son/daughter with an employer, will you reimburse any or all of the tuition that was paid?
15. If you fail to place my son/daughter with a job in their field of study, will you provide graduate school at no additional costs?
16. What percentage of your last graduating class is employed?
If you don’t know what answers you would find acceptable, I suggest you hire a college prep counselor skilled in obtaining the best “deal” for your son or daughter. You may find many of their suggestions to be contrary to what you thought was the right way to “attack” higher education.
Just as you don’t go to a courtroom without a lawyer, you should not go into the college arena without the support of professional that knows the “tricks” colleges will employ.
Hey, it about more than money; it’s about your child’s future!

GROWTH <> LEADERSHIP <> EXCELLENCE
© 2006 3 Minute Learning LLC