Applying to College

Andrea O'Gorman, Director of Counseling at Scarsdale High School, is our December Counselor of the Month. O'Gorman oversees a department of nine counselors at this Westchester County, New York, public high school, serving 1460 students.  Named as "one of the 144 exemplary schools to which others may look for patterns of success" by the United States Department of Education, Scarsdale High School serves a diverse community with a large international population. 

"The thing that I enjoy most about working here is that students and faculty are so engaged in the learning process," says O'Gorman. "There is so much going on, so many new ventures. Education is the industry of Scarsdale. People come here because they want a school system they can invest in and parents, faculty and the administration are invested. Everyone feels like a stakeholder."

Seniors, in the next weeks,  many of you will be interviewing at the schools on your list which offer that opportunity -- in the admission office, via Skype or with an alumni interviewer. In most interviews, at some point, you will be asked if you have any questions. Don't waste the interviewer's -- and your -- time with questions which can be readily answered by looking at the college's website, such as the number of undergraduates or whether a specific major is offered. That communicates that you didn't do your homework. Research in advance the basics of the who, what or where of the university. Also, don't try to stump the admission officer with a question only the head of the physics department can answer. You should really want to know the answers to the questions you pose -- because you are having a conversation about a place which, if you enroll, will affect your life in significant ways.

In next week's advice, we'll have some ideas about and suggestions for questions you may want to ask.

For more information on interviews, including what to expect and how to prepare, as well as advice for parents, see Chapter 11, "College Interviews," in College Admission: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step. 

Educational psychologist Jane McClure joins us this month to discuss how parents can help college-bound teens through the application process. Read on to find out how to become an advisor and advocate for your son or daughter, and avoid becoming a "nagging taskmaster."

Parents often ask me how they can help their son or daughter during the application process.  I am pleased to get this question because it indicates parents recognize there are some methods that are appropriate and helpful and others are not.  While each student is unique, here are some typical issues that parents should consider as they attempt to provide assistance.

1.  It is important that students see their parents as advocates rather than as nagging task masters.  After all, this may be the last time that students live full-time at home, and you don’t want it to be fraught with fighting, nagging, slamming doors, ……well, you get the picture. 

Seniors, here's our best advice for interviewing -- whether you're doing an admission office interview or an alumni interview in the coming weeks.

Take the time to reflect on who you truly are before you show up for the interview. For example, think about  what's important to you, what you're reading, which of your activities means the most to you, what event going on in the world right now has caught your attention and why?

Dress appropriately. Admission officers say by far the most frequent interview faux pas are wardrobe malfunctions.  Here's a guideline: dress like you're lunching with your grandparents.

Be on time. In fact, be a little early.

Be polite— to everyone: the receptionist, the other students and parents in the waiting room, the interviewer and your parents.

Be yourself— unless you’re chronically late or usually impolite. Colleges want to see who you really are… within limits.

Be genuine and forthcoming. Your openness and receptivity to connecting with another person is as important as the subject matter discussed.

Remember: An interview is not a test. It's a conversation.