Counseling

Post-graduate planning is a marathon, not a sprint. Planning between each student and their counselor begins early in high school and continues as goals flesh out and academic milestones are reached. It is important that students and the counseling team work in tandem to ensure that options are maximized. Remember that college entrance requirements can vary significantly from the minimum high school graduation requirements. Consult materials on all colleges of interest for specifics, and keep the CHS counseling office apprised of any updates or changes in college and career planning.

Click here to go to sections of this page offering information on:

College Planning College Searches College Applications NCAA Clearinghouse College Visits Sample Expectations for In-State Institutions

College Planning:

Dos & Don’ts to Help Your Child through the College Admissions Process:

The college search and admission process is a life changing event for your child, and often for the whole family. The beginning of the college search signals the beginning of a child’s transition from teenager to young adult. As a result, it can be difficult for parents to strike the right balance of helping their child without taking over. Here are some dos and don’ts for parents entering the world of college admissions.

DO Learn About the Process: Even if you have vivid memories of your own college decisions, realize that the college admission process has changed since you attended. Whether or not you attended college, invest some time in reading up about today’s college admissions. Ask your child ’s counselor to recommend some helpful resources.

DO Discuss Restrictions Up Front: If there are financial or geographic restrictions that limit the range of colleges your child can consider, discuss them with your child at the beginning of the college search. Then your student won’t waste time and energy researching colleges that he/ she won’t be able to attend.

DON’T Limit Choices Based on Fees: “Parents should certainly be willing to lay out economic realities to their children at the front end of the college search process, but should not shut out options based purely on sticker price,” says Michael E. Dessimoz, Associate Vice President for enrollment services at Roosevelt University (IL). It’s always a good idea to encourage your child to include several affordable colleges among his/her choices, but remember that financial aid often helps families send their children to even the most expensive colleges. No matter your income level, find out all you can about financial aid. Your child’s guidance counselor or college’s Financial Aid Offices can direct you to good resources and answer your questions about how financial aid works.

DO Remind Your Child of Deadlines: The life of a high school student is often very busy, and teenagers are still learning time management skills. So help your child begin keeping a calendar or day planner to keep track of all those college application deadlines as well as his/her school work and activities.

DON’T Nag: “Say what you have to say and drop it,” advises Scott White, a counselor at Montclair High School (NJ). “If the process delays or changes because students don’t do what they are supposed to do, this is one time they may have to live with the consequences.” Remember, the goal is for your children to “own” the process, so that they can make college decisions that are right for them.

DO Listen and Offer Advice: For many students, their choice of college is their first adult decision – and it can be difficult. Likewise, it can be difficult for parents to find the right balance of guiding their child without making all the decisions for them. “Parents should be aware of what is going on, should make sure that deadlines are not missed and that the proper tests are taken, and should be available when the student wants advice,” says White. Try to act as a sounding board for your child; ask good questions and let your child supply the answers.

DON’T Make Decisions for Your Child: Your child needs to choose a college based on his/her individual abilities, interests, and personality. To that end, beware of pressuring your child to apply to colleges you would like them to attend. Encourage your child to apply to a good range of schools, but your child must decide for themselves which colleges to apply to and which college to attend. After all, your child will be the one who spends several years living and learning at college.

DO Be Your Child’s Cheerleader: The college admission process can be stressful. Your child may feel uncertain about the decisions he/she must make, fearful of rejection from colleges, or anxious about meeting deadlines for both college applications and his/her school work. Over the course of the search process, your child may change his/her mind (more than once) about her career aspirations, academic goals, or what she wants in a college. All of this is normal. Parents can help their college-bound child by offering plenty of encouragement, a listening ear, and gentle guidance. And don’t forget to celebrate each step along your child’s journey from high school to college.

Jennifer Gross © 2002 National Association for College Admission Counseling

College Searches:

The following sites will help you with your search for a college. It is a process and there are many sites that can help you establish a working list. Our counselors and the College/Career Center staff are valuable resources that can help you work on a manageable list.

College Applications

Did You Know?

• Colleges prefer that you apply on their website.
• We have all the in-state college applications in the Counseling Office.
• Out-of-state college applications can be obtained by contacting the individual school’s admission office. We have phone numbers.
• Complete applications, with your application fee, should be given to Counseling for four-year colleges/ universities and for two-year schools.
• College representatives visit CHS throughout the year.
• A schedule of college visits is posted in the Post Grad Center. Representatives can answer many of your questions.

Help With College Planning

College Application Timing: In general, the earlier students submit their applications to Colorado schools (and other schools with rolling admissions) the better! Out of state schools have their own deadlines – DON”T BE LATE.

Most college applications can be completed or downloaded on-line. Colorado school applications and other school applications and information are available in the Post Graduate Center.

1. www.commonapp.org (common application used at many selective colleges)
2. www.applyweb.com (electronic application processing for U.S. & world schools)

NCAA Clearinghouse

Seniors who are planning to play for a Division I or Division II school need to apply to the Clearinghouse immediately – see John Happs in the Counseling Office. Also, feel free to come in and do a Clearinghouse worksheet to make sure you qualify with core courses, core GPA and test scores.

This site is where students who want to participate in NCAA college athletics can register. They should do so at the end of their junior year or during their senior year. A packet that will assist you with this process is available in the counseling office.

www.ncaaclearinghouse.net
http://www.collegiatedirectories.com/

Please be aware that the counseling office cannot send you official test scores. Those must be sent from SAT and/or ACT directly.

 

College Visits:

A listing of college visits scheduled for this year is available here. Please look back periodically as this list is updated periodically.

Listing of College Visits remaining for 2006-2007 school year

Sample Expectations for In-State Institutions:

The Boulder Valley School District requires that a minimum of 220 credit hours be earned in grades 9-12 including 100 in grades 11 and 12. Compare the graduation requirements with these post-secondary criteria for various colleges below. Note that these are general rules that may fluctuate based on individual students.