College Corner: College Information Workshop update

For those of you who were unable to attend the College Information Workshop, Jan. 23, I have attached the presentation for you to review. This is an event that is conducted at Fresno Christian every year. It is a time for parents and students to learn all about the college application process, the SAT/ACT, financial aid for college, and much more.

This year we hosted representatives from two local college planning organizations College Planning, Tutorial Center and College Prep Consultants. Our hope with this event is to present families with valuable information and options for support in addition to the services we offer at Fresno Christian.

Both organizations specialize in helping students throughout the process of applying for college. They can start working with students as early as middle school or as late as senior year (this plan is known as “Senior Express” at College Prep Consultants). These companies host individual meetings with students to review and fine-tune their applications and essay questions. They also conduct tutoring sessions and classes to aid students in preparing for the SAT, ACT, and AP tests.

According to Arvi Kaushal, College Counselor from College Prep Consultants, “Students and parents should always attend events where the topics include college planning. They can learn crucial information regarding higher education, the changes to admission’s process and how best to prepare their child.”

She also urges students to start the process in the 7th grade. By doing so she says they can lay a strong foundation of activities and show college readiness. Colleges are interested in students who are academically strong but are also pursuing their passions and helping out their local community.

Kaushal also encourages students to keep track of their experiences.

“Colleges ask a lot of the student,” Kaushal said. “They want hours per week and weeks per year of activities so it is very important to log all hours of sports, extra curricular activities, educational programs the student has attended, honors or awards given, summer programs, college courses and anything (everything) the student has done besides attend high school.

“It sounds like a lot of work but it will most definitely pay off to stay organized,” Causal continued. “By keeping track of this important information it will make the tasks of writing a resume and completing college applications much easier.”

I am providing a PowerPoint for those who missed the College Information Workshop Presentation. Click on the link and it will download to your computer.

Another important topic that was covered at the event was how to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse, if you are interested in playing a sport in college. Reggie Williams, 7-10th Grade Academic Advisor at Fresno Christian explained some of the most recent changes such as new test score and GPA requirements and the difference between creating a profile page and becoming certified through NCAA.

To find out more about the NCAA eligibility requirements and course requirements, Williams can be contacted at [email protected].

There is so much that can be covered on the topic of college applications and it can be a stressful subject to tackle. However, in my experience, the most successful students are the ones who plan ahead and take ownership of applying to college.

The college search and application process really starts in middle school. It is six years of preparation for life after high school. The more families can become educated the better chance their child will have of attending the university of their dreams.

For more information, check out my previous article College Corner: Opening up college options.

For more information on the subject please contact Michelle Warkentin.