Parents! College is in your Future.

Today was a reflective day for me and probably most of the parents who were sitting in the library at CW  Stanford Middle school. This morning parents were invited to a Counselors coffee Hour. This was the first one I have attended and since I have an 8th grader there I may as well go. 
It turns out that not much has changed in the whole college world since I left college last semester.  Looking around the room there were concerned looks on the faces of parents. The news that AP classes are the standard their kids must meet to be considered a viable applicant at college was scary. In addition there were the parents in the room who probably never stepped foot on a college campus....news to them the whole process is overwelming to anyone.  Its even more to go through alone we you are only 18 years old.
The admissions couselor speaking to us today was a representive from UNC Chapel Hill.  UNC CHapel Hill is perhaps one of the most sought after  public colleges in the state. I realize being a Pirate I had to sit through her droning on about the tar heel blue but honestly she spoke about her personal expereince and I was right there with her. The experience navigating college admissions pretty much alone.  Her experience was her choices in finding a college were limited.  Her mother could only afford to visit near by colleges and she was only allowed to apply to one.  I nearly cried hearing her story because it sounded so similar to my own.  I was only allowed to visit near by schools, my step father was sick in the fall of my senior year and my college acceptance was the last thing on anyone mind but my own.  My mother did manage to take to me a college fair and I was very excited. Then reality came, each of those applications I wanted to send off cost $30-$100 for submission.  That vastly changed things for me.  Several colleges I wanted to attend but at the time my parents simply didn't have the money.  I widdled my list to a two colleges with $30 application fees, and held my breath.  IF I were lucky I would get in.  I actually did get into those two colleges, but my choices of colleges were limited simply because my parents at that point in time didn't have the money to allow me to apply to more than those two colleges.  Today though I learned of a wonderful thing called Fee Waiver services from the College Board.  The Fee Waiver service allows students to have their fees waived for the SAT, additionally students qualifying for this program can have application fees waived to up to Four colleges and major universities.  For more information about this service for your family please visit  http://sat.collegeboard.com/register/sat-fee-waivers
The other thing about colleges and universities are visiting. I know for many parents who've attended college in a previous life they want their little ones to attend their Alma mater.  That's perfectly fine but believe it or not there's thousands of families with parents that never stepped foot on the campus of a four year university. Or your  little darling has no desire to be go to the school you have a life long loyalty too.   Its a far cry from the comfort of home and much different than commuting to community college.  Visiting the campus of your child's choice is a big step. They might want to go to college with their friends and find that campus life at that college is suiting for them. As a parent you might learn that the college might be surrounded by a not so great neighbor hood, that off campus living isn't feasible. There's tons to consider when looking at living at a four year college. Visiting can help give you that feel. I was able to visit one college only after I had been accepted.  One college I applied to I am sure to this day I didn't get in because I was unable to visit.  Some larger universities make it easy, just drive over and park (in legal parking)  walk the campus and see what's happening. Smaller colleges visitors stick out like sore thumbs so it might be best to call ahead or just drop and see what's happening.  The most important thing use the Fall of the senior year to visit whatever college your child is planning to attend. Instead of that big vacation, plan a few weekend trips, take those teacher work days to see a college in full action.
The take away in all of this, if you have an 8th grader, or a child in High school is seriously considering a four year university get started now with visiting colleges and dont' let your ability to pay for testing and applications.