With around 31,000 students applying to University of Florida, it is on many student's college list. This blog is to help you through that process, as UF college application has unique attributes that other colleges in the state do not have.
A Guide to Florida College Applications
AP, IB, Dual-Enrollment- Determining What is Best for You!
Websites to Develop your Career-to-College Path!
The Power of Local Scholarships
Top 7 Apps for the College Application Process
Governor Scott's Higher Education Veto- Why it is a Good Thing & What it Means for You!
Understanding What ACT and SAT Means for You
Full Tuition for Bright Futures: What Students & Parents Need to Know!
Becoming a "T-Shaped" Student
Have you heard the myth about students need to be well-rounded student for college admissions? It is just that, a myth. In terms of admissions, it is better to be a ‘T-Shaped’.
College admission is changing as colleges and universities are becoming more selective in the types of students they take in. As adults, we believed the secret recipe of students receiving admissions into student’s preferred college includes a nice mix of community service, school clubs, athletics, and sprinkled in a few advanced honors or college courses, like Advanced Placement or dual-enrollment. Unfortunately, the problem with a student being well-rounded is they usually lack focus or a specialized skill set.
College admissions today are looking for applicants who showcase two strong attributes. First, they want to see a strong passion for specific coursework, school activities, community engagement, or extra-curricular work. They prefer students with three or four strong activities or areas of interests for a prolonged period of time to show a continued passion and deep understanding, rather than a lazy interest. Second, they also want to see a broad set of skills to be able to work across multiple disciplines with ease and confidence. “T” students know how to work in small teams, solve problems, and show initiative and persistence to keep going when issues arise.
Here are some of the best ways to create a “T” shaped students:
Growth before grades. Many times, as parents, we put added pressure on our students to obtain a certain grade point average to enter into college. While important, college admissions would rather find students who have faced adversity, struggled in a more rigorous class, and learned to overcome. Learning should come from having a growth mindset by taking risks and triumphing.
Specialized coursework. High schools in the area offer a wide array of coursework to allow your student to specialize in areas in which they are interested in and excel. If a student is interested in being in the medical field, their transcript should showcase courses such as biology, chemistry, and anatomy and physiology. Taking on advanced coursework in their specific field shows they are willing to stretch themselves to meet their future career goals. Students could also look at online courses, often free, such as Coursera, edX, Lynda, Alison, and Udemy that provide coursework from experts from universities like MIT, Berkeley, and Harvard from a range of topics like coding, medical neuroscience, business, and psychology.
Internships/ volunteer work. There are many opportunities for students to receive hands-on experiences throughout the many programs in the area. While there are multiple opportunities to travel abroad and take part in various summer programs, having students take part in their field of study shows admissions they are willing to work at pursuing their interests. A recent senior I worked with wanted to be a naval architect. While he was accepted into a very high priced summer program, the cost was just too much. Instead, we made a few phone calls and a local specialty boat-making company offered him an internship to do what he loves- build boats. He loved his summer experience, and used it as his college essay and recommendation.
Part-time work. While finding part-time work for a teenager often won’t be in their field of choice, working in a collaborative, fast-paced work environment will show admissions those broad set of skills they are looking for such as responsibility, time management, and work ethic.
Extra-curricular activities. The local schools and community have large amounts of activities students can be involved in. Students become involved in sports, martial arts, music, art, theatre, debate, technology and so forth. Encourage your student to find something they are dedicated to being actively involved for a long, extended period of time rather than a large variety of activities they are not committed to.
What that College Admissions Means
I am not sure why universities picked April 1st as the day to release their final decisions on college admissions, a possible ode to April Fool’s Day, but for whatever reason across the nation high school seniors heard if they received admissions to their top schools.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails”
As I was talking to my niece about her final admissions and final decisions, I wanted to tell her a few key things to put these admission decisions into perspective.
1. Your path is highly personal.
While there may be pressure from parents, friends, teachers, and even media, where you go to higher education depends on where you can become who you wish to be. Some students need a small intimate environment to be successful, some want the full-on collegiate experience, and others will make their decisions on financial aspects. In the end, the student’s journey is their alone. No one else can do the work for them, so being in a place that meets the student’s needs and no one else’s is highly important.
2. You can become whoever, wherever you go.
We often feel that a “name” of a college defines who we are and where we go in life. While it may be true that certain schools breed unique social and economical connections, for the 99.5% of us who attend traditional universities or colleges, we will be provided with a great education and many fantastic opportunities to grow academically and as people. I am a true believer in the Taoist view of “There are many paths to one summit”. College will be what you make of it anywhere you go, it’s what you do once you get there that makes all the difference.
3. Life is not over if you do not go to your 1st or 2nd choice.
Maybe you did not get your first, second, or even third choice of schools. For many students this creates a self doubt that what you did all in high school was not worth it. I worked with a student last year who should have gotten into every school he applied, perfect GPA and ACT score and high student involvement. He ended up at his fourth choice that had provided him with substantial scholarships, but he felt was a bit inferior to the others. I saw him after a year, and he LOVES his school and stated it was his perfect “fit”. I am a Happenstance theorist- meaning, that sometimes doors have to close so others can open. Call it divine intervention, fate, destiny, Karma, or whatever, but things have a way of working out in life. Focusing on the positives and doing #2 in this list, it will all work out.
4. The journey is not over.
This week I did something I NEVER thought I could do…. I became Dr. Amanda Sterk. That is the first time writing that phrase, and it means to me all the hours of studying, hard work, persistence, and dedication I had to get there. What it taught me is that life is one step at a time; one foot in front of the other. Your life is not “fixed” at any age, especially not at 17+ years. Granted as we get older, certain responsibilities seem to slow us down (kids, spouses, jobs), but that is only because we let those things hold us back. Every day we wake up with the opportunity to do something different. One of my favorite quotes that has always inspired me is; “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails” (Mark Twain quote) .
Your journey has just begun.
Do You Know How Current Legislation Will Affect your Child?
I will continue the Redefining College Readiness: Part 3, next week.
As students and parents preparing for college is a stressful and confusing process. There is always concern about the cost of attendance and finding programs that best meet your student’s needs. According to the Florida College Access Network (www.floridacollegeaccess.org), a nonpartisan organization that strives to expand knowledge of research, data, policies and practices that impact postsecondary access and attainment in Florida, there are several legislative decisions that parents and students should pay close to attention in the coming year that can affect where your student can earn their desired career and how they are going to pay for it.
The article can be found here for more information, but here is a shortened list of current legislation parents and students should be aware of.
1. Tuition- Tuition has remained relatively steady these last four year. There is discussion and commitment to reform state financial aid and tuition policies.
2. Bright Futures- The Florida Academic Scholars (FAS), the top tier of the Bright Futures scholarship, is looking atreceiving inceased funding for those who qualify with a 29 ACT/ 1290 SAT and a 3.5 weighted gpa with 100% tuition and fees, and a $300 textbook allowance, comparatively the current level of about $3,000 annuallyor $103 per credit.
3. Summer Bright Futures- Along with increasing funding for FAS, the legislation is also looking at providing Bright Futures funding for summer sessions as well as fall and spring.
4. First Generation Matching Grant Programs- A Senate bill is seeking to increase the amount of grant money available for eligible low-income, first-generation students. The current First Generation Grant, that provides additional grant money for qualifying students, is not sufficient for current needs and students are going unfunded.
5. Block Tuition- Currently, students in the Florida public university system pay per credit basis, yet receive the same financial aid award. To save money, many are taking fewer credits per semester, thus taking longer to graduate. A current bill is asking the public universities to move to a block, or one-price system, whether a student takes 12, 15, or 18 credit hours. The hope is for students to graduate sooner, but opponents fear students may see this as a tuition increase. If this legislation is passed, it will go into affect fall 2018.
6. Florida State College System- Florida has 28 state colleges or “community colleges”, making it an easy and affordable choice for many college-bound high school students and adults (see my infographic on 10 Reasons to Attend a Florida State College). These schools offer a variety of programs such as College Credit Certificates, Associates of Science or Arts degrees, and Bachelor’s degrees in high need areas such as nursing, education, and computer science. Several state colleges have made Bachelor’s degrees as low as $10,000 for attainment, a challenge from Governor Rick Scott. However, legislation is currently trying to push all bachelor’s degree programs to the Florida State University System (SUS) and away from the state colleges.
a. This is one legislation bill that we should all be strongly against. We should be extending these opportunities to be able to provide ALL families a reasonably priced, high quality education to meet their post-secondary needs. This piece of legislation would seriously set back many Florida students as it would limit educational opportunities for many across the state.
7. 2+2 Pathways- Many Florida state colleges and state universities have agreements that allow students to easily transfer from one school to another, providing additional support to these students, easy transfer of credits, and priority application and acceptances. This piece of legislation seeks to require every state college to create these pathways with a state university.
a. While I applaud making it easier for students to transfer to larger universities that have a larger assortment of majors and minors, it is clear that this legislation is designed to placate the issues in #6. There should be greater accessibility efforts across the board at both state colleges and universities. Different school types, such as private vs. public, 2 year versus 4 year, technical/ certification vs. degrees, should be available to meet as many student needs as possible.
As you begin your college process, these are some legislative issues that have a direct impact on your family. For more information, read the original article that provides links to all the legislation. If you feel passionately about one of them, please email your representative. We should work together to provide a variety of college opportunities that is reasonably priced and accessible for all.
Top 10 Things for Parents to NOT Do!
College Myths: Perceived Barriers to Higher Education
Strength in Partnership: UnMaze.Me & FutureMakers
As an educator, counselor, and administrator who had spent almost 15 years in education, I could only imagine the confusion families must feel as they tried to navigate the same system without the knowledge or background that I have. I believe often times this maze that has been created leads students to not pursue their educational aspirations as there are real and perceived barriers in place.
Online Scholarships- A resource Guide
- Here at UnMaze.Me, I have been focusing on various types of scholarships and financial aid information that would be most beneficial to families who are seeking money to pay for college. Here are some of my articles and posts in one easy list, as well as some top scholarship sites
UnMaze.Me Resources
College Terminology: Scholarships & Financial Aid
Finding Money in Micro-Scholarships: Raise.Me
The Value of a College Planning Professional
An Overlooked College Funding Source
Financial Aid & Loans: Considerations for Parents & Students, Part 1
Financial Aid & Loans: Considerations for Parents & Students, Part 2
Additional Resources
afsa.ed.gov – main site for applying for federal financial aid
pin.ed.gov - for requesting a PIN for FAFSA online.
FAFSA Forecaster - provide estimates for your 'expected family contribution' or EFC
College Board.com: profile online for EFC estimates.
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
nelliemae.com - online calculator to interpret financial aid packages
collegenet.com/mach25 - search for scholarships
fastaid.com - free scholarship search.
studentaid.ed.gov – federal financial aid planning website
profileonline.collegeboard.com – CSS Profile
floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf (Bright Futures)
fastweb.com – searchable scholarship database
Bright Futures- Florida Residents
SW Florida Community Foundation
For more help in the scholarship search, review my course Scholarships Step-by-Step, which will guide you through the entire process of searching and applying for all types of scholarships.
You to Career to College in 5 Minutes
Do you have 5 minutes to find your perfect career and college to get you there? A new, free app called C’reer was recently released in order for students across the country to begin to answer the age old question, “What do I want to be when I grow up?”. While your five year old self wanted to be a princess or superhero, the older, more mature teenager in you realizes that is not very realistic.
How does one decide who they want to be? For every adult you ask, you will receive a different answer. We all have ended up where we are today because of a variety of experiences throughout our lives that have shaped our perspectives and attitudes towards our careers. However, if you get to the root of why people are in a specific career and enjoy it, you will find that each career matches what their personalities are. For example, there are people who enjoy speaking to crowds, working outdoors, teaching children, helping others, building things, managing and leading projects, being creative, solving complex problems, and so forth. These likes and dislikes come from your personality, the thing that makes you uniquely you.
The C’reer app is a free downloadable app that walks you through an easy 5 minute short questionnaire to find your key personality attributes. Based on an immense amount of data and research, the app then matches you with potential careers your personality would be good at. Then, the app seamlessly connects you with universities and colleges that can help you achieve your dream career. Not only that, but one click of the chat button starts a conversation with that school’s admissions team. It’s that easy!
So the next time someone asks you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, proudly smile and let them know you thoroughly researched it and have it all figured out using the C'reer app.
*No surprise- my results were Social, Enterprising & Investigative. My career choices were education, school counselor, director, and tour guide!
The website is www.creer.us, that contains a blog and additional app information.
How to Begin the Scholarship Process
I have had many students recently start asking about scholarships and how to begin applying for the many different types of scholarships out there. There is money to be had- the issue is finding the time and will to go through the process. Often both parents and students become very frustrated with the process as it is easy to spend hours and hours with nothing to show.
If this sounds like you, I highly suggest you consider taking my course on Scholarships Step-by-Step! Click on the button below and this will walk you through the whole process. After helping my current students earn close to $37 million in varying scholarships, this information is guaranteed to be tried-and-true!
