Counselors guiding students through the college admissions process have to spend a lot of time discussing what, when, and how to do things.
Here’s what you should do this summer…
Here’s when you should sit for the SAT…
Here’s how to plan a college visit…
But if you want your students to be even more engaged, if possible, spend a little less time on the what, when, and how, and a little more time on the why.
Based on what you’ve told me, here’s why a part-time job sounds like the option that would be best for you this summer.
Here’s why taking the SAT this spring will help you make better future testing decisions without sacrificing your time with the swim team…
Here’s why I think visiting these particular colleges will give you a better sense of other schools to potentially add to your list…
Over time, the whys can become so obvious to counselors that we see them as a given. And with both students and parents asking us what, when, and how to do things, we learn that just answering their questions often sends them away satisfied with our guidance.
But families going through this process can become jaded, often feeling like their every decision is measured only by whether or not it satisfied a stated or implied requirement that makes them more college competitive.
That’s what makes the whys so important. The whys rarely stop at, “Because that’s what College X wants.” Whys get to the heart of what’s best for each particular student, not just in terms of getting them closer to college, but also in helping them make decisions that will keep them happy, productive, and engaged. Whys remind students that their high school years shouldn’t only be about satisfying colleges, and that there is almost always some real purpose behind all this college prep.
If you want to help your students be more engaged, try to send them away from your next meeting not just clear about “Here’s what I’m going to do,” but also “Here’s why I’m going to do it.”