Applying to college can be an overwhelming process for high school students.
The Post-Gazette asked high school counselors throughout Western Pennsylvania some questions that students and parents might have.
Terry Cowden-Bolster, school counselor at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh and district credit recovery program coordinator
Q: What’s one piece of advice you have for seniors applying to college?
Apply early your senior year. The pool of applicants is smaller. It increases the likelihood of acceptance.
Q: When should high school students start thinking of college?
As early as their freshman year. My advice is: Get to know your school counselor. They are a wonderful resource. Course selection — i.e., college prep courses, AP classes — volunteer work, extracurricular activities, etc. are all extremely important.
Q: Should students still take the SAT even though more colleges are test-optional?
I advise students to take the SATs. Many colleges and universities are either strongly recommending them or requiring the exam.
Q: How should high school students make their application stand out?
I strongly advise students to take college prep and AP courses throughout their high school career. Volunteer work is also important. Colleges and universities like to see students participating in extracurricular activities outside the normal school day. Also, students should choose the teacher(s) that will write a glowing recommendation and that know the student best.
David Barkovich, counselor at North Hills High School
Q: What's one piece of advice you have for seniors applying to colleges?
Be open to exploring colleges that you might not have heard of. We all see certain names on TV during sporting events, and those institutions could indeed be legitimate options, but there are a lot of lesser-known educational institutions that might offer worthy opportunities as well.
Q: When should high school students start thinking of colleges?
It’s always advisable for young people to keep their eyes and ears open to learning about a possible career path. Career exploration should occur throughout a student’s K-12 education, but it does become more of a reality once students reach high school.
Q: Should students still take the SAT even though more colleges are test-optional?
Students should explore every opportunity they can to provide colleges with positive data points that might lead to admission. Taking the SAT or ACT can be one way to do so. It is interesting to consider that the power dynamic has shifted drastically over the last few years, as students now have much more control over whether or not to provide scores, and many colleges remain “test optional” even after the COVID-related disruptions.
Q: How should high school students make their application stand out?
Colleges sometimes indicate that certain parts of the application, like an essay or submitting a résumé, are optional. However, students should take every opportunity they can to provide positive data points and create a positive mental picture of themselves to the admission committee. It’s easy for admission committees to turn down a brief collection of numbers (GPA, SAT, etc.) — but it is more challenging for them to turn down a person once they read about their thoughts, dreams and accomplishments.
Jennifer Kirk, curriculum leader in the Upper St. Clair High School counseling office and chairperson of the Pennsylvania School Counselor's Association
Q: What’s one piece of advice you have for seniors applying to college?
They need to self-reflect about who they are, what they want and what they need. They need to be authentic about the process when they're looking at schools of interest because they need to have the right fit. Then, when they're writing, when they're portraying themselves, they have to really offer an authentic version of themselves so they're being tied to ethics and integrity and they find the right fit. Otherwise, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The best option is to provide a portfolio or a canvas of your authentic self so they can truly see you because that's who they're enrolling and that's who you're going to be on campus. That way, if you're honest with yourself, you are looking through a lens that makes sense for you.
Q: When should high school students start thinking of colleges?
We're really talking about postsecondary education, and that can look different for everyone. Postsecondary education is necessary for all. That might look like a four-year university, that might look like a two-year school, that might look like trade, that could look like moving to the military — but postsecondary education really starts in kindergarten, thinking about it. It certainly has a different framework from that time on, but from the time we enter the education system, which is even as early as pre-K, we begin career awareness with our young people. Early on, it's about exposure and awareness and education about what exists in the world of work and what kind of postsecondary education is necessary to get there.
Q: Should students still take the SAT even though more colleges are test-optional?
Test-optional has certainly found its place in college admissions. … There's something really interesting to be said because test taking is a thing — it's a strength for some and not for all. There are some schools who have gone back to having testing as your requirement, but there continues to be movement and trend on where this is headed. I'm finding that more universities, particularly for the class of ‘23, are still holding on test-optional. I have found that there are students who are having access to universities they wouldn't previously have had access to and are enrolled and are doing exceptionally well without having to have to earn a test score.
Additionally, nationwide, federally, we have accountability measures that we utilize that are academic in nature and that require testing, so testing is definitely a staple in our educational system. I think it's going to take a long time to really determine what the end game is going to be for that. I can share there are particular programs within schools that do require test scores still. Certain scholarships are still requiring test scores. So at this point, it's requiring a lot of research with regard to schools of interest, programs of interest, to see if a child has to take those tests or not — which adds a layer of complication, because you really want to ensure that the children have a sense by spring of junior year what that is, because that's when they need to test. We're finding more kids are testing again.
Q: How should high school students make their application stand out?
Continue to do what they're doing. A university is going to look at someone's application, they're going to look at a résumé, they're going to look at their essay. If something gets thrown in there to add a little punch that isn't authentic or true to you, you're not getting admitted, because you will not be able to speak to that — they will see it. It's about fit.
Joanne Krett, career coach at Woodland Hills High School
Q: What's one piece of advice you have for seniors applying to colleges?
Narrow your choices. It's not about the perfect school, it's about a good fit, so finding a school with a good fit is the most important thing.
Q: When should high school students start thinking of colleges?
Early. They're doing career exploration from kindergarten on up, they're understanding the career and work standards in the state of Pennsylvania. My ninth graders and 10th graders, I hope they're starting their RaiseMe accounts, an online web platform that rewards students for thinking about becoming college ready early, where they're starting to earn microscholarships.
Q: Should students still take the SAT even though more colleges are test-optional?
That’s a wholly personal decision. If a school is test-optional, that doesn't always mean every major is test-optional, so the parents and students should know to really delve into that policy at the admissions office level. The other thing about the College Board is that taking the SAT and PSAT is going to connect them to schools they've never heard of. As soon as you create a College Board account, you're going to be inundated with emails from schools with which you have little familiarity, so that's a bonus for doing it.
I tell students — again, a highly personal choice — but if it's not going to cost you anything if you qualify for a fee waiver and you get two free tests, why not? It's a good self-assessment to determine, “Am I a good fit for this school?” because the schools will publish their median scores. If test-taking is not your strength, it's not required for your major and it's not required by the college, then you just decide if those other benefits are worth it to you.
Q: How should high school students make their application stand out?
By the time you're applying as a senior, your transcript is your transcript. The best thing to do is to take your studies seriously the minute you get into high school because a strong transcript is the first thing the admissions team is going to look at.
What I always tell students is: “Your truth is going to come through in your writing.” When they ask those supplemental questions, don't consider them supplemental, consider them required and just do it. Explain who you are. The kids applying now had a year of COVID. Some of their GPAs that year do not necessarily reflect their true potential for success at the next level. When you tell your story in your own words, in those supplemental questions, and in those narratives, the truth is going to come through that writing.
Demonstrated interest goes a long way. Just like a job application, you wouldn't submit a job application and then walk away and just hope they call you. You're gonna call the manager, you’re going to demonstrate interest in the position. The same thing goes for admissions representatives. If they're reaching out to you via email, answer their email. Give them a call and ask about the residence life situation, the social life. The more you demonstrate interest in a school, by meeting your rep, by having conversations, the stronger your application is going to be. The more they can connect a face to a name and hear your story, the more they learn about you, the more holistic that process can be.
Joe Herzing, counselor at Sto-Rox Jr. Sr. High School
Q: What’s one piece of advice you have for seniors applying to college?
Apply early as schools can be more selective as the school year rolls on. Also, always follow up your application with a personal phone call to admissions to ensure your application is complete.
Q: When should high school students start thinking of college?
College planning begins in grade nine. As soon as you start high school, you have begun your college application, and ninth grade matters as it could make up one-third of your transcripts when you apply early your senior year.
Q: Should students still take the SAT even though more colleges are test-optional?
Students should absolutely take the SAT or ACT, as many scholarships are still connected with the scores. Also, a good SAT may be needed to get into certain programs at the university, as some SAT-optional admissions are limited to certain majors. And if your score isn't what you wanted it to be, then you at least know more about your testing skills, and College Board provides a personal study guide to improvement.
Q: How should high school students make their application stand out?
To stand out, it is true that high grades in a rigorous curriculum are important. But, in any additional items, make sure they are a true reflection of the student. A listing of great accomplishments in a personal essay is not enough. It needs to include what those accomplishments mean to the person, the barriers that were overcome. It needs to be an essay that only that particular student could write. And avoid name-dropping with letters of recommendation. It's more important to get a letter from someone the student worked with rather than a CEO who's heard of some high-achieving student. Also, always make that personal phone call to the admissions counselor assigned to your high school.
Hannah Wyman: hwyman@post-gazette.com.
First Published: October 3, 2022, 6:13 p.m.
