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By John Raftrey And Lori McCormick
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About this blog: We are writing this blog to give practical advice to students and parents, to reflect on issues affecting college admissions, and to provide a platform for a robust community discussion on post-secondary choices. We occasionally f...
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About this blog: We are writing this blog to give practical advice to students and parents, to reflect on issues affecting college admissions, and to provide a platform for a robust community discussion on post-secondary choices. We occasionally feature "guest? bloggers and invite other college counselors to join the blog team. We are members of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) and the Western Association for College Admissions Counseling (WACAC).
Lori McCormick: I began my college advising career in 2006 at Notre Dame de Namur in Transfer Admissions. Since then, I have worked at San Jose State in the Career Center, for a local independent college advising firm, and for BUILD a college access program for underrepresented youth. I graduated with a BA in Sociology from UCSB and a MA in Psychology with a concentration in Career Counseling from Antioch University. I am an active volunteer with The Parent?s Club of the Peninsula (PAMP), the Palo Alto Community Child Care (PACCC) and I am a seasonal application reader for the
Maisin Scholar Award. I reside in Palo Alto with my husband and two sons.
John Raftrey: I have been advising students for the last three admission cycles. I regularly attend conferences, tour colleges, and keep up with the changing landscape of college admissions. I'll share what I learn and throw in a few opinions along the way. I moved to Palo Alto in 1991. My three sons are all veterans of PAUSD and graduated from Paly. I graduated from the University of Michigan, earned an MBA at Columbia University and hold a certificate in College Counseling from UC San Diego. In my past life I worked in TV news and high tech marketing.
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Building a college list
Uploaded: Sep 9, 2015
(written by Lori McCormick)
Students thoughtfully research colleges, attend college representative visits on their high school campuses, and gather information from outside resources, such as friends and family members to help them determine which colleges to apply to.
While it can be a daunting process, it doesn't have to be. There are books and websites to help with the research process.
Here are a few of my favorites:
1.
The Colleges That Change Lives is in my opinion, the best book for finding those diamond in the ruff campuses where you truly have a life-changing experience.
2.
The Fiske Guide to Colleges The overlaps section is my favorite.
3. College Board's
Big Future has many filter options to help you narrow your search.
When determining your college list, it is best to apply to colleges that fit your personal criteria (academic profile (test scores, GPA), location, majors, campus culture, etc.).
What search tools did you (or your child) use to help build your college list? Please share!
Community.
What is it worth to you?
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