No time is quite so exciting as when a high school student applies for college.
And, also, quite so stressful, which is why University of Mary Washington’s Melissa Yakabouski and Sarah Lindberg are revealing ways to take the stress out of the process.
Between the two, they hold 50 years of college admissions experience.
“It can seem like a daunting task,” Yakabouski said. “One of the biggest misperceptions of parents is that there is a lock-step process that you have to follow, but that isn’t the case. There’s more than one way to approach this.”
After earning bachelor’s degrees, Yakabouski and Lindberg were recruited as admissions counselors upon earning their own bachelor’s degrees, they work together to break the often-perplexing college application process into bite-size pieces prospective students and their parents can easily digest. For example, they use an analogy of pizza, where the crust, sauce and cheese are fundamental ingredients for students vying to get into the school of their dreams, and the toppings add flavor and flair.
Next week is Virginia College Application Week, October 23 through 27, which is hosted by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). Participating high schools work to increase students’ access to college by helping seniors apply to at least one postsecondary institution during the week.
UMW’s team of two is available to help tackle a few of families’ most pressing questions.
According to Yakabouski and Lindberg, grades, extracurricular activities, everything creates the pizza that is the student’s application. No piece is more important than another piece. The first step is to apply to colleges.
The student essay does not have to be about an earth-shattering topic. College admissions is “looking for a glimpse into a student’s everyday life; we’re looking for them.” An essay should be well-written and address the college’s prompt by reflecting on self and focusing on one aspect, event or person and how they made the student grow. Editing the essay is important, but not so much that the student’s voice is lost.
Scholarships, state grants, low-interest loans are available for students concerned with paying for college.
“Know that the sticker price is rarely the amount you’ll pay out of pocket,” Yakabouski and Lindberg said. Opportunities to pay expenses are also available after a student begins college.
The acronym FAFSA installs fear in some parents and students, much like SAT scores, but parents should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA). Yakabouski and Lindberg said the FAFAS has improved and changes are expected again this year to increase availability of Pell grants for families with the most financial need, include more features and make the process more streamlined.
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Rebecca Barnabi
