January, 2013

Happy New Year from Magellan College Counseling!

I hope your holidays and school breaks were restful!

As we move into the new semester, while seniors await admissions decisions, now is the time for juniors to “spring” into action!  College exploration done over the next six months will save time and effort next fall, when applications take center stage.  The more work you save until the last minute, the higher your student’s, and your family’s, stress level will be.

My clients who are juniors will spend the next few months preparing for SAT and ACT tests, and working with me on their journey of self-discovery.  We start with considering what subject(s) they may study in college BEFORE we start building their college list, and we explore what TYPE of college your student sees as ideal.  Would you send a budding engineer to a liberal arts college?  [It depends!]  Should you send your introvert to a 30,000 student campus or your student who is eager to cheer in a stadium full of sports fans to a smaller school not known for school spirit?  [maybe, but probably not!]

My philosophy is that it feels better to get an acceptance letter than a rejection, and that means spending some time developing the right college list.  That may mean you could apply to colleges you don’t even know exist right now! You’ve heard of the biggies, but there are 2,200 four-year colleges in the U.S.  And that’s why I spend time with clients exploring colleges that may be right for them.

For sophomores, this is the spring and summer before the last full academic year that will factor into their college applications. This semester it is crucial that they keep grades up and build deep extra-curricular involvement.  I also help guide students to meaningful [that doesn’t necessarily mean expensive!] summer activities.

Spring is a good time for college visits, and I’ll be touring a dozen or so colleges this spring.  You can access my college visits pages for more information about the colleges I have toured (in California and outside of California).

SAT and ACT Practice Tests 
Juniors should be thinking about taking one or both of these tests in January, February or March.  Both the SAT and ACT have free test prep resources on their websites (SAT and ACT).  If you are interested in test prep courses or in-home tutoring, please call me (877-5-MAGGIE (877-562-4443)) for a referral.

If you are the parent of a sophomore or junior who is interested in taking a practice SAT or ACT, Revolution Prep is offering a practice SAT exam at High Tech Los Angeles, on the campus of Birmingham Community Charter High School in Van Nuys, for just $10.  The practice SAT will be offered on January 26, 2013 – click here to sign up.

Free Seminars! 
Are your kids in 9th, 10th or 11th grades? I am available to give a free“College Admissions 101“ seminar for you and your parent friends!  You provide the location and a dozen (or more) parents.  If your friends are already knowledgeable about college admissions, broaden your horizons with my “Hidden Gem Colleges“ presentation.  You know about Harvard, Stanford and Yale, but let me share some little-known colleges that could be a great fit for your student.  Call or e-mail for more information.