Getting Your Act Together: Making the Most of the Time You Have

At this time of year, I find myself speaking with a lot of young people who have been admitted to college but are frustrated with their efforts to obtain financial aid. Often enough, it is a problem easily remedied because the student has taken the initial steps: applied and been accepted into college, submitted the FAFSA form and at least researched the costs involved in attending. In that case, they still have time to apply for loans, although they may have missed out on grants, college work study and scholarships that might have been available earlier if they had applied in time.

But sometimes, the plea comes from the "last minute person", the senior who woke up in May and realized that everyone around them has plans and they don’t. These individuals find themselves scrambling to apply. This means getting the school to send out transcripts over the summer when the school is officially closed. To make things worse, last minute admits have to struggle to figure out how to pay for registration because it is too late to complete financial aid forms. While it’s never too late to apply, there are a handful of colleges out there willing to admit students as late as August or early September, applying so late limits the student's options. Proper advisement is not always available and the student may find that the courses they need to take have been filled up and no longer available. This is not the positive experience an incoming freshman wants to experience.

As a person who has always placed a high value on obtaining a college degree, it is frustrating to see individuals every year who fail to register or attend college because they have run out of time or give up after being faced with a difficult start..

The Impulsive Applicant

In the 1980’s, I worked at a small senior college, part of the CUNY system. We were always under enrolled, so we often found ourselves admitting and enrolling students throughout the Registration period. (Most colleges admit their students by April of the preceding semester.) People would walk in asking to register, often after being struck with the inspiration that it was time to start college. While this is a good thing, often this inspiration impulsively struck mere days before classes were about to commence. I remember the long lines of young and older adults interested in making the plunge and returning to school. Some were immigrants wanting to attain the American dream. Others were adults who had gone on to work or raise families after high school and had finally decided to go back to school. And there were always a couple of stragglers who made up their mind after graduating high school that they wanted to start college. What they all shared was a last minute decision that unfortunately, complicated the admissions and registration processes. While some of them would go on to complete the application, arrange for placement testing, register for classes and find money to pay the bursar, all in a matter of days, many were not able to complete all of this in time to attend classes. I often wondered what happened to those individuals who left with applications and instructions in hand, but never returned. Even more unfortunate were the people who were admitted but failed to find the money to attend. (In 1985, full time tuition at CUNY was a bargain at $612.50 per semester)

It seems to me that timing, not access, has become the real factor in determining who goes to college. Everyone can make a mistake, miss a deadline, forget something… procrastinate about making a decision…but when we leave no time to correct the mistake…we’re in trouble. And when you’re talking about decisions that can affect a person’s future, most of us can’t afford to get it wrong.

Programmed Kids

On the other end of the spectrum, I have worked with youngsters who have been "programmed" to attend Ivy League colleges from the cradle. It isn't their race or income that sets these kids apart. It's not that they are any smarter, or go to better schools. What sets them apart from other kids is the attitude and belief that they and their parents have that they will achieve whatever goal they set for themselves, including attending some of the most competitive schools in the country. These individuals have been planning, saving, working towards college all of their lives. They have taken classes on the weekends, participated in competitive sports, traveled to exotic locales, volunteered countless hours and taken advanced courses to give themselves whatever competitive advantage they can gain. Their parents started saving for college early on and by the time these students are 13, they have taken the SAT several times, visited a bunch of colleges and attended summer college institutes to start calculus and advanced courses long before they can do so in high school. For these individuals, their parents took advantage of every opportunity possible to further ensure their children’s chances of winning a scholarship and getting into a competitive school, often planning as early as nursery school to see that their children have all the advantages. Now we can debate whether or not this is a good thing. Do these kids miss out on having a "normal" childhood or do they suffer unbelievable stress by being on the fast track? But the fact is that these kids end up having more options at graduation. They are better prepared academically to compete for scholarships and admissions and their parents have a financial plan for dealing with the cost of college.

What to Do

Knowing this, what words of wisdom can I dole out to motivated students and parents who want the same things for their kids, admittance to highly competitive schools and scholarships to pay for tuition? How does the average student approach college admissions, knowing that some of the competition has had a head start on them? How can a person make the most of the time and resources he/she has on hand?

I believe that the most important factor is making sure you don’t run out of time: Time to plan and prepare. While it is never too late to consider college, the high school student has the most time and therefore should use it wisely. The adult student returning to school has limited time and resources. The effort to attend college competes directly with the adult demands of work and family... Time is precious and one cannot afford to waste it. The young student does not have these concerns so my advice to them is: Don’t wait until senior year to get started.

What should you be doing right now to prepare for college? Whether you are freshman starting college in the fall or a student in high school this year, there are things you can be doing right now. Some of these things are fairly simple and you may be doing them already. Some are more strategic and may involve planning on your part. Going to school, getting involved in clubs and organized activities as well as taking advantage of opportunities to grow and learn about yourself are all important for you. Everything you do, here on out should be looked at as an opportunity: obstacles become challenges to be overcome and setbacks become opportunities for growth.

In the coming months, I will share with you a list of things you can be doing to prepare yourself for college. In this Monthly to Do List I will suggest ideas and share information that you can act on to help prepare you. I invite you to give me feedback as well as share ideas that have helped you. You will get the most out of the list if you use it as a starting point. It’s meant to get you thinking about school and the activities you are involved in, in a different, more strategic way. Following these steps will help you to remain focused and on the right track. At the same time, it is important to use the resources and support system around you; parents, friends, counselors, teachers and mentors. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and remember this is your future we’re talking about!