Top College Fears and How to Conquer Them - Part 1

As though you don’t have enough to worry about: school, looks, friends, money. Now there’s college!

Here’s what I’d tell you if you came to me with these common college worries:

I have only have a B average. I’m scared I won’t get into a good college.

The fact is, thousands of really good colleges welcome B students. This may be hard to believe, but according to Clifford Adelman, senior research analyst for the US Dept of Education, “Four of five college seats are non-selective. Any warm body who just takes the admission test can get in.” Seek out the good professors, get involved in extracurriculars, and develop one-on-one relationships with great professors and students who bring out the best in you--you’ll be fine. Really.

I have a C average!

There are good colleges that specialize in C students. And plenty of C students have gone on achieve great things. But, assuming you’ve been trying reasonably hard at school and still have a 2.5 or lower GPA in academic subjects, maybe you should consider a path to success other than college. Ever think about an apprenticeship, for example, to become a surveyor or a costume designer? For info on your state’s apprenticeships, go to www.nastad.net and click on “links.” If the apprenticeship information isn’t there, just google that site using the term “apprenticeships.” That’s just one option. See my post about what to do right after high school for more…

I'm freaked out about the SAT (or ACT).

Your school grades count much more than the SAT or ACT. And remember that four of five college seats are open to virtually anyone. If, however, your SAT score is less than 900 or ACT is 17 or less, I must tell you that fewer than 25% of students with your test score ever make it to college graduation. You might consider the options above.

How should you prepare for the SAT or ACT? College Board research indicates that taking a prep course adds only, on average, 25 to 32 points. Retaking it is unlikely to affect which college you end up attending, let alone improve your life. My advice: For a few weeks before the test, spend 20 minutes a night with the Inside the SAT/ACT CD and then, unless you totally freak during the test, live with your score.

DID YOU KNOW?

Princeton economist Alan Krueger and Carnegie Foundation researcher Stacy Dale compared the earnings of Ivy-admitted students who chose, usually for financial reasons, to attend less prestigious colleges versus those who actually attended Ivies. Both group’s income, 20 years later, turned out to be equal.

On reflection, this isn’t surprising. Yes, a designer label on a diploma is a plus in the job market, but Ivy-caliber students may get an at least equal advantage if they attend a less prestigious college because there, they are more likely to get top grades, personal attention, leadership opportunities, and superb letters of recommendation.