Almaden Resident
Education
Don't let ego get in the way of smart choice for college
By Joseph DiSalvo
Across Santa Clara County and the nation, high school juniors have just completed the PSAT and seniors will have taken the SAT, an October tradition. Millions of No. 2 pencils were sharpened and bubbles on a testing form were filled in-- completely, I hope.
The PSAT is used as a practice predictor for the SAT and is the qualifying test for National Merit Scholarships and Letters of Commendation. However, it is also the fateful beginning of the college decision-making frenzy.
The two tests that comprise the bulk of the SAT are critical reading and math where students can score from 200 to 800, with 500 as average, or what 50 percent of the students taking the SAT will score. In March 2005 an essay and multiple choice questions on writing were added.
Stanford University tied for fourth in the U.S. News and World Report ranking that considered candidates for admission with an SAT score of 1360-1550. For the record, the top-ranked school is Princeton, followed by Harvard and Yale. Of course, to be seriously considered for admission, the grade point average must be 4.0-plus, and high school Advance Placement courses should be part of the transcript, along with community service and other unique qualities the candidate can contribute to the university.
The critical decisions parents and adolescents make about college are often difficult and challenging. These decisions should be handled in a sensitive and strategic manner since the decision--right or wrong--can shape a child's adult life forever. Parents must detach their own egos from the college selection process and pay close attention to the fact that an 18-year-old might not be ready emotionally and socially to leave home. Is 18 the new 16?
Admission to the top-tier national universities is an extremely difficult gate to open. In the 2007 Best College Rankings, an SAT score between 1360 and 1580 out of a possible 1600 is standard to be considered for admission to the top five national universities, according to the 2007 USNews.com.
The process of college selection must include a series of critical questions beginning with: Is trying to seek admission to the top national universities the best course for my son or daughter?
The top University of California schools, UC-Berkeley and UCLA, numbers 21 and 26 on the list respectively, require 1180-1450 on the SAT, and they accept approximately one in four of their freshman applicants. These two universities are highly competitive and very large, with undergraduate enrollment of more than 24,000. In fact UCLA had 43,000 applicants last year, the most applied-to university in the country, with only 12,000 students receiving a letter of acceptance.
Parents should ask: Are there other UC campuses more suitable for my son or daughter than these top two? Is UC-San Diego, not far behind in ranking, a better fit with its college within a university structure? Is UC-Santa Cruz worth considering since it is close to home in Silicon Valley, which might be emotionally better for some 18-year-olds in a considerably smaller city than Los Angeles?
And what about the excellent California State University system? Does the theoretical pedagogy of UCs mean more than the real-world practical pedagogy of the CSU system or vice versa? Is San José State University a school to consider with your son or daughter staying at home for a few more years? What about the intimate and socially conscious Jesuit university in Santa Clara?
Of course, we should not forget to seriously consider the California community colleges. More than 2.5 million students were enrolled in California community colleges in 2005-06, making it the largest system of higher education in the world. Your son or daughter can take transferable units for two years, receive an AA degree and transfer to a UC or California State University when they are a little more mature and ready for the separation between home and university life.
When analyzing the plethora of choices, parents must consider what Silvio Laccetti, professor of social science at Stevens Institute of Technology in New York, wrote: "For far too many individuals, college has become an adventure in hedonism."
Therefore, another important element to consider is how much of a noted "party" school is the school on my choice list? Does my son or daughter have the social and emotional skills to refuse the life of debauchery that is pervading our college-going culture?
Additionally, parents should consider the size of the university. I think smaller is sometimes better.
Other questions for you and your child to ponder: Who is teaching the classes? Can we afford the tuition? How long will it take for me to pay off the college loans? Am I ready to have a roommate that I will not know? Is the cafeteria food good? What about access to health and fitness facilities? Are any of my friends attending the college of my choice? Is Greek life for me? Should we discuss the fraternity and sorority thing prior to leaving for college? Is Division 1 NCAA sports important to me? Will I feel safe on the campus?
So to all of the readers agonizing over test prep courses, essay- application-writing workshops and the like, please sharpen the No. 2 pencil, make sure the eraser is crisp, write down the word EGO and erase it from the page. Now be strategic, sensitive and smart. The decision you make will last a lifetime.
Joseph DiSalvo has been a teacher and principal in Santa Clara County for 32 years; he is also an adjunct professor of education at Santa Clara University. He can be reached at josephsds1@aol.com.
