Home for the Holidays...

 
  

Hey Seniors!  So it’s time to check back in with Mia from our earlier blogs.  She came home for Thanksgiving break from UW-Madison so I was able to interview her and her VERY IMPORTANT FRIEND “Kevin” who attends the University of Colorado - Boulder.  I asked both to reflect on their first few months of college and to come up with five things that surprised them the most.  

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Mia’s Five Things:

1.  How much free time I have - Before college, I thought I would be swamped with homework and studying with no time to join clubs or do anything else.  I have plenty of time to balance homework and friends (also with some TV time on the side).

 

2.  How much high school prepared me for college – In the summer, leading up to college, I was incredibly anxious about school and the level of difficulty that college classes would be.  When I got here though, I was pleasantly surprised at how well-prepared I felt.  The homework and tests are not impossible; in fact, they are very doable and manageable.

 

3. How little alone time I actually need – Back home, I’d say that I spent a decent amount of time in my room.  So, coming to college was a bit intimidating knowing I would have a roommate 24/7.  It turns out though that I haven’t felt suffocated or like I need space.  Even though I share a room, I have my own space/area where I can do my homework or study.

 

4. How scary it is to make friends - Despite the fact that everyone is in the same position going into college, awkward and not having any friends, it is still very scary to go up to someone and start a conversation.  Thankfully, the friend-making process happens naturally with time and I started to develop strong relationships.

 

5.  Going off of #4, I was surprised at how long it took me to feel like I belong and have real friends that I can lean on at school.  I have been friends with the same group of girls for over four years, so it was a drastic adjustment having to start completely over again.  It may be hard at first to realize, but good friendships will happen, but they just take time.

  

Kevin’s Five Things:

1.   It may take awhile to find a group of friends that you can really tolerate.

2.  The classes you take can actually be interesting.

3.  You may not truly appreciate being away at college until you go home for the first time.

4.  Your closest friends will probably live in the same dorm as you.

5.  The classes are a lot easier if you do the reading and stay engaged in class discussions. 

  

I could not have said it better myself!

   
TTYL,

    GW College Coach 

P.S.  Next week – watch for BLOG contest with real prizes. 

Hint:  You have to use Naviance to get the answer.  So log on today!   

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize!

Hey Seniors:  You are still stressed, but counselors are noticing giant sighs of relief as you are turning in stacks of applications!  (If after you’ve turned in 10 or 12 you overhear quiet sobbing from your counselor’s office - just ignore it and go about your day.)  Thank you for giving your counselors at least two weeks to process.  It is greatly appreciated.

The St. Louis University rep when he visited brought some comments from Glenbard West students who are attending there:

“I am thrilled to say my transition into SLU has gone very smooth, with next to no bumps in the road.”

“My roommate and I get along fabulously.  I’d venture to say we are best friends now.”

“So far I’ve played tons of sand volleyball and have been pretty bad, but it was fun.  I attended most of the Welcome Week events.  They were awesome.”

“I love it here, it’s fantastic.  During Welcome Week I really enjoyed the square dance on top of the parking garage and the Grand Blvd. street party.  I am also enjoying hanging out with my friends and making new ones.”

For many of you, managing your college applications has been like taking another class!  Keep at it¾it will be so worth it next year when you are having a blast at your college’s Welcome Week!

T.T.Y.L.

GW College Coach

·      *Last Essay Writing Workshop next Thursday, October 27th at 2:45 in room 313 with the mighty Wiersums.

·      *See your counselor if you have not yet turned in a November 1^st college app.  Next two big deadlines:  November 15 and December 1.

·    *Next week’s blog will have a contest using NAVIANCE.  Make sure you are signed on to NAVIANCE and read the Blog.  There will be PRIZEs!

R U Ready to Click "Submit"?!

Seniors overheard in the guidance office:  

"Can I use the white version of the green form? " "Did you turn in your pink sheet?" "Do I have to use the yellow forms?" "If you still have the blue handout it tells you everything you need to know." "How many stamps go on the small white envelope?"  "What small white envelopes?!" "I'm so stressed out!"  "I can't wait for all of this to be over so I can go buy college stuff!"

Counselors are still meeting with seniors to answer all of your questions.  You are our priority -- we will get through this together.  If you are still undecided about where to apply here are two great choices that counselors visited this year:

Creighton University -- Omaha, Nebraska 

Enrollment: 7,662  Catholic (Jesuit) 
GORGEOUS campus-- Community Service is huge here

Avg GPA: 4.5-5.0    Avg. ACT 24-29   Solid "B" student -- will look at Below 25 ACT

BUSINESS! 3,000 PAID internships  in 5 Fortune 500 companies in Omaha           

MEDICAL!  Smallest school to have its own teaching hospital

NCAA Division I athletics:  Blue Jays

 

Tulane University -- New Orleans, Louisiana

Enrollment: 12,622   ACT range 29-32   NO APPLICATION FEE           

Beautiful historic campus -- PALM TREES
Four miles by streetcar ($1.25 must have correct change) to downtown

Private research university with the benefits of a smaller liberal arts college

Five undergraduate schools: Architecture (New Orleans is your classroom!), Business, Liberal Arts, Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Science and Engineering     PALM TREES!

NCAA Division I Athletics: Green Wave

...To the Essay-phobes -- next workshop this Thursday, Oct. 6, after school, in room 313 with the Wiersum Writing Team.  Bring your draft essay.

Check your applications over carefully, take a DEEP BREATH, then click “SUBMIT”.

Good luck!

TTYL,

GW College Coach

R U ready to polish or start that college essay?

Hey Seniors!

 

Many of you are working on your college applications – Good 4 U!  There is a natural tendency to stop when you see those essay prompts.  Have no fear; College Coach is here to nudge you closer!  The pink Senior Information Sheet provided an Essay Starter exercise.  If you haven’t turned that into your counselor take another look at the brainstorming exercises and actually try them out.  It will help – I promise!

Several years ago, a student let me read his essay for input.  Every word was 12-15 letters long.  The essay didn’t make sense.  Turns out he changed up every one of his words with words from the Thesaurus.  When he rewrote using his own words and told his own story, the essay was just wonderful!  (It’s OK to use the Thesaurus a bit.)

Many English teachers are working on Essay Writing right now in your senior classes.  If both of your English classes are next semester or if you need a little encouragement to proceed with that essay….

Check out the upcoming (hands-on) Essay Writing Workshops!

            Essay Writing Workshops

Tuesday, September 20^th – 2:45-3:30PM – Library

Thursday, October 6^th – 2:45-3:30PM – Room 313

Thursday, October 20^th – 2:45-3:30PM – Room 313

Above all... Be yourself, write your own essay, use your own voice and don’t be afraid to have a little fun with it!  You do not have to write about something earth shattering or life altering; sometimes the most simple topics make the best essays. 

Good luck!

T.T.Y.L.

GW College Coach

            

How's UR stress level?!?!?

Hey Seniors!!!

Next year at this time you will be in college!  Which brings me to Mia, from the first blog.  After an epic goodbye week filled with packing up, organizing stuff, and unrelenting sobbing from her family, Mia moved in to her dorm room at UW-Madison.  The first week was filled with getting used to her roommate, dorm meetings, dorm dinners, a concert, and her first Badgers home football game.  Mia reports that the student fan section was WILD as they counted Bucky the Badger’s push-ups for every point Wisconsin scored (51!).

You now have lots of information from your counselors about the college application process.  How’s your stress level?!  Take control of your time and organize your life.  Here’s a few tips to get your started...

Ø  Make a TO-DO LIST every day

• Put most important things first and do them first. Reward yourself for accomplishments.

Ø  Use Spare Minutes Wisely

• Read or compose ideas for essays or papers while in line, etc.

Ø  It’s OK to say No

• If a friend asks you to hang out and you have a test the next day.

Ø  Find the Right Time

• You’ll work more efficiently if you figure out when you do your best work.

Ø  Become a Taskmaster

• Give yourself a time budget¾figure out how much free time you have each week before you add any commitments.

Ø  Don’t Waste Time Agonizing

• Instead, just do it.  Wasting an entire evening worrying about something that you’re supposed to do can increase stress!

For more time-management tips, go to collegeboard.org. 

T.T.Y.L.,

GW College Coach

P.S.  Tell your friends to “like” the Glenbard West Guidance - College Coach fan page on Facebook!

R U Ready for College?!?!

Hey Seniors!

Welcome to the College Insider.  Check this weekly and we guarantee you will be up on all the deadlines and important info you will need to keep you on track.  For the first blog I interviewed a real, live senior, Mia, on her graduation day from a nearby western suburban high school.  She will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison this fall.  I asked if she had any advice for the Class of 2012 as they are about to begin the sometimes intimidating college application process.  She stopped texting her friends for a moment and looked reflectively off into the distance.  A few seconds later she said, "tell them to start early -- in the summer.  Stay ahead of the deadlines and apply earlier than that."   I asked her about writing the essay.  "Tell them to write something real for them.  I read one of my friend's first essay drafts where she tried to explain how life was like unwrapping a present.  It was just too big a topic and it just didn't come out right." 

So, here we go!  We hope the Senior Convo was helpful in getting you started.  We will be meeting with you to see where you are in the process.  Counselors visited several college campuses this summer.  Ask them about the latest happening at: University of Nebraska, Creighton, Iowa Wesleyan, Kansas State, Culver-Stockton, Missouri Western, University of Kansas, Iowa State, Truman State and Western Illinois.  Many college reps are visiting West this month to meet with you!  
Check Naviance and the Guidance Website early and often  :)

TTYL, 

GW College Coach