By John Raftrey And Lori McCormick
E-mail John Raftrey And Lori McCormick
About this blog: We are writing this blog to give practical advice to students and parents, to reflect on issues affecting college admissions, and to provide a platform for a robust community discussion on post-secondary choices. We occasionally f...
(More)About this blog: We are writing this blog to give practical advice to students and parents, to reflect on issues affecting college admissions, and to provide a platform for a robust community discussion on post-secondary choices. We occasionally feature "guest? bloggers and invite other college counselors to join the blog team. We are members of the Higher Education Consultants Association (HECA) and the Western Association for College Admissions Counseling (WACAC).
Lori McCormick: I began my college advising career in 2006 at Notre Dame de Namur in Transfer Admissions. Since then, I have worked at San Jose State in the Career Center, for a local independent college advising firm, and for BUILD a college access program for underrepresented youth. I graduated with a BA in Sociology from UCSB and a MA in Psychology with a concentration in Career Counseling from Antioch University. I am an active volunteer with The Parent?s Club of the Peninsula (PAMP), the Palo Alto Community Child Care (PACCC) and I am a seasonal application reader for the
Maisin Scholar Award. I reside in Palo Alto with my husband and two sons.
John Raftrey: I have been advising students for the last three admission cycles. I regularly attend conferences, tour colleges, and keep up with the changing landscape of college admissions. I'll share what I learn and throw in a few opinions along the way. I moved to Palo Alto in 1991. My three sons are all veterans of PAUSD and graduated from Paly. I graduated from the University of Michigan, earned an MBA at Columbia University and hold a certificate in College Counseling from UC San Diego. In my past life I worked in TV news and high tech marketing.
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(Written by Lori McCormick)
Last year I wrote a blog post about summer planning that you can read
HERE. My advice hasn’t changed, however, I wanted to add a few more thoughts:
- Let me emphasize again the importance of starting your research now. Many summer programs, often the competitive ones, have application deadlines as early as February 1st.
- Financial Aid and/or scholarships are typically offered. Don’t let the cost of attending deter you from applying.
- There are several programs for minority and first-generation students so if you fall into those categories, research the opportunities that are available to you.
- I have noticed in my years of advising, that students overlook responsibilities in the home as extracurricular activities or work experience. If your entire summer consists of tending to a younger sibling, an ailing grandparent, or other family obligations, this should be captured on your college admissions applications. Time management, communication, quick decision-making, teamwork, and creativity are a few of many skills that are built whether your job is paid, unpaid, in the home, or in a store/office.
- Reconnecting with family is a useful way to spend your summer. Take a family vacation or day trips together. Unwinding and unplugging can be beneficial to everyone.
Regardless of how you choose to spend your summer, make the most of it!
