bigfatenvelope.net

BigFatEnvelope co-founder, Lisa Hoffman, talks about the site and gives great tips for kids and parents on MommaJam, an audio podcast for mothers.

Listen to the full interview with Lisa Hoffman at MommaJam Radio.

Hey Juniors – getting ready for that first round of college visits? Awesome! Here’s some advice you won’t hear from Cupid – don’t believe in love at first sight! At least when it comes to college admissions – it pays to follow your head AND your heart.

Here’s what I mean: walking around college campuses, you may find a school that just blows you away. You really like the students, the vibe, the campus, the courses, the food, the sports. You’re “in like”! GREAT!!

Just don’t fall into the trap that many students face – feeling that you LOVE this school, it is the only school for you, and you will be devastated if you don’t get in.

As in life, LOVE is a two-way street. You want to find a school that loves you back – that wants you to be there as much as you want to attend. So, play the field a bit – check out some other candidates, and if you are still “in like” in the fall, consider applying early decision.

That’s right – its time to start thinking about college visits, planning interviews, and generally getting your college search into gear. Each week, we’ll have information and advice to help you get going.

This week – start planning a couple of school visits for your February (or March) spring break. Why now? Because it’s a relatively easy way to visit schools while they are in session, and you are not. You’ll get to meet students, view the campus with the actual student population, take a tour, and generally start narrowing your search a bit.

If you have no clear ideas about what type of school you’d like, start with one or two close to home. Go visit a large university and a smaller college, just to get a sense of what the size difference may mean to the feeling on campus.

Contact the admissions office through the school’s website, to reserve a spot on one of the admissions tours. Tours are great because they give you a lot of information about campus life, academics, and usually are student-led. Use the opportunity to ask questions of your tour guide – they are always excited to share info about their school.

Check back next week for more details on do’s and don’ts of the college visit!

“I didn’t get in anywhere – so I have to go to my safety school!” This is the most common – and frustrating – lament we’ve heard from high school seniors, and it is totally unnecessary!

The concept of a safety school is a good one – applying to one or more schools that you have a great chance of getting into, based on a favorable comparison of your grades, SAT scores and other variables vs. the school’s stated acceptance trends.

BUT – and it’s a big one – the main thing is to apply to these schools because you actually want to go there. Find one or more schools that would be a good fit for you, because you have a very good chance of acceptance, but also because you like their programs, location, campus life, sports, etc.  Never apply to a school only because you believe you have a great chance of acceptance.

There are so many fantastic schools out there, that with a little research you should be able to compile a list that only includes schools you would like to attend. This way, when you get those big fat envelopes, you’ll be thrilled with all your acceptances, and not just the ones that were more difficult to get into.

Finally, remember that one person’s safety school is another’s first choice. There are positive qualities to so many colleges and universities that it seems self-indulgent to complain about any acceptance. So, only apply to schools you want to attend, and apply to schools with a wide range of selectivity. And celebrate those big fat envelopes!