Summers: Recharge v. Opportunities

Summer break (June-August) is a crucial time for high school students to rest and recharge in preparation for the upcoming academic year. With college applications and the increasing pressure to excel, students often feel compelled to fill their summers with various activities to boost their resumes. However, prioritizing rest and relaxation during this time may lead to better overall performance during the school year. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of recharging during summer break, how to balance it with the wide range of summer opportunities available, and provide guidance on how to choose the right program for your interests.

The Misconception of "Momentum"

At the beginning of each school year, especially for seniors, it's common to see some students who appear to be thriving, having seemingly made the most out of their summer break. They seem to have a great deal of momentum and are often perceived as being well-prepared for the year ahead. However, this may not always be the case.

Some students who start the year strong are able to do so because they remained academically engaged throughout the summer. While this may seem like a positive attribute, it often leads to burnout. Many of these students are unable to sustain their momentum, especially when faced with the challenges of rigorous curriculums like the International Baccalaureate (IB). By the end of August, these students may be on the verge of a breakdown, having not allowed themselves sufficient time to rest and recharge during the summer.

The Power of Recharging

In contrast, students who take the time to relax during their summer break may appear a bit sluggish when they return to school. They may struggle to get back into "school mode" initially. However, these students tend to be better equipped to handle the demands and expectations of senior year. By giving themselves time to rest and recharge, they can maintain their energy and focus throughout the academic year.

This is not a one-size-fits-all observation, and each student's experience will differ. However, it is important to recognize the value of recharging during summer break and to encourage students to prioritize their well-being.

Finding the Right Summer Opportunity

While rest and relaxation should be a priority during the summer break, it is still possible to participate in summer programs that align with your interests and passions without compromising your need to recharge. There are countless summer opportunities available, and finding the right one involves reflecting on your academic interests, extracurricular activities, and personal passions. Here are some questions to consider when narrowing down your options:

1. Do you have a skill, passion, or interest that you want to learn more about? (e.g., biology, genetics, gardening, game theory, knitting, scuba diving, women's rights, anything!)

2. Do you want to try something new that you haven't had an opportunity to try yet? (e.g., theater, film, coding, Mandarin, horseback riding, creative writing, etc.)

3. Where do you want to be for the summer? Where can you go to explore multiple interests? (e.g., improving your Italian and visiting college in Europe while attending a summer program in Florence)

4. What kind of setting appeals to you? (e.g., learning inside a classroom, hiking through mountains, doing community service, working with younger students)

Remember that enjoying your summer should be a top priority, no matter which opportunity you choose to pursue. If you are doing what you love, you will find enjoyment in it. Consider programs that push you outside of your comfort zone by interacting with others different from your closest social circles, engaging with material that challenges you, or situating you in an unfamiliar environment. There is much to learn from these experiences! Also, pay special attention to age requirements, as many programs require students to be 16 years old or older to attend residential programs.

In conclusion, high school students should prioritize rest and relaxation during their summer breaks while also considering opportunities that align with their interests and passions. By striking a balance between recharging and engaging in meaningful summer experiences, students can return to school refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle the challenges of the new academic year.

Artificial Intelligence & Effective Prompting

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has recently become a buzzword in household conversation as human-computer interactions have become more efficient and personalized thanks to the emergence of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Bing, and Bard. One critical aspect of this type of AI is effective prompting. 

What follows are seven principles for effective prompt-writing, followed by good and bad examples:

1. Be clear and specific. Clearly state your question or request to ensure that the AI understands what you're looking for. Providing context or background information can also help improve the quality of the response.

   1. Good example:  "What are some engaging activities I can use to teach middle school students about the water cycle?"

   2. Poor example: "How do I teach the water cycle?"

2. Keep it concise. While it's essential to provide relevant information, avoid making your prompts overly lengthy or complex. A concise and focused question will generally yield better results.

   1. Good example: "Suggest three strategies for improving reading comprehension in high school students."

   2. Poor example: "I need help coming up with ideas for teaching reading comprehension to students because I've been struggling to find methods that work well, and I'm not sure what to do."

3. Define the format. If you have a specific format in mind for the answer, such as a list or a paragraph, mention it in your prompt. This will help guide the AI in providing a response that meets your expectations.

   1. Good example: "Please provide a brief paragraph on the importance of teaching critical thinking skills in the classroom." or “Please act as a university literature professor and suggest several ways a student who loves to read can explore new genres of literature.

   2. Poor example: "Why is it important to teach critical thinking skills?"

4. Request Step-by-Step or Point-by-Point Answers. For complex questions or topics, asking the AI to provide a step-by-step guide or a list of key points can help you get a more structured and comprehensive response. 

   1. Good example: "List the steps to create a lesson plan for teaching elementary students about photosynthesis.

   2. Poor example: "How do I make a lesson plan for photosynthesis?

5. Be Explicit about the Perspective or Tone. If you want the AI to adopt a particular perspective or tone (e.g., formal, informal, humorous), mention it in your prompt to guide the response.

   1. Good example: "Write a humorous and engaging introduction to a lesson on Shakespeare for high school students."

   2. Poor example: "Write an introduction to a lesson on Shakespeare."

6. Limit Answer Length, if Necessary. If you need a concise response, you can specify a word or sentence limit in your prompt to encourage the AI to provide a brief and focused answer.

   1. Good example: "In two sentences, explain the main goal of teaching phonics to young learners." or “Give me 10 examples of activities to teach phonic to young learners.” 

   2. Poor example: "What's the goal of teaching phonics?" or “How do I teach phonics?”

7. Iterate. Don't be afraid to rephrase or tweak your prompt if the AI doesn't provide the desired response on the first try. Experimenting with different approaches can help you discover the most effective way to communicate your query.

   1. Poor initial prompt: "What's the best way to teach math?"

   2. Improved prompt: "What are some effective methods for teaching algebra to high school students?"

Please see here for the above in a PDF handout.

High school college counselors play a crucial role in preparing students for higher education and career opportunities. As generative AI tools become more prevalent in various aspects of education and professional life, it is increasingly important for college counselors to teach students how to effectively use and communicate with these tools. As is the case with so much within the domain of college counseling, while it may be argued that teaching effective prompting may not clearly be the role of college counselors, it seems that, at the very least, it is probably our role to make sure this essential skill is being taught. We think that we bear some of the burden of teaching these skills!

That said, by incorporating the teaching of effective prompting techniques into our programs, college counselors can help students make better use of AI tools in their academic and professional lives. This skill will be particularly beneficial when it comes to research, collaborative projects, and the development of critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Moreover, teaching students how to effectively prompt AI tools will also enable them to become more responsible users of these technologies. With the power of AI comes the responsibility to use it ethically and thoughtfully. By helping students develop their prompting skills, college counselors can promote a greater understanding of the potential benefits and pitfalls of AI use in various contexts.

As generative AI tools become more integrated into our daily lives, it is essential to understand and apply best practices for writing prompts to make the most of these technologies. High school college counselors have a unique opportunity to teach students the skills necessary to effectively communicate with AI, preparing them for success in higher education and beyond. By focusing on the principles highlighted above, students can effectively engage with AI tools and responsibly harness their power in their academic and professional pursuits.

The Impact of Social Media on College Admissions

In our modern, connected society, social media platforms have become important ways to communicate, express ourselves, and meet new people. As the competition to get into college gets tougher, a student's digital footprint may have a big impact on their chances of getting in. As college counselors, it's our job to help students figure out how to use social media responsibly, since a bad online presence can have a lot of effects.

Admissions officers at colleges are more and more likely to look at applicants' social media accounts to learn more about them. Some schools even have staff members whose sole job is to do this. A student's social media activity can impact their application positively or negatively. For example, a positive post might show off a student's extracurricular activities, while a negative post might use bad language or show behavior that is questionable. Recent news stories about students losing scholarships or admissions offers because of offensive or controversial posts on social media show how important it is to keep a good online reputation.

If you want to help students keep a good online reputation, you could give them the following tips in bullet points:

• Regularly review and clean up social media profiles, removing or hiding any content that could be viewed negatively by admissions officers

• Manage privacy settings carefully, and share personal information only with trusted friends and family

• Create and share content that emphasizes achievements, interests, and positive experiences, showcasing unique qualities and values

• Avoid controversial or inappropriate content, such as political, religious, or offensive material, which may alienate admissions officers

• Monitor tagged content and manage friend/follower lists to maintain control over their online presence

As counselors, we play a pivotal role in guiding students through the digital age. It is important to teach them about how their social media presence could affect their chances of getting into college and about the bigger safety risks that come with sharing personal information online. Students will be able to build a positive online presence if they are shown how to manage their social media profiles well, including privacy settings and content curation. Talk about possible red flags and stress how important it is to manage your online reputation. This will help students make smart decisions about how they use social media. Students can learn important skills for success in today's connected world by getting help and resources for navigating the digital landscape.

For students to do well in college and beyond, it is important to help them find a good balance between online and offline activities. It's important for students to develop strong interpersonal skills, and counselors should remind them that face-to-face communication and building relationships are important for both personal and professional growth. Students can stand out when applying to college and learn valuable life skills by taking part in meaningful extracurricular activities and volunteering in their communities. Promoting a well-rounded student experience that extends beyond social media can help students lay a solid foundation for success in college and their future careers.

Social media has a big effect on getting into college, and keeping a good online reputation is becoming more and more important for students who want to get into competitive schools. Students need to make sure they have a good online reputation because posting inappropriate or controversial content can have long-lasting effects. College counselors play an important role in helping students navigate the digital age by giving them support and tools for managing their social media presences well. Students learn the skills they need to do well in college and beyond by getting a good mix of online and offline experiences.

Presentation: Student Wellbeing for the Application Season

Last week, several university colleagues and I had the distinct honor of having been asked to present to a consortium of 5 schools in Mongolia as part of their college application “kick off” event. My presentation was entitled “Student Wellbeing for the Application Season - Timelines & To Do Lists along with staying sane.” For the presentation, I pulled together a host of different tips, tricks, and hacks that have worked for me as a counselor and that have worked for my students. Here is the PDF of the slide deck! Hopefully you might find something worthwhile to borrow!

My Time Management Strategy

Last week I had the privilege of helping to run the College Board’s 2021 Summer Institute for International Counselors, a virtual reboot of what has previously been an on-campus, in-person event. While disclosure agreements prevent my sharing the slide decks, recordings, and the like, I do hope to share some takeaways from my end. 

A colleague and I led a session that shared a thematic approach to establishing a college counseling curriculum and then what an annual timeline might look like for a college counseling office/program. At the end, in the final few minutes of the session, I shared a few thoughts about how I personally go about managing all of these competing pieces of the puzzle, the workload of the college counselling life. The number of emails I received about this little bit was surprising, and so in response to the many requests, I wanted to flesh out a little bit more of what works for me to manage the demands of the job. 

I want to begin by sharing a few guiding principles that have helped me shape my approach. However, first, I think it is essential to start with the fact that what works for me might not work for you! Of course, we all go about our jobs in our own ways. I’ve come to my current practice through years of trial and error, but hopefully there might be a tip or trick here or there that might work for you! That said, it makes sense to think of what parameters, objectives, and goals are most important to you as you do your work. Here are some of mine that guide my approach:

1. I prioritize keeping my work within the work day. I don’t want to bring work home when I can help it. Time management at work has become such an important part of my ability to be present for my family. Of course, I do sometimes need to break this commitment, but the occasions are more the exceptions than the rule for me. As such, I do try to cram as much into my work days as possible.

2. I prioritize face time with students. Ultimately, the best way I can spend my time at work is by being present for my students and their families. By managing my time effectively, I feel that I am able to be there for them whether through planned meetings or for last-minute, more urgent needs. 

3. I prioritize calmness. The college process can elicit stress in my students and their parents, of course, and so by managing my time effectively, I feel that I am able to maintain a sense of calm and not contribute to their anxiety and, if anything, counterbalance some of the chaos. My being on top of my work affords me a great deal of composure, especially when things don’t go as planned. 

So, in light of these fundamental premises, I have cobbled together over the years a time management strategy that works for me. What follows are a few of the salient points that I think others might find beneficial… and certainly the ones that I heard from colleagues through the CB presentation about!

1. Pomodoro Technique. Learn more about this approach here. Long story short, this is an approach to productivity where you set a timer and focus intently on one task for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break before starting another 25-minute “pomodoro,” so named allegedly after an old fashioned tomato timer. (I use this online timer to keep me honest.) I find that this scaffolding works incredibly well for almost every task and can be adjusted as needed to fit between the various immovable meetings and appointments of the college counselor’s day and week. Seldom am I able to string together more than 2 or 3 rotations in a row, but I am able to book my days accordingly, and I feel the boost in productivity.

2. Timeboxing. Again, read more about this one here. Essentially, this is an alternative to the to-do list. As such, instead of maintaining lists and trying to squeeze in the time to do things in between meetings throughout your days and weeks (which, for me, inevitably resulted in lots of evening work), this is a practice whereby if I need to get something done, I put it on my calendar. For me, I block off 25-minute, Pomodoro-length appointments with myself for every task that needs to be done. When I know something will take longer than 25 minutes, I will book more than one time slot in advance, but most of the time, when a 25-minute span is done and I am not completed with the task, I merely just create a new appointment with myself later in the day or week. One thing that I have found is that as a result of this practice, I am able to more accurately judge how long something will take me to complete. For example, I know that — when I am in possession of all the accoutrements such as transcripts, questionnaires, essays, etc — I can write a near-final draft of a counselor letter of recommendation in 2-3 Pomodoros. 

3. FedEx Days. This is a real game-changer. I’ve been doing this for probably 15 years after first encountering the idea in Jim Collins’ book From Good to Great, I think, but here is a summary of the concept from Dan Pink, of whom I am a huge fan. Essentially the idea is to devote 20% of your time for unstructured work with the research showing that productivity and creativity are boosted. Throughout the months of August through December, I have religiously blocked off one day per week to be free of meetings and other engagements (as best as possible) in order to focus on writing those letters of recommendation. So aside from unanticipated or relatively urgent unplanned interruptions and pre-scheduled periodic meetings, I select one day per week to chunk up into Pomodoros to write letters of recommendation (and do various other tasks). Throughout the rest of the year (January through June), I find that I am able to use these days more for that essential creative and productivity work that the concept is so well-known for, from writing to preparing presentations to innovating programming and curriculum. One huge benefit that I have found is that when I do not take FedEx days and I am trying to squeeze writing (and everything else) in between meetings with students or other commitments, I have a hard time meeting with more than 5 or maybe 6 students in a day. I am just too frazzled, and I get really exhausted. However, when I have this one day per week to really focus on writing recs (or to do other work), I am able to meet with 12 or more students on those other days without a problem. As such, by sacrificing one day per week in one sense, I am able to be more attentive to my students. In this way, though I have been transparent with this approach with each boss/supervisor I’ve had, I have never faced any pushback at the outset or negative feedback later on.

4. Calendly. There are a number of other applications out there, but I have long been using Calendly to allow people to book directly into my calendar. Of course, this requires some careful maintenance of your calendar, but the various features of Calendly allows me to send a link to people (and to include the link in my email signature) to allow people to see common availability and to book directly. I found that it is an enormous drain of time on email to go back-and-forth with students, colleagues, college reps, parents, etc trying to book meetings. Especially when navigating time zone differences, sending off a link and inviting people to book directly saves a ton of time. I tend to offer 15-minute and 30-minute meetings open to the public, but I have hidden meetings for college reps and parents that I can modify to be outside of office hours, if need be, and the number of which I can limit per day. (For example, when scheduling hour-long family meetings, I limit them to just 3 per day so as to maintain time for the other things I need to do.) There is also functionality to choose where a meeting takes place, either in person or through Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc. And I love the features that automatically send reminders and follow-up emails. Each time I use it, I seem to learn of new bells and whistles. Again, others have recommended other software, but I’ve never explored any others because of how satisfied I’ve been with Calendly.

5. Calendar Grooming. This is perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve learned with this approach: while it makes me servant to my calendar, I am willing to make that sacrifice to commit to the guiding principles above, especially affording me more time with my family; however, it requires constant vigilance in maintaining and grooming my calendar. Additionally, it requires that everything gets booked, including calendar grooming time and more menial tasks like checking emails. Still, it has become a habit. For me, what works is that at the beginning of the week, I go through and map out my week, placing in my Google Calendar everything I need to do for the week in 25-minute appointments. (For more pressing items, I list them as “busy” so I cannot be double-booked by Calendly, while others are marked as “available” so students can still book meetings. Additionally, I mark most everything as private so my daily to-dos are not for public review.) I have a handful of tasks that I do on a weekly basis that I set as repeat calendar events, all at 7pm on Sunday nights, so when I get to work on Monday morning and it is time to plan and evaluate my calendar for the week, I just drag them to wherever in the week works best. I do this again for the following day as the last thing before I head home each day; this way I have a concrete plan for what needs to be done the following day, especially if things that I had planned to do didn’t get done and in light of any new meetings that have been scheduled in the interim through Calendly or otherwise. 

One thing that this plan has given me a new appreciation of is how I spend my time. For example, I color-code my work, and it allows me to see generally what I’m putting time into. I use orange for meetings with adults and yellow for student meetings; I also use green for work-related tasks. In looking through a given week, I can see pretty clearly whether I am remaining committed to my goal of prioritizing student attention. This sort of focus is more consistent with social-emotional counseling, which tends to track minutes spent. This can be helpful when articulating needs to supervisors, such as perhaps when making an argument for additional counselors, etc. 

I mentioned this previously, but this approach gives me a great sense of how long different activities take me. In really focusing in on one task at a time, I’ve found that I don’t need 25 minutes for everything I do, so I’ve taken to grouping things together. For example, first thing every morning is sometime like “Groom Calendar, Check Email, and Prepare for Meetings,” a time during which I get myself situated for the day and handle emails. These began as three separate 25-minute duties, but over time they merged as I realized I didn’t need all that time.

One final word about this approach for me is that commitment to calmness from the guiding principles shared at the outset. It is certainly possible to become too zealous in keeping to the planned schedule for the day, and it can result in a sense of inaccessibility to students who sometimes have immediate needs, not to mention colleagues, etc. What I have found is that this approach actually allows a great deal of flexibility for me; when sometime comes up, since I know what is essential to get accomplished in the current day, I can move things around easily and bump to later in the week those things that are less urgent. 

Again, hopefully there is a pointer or two here or there that might help you with your work or that you might try out. In chatting with a friend about this, he pointed out that all of these tips would work for people not in college counseling or even education as they apply well to other industries and domains. That said, he also reminded me that these are also effective tactics to teach our students! And, of course, I have tried to find ways to teach these approaches in my work with kids, lest that point be missed.

Finally, as I shared at the outset, what works for me is not guaranteed to work for you! I don’t claim to be providing the end-all, be-all of time management for college counseling, but maybe something works for you!

If you have thoughts or feedback on these or other tips that work for you, I’d love to hear them!

Valuing Student Satisfaction with Outcomes

A point of objection! 

In response to the recent series of posts, a colleague (who does not work in the college counseling domain but who is a parent of a recent high school graduate) wrote to articulate a welcomed, contrary point. His argument is that the previous post on student satisfaction suggested that we discredit a student’s perspective on their outcome. His interpretation was that the argument is that students don’t know enough about what is reasonable for any examination of their satisfaction with outcome to be worthwhile. Articulating his experience as a parent, he felt that his recent graduate would have answered the outcome question with a very low level of satisfaction. As he shared, his son had a dream school from the very beginning, and, in working with his college counselor, he was led to believe that this was an appropriate fit and a place where he had a legitimate chance of earning admission. Accordingly, the counselor assessed his chances as “reach” (where “far reach” indicated a remote if non-existent chance) and never disabused the student of his chances. Then, when he was not offered admission, the counselor sought to assist the student in moving on to consider his other options by acknowledging that he “never really had a chance, as we both know.” This came as a crushing and upsetting blow to the student and the parents. 

So, this colleague was expressing his belief that not asking this student this question about his satisfaction with outcome -- especially in light of the fact that he would probably have indicated a far higher level of satisfaction with process -- would avoid gathering information about this scenario. His contention is that we should ask the question because there is counselor accountability when a student and/or family does pursue an unrealistic goal. Our job in part, he shares, is to educate and to inform so that students and families adjust their expectations and account for an understanding of reasonable outcomes. 

The point is a good one! That being said, I don’t agree with the perspective that we should not ask students about their satisfaction with outcome. The school that I referenced was questioning whether or not to continue the practice in the future based on their experiences with it. However, I think that the more information gathered, the better. Additionally, I feel that this is an important question to ask free of the guesswork that anonymity would provide. Put differently, this question is important to understand in context. On one hand, I recall a student who was admitted to a hyper-selective institution where he had applied early who then gave the highest marks for process but the lowest for outcome: he felt railroaded toward that particular place by his parents and never really wanted to go there. On the other hand, I recall plenty of students who were unmoved by my explanation of there being little to no chance of admission and persisting with the application process and with the school being the top choice. And, of course, there are dozens of other situations where the context matters in understanding the situation. Effective growth and learning comes from each. The first example led me to think long and hard about how I might have worked more closely with the boy’s parents while the second led me to reflect on how to diversify my tactics and strategies for trying to shake a student from being fixated on a far reach… and also to reflect on where the line exists in my practice between informing and influencing! Is it even actually my role to convince such a family or merely to provide the professional assessment and recommendations? 

In any case, student satisfaction, in my opinion, is an important part of the dashboard approach, which we will examine more carefully soon. I have appreciated all of the rigorous and invigorating discussions surrounding this thread of posts. Keep it coming!

Regarding Gap Years

Although the pandemic has certainly accelerated things, the number of students inquiring about and then pursuing gap years after high school graduation has gradually been increasing over the last decade or so, in my experience. That said, I have long been a proponent of gap years. In fact, a few years back, I changed my essential questions -- those questions I expect every student I work with to be able to answer -- to be as follows:

1. Why are you going to college?

2. Why are you choosing to apply to the colleges on your list? (Eventually, with their final list, why are you applying to each school on your list?)

3. Why do you need to go to university next year (if not already pursuing a gap year)?

This final question is, of course, particularly germane to gap years. Frankly, some students have good reasons to head to university right away, but most do not. (This is not to say that they are not ready to go to university! Instead, it is more that most students don’t spend a great deal of time, in my experience, reflecting on why they feel compelled to head to college right away.) Additionally, there is something powerful in terms of motivation when a student has a clear reason in mind at the outset. I think it is therefore important to try to get all students to engage in thought about the gap year. 

That said, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there about gap years. In recently speaking with a colleague involved in the college admissions process in the US, I gleaned one interesting perspective on the situation for students who are undecided and their consideration of gap years. Essentially, what he shared with me was that 20 years ago, when a student was genuinely undecided, it was common practice to encourage students toward liberal arts colleges where they might develop a host of competencies in support of any one of a variety of career opportunities. (Of course, there were other tactics, but this colleague asserted that this was a very common one, for him at least.) However, things were different when costs were so much cheaper. In essence, he argued, a family could justify paying $20K per year for college even if the student were undecided, but now when those same schools are in the neighborhood of $80K per year, parents and students alike are more inclined to take a year to explore their options. Parents, in particular, are far more cost conscious and often want their child to have more direction. On the surface, this makes some sense: wait a year and try to get a better plan together.

However, I see the need to offer a few words of caution to this lens as well as to dispel some of the other myths here:

• In regards to the college application process (at least in the US), a gap year is not fully reflected in the application: students taking a gap year still qualify as first-year applicants and are still beholden to the same application process, including the same timeline. As such, if a student hopes to use the year to explore possible majors, they really only have an additional summer and likely a few months in the autumn before applications are due. It is possible to make good use of this time, but it needs to be approached strategically.

• A gap year is not recommended for students who didn’t “do well” in the college admissions process. It works best when done deliberately, in my opinion, and not when used as a last resort because things didn’t work out. 

• Relatedly, a gap year is not a way to get into “better” colleges, which is a question I face each year when typically parents are disappointed in their child’s results. The transcript, arguably the most important piece of the application, is locked in after graduation. The student could take new tests (SAT, ACT), but universities will see when they took the tests. And, similar to the previous point, there is not a huge runway for a transformative experience. Typically, in my experience, the gap year allows students to find better fits, not more selective acceptances.

• A gap year does not mean that a student enrolls in a program. The term “gap year” does not connote anything other than a year off between high school and university. How it is spent is up to the imagination. That said, the common fodder for this year includes, but is not limited to: travel, jobs, internships, community service, independent study, and foreign language immersion. None of this necessitates paying for a program. While I have seen students take advantage of programs such as Where There Be Dragons, Outward Bound, and Rustic Pathways or the like for more glamorous experiences, I have more often seen students cobble together thoughtful and meaningful series of internships or jobs or service. Additionally, I’ve seen highly successful gap years spent on particular projects or duties: finishing an art portfolio, learning an instrument, writing a book, etc. The key point is the intentionality! 

Here are some other resources most of which I borrow from Julia Rogers at EnRoute Consulting for families looking for high-quality gap year information:

• Gap Year Association

• How to Write a Deferral Letter 

• GoOverseas 

• TeenLife

• The Gap Year Radio Podcast

• Julia’s TEDx Talk 

Be thoughtful about considering a gap year! It can make a huge difference!

Let us know if you have any additional resources or ideas! We would love to share them!

The LID of Extracurriculars

A couple weeks back, I shared some thoughts on passion and a model for how it might be seen to factor into healthy development (as well as the university search process) that initiated quite a few conversations with various folks. To build on that, I wanted to share an additional point on extracurricular activities. In a follow up conversation about the passion post, a colleague reminded me of a handy tool for evaluating extracurricular involvement that came from some training as an outside reader for UCLA. Their perspective is to look at three attributes of extracurricular involvement: leadership, initiative, and dedication. Of course, from the university perspective, this lens is used to evaluate the choices a student makes in regards to how he/she spends time outside of school, but from the perspective of an individual student, this is a good way to think about the significance of the commitment. 

First, leadership. Are there ways in which you serve as a leader? This can be in terms of title or influence. Perhaps the leadership you have shown has been over particular components or areas of the extracurricular. So much of this one is the way in which you interact with others surrounding your extracurricular involvement. Being able to articulate this is the important piece!

Second, initiative. How have you taken it upon yourself to pursue this extracurricular? What efforts or lengths have you gone to in order to engage with this? For example, if your school does not offer computer science, what have you done to try it? 

Third, dedication. What has your commitment over the years looked like here? Lots of people bemoan their piano lessons, but not too many talented pianists will! Dedication is a function of consistency over time. 

In examining your current extracurriculars, how might you articulate the choices you have made? And, of course, take some time to consider the argument for finding a passion (or trying to find one)!

What Can Lamplighter Do For You?

Over recent weeks, I have received a number of questions from folks about the services that Lamplighter Consulting can provide. With a focus broadly on educational consulting and some particular focal points on systems thinking, university application processes, and leadership/mentorship, there is much to share. Of course, the website does share some general information, but this tends to be broad and vague information, not to mention anonymous, given the requests of the clients. As such, I wanted to run through a handful of recent projects to share some ideas of the ways Lamplighter Consulting might be helpful to you.

• Coaching sessions with college counselors. I have arrangements for periodic, individual check-ins with a handful of counselors. These individuals have sought these sessions for a variety of reasons. Additionally, these individuals are experienced directors, new directors, counselors making the transition from social-emotional counseling to college/university counseling, and counselors new to the profession. These discussions range, as you might imagine, from the day-to-day minutiae of the work to emerging trends and best practices. Finally, these conversations are a mix of informational and mentorship, from discussions about germane topics to support sessions facing the emotional and psychological rigors and demands of the work.

• Meeting with Boards. I have spent time working with trustees and boards and members thereof about trends and concerns within the university admission world. As one colleague humorously represented it recently, I have served as an “expert witness” in the constant interrogation of the complex and ever-changing university admission landscape. In these cases, the boards sought to gain additional perspective on the admissions world. (In one case, I served as part of a two-person panel during a trustee meeting alongside a university admissions director.)

• Advising Heads of School. On several occasions, I have met with heads of school for specific conversations about, typically, specific elements of the college counseling or university admissions process. For example, some of these conversations focused around the process for hiring, ways to evaluate college counseling programs and college counselors, and trends in the industry.

• Supporting Counseling or College Counseling Audits. Given my focus on systems thinking, I have been engaged in two capacities related to formal audits of programs: one, I have been asked to provide an independent audit of a comprehensive counseling program with concrete strategies and recommendations; and, two, I have engaged in many discussions in the aftermath of having received an audit from another organization, working to design and to implement responses to the recommendations. Of course, some of the conversations with counselors often revolve around audits as well.

• Consulting with agencies and firms. A variety of different organizations have engaged seeking perspectives on establishing college counseling programming. These have run the gamut of student-focused non-profits to athletics-oriented groups to tech companies, typically examining how best to serve students or how best to enable other adults to support students. 

• Supporting students and families through the college process. Of course, Lamplighter Consulting was formed with the intention of supporting students with independent consulting services; however, as things have emerged, as the above suggests, the bulk of the work has shifted from students to adults, but the commitment to working with students remains at the heart of the work we do, and we do support students and families directly. 

• Engaging in the Discussion. In addition to these interactions with individuals and organizations, Lamplighter also engages in discussions and trends within the world of education. One way is through the routine sharing of current news through the Lamplighter Facebook page, and another is the monthly College Counseling cheatsheet. 

If any of these services -- or others that you might have -- sound interesting, I strongly encourage you to reach out for a conversation. Please be in touch if you have any ideas for how Lamplighter Consulting might be helpful to you or your school!

Passion

Passion. I have been up and down and around and around this discussion with colleagues, students, parents, and others for over two decades now. While some out there abhor the use of the word “passion” when talking to high school students, I see it as an instrumental component of a particularly helpful model for seeing the purpose of the high school years. I hope to explain this in the following post. 

To start off with, I think that “passion” gets a bad name, at least in part, through the university application process. On one hand, there are universities that ask students to expound upon their passions in essays and the like, the implication being that each student should have one, and, more problematically, suggesting that there is something wrong with them if they do not. On the other, students sometimes articulate their current interests as “passions” so as to try to convince admissions officers (or themselves) that they are a good fit for a particular field of study because they already are possessed of a passion for the topic, no matter how advanced, removed from the life of a high school student, or esoteric it might be. I concede that it bothers me just as much when I read an essay prompt put out for an application that assumes passion is the norm for high school students as it does when I read a student essay about some student’s lifelong “passion” to study some arcane or specialized subject that reflects more insecurity than confidence or commitment to the subject. These are admittedly challenging facets of this concept. 

Of course my experience may differ from the broader perspective, but my twenty-plus years of working with students on their post-graduation plans has left me suspicious of the contention of passions being typical of high school students. Consequently, I have explored this idea over the past 10 years or so at three different schools, on three different continents. At each high school where I have worked, I have engaged students with an annual survey, one question of which inquired about this concept of passion. The survey is always conducted at the conclusion of the university application process, ostensibly therefore minimizing some of the posturing that students sometimes pursue. When asked if they have a passion as they graduate high school, roughly 90% of the students I have worked with have shared that they do not! Annually these numbers fluctuate some, but in this span, the highest percentage of seniors who claim to have a passion has been 14% with the lowest being 8%, typically landing around 10%. These samples have been collected from a boarding school in Ohio (USA), a day school in Taiwan, and a day school in Senegal, and there is little deviation from these findings despite the tremendous variance in schools and student population. Furthermore, to me, it feels about right! 

Let me just add that when examining those students who claim to have a passion, the numbers are disproportionately reflective of areas that the students have been able to engage with through their studies and extracurricularly. (I make this statement in counterpoint to those various, occasional claims of student passion in esoteric, specialized fields with which the student has had no opportunity for formal or informal exploration.)  In particular, students intending to major in the arts (fine arts, photography, dance, theater, film) are disproportionately represented. Beyond that, as a colleague who has examined these results with me has cited, the other main category of passions reflected are pure/core subjects, including math, science, literature (as opposed to their more specialized cousins, which we might assume would appear, of engineering, computer science, physics, medicine, journalism, etc). This speaks to a common point of concern of a student claiming to be passionate about a subject that he or she has never actually studied -- and cannot typically study -- in high school. It begs the question of how they might know and leads us back to that point of wondering what pressures we (or our culture/society) puts on our kids to feel that they need to have a passion in order to engage with this university search process. 

What is passion? 

In engaging in discussion with a colleague about this, it was asserted that perhaps some confusion for students comes from their misunderstanding what passion actually is. This certainly may be the case. For our purposes, we define passion simply as a “monopolizing pursuit.” The key to understanding this term is to realize that this definition is incredibly subjective and individualized. Put differently, what passion means for me might look different to you. Generally speaking, though, passions are activities or concepts that we are drawn to and are motivated to pursue. Often people talk about the experience of pursuing their passion, which is a “flow” state where they lose track of time. Still, though, this is a nebulous concept, especially with high school students, and passion looks different to different individuals.

The reality is that very few students actually have or find a passion. In fact, I know plenty of adults who do not have a passion either. Although the purpose of this piece is the plight of high school students, these realities lead many out there to demonize the word “passion” and the pursuit thereof. However, one point that I think this group overlooks is a secondary point: passions can be cultivated. For every kid I know who fell in love with something the first time they encountered it, I know someone (often adults) who came by his or her passion through constant return to something interesting; over time, these interests developed into expertise, greater interest, and, yes, even passion. 

Pursuit of Passion Model

All of this leads inevitably to the model that I have found to be helpful in guiding high school students. Much to the chagrin of some opponents of passion out there, I do recommend that students pursue their passion. However, in my way of thinking, this proposes two different paths.

Path #1: You have a passion. If you have a passion, then you need to do that thing. Find ways to continue to do it, not at the expense of other components of a healthy life (e.g. exercise, sleep, school, friends, and continued exploration, etc) but in your free time. Find new and novel ways to engage it. Use your free time and summers and vacations. Talk to people about your passion. Find your people! Find ways to read about your passion. You don’t need to spend a ton of money to do this well; stay within your means and be creative in how you pursue your passion. Continue on this way and one of two things will happen: one, your passion will continue to grow and sustain you, or, two, you realize that this thing is not your passion. In this latter case, you should then revert to…

Path #2: You don’t have a passion. If you don’t have a passion, then you need to actively search for one. This involves some exploration and some commitment. In regards to exploration, you need to try new things. Join clubs, sports teams, activities, etc. Try new classes. Consume a variety of different media, including books, articles, movies, YouTube videos, websites, etc. Keep looking to find things that pique your interest. And in regards to commitment, keep on doing some things that you find interesting but that you wouldn’t necessarily call your passion. Keep developing competence and even expertise in these areas. By combining exploration and commitment, one of two things can happen: one, you find a passion (in which case, see Path #1), or, two, you keep searching and growing.

So, in this model, students are encouraged to pursue their passion OR to find their passion. The difference may be semantic, but this has been well-received by students and parents alike. It has been helpful to collect the data about who actually finds their passion in order to share and to remind everyone that this is all a part of the growth process. In particular, I think that it helps students to stick with some things they enjoy. Furthermore, asking additional questions about, for example, which pathways they have explored (#1 and/or #2 above) as well as some overall feedback about how the student feels this model has helped them grow, have proven to be particularly helpful.

What does this look like in the application?

I hesitate to share this out of fear that it might be misconstrued and mis-applied, but the reality is that this model does assist with the university application process. To be clear, though, it helps because it facilitates good, healthy, appropriate human growth first and foremost, regardless of which “path” a student finds him or herself upon. One additional benefit is that this model allows students to see and then articulate their own journey in a thoughtful and deliberate way that makes a lot of sense to admissions offices. For example, in many cases, a student on Path #1 with a passion -- who has had this passion for some stretch of time -- will naturally reflect this passion in the application process: through the resume, activities, coursework, and often awards or recognition. This type of applicant is commonly seen as being “pointy.” On the other hand, students who have genuinely engaged with Path #2 and who have searched for a passion will similarly reflect their trajectory on their applications by sharing the many ways in which they have explored the world around them. This type of applicant is commonly called “well-rounded.” 

Truthfully, both types of applicants -- pointy and well-rounded -- are valued in the admissions process. While I must admit that not all universities are the same in how they read candidates, it is my professional experience that there are only a handful of institutions that are really looking for pointy students with passions instead of well-rounded students without passions. In the end, this pathway ought to be seen as a criteria for a university search: if you have a passion, then you should be prioritizing how you can continue to pursue that passion in college; if you don’t have a passion, then you should not be looking at institutions that champion pointy applicants and instead you should be looking for places that can help to continue your search. 

In the end, while discussing this model with a handful of university admissions officers, I was left with a couple takeaways with which I want to conclude. First, the point of the model is not to find a passion but to encourage individual growth and exploration of the world. With the exception of some majors at some institutions that have a limit on the number of seats in the program, universities are not necessarily looking for a particular passion when they find it in a student; they are aware that these things may change. Instead, though, they value pointy applicants for the fact they reflect the capacity for passion, that a student knows how to capitalize on their strengths and attributes. According to at least a handful of college reps, this is important. Second, though, my colleagues from universities have shared that they appreciate this model because it helps to steer students away from a particular archetype: the student who has never experienced the world around them. Particularly in competitive applicant pools, there are plenty of students with good grades but without a developed sense of self. It might be the thing I appreciate most about this model: while none of us can ever have a fully developed sense of self, we can always learn more about ourselves, the world around us, and our place in it, and this model assists us with this. 

Standardized Testing Recommendations in a Changing Landscape

I am routinely asked by students, parents, teachers, and administrators how to make sense of standardized testing. The world is changing around us, and the pandemic has cast a shadow of doubt over the enterprise of testing. With so many institutions having moved to a test optional evaluation model and with the announcement this week from College Board about their doing away with SAT Subject Tests, the landscape certainly has changed, and so I hoped to provide some clarity in regards to the advice I am providing at present.

Keep in mind that my priorities in shaping these recommendations include: 1. minimizing the number of sittings, while 2. maximizing the potential for high scores and 3. keeping as many options open as possible. Ultimately, each student needs to determine a standardized testing plan as part of their college search process, ideally in consultation with a counselor or advisor who can help craft a plan that works best for the individual.

Although previous recommendations (and those from elsewhere) continue to endorse a recommendation that students test when it is ideal based on their prep and coursework even if they do not know definitively if they will need testing, I am encouraging a bit more work in advance. For example, it has been often recommended that students sit for their first SAT and ACT in close proximity to each other without test prep in the sophomore (grade 10) year to verify which test is better to focus energies upon, with so many institutions now on a test optional policy, I recommend that students do a bit more work on their college list. Put some time in, hash out a list, even if it is large (20-30 long), and take a look at what those schools are requiring in regards to testing. Based on recent work with several students, to do this work for a list of 30 schools takes less than an hour and is a small price to pay for the clarity that it can provide. Of course, just because your schools do not require testing does not mean you automatically should not test, but it gives you more information to work with. And, it should be gauged how likely the student is to modify their list of schools, of course. In the end, though, this research should result in more students choosing not to test and instead to focus their efforts on far more effective uses of time, including their academic work and hobbies.

If you choose to pursue testing, consider the following points:

• SAT & ACT. We recommend that students take the SAT and ACT in the junior year, without test prep, to determine which of the two tests is the best fit and to get a baseline score. Previously, we have recommended students to sit for the SAT/ACT only if they know they will apply to college or university in the United States or think that they might, but it is increasingly the case that the SAT/ACT can provide an alternative pathway to admission to non-US universities. Ultimately, we recommend that all students sit for the SAT/ACT during the junior year. (Also, it is helpful for students to have taken the SAT/ACT in the fall of the junior year to inform the beginning of their process second semester.) Additionally, if you can find a way to sit for legitimate mock tests, then it is entirely possible to avoid sitting for the actual tests: explore this option with your counselor and local prep agencies (but keep in mind that fee-charging agencies may have a vested interest in encouraging students toward one test or the other).

• SAT Subject Tests. Given that the College Board has announced the phasing out of the Subject Tests, we do not recommend sitting for these tests. For international students, there still may be a lag of adoption of this policy by some universities, but still we recommend waiting to see if the test is required before sitting, and we do not recommend that students take these tests just to see how they do.

• SAT Score Choice. Score Choice is a system through the College Board where students can choose to send only their best scores instead of allowing an institution to which they are applying to see all of their scores. Please read this additional piece on Score Choice.

• TOEFL, Duolingo, or IELTS. We recommend that students take these tests only if their applications require them and as late as possible or if they have not been in an English-speaking high school for all four years (grades 9-12) of high school or if they have received ELL/ESL support during high school.

• Test Prep. We recommend that all students prepare ("prep") for all standardized testing. There are many types of test prep before you should feel compelled to pay someone to tutor or provide test prep. Talk to your counselor before you spend money!

Additionally, we recommend that students put together a plan! Every student's plans are motivated by different factors and considerations, so be sure not to do too much comparing with others and instead focus on having good reasons for your decisions.

Of course, as the landscape continues to shift, so too will these recommendations. Stay tuned!