Here are some responses to
"Why Not To Take It Easy As A Senior", all separated by a series of
dashes.
-compiled by Richard
Chapleau, Ed.D., Antelope Valley Union High School District
National Association for College Admissions and Counseling forum
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My college offers only bachelor of Science Degrees, so, math preparation is
critical for me in the college admissions process. I hear, a lot, the statement
from prospective students: "I have taken all the math I need to
graduate."
My response is always: "That is great news! - That will lead you to a
great career at Burger King - but, not acceptance into my college."
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Almost any college which has done a retention study will tell you that students
with the extra year of math are far more likely to be successful in college.
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As a college representative when I meet with freshman, sophomore and juniors I
try to make a point to them that they should take four years of math.
Since I
act as a proctor for our placement test and have given these tests to seniors
in
the high schools I have stories to tell them regarding low placement scores.
I
often explain that taking off that fourth year hurts you. The term
"If you do
not use it you lose it" is true. I try to relate a story such as
learning to
surf or ski and if you do not keep practicing how you tend to forget how to
perform the task. Or you can have the students share something they enjoy
doing
and ask them if they stopped doing that activity and then tried to pick it up
how difficult it would be to repeat it. Of course there are those
students out
there that Math or English or both come naturally but that is a rarity....
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I find Wesleyan's annual profile of admitted students very helpful when
encouraging students to max out in math, science and foreign language. I
have this sheet hanging in my office with the last three points highlighted.
http://www.wesleyan.edu/admission/facts/profile.pdf
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I have a slightly skewed population so I can't really address your issue
broadly, but I can tell you what works for me: I clearly outline the
consequences of their actions and let their parents know the same thing. So if
a
kid comes to me and says she wants to go to Ivy U. but doesn't want to take any
more math (or whatever, really) I say, "That's your choice, but here's
what the
pool of Ivy U. applicants looks like. What do you think your chances will
be?"
They usually get it. When I tell them that Harvard has a 91% rejection rate
they
usually sit up and take notice (talking about rejection rates instead of
acceptance is more harrowing but more attention-getting).
I find this method works better than browbeating, since it makes kids and
parents confront the consequences of their actions rather than decide to obey
me
or not. Dangling them over the abyss, so to speak, works pretty well for me,
because it places the burden of the decision where it belongs. We actually
spend
a good deal of time with our juniors (and with their parents to a large but
lesser extent) over the course of the second half of the year so I have many
opportunities to reinforce this message, too.
Our philosophy going into this is that the kids need to take charge of
their
lives regarding college. We prep them to make the decisions they need to make.
I
always make sure I have documentation, too!!
Some of this might sound cruel but we always take care to say the process isn't
about them as persons; it's not a judgment of their goodness. Since I was on
the
admission side for eight years at Amherst I can give them an authoritative
inside look at what goes into a decision, so they're not totally flummoxed. If
I
do say so myself, I think my colleague and I make them into pretty smart
"consumers." (Hate to use the word but there it is.)
---------------------------
Terry James
Mohaupt, Chairman, Parent Affiliates
an affiliate
of National Association for Gifted Children
http://www.iagcgifted.org
e-mail tmohaupt@chicago.us.mensa.org
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