Hey there, Rho Kappa Scholars! I hope the new school year at BCHS is off to a great start. Before we get into the details of this Klotteriana post, I thought I should note that although I'm an alumnus, I'm posting this on the Klotteriana blog rather than the Alumni Blog because it's aimed at current Klotter members. So I hope you don't mind a little cross-pollination. This post is especially for current BCHS seniors, but please feel free to stick around if you're a junior or underclassman -- you may just find some useful advice for your senior year (trust me, you'll be there before you know it). |
I'm writing to you from a cozy little U of I dorm room in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois just before I go to bed and awake to another hectic day of classes, clubs, and studying. Yet no so long ago, I was sitting where you are today as I frantically tried to balance extracurriculars, classwork, friends, and college/scholarship applications. Believe me, I know it can seem intimidating, confusing, exciting, and frightening all at once. That's why I'm here to talk about how Rho Kappa can help you navigate the transition from high schooler to college student. I'm here to help you get across the wide Missouri, as our JKC Alumni Song puts it.
First thing's first: searching for colleges. Assuming you've already decided that you want to continue your formal education, one of the initial steps to college is finding which ones to which you want to apply. With thousands to choose from, this may seem impossible. Don't worry though, it's okay if you aren't sure where you want to attend yet; right now, you just need to narrow down a list of schools that interest you & submit applications for them.
Here are a few pointers on deciding whether or not to apply to a school:
Secondly: financing your education. It's fairly straightforward on how to apply to a school after you've decided you want to, and there are tons of resources out there to help you craft a perfect application essay or put together a resume or work the Common Application. (If you do find yourself with questions you can't find answers to, don't hesitate to ask counselors, friends, teachers, etc). So for step two, we're focusing on the monetary aspect of college. It's no secret that college is expensive, but here are some tips to reduce your financial suffering:
Finally: choosing your college. You've spent late nights working on applications, doing homework, sending transcripts, and anxiously awaiting your college decisions. Here's what to do once you've got them:
Follow these steps and you'll likely end up somewhere you genuinely want to be. I did, and not only did I land at one of the world's top public universities, I can also honestly say that I love it here and am proud to be an Illini.
Rho Kappa has so much to offer its members, so take advantage of it. But don't totally limit yourself to these tips & RK resources: take the advice of counselors & teachers, and do some research of your own to find out how to get where you want to go.
As you all head off on this trek of college applications, I'll leave you with some wise words:
First thing's first: searching for colleges. Assuming you've already decided that you want to continue your formal education, one of the initial steps to college is finding which ones to which you want to apply. With thousands to choose from, this may seem impossible. Don't worry though, it's okay if you aren't sure where you want to attend yet; right now, you just need to narrow down a list of schools that interest you & submit applications for them.
Here are a few pointers on deciding whether or not to apply to a school:
- Explore the school website. You'll find information about location, facilities, professors, resources, classes, clubs, and much more. If you know what major(s) you plan on declaring, be sure to take a good look at the specific departmental websites -- this will give you a flavor of how the major is structured, the required coursework, the resources, and the areas of specialty among faculty. If you'll be going into college undeclared, that's totally fine (my roommate is undeclared in fact); some schools will also offer webpages explaining how the undeclared program works & what you'll need in order to later declare a major. At Illinois, we call this Division of General Studies or DGS.
- Visit any way you can. As a senior, you're allotted so many excused days to go visit colleges. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore campus, talk to current students, and get a feel for whether you can picture yourself (happy) at a school. I visited Illinois before applying and that visit played a role in where I chose to live on campus, as well as my relationship with a professor whom I met during the visit. Some schools keep track of who's visited, which they factor into the, "demonstrated interest" category when considering your application. If you're interested in a college that you can't find the time or money to visit, check to see if they offer virtual tours (it's better than nothing). As for Rho Kappa: let the chapter know when/where you're visiting, and they'll try to pair you up with a JKC alum attending that school (i.e. if you tour Illinois, you can meet me)! We can give you insights into what campus life & courses are actually like.
- Check out the entrance requirements & fees. Some schools will specify requirements for general admission and/or admission to a specific major, i.e. four years of a foreign language or two SAT Subject Tests. Others might mention what they prefer to see in an applicant's academic record. Don't forget to also check to see if the college requires an application fee (most do), and how much that fee is. In certain instances, you may be eligible for a fee waiver -- see the school's policies and/or your counselor for more information.
- Weigh selectivity. Do a bit of digging around on this wonderful digital sphere we call the Internet -- get a feel for how many students are admitted each year, and the academic profile of a typical admitted student. Some schools might have open enrollment, where you're admitted if you meet the minimum requirements; most, however, do not. Oftentimes, the lower the percentage of students accepted, the higher GPA & test scores you'll need to get in. That being said, go ahead and apply to a few "reach" schools (the ones you don't think you'll get into), you might be pleasantly surprised. Just remember that the bulk of your applications should go to schools that you think you have a reasonable shot at getting into.
Secondly: financing your education. It's fairly straightforward on how to apply to a school after you've decided you want to, and there are tons of resources out there to help you craft a perfect application essay or put together a resume or work the Common Application. (If you do find yourself with questions you can't find answers to, don't hesitate to ask counselors, friends, teachers, etc). So for step two, we're focusing on the monetary aspect of college. It's no secret that college is expensive, but here are some tips to reduce your financial suffering:
- Seek out scholarships. Yet another way Rho Kappa can play a key role in your transition to college is through our Scholarships & Programs Index. This provides you with links to financial scholarships to help fund your education, but also to excellent programs to boost your resume (which in turn both helps you get admitted and gives you an extra edge in the scholarship application process). But don't stop there. The counseling office holds a box of available scholarships year-round, and there are countless websites out there which serve to point you to scholarship applications for free. There are literally scholarships for everything: from being LGBTQ+ to being a descendant of a Civil War veteran. Apply for as many as you can, and you may just end up with enough to afford that dream school.
- Utilize your resources. When you're applying for scholarships, you're bound to run into required essays. Ask your teachers for pointers on writing these, and ask a few to proofread your drafts. Sometimes you may even come across a writing workshop in the community. Another item you'll likely need for some scholarships (and college applications) is a letter of recommendation. Or more likely, multiple letters. Politely ask your teachers for these letters (shout out to Dr. Lockhart for writing me more letters than I care to count), but also ask them well before the submission deadline so they have time to prepare a well thought out letter. Asking adult leaders in your extracurricular, volunteer, or work areas is also a good idea -- they can present insight on you in a different way than teachers, which diversifies perspectives on you as a student, leader, worker, etc. Don't forget to provide everyone with a copy of your resume when you ask them to write you a letter.
- Crowd source. At U of I, there's a great (true) story of a freshman in 1987 who placed an ad in the Chicago Tribune asking people to send him one penny; so many people sent him a measly one cent that he was able to pay his entire tuition in pennies. In this digital age, it's even easier to ask for money. Several websites like Go Fund Me allow you to set up campaigns to take donations as small as one dollar or as large as you'd like. Using several different sites to solicit funds, you could end up with a hefty sum (even if everyone just gives one dollar).
- Use FAFSA. Ah, the fabled Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Indeed, 'tis such a pain to fill out. But believe me, it's worth it. You can be awarded thousands in grants depending on your family income. Submit the FAFSA as soon as you can, before the funds dry up. Also recall that, if you remain in-state, the state government may award you KEES money.
- Face the facts. Even if you do everything above, there are some colleges you might just not be able to afford. At the end of the day, if there's no way you can afford to attend a school that admitted you, don't enroll there -- even if it's your dream school. Thankfully though, several large private universities like Harvard, Yale, and other Ivy League schools waive tuition entirely for low income students. The University of Chicago has a No Barriers program, which sets your tuition based on how much you can afford to pay.
Finally: choosing your college. You've spent late nights working on applications, doing homework, sending transcripts, and anxiously awaiting your college decisions. Here's what to do once you've got them:
- Don't beat yourself up. Chances are, you got rejected a few times -- maybe even by that dream school. But don't let that get you too down; get excited about the schools you did get into. You should be proud. Trust me, by the time you're at your college of choice, you'll shed any hard feelings toward those other schools and replace them with love for your new home.
- Consider each offer carefully. Read through all of your letters of admission and think about how much money each school is offering you (relative to how much that school costs), and whether the offer is conditional.
- View your options holistically. Don't just jump right on the biggest name that accepted you. Consider everything from step one: which school has the best program for your major? Which offers the clubs you're looking for? Which is in the best location for you? Do the campus & campus culture match your preferences? Basically: can you picture yourself happy at this school? If the answer is no, eliminate that school from your offers. No matter what the school's name is, you don't want to be miserable for four years.
Follow these steps and you'll likely end up somewhere you genuinely want to be. I did, and not only did I land at one of the world's top public universities, I can also honestly say that I love it here and am proud to be an Illini.
Rho Kappa has so much to offer its members, so take advantage of it. But don't totally limit yourself to these tips & RK resources: take the advice of counselors & teachers, and do some research of your own to find out how to get where you want to go.
As you all head off on this trek of college applications, I'll leave you with some wise words:
"Let no feeling of discouragement prey upon you, and in the end you are sure to succeed." - A. Lincoln.
P.S. - This Saturday Illinois takes on Murray State. The first BCHS student to tag me in a tweet saying, "@The_Lincolnian @RhoKappaBCHS #HailToTheOrange" and a link to this blog will receive a special prize.