39 - Guest Expert: Michelle McAnaney, College Admissions Consultant - Applying to College During COVID - Tips for Juniors and Seniors

Cast:
Dr. Tara Egan, host
 Anna, teen co-host
 Michelle McAnaney, Educational Consultant, owner of "The College Spy"

 Tara and Anna are super excited to welcome back Michelle McAnaney. Michelle is the owner of the The College Spy, a college admission consultation service designed to help students prepare, apply, and choose their "best-fit" college, and she has returned to talk to us on season two to discuss "Applying to College During COVID - Tips for Juniors and Seniors."

With COVID in our lives many things have been different. One of which, is how kids are now applying for college. Luckily, we have Michelle to help all of us learn about these changes, as well as, what parents and students should be considering and focusing on right now. This looks slightly different for juniors than seniors, but Michelle has us covered and  shares tons of great tips and information for both.

The first question that most people ask is how do you get started looking for, applying to and choosing colleges. Tune in and hear Michelle share with Tara and Anna WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STARTING THE COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESS and learn more about:

For years the key to choosing which college was mainly based on school visits, but now they do not have a chance to do that with COVID. So what do you do?

Self guided tours are an option at some schools, but they are very limited. For those that are offering in person visits, when is the best time to go and what areas are best to visit and observe?

Are colleges looking at standardized test scores? Is it recommended for students to take them?
   
With all the unknowns, you should diversify your college list and apply to more schools than in the past because you do not know how the schools are going to make decisions with the many factors of COVID. How many schools should students be applying for?

With a  COVID slide ( when a naturally A or B student, and now with COVID, has gone to B or C student) Will colleges will take into account this past year and being more flexible?

How can you stay competitive with other applicants in these times?

Your application tells your story and the pandemic is part of it. How do you use this to your benefit and spend your time?

Recommendation for Juniors to focus time and energy on to make sure their application is competitive:

Courses for the Fall, two things more important than others: Grades and Academic Rigor - (what courses did you take, how hard were they and how did you do?)
1) Increase rigor taking an additional AP course, foreign language keep academics challenging.
2) Find something to do for extra curricular activities
3) Start researching now and not wait until fall of senior year

Should you take more rigorous classes or more diversified? Note: it's based on each students scenario.

Is class rank important in applying to college and being competitive?

For lots of free resources and how Michelle can help make  the entire process less stressful and more fun, visit her website  https://thecollegespy.com/.

To learn more about Dr. Tara Egan's child & adolescent therapy services, visit HERE.
To join our private FB group for parents of high schoolers and soon-to-be high schoolers, visit HERE.
To join us on Instagram, visit HERE. 

This episode was edited by Laura Bauder from PodcastHERS.