48 GoodLifeFamilyMag.com MAY | JUNE 2018 What Should Your Child Be Doing NOW? Summer Preparation for College Applications: By Robert Allsup | Contributor 01 02 Try to narrow the number of colleges down to a manageable number (10-15), and schedule campus visits at the top five schools on the list. Many colleges look at demonstrated interest, so it is important to have an official Information Session and Campus Tour when you visit. Review the student’s final GPA for junior year, as well as SAT/ ACT scores to determine the need to re-test in the summer (Ju- ly-ACT/August-SAT); or if the student should do some test prep to increase the scores. Most students can raise their ACT score 3-5 points or SAT 90-150 points, just by working with a tutor or doing some strategic prep in areas of deficiency. The summer months are an ideal time to begin working on the longer college essays for the Apply Texas App or the Com- mon App. The essay prompts sometimes change from year to year, but you can review the Common App Essay Prompts www.commonapp.org/whats-appening/application-up- dates/2018-2019-common-application-essay-prompts or the Apply Texas Prompts www.applytexas.org/adappc/html/pre- view18/frs_essay.html. Typically colleges want a 500-650 word essay and possibly 1-2 shorter essays under 300 words. Many colleges use similar essay prompts, so it could be wise to begin to review each college your student is considering to determine which essay topics work best. Manycollegesrequirearesume,sothesummerisaperfecttime to update a current resume or begin one if you haven’t started yet. A well-prepared resume is one of the areas that can differ- entiate students from other applicants by showcasing leadership, service, honors and awards. Many times parents create tension for rising seniors by setting unrealistic goals to write all of the essays or complete the applications before a family vacation or summer camp. Here is a schedule I would recommend: • Take the SAT/ACT or SAT Subject Test • Check SAT/ACT and SAT Subject Test scores online • Update resume with test scores and summer activities • Visit colleges/narrow list to top 15 schools • Begin to prepare draft essays 03 The college planning process can be daunting, at times downright overwhelming, for both students and parents. Before you push that panic button or ask your child for the fifth time if he has started his college essays, consider the following suggestions for your rising senior: MAY 04 Every parent should remember that “criticism” is a tool that produces lingering scars in the hands of the selfish, but “affirmation” is an instrument that provides lasting results in the hands of the skillful. - Robert Allsup