5 Lessons After 5 Years
In March 2016, I took a huge leap of faith and nervously started Simply Admissions. I am extremely thankful to still be doing what I love five years later; making the college admissions process less stressful. Throughout this time, I have learned a tremendous amount about both the college admissions industry and working with families. Here are my five biggest takeaways after five years:
1. I am not just a college advisor. When I started the Independent Educational Consultant Certificate Program through UC Irvine I thought I was simply learning how to help students find colleges that are a good fit for them. However, as I started working more closely with families I realized that’s only part of what I do.
I often say that I’m ⅓ college advisor, ⅓ project manager, and ⅓ support system. Oddly, I truly am excited by each piece of the position. My Type-A side really enjoys managing deadlines for students (my seniors know how much I love my color-coded spreadsheets!). Additionally, I first moved on from the investment management industry because I wanted to help people. I am always happy to provide support and a listening ear for both parents and students. This process is long, stressful, and exhausting - that’s why I’m here!
2. There’s a college for everyone. Over the years, I’ve visited more than 120 colleges throughout the world. It’s one of my favorite aspects of the job and I’m itching to start traveling again. Part of the reason I love visiting colleges so much is that it always reminds me that there’s a college for everyone.
When people hear that I’ve visited so many colleges, they often ask me which college is my favorite. I find that question very difficult to answer because I’m not visiting for myself. While I wouldn’t personally do well at a school like Colorado College, whose Block Plan means that students only take one class for eighteen days, I can think of several students who would thrive in that learning environment. That’s why I visit so many colleges; to be able to easily recommend schools that are a fit for each individual student.
3. Visiting campus is so important in determining fit. I thought I already knew this but COVID reinforced the concept even more. Colleges might seem too small or not rigorous enough on paper but after walking through campus and visiting with the honors college, you may feel differently. As you sit in the student union observing the student body, can you see yourself there? That’s the ultimate test!
While COVID has obviously made visiting colleges in-person essentially impossible at times, the good news is that there are plenty of ways for students to still visit colleges on their lists. Depending on the school, that may mean taking a self-guided tour on campus or participating in a virtual visit. There certainly is no replacement for the real thing though and I am very hopeful we’ll get students back on all campuses soon!
4. Higher education is changing. Whether we’re talking about more students applying without test scores or Colgate seeing a 102% increase in applications this year, the college admissions landscape is changing rapidly. Many of these changes were bound to happen eventually, although I do believe that COVID accelerated the pace. While the unknown is always scary, students should not worry. With some colleges considering residential hybrid experiences or re-thinking the traditional academic calendar, it’s likely there will actually be more options for students to choose from soon!
5. There is always more to learn. College admissions is constantly changing, which means that I am constantly learning. I remember the day I learned this lesson very clearly. I was sitting in an NYU information session in 2017. I had toured NYU nine years earlier when I was a high school junior myself. At first, I didn’t think that it was necessary for me to visit again because how much could have changed in that short amount of time? I received the answer to my question within the first few minutes of the admission counselor’s presentation. NYU now offered two more degree-granting campuses (in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai), along with 12 other international locations. I never underestimated how quickly a college can evolve again!
That is why I attend at least two continuing education events each year, even during COVID, on top of visiting college campuses. I love hearing the newest updates from college admission counselors, school counselors, and other educational consultants, before bringing that information back to my families
The last five years have been a blast and I can’t wait to see what the next five years hold!