Halley Shefler, a college admissions expert and the Founder
& President of ArtsBridge,
offers suggestions on how to approach the college search. Shefler heads a
consulting firm that works with high school students who aspire to study the
arts. She shares some tips and activities that students should keep in mind to
make the most out of their high school spring break:
- Check out colleges virtually. Hundreds of colleges
now offer virtual campus tours, information sessions, and opportunities to
meet online with admissions counselors and even current students. You can
also learn more about a school through YouTube videos that may walk you
through parts of campus, offer a glimpse into a student’s daily life.
- Consider doing “drive by” college visits at
campuses that are reasonably close to home. Even if it’s a college you
aren’t seriously considering applying to, the drive-by visit is a great
way to supplement all the online research by giving you a physical sense
of the college and its surrounding neighborhood.
- Do an actual, real life, in-person college visit!
Some colleges are offering on-campus sessions and tours. These require advance
planning and registration, and due to social distancing limitations, numbers
are likely to be limited, so book well ahead of time and don’t forget to bring
your mask. This is also a chance to ask current students about their
experiences and what they love or would change.
- Carve out some time to research specific
programs at the colleges you’re interested in. And keep notes in
a spreadsheet so that you can keep track of what you find.
- Juniors - get started with the college essay topic
and brainstorming work. The Common App essay prompts have been the same for several years, and this
essay is one of the few important pieces of the college application that
can be done well in advance - even before senior year begins.
- Artists - focus on your training. Familiarize yourself
with the artistic admission requirements (prescreens, auditions,
portfolios, interviews, headshots, résumés, artist statements, etc.) so
that you aren’t caught off guard in the fall when materials are often
due. Now is the time to begin thinking about how you will present yourself
artistically to colleges.
- Plan for your summer! Even if a summer program isn’t in the cards (though
we do recommend these great ones), colleges will be interested in how you spend your time in
the summer. Consider an online course, a volunteer or community service
activity, a paid job, or plan your own deep dive into
an extracurricular or artistic passion that will expand your
knowledge or skills. There are plenty of ways to have fun while
planning your college future!
- Plan your senior year courses. As you
consider what classes to take, keep in mind that selective colleges are
interested in students who challenge themselves academically. For the
colleges you are most interested in, check online to see how many years of
each core academic subject they recommend to be a competitive applicant.
Sites like Big Future are a great and efficient way to get
this information on multiple colleges in one place.
Other articles by HVP News Reporters