Tips for Parents: College Thinkin'

Course Planning

Balancing the desire of DA students to take university-level courses (and the speed at which they may rapidly accumulate college credit) makes course planning essential for DA students, far in advance of the college application process. DA students need to understand that many universities have strict policies about the number of credits a freshman applicant can apply to their undergraduate degree, and the number they can have to still be considered for first-year admission. Transfer admission is a more difficult process – both competitively and because it rarely offers students the same college experience, community and advising at the university, since the student does not begin with a class of peers.

Course planning issues also extend to insuring that the content of university-level courses matches on the content of national subject exams like the Advanced Placement tests and SAT II subject tests, important markers in undergraduate admission review.

The DA is actively working to help parents address these issues, most importantly through the development of their school profile, a packet that will accompany every college application and detail the student body, academic achievement and possibilities open to DA students. School profiles provide vital context that allow college admission officers to measure a DA applicant in the very best light. DA is also working to develop its first transcripts for graduates – again, addressing the co-curricular coursework with UNR and highlighting the fact that many students achieve far beyond a typical high school academic profile.

Still, parents and students need to be keenly aware of the restrictions placed on college credit at the institutions to which they may want to apply or the fact that some DA student profiles will require admission by exception. There is no way for a school to assure anything in the college admission game. DA, like any excellent college preparatory school, will not be in a position to advocate beyond the normal role of the written school recommendation for any special considerations for profoundly gifted students. DA students need to plan to present their strengths in such a way that they stand out among the applicants in any given admission pool.

Extracurricular Excellence

Though DA students may be extraordinary in the classroom, they need to be encouraged to take the time to be equally passionate in their non-academic pursuits. The ways to distinguish beyond grades and scores are as numerous as there are applicants to college. But general categories include school and community leadership, music, sports, artistic pursuits, community efforts, international experiences and language study, academic research (beyond class work), academic teams and work experience. Within all of those categories there are standard pursuits that might take up a lot of time, but not make a student stand out. Taking risks, being entrepreneurial, leaving a legacy, making an impact, and having a breakthrough in these pursuits are what lead to a personal story recognized by both the student (and those that recommend them for admission) as a window into unique character and contribution of that young person. They show the kind of engagement with the world that colleges are looking for.

DA students should avoid the old myth of being well-rounded. Colleges want students to have angles -- one, two or three angles that they take to the fullest potential and really have personal meaning behind them. The best applicants are living their young years to the fullest -- not filled with a list of "what" but with a few choice activities that they want tell the world about "why". For DA students, in particular, they must show a balance between classroom and community experiences, intellectual and independent excellence.

Getting the Word Out

Since The Davidson Academy is a new, and still yet-to-be-accredited high school, its earliest graduates will be pioneers in teaching colleges just how exceptional a DA student is. This is a growing effort. In general, communication about DA to admission offices should come from the school. Communication from parents is tricky and may be viewed more as a parent advocating for a student, than the school educating the admission office about the student body.

Admission offices are busy places. But they do welcome questions. Still, questions related to coursework, or the individual programs of a department should be emailed, as it is less disruptive and won't appear like advocacy for an applicant. Visiting college admission offices and attending their information sessions is a great way to make this personal. As DA parents make this visit, please share your first-hand knowledge with the DA community. By working together – these pioneering first graduates will have the information and support to see superb admission success.

A Snapshot Calendar

Although most DA students have a unique profile, due to their advanced academic pursuits, the following is a “typical” calendar for the most important milestones prior to the admission decision.

Grade 11

Back to school:

• Set academic and non-academic goals for the year. (Write them down! Revisit them quarterly.)
• Research college interests and formulate ideas for visits during the fall and winter. (Avoid spring break visits with hoards of other juniors.)
• Be ready for the October PSAT. (Take it seriously!)
• Be entrepreneurial. Take on leadership opportunities or change something in your current or new extracurriculars.
• Register for the January SAT.
• Review your October PSAT results in December.

Winter:

• Take the January SAT.
• With SAT results in hand, fine tune college visit itineraries and evolving college target list.
• Register for March SAT (second take, if needed).
• Tour colleges. Interview, where possible.
• Plan for a meaningful summer.

Spring:

• Take the March SAT.
• Register for June SAT II’s.
• Use Spring break to expand extracurricular pursuits/plans.
• Take AP exams in May.
• Make final impact with extracurriculars for the year.
• Confirm meaningful summer plans.

Summer:

• Take the SAT II’s in June.
• Confirm a final college target list including any early application schools.
• Understand admission requirements and application procedures for all schools.
• Begin summer application pre-work (i.e. build a resume, explore essay topics, etc.)
• Make a calendar of application deadlines, beginning in August.
• Plan additional school visits if necessary.

Grade 12

Application Season:

• Create packets of all necessary application forms for all teacher recommenders and the school counselor.
• Make weekly progress through application work, aiming to complete all by Dec. 1st (with the exception of those with earlier deadlines or any early applications.)
• Send official scores and official transcripts to all school targets.
• Use trusted mentors to review application content.
• Review all requirements and deadlines to be sure nothing is missed.
• Submit applications!