Spring Break 2019!

I’m still amazed by how many high school students go to the beach or take a cruise over Spring Break. Seems like it used to just be a college student tradition. Yikes. When I was a school counselor, I remember feeling like a pasty white, moderately overweight, aging loser when we got back from Spring Break. As I stood at the door to the cafeteria checking to make sure the students had their lanyards and ids, all I could see were golden tans and fresh faces. Depressing. But the reality is most kids don’t go get tan or drink fruity drinks at an all inclusive in some country where the drinking age is 18 over Spring Break. Most lounge around, play video games, practice with their teams, and argue with their families. Most are just kids being kids for a week out of school.

I’m all for down time and encourage students to give themselves a break. However, for those sophomores and juniors getting started on the college admissions journey, Spring Break is a great time for college visits.

Here are just a few tips:

•Make it official. Don’t just drive by or show up. Schedule an official visit with the admissions office. Every time.

•Ask for more. Meet with a professor, sit in on a class, eat a meal, etc. All they can do is say no.

•Students are going to college. Not parents. College visits are like old school parenting wisdom reversed: parents should be seen but not heard. Give kids a script or some kind of hidden shock sensor thing to wake them up if they fall asleep during an information session. Just keep a low profile and let them do the talking.

•Take notes. Right after in the car. Trust me, these campus visits will all start to look the same after awhile.

•Send thank-you notes to those you meet along the way. Your parents will help you. They still remember how to do it.

Spring Break 2019!!!! Have fun and make good decisions.