Help, at last, in search for perfect college

LAKEVILLE — Just when you think you’ve survived the worst—the terrible twos, the ferocious fours, the terrifying teens—along comes college.

It’s not just that you’re dealing with a child who one minute wants to study dance in Oakland and the next minute physics in Cambridge or has decided what she really wants to do is go on an archeological dig in Mumbai. Or maybe stay home and waitress at the diner. Either way, she’s pulling up her grades any semester now. Really. Promise.

It’s also that there are thousands of schools out there and a myriad of application possibilities, including rolling admissions, early action, early notification, early admission. There are deferrals and waiting lists. There’s the Common Application... and the Universal College Application. It’s enough to drive all of you—the whole family— crazy.

Into the fray rides Matthew Greene, educational director of Howard Greene & Associates, a Westport firm that helps families wend their way through the college maze.

Greene, a part-time Salisbury resident, will talk about  how to pick—and pay for—the right school, this Sunday, May 18, 2 to 4 p.m. at the Scoville Library. With his father, Howard, Greene is the author of several books including “Making It Into a Top College†and “The Hidden Ivies.â€

Greene acknowledges that the college search has become more complex and competitive these days, particularly since the numbers of students applying to schools is reaching an all-time high this year (the good news for some parents is that the numbers will begin to drop, at least for awhile, in the next few years).

One result of this frenzy is that students, who in the “old†days applied to maybe four or five schools are now applying to 10 and 12 schools. Crazy though that sounds, Greene  says, “It’s a necessary thing. The paradox is that the more competitive kids need to apply to more schools because they’re all going after the same pool. When some of these schools have a 7 to 25 percent admit rate, you could be the top of the heap and still get zeroed out. It’s very, very unpredictable.â€

And the less competitive colleges are “also still playing a lot of games,†says Greene, such as rejecting well-qualified students they suspect aren’t going to attend. “So you can’t even count on the places where you’re the top of the pool.â€

The result, says Greene, is the need to diversify, not just in terms of competitiveness, but also in size, location, public vs. private. The goal, he said, is to find eight to 10 colleges, “any of which would be a good match.â€

And he said families shouldn’t let geography or cost limit their options. Why? For one thing, colleges want geographic diversity: Your student may have a better chance of getting into a top school on the West Coast or in the midwest if she’s from the east. And she stands a better chance of receiving scholarship money then, too.

“Most students are not paying full price,†said Greene, who says only about one-quarter of all students pay the full fare. More top schools are offering full scholarships to any accepted students whose family income is under about $75,000. “In some cases applying to a higher-priced  college could be cheaper than going to a public school,†he says.

As far as getting into college, Greene said schools are still looking primarily at curriculum. Did the student take a demanding college preparatory course? Did he seek out challenging classes?

The second thing they look at is performance. Grades. Greene notes that with grade inflation, a B has become the national average so “a B or a B-plus average is not special anymore.â€

Finally, colleges look at the student’s test scores. While scores are important, Greene said, grades and a strong program are more so. And if you have high test scores but an inconsistent performance record, colleges will be less interested. For students who don’t test well, Greene noted, there are “some wonderful test-optional schools out there.â€

Even though the search is a daunting project, Greene recommends keeping a sense of humor about the process. “Try to put it in perspective and enjoy the process as a family,†he advises. “Try not to get too wound up, and have a good time. Work together. The family is a partnership in this.â€

Matthew Greene will speak in the Wardell Community Room at the Scoville Library on Sunday, May 18, 2 to 4 p.m. The talk is free but seating is limited.Call 860-435-2838 to reserve a spot. Parents and high school-age students are encouraged to attend together. For further information on Howard Greene & Associates, go to howardgreeneassociates.com.