BY ADDIE MORRISON
SOON SCHOOL WILL BE BACK in full swing and high school juniors and seniors will be preparing for life after graduation. Many families will take trips to colleges near and far to decide which future feels best for them, and while it can be tricky navigating new campuses and chapters of life, there are ways to make the admissions process less daunting. In my experience as a college student who has searched, toured, and now found her place, here are five tips I’d recommend to families looking to make the most of their college visit.
While it may seem like an obvious suggestion, taking a tour led by an admissions guide can be extremely beneficial to prospective students. They might seem lame and embarrassing in the moment, and as a student on tours I’ve definitely been embarrassed by my parents, too, but hearing what a current student has to say about their experience can help you gain a better understanding of what life is like there. As a tour guide myself, I make sure to provide historical information about the school, as well as resources I’ve enjoyed and moments that make my college experience special. Tours are a unique opportunity to not only see the school and learn about academics and extracurricular activities, but also see how students interact and what the community is like.
Even though it can be nerve wracking to speak up during a tour or information session, it’s always better to ask questions than never know. If you’re curious about the meal plan, ask! If you’re wondering about the community on campus, ask! If you want to know what the party scene is like, ask! Your tour guide will be more than happy to answer. That’s what they’re there for. Of course, if they don’t know, they can refer you to senior admissions counselors who have more information. But it’s always better to put it out there instead of forever wondering if first years can have a car on campus.
It is your visit, so you should talk about what you would like to pursue. If you love dancing, tell your guide that, so they can tell you about the awesome dance groups and show you where they practice. Often, guides will be following a script that gives an overview of what the school has to offer, but they know a lot more about the school than what’s on the script. Usually, you have the option of picking which guide you tour with, so it’s wise to choose one with similar interests. Make sure you let them know before the tour starts what you’re most interested in seeing.
Both before and after you visit, it is important to know where you’re going. Of course, your visit will help you narrow that down, but it’s also a good idea to browse the school’s website, watch YouTube videos, and look at reviews. This will help you generate questions about places you want to check out in the area and what kind of experience the school has to offer. Do they have the major you’re looking for? What kinds of activities or sports do you like? Is it in a desirable location? It’s good to get a sense of what you want and see if the school reflects your interests.
As your visit comes to a close, it’s always a good idea to ask for the guide’s email or get the card of an admissions counselor in case you have questions that pop up later. You may never reach out to them again, but being able to contact a current student and ask about why they chose the school, what they love about it, and why it might be a great fit for you is an incredible resource. Also, you can ask them about other places on campus that you didn’t visit as well as other places to check out on your own.
So whether you’re just taking a drive around the campus or making a multi-day trip out of it, it’s best to take a tour, ask personal questions about your interests, and come prepared for a good conversation during and after your visit so you can make the right choice for you.
College admissions teams may view a potential applicant as more seriously interested in the school if they know he or she has visited. Interested parties can go above and beyond taking the Open House tour by auditing a class or even spending a night in a dorm.
Due in large part to COVID-19 disrupting SAT and ACT testing schedules and potentially setting an uneven playing field for those who tested and those who could not, many colleges are now testoptional schools. Despite that, guidance counselors may urge students to test and submit strong scores to test-optional schools because those scores can help unlock merit-based aid.
The College Board indicates the average financial aid award per student is $15,000. And the National Association for College Admission Counseling says 43 percent of all institutional aid funds are merit-based.
chance of admission by up to 25 percent over regular decision admission rates.
Applicants should seek recommendations from people who know them best and can provide detailed reasons as to why they are the right fit for a school.
The Common App is one tool used to apply to colleges in today’s digital age. The same application can be used to apply to more than 400 schools. However, some schools may still supplement the application with essays or questions as part of their individual admissions processes.
The Huffington Post reports that students who have a first-choice college should apply to it early decision, as early decision has been shown to increase an applicant’s
The Princeton Review says the top admissions factor at schools is a student’s GPA, underscoring the importance of getting good grades.
According to the Cooperative Institutional Research Program at the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA, more than three-quarters of college applicants get into their first-choice schools.
PAYING FOR COLLEGE can be one of the hardest parts of your education, but it doesn’t have to be. The University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) offers four ways to make the cost of your college education more affordable.
UMA has one of the least expensive in-state tuitions for undergraduate courses in Maine. With UMA’s Pine Tree State Pledge, you may not have tuition costs at all! To qualify for zero tuition, students must be Maine residents, Pell grant eligible, and be a new student (either first-time or transfer). Both full-time and part-time students can qualify. As noted by UMA President Jenifer Cushman, “The Pine Tree State Pledge has tremendous potential for Maine people and is consistent with UMA’s mission to transform the lives of students of every age.”
Scholarships are financial awards which do not have to be repaid. With more than 80 different scholarships, UMA
awards over a million dollars in scholarships each year! There are scholarships for new and returning students, younger students and adults completing their degree. For example, adults returning to school could qualify for up to $16,000 with the Adult Degree Completion Scholarship.
UMA has more than 40 locations in Maine to complete college courses. Two campuses (Augusta and Bangor), eight Centers (from Saco to Houlton), and 32 course sites (including four islands off the coast) means your UMA course is close to your home or workplace. Plus, UMA offers 13 degree programs that are 100% online. So you save money by not needing to travel to a campus or Center (unless you want to.)
4.
UMA offers several avenues for Credit for Prior Learning (CPL), a process by which you can earn college credit for college-level learning from work and life experience gained outside the traditional classroom setting.
Earn credit by taking an exam. Earn credit by completing a Portfolio Assessment. Earn credit by using your knowledge from external training programs. UMA has more than 20 relationships with organizations such as Cianbro, Maine Criminal Justice Academy, and Jackson Lab. Your previous experience and training can reduce your college costs.
You can choose from more than 30 undergraduate programs and more than 40 certificates that are geared toward expanding your job opportunities. UMA grads are working in high-demand and lucrative fields like aviation, mental health & human services, business management, computer information systems and cybersecurity, dental hygiene, nursing, and veterinary technology.
UMA makes earning your degree affordable and the education you receive will propel you to the next level of your career, or help you start a new one.
For more information, visit uma.edu or one of the university’s ten locations, call 207-621-3465, or email umaadm@maine.edu.
FALL IS A MAGICAL TIME of changing leaves, cooling air, and spooky stories — and no story is spookier for parents than how to pay for college tuition. But don’t worry, many scholarships are available for students of every stripe — you just have to know where to find them and when to apply.
Scholarships and grants can help make college more affordable, and unlike student loans, they do not have to be repaid. Generally speaking, grants are based on financial need, while scholarships are based on merit (grades, experience, athletics, etc.).
To learn about grants, talk to the college or university’s bursar’s office, where they can walk you through all the requirements to apply for grant assistance. Scholarships, however, can be trickier to find. To get started, check out these scholarship resources to help make your child’s college dreams more affordable.
The first place to start is your child’s high school guidance counselor’s office, where they will access current information on scholarships your child may be eligible to apply for. Talking with a guidance counselor is also an excellent opportunity for discussing timelines for applying to different colleges and universities, applying for financial aid, and addressing any questions or concerns.
You might be surprised to know that many scholarships are available to students who choose to stay and study in Maine. Here are a few places to take a look.
The University of Maine offers several scholarships, including for first-year Maine residents or first-year Maine resident transfer students. They also offer visual and performance art scholarships for students who focus on music, dance, or studio arts. Visit go. umaine.edu.
The FAME Maine Scholarship Search (famemaine.com) offers an online guide for parents and students to find local scholarships in creative ways. For example, they suggest that families look to familiar sources to check for scholarship availability at places such as:
• Parents’ or students’ employer
• Faith-based institutions
• Local civic organizations
• Your local town office
The FAME Maine Scholarship Search is not just for traditional students; there are also plenty of great resources for those returning to school after being in the workforce or taking time off.
Check out the Maine Community Foundation (mainecf.org) for an easy, alphabetical list of statewide scholarships offered to Maine students — including adult students and veterans. This list may be relatively short, but it includes many scholarship types that can help most Maine students. Some of the scholarships listed are specific to a college program, such as the nursing program at Husson University.
One of the best places to search for scholarships is the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation website, Big Future (bigfuture.collegeboard.org). Parents and students can sort through more than 23,000 programs and $4 billion in scholarship awards based on the following categories:
• What your child is interested in studying.
• Specific situations such as being the child of a divorced family, acceptance into an Ivy League school, being employed, and more.
• Being affiliated with certain community clubs or programs.
• Interest in a specific profession.
Big Future also features a miscellaneous filter that can help you identify scholarships that tie in with something unique about your child. For most parents, even if you exhaust all scholarship application opportunities, you will likely have to take out some student loans. Before you do, talk to a financial advisor or an expert in financial aid through a university or college to ensure you understand how student loans work and when they must be paid back. You can save a lot of money on college costs by applying for as many scholarships as possible that fit your child’s unique situation.
FROM GRADES AND SPORTS TO HOBBIES AND VOLUNTEER WORK, ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENTS LIKE TO SEE WELL-ROUNDED STUDENTS
COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE
A QUALITY EDUCATION is priceless. Lessons learned in the classroom are vital to students’ long-term success, serving as a foundation as young adults transition from the role of student to professional.
An academic résumé is a great vehicle for young people to illustrate how well-rounded their educational experiences have been. Such résumés also give college admissions departments a snapshot of students’ accomplishments, hobbies, and extracurricular activities. In fact, the National Society of High School Scholars says there are certain criteria that colleges and trade schools look for in students — and things graduate schools may look for in university students who hope to do postgraduate work. Recognizing these attributes can help students better prioritize their time as they look to build strong résumés.
· GRADE POINT AVERAGE: The NSHSS says some colleges will recalculate students’ GPAs based only on core subjects, such as math, language arts, social studies, science, and foreign languages. It is essential to do well in these core subjects.
· ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES: Many schools weigh honors or AP classes more heavily toward GPA or acceptance requirements due to their rigor. AP courses often translate directly into college credits, which can make them even more valuable to high school students.
· EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES: Schools and even future employers look at more than just test scores and GPAs. In a competitive admissions climate, colleges will weigh the entire picture of a student. Someone who was heavily involved in sports, clubs, and peer-run groups like scouting organizations may find that such participation is what sets them apart from other applicants. Pick extracurricular activities that align with passions rather than just ones that will look good on a résumé. According to Christine Chu, a premier college counselor at IvyWise, a New York-based education consulting company, students who demonstrate grit, authenticity, and integrity stand out.
· WELL-CRAFTED ESSAY WRITING: Essays give students an opportunity to tell their unique stories in ways a résumé cannot. An essay should be highly personal and thoughtful, and also present students as a real person. Students should write essays even when they are optional, as the essay can be a
window into what makes applicants tick. It is important for students to continually hone their essay-writing skills, which they can ultimately utilize to make a strong impression with university admissions departments.
· DEPTH, NOT BREADTH: Students should focus their passions on a few select activities over widespread participation in many different ones. Activities that carry over into academic focus and a future major may be especially valuable.
It’s never too early for students to start building their school résumés. Achievements in and out of the classroom can lay the groundwork for both short- and long-term success.
COLLEGE REQUIRES a significant commitment of time and money. By the time many high school students reach their junior year, colleges have undoubtedly already sent them brochures highlighting their programs. Applying to college is much simpler than it once was, thanks in part to various softwares that centralize and streamline applications. But the application process can still be complex and even expensive. To simplify the process and reduce costs, students will eventually need to decide which schools to apply to. The following strategies can help students narrow down their lists.
• EMPLOY THE "MATCH," "REACH" AND "SAFETY" FORMULA.
A match school is one you’re likely to get into. A reach school is one that is more selective and could be a bit of stretch for acceptance. A safety school is one that’s likely a guaranteed acceptance. A well-rounded college list includes a mix of these types of schools. College application fees range from $20 to $90, so set a reasonable limit for applications. Choosing around three to four matches, two safeties and at least one reach is a good cut-off.
• DECIDE WHERE YOU “DON’T” WANT TO GO. Turn the criteria around and narrow down prospects
by what doesn’t appeal to you. Maybe you don’t like the hot weather, so certain southern schools may be out. If you do not like large lecture halls, maybe schools with a huge student population and large classes can be eliminated. Weed out what you don’t like to help narrow your options.
• CONSIDER COST.
Before applying to schools, thoroughly research all costs. According to CreditKarma, in 2022 the average tuition at public colleges in the United States was $10,577 per year, while private college tuition cost $33,230. Additional costs include room and board, meal plans, books, and any technology or additional fees. Discuss these costs with your family. Compare them to what the expected family contribution will be, and approximately how much aid money can be expected from each school (this information is typically included on the school’s website or through college comparison tools). Cost alone could weed out many options.
• CONSIDER COURSE OF STUDY.
Eliminate any school that doesn’t offer your intended major. Eliminate schools that do not offer the courses you desire.
• RATE THE CAMPUS.
Visit as many schools as you can in person. A school that looks one way on the internet may not come across the same when you schedule a tour and see the facilities up close. First-hand impressions are important considering this is where you'll be spending time for the next four years.
When narrowing down colleges, some additional considerations are distance from home, campus life, potential internship opportunities, and other criteria that is important to you.
MAINE’S COMMUNITY COLLEGES play a pivotal role in the educational landscape of Maine, providing affordable, accessible, and high-quality education and training, and serving students with a vast array of aspirations at various stages in their career development.
Maine’s seven community colleges offer more than 300 degree and certificate options, 200 short-term prehire workforce programs, and work with more than 1,300 Maine employers to expand Maine’s workforce. Below are some examples of exciting initiatives available through Maine’s community colleges.
FREE FOR MANY. AFFORDABLE FOR ALL.
Maine’s community colleges offer the lowest tuition and fees in New England. For half of our students, Pell Grants and Maine State Grants cover the full cost of tuition and fees. For many, it covers significantly more. In all, 74% of full-time students receive grant aid to help cover the cost of their education. And you don’t have to be a full-time student to qualify for financial assistance. The average annual costs for a full-time, in-state student are $3,700 for tuition and fees.
EARLY COLLEGE
High school students can take up to 12 college credits tuition-free every year through our Early College programs. These courses will challenge you, spark your interest, and prepare you for college.
LEARN MORE: MCCS.ME.EDU/HIGH-SCHOOL
FREE COLLEGE
Don’t miss out on the Free College Scholarship! If you graduated high school (or earned the equivalent of a high
school diploma, like a GED or HiSET) between 2023-2025, enroll now and receive free tuition at any of Maine’s seven community colleges. You can choose from any of our degree or certificate programs. From core classes to hands-on training, there are hundreds of programs to choose from.
To qualify, students must:
• Pursue a degree or certificate at least part-time
• Fill out the FAFSA and use any grant aid first
• Live in Maine while enrolled
LEARN MORE: FREECOMMUNITYCOLLEGEMAINE.COM
FREE SHORT-TERM WORKFORCE PROGRAMS
Have you always been interested in a particular career but don’t have much time to train? Fast-track your future with low- or no-cost short-term training programs. Our seven community colleges have over 200 workforce programs designed to get you the skills you need to start a career you’re passionate about. These programs have been built with industry partners to identify what’s required to get started, and when students are ready, they will have already earned credits toward a certificate or degree program in that field.
Programs take just weeks and months to complete and are offered at little or no cost to anyone who lives in Maine. Some offer weekly stipends, housing, or guaranteed interviews with companies that are hiring.
Take advantage of hybrid, night, and weekend schedules, stackable badges and certificates, an onramp to a degree program, and an affordable way to learn a new skill.
LEARN MORE: MCCS.ME.EDU/WORKFORCE-TRAINING
Our commitment to education is lifelong. Our community colleges’ Workforce and Professional Development departments can help ensure Mainers have the resources they need to advance and grow professionally. For students, that means creating a pathway for that next professional goal. For businesses, that means understanding your needs, customizing training, and helping develop a workforce to fit your current and future needs.
LEARN MORE: MCCSWORKS.COM
From trades to transfer, Maine’s seven community colleges provide high-quality, relevant, hands-on learning at a fraction of the typical college cost. Find your best future here, choosing from a diverse mix of programs offered through short-term training in under a year, one-year certificates, two-year associate degrees, and advanced certificates.
WE’RE HERE FOR YOU. THE DOERS. THE DREAMERS. THE LIFELONG LEARNERS.
