Answers to Your College Questions

Posted by Stefanie Weisman on Monday, 04 March 2013 in In the News

Do you ever wonder why some students freeze up during exams while others breeze through without breaking a sweat? In the New York Times article “Why Can Some Kids Handle Pressure While Others Fall Apart?,” authors Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman say the answer may lie in your genes. Recent research on the COMT gene reveals that the gene has two variants: one that removes dopamine from the brain slowly, and another that removes it quickly. Interestingly, people who have the faster-acting enzyme tend to perform better in high-stress situations such as taking tests.

But the story doesn’t end there: students who were told that their anxiety would be beneficial to them showed improved cognitive function. And people who are acclimated to stress can improve their performance, even if they carry the so-called “worrier” gene. These studies are important because they show students that they can overcome their fear of taking tests; instead of being at the mercy of their genes, they can take steps to control their reaction to stress.

Posted by College Countdown on Wednesday, 13 February 2013 in In the News

The student debt crisis has been in the news a lot lately, but according to a recent article by USNews.com's Student Loan Ranger, student loans can place a heavy burden on parents as well. They state that, “In the first quarter of 2012, approximately 2.2 million people ages 60 years and older held student loans” and that “the Social Security checks of 115,000 retirees were being garnished to pay defaulted loans.”  Can you imagine having to give up a portion of your Social Security when you’re retired because of unpaid student loans?  While there are limits on the amount of government money families can borrow, there is no set limit on the amount of private loans, and that has gotten a lot of Americans into financial trouble.

In a recent College Countdown survey of parents of college-bound students, several respondents commented that they were still paying off their own student loans, making it difficult and stressful to decide how much they would contribute to their children’s educational goals. While most parents were willing to contribute to their kids’ education, others felt that paying for college was the student’s sole responsibility.

Posted by Stefanie Weisman on Tuesday, 29 January 2013 in In the News

In a recent New York Times op-ed piece, “How to Choose a College,” Frank Bruni discusses the question that plagues millions of high school seniors and their parents every year. The author’s basic premise is that we should look beyond traditional criteria when selecting a school. I agree with this statement, but I have mixed feelings about the criteria he suggests—for example, the percentage of students who study abroad and the number of students who are from foreign countries. While exposure to global influences is important, should these criteria matter more than, say, the percentage of applicants a school admits, or what the tuition is? Bruni also recommends that students choose a school outside of their comfort zone, to seek diversity and new experiences. This can be great advice for many young adults, but it may lead others to select a school that isn’t right for them.

What do you think?

Posted by Dr. Marcia Y. Cantarella on Monday, 07 January 2013 in In the News

The New York Times recently published an article that follows the stories of three low-income students who, having participated in a college-readiness program and succeeded in being admitted to excellent colleges, were not able to make it through to graduation. These students dealt with issues ranging from feelings of insecurity and not fitting in the environment to financial hardship. Some of these struggles were intertwined.

It has been my experience that the issues of insecurity and not fitting in are detrimental to low-income, first-generation, and minority students entering college. They do not understand that asking questions is a sign of strength, not weakness. This seems especially true when the students do not yet know the language, rules, players, and customs that are key to navigating college life successfully. These students are afraid of being seen as deficient, so they do not take advantage of tools and resources—such as advisers, tutors, career counselors, and even faculty—that are there to support them, paid for by their tuition dollars. This also means that they don’t have the conversations they need to have regarding financial considerations, often causing them to wait until things are dire. College preparation for these students needs to teach them that these resources are available, that there are students like them who have dealt with these same feelings, issues, and concerns, and that utilizing these resources can help them succeed in college.