There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. And while the media tends to focus on just a handful of schools, we at College Coach encourage students to think outside the box during their college selection process and explore a wide range of colleges. As such, we are highlighting a new college each week in our School Spotlight series. Check out the college below, along with the other posts in our series, and you may just stumble upon your dream school!

School Spotlight: California State University, San Marcos
San Marcos, CA

by Emily Toffelmire, former admissions officer at University of Southern California

Just a fraction of the universities and colleges in the country have made formal announcements about their COVID vaccine policies for students, but some clear trends are emerging. According to Inside Higher Ed, “many institutions mandating the immunizations for students fit a certain profile: more often private than public, selective, located in a Democratic-leaning state.”

by Kara Courtois, former admissions officer at Barnard College

It’s common, especially at larger high schools, that school counselors cannot personally know each and every student to whom they are assigned. Given the unreasonable number of students most counselors have in their caseload, this unfortunate situation is not surprising, but this reality has only gotten more challenging because of virtual schooling. Maybe this doesn’t worry you too much as a parent until you realize this same counselor may be required to write a letter of recommendation for your student’s college applications. But don’t panic; it’s not as dire a situation as you might think! Our college admissions experts help students get over this hurdle every year.

by Mary Sue Youn, former admissions officer at Barnard College

In my college counseling practice, I’ve worked with a few students over the years who are excited to attend college but may not be ready for college…yet. At times, these students consider a gap year, which is a break in their academic progression from high school to college that allows them to travel, work, or volunteer. However, sometimes these students don’t want an academic break, yet they also aren’t quite ready for the next college step either. That’s where the post-graduate (PG) year comes in. A PG year is offered by many private boarding schools as an extra year of high school, a 13^th year, where the student can continue to grow in a way that might help them move towards their college goals productively.

by Ryan Kelley, former admissions officer at Fordham University

You may have reached the point in your high school career where it’s time to think about the next chapter in your life: college. This is an exciting and often overwhelming experience. With so many colleges and universities, where does one even begin the search process? Often times it begins with the “big name” schools. Ones that are world-renowned for their academics, highly selective admission processes, or sports teams who appear on national television. Sometimes, though, the big name schools are not the best fit. This does not mean they are not good, or even great, schools. It means maybe they are not great for you. Many of these institutions provide their students wonderful opportunities in and out of the classroom, however, they are not the only ones able to do this. Some schools not only change lives, they are literally classified as doing so.

Wanting a break before starting college or looking for something interesting to do before applying? Rebecca Barr of Education First joins this episode of our podcast to discuss gap year options through EF. We also have advice on what to be doing now if you hope to be recruited athlete and project management tips for parents helping their students apply to college.

by Lauren DiProspero, former admissions officer at Columbia University

To become a doctor, you must graduate from medical school. To practice medicine, you must be licensed. To become licensed, you must complete a residency program. Given this requirement, I am sure that many people assume that residency is simply the next step in a medical student’s journey, and maybe they even assume residency is a guarantee. That is, unfortunately, not the case.

by Kimberly Asselta, former admissions officer at Babson College

I was not the captain of my high school cheerleading team. I vividly remember the day my coach read the names of the 1993-1994 team captains. I was devastated when my name wasn’t called. My dreams of wearing that gold “C” on my uniform and being seen as a team leader came tumbling down. That was “way back in the 1900s” as my two middle school sons like to remind me, and I’m totally over it. Really. As I look back on my time in high school with the wisdom that over twenty years of life and work experience brings, I can recognize that the “C” on my sweater didn’t define me or my leadership ability. I learned a lot from that experience, but that’s for a different blog post!

There is a scholarship (or many scholarships) out there for everyone. Every student has some skill, interest, experience, or characteristic that may make them an attractive candidate for one scholarship or another. And while we often refer to scholarships as “free money,” scholarships don’t actually come for free. It takes work to thoughtfully consider your strengths and research the scholarships that might be most appropriate for you. While the effort that goes into finding and winning scholarships may be akin to a part-time job, we at College Coach want to make your job a little easier. This on-going scholarship series highlights a new scholarship each week. Check out the below, along with the other posts in the series, and you may discover a funding resource that will make covering that college bill a little (or a lot!) easier.

Student leaders who have invested time and energy into making their schools and communities better for everyone are invited to apply for this one-time award. Check out the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) for other scholarship opportunities to help student leaders overcome financial barriers to higher education.

Scholarship: Greg Goff Leadership Award

by Elizabeth Heaton, former admissions officer at University of Pennsylvania

What a crazy year! Students fully remote or attending high school in-person part-time via a hybrid model. Courses graded pass/fail. Standardized tests unavailable in many locations. Sports and other extracurricular activities postponed or cancelled. This was a difficult school year—and year—by anyone’s standards. For the class of 2021, those difficulties extended further to college admissions.