What If I Didn’t Get Into College?

Last week’s episode of Getting In:  A College Coach Conversation, hosted by Beth Heaton, tackled two tough issues that high school seniors might be facing at this time of year, and also included a continuation of our finance discussions of regional reciprocity and tuition exchange programs. What If You Didn’t Get In Anywhere? Beth’s first guest, Lauren Randle, was on hand to discuss strategies for students whose college application process has left them with no options, either because their list was too challenging and yielded no acceptances, or because there were acceptances at colleges that are now proving to be unaffordable. Lauren urged students to move quickly toward a new plan, and then provided a generous list of resources to help students identify schools that might still be accepting applications. She also offered some other ideas about how to approach schools where the student has been waitlisted or who have stopped accepting applications but might still be interested in admitting the student. If you are in this difficult situation right now, you won’t want to miss this segment. Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Beth’s next guest, Beth Feinberg Keenan, had lots of useful information to share about the WUE (pronounced Woo-ey) exchange program for residents of fifteen Western states, stretching from North and South Dakota all the way to Alaska and Hawaii. She stressed the importance of understanding which schools participate, applying early, and learning about restrictions and requirements at participating universities. The WUE program can be a significant resource for certain students in the West – tune in to learn more. Family Feuds It’s April, and it’s time to make a college decision. What happens when the student and his/her parents disagree on where the student should go? Beth’s final guest, Lisa Albro, drawing on her years as a high school college counselor, had some good ideas about how to approach this emotional predicament. Suggestions ranged from the practical (make a list) to the personal (be honest and confront your biases).  Parents and students alike will appreciate this segment. Don’t forget to tune in to today’s episode of Getting In: A College Coach Conversation – live at 4 PM EDT/1 PM PDT – when Beth and her guests will address listener questions, talk about what to consider when choosing which college to attend, and they will summarize the Academic Common Market, which is the tuition exchange and reciprocity program for many Southern states.