JUNIORS

• Check or calculate your cumulative high school GPA. Your grades are one of the most important factors in college admissions, and you can use your GPA to determine whether you are a competitive candidate for each college on your list.

• As you try to learn more about colleges, check your school calendar to see when you have days off so that you can plan campus visits.

STUDENTS

• Cultivate relationships with your teachers so when you apply to college, they can write you better recommendation letters.

• If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to make your summer plans. Create a resume to apply to jobs or internships or complete applications for other programs. Many have deadlines in the winter.

Strategies for Choosing High School Courses

It is the time of year when high schoolers choose their courses for the upcoming academic year. Here are some tips to consider.

• Have a tentative plan for courses to take in all four years of high school. Most selective colleges want to see four years of English, history, foreign language, and math, and at least three years of lab science (including biology, chemistry, and physics). Be sure that your child will fulfill those requirements (unless there is a specific reason not to).

• Pick rigorous courses that your child can succeed in. Colleges consider honors and AP courses when evaluating an applicant’s transcript. High school students should aim to take advanced courses in which they can achieve strong grades.

• Ensure that your child is fulfilling any high school art, physical education, or other requirements.

• Pick electives wisely. These courses will allow students to pursue additional academic interests that may be of interest to them in college. They also give students a chance to try a new subject area.

• Be sure to balance academics and extracurricular activities. Students should avoid taking an academic course load that prevents them from pursuing other interests.

• Be open to adjusting the plan if something is not working. Throughout high school, continue to evaluate whether the course subjects and levels are working for your child and speak with their advisor if something needs to be changed.

College Checklist for Junior and Senior Year

The college process begins during junior year of high school. The best way to combat the stress of college applications is to be organized. Click here for a checklist to follow during junior and senior year to get a sense of when each aspect needs to completed.

Healthcare, Alcohol, and Firearms Policies: Factors to Consider in your College Search

When deciding if a college is the right fit, students and families should familiarize themselves with relevant regional laws and campus-specific policies, including:

Healthcare

Receiving healthcare services as a college student depends on the law, campus policies, and what the college itself provides through its student health center. Access to reproductive care—such as contraception, STI testing and pregnancy care—is especially dependent on state and local legislation. Mental health care also varies widely across college campuses depending on available resources. Students and families may want to research any regional restrictions or consent rules that could affect their ability to receive care independently. As you visit colleges, consider the proximity of a hospital to campus, especially if your student has any health issues.

Resources: Look up student health center websites for information about on-campus resources, and review state resources for healthcare access. Organizations like the Guttmacher Institute track reproductive health policies, and the National Conference on State Legislature (NCSL) website provides state-specific information on mental health benefits.

Alcohol and Cannabis Laws

State laws around alcohol and cannabis can vary widely. For example, some states have stricter penalties for underage drinking or “dry counties” that limit alcohol sales, while others are more lenient. Cannabis is now legal for recreational use in some states, but it remains illegal federally. Even if cannabis is legal off campus, most colleges prohibit it in residence halls and at campus events.

Resources: Check the state’s alcohol and cannabis regulatory agency websites for official regulations. You can also look at the college’s Code of Conduct or Residence Life Handbook to understand how these laws intersect with campus policies.

Gun Laws

Gun regulations vary widely between states. For example, some allow open or concealed carry firearms on or around college campuses, while others have stricter restrictions. Understanding these laws can help students and families anticipate the campus environment and make informed decisions about what feels like the right fit for them.

Resources: The Giffords Law Center and ATF websites provide information on firearm regulations by state. Families should also review college websites to understand campus-specific firearm regulations, if applicable.

Sample Questions to ask on college visits:

• What healthcare services are available on campus and in the surrounding area?

• What resources does the college provide to help students understand local and campus-specific policies?

• How far is the nearest hospital?

• (For colleges in states that have more lenient gun laws) Are students and faculty permitted to carry concealed weapons on campus?

Community Service Ideas for February

Is your high schooler looking for ways to get involved in the community this winter? Here are some suggestions for activities they can do now.

National Opportunities

• Apply for the Riley’s Way Call for Kindness program. This program is open to young leaders between 13 and 23. It involves leadership training and a grant of $5,000 for students to make an impact in their communities. Applications close on March 1st. Click here for the details.

• Virtually volunteer for Missing Maps to map areas to help humanitarian organizations. Click here for details.

• Become a virtual volunteer for Luv Michael to advocate for autism acceptance. Click here for the details.

Opportunities in New York

• Impact 100 NYC nextgen is a collective giving organization for teens. Each teen raises/contributes $100 to be collectively donated to a chosen grant recipient. Nextgen also organizes various community service projects in NYC throughout the year. Click here for more information.

• Volunteer to sort book donations for Project Cicero on March 5th-8th. Students can sign up for 2 hour shifts that work with their schedules. Click here for details

• Volunteer to support an animal shelter in New York City with Best Friends Animal Society. Click here for the details.

News About Colleges

• Since the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in 2023, some college applicants are increasingly refraining from speaking on their race, gender, and immigration status. Read the full article here.

• After a recent Harvard report communicated concerns about grade inflation, Faculty of Arts and Sciences instructors awarded 7% less A's this fall. While the school is prepared to back instructors, students have expressed concern for their future in the job market under the new grading policies. Read the full article here.

• Education from top universities often changes the trajectory of a student's life; however, students from high income families are over represented at top colleges. This article analyzes whether diversity and meritocracy can co-exist. Read the full article here.

About Karen Handler Ryan

At Excelsior Admissions Consulting, Karen uses her expertise to take the stress out of the college application process for students and their families.

Born and raised in New York City, Karen is an alumna of Trinity School in Manhattan and received her B.A. in Psychology with Honors from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. She received her J.D. from Columbia University Law School and went on to practice law at a major international firm. She has completed the University of California Irvine Independent Educational Consultant Certificate Program and Columbia University Teachers College Advising Program.

As a volunteer college consultant for ScholarMatch and a member of the Yonkers Partners in Education, Karen is a staunch advocate for equity in education. Believing that first-hand knowledge of colleges and universities facilitates the ability to create a successful match between a student and a school, she travels across the country visiting different colleges.