With the news of the college admissions scandal, many families and students have become both angry and confused about the entire process and how something like this could have happened. As a professional educational consultant, I am not entirely surprised that these events have transpired as corrupt admissions practices have been around for quite some time. It certainly saddens me that these families did not have the opportunity to work with an educational consultant that could have guided the family more appropriately.
To our community of motivated students: You should not feel discouraged by a few people that have broken the rules. You should be proud of your hard efforts to excel both academically and in your extracurriculars. You are a role model for others. Wherever you attend college in the fall, you can rely on knowing that you put your best foot forward and college will be an exciting journey for you.
To our community of caring families: It’s important that we stand by our students while they spread their wings and discover who they are and what their interests might be. High School is a time for self-discovery and the lessons we learn can and will have a lasting effect.
At Greenhaus College Consulting we strive to help each student make a smooth transition from high school to college. We help guide our students towards their college and career path by engaging them in college research, visits, career, and personality testing, summer programs, and job shadowing opportunities. We pride ourselves at being able to offer our families the skills they need to be successful in life and referring our families to other educational professionals that hold the same ethical standards in high regard as we do. Applying to college can be a stressful process for students and parents. Our kids will make some mistakes and learn some important lessons along the way. The important qualities of grit and self-esteem will be developed at this time.
Not every student will be prepared to start their journey at a selective institution, which may have been the case for many of these students involved in this scandal. One way that we come together and fight against these unethical practices is to start changing the culture about how we prepare students for their entrance to college and focus more on finding a school where a student can explore their interests, and talents as opposed to focusing on college rankings. As your student begins their search for colleges, try to focus less on brand names and more on the journey. As I mentioned above, when students are involved in this process of self-discovery they become more prepared to take the next step towards their adult development. While many people continue to be shocked, confused and upset about this news, we are holding our head up and continuing to do the good work we do each day which is about inspiring young people to be the best student they can be and continue to give back to their high school and the local community. In the words of Martha O’Connell, “College is not a prize to be won but a match to be made.