Embarking on the college search and application process can be intimidating for many high school students, but Erin B. Craig, interim vice president for enrollment management at Christian Brothers University, urges students to prioritize authenticity and be compassionate and patient with themselves throughout the process.
How should students go about starting their college search?
Every one’s path is different, but generally speaking the early bird gets the worm. I always tell students to start in their backyard because generally speaking most students live in an area where they can go see a small, medium, and large school. And then you can start making decisions. Academic majors are usually a major filter in the college search, but we also know that on average students change their majors two or three times. So that’s where I say visit, visit, visit. And although Covid has allowed us to do more virtually, there’s nothing that can replace the campus visit. Take pictures and take notes, like the second you get in the car. What did you like? What did you see that you didn’t expect? What did you expect that you didn’t see?
All things being equal, colleges now do track student affinity — things like have you visited, have you been opening your emails, have you been interacting with the admissions office, did you go and visit when the school came to your high school. Building that relationship, building that affinity is really important, too. Although it’s not required, it’s definitely going to give you a leg-up.
I also think that it’s really important that students look at the college search as a process. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. It’s a big decision, yes, but it’s not the only big decision you’re going to make. Trust the process; trust your gut instincts. At the end of the day, there’s no real bad college out there, but you have to find the school that’s the best fit.
You mention that students often factor a desired academic major in their college search. What if a student doesn’t know what they want to major in?
I think there’s a lot of ambiguity in choosing majors. There’s so much focus on wanting to find a career. And that’s where choosing schools where you feel like you can flourish even if you change your path comes in. So many people get pigeon-holed into majors. Like, “Oh, I want to be a journalist, so I have to do creative writing.” Yes, many do, but you can do something else. Maybe you can do philosophy — that’s an uncommon, underestimated major that can have great transferability. For many majors, you can go into all these different careers, so don’t come in with such rigidity with your major and not be open. I always tell undecided students they have a leg-up because that means you’re a clean slate and we can come in and help guide you.
What are your tips when it comes to letters of recommendation?
I always talk about it this way: quality over quantity. We’re encouraging students to be thoughtful. Every high school has a favorite teacher and be mindful that that favorite teacher is the favorite for many students. So I always tell students to start thinking about letters of recommendation at the end of junior year, even before the start of summer break, so that students can be asking those teachers that are maybe going to be asked to write multiple letters of recommendation so that they can have more time to develop and think about your letters of recommendation.
Don’t assume that you should only ask teachers whose classes you succeeded in. Consider asking a teacher whose class you might’ve struggled in. These recommenders can show — especially in the last two years — how you’ve overcome adversity and shown resilience. We know
that it often defines character more than success. We know that we learn more from failure than success.
I would rather have two really good recommendations than five. For Christian Brothers, we really just require one for admission but prefer three. But ultimately after three we will stop reading them, so I always tell students to read the various admission requirements because most schools don’t require more than three. If you send five, there’s a chance that maybe your best two won’t be read.
What do admissions officers look for in personal statements?
I think the personal statement is a great opportunity to explain anything on your application if you think, “Hmm, maybe I need to explain myself,” or to show a side of your personality that wouldn’t come out in a letter of recommendation or a transcript. I try to encourage students to stay light and showcase their personalities.
I tell students to avoid the three Ds: death, depression, and divorce. But sometimes it is helpful for students to share a moment like that, but if you can put a spin on it that’s really positive, I think that’s often to your betterment.
The personal statement doesn’t have to be long. Don’t think that big words impress admission committees. Be authentic, be genuine, and take chances in a way that’s clever. I read one essay that was all texts. It was a text conversation that was really well done. And again, would I say that would work for every student? No. But for this student it really showcased their personality. So taking chances in a way that’s authentic and genuine to yourself is the best advice I’ve given. We’re trying to be able to make a much more holistic application decision because we recognize that students are so much more than grades and a transcript and standardized test scores.
What do admissions officers look for when it comes to high school involvement?
Again, think quality over quantity. I would rather see someone who is a leader or really engaged in one or two things — a club, volunteerism, part-time job — where they’re very invested and have that year-after-year continuity. Also, maybe you can’t do that. Maybe you have the responsibility of caring for younger siblings, but don’t discount that either because that’s an obligation, a responsibility that speaks volumes to your character. Think about your day and how you are showing your grit and character to showcase that you are doing more than just going to class and checking boxes.
What about when it comes to AP/honors courses?
I always tell students to challenge themselves, but don’t take classes you don’t think you’re going to be successful in. Don’t feel like you have to take five AP classes your senior year. Colleges want you to be successful as well, and if you take AP courses and don’t do well, that’s almost worse than not taking any at all. So choose wisely; choose classes that you are interested in and also can be successful in.
How should students and families go about the process of financing for college?
For most colleges, public and private, most students are getting financial aid of some sort, whether that’s merit scholarships or need-based, so bear in mind that most students aren’t paying the sticker price. I always encourage families to see if a college has a net price calculator because sometimes you can get a more realistic estimate, where you can put in your grade, your ACT score, and some household information.
It’s so important that you start that process with FAFSA as soon as possible. It opens October 1st. Especially recognizing that there is a lot of state of Tennessee money, need-based and merit. That's why it’s also important to do your FAFSA, because even if you don’t think your family is going to qualify for need-based aid, guess what — you still have to do it for the other scholarships in Tennessee. The amount of federal and state money that families leave on the table because they don’t fill out a financial aid form is not in the millions; it’s in the billions.
So utilize the financial aid offices for the colleges you’re interested in, and ask questions. So many families are like, “Oh, I feel bad asking questions.” No, we welcome that. We also feel like it’s our job to create financial literacy, recognizing the difference between free money — grants, scholarships — money you don’t have to pay back versus loans. Most student loan debt isn’t from undergrad; it’s graduate degrees.
Take no more debt than you believe you will earn in your first year post-grad. Realistically, debt is important for establishing credit. We think nothing of taking on debt for a car or a house, but we question taking on debt for our education. That’s something that can’t be taken from us — we can lose our car, we can lose our house. Those with college degrees tend to be the populations during recessions that are the most employed as well as their earnings surpassing those with high school degrees, GEDs, associates. Time and time again, the data proves it.