Iowa College Tours

Navigatio traveled to the heartland this month discovering two colleges in Iowa worth talking about!

Cornell College (1200 students) is located in the Mayberry-esque town of Mount Vernon, Iowa. Quaintly perched on a hill, Cornell is tidy with uniform brick buildings and trees and grass dotting the landscape.  A student designed Frisbee golf course wends its way throughout the campus. 

One great aspect of Cornell is their relationship with Mount Vernon.  Their library, containing a charming children’s area serves as the Mount Vernon public library.  Locals, young & old attend sporting and cultural events on campus.

Cornell’s big draw and what sets it apart is its “One Class At a Time” curriculum, known as OCAT.   Courses run for 31/2 weeks with 4 days off in between, and require students to be motivated learners.     OCAT is not just a curriculum choice - it defines the campus culture.  Classes are from 9-11a.m. or 1-3 p.m., and after three, the campus is abuzz with students doing what they love, with over 120 student organizations on campus.  The amount of flexibility through this type of curriculum is notable. It’s certainly not for everyone, but works for those who enjoy a deep look at one subject at a time.     Cornell is intrinsically friendly and active, a good place for inquisitive minds. (A Colleges That Change Lives school: http://www.ctcl.org/)

Another interesting Iowa find is Grinnell College (1600 students), located in residential Grinnell, a typical Iowa town with a nice historical area.

Grinnell is highly selective, drawing from across the country and the world. 12% of their students are international and the unifying themes for Grinnell students are global peace & justice issues. Grinnell offers numerous language study options, complete with housing.

 

Known for their large endowment, Grinnell boasts generous financial aid packages. Grinnell alumni are a successful and benevolent group as evidenced by the number of new buildings funded by them.

 Activities abound at Grinnell with weekly cinema nights, comedy events and big name bands routinely appearing on campus.

Like Cornell, Grinnell is closely tied to their community.  The “Neverland Club” goes into  local schools helping students write stories,  turning them into one act plays.  The football team visits local schools for “read and recess” in which they read to the kids and then go out to recess with them. 

These Iowa jewels weave everyday student life into the community around them, providing solid academics and social stimulation, and both Grinnell and Cornell are worth a good look!

http://www.grinnell.edu/
http://www.cornellcollege.edu/

Contact us directly for more specific information: http://www.navcc.net/

Summer Enrichment: Spanish Immersion Opportunity

                Full language immersion pushes a student’s brain far beyond classroom learning, and the language mecca of Antigua, Guatemala is a perfect place to dive into Spanish.  Students travel from all corners of the globe to learn to speak, read, write and LIVE the Spanish language, making Antigua a truly international destination.   With more than 70 language schools, featuring “host family” opportunities, classes happen in lush garden settings with one-on-one instruction.  Many students also get professional internships in Antigua, making the trek to Central America twice as meaningful!

                Antigua was once the capital of Guatemala, and the rich history of this charming, cobblestone laden colonial town seeps into every aspect of life.  Exploring the ruins of Antigua fires the imagination with thoughts of a world that existed 500 years ago, one of the seeds of our own culture,  making Antigua a fascinating backdrop for Spanish immersion.

 The people are friendly and welcoming, and the town is known to be a safe environment.  Guatemalans are tickled when people come to their country to learn their language and share their culture, and show their appreciation readily.  Fireworks can be heard at dawn on a daily basis because the people of Guatemala celebrate the beginning of each new day as a blessing, and that attitude is abundantly clear to anyone who visits. 

                Navigatio College Consulting recently traveled to Antigua, for a close-up look at the language immersion programs where we saw students touring ruins, noshing in restaurants, haggling in the marketplace, doing what students do, all while chattering away in Spanish.  One student we met was learning to cook Guatemalan food from his host mother.  These are just a few reasons why Antigua is a perfect destination for high school and college students (and  beyond!) eager to learn Spanish. 

A couple of schools we like: Spanish Academy Sevilla (http://www.sevillantigua.com/)
                                              La Union Spanish School (http://www.launion.edu/)

Contact us for more info: Navigatio@navcc.net

College Search Tips

A College Fairy Tale

Once upon a time in California, high school students could confidently apply exclusively to state schools knowing they would get a solid education at a good price.  Unfortunately, as the all too frequent news stories report, that time is gone… lost in an unwieldy, overburdened system.  Tuitions are rising, classes and courses of study are being cut, and campuses are restricting enrollment.  Sadly, California’s master plan for public higher education has been deeply compromised. 

This means many students need to cast a wider net in their college search, looking beyond the state schools for more choices.  The good news is there are thousands of options out there that are both rich with opportunity and financially accessible. 

How does one go about finding those choices? 

Thankfully, there are a lot of resources at your disposal.  Online, there are numerous sites such as CollegeBoard.com, Cappex.com, and CollegeProwler.com. Published guides abound, including the Fiske Guide to Colleges, and College Board’s Book of Majors and Meeting College Costs.  And there are professional college consultants who are able to help you navigate the selection, application, and financial aid process.

What are some criteria to consider?

The most important thing is to find a school that is a good “fit.”  That includes the following:

·       Academics – Is the college strong in the areas of study that interest you?  How do your grades and test scores compare with other students applying?

·       Location – Do you want to be in a city, suburban, small town, or rural environment?  What about weather?  Are there regions of the country that appeal to you more than others?  How far away from home do you want to be?

·       Size – Part of the personality of a school is determined by its size.  Large schools offer greater course selection, increased diversity of students, and big ticket sporting and entertainment events.  Small schools offer smaller class sizes, better opportunities to interface with professors, and a strong sense of connection to the school as a whole. 

Of course one of the most important factors in the selection process is the financial fit.  Therefore, consider the following:

·       Determine your family’s expected financial contribution (EFC).  All college and university websites should offer an on-line calculator to help you do this, or you can go to Aidcalc.com.

·       If your EFC is low, search for schools that meet 100% of need.

·       If your EFC is high, concentrate on schools that offer merit scholarships that your student is likely to receive.

·       Ideally, find schools that offer both!

·       In addition, look at universities that participate in the Western Undergraduate Exchange program.  Tuition for CA students is 150% of their in-state tuition for qualified students.  For more information go to wiche.edu/wue.

Moral of this story: There are still wonderful choices out there that will fit your academic, social, geographic, and financial needs… helping put your student on the road to happily ever after.

Written by: Marian Motz & Anne Morris Vogel
                   Navigatio College Consulting, www.navcc.net

College Sports Recruiting Tips

Student-Athletes experience college admissions in a WHOLE different way than all other students.  For one thing, they start the process by the end of sophomore year, sending optimally 50-80 initial letters and athletic profile resumes to colleges around the country, with the hope of hearing back from 10-15%.  That takes some advance planning!


Student-athletes must make academics a huge priority, starting in 9th grade to keep the most options open.  Identifying a primary sport  is critical and it's a good idea to get some private training in the freshman and sophomore years, constantly  working on improving skills and conditioning.  By the time junior year rolls around, it's time to buid a videotape....this is the most critical recruiting tool a student-athlete has, so it's important that it be done well.

Students need to talk to their coaches to assess what level play they might accomplish in college, be it Division I, II, III or NAIA.    Their grades, test scores and interests determine what academic level they might fit into, and what majors they might like.   At that point, a search must be done to mesh athletics, academics and the student's own personal preferences for the college environment.

By the end of junior year, student-athletes need to register at the NCAA Clearinghouse Eligibility Center, if they plan to play Division I or II.

Navigatio College Consulting is now offering sports recruiting packages in conjunction with The College Recruiting Group which boasts over 20 years experience in the sports recruiting world.  Student-athletes will receive a priority analysis to determine their particular, unique needs in addition to all the other recruiting advice and tools a student-athlete needs.  On top of all that, they will receive the academic advising and  personalized attention  that Navigatio College Consulting (http://www.navcc.net/) is known for.  This is what you would call a WIN-WIN situation!

The University Trek

Navigatio traveled 8300 miles, across 19 states, touring 27 different colleges.....all in the past three weeks.  Why would we do such a thing?  Why would we wear ourselves out RIGHT when it's time to slow down to enjoy summer, drinking lemonade on the porch and reading fiction? 

College Counseling is more than just giving advice.  Trekking across the countryside, for days on end, and stepping onto college campuses lets us experience the flavor of each school.  Those insights help us guide our students to make informed decisions about where they might like to spend four years of their life.  It's not just about academics....the  environment is a huge part of any student's college experience. 

  If we didn't see it with our own eyes, we would never have known that Loyola Chicago students like to sun themselves along the shores of Lake Michigan between classes.  Nor would we realize that Grand Canyon University has brand new state-of-the-art electronic nursing simulators and a dozen cadavers for pre-med students to work on.  University of Chicago students have a crazy four day  engineering- based scavenger hunt that the college guides fail to mention.   Meeting with admissions folks, chatting with students on campus, traipsing across athletic fields and quads,  eating cafeteria food.....all these experiences educate us, so we can educate our students. 

Navigatio is back home in Burbank California now and we are  informed, well-traveled  and ready to work with our students and share the great stories of our very own College Trek of 2011! 

Chicago College Scene

Being a college counselor has its perks......like getting to tour the "windy city" when flowers are blooming everywhere, college students are buzzing with the anticipation of summer excitement and Lake Michigan is shimmering.

Navigatio College Consulting ventured around Chicago this week to chat up the college admissions people around town.

University of Chicago's gorgeous Neo-Gothic architecture, expansive lawns, sharp minds and Hogwart's style "houses" keep life interesting in Hyde Park.  These students are more than just curious intellectually, they are energized by academics!  Chi'cago students know how to have fun too, hosting the world's largest scavenger hunt (over 1000 students) with "engineering based" challenges, and other offbeat intermurals.....try innertube water polo!

Students of DePaul University are gifted with location, location, location.  Just north of  Chicago's Loop, this campus is set right in  charming Lincoln Park, a neighborhood filled with cafes, art galleries, and music venues so these students are CONNECTED to Chicago.  Their learning happens everywhere, with much vigor!  DePaul cares about culture, as evidenced by their new art museum, and a renowned, very selective theatre program. 

Loyola University is graced with Lake Michigan adjacent property on 45 gorgeous acres about 45 minutes north of the Loop.  Sports Management is a hot program at Loyola, and students get the chance to intern with professional teams around the sport's crazed Chicago area.  Applications for admissions are FREE at Loyola, a rare treat. 

Colombia College is a "hands on" place for students wanting to study music, dance, theatre, film, journalism, broadcasting, fashion and design and lots of other vocations and subjects.  The campus is sprinkled around Chicago, so students need to be ready for an urban learning experience.

College in the Windy City?  A delightful "college town" in a great big, stimulating and beautiful city!