Gretchen Zaitzeff & Holli Will share their personal knowledge and experiences navigating the college admissions process with their high school students.

1. How to get
Your High School Student into
College in
4 Years or Less
Gretchen Zaitzeff & Holli Will University High School PSN September 2016
2016 All rights reserved
Zaitzeff & Will

2. The
Will Students
Plebe, US Naval Academy
Sophomore, Blair Academy
Senior, U-High

3. The Zaitzeff
Students
College Freshman, UMN
Eight grade, CJHS
PHD, U of M
Student teacher, EMU
College Junior, BYU
Sophomore, U-High
College Junior, BYU

4. Begin with
the end in
mind.
Stephen R. Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People, Habit #2
As an adult, I see my student as:
 Happy
 Well-informed
 Gainfully Employed
 Industrious
 Open-minded
 Empathic
 Engaged in Good Causes
 Active
 Balanced
 Capable
 Creative
 Innovative
 Fill in the blank_____________

5. It doesn’t matter what path your student is on, as long as they are on a path.
About 80 % of students in the US end up changing their major at least once, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
On average, college students change their major at least three times over the course of their college career.

6. Freshman Year
Focus

7. Focus on:
 Developing a four-year plan that meets the requirements for graduation,
has academic rigor and if needed, meets the criteria for NCAA eligibility
 Exposing your student to interesting people and ideas through non-fiction
reading, TED Talks, Khan Academy, Lynda.com, etc.
 Becoming involved in targeted activities
 Tracking and documenting everything

8. Sample
Resume
There are multiple ways to track
your students activities including
Career Cruising and Google
Docs.
Resumes are helpful when
applying for service,
employment, admission, letters
of recommendation and
scholarships.

9. Transcripts & School Report
 Ask for official copy of the transcripts
 Ask to delete unwanted test results
 Obtain a copy of official school report
 Read and become familiar with details

10. Targeted Activities
INTERESTS
ABILITIES
VALUES
SERVICE
Service and Volunteerism is
the sweet spot for distinction
and scholarships.

11. What problem does
your student want
to solve?
Asked future interviewer.
The question is not what does
your student want to do in the
future, but rather what problems
are they passionate about
solving.

12. The 10,000 Hour
Rule

13. Champions are
made in the
off-season.
Said Every Coach Ever.
Investing time in a passion:
Academics
Cause
Extra-curriculars
Fine Arts
Music
Sports
Values
Volunteerism

14. Summer #1:
 Summer School
 Read Non-fiction
 Work/Volunteer
 Career Shadow
 Practice/Rehearse/Train
High-Interest Non-fiction
Recommendations
(SAT/ACT Prep)

15. Summer To Do List for Parents
 Read Study is Hard Work by William H. Armstrong
 & Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That
Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges by
Loren Pope
 & The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process
of a Premier College by Jacques Steinberg
 Research Scholarships
 Develop an organizational system for
correspondence, copies of application, etc.

16. Marketing for Student Athletes & Artists
 Personalize stationary including
letter head, business cards and
thank you notes
 Self-identifying email inbox for
corresponding with coaches and
colleges— shared with
parents/guardians
 Dynamic resume
 Vistaprint.com
 Gmail.com

17. Service Academies:
 Go to Service Academy Forum in local area
 Apply to Academy Summer Programs
 5:1 Application process
 Apply to local congressman, both senators and
Vice-President for nominations (Due November
Senior Year)
 Interview with Officer from Service Academy
 Physical Readiness test (Coach Hampton)
 January 31st: Hard deadline

18. Sophomore Year
Analyze

19. Analyze:
 Your student’s 4-year plan and refine
 Your student’s activities and eliminate or add
 Your student’s interests in career fields and target 10-15
colleges of interest
 List of colleges visiting U-High

20. To AP or to not AP, that is the question.
PROS
 $95 is a bargain for 3-5 college
credits
 Shows academic rigor
 Challenging teachers and
curriculum
 Can lead to Dual Enrollment
opportunities or college classes
CONS
 College of choice may not provide
any credit for high school AP classes;
4-5 to receive credit
 AP tests may be more rigorous than
actual college level class
 May affect grade point average
 Time commitment

21. Letters of Recommendation
 Your student will need at least three people willing to write
recommendation letters for camps and colleges
 Compose a letter asking for letters of recommendation with
links and deadline information
 Include resume

22. TOUGH QUESTION #1:
Is my student academically and socially preparing for the rigor of
college and independent life?
If yes, then stay on the path.
If not, then consider a different path or alternative experiences
and needed supports.

23. TOUGH QUESTION #2:
Is my student seeing a positive return on their time investments?
If yes, then stay on the path.
If not, then reconsider their 4-year plan and activities. Make
changes as necessary.

24. TOUGH QUESTION #3:
Does my student have/need a Plan B?
If yes, then research options. Gap year, vocational training, work-
study, academic support, etc.
If not, then stay on the path.

25. Summer #2:
 Test Prep
 College Research or Visits
 Read Non-fiction
 Work/Volunteer
 Career Shadow
 Practice/Rehearse/Train

26. Summer #2--Athlete Specific:
 Take June ACT
 Sign up for recruiting sites (free)
 Captain U.com
 Berecuited.com
 Create and update personalize page
 Create a video
 Wesleybward@gmail.com
 Attend summer camps at colleges
 Establish relationships and demonstrate interest with schools
 Step back as a parent
 Register with NCAA Eligibility Center ($75)

27. Junior Year
Plan

28. Plan the work
 Prepare a resume
 Narrow college list from 10-15 to 5-8
 Contact college departments for scholarship information,
on-campus days, and other recommendations
 Research additional scholarships
 Take the ACT/SAT and plan Subject Tests, if needed
 Calendar application and scholarship deadlines for next year

29. Summer #3:
 College Research or Visits
 Intensive Camp or On-campus Experience
 Read Non-fiction
 Work/Volunteer
 Practice/Rehearse/Train
 Ask yourself and your student the tough
questions again

30. Summer #3—Athlete Specific:
 July 1st is the first date that coaches can
contact your student.
 Level 1: Impact Player (Contributes as a
freshman)
 Level 2: Program Player
 Level 3: Contributor
 Level 4: Non-contributor

31. Senior Year
Execute

32. It takes a Village
o Connect your student with professionals in
their fields of interest.
o Talk to faculty, family and friends about
their experiences.
o Consult a financial advisor.
o Seek out alum online and in person.

33. Execute Your Plan: First Semester
 Narrow your student’s college list from 5-8 to 3-5 schools
 Prepare for and schedule auditions/try-outs/interviews
 Take the ACT/SAT again
 Know and meet all criteria and deadlines

34. Early Decision vs. Early Action vs. Regular
Early Decision
 Binding agreement
 Application deadline in November
 Decision in December
 May increase your student’s chances, but not
significantly
 May be accepted, denied or deferred
 May affect financial aid package
Early Action
 Non-binding
 Application deadline in November
 Colleges make an acceptance decision in
December
 Financial aid package in the spring

35. Cost of
Attendance
 Published vs. Net Cost
 Need-Blind
 Family income is the most important consideration for
Federal Financial Aid.
 The average discount for first-year students at private
colleges is now a staggering 46 percent.
 Reciprocity agreements allow for in-state tuition at out-
of-state schools. (Midwest Student Exchange)
 Check out the possibility of your student getting
residency over time. (Finaid.org)
 Merit scholarships are awarded basically by looking at a
student’s grade point average, test scores and class
rank.
Tuition
Fees
Room
Board
Travel
Other Expenses

36. Financial Aid
 FAFSA—Federal Financial Aid: Opens October 1st
 CSS Profile
 Need vs. Merit Questbridge.org & Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
 Private Scholarships 2012: Forbes Article
 Department Scholarships
 University Scholarships

37. Breathe. Your student can go to a
college of their choice.
It just takes planning and preparation.

38. Be Flexible

39. Think
Outside
the Box

40. Where your student
goes to college is not
who they’ll be.

41. “80 percent of
American students go
to public colleges and
universities.”
Washington Post, April 5, 2016.
Top Colleges Corporate Recruiters
Like the Best and Trust the Most:
1. Penn State
2. Texas A&M
3. The University of Illinois
4. Purdue
5. Arizona State
10. Carnegie Mellon
14. Cornell

42. Original Cast of Hamilton the Musical
Renee Elise Goldsberry Sasha Hutchings
BFA Carnegie Mellon, 1993
MM University of Southern California, 1997
BA Oklahoma City University, 2011

43. Gretchen Zaitzeff
gzaitze@ilstu.edu
Holli Will
holliruns@gmail.com
2016 All rights reserved
Zaitzeff & Will