This past September, Colonia High School has received the visits of four different colleges which are looking to admit new students next year. These colleges include Rutgers, Kean, Ramapo, and The University of Delaware.

It’s common courtesy for colleges to visit a high school such as Colonia High School, looking to admit new students. One of Colonia High’s guidance counselors, Mrs. Linda Bowler said, “Colleges come based on their own free will.”

Unfortunately for Colonia High, rarely any Ivy League schools come to promote their school, however graduates from CHS have gone on to these colleges; students such as 2015 Valedictorian Heather Newman, and 538 students post graduation recorded over the last three years. As explained by Bowler, “with the amount of applicants they receive looking to be admitted, we’re not seen by them.”

Although if students are looking to be admitted by such colleges or any college for that matter you should act preemptively and make sure to take charge in academics, athletics, clubs, your enrollment in challenging classes and your success. Also, apply early.

Having countless years of experience working with students looking to take the next step in their education, Bowler  recognized some of the things that attract students to colleges are the college’s location, majors, size, tuition, representation, and alumni.

To prepare for meeting advisors from colleges, students should take time to do research on it, Bowler advised, “it’s the safe and smart move to learn as much as you can about the college you could be potentially spending years of your life in.” Bowler went on to explain how students should be prepared to ask questions about their major, its school size, class size and the extracurricular activities provided.

From what some say to be the more important questions to ask, students should also ask about the college’s security, housing, roommate policies, car restriction/if allowed, transportation, financial aid, and tuition as previously stated before and things in regards to internships for your major.

Taken from other people’s points of view, it’s well known that scouting for college and being scouted by a college is much different compared from how it is today- which is where former Colonia High Student, Emmanuel Pimentel has personal experience into how it was when someone like Bowler went to High School.

From Pimentel’s point of view he said, “I had so much access to info about so many schools than I knew what to do with.” But in Bowler’s time, students her age had little internet availability, there wasn’t as much info available online in regards to colleges, colleges didn’t visit as often, and colleges didn’t form as close a relationship with their students as they do today.

Although colleges go out of their way today for schools looking to reach out to students, this doesn’t mean that students shouldn’t be doing the same for colleges. By doing your part you can learn more about your interests and optimize your college experience.

Most of the ‘big dog’ colleges don’t reach out on their own, they require an incentive. It’s proven that college acceptance rates have dropped as low as 5.05 percent. Knowing this, students need to realize that the complex application process is only one, of the many steps required if you want to be accepted into such high-up colleges.