Featured Advisor - College Planning Advice from Virginia

Our spotlight is on Virginia, a mother of three: two daughters and a son. She hails from San Francisco, California and is passionate about youth education, having nurtured her own for the past 18 years (and counting). 

Versed: When did you start thinking about college for your kids?

Virg: (laughs) Truthfully, we started talking about college when they were in grade school. I just wanted them to get the big picture, that their education is from Kindergarten through college. It was important to me that they get at least an undergraduate degree. 

Versed: Wow! That’s early!

Virg: Oh we weren’t trying to be “tiger parents”. We just talked about it in passing, like we would about middle school and high school. It’s just part of the whole educational journey and setting those expectations early on.

Versed: What did the educational / extracurricular journey look like for your kids in grade school?

Virg: When my kids were young, we just played. We did things at home like making up science experiments and doing arts and crafts projects. We explored the world through field trips to museums and parks. And we had them attend classes that we thought would be fun to help them explore different activities that might uncover what was interesting to them. I loved watching them grow and discover the world. It’s always neat to catch a gleam in my child’s eye when they are doing something that interests them.

Versed: How did you determine what was interesting to your kids?

Virg: Obviously if they’re enthusiastic about what they’re doing, that’s a sure sign we are on the right track. But sometimes, they may be reluctant to try new things, or maybe they still enjoy an activity but they’re rejecting it because they’re unsure of their abilities. So I really had to pay attention and observe my kids to help them make the right decisions. 

Versed: How did your parenting change in regards to your children’s education / extracurricular journey as they entered middle school?

Virg: Middle school is when I told my kids to focus on one or two activities. I knew there wouldn’t be enough time to do everything they wanted to do with high school just over the horizon. I encouraged them to choose amongst all of the activities they enjoyed ones that would challenge them and help them grow. 

Versed: You have a son who attends Johns Hopkins right now. How was the college admissions process for your son? 

Virg: Hard! There was so much we had to do. I felt rushed, trying to get my head around all of the moving parts. As an athlete (fencing), he had to complete his resume, testing, and early admission application earlier than his regular admission apps due to the recruiting timeline. And he had to deal with all of this while going through junior year, which is when kids tend to take the most challenging classes. It was so stressful for him and for us parents. Thankfully, it all came together. The admissions process is definitely easier if you research and plan ahead of time. 

Versed: Your son is a STEM major. What things did he do in high school to support his interests?

Virg: He made sure he had clear communication with his academic advisor that he wanted to pursue a STEM major in college so that he would take the necessary courses to be competitive when it came time to apply. By junior year, he had decided to apply to college for one of the most impacted majors in STEM: Bio-Medical Engineering. We didn’t find out until it was too late that anyone who wants a shot at a spot needs to have some research experience. He didn’t get into Johns Hopkins for that major, but it worked out anyways as he found another path to his goals.   

Versed: What are your top tips for surviving the recruiting process for fencing?

Virg: Start thinking about the process as early as sophomore year. The truth is, fencing recruiting is starting earlier and earlier these days. When my child was just beginning to fence, the coaches couldn’t talk to anyone until the Nationals of the summer before senior year. Nowadays, I’ve heard of kids being scouted a year or two before that, but most discussions between the college coach and the child still occur during Nationals, if not during the Junior Olympics (informally), before senior year. So definitely start by having a conversation with your coach: find out how your child’s coach can help with the process. Start a list of fencing colleges your child is interested in attending based on their intended area of study. Consider their involvement in the sport as a college participant, because each division (1, 2, 3) has their own priorities and expectations. Contact the coaches of each school that your child would like to consider via email to let them know his or her interest. Finally, have your child get his or her resume and SAT/ACTs done early for the initial admissions screening, which is required in many schools before an official “pursue” can be issued by the coach. All of this happens months before anyone submits applications for regular admission. So athletic recruitment operates on its own timeline, whether you are a fencer or participate in any other sport. 

Versed: Can you share with us one of your takeaways from this whole experience?

Virg: Definitely provide opportunities for your child to explore and plan things out, but don’t do it at the expense of your child’s journey to finding her own passions. The focus should always be to help your child figure out what she enjoys doing and using that as your guide. And be mindful of projecting your own hopes and desires onto your children: this is their future that they should dictate and own. 

See Virginia’s profile here.

 

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