18 January 2016 archive

It was inevitable. Computer technology is here to stay. I remember in 1994 when one of my students said Mr. Goodhart, you should get on the Internet, there is a lot of great information about colleges on it. This revelation may come as a surprise to any of our students who were born after 1994. They never had the pleasure of working a slide rule in their advanced math classes.

But after a few years, I saw a need to help students understand college websites. They were spending an inordinate amount of time on the site, but coming away with little substantive knowledge about the college. Therefore, I designed an efficient AAA method to do one’s due diligence. When done properly the student should know the important aspects of each college’s particular offerings and ethos. I like to hear students say that it was almost a deja  vu experience once they arrived at the college for the first time.

The winter is a good time to plan ahead for college visits. Spring is the best time for juniors to visit a few colleges while classes are still in session. That is, after applying the AAA method. I will never forget one college admissions officer describe her experience. She drove her daughter 357 miles to tour Lehigh University. The young scholar would not even get out of the car! Why not? asked the seasoned admissions officer (aka mom).  I am not going to a college where I have to hike up a mountain every day!

No exaggeration. Now you know. Even college admissions officers have kids. Plus, they too can be tripped up occasionally during the planning process. Now with the current edicts in force because of the current pandemic, (remember this one?), it is even more important. The AAA method (in the second paragraph above) will provide the answers, even to questions not asked, ahead of time and smooth your journey. Go ahead and download it to your desktop now.