Navigating Your Student Through a Pandemic
As we all face the effects of the current pandemic together, I am sharing with the parents and students I work with how to best navigate these uncertain times in terms of college planning and applications.
First, stay informed from reliable sources, not rumor. Find reliable sources of information and news.
Secondly, as families, how we frame the crisis we are experiencing will not only impact our own resilience, but also college admissions and planning. These trying times are testing us as human beings, and our mindset will affect the decisions students make about their futures and how to use their time at home in preparation for college. As we substitute in person activities like volunteering with online equivalents, students have a unique opportunity to build character, share their gifts with the world, make an impact on their communities, learn new computer skills, and, in the process, the outcome can be enhanced college admissions and scholarships. This approach and mindset is win-win within the especially difficult context of the pandemic.
My main message to high school students is this: the world needs you right now—your unique combination of strengths. This is what Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, calls your talent stack. Here are questions to reflect on as you re-imagine your volunteer activities and summer programs:
What problem/s are there in my community re: COVID-19?
What is my talent stack?
How can I use my talent stack online to help solve this/these problem/s?
Who can I work with in my community with complementary talents to help solve them?
You might come up with ways to support your friends, younger kids, non-profits, your school, your family, that will be much more essential and meaningful than the summer program or activity you had planned to be engaged in before the crisis. And these choices can impact college admissions and scholarships in a positive way.
Now more than ever, we need to work together—counselors, parents, and students—to redirect the focus away from “getting in” to specific colleges. Instead, let’s aim for best fit colleges and making a positive impact on the world. Focusing on purpose and helping others has been shown to boost mental and physical health, and is the basis of a strong resume at the same time.
Finally, whether high school students are juniors or seniors, freshmen or sophomores, remember: studies shows that the best predictors of future personal fulfillment and financial stability are NOT the rank of the college attended but rather these three factors:
Mentoring by college professors—the guidance and networking is key.
Engaging with the college community in an active way—participating and making a difference.
Focusing on developing the job skills most relevant to the future of automation—creativity, emotional intelligence, critical thinking skills, judgement and decision making, leadership, diversity and cultural intelligence, communication skills, embracing change, and active learning with a growth mindset. This means kids can be successful as psychologists, entertainers, designers, managers, and analysts in all growing fields, not only as doctors, lawyers, and engineers.
Keeping all this in mind, our “new normal” might become an opportunity to grow, acquire unexpected skills, develop our compassion, and make a difference. That is what I wish of all the readers—may we help each other to focus on community, knowing that in the process we will develop valuable skills that will stand us in good stead when this is all over.
Author’s Bio:
Anjali Maazel is the founder and CEO of Anja Education Consultants, which offers outstanding test prep and college admissions guidance to families around the world. Her mission is to empower parents and teens with the most relevant information on 21st Century job skills and careers. She is invited to speak at schools in the US and abroad. Anjali is committed to promoting equal access to education for all. She is also the proud mother of a thriving graduate student. Watch Anjali’s Ted Talk.
