Applying to College – Just Around the Corner.
Major areas covering:
How important are standardized tests?
SAT or ACT? … how do we decide?
How important are extracurricular activities?
What about teacher recommendations?
How does a students validate their volunteer hours?
What about summer programs, internships?
What is Stanford looking for in a candidate?
College essays – What are colleges looking for?
How does a students determine “Good fit” schools?
This presentation is for families of students finishing 10th and 11th grades. At the end families will understand what factors are important in the preparation process and what is involved in the college application process.
Presenter : TOPHER WILLIAMSON
Topher began working at Stanford University’s Career Planning & Placement Center, assisting undergraduates as they sought internships and full time job opportunities. After returning to his alma mater, Santa Clara University , Topher worked as an Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission, and managed local bay area, Los Angeles and Texas territories where he visited, recruited, evaluated and admitted athletes, freshman and transfer applicants. His next experience at Notre Dame de Namur University, a smaller bay area Catholic institution, expanded and deepened his experience of working with community colleges by articulating coursework agreements, recruiting, admitting and orienting admitted transfer and re-entry students. Those experiences further prepared Topher for Ohlone College in Fremont, CA, where he worked as an adjunct counselor / instructor for a year, teaching a career development course and helping students prepare to apply to the University of California, California State Universities and private universities. For the last five years, Topher have worked for a Silicon Valley educational consulting / test prep firm as an Educational Consultant, providing guidance for families needing assistance and support for their high school aged children preparing for college. Additionally, he presented college topics through seminars and public college fair forums and panels. As a Transfer Specialist, he supported and guided students through the transfer process from community college to four-year institutions. During those 5 years, Topher guided and supported over 145 students through the application process that were interested in business, engineering, computer science, humanities, the arts as well as accelerated medical programs (BS / MD)
