Following the path that God has for our Calvary Students….

2/1/2019

Stacey Mell Ed.S.

Typically four times a year a school will offer a college preview day on a Saturday. I personally like individual, during the week tours better, because the group will be smaller, and you will be able to receive more personal attention. During the tour be sure to sit in on the group information session at the admissions office. Try to schedule a meeting with the financial office so that you will be able to pick up all scholarship and grant-in-aid forms and applications that are available at that institution. When you call the admissions office let them know what major your child is interested in and see if they will allow your student to sit in on a class. Most universities are willing to let students observe a class so that they are able to get a true feel for the everyday environment of the school.

Many colleges and universities have designated “spend the night with a student” programs. Interested students are able to shadow a current student for an entire day to truly immerse into the life of a college student. This is an invaluable experience that will allow your student to make the best decision as to where he/she should attend college. Once the official tour has ended, your family may walk around the campus, visit the recreation center, gyms, library, and I would strongly suggest eating in the cafeteria. It is important to know as much information about the schools that your are interested in so that the best decision can be made.

As you and your student are traveling to and from the college, you should let your student be the driver for the entire trip. They need to have first-hand experience of how long is the drive, what type of roads and traffic will be encountered, and what would be the best route for travel.

Once you leave the college campus, I would encourage your family to ride around town. Make note of where the college is located and the surrounding areas. Is this a large city with a transit system or a small town without a hotel or gas station? Happiness is important, and the more time you spend on a campus and the surrounding areas, the more likely one is to make the right decision.

_{Stacey Mell is a 1982 graduate of Calvary Day School and is the Director of Guidance. Mrs. Mell holds a Bachelor of Arts. in psychology with a minor in computer programming from Armstrong Atlantic State University and an M.Ed. in counseling as well as an Ed.S. in counseling from Georgia Southern University. She finds inspiration from Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you are saved through faith – think not of yourselves, it is a gift of God.”}

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