•
the requirements, we look for other
options." -
After studying career information
in the vertical files and in books,
students use the Peterson's College
Selection Service. "I filled out a
worksheet listing all my re-
quirements in a college," Yesenko
said. The categories include school
location, size, housing, costs, academic
and honors programs, admission re-
quirements, ethnic mix, entrance dif-
ficulty, majors, enrollment size, sports,
campus life, special help, admission
policies and application deadlines.
"A major factor for some students
is the proximity of a major Jewish
community, or being with other
Jewish students?' Nurenberg said.
"I said I wanted a public, coed,
four-year, medium to large school in
Michigan with moderately difficult
entrance requirements," Yesenko
said. "I also wanted to find out which
schools matched my interests, and
which school could accommodate me
if my interests change?'
After feeding the computer her re-
quirements, Yesenko received a list of
possible colleges that will match her
needs. She now has to look through
the Peterson Annual Guide to
Undergraduate Study to find out more
about each school.
"Because I have a job and have
been working, my appointments in
the program have been spread out
and I have not finished the program
yet," Yesenko said. According to Gray,
the length of the program depends on
the individual's needs. "It is general-
ly done in 11 sessions, but it is a flex-
ible program. Some students may
take more time?'
Once she decides what colleges
she will apply to, Yesenko will get
help filling out the applications. "We
have a group meeting to discuss college
applications and writing essays," said
Gray. "Often the more competitive
school will require a longer, more
detailed essay. We also discuss the col-
lege interview and our education loan
coordinator makes a presentation on
college aid:'
With the rising cost of a college
education, many families are concern-
ed with the availability of financial
aid. "The financial aid situation is
always changing" explained Barbara
Nurenberg. "A Michigan school may
not always be the cheapest. It depends
on the availability and eligibility of
financial aid.
"Sometimes if a tuition is higher,
you are eligible for more financial aid,
and a well-endowed school may offer
more financial aid. So a student may
be able to do as well or better by go-
ing out of state."
Nurenberg said there are increas-
ing numbers of students and parents
interested in college counseling ser-
vices. "We don't have firm numbers as
to how many students have used the
Lydia Gray counsels students at JVS.
A college selection service helps Debi make a decision.
program, but numbers have increas-
ed because costs have skyrocketed,
the University of Michigan has got-
ten more selective, and the number of
their in-state students has gone down.
"People are spending money to
prepare students for the SAT tests so
they can get into a school and they are
concerned about the kind of counsel-
ing and preparation in terms of selec-
ting a college."
Generally, whose idea is it to use
the program? "It's about 50-50," said
Lydia Gray. "Sometimes it is the
parents' idea, and sometimes it is the
student's idea?'
Debi Yesenko sought out the Col-
lege Bound Program after hearing a
representative of JVS speak about the
service at the Sunday school class she
attends at Temple Kol Ami. "The pro-
gram is working out well for me;' she
said. "It put me in the right place and
started me on the right foot so I
wouldn't get discouraged. I wouldn't
want to do all this on my own.
"They also gave me a time
schedule for taking ACT and SAT ex-
ams. I recommend this program to
anyone who is not confident in what
they want to do or what college they
want to select."
Nurenberg reinforces those obser-
vations. "This program is for a stu-
dent who is =confusedand needs help
clarifying who they are and where
they are going. The student who is
focused and knows what they want to
do doesn't need this program?'
Gray recommends that students
take the program in the spring of
their junior year so they can spend
the summer visiting different schools.
But she added, they will still have
time to apply to colleges if they take
it in the fall of their senior year.
"Not many people knew we did
this kind of program," Nurenberg
said. "We had calls that families
didn't know where to go so we adver-
tised our program by sending out
flyers and placing ads in The Jewish
News."
Barbara Lefton, of the Jewish In-
formation Service, recommends the
College Bound Program to people who
call seeking a college selection
counseling service. She initiated her
daughter Sara's participation.
Sara was a senior at Berkley High
School when she participated in the
program last year. She said the pro-
gram helped her make a decision in
selecting a college. She is currently a
freshman at Western Michigan
University in Kalamazoo.
"After taking tests on my _skills
and interests, I used the computer
and got a list of schools that would be
-r6 good for me," she said. "I knew that
• I was interested in business ad-
. ministration and education as majors.
• Some parts of the program were good,
but some didn't apply to me. The
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
49