College Preparation Timeline: 3 Amazing Tips for Reading More!

I walked by Books on the Square during a visit home to Rhode Island with Karen Carvalho-Franks (my bestie, bff, ride-or-die) and of course, we had to go inside. Browsing around through all the stories waiting for me to read, I saw this quote on a linen cloth hanging on the wall and knew I would not leave the store without one. People who know me well are aware of my insatiable habit of buying books, some I read and some I don’t. Piles of books exist at my house to my husband’s dismay (which is putting it mildly).

Taking me to get my first library card at the South Providence Public Library on Prairie Avenue was a gift from my late mother that keeps on giving. By the way, my birthday is in September in case you’re wondering what to get me.

So why all this talk about books and reading? Well, working with aspiring college students always leads to conversations about their reading habits.

Dr. B: Tell me what you’ve read that a teacher did not assign.
 Student X: What? You mean like a book?
Dr. B (a little exasperated): Yes, a book, a magazine, anything. What have you read?
Student X (sheepishly): Nothing. I don’t like to read.

Yep, “I don’t like to read” but somehow, this student is going to go to college, stay in college and graduate without any issues. Oy vey!

The Pew Research Center reports  interesting data highlighting reading habits based on income level, educational attainment and place of birth. Their findings do not paint a positive picture on the reading habits of many adults in the United States. With the rise of video-enhanced entertainment, I wonder if reading for pleasure will remain elusive for many people.

This summer, I am encouraging my students to read. I shared several tips with them in this video, but most of all I want them to read. Now, I am working with several students who are readers like me (hooray). One student recommended The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, which turned out to be the perfect book for me as I struggled with establishing better habits (not buying every book that caught my eye). In the meantime, my pile of books continues to grow thanks to my mom’s wisdom of introducing me to the library.

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May 2021 Update

Professional development continues to be a major factor in my work life. With physical visits to campuses curtailed during 2020 (most are re-opening for in-person visits), I spend about 7 -10 hours per week on virtual visits with college admission counselors. The IECA, one of my professional organizations, regularly conducts College Conversations, an hour-long presentation with time built in for Q & A. To date, members of IECA had sessions with the colleges on the chart. Additionally, I added to this list by facilitating sessions in my capacity as the college counselor for the Montessori School of Raleigh where, along with the students, we learned more about UNC Charlotte, UNC Wilmington, the College of Wooster, Queens University of Charlotte, Muhlenberg, Elon, Western Carolina, North Carolina Central, the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Did you know UNC Wilmington has a major in Coastal Engineering or that Western Carolina (along with UNC Pembroke and Elizabeth City State) is a NC Promise institution? A NC Promise school’s in-state tuition is $500 while non-residents pay $2500 per semester.

Our virtual world allows for hours upon hours of accessible college information sessions. I had to step back and limit myself to a reasonable number of hours of “college visits”.

I challenge my students regularly to move beyond their comfort zone and during the height of the pandemic, I stretched myself way beyond my level of comfort. I am one of 14 co-authors of Becoming The Shero, an anthology depicting the journeys of entrepreneurs at different stages of their lives. My story is in the Embracing the Pivot section.

Another way I stay current is through my new position at Providence College. As of August 2020, I am the College Supervisor for the School Counseling Program. What does the college supervisor do? I supervise the students in the program during their 2-semester internship at a school, where they are directly supervised by their Site Supervisor, a certified professional school counselor. It is the student teaching equivalent for school counseling.

Reading is a daily pleasure for me. Here are nine books (not in chronological order) that helped me to educate myself about current events and issues of social justice:

  • Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents ~ Isabel Wilkerson
  • How to Be An Anti-Racist ~ Ibram X. Kendi
  • Stamped From The Beginning ~ Ibram X. Kendi
  • I’m Still Here ~ Austin Channing Brown
  • The Color Of Law ~ Richard Rothstein
  • We Want To Do More Than Survive ~ Bettina Love
  • Down Along With That Devil’s Bones ~ Connor Towne O’Neill
  • Interrupting Racism: Equity and Social Justice in School Counseling ~ Rebecca Atkins & Alicia Oglesby
  • Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race ~ Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D.

To stay up-to-date on trends in college, career and paying for college, see my list of books under the “Parent Resources” tab.

I challenge my students to be lifelong readers. I am practicing what I preach. What are you reading today?

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