OHIO STATE COLLEGE GUIDE HELPS STUDENTS DECIDE EDUCATIONAL FUTURE

	COLUMBUS -- At the age many middle and high school students 
begin to think seriously about their educational futures, they often 
face confusing myths or misconceptions about college -- who should 
go, how much it costs, how to prepare, what classes to take or even 
when to take them.  

	To debunk the myths and help students make educated decisions, 
Ohio State University administrators and faculty have developed a new 
College Planning Guide that provides information on college 
preparatory curriculum choices and advice on how to succeed in 
college.

	“When students enter ninth grade they usually have a choice of 
whether to take a general education or college preparatory course of 
study,” said Paula Compton, associate director of admissions at Ohio 
State.  “This guide explains to them what college preparatory courses 
are, when to take them and what they could mean for the students’ 
futures.”

	The guide details the college prep curriculum and how to finance 
a college education, and offers study tips and advice from current 
college students.  The guide also includes photos of students with 
descriptions of their experiences in high school and college, giving 
students a perspective with which they can identify, Compton said.

	Jan Tinnerman, a guidance counselor at Reynoldsburg High School, 
said the publication demonstrates to students the value of the high 
school’s promotion of college preparatory classes.

  	“We were ecstatic to get this guide because it encourages 
college preparatory classes with more vigor, using age-appropriate 
language and layout that really encourages students to read it and 
understand it, and become excited about what they can do and what 
lies ahead of them,” Tinnerman said.

	The guide is important for both parents and students, Tinnerman 
said, because to make the high school career more successful for 
students, there has to be a partnership between parents, students, 
teachers and counselors.  

	“With this guide, parents don’t have to feel isolated.  They 
have a working, usable document to guide them step by step as to what 
their students can do to be competitive and succeed in their future 
college and life careers,” she said.

	Gwendolyn Dennis, mother of 14-year-old Tiffany Dennis, a 
student at South Euclid High School, agrees.  She said both she and 
her daughter were encouraged by the layout and information contained 
in the guide.  “With the help of the college guide, I am able to make 
more informed decisions as to what direction my daughter should take 
in scheduling her classes, and what she needs to do in order to be 
prepared for college,” Dennis said.  “I really appreciate having a 
document that gives direction, options and choices.”  

	Although the guide was created by Ohio State, it is not a direct 
recruitment tool for the university -- rather, it is intended to be a 
service piece to promote higher education and keep options open for 
all students, said Allen Kraus, assistant director of admissions at 
Ohio State.  

	“The guide is a tool to prepare students to think for themselves 
-- to allow students to make informed, educated choices,” Kraus said.  
“We wanted to provide a service for students to prepare for any 
college or university.”

	Kraus, along with several professors, deans, program 
coordinators, communicators and admissions administrators at Ohio 
State, worked with several area high school guidance counselors to 
develop the guide to help students make the curriculum choice that 
best suits their goals.  

	All Ohio high schools and several high schools in surrounding 
states were sent between 30 and 300 free copies, with an option to 
order additional copies at 45 cents each to help defray printing and 
shipping costs.  No profit is made by Ohio State through the guides, 
which were distributed earlier this month.

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Contact:  Paula Compton, associate director of admissions, 
		 (614) 292-5995.

Written by Tracy Turner, (614) 688-3682.  Contact Tracy Turner at 
Ohio State’s Office of University Communications to request a copy of 
the College Planning Guide.