While there is a great deal of emphasis on grade point average (GPA) and test scores, there are other factors that are important to most colleges. One of those important factors is character. Colleges would like to know what kind of campus citizen they are inviting to live on their campus.

This year in particular, I have seen character weigh more heavily in admission decisions. Character is expressed in the extracurricular resume of a student and in what they write about in college admission applications.

I still say that selecting a college is a whole lot like shopping for a car. In the beginning, there are shiny cars beckoning to us from showrooms. However, when we come down to earth and compare mileage, maintenance and options along with price tag, we agree on a model that meets our needs as opposed to models that are popular.

Car buyers and college buyers should really look at price tags early in the decision process. When college buyers don't do that, they take the risk that they will mislead their teen and have them fall in love with the shiniest and most expensive college rather than the one that fits them best.

Getting into college is hard. Scamming your way into college is harder...and you can pull hard time for doing it. The amount of money and effort put out by parents caught up in the recent admissions scam is staggering. What I have trouble understanding is why they did it. Did an admission decision mean so much to their self esteem they were willing to pay any amount to achieve that end? Were they planning on having someone attend classes and take exams for their kids too? Did they realize they were stealing an admission decision from another more deserving student?

You'd think the answer to the start date for college prep would be "around grade 11", however a better and more accurate answer is Pre-K. The reason is that today's college admission teams look at more than GPA and test scores.

Think about how early young children actually learn values and skills. Those values and skills learned in elementary and middle school are central to high school success. Students who work well with others, volunteer, step up to lead, who are assertive and also good followers, tend to look better on college applications later.

Few processes rival the length of the college process. It begins in grade 8 with credits that count toward high school GPA, continues in grade 10 and 11 with PSAT and concludes in grades 11 and 12 with the application and enrollment process. The executive skills used in the application process will be needed the entire time students are in college.

Done right, the college process can be full of positive surprises including scholarships, internships, amazing personal and professional growth and a wonderful career.