How To – The College Admissions Essay

Essay Topic

From my knowledge and previous experience, a topic or general prompt will be usually provided. It is much more difficult for college admissions staff to compare and judge completely dissimilar essays than it is similar essays. Therefore, prompts are given to make the lives of college admissions staff easier!

If a prompt is not specific, write about something you feel comfortable and knowledgeable about. Also, think of what admissions personnel is looking for. This often includes leadership demonstration, work or volunteer experience, and/or an activity relating to your field of study. I would not recommend writing on the subject of academia, as your GPA, class rank, and test scores fill that area.

Where Do I Start?

Anywhere! The most difficult portions of essays is often the introduction and conclusion. Once you have your ideas on paper (or your screen), it is much easier to manipulate your existing ideas to form a solid, logical paper.

I often have 10 to 20 “mini” paragraphs, which I then form into larger portions and, finally, a cohesive essay.

Writing Tips

Don’t Be Boring!
1.The college admissions staff reads thousands of papers per day. Your admissions essay is not the place to be mundane and typical. Especially if you are on the border (GPA, class rank, and test score wise), your essay must be extremely effective and exciting.


2.If you can write about an emotional experience, may it be saddening, frightening, or action-packed , please do so! It will capture the readers attention and give your paper longer than the average minuet or two.


3.Convey your feelings to the reader! If you were crying tears of joy, your goal should be to have the admissions reader excited and jumping out of their chair!

Style

1.As stated in my previous post, have your own style. You have been writing for about 10 years now, and you should have a definitive, catchy style to your writing. Vary sentence structure and word choice.


2.On the note of word choice: Your essay should not be the annual gathering of large words! Don’t hear me wrong, whenever I am writing an essay, I always have thesaurus up. They are great to find the word on the tip of your tongue or just to add some variety.

*On a side note, my favorite are MSN Thesaurus and Thesaurus.com. They both offer a different variety of word choices.

3.More is not always better. Be concise and to the point. Wordiness can cause boredom and lose attention of your reader.

Follow The Prompt

1.Answer the darn question! Don’t ramble on and write an autobiography if the question is “How will ___ College help fulfill your dreams?”

Get Assistance

1.t is highly encouraged that you ask for a read over from, at minimum, your parents and siblings. Having a teacher or other mentor give their input can also be quite helpful.


2.Although I have not personally used an essay service, many applicants are using them to receive (what some argue) is an unfair advantage. Personally, I had three high school teachers and my mother read my essays. I was accepted to the University of Illinois, so I must have done something right…

*If you insist on having a professional opinion, or want that extra advantage. I have heard EssayEdge does a bang-up job. The founder, Geoffrey Cook, also wrote Yahoo’s article on admissions essays.

3.You can never have too many opinions! If you don’t agree with what someone suggests, even after an explanation, just smile, nod, and ditch their suggestion!

Don’t Panic

1.Take your time, and get ideas on paper. Like I stated earlier, it does not matter what order or way the information is lied out. Just get it on paper, and your life will become much easier!

2.Walk away from your essay and come back in a couple hours or a couple days, depending on your time constraint.


3.Don’t wait till the last minute! Get a jump start and work on your essays longer than your competition (other applicants!).

Be an AppliCAN, Not an AppliCAN’T!

*As cheesy as this sounds, I know many peers of mine didn’t apply themselves, get good grades, apply to top schools, and write solid essays. All because they where not confidant and saw themselves as appliCAN’Ts! You are reading this blog, and by doing so, you are becoming an appliCAN!

My name is Parker Jendrycki and my goal is to provide prospective students with knowledge they will use in the time leading up to, and throughout their college experience. I am currently a freshman attending the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign studying under the Division of General Studies.

Visit The College Student Blog for more practical tips and tricks relating to college admissions!

Author: Parker Jendrycki
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Extracurriculars Can Boost College Admissions Odds

“All parents are rather stressed about the college admissions process,” says Susan Macaluso, the parent of a child who graduated from NYC Lab School in 2007 and who is now a sophomore at Brown University. Indeed, the process does become more competitive every year, largely due to the fact that increasing numbers of students are applying to college, while the number of spots at colleges is not increasing. The result is that while top grades are necessary for admission to first-tier colleges, grades alone no longer guarantee admission. One must also possess high SAT or ACT scores, compelling essays and outstanding extracurriculars.

In fact, many students believe that their grade-point average is given more emphasis in the admissions process than it actually is. While most applicants to selective universities are academically qualified, there are simply not enough spots available. Accordingly, students seek to distinguish themselves through their extracurricular activities. These activities provide another set of criteria by which admissions committees make their decisions. An ability to demonstrate lasting dedication to a few meaningful extracurriculars, rather than mere membership in many, can make a significant difference. Students should aim to show a meaningful contribution to their school or community and how that participation or leadership has influenced them.

Arsean Maqami, who grew up on Washington St. in the Village, agrees. This recent graduate of NYC Lab School, on W. 17th St., will attend Swarthmore College in the fall. Maqami’s high school passion was soccer, so he ultimately chose Swarthmore over the University of Chicago, where he was accepted early action, because he preferred the soccer coach at the former. Maqami feels that students really need to promote themselves.

“College admissions is a pretty strenuous process for most people, and sports were only a little bump for me,” he says. “It’s all about why are you better than anybody else? I played soccer and a lot of people don’t do anything.”

Randy Subramany recently graduated from Xavier High School, on W. 16th St., and will be starting this fall at Columbia University. Subramany believes that in his admission, “Test scores by far were most important thing, but…demonstrating the ability to balance everything was also important. I was on cross-country and track. I was also a tutor for three years and a Big Brother, and I was in the math club and the medical science club. Colleges saw my ability to challenge myself. I didn’t just do one different activity per year. I always kept that level of challenge on my plate and never really backed down from it, while I made sure that my work didn’t slip at all.”

Subramany’s appetite for maximizing the opportunities available to him was not limited to his high school activities.

“I applied to 16 colleges, and my list was originally 10,” he says. “This was my one chance to apply to my dream schools, so I was very aggressive. I would say, ‘Don’t be scared to apply to your reach schools.’ I didn’t think I’d get into Columbia, so don’t let the statistics scare you. Believe in yourself. The only thing it’ll cost you is maybe the $60 application fee.”

While being elected to an important-sounding club position is a goal of many ambitious high school students, it is a misguided one. An explanation of why the student was involved in a club, and of the contributions that he or she made, will impress admissions committees more than simply obtaining a fancy title. At top high schools, it can be difficult to gain leadership positions in school clubs where there are many other qualified candidates.

Meanwhile, an abundance of opportunities exist in the “adult world” through community organizations, nonprofits and internships. Many students launch fundraising campaigns for worthy causes or mobilize peers to tackle a problem head on. Teachers, parents, friends and college counselors can help to plan and advise these endeavors.

Joining several clubs is a great way to learn where one’s interests lie and ascertain which groups will allow the student to accept meaningful responsibility. Yet, one should not list every club on the college application. If the student wants to write about extracurriculars, pick one that was meaningful and explain its impact. In the college essay, discuss a specific experience or activity, and concentrate on the details that draw a picture of the experience.

As Maqami puts it, “You basically have to be full of yourself in your college essay. There are so many colleges out there for you, especially if you do something with yourself. You need to accentuate what’s better about you than anybody else. Also, use spell check. There was one word I spelled wrong in my opening paragraph. I freaked out and called the college to ask if I could resend my application, but they said not to worry about it.”

Maqami was lucky in this instance, but as the admissions process becomes increasingly competitive, students in future years may not be so lucky. The application is the student’s only chance to show colleges who he or she truly is. A college essay about the student’s most fulfilling extracurricular activity will provide the admissions committee with a snapshot of his or her personality and with the lasting impression that the student is a focused, responsible and well-rounded individual who will be a valuable part of the college community.

Steve Schwartz lives in Manhattan, where he is a professional college counselor and tutor for SAT, Regents and Advanced Placement exams. He can be reached at CollegeCounselingServices@gmail.com

Author: Steve Schwartz
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Why Do I Need a College Admissions Strategy?

Picture This:

You’ve completed your college application.You breathe a sigh of relief as you click “Submit” or drop the envelope in the mail. Your application and all of your supporting materials work their way to the desk of the admissions officer at your number onechoice school. Where it is added to the stack of, depending on the school, 450, 700, 1000, maybe even 1500 or more applications.

How do you intend to stand out? How will you make yourself memorable in the average 7-9 minutes the admissions rep spends to review your application? Your message – some call it a “hook” – as part of a college admissions strategy will make the difference in getting NOTICED.Done correctly at the right schools, will get you IN and get you MONEY to help pay the bill.

Now I know you’re thinking… “my friends aren’t doing this” (they should be) or “is this really necessary?”

You can get through the college admissions process without a strategy – it’s possible. Yet, every year, you hear the stories of students who didn’t get in to a choice college. They had the GPA, the SAT scores, a laundry list of activities but they are left scratching their heads wondering why they didn’t get in. With few exceptions, the one thing that could have made the difference for a student was a strategy that helped them organize and present themselves better to the colleges.

Your College Admissions Strategy should be part of the larger, longer range plan. College is a stepping stone, not the end game. It is part of a plan to get to a particular career or a particular goal you have set for yourself. Your plan guides your actions when taking the steps of choosing colleges, creating your application strategy, and so on.The steps of the college admissions process are not a plan of action. They are simply the things you must do to complete the task.

If you’re serious about winning at the college game, you need to create a master plan that will guide your actions.Your plan will ensure you have a purpose behind the steps you must take to complete the college admissions and financial aid process. Your admissions strategy, as a piece of this plan, will help you put your best foot forward with the colleges.

So, yes, you could choose not to do this and realize your mistake if you don’t get in or you miss out on a scholarship – but, there will be nothing you can do about it at that point. You’ll just be one of the students saying “But I thought I would get in…”

Jeanmarie Keller, Admissions and Financial Aid Strategist who has advised hundreds of students and their families on how to develop their strategies to get NOTICED, get IN and get MONEY to help pay the college bill.

She publishes the award-winning, weekly newsletter, ‘The College Oracle’. If you’re ready to jump-start your college search, get money to help pay the bill, and have more fun while planning your future success, visit her on the web at http://www.jeankeller.com

Author: Jeanmarie Keller
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Top Ten College Admissions Myths – Exposed

There are several college admissions myths which should be exposed before you apply. These myths often scare certain students from applying to the best schools. Never limit yourself from applying to top colleges because you believe these things:

(10) Applicants are pre-screened.

Whether using the common application or a school-specific application, college admission offices have enough staff members to read your entire application. After all, you pay an application fee for a reason and colleges want to make sure you get your fair chance. However, if your application is incomplete or missing crucial components (essays, transcripts, or supplements) this might explain why it is rejected, or pre-screened out, before it reaches the full committee.

(9) You must choose your major and stick to it.

When you apply to college, admissions officers know your major is bound to change. In fact, many admissions offices have reported that the majority of their students change their major by the end of their freshman year. Don’t worry about choosing your major. Pick a department or major where you have a genuine interest, and be open-minded to changing it once you’re enrolled.

(8) You must apply early decision or early action.

Yes, applying early decision or early action shows a student is committed to a particular college. But you do not have to apply early to be accepted, even to top colleges. In fact, if you’re deferred in the early decision or early application round, your application goes right back into the regular pool and will be re-evaluated again.

(7) Colleges have a certain profile of the “perfect” student.

While colleges strive to admit students who will fit into their college, there’s simply no way for a college to predict whether a student will be happy or whether they will actually succeed at their college. This is why colleges don’t set a particular admissions profile for the “perfect” student.

(6) Ivy League schools don’t give scholarships.

Although Ivy League schools say they only allocate “need-based” scholarships, there’s no doubt that certain schools issue other grants and fellowships based on other criteria. If you’re a top athlete, recruit or a national merit scholar, an Ivy League school will go out of its way to make sure you can afford their school.

(5) International students don’t receive scholarships or loans.

More colleges are looking to diversify their student body with international students; major banks and financial institutions offer the same financial opportunities for international students as they do American applicants. Scholarships and fellowships are available for international students.

(4) You should pad your resume with extracurricular activities.

Every admissions officer is a human being. Imagine that. Applications aren’t accepted or rejected by a computer. So when filling out this section of the common app, know that admissions offices can (and do) spot superfluous extracurricular activities. Further, they can certainly tell whether you added an extracurricular because you have a genuine interest or because it “looks good” on your resume.

(3) Recommendations don’t matter.

Great recommendations are vital. You cannot expect to be admitted simply with high scores and great grades. If an admissions officer sees a perfunctory or suspicious recommendation, it will set off a red flag. Bottom line: choose the recommender who knows you best and make sure they know where you’re applying and what your qualifications are.

(2) There’s a GPA Cut-Off.

Colleges generally don’t have a GPA cut-off. The reason admissions offices don’t have a GPA “cut-off” is because students come from all sorts of different high schools with varying curriculums and grade structures. Some students attend public schools, others private schools where the GPA ranges could be wider or narrower. Further, there has been much discussion about grade inflation, and colleges do know what particular high schools tend to have higher GPAs than others. Whether this is so-called grade inflation or not, the schools have an idea of what schools have a more competitive curriculum, including more AP, IB and honors courses. Be aware of your GPA and explain discrepancies in your transcript.

(1) There’s always an SAT/ACT Cut-Off.

Some state colleges do have a cut-off for SAT/ACT scores. But the majority of American Universities do not. So keep working on your test scores but don’t fear the mythical cut-off.

If your SAT scores or ACT scores aren’t as high as you’d like them to be, you can improve your score with test prep and admissions counseling.

Hope these admissions myths were answered.

Ross Blankenship is an admissions consultant and admissions counselor. He is also an author and co-founder of Miro Advantage and http://www.TopTestPrep.com, which help with test prep and admissions for students and parents in the admissions process.

Author: Ross Blankenship
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College Admissions Chances

Once you’ve handed in your college applications, you are probably pretty nervous about getting into college. Although you’ve finished your college application, included your high school transcripts, your SAT and ACT scores and your college essay, you are now probably wondering how does the admissions committee choose a college applicant to actually be an admitted student? How do they wade through all this information and come to a decision regarding your college admissions? What matters most and what gets glossed over? We are going to give you more of an inside look into the admissions decision process so that you know what will allow you to find the right college for you.

Transcripts: Your high school transcript is often the most important component of your college application. Your class work load and grades reveal what type of student you are and offer a glimpse into how you would work at their university. However, admissions officers are trained to know the discrepancies among different schools and class schedules. For example, at some schools, it’s easier to land an A than others. They also look at what types of courses you fulfilled. If you took honors classes, advanced placement or international baccalaureate classes, admissions officers will take this workload into account when reviewing your GPA.

Test Scores: SAT and ACTs are being de-emphasized in many colleges, but these standardized tests do help the admissions officers compare students from different high schools across the nation. Most schools have a range that the majority of students fall under when determining acceptance, but a low test score generally won’t break all chances of getting into college.

Admissions Essay: The college essay is a way to make you pop off the page. Now, instead of being a series of numbers and grades, you become an individual, unique person. This is therefore an increasingly important factor in the college admissions decision process. We suggest telling an anecdote about your life or your personality and describing how you have learned and grown from that experience.

Letters of Recommendation: A really good letter of recommendation can really make a difference, but colleges don’t really penalize students when the letter is not written well or only offers superficial information. Here’s some of the stuff that admission officers are looking for when choosing a college candidate:

• Comparisons to others in the class; to those whom the teacher or counselor has worked with in past years; or with students who have enrolled at the college in question.
• Information about grading and/or competition.
• Illustrative examples or anecdotes
• Personal information
• Other personal traits or study habits (e.g., maturity, response to criticism, acceptance by peers, timely completion of assignments, willingness to go beyond what is expected, participation in class discussions)

The law entitles students to see completed recommendations. However, reference forms include a clause that most students sign to waive this right. This enables counselors and teachers to be candid, which is what admission officials prefer. Recommendations normally do become part of a student’s permanent file.

Extracurricular Activities: Extracurricular activities are important to show that you are an involved student. But with so many high school students doing so much and with so many programs and organizations, teams and clubs and causes, it’s hard to predict what admissions officers will favor. They are really looking for what the activities teach you-qualities like commitment, accomplishment, initiative and leadership and well-roundedness.

Here are some areas they look at:

• How much time does this student devote to an activity? How significant is the contribution? Admission professionals often favor depth over breadth.
• Evidence of leadership is a key factor that can tip the scales in your favor. There’s a difference between the student who joined the Geography Club and the one who founded it.
• Some balance is best. The student who participates in the Science Club, the Drama Club, and is also on the tennis team usually stands out more than the one who only chooses athletics as extras. Similarly, a balance of school related activities (clubs, teams, choirs, etc.) and those which take place elsewhere (volunteering, scouting, church groups, community theater, etc.) shows your horizon exists beyond the schoolyard.
• Volunteering is very important, and the key here is real hands on involvement. Admission people are usually able to differentiate between the candidate who spends every Saturday tutoring and one who volunteered a couple of times so they can add it to their application.
• A few collegiate candidates will up their stock in admission officers’ eyes by being extraordinarily talented in some area or with a truly off-the-wall interest or experience.

So now you know what happens behind the closed doors of the admissions decision. Still, with so many factors go into college admissions decisions that the results can sometimes seem unpredictable and off-the-mark. But don’t try to be someone you’re http://www.campuscompare.com not-it’s all about being yourself, and that’s what’s going to really make you stand out in your college application.

CampusCompare facilitates the college search and selection process by providing free information, student college reviews, and interactive media, connecting students to over 3000 colleges. Its helpful tools include the “What Are My Chances” tool and the Financial Aid Calculator to help students in the “Match me” with a college” process.

Author: Maxine Grossman
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