Don't Underestimate the Value of Courtesy

In case you haven't seen the New York Times blog called "The Choice: Demystifying College Admissions & Aid," maybe you should check it out. Especially if you are applying to college (or the parent of a college applicant).

Recently an admissions officer from Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, wrote a blog entry in The Choice about what colleges really want to see on your high school transcript. It includes some solid basic advice; challenge yourself with respect to the courses you choose (don't just take easy classes to get good grades), and know that the situations of every student and every high school can be different (so what if your neighbor who went to private school didn't get in? You might be different). But the blog also includes a picture of an actual sheet that Holy Cross admissions officers use to boil down a student's transcript and high school profile into just a few facts and figures. If you don't follow any other links in this blog, at least follow this one to the student academic summary sheet.

There aren't a lot of surprises on this sheet-- but many college applicants may not expect that little box in the lower left hand corner. This box indicates all the ways that you have (or could have) made contact with the university. Did you visit campus? Did you take a tour? Did you have an interview? Did you send a thank-you note? Visiting campus may seem like a no-brainer, but how many people remember to be polite in this crazy admissions process?

You've studied hard for the SAT, spent hours on your essays, and paid those exorbitant application fees. Remember to send a quick thanks to your recommendation-writers, guidance counselors, interviewers, and anyone you may have contacted in the admissions office. After all, if they bother to include it on the one-page summary of your application, it has to count for something.

Toying around with college

Alli, longtime member of the Academic Access staff, has revealed to us a special talent... on the Etch-a-Sketch! Last week during some downtime, Alli graced the office with her unique gift:

Of course, she chose something topical for the business:

And soon enough, the project was complete.

It may not pay the bills, but Etch-a-Sketching has been a fun and fruitful hobby for Alli. It was the topic of her Common Application essay (years ago), and Alli went to her first-choice college. To those who are still in high school, you may not need a trip to Africa or a varsity letter to get into college... just a creative and open mind.

An Educational Consultant's View: Offbeat College Essays

Write a haiku, limerick, or short poem that best represents you. (NYU, 2009)

Oh please, NYU

College essays are stressful

Don't make me do this.

I came across this article on CNN.com from a Mental Floss blog entry. It mentions some of the most unusual college essay topics from different applications over the years. The author is witty in her criticism and confusion over these essay questions; I decided to offer my more serious take on these questions from my point of view as an Educational Consultant.

Most college essays revolve around "Why X college?" or "Describe an experience/person/thing that is meaningful to you." Though certainly helpful for admissions officers to get a sense of students (and helpful for students who can copy-paste the same essay into every application), these standard essay questions have become very routine for me and their outcomes often seem uninspired. These eleven topics (and many others like them), on the other hand, actually force students to think.

When discussing these essays with students here at Academic Access, we encounter thoughts and emotions that would remain untouched in most AP English essays. It is much more exciting to explore how kids think and feel when challenged with an essay of "What is college for?" or "Are we alone?". Parents may try to have these deeper conversations during drives home from school or those "alone moments" over a sashimi appetizer, but they never seem to turn into anything.

When a university forces such a topic of conversation, however, it provides an opportunity to engage with students and tackle questions more important than "What did you do last summer and why?" Obviously each university having its own unique (and un-reuseable) set of essays can be a pain for students applying to college, but is it so wrong to set aside some time to think seriously (or humorously?) about where you will be in 2050, or how you really do feel about Wednesdays?

Crack the Code of College Interviews

We're offering this workshop tomorrow night. Space is limited. Register now, before it's too late!

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Look forward to a blog filled with fun and information on the college application process.