Thank you to education writer and guest columnist Martha Collins of Admit Fit College Admissions Counseling for the following post:

A logical first step when you begin the college application process is to understand the primary factors college admission officials consider when evaluating you for acceptance. These include:

• High school transcript
• Guidance recommendation
• Teacher recommendation(s)
• Application for admission
  -including extracurricular activities
  -including essays
• Standardized tests

Transcript

Your high school transcript is a report of the classes you’ve taken and the grades you’ve earned since freshman year. Admissions officers will review your transcript through the middle of senior year when evaluating you for acceptance.

Pick your classes carefully and challenge yourself—appropriately. Don’t ‘skate by’ in easy classes when you are capable of more, but don’t overload yourself with too many challenging classes or AP courses and set yourself up for possible failure.

Admissions officers understand that some students have a period of adjustment when they enter high school. They look for a general improvement in grades over time. Likewise, if you had a quarter or two where your grades suffered, it is not a catastrophe. Admissions officers appreciate seeing that you are able to recover from such a setback. Realize that hardly anyone has a ‘perfect’ transcript. Instead, focus on performing well and at a high level in the subjects that you particularly enjoy.

Recommendations

Your guidance counselor will be writing a recommendation that will become a part of your application. Many guidance counselors provide their students, or even a student’s family, with a form to complete that provides enough detail to help them write a tailored recommendation. If this is the case for your school, make sure to take the time to provide thoughtful responses.

Consider finding time to meet with your guidance counselor one-on-one. Counselors offer a wealth of experience and have advice to share, but often must juggle competing priorities along with providing academic and social support for a large student caseload. Schedule an in-person meeting so your counselor can get to better know you, your interests, and college aspirations.

You will need to request two recommendations from teachers. Consider teachers that you have developed a warm relationship with and who teach subjects which are of particular interest to you, particularly as you look ahead to what you might want to study in college. If you are interested in engineering or a STEM field, make sure that one of these recommendations is from a STEM teacher.

You may find your favorite teacher is also popular with your peers, but will only be able to write a limited number of recommendations. If this is the case, the early bird gets the worm. You should request teacher recommendations well before the end of junior year.

Consider providing a resume or an email with additional background information about you to the teacher who has agreed to write a recommendation for you. For example, your biology teacher knows you by your participation in class and your coursework, but may not know about your outside interest or what you hope to study in college. Sharing this information may help your teacher write a more targeted recommendation.

Extracurricular activities

College applications such as the CommonApp or the Coalition for College application offer space for you to list up to ten extracurricular activities with short descriptions. Extracurriculars fall into a myriad of categories, such as scholastic or club sports, afterschool clubs, summer or part-time jobs, community service work, tutoring peers, and more. How you rank these within the application is entirely up to you. A few guidelines to consider:

– List activities in order of their importance to you, the leadership you achieved, or your time invested. For example, if you are a student government vice president, you might want to order that ahead of casual participation in a sport at the junior varsity level.

-List activities in order of geographic reach, from international, national, regional, state, local, and finally in-school. For example, if you competed in a robotics competition at the regional level in addition to at the local level, you might want to rank this activity ahead of others.

-If you participated in a varsity or club sport or a performing arts ensemble that required a tryout or auditioned selection, make sure to mention this, as well any accolades the group achieved while you were a participant. For example, if you were a starting varsity member of the soccer team that placed second in the state championships, include this detail.

-Use action verbs, and give yourself credit for the responsibility that you held. Be descriptive within the allowed character count. For example, instead of saying, “My job as a life guard including watching swimmers,” you might describe this instead as, “Ensured safety of swimmers, explained and enforced water and pool area safety rules. Successfully administered first aid for minor injuries.”

-Don’t repeat content that you may have already included in the Education Honors section of the application, unless you feel compelled to share more detail. For example, if you are a member of the National Honor Society and also were elected as an officer, you may want to elaborate on this.

Essays

I’ve offered advice in earlier posts on how to tell a compelling story that shows, rather than tells, something about you in the personal statement or ‘main’ college application essay. Many colleges require additional or supplemental essays. If you are applying to multiple schools, you may find it helpful to review the prompts for all your supplemental essays before you start to write because you may see some similarities in the prompts that will allow you to re-use some content. But be careful to avoid re- treading some of the content you’ve already shared in your personal statement. Instead, use supplemental essays as an opportunity to highlight additional interests or experiences.

Standardized tests

The College Board recently eliminated the essay component of the SAT and also eliminated SAT subject tests. Nearly every college acknowledged the unique difficulties high school students faced in 2019-2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic by going “test optional.“ Unfortunately, for some schools, this was a temporary, one to three-year exception. However, if standardized testing is not your strong suit, take comfort in the fact that admissions officers lean more heavily on your transcript as a predictor of your ability to succeed in college than standardized test scores, and more than 1,300 colleges are test-optional. On the other hand, if you typically perform well on standardized tests, a strong ACT or SAT score may bolster your attractiveness as an applicant.

If you are taking an AP course, make sure to register for the AP exam before the March registration deadline. Note that your school’s registration deadline may be earlier. You can often take an AP exam even if the course is not offered at your high school. You may need to do the legwork to find a school nearby that offers the exam, but this might be worth the effort if you are a strong performer in the subject.

Some universities offer college credit for strong AP scores (3-5, depending on the school), and many use AP scores as criteria to exempt you from required introductory coursework. The cost of taking an AP exam is $95, while the cost of a typical credit college course may be $1,500 or more.

Note however, that many universities limit the number of course credits that you can claim through AP exams. Some state universities may accept as many as 32 credits, while highly competitive universities may accept none. If you are an academic performer and cost-conscious, you may be able to graduate in 3 or 3.5 years, instead of 4, representing a meaningful savings on tuition, room, and board.

MORE:

All about college decisions—and how to deal with them

Avoiding common college admissions essay errors

College admissions during pandemic, Part 1 & Part 2

Thank you to education writer and guest columnist Martha Collins of Admit Fit College Admissions Counseling for the following post:

Between mid and late December, high school seniors who applied Early Decision or Early Action to a college or colleges will receive admission decisions. The decision notifications are typically delivered via a university’s online portal, email, or even a snail mail letter. For some teens, the news will bring shouts of elation, for others, disappointment, and for others, questions.

There are three possible outcomes for an early application: acceptance, rejection, or deferral.

If you applied Early Decision and are accepted, your college application experience is largely complete, other than submitting a deposit. Because Early Decision is binding, unless there are financial circumstances, you should withdraw any pending applications to other schools. This opens up possible admissions slots for someone else, maybe even a classmate.

If you applied Early Action, an acceptance means you are admitted to the school, and since the admissions decision is  non-binding, you are free to consider whether they are excited to attend the university that accepted them, or whether you want to expand your options by applying to additional schools before the regular decision deadlines. In either case, students typically have until May 1 to accept admission and submit a deposit.

What if you’re rejected

If you receive a rejection, this may be the first time in your life this has happened to you—and it hurts. You are not alone. Because nearly all students apply to multiple schools and are rarely admitted to all, rejection is an unfortunate part of the admissions process for most. Each year, colleges receive tens of thousands of applications, and admission officers frequently comment that there are many more qualified applicants than they could possibly admit due to class size constraints. Note that if you are rejected by a college via either Early Action or Early Decision, you may not reapply to the same school during Regular Decision.

It is perfectly natural to need a few days to come to terms with the rejection, but be confident that once you apply to a few more
suitable fit schools before the Regular Decision deadlines, you too will have an acceptance in hand by early April.

If you are deferred, you have not been rejected. The university’s admission team considers you a strong candidate, but would
like to evaluate your application alongside others in the regular decision pool. While the number of applicants in the Regular Decision pool is greater than in the early round, the regular decision pool is typically not quite as strong as the early applicant pool.

Some universities that defer students ask for confirmation that you are still interested in being considered in the regular decision pool. You may be asked to do so by a specific deadline via the school’s online portal or an online form. Some schools may also provide a specific deadline and process for submitting any updates you’d like to include to bolster your application, such as a transcript of final grades for the fall semester, or an update on your accomplishments or extracurricular activities. When in doubt, contact the university’s admission representative for your high school directly.

The voices of experience

In closing, consider these comments from recent high school graduates/current college students:

“The news will come when it comes. Try to set a limit for yourself, and only check the online portal once a day, so you are not checking it obsessively.”

“Relax—thinking about it won’t change anything. It’s important to know that your admission decision is not an indicator of your worth. Self-worth comes from you.”

“You and your friends may hear from schools, even the same school, at different times. Just because you have not heard yet does not mean that you have been rejected.”

“You’ve done what you can. Hope for the best, but prepare for any outcome.”

“If you got in, don’t gloat. Be sensitive to others.”

“Parents, don’t be more upset than your kid is. He or she should not be consoling you because they did not get in. Give them space.”

Thank you to education writer and guest columnist Martha Collins of Admit Fit College Admissions Counseling for the following post:

Crafting the personal essay, aka the ‘main’ college admissions essay, is easier than you think. At its most fundamental, the personal essay is simply a storytelling exercise that demonstrates your ability to write. It should reveal a bit about what makes you tick—your passions, your point of view, your motivations, or an anecdote that demonstrates personal growth.

Ideally, you will paint a picture with your words. That picture will enable the admissions reader to understand the kind of person you are, and, as a result, imagine you as an admitted freshman on their college campus.

Avoid reciting information that is already included in your application, such as your transcript or extracurricular activities. Instead, tell the admissions reader something he or she might not know about you by reading through ‘just the facts.’ For example, you may have included your summer job as a lifeguard in the Activities section of the CommonApp. But the admissions reader might learn more about you if you share the story of the 80-year old former Olympian you carefully watched swim each morning, and the enduring friendship you developed through daily poolside chats.

Keeping it real

You be you. It is easy to overwork the personal essay by stuffing in too many adjectives that you might not normally use in everyday speech, or by using cumbersome sentence structure. Your essay topic might not be unique, but your voice as a writer is, so don’t lose it in the editing process. Use an active voice. Write it as you would tell it to a classmate.

On that note, try reading your essay aloud to yourself or to a trusted friend. This will help you understand how the flow of your ideas is digested by the reader. If you find your meaning getting lost in the reading, consider shortening your sentences by dropping in a few periods. If your read-aloud audience doesn’t ‘get’ what you are trying to say, revise.

Wasted words

Avoid repeating the essay question in the essay itself. This does little to engage the reader and uses up your precious 650-word count limit. Don’t tell the reader what you are going to tell them—just tell them. For example, if your essay begins with something like, “When asked … I would have to say that …” there is a high probability some of this introductory content can be eliminated.

Avoid using words that do not add much value, like ‘really,’ ‘very,’ or ‘interesting.’ Proceed with caution when using superlatives. Make sure your essay fully answers the essay prompt, and confirm that your essay is not so generic that it could have been written by just about anybody. Be specific with details that are true to you and which will show, not tell, the reader why you are a perfect fit.

In conclusion…

Ask a counselor or teacher to read through your first draft and provide suggestions. Alternatively, give yourself a break. Write your first draft and purposefully avoid returning to the essay for a week or two. At that point, do a read-through with fresh eyes, reviewing not only for grammar, but also for story line, transitions, readability, voice, and tone.

You may find, as I often do, that your story really begins in the second paragraph, and the writing before that point can be trimmed. This is also a helpful approach if you are struggling with a conclusion. So give yourself a break  and come back with your mind recharged. You may find you have a fresh perspective that will enable you to get to the finish line.

Martha Collins is president of Admit Fit College Admissions Counseling.

The college admissions essay. Just the mention of it is enough to create a pit in the stomach of any rising senior. And by senior year, although most teens have gained plenty of experience writing essays on assigned topics, this may be the first time they find themselves writing a personal story. And it can be uncomfortable.

I use the word “story,” rather than “essay,” for a reason. The best college application essay reads much more like a short, compelling first-person narrative then a dry recounting of adolescent accomplishments.

It’s all about YOU

What are the experiences you love to laugh about with friends? What are the stories your family members relish telling about you? What are the first three words that come to mind when people describe you? What are you “into”? Use examples from your life that demonstrate what you’re all about.

These are the topics that result in a college admissions essay that demonstrates your ability to write, tells the admissions reader more about who you are and what makes you tick, and conveys this information in a way that is genuine to you. (BTW, that is pretty much all the essay needs to accomplish.)

Unfortunately, most teens (and their well-meaning parents) place far too much emphasis on the college admissions essay. This can be utterly paralyzing. Instead, keep it simple. The essay is a 650-word story that tells a tale about you. It’s not the memoir of your life up until age 17.

Do not feel the need to recount your high school honors and accomplishments, since those will be listed elsewhere in the application. Do be true to who you are, or as one student I’ve worked with put it, “Don’t overthink it. No words will be the perfect words. As long as the writing is yours, your personality will shine through, especially if you choose to write about something that you’re passionate about.”

Freedom of speech

Ready to dip a toe in the water, or still need a little push? Scan the Common App or Coalition App essay prompts. Both include a prompt that gives you the freedom to write about a topic of your choice.

Still seeking inspiration? Ask a few friends or family members to describe three qualities about you, including anecdotes of when they think you demonstrated those attributes. Or instead, write about an object from your life and its special meaning to you.

Alternatively, give yourself a ten-day, ten-topics assignment. The rules: nothing is out of bounds, the topics must be different, and you must resist self-editing. Take a look after ten days and see if something speaks to you.

Or pretend for a moment that you’re a seminar day speaker, or that you’re leading a teen TED Talk, or even that you’re a stand-up comedian doing your bit on stage. What story would you tell, and how would you tell it?

Write as you would speak, and be descriptive. Be in the moment: show or demonstrate, rather than describing as an observer. Consider the reader, and how they are “hearing” your story.  Free-write your first draft — no editing.

Only then consider the conclusion. Summarize your story and the personal qualities you want to highlight. Land on how you’ve changed, the insight you gained, how this experience has shaped you as a person, or even how this experience has inspired you to contribute to your future alma mater.

Next up in Wellesley Education Spotlight: avoiding common essay errors.

Martha Collins is president of Admit Fit College Admissions Counseling.

Thank you to guest columnist Martha Collins of Admit Fit College Admissions Counseling for the following post:

As if applying to college wasn’t challenging enough, the novel coronavirus has called for a few changes to the college application and admissions process. In this post, I review changes to the senior college admissions experience. In my next post, I will review changes to college application process for juniors.

Seniors

One thing has not changed: most seniors have already received their admissions decisions. If a university delayed its admissions decision date, seniors should have received notification of this change by email or within the online student account created when they first applied.

What has changed: admitted student visits and overnights. Accepted seniors typically have the option to attend “get to know you” events along with fellow accepted students during the month of April. These events, which can help a student make a final choice of which college to attend for the next four years, have been cancelled or replaced with a virtual event at colleges across the country.

As a nod to this unique situation, a growing number of colleges, such as Emerson College, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Williams College, are extending the yes/no and deposit decision deadlines for admitted students to June 1, or even later.

The National Association of College Admissions Counselors offers a handy directory that summarizes changes to the admissions process for each school as a result of the COVID-19. Seniors should also check their admitted student portal or contact the admission department directly if they have a specific question.

Advanced Placement (AP) exams are also changing. The traditional face-to-face exams, administered by a proctor in a classroom, will not take place this year. Instead, the College Board is developing 45-minute online free-response AP exams students will take at home. The exams will focus on content which most schools completed by early March.

The full exam schedule, with two test dates options for each exam, has been announced, and you can see the AP exam schedule here. The College Board is also offering free live-streaming AP review courses. The College Board has confirmed that colleges and universities will accept AP scores from exams taken under these conditions. Any student who is registered for an AP exam that is dissatisfied with these accommodations may also cancel their test registration and receive a full refund.

University admissions offices understand that students’ high school education is being disrupted, and that final transcripts might look a bit different this year. Therefore, universities will be prepared to see final transcripts that may include different grading systems such as pass/fail or credit/no credit, or even transcripts that reflect an abbreviated school year.

The good news: many college bookstores, while not open to the public, are still fulfilling online orders, so once you’ve committed to the college of your choice, nab some swag! Wear your school colors proudly, even if your classmates may only admire your gear remotely.

Martha Collins is president of Admit Fit College Admissions Counseling.