A short poem about the millennial college experience. College seems like a given Through tournaments and mom’s taxi service driving here and there Research papers that almost were not Finished only in the minutes before the school day began Yet, endured for the promise of one day Over yonder, a good job and a move away The…
Tag: Private universities
“College Admissions Speculation”: Let the Comparisons Begin
Every Senior and his/her parents want to know, “Which college is going to accept me and which college is going to deny me?”—for although, the Senior and their parents, say out loud that college is about getting a good job, moving away from home etc, a college acceptance or denial also can feel—internally—like a validation…
Transfer Admissions from a California Community College: Bargain or Cost?
Several changes to California Community College policies in the current 2012-13 school year may affect the typical transfer student who chooses community college, by extending the total number of semesters before transfer to a 4 year university. The typical transfer student is usually qualified for 4 year college admissions, yet “doesn’t know what s/he wants…
University of San Diego Supplement Essay Defined
The key to writing a competitive college essay is understanding the prompt. (Sounds simple, but in the heat of writing college essays, while still keeping up with 15 hours a week of extracurricular activities, plus going to school and completing everyday homework, clearly defining the prompt may be overlooked.) Not to worry, we’ve done half the…
College Application Deadlines Making You Want to Scream?
Surviving the college application can test the patience and self-interests and emotional stamina and gumption and understanding and willingness of parents, as much as the Senior. Sometimes, of everyone in the family all at once. As a result, parents may find themselves thinking up choice names for Senior teachers over the past month and into December, as…
Things NOT to Say to (Or Do And Expect From) A High School Senior During the Holiday Break
Many seniors are in the midst of applying to college. What that may mean to an outsider is an opportunity to enter into a conversation, small talk or a polite (i.e. socially acceptable) inquiry; however, “So where are you applying to college?” may unwittingly trigger a frustrated response or terse answer. (Seniors often tell us that they…
“Test Optional” Doesn’t Mean “Less Than”
Some colleges across the United States do not require SAT or ACT scores to be submitted as part of their applications; in college admissions speak, this is known as a “Test Optional” policy. The thinking behind the option goes: an applicant is more than a test score gained from one 3 hour and 45 minute…
Editing College Essays Can Test Your Last Nerve
To the Senior (i.e. novice college essay author), the college essay editing process–especially when the editor is a third party–can be expletive provoking, feeling like a nit-picking critique of a final product spawned from a laborious drafting process, which can cause tension (or exacerbate it), and get on Senior’s last nerve. Seemingly “together” seniors…
The Deceptive (And Dreaded) Word Count
“I’m 225 words over the count”, “I can’t get all my ideas into the essay, because of the word count” and “You keep asking me to expand my thoughts! What about the word count?!?” are typical concerns we hear from students. Parents’ are equally attentive to the word count; often, their first question about…
Beware of the Pitfalls Inherent in Online College Applications
Online applications appear simple. Just create an account. Login. Sit down and fill in all the needed information at one time. Click submit. Done. Nope. Each online application has its own technical quirks, and of course 8 point font sized directions, that only the rare teenager will take the time to read. So, if you…
College Applications: Beware of Hidden Obstacles
Stress and seniors. For us, at this time of year, the two words are synonymous. Senior teachers are marching forward with their curriculum and homework assignments, seemingly without regard for the time, effort and mental space required to focus on college applications, especially essays. Seniors, in their typical teenage wisdom, are continuing to attend EVERY…
Defining Claremont McKenna: Understanding the Supplement Essay Prompt
The Supplement questions of the Common Application are not only another opportunity for applicants to state WHY s/he is a strong candidate for admissions to ________ university, they reveal more about the college’s values and academic environment the student may join, eventually. As previously stated in earlier posts, competitive essays start with a thorough…
The Inside Scoop about the University of California Essay Prompt #1
126,000 single applications received by the University of California (UC) system for Fall 2012 Freshman admissions. That means at least 252,000 essays were written and included within those applications. (Mind you: These numbers are only for unduplicated applications, and DO NOT include that each application may have ben considered by multiple UC campuses.) …
Applying to College is Simple, NOT.
If submitting college applications and writing college essays were simply–1. fill in the boxes with name, address, phone number; 2. write a short description of one’s experience in an essay format; 3. click the submit button–I wouldn’t have a job. Here’s a few tips for working with the pressures of applying to college:
English Teachers & The College Essay
At this point in the school year, many senior English teachers assign the college essay as a class assignment to be completed for a grade. While this may seemingly “kill two birds with one stone”, relieving parents concerns about their student’s seeming procrastination to start writing the essay and student’s thinking that “once and for…