Applying To College

College Essay Writing and Interview Skills


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College Visits: Great Prep for College Application Essays

Planning to visit colleges during spring break? You’re not alone. March is the time many high school juniors (and some sophomores) start their college tours.

On these visits you’ll be looking for answers to questions like “Is this school for me?” and “Will I be happy here?” But let me give you another question to ask yourself: “What can I learn from this visit that will help me write a great college application essay?”

 

Here are 3 ways to make college visits work for your college application essays:

1. Make contacts

Making contacts is great for two reasons: 1. You can learn a lot from the people you talk to, and 2. You can get in touch later if you have more questions.

There are several ways to make contacts:

  • Schedule an interview for the day you’re on campus. If the school doesn’t offer interviews see if you can get an interview with a professor in a field of study that interests you. Get your contact’s name (correctly spelled) and email, and send him or her a thank-you. That way if you have more questions you can follow up knowing you’ve already made a good impression.
  • Are you an athlete? See if you can meet a coach or a student athlete. Same goes for the thank-you note.
  • Chat with your tour guide when you go on the tour. At the end ask for his or her name and email and ask if you can write if you have more questions.

2. Notice details

Details are important in college application essays. They make your essays personal and separate you from students writing essays so generic that 1,000 others could have written the same one.

When you visit each college notice what makes an impression on you. It can be anything from how you feel walking on campus to the kind of students you meet. The details don’t matter, as long as they matter to you.  Do you see a dorm you might want to live in? Find out its name. Is your tour guide a member of the student council and you think you’d like to join? Ask what her experiences have been.

The more details you collect now the more information you’ll have for your essay later.

3. Write it down:

Take a pad with you and write it down. Let me say it again: write it down. At the end of the day your note pad should have the names and emails of your contacts, and a detailed list of what you saw and liked, and why.

Why go through the trouble? Let me give you an example: A student of mine had to write a short essay about why he wanted to go to college X.  In his first draft he wrote that he went on the tour and liked the campus and dorms. It was too generic, so I asked him to find an alum or someone on campus he could talk to. He surprised me by saying that he’d hit it off with his campus tour guide and had gotten his email. So he emailed him with some questions about campus life and extra-curricular activities, and asked him more about the dorm he’d liked.  When he re-wrote his essay it was full of detail. He also made sure to mention he had corresponded with his tour guide — an impressive fact that was not going be lost on the school.

Prep for your college application essays. Use your college visits as opportunities to make contacts and gather details. The end result will be essays that are detailed, personal, and well worth the effort.


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Interviews with College Admissions Counselors: Ithaca College

Welcome to an Ongoing Series on College Admissions.

Updated June 21, 2012

If you’re starting the college admissions process you’ve probably discovered that it’s not always easy to find answers to your college admissions questions. That’s why I created a place where you can hear directly from college admission counselors about applying to college, college interviews, college application essay writing, and financial aid.

I developed these questions with help from families who’ve recently been through the college admissions process. Because each school answers the same questions you’ll be able to compare information with other schools.

I hope this will be an excellent resource for anyone looking for college admissions information. Who knows? You might even find yourself considering options you hadn’t thought of before.

With the introduction out of the way, let’s find out about Ithaca College.

Ithaca College, founded in 1892, located in Ithaca, New York, is a private, coeducational college offering undergraduate and graduate programs in business, communications, health sciences and human performance, humanities and sciences, music, and interdisciplinary studies. U.S News and World Report ranks the school #11 of regional universities (north).

As of Fall 2010 Ithaca College had 6,442 undergraduates and 6,949 total students.

Admissions statistics: Class of 2014

Number of applicants (freshmen): 13,191
Number of admitted students (freshmen): 9,096
Number enrolled fall 2010 (first-time, full-time freshmen): 1,617
Average SAT score: 1726
2012 – 2013 Undergraduate Cost of Attendance:  Tuition and Fees $37,000; Room $7,200;  Board $6,200; Optional Health and Accident Insurance $1,110

ADMISSIONS QUESTIONS

Ithaca College Director of Admission, Gerard Turbide, answered the following questions for us:

Applying

Q: What percentage of applicants does Ithaca College admit?

A: Typically we offer admission to two-thirds of our applicants.

Q: Does applying early decision/action improve a student’s chances for admission?

A: Ithaca College is a selective institution, and as a result, we cannot offer admission to all qualified students.  We also want to admit students who are excited about Ithaca College, will contribute positively to our community, and are willing to make that commitment early.  The accelerated time line allows us to admit all qualified candidates who apply through Early Decision, and our most interested applicants know much earlier.  It’s a win-win.

Starting fall 2012, Ithaca College will offer the option to apply by December 1 under a non-binding Early Action deadline to receive an admissions decision by February 1.

Q:  How important are extracurricular activities in admissions decisions?

A: Students who do well at Ithaca College are usually individuals who want to be actively engaged in their education.  A student’s participation in extracurricular activities is one indication of that quality.  Each year, more than 700 prospective students apply for Ithaca College’s Leadership Scholarship, and each candidate’s activities in their community are carefully considered for this competitive award.

Q: How important is taking advanced, accelerated, or honors courses?

A: In our selection process, we are very focused on the extent to which an applicant has challenged him- or herself academically.  We assess each applicant’s strength of curriculum in light of the offerings available at that high school.

Q: Which teachers should write a college recommendation?

A: Selecting recommenders is a personal decision.  I would encourage students to seek teachers who know them well, and can write in detail about their relative strengths in the classroom.

Q: Do you look for what is not said in a college recommendation?

A: I would not say that we speculate on omissions in letters of recommendation.  I would say that, in cases where there are inconsistencies in a student’s academic record, it is helpful when the guidance counselor addresses that issue.

Q: Is the quality of an applicant’s high school taken into consideration?

A: We take into account the context of the student’s learning environment.

Q: What is the relative importance of grades versus board scores?

A: Our research has shown that grades – specifically, a student’s grade-point average in academic course work – is a much better predictor of success at Ithaca College.

Q: There’s been controversy about using tests like the SAT and ACT in the college admissions process. Where does your school stand?

A: Starting fall 2012 applicants will  have the option of not submitting SAT or ACT scores. 

Interviewing

Q: Does your school offer interviews with college admissions counselors? If not, why?

A: Yes we do. We believe it’s important for any student considering Ithaca College to visit our campus. We offer individual appointments with counselors, small group information sessions, and open house programs in which our campus community happily greets our visitors to provide an inside look at Ithaca College.

Q: Should a student discuss or explain a poor grade or marking period(s)? If so, when?

A: If there is something significant that impacted a student’s academic performance (e.g., illness, injury, family hardships, etc.), the student can share that information within the application.

Essay Writing

Q: What qualities do you look for in a well-written college application essay?

A: We want to hear the student’s voice, and learn something about that student. This is a key opportunity for an applicant to create a distinct impression. Careful attention to grammar, proof reading, and spell checking are all important.

Q: Is there a type of college application essay you would recommend against?

A: I would recommend against statements that would cast doubt on the student’s ability to contribute positively to our campus community.  Of course, each student’s essay should be their own work.

Q: Can a college application essay make or break an admission?

A: In some cases, an essay can make the difference one way or the other.  A sincerely written essay that provides insight into a student’s character can help counterbalance an academic concern, especially when recommendations support that student’s potential to meet challenges head-on.

Q: Where do you stand on the 500 word limit on the Common Application’s personal statement? Can a student go over the Common Application’s 500 word limit?

A: I would advise students to start by writing a first draft without thinking about length.  Choose a topic you care about, and write with your own “voice”.  Once you have your ideas assembled, you can refine and edit.  For each applicant, I’m interested in reading a compelling statement that effectively conveys something about that student.  I’ve never counted the words used.

Financial Aid

Q: How has the recession affected the admissions process and the availability of financial aid?

A: Every year, families express increased interest in financial aid, and most must weigh the cost of attendance as part of their decision-making.  Last year Ithaca College made available over $165 million in grants and loans. We view an Ithaca College education as an investment made in partnership with our students and their families.  And we believe that the rewards of that education will be well worth it. (editor’s note: Ithaca College lists tuition, fees, room and board at $45,944. The most recent stats show 1,497 out of 2,027 full-time freshmen were offered aid. The average financial aid package was $29,600.)

Finally…

Q: What part of the college admissions process is most misunderstood?

A: I think many people believe that standardized tests play a much larger role than they do.  They can be a helpful piece of information, but nothing tells us more than a student’s academic record reflecting their course work.

Q: How can people connect with your school and your students?

A: We have a well-developed presence on the web, including a specific social networking site for applicants.  The best way to connect with Ithaca College, our students, and our faculty, is to visit campus.  We offer several open house programs in the fall, tours and information sessions throughout the summer, and we have an open house for high school juniors on Saturday, April 30th.

Our social networking site for applicants is IC Peers — it’s part of our myIthaca portal. We encourage any student considering Ithaca College to register at my.ithaca.edu. There are interesting articles that can help with the college search process, and as you progress with your application to Ithaca College, you can keep track of your status, register for one of our open house programs, and meet other interested students online.

Q: Please add a question specific to your school.
Question:  Is it important to pick a major now?

A: Ithaca College offers over 100 degree programs in the humanities and sciences, business, communications, the health sciences, and music.  Our Exploratory Program is a great option if –like most students — you’re not yet sure what you want to study.  Whatever your plans are for the future, we most likely have the program of study that will prepare you for the challenges ahead.

To Contact Ithaca College:

http://www.ithaca.edu

Office of Admission
953 Danby Road
admission@ithaca.edu
(607) 274-3124 |  (800) 429-4274

other posts in this series:

Housatonic Community College
Quinnipiac University
 Sacred Heart University
University of Bridgeport
University of Connecticut

related links:
Will More Prominent Colleges Abandon the SAT?

Sharon Epstein, FIrst Impressions College Consulting..Sharon Epstein is owner of First Impressions College Consulting
Need help? I work with students everywhere: in-person, over the phone, and by computer. Visit my website for more info.
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College Admissions: Competitors to the Common App

Got applications? Maybe you’ll be using the Common Application. Then again, maybe not.

A recent article in the New York Times, entitled “More Than One Way to Apply to College,” discussed competitors to the Common Application, including the Universal College Application, the Common Black College Application, and a portal called Xap. Here’s some information you should know:

COMMON APPLICATION
www.commonapp.org

The Common Application is the granddaddy of the one-stop application, allowing students to apply to multiple schools with one form. Currently, the Common App has 414 member schools. But the requirements it makes of its members, including requiring a college application essay, have excluded many institutions from joining. Public schools are especially under-represented.

UNIVERSAL COLLEGE APPLICATION
www.universalcollegeapp.com

Universal doesn’t ask its schools to require a college application essay. In fact, if you’re applying to one that doesn’t, you won’t see that requirement pop up in your application. For schools that do require a college application essay, Universal suggests a maximum of 500 words. That’s much different from the minimum 250 required by the Common App, which often means essays go far beyond 500 words.

The Universal College Application is accepted by over 80 colleges. The hope is that as this number grows, schools will gain access to a broader range of students who are applying to both public and private colleges, thereby increasing the diversity of their applicant pool. A wide range of schools accept Universal, including the University of New Haven, Johns Hopkins, Duke, and Harvard.

XAP
www.nationalappcenter.com

According to the New York Times, this portal processed 4 million college applications last year. From here students can apply to over 900 colleges and universities.

One section on the site connects to state-wide “Mentor systems.” What’s great about this system is that it imports information from one application into all the other applications in that same state. Several dozen, including Connecticut, participate. You can access this section from Xap, or from each school’s website (although not all schools have it listed). For UConn, go to http://admissions.uconn.edu, click “apply online” and you’ll see info for creating a CT Mentor  account.

There’s no charge for using the Mentor system, other than the application fee.

COMMON BLACK COLLEGE APPLICATION
www.eduinconline.com

From here a student can apply to 35 historically black colleges and universities at once. There is a $35 fee which covers all the schools, replacing the individual application fees charged by each institution. That can save a lot of money.

Which to use? That’s up to your college choices. If you’re applying to a lot of schools in-state, Xap can make the process easier. If you’re applying to primarily public schools, the Common App might be your best bet.


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Writing the Short College Application Essay: Make Every Word Count

Chances are you’ll be writing one or two  — or maybe many — short essays for your college applications. At about 150 words the short essay demands that you be brief, informative, and hopefully memorable. Here are a few tips to help make every word count:

1. Don’t: Repeat the question

Let’s say a college asks why you’re interested in going to their school. You don’t need to begin with “I’m interested in going to your school because…” That wastes words (and isn’t very interesting anyway). Get to the heart of what you want to say right away: i.e.: “From the moment I set foot on the arts quad and had my first cup of coffee at Java Cafe, I felt at home at Whatever U. ” Likewise, don’t repeat the question at the end (“…which is why I’m interested in going to your school.”)

2. Do: Be specific  — but spare the adjectives

Are you a writer who likes adjectives and long sentences? Then you may need to work at editing your essay down to the prescribed length. But while you’re cutting out adjectives don’t cut out the specifics, which help make your essay unique and interesting. For example, let’s say you’re writing about overcoming your fear of flying. The sentence “I had always been afraid of flying” is good. But “I had always been afraid of flying, ever since a turboprop came too close to my family’s car”  is more specific and evocative. However, “I had always been afraid of flying, ever since that hot summer night when a buzzing turboprop heading in for a landing came too close to my family’s car” adds adjectives that you probably won’t have room for.

3. Do: Use your conclusion effectively
Even if the question doesn’t state it specifically, the school always wants to know how you’ve been affected by the experience or event you’ve just written about. So use your conclusion not to summarize, but to show what you’ve gotten out of the experience —  how it changed you, how it shaped your goals, etc.

4. Don’t: Leave the college admissions reader with a weak ending

If you’ve followed step #3, then you’ve probably got a pretty strong ending. But I know how it is – several schools x several short essays adds up to a lot of essays, fatigue sets in and time gets short, and it’s easy to look for shortcuts. But never bail on the ending. Make sure it’s well-written and reflects well on you. Remember that the ending is the last impression your college admissions reader will have about your essay – and you.

5. Do: Stay within word count. College admissions readers have a lot to read.


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College Interview Tips: “I Dunno” and One-Word Answers Won’t Cut It

A college interviewer is looking over a student’s transcript:

College Interviewer:  “I see you really improved your grades over the last few years”
Student: “Yes.”
College Interviewer:  “That’s a nice accomplishment.”
Student: “Uh huh.”
College Interviewer: “Was there something that motivated you?”
Student: “…I dunno. I hadn’t really thought about it.”
College Interviewer: “…Okay, then.  Well, let’s move on to something else.”

Can you hear the sounds of an interview crashing? This student has offered zero information, and the interviewer hasn’t learned a thing. All she can do is move on to the next question. It’s probably going to be a torturous half-hour — for her.

Don’t give one word answers. Do make your college interview a conversation.

Think of a conversation as a circle. You’re responsible for completing half the circle and the interviewer is responsible for completing the other half. One-word answers don’t complete the circle; you need to provide information. And not just any information. Unlike the student in the example who tells the interviewer that he “hadn’t really thought about it,” it should be apparent that you’ve given some thought to many of these ideas before hand. Let’s try that conversation again:

College Interviewer: “I see you really improved your grades over the last few years”
Student: “Yeah. It was tough for a while because I had to learn how to balance school work with being on varsity. But it turned out to be a pretty good lesson. Now I’m more focused with things I want to do.”

Much better. Look at what’s changed. The student has engaged in a conversation by offering information, and the interviewer has learned some interesting (and positive) things about him. Now she has a starting point for her next question and the conversation can continue:

College Interviewer: “That’s right. I remember seeing that you made varsity your freshman year. Tell me more about that.”

The interview is off and running.

Think of your college interview as a two-way street. You’re a participant, and your job is to provide good information and ask good questions. Make it a conversation, and you’ll make a good impression.


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Who Should Read Your College Application Essay?

When I was speaking last week at the Mark Twain Library in Redding along with Matthew Dempsey from Fairfield University, we both addressed the question of who should read a student’s college application essay before it’s submitted.

Here are our suggestions:

Ask more than one teacher, preferably an English teacher, to read your essay. Why more than one? Because different people see different things. One teacher might flag your grammar and sentence structure while another might focus more on your story telling and organization.

Try to find someone who knows what’s expected by a college application essay. College application essays are different beasts. Unlike the usual high school essay, this essay has to reflect you —  your interests, your insight, and what makes you unique.

Parents can be good readers, too. Parents may not be your most objective audience (which is why teachers are important), but they know you, and can tell if there’s enough “you” in your essay.

Hire a college essay coach when you need one.

  • College coaches know what colleges expect.
  • College coaches can see the weak points in an essay and provide detailed suggestions on how to strengthen them. They have many tools and teaching techniques at their fingertips.
  • College coaches can relieve family tension. They’ll handle time management and deadlines, so parents don’t have to worry (or squabble with their teens).

Find people you trust to read your college application essay. It’s an important part of the writing process.


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College Interview Tips: Combating Nerves

How to stop interview nervesLet’s face it. For some people, just hearing the words “college interview” can be scary.  It can feel like you’re starring in one of those cop shows where the subject’s being interrogated, sweating bullets while he tries to come up with the right answers.

Not your college interview.  So don’t worry.

Okay, you say — you get that. You know the interviewer’s not your enemy. You’ve prepared for your college interview. But you still feel your mouth going dry. What do you do?

There are some easy-to-learn techniques that can help.

Here are 6 Tips to Combat Interview Nerves:

1. Arrive early. It will give you time to sit down, relax, take a look around, and get your bearings.

2. Take a short, brisk walk before your interview. Walk off the jitters. You’ll get rid of nervous energy and be less fidgety once you get inside.

3. Bring a bottle of water. Nerves can cause a dry mouth, so have water with you and take a sip when you need it.

4. Take a deep breath. Focusing on your breath can be very calming. Try this exercise: Breathe in on a slow count of four, hold it for four, and breathe out on a count of four.

5. Greet the interviewer with a smile and a handshake. Look him or her in the eye, smile, offer your hand, and say hello. You’re taking the initiative to start the interview on confident, friendly terms, and you’ll find it makes a difference.

6. Try “small talk” first. You don’t have to get down to big questions right away. You can ease into the interview with a bit of small talk — what you’ve seen of the campus, how the directions were easy to follow, even how the weather is. This will give you an extra few moments to ease into things.

Every interviewer understands about nerves. The trick is to be well prepared for your interview, and then to use the techniques that can help make you shine.
sharon-epstein-college-essay-writing-and-interview-skills
Sharon Epstein is a Writers Guild Award-winner and two-time Emmy Award nominee, teaching students around the world how to master interview skills, write resumes, and transform their goals, dreams and experiences into memorable college application essays. She works with students everywhere: in-person, by phone, FaceTime, Skype and email. Visit my website for more info. Connect on Google+, Pinterest and Twitter.

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Join Me: Free Talk on College Essay Writing Oct. 28

Join me for “The ABC’s of Writing a Great College Application Essay,” Thursday, October 28th at 7:30 pm at the Mark Twain Library in Redding, Connecticut. I’ll be joined by Matthew Dempsey, Assistant Director of Admission at Fairfield University. This is a program for both students and parents.

I’ll give an overview of the college application essay writing process — what colleges generally look for, essay writing style and tips, and time management. Matthew Dempsey will share his role as an admission counselor and essay reader, and also talk about Fairfield University’s new test-optional policy, which requires a second long essay.

Come — have fun — learn — and bring your questions!

There’s no charge for this program. Please contact the library to register at (203) 938-2545


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Writing College Application Essays: Overcoming Procrastintation

So it’s almost the end of October and your college applications are due soon. You’ve written some of your short essays, but haven’t started the long one. You know it’s got to be done — it’s niggling away in the back of your brain, slightly annoying, starting to become more and more persistent, but you keep pushing it back, thinking you’ll start it tomorrow, or the day after, or sometime after that. So when are you going to start writing your college application essay?

Let me ask that question another way. Why haven’t you started? Here are some common reasons I hear:

1. Too busy
2. No topic
3, Too nervous
4. Writer’s block

Let’s tackle these problems one by one:

Too Busy? Divide your essay writing into manageable pieces. Do it in small bites. Take a look at your schedule and see where you can give yourself a half hour at a time. Then divide up what you need to do. The first half hour choose a topic and jot down some thoughts.  The next make an outline. The next begin to flesh it out, and so on. You’ll have an essay before you know it.

No topic? Try these exercises:

  1. List 3 or 4 people who have influenced you. Then write down what you’ve learned from them and how that’s made you a better, more interesting or different person in your life.
  2. Ask your family to help you try and remember a time when you struggled with something that you learned from or helped you grow as a person, and then jot down some of your own feelings about that time.

After you’re done, take a look at what you’ve written. You’ll probably find a good college application essay waiting for you in one of your answers.

Too Nervous? Nerves are common, but too many nerves can stop you in your tracks. The trick is to start writing. Even if you don’t have a topic, just write. Don’t know where to start? That leads me to the last problem:

Writer’s Block: Writer’s block can be caused by lots of things, including nerves, but if you’ve got it you’ve got to find a way to get rid of it. I like free-writing. Go to a quiet place and write for five minutes.  Don’t put any pressure on yourself about what to write, just do it. It can be about anything, or nothing. You can write about the pieces of lint on your carpet or how your little brother is annoying or anything that comes to mind. The trick is don’t stop. If you’re writing and draw a blank, write the last sentence over again until something new comes to mind. Have fun and try to enjoy it. After you’re done, free-write again, this time about the topic you’ve chosen for your college application essay. But don’t write your essay. Write about one aspect of your topic, one detail, or one emotion. When you’re done, look it over. If it’s awful, toss it in the trash. It’s okay to do that. Not everything we write is for keeps. But keep on with this process and you can be well on your way to overcoming your writer’s block and moving ahead.

Figure out why you’re procrastinating and you can get on with the business of writing your college application essay. I hope these tips help speed you on your way!


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Danbury High School Fair 5-8:30pm October 18

I wrote in my last post that the Danbury High School College and Vocational Fair was 5-9pm on Monday. It’s actually 5-8:30pm. I’ve made the change to that post.