SENIOR MARCH TO DO LIST

By Marjorie on March 1, 2010

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March, 2010

To:  adMISSION POSSIBLE Seniors

As acceptances start coming in, talk with your parents about making a few college visits to the schools that really interest you.

Many colleges offer Pre-Admit events in which admitted students are invited to spend a couple of days touring the campus, living in a dorm, participating in special activities, talking with professors and current students, attending lectures and, of course, dining at various dorms, coffee houses, and other venues.

If you can’t attend one of these events, then consider visiting a campus on your own. Some students prefer to see a campus under normal circumstances.

Even if you have visited a college before, do it again! There is a big difference between seeing a college when you are an applicant and when you are an accepted student. A post-admit visit usually has a very different feel to it. You are now in the driver’s seat, a place from which you can look at a college more realistically.

Rather than gaining specific information about a college campus, focus on how you feel while you are there. Can you see yourself spending four happy years at this college? Are you already thinking about what you’ll do when you arrive in the fall? As you walk around the different parts of the school, do you find yourself smiling?  The answer to these questions are very important. Write down your impressions of what you see and hear.

Important note: For students that find a college visit a financial hardship, contact the Admissions Office of a school to see if there are funds to support your travel and stay at the school.

When you finish visiting colleges, begin the process of identifying the pros and cons of each college that is on your final list. If you have trouble deciding, then go to the free adMISSION POSSIBLE Guide 13 at

http://admissionpossible.com/guides-new/guide15/TOC-end-admissions-road.html

and go through the step-by-step decision-making process in the section on Choosing Your College.

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FRESHMAN & SOPHOMORE MARCH TO DO LIST

By Marjorie on March 1, 2010

To:  adMISSION POSSIBLE Freshmen and Sophomores

Begin thinking about what you want to do this coming summer. Colleges are just about as interested in what you do outside of school and with your summers as they are in your academics.

March is the perfect time to research and begin applying to summer programs. Look for experiences that tap into what your interests or talents are, or be brave and try something new! Above all, make sure you choose something you really enjoy.

Be sure to check out when applications are due; some are as early as March.

Here are some links to online resources about 2010 Summer Programs for High School Students:

1.  Cogito.Org, Johns Hopkins University

http://www.cogito.org/Programs/programslist.aspx?summerprograms

cogito.org, Connecting Young Thinkers Around the World, provides a comprehensive up-to-date information on some of the best academic summer programs in the country. You can search by content, location, grade level, program, etc. This is a real find!

2.  Enrichment Alley

http://www.enrichmentalley.com/program-search/233

This website provides information about enrichment opportunities in general, but also specifies programs that are offered in the summer. Search for different kinds of programs, by location, by dates offered, etc.

3.  Peterson’s

http://www.petersons.com/summerop/code/ssector.asp

On this site you can search for many different kinds of summer programs, including internships, college experiences, special interests such as music, art, or athletics, study abroad and wilderness outings.

4.  Sloan Career Cornerstone Center

http://www.careercornerstone.org/pcsumcamps.htm

If you are interested in science, this is the site to go to. Find summer programs involving Technology, Robotics, Biomedical research, Oceanography, Veterinary medicine, Computers, Math camps, special minority programs, programs specifically for girls, you name it.

5.  VolunteerMatch

http://www.volunteermatch.org/

If you want to do some community service this summer, here is website that will help you find something meaningful to do. Plug in your zip code and you’ll get a list of what’s available in your area.

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JUNIOR MARCH TO DO LIST

By Marjorie on March 1, 2010

March, 2010

To: adMISSION POSSIBLE Juniors

√ Junior year grades are very important to colleges admissions officers, especially those from Spring semester.

√ Make plans for summer activities, including applying to programs that interest you.

√ Consider using Spring Break as a time to visit colleges. Remember, many colleges are give weight to the interest a student shows in their college as a condition of acceptance. In addition to visiting a college, you can also send an email to the college rep assigned to your high school indicating your strong interest, request information through the college website, meet college representatives at college fairs and college sponsored meetings in your hometown.

√ Make sure that you are signed up for AP tests that are given at your school in May.

√ Begin making plans for your senior course selection. Plan a senior year that is challenging, but not overwhelming. Take into consideration that in addition to your schoolwork, sports and other activities, you will also be filling out college applications and possibly visiting college campuses.

√ Sign up now for all of your Spring testing dates, including SAT’s, ACT’s and Subject Tests. If possible, complete all of your testing by June of this year.

According to Fair Test, 830 colleges in the US admit students without regard to test scores, including the very respected Reed, Sarah Lawrence, Wake Forest, Denison, Gettysburg, Lawrence, Bard, Rollins, Franklin & Marshall, Hamilton, Hampshire, St. Johns, Bates, Knox, Mt. Holyoke, Pitzer, and Bowdoin.

For more information about colleges that are test optional, go to

http://www.nacacnet.org/EventsTraining/CollegeFairs/ncf/Spring/Pages/SanDiegoNCF.aspx

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JUNIOR FEBRUARY TO DO LIST

By Marjorie on February 4, 2010

February, 2010

To:  adMISSION POSSIBLE Juniors

√ Begin putting together your college list. If you need help with this, complete the adMISSION POSSIBLE College Selection Questionnaire on The Checklists page of admissionpossible.com:  http://admissionpossible.com/check-lists/

With a list in hand, start researching colleges by reading the various guidebooks, such as The Fiske Guide, The Insider’s Guide, and/or Colleges That Change Lives. When you have researched the list and narrow down your preferences.

√ Sign up for the SAT I, Subject Tests and/or ACT tests that will be given in March, April, May and June. Many test sites fill up for these dates and some students end up having to drive to a far away test site.

If you haven’t already, make arrangements to get some admissions test tutoring.

Here are the URLs for College Board and ACT:

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/reg.html

http://www.actstudent.org/

√ Begin making plans for this summer. Believe me, it’s not too early.

√ Put together a first draft of your activities resume. Samples of real resumes can be found at:  http://admissionpossible.com/check-lists/

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SENIOR FEBRUARY TO DO LIST

By Marjorie on February 4, 2010

February, 2010

To:  adMISSION POSSIBLE Seniors

Here are some suggestions for dealing with your college acceptances:

DECIDING WHICH COLLEGE IS THE BEST ONE FOR YOU

General Information

• Some acceptance letters have conditions tied to them: be sure to check for this

Deciding On One

• If you have been accepted to your college of choice, but want to defer for a year, it’s important to consult your college about how to do this. More and more students are taking a gap year.

√ Identifying what you want in a college

√ Examining the financial aid packages

√ Re-reading your notes about the different colleges

√ Consulting with good sources

√ Attending pre-admit days or receptions

√ Rating each school on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 = No way!, 10 = The best!)

√ Deciding based on what your head and heart tell you to do

• Even if you make a decision about a college that you later regret; it’s not fatal. You can always transfer to another college

Timeline

• May 1 is the deadline by which colleges want to hear that you accept their invitation to attend their college. You also need to fill out any housing forms you have been sent.

• Do it and celebrate!

Important!

Many colleges pay close attention to second semester grades. Don’t even think about slacking off: keep your grades as high as you can. Keep in mind that colleges do rescind acceptances if student grades precipitously drop second semester, senior year.


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NEWS ABOUT THE COMMON APPLICATION ESSAY QUESTIONS FOR 2010-11

By Marjorie on January 21, 2010

January 21, 2010

To:  adMISSION POSSIBLE Juniors

From:  Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz

The Common Application people have just announced that the Essay questions for the 2010-11 Common Application will be the same as they were this past year. This is very good news since a previous announcement a couple of months ago indicated that the new application will be available in August, rather than the usual July release.

Just in case you want to know, here are the questions:

SHORT ANSWER

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below or on an attached sheet.  (150 words or fewer)

PERSONAL ESSAY

This personal essay helps us become acquainted with you as a person and student, apart from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will also demonstrate your ability to organize your thoughts and express yourself. Choose one of the following topics. (250 words minimum)

1.  Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.

2.  Discuss some issue of personal, local, national or international concern and its importance to you.

3.  Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

4.  Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.

5.  A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated their importance of diversity to you.

6.  Topic of Choice

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If there is any additional information you’d like to provide regarding special circumstances, additional qualifications, etc., please do so in the space below of on an attached sheet. (No word count provided)

The Common Application can be found at:

https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/default.aspx

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SOPHOMORE: JANUARY – JUNE TO DO LIST

By Marjorie on January 18, 2010

January 15, 2010

To:  adMISSION POSSIBLE Sophomores

So that you can plan ahead for the rest of the school year, month by month here is a list of things  do:

IN GENERAL

√ Begin thinking about what you want to do this coming summer. Colleges are as interested in what you do outside of school and with your summers as they are in your academics. Make sure you choose something you really enjoy.

√ Stanford University has announced its summer institutes for middle and high school students. Here is the URL that describes their programs:

http://epgy.stanford.edu/summer/highschoolprogram.html

√ Attached is a list of web links that provide information about other great summer programs. The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth website also lists many cool things to do. Be sure to click on the other links listed on the site.

http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/links.html

Know that there are many, many other great programs around a variety of academic and other interests, especially at colleges and universities. Here is where you can find other summer programs:

http://www.petersons.com/summerop/code/ssector.asp

√ During school breaks and while on vacations, swing by any colleges that are nearby just to have a look at what different colleges are like.

JANUARY

√ Take stock of how you are spending your time in and out of school. Is there anything you want to add or eliminate from your schedule? Make sure that everything you do is either something you enjoy or “counts” academically.

√ Decide whether you want to take any Subject Tests for advanced classes in which you are enrolled. The possibilities are:

Here is a link that takes you to the list of Subject Tests offered by the College Board:

http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-subject-test-preparation

Just so you know, the UC’s require two Subject Tests, but in different subject areas. A few of the very competitive colleges such as Harvard require three Subject Tests; many other colleges require two and some don’t’ require any at all. The Common Application website, college websites and this URL are good places to find what individual schools are requiring:

http://www.compassprep.com/admissions_req_subjects.aspx

FEBRUARY/MARCH

√ Begin researching and making contact with the best test tutors in town so that you will have a place with one of them next year.

√ Make sure that you are signed up for AP tests that are given at your school in May.

APRIL

√ Attend the National Association of College Admissions Counseling college fair at the San  in the city in which you reside. The URL that lists dates for fairs in different cities is:

http://www.nacacnet.org/EVENTSTRAINING/COLLEGEFAIRS/NCF/SPRING/Pages/default.aspx

MAY

√ Finalize your summer plans.

√ Carefully choose your next year classes, taking into consideration the rigor of the program and balance in your life.

√ Take the AP test for any AP class in which you are enrolled.

JUNE

√ Ace your Finals.

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JUNIOR: JANUARY – JUNE TO DO LIST

By Marjorie on January 14, 2010

January 14, 2010

To:  adMISSION POSSIBLE Juniors

First semester will soon be over. Believe it or not, this is a good time to begin thinking about college admissions for next fall. So that you can plan ahead, here are some things for you to do in the next six months.

IN GENERAL

√ Because a number of colleges ask for a writing sample as a part of their applications, save some of your best English, history, and other papers from this year.

√ Every once in awhile stop by to say hello to your high school counselor. You want to make sure that this person knows who you are as he/she will be filling-out your application School Report forms, something to which admissions officers pay a lot of attention.

√ Also, take extra time to “make nice” with teachers who you might ask to write recommendations for you.

√ Stanford University has announced its summer institutes for middle and high school students. Here is the URL that describes their programs:

http://epgy.stanford.edu/summer/highschoolprogram.html

√ Attached is a list of web links that provide information about other great summer programs. The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth website also lists many cool things to do.

http://cty.jhu.edu/imagine/links.html

JANUARY

√ Take stock of how you are spending your time in and out of school. Is there anything you want to add or eliminate from your schedule? Make sure that everything you do is either something you enjoy or “counts” academically.

√ Decide when you are going to take the different college admissions tests, making sure that you complete all by June of this year.

√ Find out when the National Association of College Admissions Counseling college fair will be held in the city in which you reside. The URL that lists dates for  cities is:

http://www.nacacnet.org/EVENTSTRAINING/COLLEGEFAIRS/NCF/SPRING/Pages/default.aspx

Here are when the College Board and ACT tests will be given in 2010. Sign up now, even though it seems like a long time away.

SAT TEST DATES

January 23, 2010

March 13, 2010 (SAT I only)

May 1, 2010

June 5, 2010

ACT TEST DATES

February 6,2010

April 10, 2010

June 12, 2010

SUBJECT TESTS

√ Decide whether you want to take any Subject Tests for advanced classes in which you are enrolled. A list of the Subject Tests can be found at:

http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-subject-test-preparation

Just so you know, the UC’s require two Subject Tests, but in different subject areas. A few of the very competitive colleges such as Harvard require three Subject Tests; many other colleges require two and some don’t’ require any at all. The Common Application website, college websites and this URL are good places to find what individual schools are requiring:

http://www.compassprep.com/admissions_req_subjects.aspx

FEBRUARY

√ Begin putting together a list of colleges in which you are interested; start reading about them in the various guidebooks.

√ If you haven’t already, make arrangements to get some admissions test tutoring. It is said that students who don’t get tutoring underscore by 200 points.

√ Begin thinking about what you want to do this coming summer; colleges pay particular attention what applicants do the summer before senior year.

√ Put together a first draft of your activities resume.


MARCH

√ Remember that junior year grades are very important, especially Spring semester.

√ Make plans for summer activities, including applying to programs that interest you.

√ Consider using Spring Break as a time to visit colleges.

√ Make sure that you are signed up for AP tests that are given at your school in May.

APRIL

√ Continue exploring and narrowing down your college list.


MAY

√ Ask favorite teachers if they will write recommendations for your college applications.

√ Finalize your summer plans.

√ Carefully choose your senior classes, taking into consideration the rigor of the program and balance in your life.

√ Take the AP test for any AP class in which you are enrolled.

JUNE

√ Have your college list narrowed down to the colleges you like best.

√ Ace your Finals.

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January College Admissions Checklist

By Marjorie on January 1, 2010

January 1, 2010

To:  adMISSION POSSIBLE Seniors

From:  Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful holiday break.

SENIOR

JANUARY ADMISSIONS CHECKLIST

For some of you, all of the applications are done and gone. Yippee!  For others, there are a few left to do. What a wonderful feeling that must be!

Besides letting one college know that “they are the one” before May 1, there are a few things left for you to do.

1.  Submit any college applications that are due in January, February and later.

2.  Students with Early Decision acceptances need to say yes to their schools.

3.  For students who applied Early Action and/or Regular Admission, give your high school counselor copies of the 2000-2010 Midyear Report forms with the top portion filled out by you for every college on your list. Also provide a stamped, addressed envelope for each Midyear Report.

4.  Make sure that each college to which you have applied receives an updated copy of your school transcript that includes first semester grades (except for the UC’s).

5.  If you haven’t done this already, make a call to each college on your list and ask them if they have received all of the required application materials. If the answer is yes, simply say thank you. If the answer is no, find out what is missing and immediately act to get the missing material to the college.

For colleges that provide you with application information on-line, check the respective websites to make sure they have received everything. Follow-through appropriately.

6.  Because a lot can happen between the time you fill out an application and the beginning of the new year, update the colleges with a written note addressed to the College Admissions Committee (or email to the college representative assigned to your high school) with any new information, including recent awards, athletic achievements, volunteer efforts, etc.

7.  For students deferred in an Early Decision, or Early Action Single Choice application

Updating your file is particularly important. Write a letter reaffirming that the college continues to be your first choice and provide an update of what you have done since you turned in the application. If you have teachers or others who will write additional superlative letters of recommendation, then ask them to do so.

If you have any questions about the above, don’t hesitate to call or email me.  And PLEASE, let me know when you start hearing from the colleges!

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What You Need to Know About Developing Relationships With College Admissions Offices

By Marjorie on December 28, 2009

What You Need to Know About Developing Relationships With College Admissions Offices

Did you know that some colleges have computer programs that track how much contact individual students have with them? And did you know that this tracking could later on influence whether or not they get accepted? This is one of those pieces of admission information that most people are unaware of. It’s kind of an admissions secret.

Not all colleges do this kind of tracking. In fact, larger public universities can’t be bothered with it. But small and even medium sized private colleges are often interested in students who show interest in them. They even have a name for it: “Demonstrated interest.” The reason this is a big deal is that colleges see student contact as a way of gauging how likely a student is going to accept their offer of admission. Research has shown that the more interest a student shows, the more likely she or he will attend their school. And that prediction is very important to colleges in knowing how many applicants to accept, how large a waitlist to have, how much housing they will need for the next freshman class, and on and on.

What are some of the various ways that you can demonstrate your interest in a college?

  1. Attending a college fair in your town and signing in at the different colleges’ tables or booths
  2. Returning postcards that come to you in mailings from colleges
  3. Signing in at the Admissions Office whenever you visit a college
  4. Visiting with a college representative when they come to your school.

By the way, did you know that every college in the United States has an admissions representative assigned to every high school?  Meeting college reps, even better, becoming known and liked by them can also have an impact on your chances of admission.  College reps are often the first person to review your application. So if you have met a rep and have developed a relationship with him or her, that person may very well go to bat for you when your name comes up at the final selection meeting.

It’s never too early to develop relationships with colleges or universities you might want to attend. The more you show colleges that you really like them, the greater the chances are that they will return the favor.

Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz has spent much of her life working for colleges and universities, notably Stanford University, UC San Diego, and the East West Center at the University of Hawaii. Her writing career began as a co-author of So You Want To Go Back To School, a book for adults wanting to start or go back to school. Over the years, she has counseled scores of adults and high school students about how to find, get accepted to and thrive in quality colleges and universities.

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