Get Into College Blog

What to Include in a College Application Résumé

2010-03-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

Résumés aren't just for jobs and internships. You actually need one for your college applications as well.

Why? It's a short 1-2 page summary of your accomplishments, abilities, and interests. It's a quick and easy way for college admissions officers to see what you've done during high school and what you'll add to their college.

It's easier to make a college résumé than you'd think. This post will show you how.

Sections to Include in a College Application Résumé:
Heading
Academic Profile (high school(s) and dates attended)
Co-Curricular Activities (school clubs, sports, etc.)
Extracurricular Activities (out-of-school groups)
Work and Volunteer Experience
Summer Programs
Honors / Awards
Hobbies / Interests / Travel

Detailed Breakdown of Sections in a College Application Résumé

Heading
-includes full name, social security number, address, city, state, zip code, telephone number, and email address

Academic Profile
-all high schools you attended
-city and state of each high school
-dates you attended them
-class rank
-SAT / ACT scores
-Honors / AP / IB courses (optional)

Co-Curricular Activities, Extracurricular Activities, and Work / Volunteer Experience
-each activity, positions held, grades in which you were involved
-specific contributions, duties, and recognition in each activity
-number of hours involved per week

Summer Programs
-short description of each
-month and year attended

Honors / Awards
-short description of each
-month and year you won it
-why you won it

Hobbies / Interests / Travel
-separate category for each
-items that are honest AND make you look good

College Application Résumé Tips:
-List everything in reverse chronological order within each category.

-Be sure to mention any unusual experiences that will impress admissions officers.

-Give a copy to each potential recommender. It'll help them write their letter for you.

-Proofread, proofread, proofread.

How to Become President of a High School Club by 12th Grade

2010-03-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Even if classwork and standardized tests aren't your cup of tea, there's still hope. Extracurriculars are the area where people skills wins out over book smarts. However, if everything you do in extracurriculars happens behind the scenes, it's hard to show admissions officers YOU were the mover and shaker. This week's post gives you a road map to help you get that prized leadership position.

Let's pretend you're an admissions officer. It's Friday afternoon, and you've been sitting in a cramped room all day reviewing applications. You're about to leave when your fellow admissions officer calls you over to choose between two applicants with identical GPAs and SAT scores. Their extracurricular activities lists are the following:

Applicant #1 (Procrastinating Paul):

9th Grade: Member of Model Congress

10th Grade: Member of Model Congress

11th Grade: Member of Model Congress, Member of Chamber Orchestra (2nd semester), Member of Varsity Track Team (2nd semester)

12th Grade: Member of Model Congress, Member of Chamber Orchestra, Member of Varsity Track Team

Applicant #2 (Ambitious Annie):

9th Grade: Freshman Representative of Model Congress, Member of Math Club, Treasurer of Amnesty International chapter (2nd Semester), Member of JV Track Team

10th Grade: Treasurer of Model Congress, Member of Math Club, Member of Amnesty International Chapter, Captain of JV Track team

11th Grade: Vice President of Model Congress, Member of Varsity Track team

12th Grade: President of Model Congress, Co-Captain of Varsity Track team

Who will bring more to a college - a leader or a follower? Who sounds more impressive?

You'll notice Procrastinating Paul was only involved in one activity in 9th and 10th grade. Colleges know that to be a member of a club, all you have to do is join an email list and attend a couple of meetings. It wasn't until the middle of 11th grade that he actually started doing something. It looks like Paul woke up one day and realized colleges want to see applicants with extracurriculars. Unfortunately, it was too late for him to get any leadership positions because students like Ambitious Annie already had a track record of involvement.

Whether leadership positions are determined by student voting or application, whoever does the selecting wants to see someone who's already demonstrated dedication. After all, if your peers haven't selected you, why should colleges?

Annie got an early start with extracurriculars at the beginning of high school. Within the first month, she ran for, and won, the position of freshman representative of Model Congress. She was also interested in Amnesty International, so she went to a few meetings but didn't have time to do much more first semester. However, when the sophomore who held the position of

After a sophomore who held the position of Treasurer became too busy with AP classes to fulfill his responsibilities, Annie stepped up and volunteered to be Treasurer for the rest of the year. At the end of her freshman year, she ended up running for and winning the position of Treasurer of Model Congress for sophomore year. Her track coach picked her to be captain of the JV team, so she decided not to run for treasurer of Amnesty International. However, she stayed on as a member because she's made some friends in the club.

For 11th grade, Annie won the position of Vice President of Model Congress, so she became too busy to stay in the Math Club or Amnesty International. She maintained her involvement in Varsity Track because she had won a few races and enjoyed it. Her teammates respected her and knew she was dedicated to the team's success. Given that she'd already served as JV captain in 10th grade, they picked her to be captain of the team for 12th grade.

Annie didn't let her Model Congress responsibilities slip, though. She attended Model Congress conventions throughout 9, 10, and 11th grades, bringing home several awards. She was voted President for 12th grade, and she became the first Model Congress President to host a convention at her school.

Colleges like to see dedication to a few activities rather than membership in many. It's okay to be involved in several during 9th and 10th as you figure out what your interests are. However, as time goes on, it's important to pick a few to stick with, building the relationships and skills necessary to take your involvement to the next level.

Lessons Learned:

-Run for positions as early as possible. Take some initiative and risks.

-Get involved in several activities early to determine your interests (and see where there may be opportunities for leadership).

-Do something new and interesting like organizing a conference or creating a newsletter.

-Prioritize. You won't be able to stick with every club AND keep your grades up, so pick a few activities as school gets busier in 11th and 12th grade. In 11th grade, you'll have the SATs and, potentially, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.

Recommendations for Getting College Recommendation Letters

2010-02-26T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here's the who, what, when, where, why, and how of asking for college recommendation letters.

Who to ask: your guidance counselor, teachers, coaches, employers. Basically, anyone in a position of authority who's supervised you in some way. They should know you well, like you, and respect you. Most importantly, however, they should be reliable. A great recommender is one who actually writes and submits the recommendation letter on time.

Who NOT to ask: parents, other relatives, your friends, famous people you don't know well. In short, anyone who's clearly biased and anyone who doesn't actually know you.

What to ask: Explain what you hope to achieve in college and ask if the potential recommender is willing to write a positive letter for you. If the answer is yes, give them a brief list of potential "writing points" for the letter. This list can include any research papers you've written, any insightful comments you made during class, etc. Give the recommender this list. Make writing the letter as easy as possible for them. If they offer to let you write a draft, that's great, but never bring up this idea yourself. Also, give them addressed and stamped envelopes for each college.

What NOT to ask: "I really need a strong rec letter because my grades are terrible. I know I haven't done all the work and I've turned things in late, but I'm really going to turn things around in college. You'll write a good letter for me, right?...No?...well, how about I just write it myself and you'll sign it?"

When to ask: EARLY! I can't emphasize this enough. The nicest teachers (the ones most likely to write gushing rec letters) are likely to get a ton of requests. Beat everyone else to the punch and ask at the end of junior year. This also gives recommenders plenty of time to write a nice and detailed letter for you.

When NOT to ask: Anytime from September to January of senior year. If you're reading this, and it's already the fall, ask the potential recommender ASAP. Other bad times to ask include when the teacher is in the middle of a lesson, when other students are standing around, when you've recently bombed a test or when you've recently gotten into trouble during class.

Where to ask: Ideally, in the recommender's classroom / office after school or during an off-period.

Where NOT to ask: In the cafeteria, in the parking lot as the recommender is running to his/her car, while you're sitting in the detention room

Why to ask: Because colleges require recommendation letters! These letters help admissions officers get a fuller picture of you.

Why NOT to ask: If you want to sabotage your college admissions chances by not including everything the application requests.

How to ask: "May I stop by during your off-period or after school to chat for a few moments?" Then, you actually ask them in the course of a one-on-one conversation about your goals and future.

How NOT to ask: "Hey teach, can you write me a rec letter? It's due next week."

Top 10 Ways to Boost Your SAT Score

2010-02-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

The SAT can actually increase your college admissions chances if you plan ahead. Here are 10 tips to help you make the most of it.

1. Take it early.
If possible, take the SAT at the beginning of junior year. This way, you will be able to do the bulk of the studying for it over the summer at a more leisurely pace, and studying for the SAT will not detract from your junior-year grades. Too many high school students wait to take the SAT until the end of their junior year. However, this is generally the busiest time of the year because students are preparing for Regents and Advanced Placement Exams.

2. Learn SAT vocabulary.
Students often freak out after seeing long lists of SAT vocabulary words. However, if you begin learning the words on these lists several months before you actually look at a practice exam, you'll find that you've already done much of the necessary preparation for the Verbal section.

Here are two free computer programs that allow you to create your own flashcards: SuperMemo (PC) and Genius (Mac). The programs are adaptive - if you have trouble with a particular vocabulary word, the programs will you show that word more frequently. You can also an SAT vocab application for your iPod or smartphone.

3. Be clever.
If you can eliminate at least one choice, guess. Learn the directions by heart so that you'll save time on test day. Skip around and do what's easiest for you. The math and vocabulary questions are presented in order of difficulty, but remember that every question is worth the same amount.

4. Take a timed practice SAT.
Get used to taking a long exam. The SAT is 3 hours and 45 minutes, and it's usually administered in the morning. Build your stamina by taking several practice tests. Make sure that when you take a practice exam, splice in a section from another exam to represent the experimental section. With a half hour spent bubbling in your name and address, you'll be there for about four hours (if you're lucky). Speak with a teacher or administrator and try to reserve the classroom, gym, or auditorium where you will actually be taking the exam so that you can take a practice exam there.

5. Study like it's game day.
Practice at the time of day when your exam will be, and try to study under real testing conditions. Make sure that your study area is quiet and without distractions. Silence your cell phone, put on your away message, and ask your parents to keep any siblings or pets out of the room. Try to study for at least 1-2 hours each time to get your juices flowing and to get in the zone.

6. Avoid the calculator as much as possible.
Use your calculator sparingly on the math section. You might not always need it, and it takes time to enter numbers when working rapidly. When students are rushing, they tend to have to re-enter the equation into the calculator, losing valuable time. Use your brain and guesstimate. It wouldn't hurt to brush up on the old times tables either.

7. The dreaded essay.
Remember that the essay portion of the writing section isn't looking for creativity. Make it easy for them to read. Write in script if you are able to do so legibly. Longer essays also tend to do better. More paragraph breaks. This is true for high school English class as well.

8. Exercise and eat healthy.
If you do not already exercise and eat healthy, now is the best time to start. You might feel like your brain is a machine, but it's actually organic gooky gray stuff. If you take care of it with exercise, which gets the blood flowing, and protein, which gives it energy, it'll take care of you on test day.

9. Only take it once.
Try to make the first time the only time. Don't take it first just to practice. Even though colleges only count the highest score of each section when formally calculating your strength as an applicant, colleges will see all of your scores. You probably wouldn't want a first date to see a picture of you when you first wake up in the morning. Instead, you show yourself at your best. The same goes for test scores.

10. Consider the ACT.
The what? Yes, you heard correctly -- the ACT. It's an alternative standardized test created by people who weren't too fond of the SATs. More students on the west coast take it than do east coast students, but colleges across the country now accept it instead of, or in addition to the SATs. You might actually perform better on it than you do on the SATs if it lets you play up your strengths. The ACT has an entire section devoted to science. Take a look at it to determine if it's worth trying out the ACT instead.

7 Ways to Start the College Application Process with a Bang

2010-02-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

To sum it up in two words, plan ahead. Far too many students begin thinking about college admissions only when they actually begin the application process. Unfortunately, the beginning of senior year can be too late to turn things around. Here are 7 ways you can get a jump on the college application process and maximize your chances.

1. Keep a "brag sheet."
A "brag sheet" is a list of all your activities and hobbies. It's important to keep track of any recognition you receive so you can list it on your application. Freshman year of high school is not too early to begin compiling this list and thinking about how your academic interests and extracurriculars will come together on your application. The brag sheet and essay are the two "subjective" (interesting) criteria that admissions officers use to understand you.

2. Distinguish yourself through extracurricular activities.
Instead of joining every impressive-sounding club at your school, pick a few meaningful ones. Show a substantial contribution to your school and how that participation or leadership has influenced you. Be able to explain why you're involved in a club and the contributions you made so admissions officers know you weren't just shooting for a fancy title.

3. Look beyond your school to the community.
At top high schools, it can be difficult to gain leadership positions in school clubs when everyone else is going for the same position. If you're in this situation, I recommend you pursue your extracurricular passions outside of school. Think about ways you can engage with the "adult world." Opportunities exist through community organizations, nonprofits, and internships. Many students launch innovative fundraising campaigns for worthy causes or mobilize a group of peers to tackle a problem head-on. Teachers, parents, friends, and college counselors can help to plan and advise these endeavors.

4. Pay attention in class.
It's amazing - if you pay attention in class instead of texting, talking with friends, or napping, you'll actually be able to spend less time studying in your free time. That leaves more time for extracurriculars, SAT prep, and hanging with friends.

5. Cultivate relationships with teachers without being a suck-up.
Of course, #4 (above) is a big part of this. However, it's not enough. Teachers are people, too, which means they like to be liked. Treat them with respect, but don't be afraid to share your interests and passions with them. You might even make a joke or two during class every now and then (if appropriate). Come to extra help and find excuses to stop by and chat for a few minutes when they're on hall duty or on their off period. The other kids will never have to know, and your GPA will benefit as a result. It never hurts to befriend those in power.

6. Visit the campuses of schools that interest you.
When you visit a college, you're indicating your interest in going there. Colleges take notice of this and begin a file on you. One way colleges are ranked in "US News and World Report" is by their yield (the number of accepted students who choose to go to their college). For this reason, colleges accept the best students who are likely to choose their school upon being accepted. Convince them you're one of those people.

7. Take the SAT early, and prepare for it right the first time.
Get the SAT out of the way by studying for it the summer before junior year and taking it in the fall of junior year. This allows you to focus on your GPA, extracurriculars, and relationships with teachers.

5 Reasons Not to be Discouraged by a Low SAT Score

2010-02-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Every time SAT scores are sent out, I hear from many of you. Many of you will do great (congrats in advance!), but others might not do so great (congrats on having a few more months of SAT fun!).

Enough doom and gloom, right? You want to hear the good news. Here are 5 reasons that a low SAT score on can actually be a good thing.

Reason #1: You have at least a few months to study for an SAT retake.
The SAT's given several times each year: October, November, December, January, March, May and June. You'll have plenty of time to prepare, especially since you're already familiar with the exam.

Reason #2: You can still be the early bird when you submit your college application.
You can study hard and take the SAT in June or in the fall. You'll still be able to submit your application on the day colleges begin accepting them. Applying early to college gives you a better shot because more seats are available.

Reason #3: You have more time to plan your applications and future.
Being forced to retake the SAT in June or in the fall means that you'll have at least another few months to master the exam. You can still work on your personal statement, get recommendation letters, and cultivate relationships with alumni who can help you.

Reason #4: An addendum might help.
If your PSAT score (or high school entrance exam score) wasn't an accurate indicator of your high school GPA, you can submit an addendum explaining that the SAT may not accurately reflect your potential in college either.

Reason #5: I'll be there with you every step of the way.
As you study for your retake, you'll have several months of Get Into College Blog posts to read, memorize, and share with your friends. All 100% free!

5 Steps to Starting Your College Essay

2010-01-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

"Where do I start?!" is probably the most common question students have about the college essay. It's not like anything you've written before. It's not a MySpace blog post, and it's not an essay about "Great Expectations" or "Romeo and Juliet." It's something in-between: personal AND professional. How do you toe the line? I'll cover that combination in future blog posts. For now, here are 5 tips to help you start writing the dreaded college essay.

1. Don't start at the beginning.
Write any random potential anecdotes, details, or ideas as they come to you. You can work on connecting them later. It's possible (and highly likely) you will write the most effective sentences of your essay only after a great detail of free-writing. Feel free to use any format that works for you in the brainstorming stage - it can be bullet points, an outline, or just a word or two. Your goal is just to get as much down on paper as possible.

2. Ask a friend to interview you.
Find someone you know and trust to ask you several questions about your passions, experiences, hobbies, authors, TV shows, etc. This is much more effective than the broad (and scary!) question: "What do you want to do with your life?" After having this focused interview, your "interviewer" will be able to give you extended feedback on your interests, strengths, and weaknesses. This will be helpful in figuring out your essay topic.

3. Use writing prompts.
Filling in the blanks can help you overcome writer's block. Ex. "I like ____ because it makes me feel ____." "A global issue that excites me is _____ because ______." "I enjoy learning about ____ because ______."

4. Browse your first-choice college's website.
Since you're probably passionate about your first-choice school, looking over its website may help you figure out themes to discuss in your essay.

5. Make a list of your passions.
You'll notice the idea of passion comes up a few times here. That's because passion is necessary for engaging writing. If you don't enjoy what you're writing, the admissions officers probably won't either. On the other hand, if you're clearly excited about whatever it is you have to discuss, it's more likely the admissions officers will be, too.

5 Ways to Win the Hearts of College Admissions Deans

2010-01-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it can feel like the college admissions deans are the popular kids everyone wants to date. Here are 5 strategies to help you win the affections of your favorite admissions dean.

1. Get a well-regarded alumnus to send a letter on your behalf.
It's like having their closest friends vouch for you.

2. Apply on the day the college begins taking applications.
Be the first one to ask them to the prom and beat the competition.

3. Win the hearts of teachers and employers to get killer rec letters.
It'll make them jealous and wonder what their college is missing.

4. If they "play hard to get" and waitlist you, be persistent (but don't overdo it).
Otherwise, you're just being creepy.

5. Donate several million dollars to the college.
When all else fails, showering them with money can do the trick.

Why the SAT is Like Monopoly

2010-01-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

Think board games and the SAT have nothing in common? At first glance, sure. However, some of the strategies that can help you win in Monopoly can also help you beat the SAT. Good luck to everyone taking it tomorrow!

1. Mediterranean and Baltic almost aren't even worth buying.

It takes money to make money. It's great to study for the SAT, but only studying a few minutes each day is barely even worth your time. The SAT's an all-or-nothing deal. Go for the most expensive properties possible (spend as much time studying as possible) in order to reap the biggest reward (a high SAT score).

Similarly, it's great to buy SAT materials (properties), but if you don't study intensively (build houses or hotels on your properties), their value will always be limited. The best SAT prep books increase in value to you when you "upgrade" them by learning what they contain.

2. The more railroads you buy, the better a return you collect from each one.

Studying for the Reading Section will help you with the Writing Section, and vice-versa. The more studying you do, the more it increases the benefit of your previous studying. Things start to click.

3. Everyone begins Monopoly with the same $1500. It's how you use that money that makes all the difference.

Sure, there are a few rolls of the dice on the SAT too - you might get sick or have a noisy test center. However, everyone has the same amount of time on the SAT. It's how you use your time that makes all the difference, and you need a refined strategy in order to succeed. The time you devote to studying, the strategies you use, and your familiarity with the SAT determine how you'll do on test day.

How NOT to Write a College Essay

2010-01-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here are some of the most common mistakes students make, and why you should avoid them:

Repeat info covered in another part of the application.
Students often repeat themselves in the college essay "just to be safe." However, admissions officers have already read, or will read, the rest of your application. Reading the same thing twice is boring. Trust them to do their job and read the application as thoroughly as necessary. Give them some insight into your motivations and how they indicate your abilities. If you mentioned something briefly on the application, you can go into it in more detail in the essay.

Don't do this:

"In freshman year I was in Key Club. It was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot about helping others. I also joined the lacrosse team, which took up a lot of time. However, I still found time to volunteer at a soup kitchen every weekend. All of this demonstrates that I am responsible and capable."

Whining about circumstances instead of explaining why/how you overcame them.
Nobody likes a sob story, no matter how true or heartbreaking it is. Don't look for pity. Instead, show admissions committees how you surpassed difficulties to achieve a high GPA, leadership position, or some other accomplishment. Impress them with your determination.

Don't do this:

"Because my parents had to get rid of the babysitter after we had money issues, I had to quit the soccer team to watch my little sister. It was a real shame to have to leave my teammates and give up the chance of being state champions, but family comes first, so I didn't mind making the sacrifice."

Talk about how you want to go to a particular college because it has a great reputation or you want to make money.
Many students want to go to a top school and make money. Why does this make you special and different? Self-promotion is a given. Instead, distinguish yourself through your desire to intensively study the subjects that interest you or to expose yourself to a wide range of ideas.

Don't this this:

"University X is well-renowned, and many famous people like _____, ____, and ____ graduated from there. With a degree from University X, I'll be sure to be a success in life and make my friends and family proud."

Misrepresent your achievements and goals in the essay.
If you graduated in the middle of your class and have no extracurriculars/recommendations to back up the following...

Don't do this:

"I was one of the top students in my school and hope to reduce world hunger or find a cure for cancer."

The following need no example:

Use "cute" techniques to stand out.
Covering your essay in glitter and perfume, enclosing a link to a YouTube video of yourself performing goofy antics, or writing the entire essay in Pig Latin.

Say you want to go to College X in College Y's application.
It'd be a shame to mix up the two essays and get into neither one as a result. Double check.

Include careless grammatical errors, overly wordy phrases, and clichés.
You already know the stakes are high when it comes to college admissions. Show admissions officers that you care enough about the process to write an amazing college essay.

SAT Writing Section and College Admissions

2010-01-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

The SAT’s writing section is divided into two parts. One is a short essay and another is a multiple choice section like the others. For the short essay, you will be asked to defend a point of view. Here are some things to keep in mind when preparing for this section.

1. Unlike the other sections, there is little rote preparation you can do for this one.

Your topic will be given to you on the spot so you cannot prepare for it. However, you should think of this as an advantage. Everyone is under the same conditions as you are, write an essay in 25 minutes about a subject you could not predict. Your essay will be about 3 paragraphs and will be extremely rough. There is no need to worry about spelling - just spell to the best of your ability and move on.

2. Grammar is, however, very important.

The one bit of rote preparation you can do for this section is to learn your grammar rules. Some specific things to focus on are tense agreement and subject verb agreement. Tense agreement means keeping a consistent tense throughout a sentence. You should not begin a sentence in the present tense and then switch to past. Subject verb agreement means that the subject and the verb of your sentence must abide to the same number. If the subject is plural then ensure that the verb tense you use is the plural form.

3. Do not get excessively creative.

This is not the forum to begin pontificating or getting philosophical. Your objective isn’t to make a convert of the person reviewing your essay but to write something coherent and purposeful. For this reason you should spend too much time picking a side of an argument, or changing your mind after you have started. It is not worth the time. Write something formulaic and professional and the scorer will know exactly where you fit in on their rubric. The more convoluted your writing, the more convoluted the scoring will be and you may end up getting a bad score for decent piece.

4. The best way to get better at writing is to write.

Like anything else in life, practice makes perfect. The best way to become a better writer is to write. Specifically, find sample prompts online and then write an essay as if it were test time. Don’t trust your writing ability and decide not to study for this! You may be a superb writer of term papers but then realize on test day that you are not good at truncating your thoughts into a small format with the SAT’s guidelines. You MUST practice!

The second portion is the multiple choice section. Here the rules are simpler.

1. The primary thing tested on it is grammar. So again, know your grammar rules. Your primary responsibility here is to fix grammatical errors. You will be ill-equipped if you haven’t memorized your rules.

2. First try to find the error without looking at the choices. This way you will not fall into the traps they have set for you. You will not second guess yourself quite as much.

3. Use your choices. If you are unable to find the error without looking at the choices, then use your choices. The choices will point you in the right direction as to where to look. The idea for this strategy is to first check your ingrained intuitions. The ones that make something look awkward in a somewhat uncertain way. If this fails then you can consult your memory bank of grammar rules after you have been pointed in the correct direction by the answer choices.

SAT Math Section and College Admissions

2009-12-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it!

This week, it's time to focus on the SAT’s math section. There are many factors that make the math section of the SAT easier to game than the verbal. Keep in mind though that SAT scores are normalized on a bell curve so your competition isn’t the test as much as it is fellow test takers. Here are some important tips:

1. The math section does not require having taken high level math classes in high school.

This is probably the single most important point about the section that people should know. Many people who believe they lack mathematical aptitude immediately decide that since they are not going to perform well on this section. Nothing could be further from the truth. The SAT’s creators are simply not allowed to create questions that even a minority of test takers have never encountered, so trust me, you have the knowledge to do very well. However, the test must sort through students who are good and bad at math somehow right? So what do they actually test?

2. Most of the SAT math section involves “trick” questions.

Remember, the SAT’s questions get harder as each section progresses. The first batch of questions will require little to no outside the box thinking. As the questions get harder, there are usually increasing number of stumbling blocks. Usually an individual question will require one or two key insights that will allow you to solve the problem. If you have solved a problem near the end of a section with great ease, it is likely that you have made a mistake. This is especially confirmed when you get an answer that is amongst the answer choices. It is likely that you have fallen for a trick and the answer was a trap answer. The SAT math section is full of trap answers. If you are doing a hard question and can’t seem to find the part where they try to fool you, it may be advantageous to just skip the question.

3. Check your work.

Let’s face it, we all make silly mistakes. It is of incredible importance that you briefly check any simple math that you do. There is no bigger crime than knowing how to tackle a problem and not getting the points you deserve because you mistakenly added instead of subtracted. Review any basic math that you do. Make sure you have brought a calculator with you as you are more likely to make a mistake trying to do it mentally or on paper than a calculator is.

4. There will be no need for calculators.

This does not mean you shouldn't bring one, though. What I mean by this is that since the SAT’s website says you don’t have to bring a calculator. This means that in the process of solving a problem you will not get any numbers that are extremely difficult to work with without a calculator. If in the process of solving a problem, you begin to get ridiculous numbers, you have likely made a mistake.

5. On word problems, check your answer by using common sense.

The questions on the SAT are very designed and checked again and again. Not only will you not get ridiculous numbers to work with, all of your answers will “make sense.” For example, on a geometry problem Janie will not build a fence with a perimeter of one million feet or one-tenth of a foot. This will also help you on geometry problems. For example, your perimeter or radius will not be a negative number. If you see any answers like this, you can immediately cross them off. Everything on the SAT will make sense in this sense of the term.

SAT Reading Comprehension Section and College Admissions

2009-12-18T09:00:00.004-05:00

I've already covered some differences between the ACT and SAT on the blog, as well as some general things to keep in mind when it comes to standardized testing.

Let’s take some time to get into the specifics. In the coming weeks, we'll go through the SAT reading comprehension, math, and writing sections. Let’s start off with some tips for the SAT’s reading comprehension section. Here are some important guidelines to follow.

1. Vocabulary is king.

When it comes to this section, nothing will be a greater boon to your score than having a large vocabulary. Don’t start reading the dictionary quite yet though. Not only is this a terrible way to expand your vocabulary, it is not targeted in any way. The SAT’s creators know you are in high school and thus will not test you on words that are only familiar to English professors. If you start reading the dictionary you will not likely learn much since the mind learns through repetition. What you do manage to learn will probably be completely esoteric. In an ideal world, vocabulary should be acquired through point 2.

2. Read! Read! Read!

If you are diligent and are getting an early start, making of habit of reading challenging works will be the single best way to do well on this section. However, you must read difficult books. Harry Potter and Twilight will not cut it here. If you can stomach it, read non-fiction. If not, go to the canon; the literary classics that are known worldwide. Make a habit of keeping a dictionary handy at all times that you are reading. In fact, if you know where to look, you can find a lot of classics available for free on places like google books and archive projects. You can access the books for free online and supplement it with an online dictionary. There are even browser add-ons available that let you see the definition of a word just by highlighting it! Alternatively there are several e-book readers such as amazon’s kindle available with a built in dictionary. In addition to significantly improving your vocabulary, getting in the habit of reading will also greatly increase your ability on reading comprehension sections. After you finish a book, spend some time thinking about what the important themes in the book were. Some vocabulary you must be absolutely sure are the definitions of various literary devices such as metaphor, simile, allegory, etc.

3. The SAT Reading Comprehension is difficult to cram.

Out of any part of any standardized test, this is typically most difficult in terms of raising your score quickly. This is primarily due to the vocabulary hurdle. If you are short on time, you will have to get on a more focused program. Begin reading a difficult work and after each chapter, or passage, ask yourself questions like “what was the point of that passage?” Asking yourself questions like this will force you to be focused as you read the words on the questions that the SAT likes to ask. Alongside of this, flashcards must become your best friends. As stated earlier, the human mind learns rote facts through repetition. One can find several banks of commonly tested vocabulary words online. Make flash cards of these and go through them many times. The more times you go through with them, the better your score will get. It is that simple.

Differences Between SAT vs. ACT

2009-12-11T09:00:00.002-05:00

The ACT has gradually gained momentum amongst test takers as an alternative to the SAT. While the subject matter is somewhat similar (after all, the people designing the ACT are under the same constraints as those designing the SAT) there are some crucial differences. The vast majority of colleges accepts either test to fulfill their standardized test quota so it would be highly advantageous for you to take both tests, or, if you are short on time and don’t have the time to prepare for two different tests, it is to your benefit to compare the two tests and select the one that is most conducive to your abilities. Here are some of the key differences between the two tests.

1. The most salient difference between the two is clearly the addition of the science section. Foremost, the science section isn’t actually about biology, or chemistry, or any other scientific discipline. Rather, the section focuses on your general scientific ability such as data/chart interpretation, research interpretation, and comparing conflicting scientific opinions. Thus, the science section actually tests elementary statistics, and reading comprehension. If you understand these subjects, you can easily do extremely well on this section and should not be intimidated by its novelty.

2. The ACT does not penalize incorrect answers. This means there is enormous shift in strategy required. The ACT actually makes things quite a bit easier in this regard. While on the SAT one must do a certain amount of mental gymnastics trying to figure out whether or not to leave a question blank or think about how many questions to leave blank in a section, the ACT requires none of these concerns. This affords you the ability to focus on nothing but the question at hand and the time on the clock. Simply answer each question to the best of your ability in the allotted amount of time and move on.

3. The ACT has easier questions but less time to complete them. This may seem trivial but can have some big implications depending on the type of test-taker you are. Some people are able to dissociate their emotions from their test and if they struggle with a question they have no problem forgetting it and moving on. Others, however, are streaky test takers. When confronted with a question or a series of difficult questions they may become frustrated and let their emotions hinder their ability. When confronted with a question that they are capable of but do not immediately understand, they may give up on the new question too soon. On the other this same personality can get on an emotional high after answering a series of questions with ease giving them the confidence to attack even very difficult problems and solving them with gusto. The crux of the issue is to determine whether your confidence levels are affected by your test taking and whether your confidence level affects your test taking ability. If it is the latter personality type that you into, then the ACT will likely be a better choice for you to make holding other factors constant.

4. A final important difference is that on the ACT, the writing section is optional. This is largely up to your own discretion. If you feel you are a good writer then take the writing portion and vice versa. It is important to keep this in mind when comparing the tests. If you feel you are truly a terrible writer and don’t want this to affect your standardized score as it inevitably would on the SAT, the ACT is a simple solution that does not hurt your application.

As you can see, there are many important issues that should influence your decision to take the SAT or ACT. Do not simply go along with what your friends and your school's majority are doing. Analyze these differences and decide which test you are likely to perform better on. However, If time allows, taking both tests is still the optimal scenario.

Best ACT Prep Book: The Real ACT Prep Guide

The SAT, ACT, and College Admissions

2009-12-04T09:00:00.004-05:00

Standardized tests, specifically the SAT, are almost a rite of passage for high school students. Everyone seems to have a story about how they stayed up so many hours studying for the exam. There are several things to keep in mind throughout the college admissions tests process (and remember this is a process, not just one date).

4. Real practice problems and tests are your best friend.

The following books are published by the organizations that make each test, so they are the best source of practice questions:

The Official SAT Study Guide

The Real ACT Prep Guide

There is certainly something to be said for the tricks given by prep courses. They generally give solid advice, but their advice is not the only reason students in prep courses do better. The real reason is that in those courses, students are forced to do several practice tests and practice problems. You don’t need to spend a thousand dollars to have someone make a homework outline for you. All you need is some of your own time and a planner of some kind. Set goals for yourself and accomplish them. Do one section of the test every night for a couple of months. It only takes a half hour of your time and will raise your score significantly.

2. Do not treat this like you would a biology test.

Many of the study techniques you have learned over the years no longer apply. For example, you are allowed to take this test many times, and there is absolutely no reason other than getting a perfect score that you shouldn’t take it more than once. The vast majority of students perform far better each additional time they take the test. Colleges primarily consider your highest score from each section, make sure you have more than one score to choose from.

3. Consider the ACT.

Over the years, the legitimacy of the SAT has been questioned time and time again. Even with the recent overhaul of the SAT, most colleges realize the test is mostly meaningless. It is largely just inertia that keeps practice alive. Most colleges allow you to submit either the ACT or the SAT. The more options you have, the better the chances that you can portray yourself in the best light.

4. Most importantly, this test does not decide your life, so don’t be too stressed.

It may seem like a big deal now, but these standardized tests are truthfully nothing to worry about. Within a few years, your score will be nothing but a trivial pursuit question amongst your friends and no one else. It has a relatively small impact on what college you attend compared to your GPA and has almost no relation to your future career. Not a single job interview will include your SAT score.

Free College Admissions Tips Outline

2009-11-27T09:00:00.001-05:00

This list contains all posts since I started blogging here several months ago. I've placed them from old to new within each category.

If you haven't read them all yet, now's the time!

Admissions

5 Ways to Win the Hearts of College Admissions Deans

7 Ways to Start the College Application Process with a Bang

5 Reasons to Enjoy the College Admissions Process

Discipline Question on College Applications | How to Respond

College Application

How to Choose a Major on Your College Application

College Admissions | Who Is Reading Your Application?

College Application Supplemental Material | What to Include, What to Leave Out

College Essay

How NOT to Write a College Essay

5 Steps to Starting Your College Essay

5 Ways to Ace the College Application Essay

College Essay | Show, Not Tell

How To Answer The “Why Do You Want To Go To This College?” Essay

How to Start Your College Essay | Tips and Outline

College Essay Writers Block Advice

How to Review Your College Essay and Application

College Interview

10 Tips To Prepare For College Interviews

“Any Questions?”: The Final College Interview Question

College Interview Outfits And Clothing | What To Wear

College Interview | Tips to Prepare for Questions They Ask

College Resume

What to Include in a College Application Résumé

College Admission Resume Advice

College Application Resume Dos and Don’ts

College Selection

College Selection Tips | Picking the Right College

Factors in Choosing a College or University

Private vs. Public College Selection and Graduate School

Extracurriculars

How to Become President of a High School Club by 12th Grade

The Ivy League Guide to Extracurricular Activities

5 Tips for a Productive Summer Vacation

Volunteering and the College Admissions Process

Extracurricular Activities | How to Demonstrate Commitment

GPA

5 Reasons Not to Be Discouraged By a Low GPA

Recommendation Letters

Recommendations for Getting College Recommendation Letters

College Recommendation Letters Advice

College Recommendation Letters | How to Ask Teachers

SAT

Why the SAT is Like Monopoly

5 Reasons Not to be Discouraged by a Low SAT Score

Top 10 Ways to Boost Your SAT Score

How to Appeal Your SAT Score

The SAT, ACT, and College Admissions

Differences between SAT vs. ACT

SAT Reading Comprehension Section and College Admissions

SAT Math Section and College Admissions

SAT Writing Section and College Admissions

How to Review Your College Essay and Application

2009-11-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

After last week's post on writer's block in the college essay process, you now know how to inspire creativity. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind during the next steps:

Go through the process several times. The old saying goes “don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” and it is very applicable in this situation. Don’t settle on the first idea that comes to mind. The more you have the better the chances of discovering something truly excellent.

Take special note of your more unusual ideas. A student of mine wrote an essay titled “I am an Artichoke.” She got into MIT. Remember, the people reading your essay are reading hundreds of essays. Most likely they will spend no more than 5-10 minutes on your essays. Most essays are fairly typical and eventually these essays will undoubtedly all begin to blend together for the reader. You have only those 5-10 minutes to get their attention. Grab their attention with a striking title and interesting subject matter.

Show your idea to several people. Getting lots of input from friends, teachers, and parents is essential to this whole process. The most important thing is to ask these people not which idea they think is the best but which is the most interesting. If you can capture the attention of your peers and your mentors, you will do the same for the people reading your essay because they are essentially the same people.

Keep in mind the biases of the people reviewing your ideas. This is a small but important point. If you decide to write about how your grandmother inspired you, clearly your parents will be very pleased with this idea. These are the types of things you will need to take into account.

The best strategy is to take an aggregate of the opinions you receive. There is an important social theory based on the wisdom of crowds. It contains a great deal of value in processes like these. The best way to cancel out people's biases is to put everyone’s opinion together. The idea the largest number of people considers to be interesting is likely to be the most interesting.

Don’t discard your other ideas quite yet. Remember you have to be able to turn these ideas into an essay with some specific constraints. Take your two or three best ideas. Outline them in the process described in How to Start Your College Essay.

Now, you have to ask yourself several questions. Can you write a complete essay without loose ends with this topic? Don’t be afraid to throw away your best idea and go with your second choice. Forcing an interesting idea into a specific format can easily ruin it. You may end up with unfinished strands or may just not even have enough to say to fulfill the word count. The solution isn’t to add fluff; this will only serve to lose the attention of the reader. Removing information may result unfinished thoughts and loose ends that leave the reader with an incomplete feeling.

So now you have your most practical idea ready to be elaborated upon. Next week's post will go through the do’s and don’ts of the writing and reviewing process.

College Essay Writers Block Advice

2009-11-13T09:00:00.002-05:00

Overcoming writers block is all about that single moment of inspiration. The difficulty is making that moment happen sooner rather than later. This jolt of creativity seemingly arises from the unknown regions of our subconscious. However, you can take some steps to nudge this process along:

1. Don’t sit and stare at a blank page.

Whether you are writing your essay by hand or on the computer, sitting and staring at a blank page or computer screen will do nothing for your subconscious. All that will happen is that you will feel an impending sense of doom. Your blank canvas will make you feel worse by the second. This is especially unfair to yourself because no one can write their essay in a matter of minutes. Your thought process won’t wander into creative paths but instead become occupied by thoughts of failure and meta-thoughts about the implications of your failure. Research has shown that negative thoughts are a significant hindrance to creativity. Don’t make this mistake. The key then is to surround yourself with positivity and creativity. How can we do this?

2. Listen to music.

Seriously. I’m not talking about the newest top 10 hit, though. Some of the most influential music is about significant moments and thoughts in an artist’s life. These lyrics are what you want to grab on to. Pull up a google search of the song’s lyrics and read along. Think about and analyze them. Think specifically about the impact of what the artist is saying to their lives. Now connect these words to moments in your own life of significance. You don’t have to have had a friend die of a drug overdose but we have all had these moments which have shaped us. Write these things down. These deeply personal things that have shaped us are exactly what college essay readers are looking for.

3. Read blogs with interesting stories.

There are hundreds of blogs out there where interesting people are writing about their lives. Do the same thing as with the music you were listening to. Take the authors’ stores and relate them to your own life experiences. Don’t worry if yours have trouble comparing; the people reading your essay realize you are only 17 or 18 years old and will adjust their expectations accordingly.

4. Talk to your parents.

You may think otherwise, but few people know you quite as well as they do. Ask them about the moments of significance in their lives and specifically ones that relate to you. They can be a wealth of information about your personality and how it changed you became an adult. Furthermore, ask them specifically about moments in their own lives which they consider to be significant.

You may have noticed a common theme in this list. These things are all positive, and, more importantly, will push the thoughts of your need to complete an essay into the background and will push creativity and connection making to the foreground. This is exactly what you want to happen. You want your mind to be thinking creatively while having the awareness to realize when something you stumble upon may make a good topic. The important thing to remember is that these moments can be very fleeting, and our memories are not as good as we like to think they are. Keep a notepad with you and when you think of something, immediately write it down so you don’t forget it.

Also see: How to Start Your College Essay | Tips and Outline or...The Start-To-Finish Guide to Overcoming Writer’s Block.

College Application Resume Dos and Don’ts

2009-11-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

The resume is an important part of your application. It is kind of like a Cliff’s Note’s guide to your application—it lists all of your accomplishments and activities on a single page. The way in which you design, word, and organize your resume can dramatically impact its effectiveness. Since most of you have never made a resume before, I've decided to put together a list of major dos and don’ts to help you with the resume-making process.

DO pay attention to how it looks. A neat, organized, professional-looking resume will make you seem like you have these qualities. A sloppy, disorganized resume, on the other hand, makes you seem, well, sloppy and disorganized. If it is a hard copy, make sure you print it out on resume paper with black ink. Regardless of whether it is online or a hard copy, make sure there are reasonable margins and a readable font. Split it into headings (such as activities, work, awards and honors), and put each heading name in a bold font. For more on format, see What to Include in a College Application Résumé and College Admission Resume Advice.

DON’T be gimmicky. This means no video resumes, no perfumed resumes, no glittery resumes, you get the idea. Yes, in Legally Blonde, Elle Woods’ poolside video resume got her into Harvard Law. Unfortunately, in the real world, a video resume will, best case scenario, give the poor overworked admissions officers a chuckle and lower your chances of getting accepted, and worst case scenario, get leaked on YouTube and make you infamous. Stick to the basics—they are the standard for a reason.

DO use action words when you describe what you did in each job or activity. These words make you seem proactive and like you have leadership qualities. They also make it seem like you actually were doing something in your activities and that you're not just a token member. Some examples of action words you can use are: managed, edited, spearheaded, organized, and coached.

DON’T make the resume too long. The resume should ideally fit onto one page, or two if you absolutely need more room. Please, do yourself and the admissions officers a favor, and leave out your starring role as Queen Esther in the JCC Purim play when you were in third grade. Leave out your dodgeball trophies from sixth grade. A good rule of thumb is to only include things from ninth grade and beyond. Of course, there are occasional exceptions. If you founded a global charity in eighth grade that you spent your high school years leading, you can include that. In general, though, do not include pre-ninth grade accomplishments.

DO give specific examples. This will give admissions officers a clearer idea of what you did in the position, and it will show that you are a can-do person with concrete accomplishments. For example, if you served as the community service chair of your youth group, put in a bullet point about how you organized the dance-a-thon for cancer research and raised 2,000 dollars. The more specifics and concrete details, the better!

DON’T use full sentences or paragraphs in the resume to describe what each position meant to you. That's not what the resume is for; it's what the essays are for. The resume should tell what you have accomplished during your high school years. It should list awards, honors, activities, jobs, education and travel programs, and what each of these entailed. Any reflections or analysis should be saved for your essays.

How to Start Your College Essay | Tips and Outline

2009-10-30T09:00:00.002-04:00

or...The Start-To-Finish Guide to Overcoming Writer’s Block

Writer’s Block can strike the best of us, particularly when it comes to the college essay. Many of my students (who will remain nameless!) have sat by their computers for hours, “writing their college essays,” without writing a single word. If you are like these students, know, first, that you are in good company, and second, that it is really not that hard once you have a plan of action. Here are some tips for those students with writer’s block, that will take you from staring at a blank document to the clicking "send" on the finished product.

1. Decide your goals.

Before any big project, it is necessary to know what you are trying to accomplish. The essay is about showing off your intangibles, those qualities that don’t come through in the rest of the application. Think about what you want to stress. Is it your determination in the face of adversity? Your creativity and quirkiness? Your loyalty? Make a list, and keep the goals in mind when planning the essay. For more details on this step, read all college essay-related blog posts.

2. Choose your topic.

Sometimes you get to choose the essay topic, and sometimes it is chosen for you. Either way, you are going to have some leeway to decide what you want to write about. Usually, this involves telling some kind of story about yourself. Choose which story or experience (that answers the essay question) is most interesting and significant, and would allow you to best accomplish the goals you laid out in step one.

3. Outline the structure.

Before you start writing, decide how you are going to structure your essay. One common, and effective structure is to start with a paragraph about yourself, then tell the story about yourself, then talk about the significance of the story. Another possibility is to start with the story and then connect it to aspects of yourself. However, there are other potential structures that you may decide to employ. Deciding on the structure beforehand will make writing the essay less intimidating and make the finished product more organized and coherent.

4. Outline the content, step-by-step.

Now that you have the structure, you can outline each part. To do this, just write bullet points in chronological order, covering what you want to say and remembering how it relates to the goals laid out in step one. You can write these bullet points in shorthand, but the more detailed your outline is, the easier the inevitable next step will be.

5. Write it!

You knew this part would come eventually! You already have the outline, now put it in full sentences. Vary your sentence structure, add transitions, similes, descriptive words, and all that other stuff English teachers (and admissions officers) love!

6. Trim it down or bulk it up.

Usually, the essay question specifies a word limit. Now that you have a rough draft, it is time to think about length.

If the essay is too short, make sure that it is truly complete and has accomplished all the goals you laid out. If you are convinced that it is already complete, add more descriptive details, quotes, and anecdotes. This will not only make your essay longer, but will also make it more readable and interesting.

If the rough draft of your essay is too long, go back and trim the fat. Do you have any sentences that are redundant or that don't introduce new information? Depending on how many words over you are, you might have to make some difficult decisions. If all else fails, get a trusted friend or parent to read the essay over and tell you what is essential, and what can go.

7. Edit, edit, edit!

I can not stress it enough! Edit it 1000 times, and get your teachers, parents, siblings, neighbors and friends to do the same. Even if you are the next Shakespeare and think your essay is perfect as it stands, keep editing. You'll be glad you did.

College Application Supplemental Material | What to Include, What to Leave Out

2009-10-23T09:00:00.001-04:00

Aside from all the required parts of the college application, there are the supplemental / optional parts. One of these is the option to include something extra that will give the admissions committee added insight into who you are, beyond the main parts of the application. Examples of extra material that you might include: poems, pictures, stories, tapes, and articles you've written — the sky really is the limit. But, how do you decide what, if anything, to include?

First of all, remember that less is more. I know that this can be frustrating — you are a complex person, and a few pieces of paper can hardly begin to sum you up. It might be tempting to add as many extras as possible, to try to show the admissions committee every facet of yourself. However, please, do not give in to this urge.

Admissions officers only have a limited amount of time to spend on each application, and if you add too much, they will be more annoyed than impressed. One Ivy League admissions officer I knew had a mantra, “the thicker the application, the thicker the applicant.” Don’t be that thick applicant—be selective about what you include.

What should you include in your college application, then? The best things are those that show off a creative talent or important aspect of your personality that can not be captured by the main parts of the application. Have you been playing piano since you were two, and your piano teacher thinks you are the next Beethoven? Include a CD of your best song. Are you a gifted photographer/painter/writer? Great! Include a photo/painting/poem/short story. Just don’t include your whole portfolio---choose one or two of the best!

What should you leave out? Articles detailing awards you won are unnecessary—you can list those in your application and on your resume. Also, if your talent is something you dabble in and not a real passion, it might be better not to bother. You can still list whatever it is on your resume. Be conservative about extra materials that you include. The last thing you want is for the admissions officer to wonder, “Why is this applicant wasting my time?”

Remember that including supplementary materials is exactly what it sounds like—optional. The application is designed to include al the information that the committee really needs to know. There is no harm in not including anything at all. Only include things that you consider to be really important and special. Do not include things just for the sake of it!.

Finally, if you decide to include something, make sure it represents your very best work. This is your one shot---put your best foot forward. Good luck!

College Interview | Tips to Prepare for Questions They Ask

2009-10-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

or “Tell Me About Yourself…”: Dos and Don’ts for Answering that Inevitable First Question

They say that first impressions are everything. Perhaps, then, it's good that you can prepare well for that first question of the college interview because it's almost always the same one: “Tell me about yourself.”

This question may seem like a no-brainer---obviously, you know yourself pretty well. Still, you should give some thought now to what you'll say, because your answer will set the tone of the interview and determines the first impression you'll leave. Here are some dos and don’ts to help you prepare to answer this question, and examples of good and bad responses to use as guidelines.

DO be confident. I know talking about yourself can be hard, and you might worry about seeming boastful. However, the truth is that interviewers like people who are comfortable with themselves and proud of their accomplishments. So, please, be confident, or at least fake it! Practice talking about yourself in a self-assured voice and channel that pretentious guy in your chem class. While these cocky people may not make any friends in the lunchroom, the sad truth is they are the ones who do best in interviews!

DON’T be too brief or vague. Just stating your year in high school and where you are from will not intrigue anyone. You want to captivate the interviewer’s interest, and make him/her fascinated by you. If you give details that the interviewer can ask follow-up questions about, it makes their job easier, and they will like you better for that! So, don’t be afraid to be specific.

DO give a hook. Your answer to this question should be like a teaser, making the interviewer want to know more about you. Talk about what makes you tick and be sure to include one or two of your main passions. Paint a picture for the interviewer. Make him or her feel like he already knows you, and make him want to get to know you better.

DON’T recite your resume. Yes, I said to give specifics, but this does not mean reciting your resume! If you do this, you're wasting your interviewer’s time—they have the resume in front of them, and they do know how to read. Worse, it will bore your interviewer. Instead, focus on a couple main passions, with specific details about those. Questions about the rest of your resume will come, don’t worry.

Now, for the examples of what not to do:

Bad response #1: “Um, I’m a senior at Springfield High.”

This makes you seem shy and uninteresting, and gives the interviewer nothing to work with.

Bad response #2: “I am a senior at Springfield High, on the volleyball team, in the Eastern dance troupe, a volunteer at the soup kitchen, on the yearbook committee and am Vice President of Students for Economic Justice. I have a 3.72 GPA and a 2160 on the SATs. I am in the top 10% of my class.”

This is boring, and despite all the activities listed, makes the speaker seem like a drone. Focus more on your passions, and who you are. Don’t present yourself as a bunch of stats, and don’t mention your SATs or GPA unless asked!

Good response: “I was born in Egypt, but grew up in Springfield, and am currently a senior at Springfield High. I spent every summer since I was two in Egypt. These experiences have made me obsessed with ancient history and archeology, and I hope to double major in anthropology and history in college. I loved my summers, but one consequence of them was I saw the depths of global poverty. During the year, I have spent a lot of time addressing poverty right here in Springfield, through volunteering at a soup kitchen and being Vice President of Students for Economic Justice. I have also gotten into Egyptian dance, and have performed with a belly dancing troupe at the Springfield theatre!”

This response gives insight into what makes the interviewee tick, and it gives specifics the interviewer can work with, without boringly reciting the resume. The interviewee seems self-assured and confident. They will probably wow their interviewer, as will you after you apply what you’ve learned here in the interview!

College Interview Outfits And Clothing | What To Wear

2009-10-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

or...Dress to Impress: Your Head-to-Toe Guide to College Interview Outfits

I know that you have a lot on your plate, that you have to worry about grades, extracurricular activities, SATs, and essays, to name a few things. I also know that picking out college interview outfits is not on the top of your list of concerns. Still, I know many students who let this slide, and then ended up freaking out the night before the interview. In the hope that this does not happen to you, I have put together a head-to-toe guide of how to present yourself in your interview.

1. Neck and Above

Girls, if you wear makeup, make sure that it is natural and minimal. Avoid heavy eye makeup and excessive bronzer.

Do not wear too much jewelry. No jewelry is necessary, but girls may wear a pair of stud earrings, such as pearls, and a simple necklace and watch. For boys, a watch is all you need. If you have any piercings besides in the ears, take out the earrings before the interview.

Make sure that your hair is combed and neat. If you are having a bad hair day, do not freak out. Girls, just put your hair in a neat bun, or half up and half down. Also, note to both boys and girls: avoid elaborate hairstyles, too much hair gel, or hair colors that do not appear in nature!

Boys should make sure that they are clean-shaven. While your friends might like your handlebar moustache, admissions officers probably will not.

2. Clothes

These are basic guidelines, which in some cases you can modify slightly. In general, you can be somewhat more casual in alumni or student interviews than you can be during interviews with admissions officers. Also, if you are interviewing for an alternative liberal arts college like Hampshire, you can be a little more lax than you would be for more traditional schools. For interviews with undergraduate business schools like Wharton, you should veer towards the more formal side. However, the following guidelines work for any interview, whether with a student, alumni, or admissions officer, at a hippy-dippy liberal arts school or a more stuffy business program.

In general, business casual is the name of the game. For girls, this means a blouse, twinset, or tailored sweater on top, and slacks or a tailored skirt that reaches the knees or below on bottom. For boys, this means a button down shirt and slacks. Boys may also add a sweater vest or nice sweater if they would like.

Black, white, navy, or neutral colors are the best. Make sure that everything is clean and ironed. The focus should be on you, not on your clothes! Also, make sure everything fits well. No saggy pants or anything too tight! Finally, not to state the obvious, but avoid showing too much skin. Boys, this means you too. (Girlsm while on Gossip Girl it might be okay to show tons of cleavage for a Yale interview. In real life, this does not fly.)

3. Feet

For girls, wear black or neutral colored, clean shoes. Loafers or small heels work well. Avoid shoes that make it hard to walk. You do not want to be remembered as the girl who stumbled and tripped!

For boys, dress shoes or loafers are perfect.

Now that dressing for your interviews is a no-brainer, it is time to start working on what you are going to say! Stay tuned for more on that next week.

College Admission Resume Advice

2009-10-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

or...How to Make Your College Admission Resume Stand Out With Well-Crafted Descriptions

The college admission resume may be short (just one or two pages!) but it tells admissions officers a lot of valuable information about you. It may seem like it is something cut and dry—either you did a lot of activities and won a lot of awards, or you did not.

However, in reality, it's not so black and white. Someone with a medium level of involvement in activities with a very well-written resume may appear more impressive than someone who is super-involved but has a mediocre resume.

(Of course, the best case scenario is to be very involved and have an amazingly-written resume.)

Here are three tips to make your college admission resume snap, crackle, and pop. I have also included an example of a good write-up and a bad write-up of the same activity, so you can see the difference that the wording can make!

1. Play up, not down.

In the real world, modesty may be a virtue, but not in the world of college admission resumes. Many students fall into the self-defeating trap of reporting just the basics of what they did, instead of playing up their accomplishments. Let me make something clear: I am not saying you should lie or embellish. Besides obviously being unethical, if caught, you might not end up going to college at all. I am saying that you should explicitly mention accomplishments that could impress. For example, if you were student council secretary, and you chaired three committees, you should mention it, even if everyone else on student council chaired five committees!

2. Word the descriptions for maximum effectiveness.

Under each activity, you will have one or several bullet points describing what exactly you did. Many students are confused about how to format these. You should not use long, complete sentences, nor should you use short phrases that do not go into specifics. Instead, start each bullet point with an action word, and follow it by specifics about what you did.

3. Be selective about what you include.

In an ideal world, your resume could be the length of the phone book, with long descriptions of every activity. Unfortunately, in the real world, the admissions officers read thousands of these, and they have to be limited to a page or two. Thus, you have two options. You can write it in .5 point font, in which case admissions officers, particularly the aging ones with weak eyes, will not even skim it. Otherwise, you will be forced to pick and choose what to include in the descriptions of the activities. Make sure to include anything that shows leadership, creativity, or any other quality you want to stress. If you are lacking room, you can leave out mundane activities.

Now, it’s time for examples.

Effective description:

Student Government Association, Grades 10-12, 10 hours/week

Position held: Secretary

· Managed all student council documents, correspondences, and meeting minutes

· Spear-headed public relations campaigns for activities organized by student council

· Organized Shadybrook High Dance Marathon, which raised $7,000 for cancer research

· Served as head of the Homecoming, Super Saturday, and Spirit Day committees

This is an effective description because it emphasizes the accomplishments of the applicant while being honest. It leaves out the more mundane and less important aspects of the position, while giving the reader a good idea of what the position actually entailed. It includes impressive specifics, and conveys leadership qualities. The wording is clear, and gives all the important information without being too long-winded.

Ineffective description:

Student Government Association, Grades 10-12, 10 hours/week

Position held: Secretary

· Student council meetings were very fun, and sometimes trying! There were many spirited debates about Spirit Week colors. I attended these meetings every Tuesday afternoon from tenth to twelfth grade!

· Posted flyers about dances, bake sales, etc.

· Meeting notes

· Dance Marathon

This position is unclear and unimpressive. It simultaneously gives too much and too little information. It includes complete sentences with unimportant details about the meetings, which is frankly too much information. Even worse than the irrelevant sentences are the short, unspecific phrases, which tell the admissions officer little about what was actually done. It plays down what the applicant did rather than playing it up. This makes the applicant seem less impressive than she actually is. Lucky for you, you will not make these mistakes on your resume now!

College Recommendation Letters | How to Ask Teachers

2009-09-25T09:00:00.001-04:00

Many of my students feel timid about asking teachers to write them recommendations. It is natural to feel awkward about this---you are asking an authority figure to do you a favor, one that could impact your college admissions. However, there's no reason to freak out. Follow this step-by-step guide to get top-quality college recommendation letters from your teachers.

Step 1: Be prepared before you ask.

The teacher will be much more willing to write a good recommendation if you make it easy for them. This means preparing a little bit before you ask anyone.

First of all, make a list of all of the colleges that you are applying to, with the deadlines written for each school. Provide the teacher with stamped envelopes addressed to each school. In addition to being polite, these steps will ensure that the teacher gets the recommendations in on time.

It will also help if you provide the teacher with some information about yourself. This way, the recommendation will be more informed, personal, and detailed. You don’t want to overwhelm them with information that they won’t have time to read—do both of you a favor and leave out every newspaper clipping since middle school and your dance recital videos. However, if you prepare a resume and give them a copy of your personal statement (if you have already written it), it will help them understand your interests and motivations.

Step 2: Ask politely.

Teachers, like anyone else, are going to respond better if you are polite.

Ask as far in advance as possible. The end of junior year, or the very beginning of senior year, is a good time to ask. Teachers, like all of us, are busy, and if you do not give them enough time, they may do a quick, sloppy job on the recommendation. They will appreciate a lot of advance notice.

When you ask, there is no need to prepare a big speech. Just ask them to meet after school or during a free period. When you meet, say something like, “Ms. X, I really got a lot out of your math class and feel like you know me better than most teachers. I was wondering whether you could write me a strong college recommendation.” This gives them an out if they think they do not know you well enough to write a good recommendation (which, believe me, you want to know before they commit!), and is also polite and non-presumptuous.

99% of the time they will say that they would love to write you a recommendation. At this point, you can give them the materials you prepared in Step One. Also, ask them if there is anything else that you can do to make their job easier. (For example, they might ask for writing samples or a copy of your transcript.) The more prepared they are, the better the recommendation can be!

Step 3: Follow Up

As I said before, teachers are busy! It will help to give them a gentle reminder about one month before the recommendation is due. Make sure not to sound like you are nagging them, or nervous. You can say something like, “Hi, Ms. X, I just wanted to check if you need any more materials before submitting the recommendation on December 15th.” The teacher will appreciate the reminder.

After they have written the recommendation, write a thank you note! A nice, hand-written one is best. In the note, stress how much you appreciate them taking the time to write the letter, and how much it helped you.

As you can see, asking for the recommendations is no big deal. You might even say it is the easiest part of the college application—you don’t have to do any work! So don’t worry, and seniors, if you have not done so already, go ask now!