College Interveiws

Ian Maxwell

             In the interview with a college admissions representative there are some key things you want to do. The first is you must have a good first impression: firm handshake, introduce yourself and always make eye contact. The next important thing to do in an interview is to have good posture. Do not slouch or look too relaxed; also do not have restless leg syndrome. Keep your legs still by bring an index card in to keep your hands busy. The third important thing to remember is to write on that index card what that rep should remember about you. This will help you stay focused.  Consider writing a question that you have on that card, having a question shows that you were involved in the conversation. Remember that this is a conversation not an interrogation session. Also think about your best answer not the ‘right one’. Most importantly be firm, professional but relaxed.

College Visits by Sam Burkhardt

        College visits are a great chance to get to see a school that you are interested in and decide whether the school is a good fit for you. There are two times when visiting a school is a great idea. The first time is before you apply to decide if the school is a good fit and it is what you are looking for in a school, this visit should help you decide whether or not you will be applying there. The second visit is after you have been accepted and are making you final decision, this visit should really help you decide whether or not you can see yourself going here, arranging an interview or a meeting with faculty or other current students  is a great idea as this will give you a more in-depth look at the school.

At college interviews do not forget to

ü Dress Properly

It is important to dress properly when attending these visits because you never know who you are going to meet and you always want to leave a good impression. In the summer khaki shorts and polo is a great idea, while in the winter khakis with a long collared shirt and tie is more appropriate.

ü Leave a good impression

Good ways to do this are with a firm handshake and direct eye contact whenever you are in a conversation with someone. Ask questions and be attentive during the tour, not paying attention or looking disinterested could be bad because the tour guide may be more than just a student.

ü Create a connection

Talk to the leader of the tour and the director of the information session you may learn more about the school but you may also create a connection, which may help you in the admissions process. If you want to leave a great impression send an email to the tour guide and to the director of the information session, this is a great way to create a connection that may benefit you in

Peter Cruickshank

Overview of College Visits   

 

          One of the most important steps in the college process is finding colleges that best suit you. College enrollment is an individualized process, one that gives you the option of picking the school of your choice (one which you can picture will best fit your needs and interests). While picking a school to study sounds like an easy and simple task at first, things can get very difficult down the line. When narrowing down schools, it can become challenging to pick one school over the other. When in the spring you get accepted to your three favorite schools, how will you be sure which one you will feel most comfortable in? The best way to determine which school is right for you (and which to remove from your list) is to take a college tour. Taking a tour around a campus can give you a good sense whether a college is truly right for you or not. You must always put your best foot forward and attempt to jump at any opportunity for a tour of colleges you love.

         I took a college boot camp class  for the summer and was given the opportunity to visit three different schools. Although I was unfamiliar with some of the schools offering tours, I still chose to attend them to see what the various colleges had to offer its students.  The three schools I visited were St. Peter’s University, Drew, and Sarah Lawrence College. While these colleges may share similar majors and athletics, these schools are far from being the same. On each tour, all of the colleges presented themselves differently. Each college had something special about them, things which made them stand out from each other.

Here are a few things that caught my attention during my various trips:

●       Each of the colleges had very small class sizes

Saint Peters University

●       SPU’s new student center looked amazing. There were six floors each containing something different such as a large exercise area or a floor just for hot meals.

●       Unlike the other 2 schools, SPU is located right into the city, something that may pose an issue to students (who haven’t experienced life in the city) with the desire to live in campus.

Drew

●       One of the largest of the 3 colleges, reaching over 170 acres. Provides to its students many buildings some of which are dedicated to the arts.

Sarah Lawrence

●       Unlike other colleges, Sarah Lawrence has its own special curriculum. Instead of majors, your classes are formed solely on what you are interested in.

●        This college felt to me as a good fit for people who are undecided in their future careers.

            After my experience visiting these various colleges, I’ve learned that colleges truly do not disappoint. All three of these colleges are wonderful schools which can help students excel academically. While these colleges may not be right for you, a tour can really shape what you know about the college you’re applying to. It can even be the deciding factor for any lingering doubts you may have in going to a school. There are thousands of schools out there, each presenting several different opportunities for both you and other students. You must make sure that in your search for colleges you pick the ones which you absolutely love, and simply taking a single tour can really make a difference.

Mario Spiniello '14

The College Essay 

           The college essay is completely different from every English paper you’ve written. You’re not trying to prove your argument; you’re trying to tell a story. However, this doesn’t mean that you can be completely informal in writing the college essay. You still have to showcase your writing ability. Unlike the traditional English paper, you are attempting to show who you are and the values you believe through one of the prompts. This is a personal essay; everyone is not using the same sources for the essay. Therefore, try as best as possible not to sound mostly generic essay in your essay. For example, one of the prompts asks you to write about a place where you are perfectly content. Don’t only talk about the feeling you get while in this place because everyone will have the same essay as you. Instead, elaborate on a specific time you went to this place and how personally this place affected you. In recap, portray yourself positively, personally, and elaborately and you will write a strong college essay.

Student Spotlight -  Michael Tanelli '14

 

Why college visits are important and how they affect an application.

          Throughout this college course the topic of college visits came up frequently. When applying to colleges the first thing to do before hand is visit colleges and find a sense of home in them. You must love the colleges you visit because one of them will be your home for the next 4 years. I have visited 8 colleges and I felt a great sense of connection to 5 of them. The other 3 I liked, but they were not places I felt the love at. My college visit experience way key to finding out the type of person I am and also the best fit for myself for the next few years of my life. One of the most important parts of the college process is to visit schools because college visits give you a strong sense of the college experience. Although it is only for a few hours, the visit helps you, as a person, to understand what you, yourself, want from college and what kind of setting you want to be in. It is your process and choice so make sure to do the research and really hone into what you want from a college and what you have to offer to it as well. A college visit helps you to see what college is like and also to give you a sense of what you want in a university.

          Visiting colleges is important because it can also affect your own application as well. If you are passionate about a college you will absolutely put forth effort into the college’s application. If you don’t put effort into the app, then you DON’T have a true passion for the school; therefore, you do not love it. If you truly love a college you will put forth the effort to do the application and write several essays because you really want to go to the school. However, if you’re at home and you see that the University of Pennsylvania has 2 additional essays to write aside from the essay on the common app and you’re too tired to write it, the chances are you really don’t want to go to UPenn because you’re not willing to take the time to work. If you want to go to a specific university you will sit for hours working until every inch of that application is complete, truly you, and your best work. That’s why college visits are important because it gives you a sense of adaptation to the school and the application is important because that is what reiterates your love and passion for the school you are applying to.

Welcome Back Classes of 2014 and 2015; and welcome to another addition of your College Knowledge blog post. To start the year off right I thought we should hear from those on the front lines – those going through this college application process at this very moment – our seniors. This summer Ms. Rubinstein and I taught a course focusing on all things college. We then had our students reflect and tell us in their own words what they had taken away from the course. These next two weeks I will be highlighting some of those posts. Stay tuned… and here’s to a great year!

Sarah Morissette, M. Ed. and the College Counseling Team