Dealing with the Stress of College Applications
Stressed about choosing the right college and getting in? You're not alone. Anyone who's been through this process knows how much stress and anxiety comes with it.

What stresses me most about college is the decision. I want to apply to so many schools-I'm really undecided.
--Senior
Monticello High School

This process is inherently stressful and you probably won't be able to avoid all of it, but here are a few tips to help you get through it as smoothly as possible:

·         Become a maniac for organization. It sounds like an overused clich�, but if you're organized about what you have to do, when you have to do it, and what you need to do to get it done, you're halfway to success.

·         Trust your gut. Advice from your parents. Suggestions from books. Your friends' opinions. The amount of information you absorb while choosing and applying to college is overwhelming and sometimes conflicting. Keep an open mind, listen to feedback, but remember to trust your own gut feelings and reactions to everything from where you should apply to what you write your essays about.

·         Be flexible. Rarely do things turn out exactly as you planned, and if you're unprepared for change you'll be more stressed than if you expect some of it from the start. Your first choice school may turn out not to have a great major in a field that's caught your interest halfway through the application process and you might need to find another number-one choice. Don't beat yourself up for being "wrong." Instead, give yourself credit for learning more about your interests.

·         Take breaks. Day after day of college stuff can get overbearing. Give yourself a break once in a while, do something you really enjoy and that has nothing to do with college, and air out your mind. You'll feel better and work more effectively afterwards.

·         Know when to stop. You should do your best on everything from researching schools to working on your essays, but there is such a thing as doing too much. If you're researching the hundredth school or working on your fiftieth draft of revisions, stop and think about whether you're going too far and whether what you have isn't good enough already.

Read more on FamilyEducation: http://school.familyeducation.com/college-prep/stress/39320.html#ixzz2j8lstWhu

The Importance of College Visits!

The Importance of College Visits!

Visiting colleges and universities is one of the most important parts of the college search process. Obviously academics, majors selection, internship opportunities, and reputation are important factors to selecting the right school, but the overall “feel” one gets at a college should be near the top of the list of deciding factors. With advances in technology, most colleges have elaborate websites where there are hundreds of pictures of the school and even virtual tours one can take. Although this is better than nothing, it does not have the same effect as actually walking the campus, watching students interact, sitting in on a class, talking with school faculty, and just listening to your gut reaction to the overall collegiate environment. Every school will be a little different, and the absolute best way to truly know if you will be happy at a certain college is by physically being there and soaking everything in. Also, although it is not always possible, try and visit the school while the college is in session full-time. For most colleges this will be from late August to early May. While visiting a college, you can only gain a true gut feeling and perspective of the school life when students are there and the campus is vibrant with the personality of its students.

The following list contains a few helpful hints and strategies when planning on visiting different colleges on your list:

 

--As mentioned earlier, try to visit college when school is in session, as that is when you will get the true feeling of the environment.

--Call the undergraduate admissions office at the college you will be visiting to set up a guided tour. This way you will have someone with extended knowledge of the college explain the school’s layout and will be able to answer any questions you may have about the school.

--Think of questions to ask while visiting the college! You will most likely be living at the college you choose for 4-5 years, so it makes sense to do your research on everything about the school and its surroundings. Questions ranging from activities available for students, housing availability, food services, the amount of students that stick around on the weekend, internship opportunities, service opportunities, intramurals, community surroundings, and much more should all be on your list to ask admission representatives at each school.

--If you are traveling far to visit a college, plan ahead and see if there are any other schools that you may be interested in and can stop at on the way. You won’t have that many opportunities to visit colleges, so make the most out of each trip!

--Try to schedule a time to sit in on a college class, and if you know what you want to major in, try to sit in on a class in that field.

--Again, if you know your major, try to schedule a meeting with a professor in that field. This will give you a better idea of what to expect in that major and overall field.

--Take pictures and notes! Hopefully, you will be visiting multiple college campuses. In order to avoid getting schools mixed up, snap some photos and jot down a few notes to keep everything fresh in your mind!

--Soak it all in and have fun! There is no getting around the fact that the college search process in an important part of your life, but most of you will only be doing this once in your life (unless you go to graduate school), so try to live in the moment and enjoy visiting some very beautiful and exciting college campuses, which very well could be your next home!

 

Your College Counseling Team!

There has been some confusion surrounding the Common Application and the ability to submit! Some schools are extending their deadlines.  Check Out These Articles and be sure to see your counselor with any questions. We are here to help!

~ your College Counseling Team

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/10/20/college-applicants-frustrated-by-problems-with-common-app/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/16/college-application-creating-anxiety-for-students/2987823/

Who's reading your essay, and what do they want?

1) Does anyone even read it? The answer is YES. Colleges that require an essay do so for a reason. If they weren't going to read it, they wouldn't bother asking for it.

2) The essay is only one part of the whole application, but it is the most personal part. Courses, grades and test scores are important but lack personality. School recommendations are written by other people. The essay is all about what you choose to convey to the admissions committee about yourself.

3) What do you have to say? Is the essay reflective and personal? Does it get at the heart of what you are trying to convey? A page packed with text doesn't necessarily mean you have more to say than someone of fewer words. Sometimes, less is more. One student might convey why they love music more convincingly in a short essay than the student who writes about it in a long but superficial piece. On the other hand, sometimes you do need more words to tell your story.

4) Does the voice in the essay sound genuine? The best college essays will have the voice of the person who wrote them—usually, a 17(ish)-year-old high school student who comes to life on paper through their words. An essay that has been overly-edited by the adults in your life will lose that voice. (Lesson: write it yourself.)

Adapted from Margit Dahl Yale University

What Schools are Looking for in a College Essay

Tell us what is unique about you.

Why would you stand out among all applicants? Is there something different about your personal experiences? Your response should provide us with an opportunity to get to know you on a more personal level, beyond your GPA, test scores, and curriculum.

Use recent examples.

It's always best to focus on issues that occurred while you were in high school, since we're only reviewing your high school performance when determining if you'll be admitted. If something happened when you were younger that has significantly affected you, talk about it, but then put the focus on how this event has affected you in recent years.

Watch your tone.

There's a big difference in focusing your essay on "Your school needs me as a student because..." versus "please please please admit me!"

Don't make excuses.

If you've had a poor or inconsistent grade performance due to unusual or stressful circumstances, feel free to share that information with us; it can be useful. But don't strain credibility by making up false excuses. Be honest — we'll respect that.

Be truthful, but make sure you're comfortable with your potential audience.

Students often feel compelled to share extremely personal and even traumatic experiences in their responses — health issues, death of a family member, abuse, etc. We will absolutely keep your information confidential; however, if you decide to reveal something deeply personal, be aware that a number of people will potentially be reading your essay.

Tell us why we're great.

Talk about campus programs you've attended. Tell us why you're a great fit for the school.

Remember that athletics or a great business program can be a reason, but should not be the only reason you want to attend!

           

Information adapted from the University of Michigan website

Tips for Writing a Great College Essay

Tips for Writing a Great College Essay

Tip 1. College essays are fourth in importance behind grades, test scores, and the rigor of completed coursework in many admissions office decisions (NACAC, 2012). Don't waste this powerful opportunity to share your voice and express who you really are to colleges. Great life stories make you jump off the page and into your match colleges.

Tip 2. Develop an overall strategic essay writing plan. College essays should work together to help you communicate key qualities and stories not available anywhere else in your application.

Tip 3. Read the prompts all the way through. Each prompt may have different questions or probes. Make sure you are prepared to answer all parts of the prompts. Some answers may be implied, but must be clearly evident to a reader.

Tip 4. Plan to share positive messages and powerful outcomes. You can start with life or family challenges. You can describe obstacles or failures you have overcome. You can reflect on your growth and development, including accomplishments and service. College admissions officers do not read minds, so tell them your powerful life stories and demonstrate the personal qualities you hope to bring to their campus communities.

Tip 6. Follow Dr. Joseph's Into, Through, and Beyond approach. Lead the reader INTO your story with a powerful beginning—a story, an experience. Take them THROUGH your story with the context and keys parts of your story. Make sure the reader understands your initiative, leadership, development, and continuity. End with the BEYOND message about how this story has affected who you are now and who you want to be in college and potentially after college. The beyond can be implied in many pieces that are so strong that

moralizing at the end is not necessary.

Tip 7. Use active writing: avoid passive sentences and incorporate power verbs. Show when possible; tell when summarizing.

Tip 8. Most importantly, make yourself come alive throughout this process. Write about yourself as passionately and powerfully as possible. Be proud of your life and accomplishments. Sell yourself!!!

Take from Communicating Your Story:

Writing Powerful College Application Essays

                                                    Rebecca Joseph

 

Our last student installment from Barrington Bennett,managing College Costs and Financial Aid.

        Probably the most important thing in applying to school is MONEY. Unfortunately, many students are accepted to their #1 school but sadly cannot attend because of the school’s expensive tuition. However, there is a lot of free money out there to help lower these high, expensive college costs. The three types of free money are: scholarships, grants, and financial aid. Both scholarships and grants are merit based while financial aid is specifically need based. Most colleges actually have a financial aid calculator on their websites, which allows one to actually see how much financial aid the school would be willing to award them based on their financial situation. The hardest part about applying for grants and scholarships is actually finding them. The easiest tool to use is fastweb.com, which updates everyday and tells you the scholarships which you are eligible to apply for. The best tactic is to apply for as many scholarships as possible and recycle your essays, since most scholarships ask the same or similar essay topics.

            Summer Reflection - Andrew Holowienka

            This past summer I was enrolled in an enrichment course, taught by Ms. Rubinstein and Ms. Morissette, in which we discussed and learned about the college process. Both Ms. Rubinstein and Ms. Morissette would often raise hypothetical questions in order to help us understand the process more clearly. During one class, Ms. Rubinstein spoke about a very interesting circumstance. She told of one of her students who applied to schools of very high caliber despite his low grades and GPA. This concerned her because she knew he would not be accepted to the majority of his choices. “What should I have told him?” she asked. I told her that she should have kindly explained to him that want and ability are two different things. Impressed by my response, she decided to write that statement on the board. Suddenly, my one sentence answer was the class philosophy for the rest of July.

            You may be wondering what exactly I meant by my response. Consider this example: There is a student who has a 2.7 GPA. The student failed Chemistry sophomore year. The student wants to go to Princeton in the hopes of graduating in four years; this student would then like to go to Medical School. In reality, this individual probably lacks the capabilities and skills necessary to succeed in Princeton or Medical School. He is very delusional if he honestly believes he would be accepted into Princeton in the first place. Not only is he wasting his time, money, and energy, but he’s getting his hopes up. As a matter of fact, he is not being reasonable or smart about the college process at all. Although most people wouldn’t want to crush this student’s dreams, something has to be said to the student in order to avoid turmoil. An honest assessment of what our abilities are is necessary in order to ensure we don’t waste time of futile endeavors. We must remember that our desires and abilities must be in line during this process. If we apply to schools in which we know we can succeed, then we will most likely see many acceptance letters in the future.