Tuesday, May 10, 2016

How to Get Recruited for College

Stand out!
It is a known fact that extraordinary students who demonstrate exceptional abilities, accomplishments, and potential, particularly in sports, can get recruited to college. However, not many people know that athletics is not the only ticket to college admissions. Because colleges are trying to produce a diverse and talented incoming class, they recruit brilliant students with extraordinary talents coming from different groups and organizations.


How to Get Recruited for College

There are three primary types of recruitment that college admissions committees from different schools do. These include:

1. Recruiting with guaranteed admission and a full scholarship;

2. Recruiting with guaranteed admission and no scholarship; and

3. Preferred admissions walk‐on situations


The first two types are fairly self‐explanatory and are more familiar to aspiring students who want to get recruited in college. The third type, offered by some top‐tier schools including Dartmouth College and Harvard University, works when an organization head, say a debate coach, chooses prospects who excel in the organization, ranks them according to their performance, and sends the list of preferred candidates to the admissions office of a particular college.


Recruiting from the Debate Team

Aside from athletics, another common organization where colleges recruit prospective students is the
debate team, whose members are exposed and trained to develop good communication, public
speaking, reasoning, and logical skills. Debate is often considered an “academic sport" because of the intense preparation and competitive spirit that the activity embodies.

If you are a member of the debate team and you want to get recruited by top universities in the US, it’s not enough that you get endorsed by your debate coach. Your name also has to ring a bell to college admissions officers. The best way to do this is to network with debate coaches and debate judges whom you have encountered over the years. You must also keep in constant communication with debaters you’ve met during tournaments and introduce yourself to debate advisers in the colleges you prefer to attend in. This is similar to athletes who go to camps and advertise themselves to coaches to get recruited.


Intrinsically Valuable Activities vs. Extrinsically Valuable Activities

Most importantly, a student can guarantee recruitment for college if he or she constantly aims for
excellence in activities that are both intrinsically and extrinsically valuable. An activity is said to be
intrinsically valuable if participation in it enables the student to demonstrate important qualities, such
as leadership, dedication, focus, and hard work by the captain of a state‐championship winning football team.

On the other hand, an activity is considered extrinsically valuable if participation in it shows that you can make a distinct contribution to the same activity or group when you attend college.  An active
and admirable high school debater, for example, can most likely be of help to the college debate team.

Monday, May 2, 2016

Role of Ethnic Student Groups in College Application


Many US colleges and universities promote diversity within their community and embrace varying ideas, experiences, and backgrounds from students of different races and cultures. However, this concept raises a lot of wrong assumptions from applicants and parents alike. Many people think that US colleges, to encourage diversity, bypass more qualified applicants to be able to accept minority candidates.


A college admissions coach and counselor debunks this myth, and confirms that highly selective
universities use high academic benchmark in selecting candidates. This benchmark includes factors such as a GPA, class rank, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, and unique accomplishments both inside the school and within the community. Now, diverse candidates who have been considered would mean that they were able to reach this academic benchmark. The fact they belong to an underrepresented ethnic group simply adds further dimension to their profile. So, all things being equal, this distinction may enable a candidate to move from the “being considered” pile into the “accepted” pile.


Below is a list of some interesting student ethnic groups that can help members boost their college 
application further and help them get into the “accepted” pile of students.


African American Student Group

The African American ethnic student group focuses on the academic
and non‐academic concerns of African American students. It aims to address challenges facing African Americans and provide necessary cultural and educational assistance. The group also fosters student development and success through academic excellence, cultural awareness, leadership, and community service.


Asian American Student Group

The Asian American student group is composed of Asian Americans
who are committed to promote awareness and encourage interaction within the community they
belong in through social, cultural, academic, and athletic activities. The group also vanguards the
different issues facing Asian Americans today.


Hispanic and Latin American Student Group

The Hispanic and Latin American student group serves to
establish a bond among Hispanic students, while preserving and promoting the richness and diversity of the Hispanic and Latin American culture. Members of the group are taught to encourage cultural
diversity, articulate the concerns of Hispanic and Latino students, and cultivate relationships with other student organizations.


Korean Student Group

The Korean student group is normally composed of Korean Americans, Korean
Adopted, and Korean International students. It aims to introduce and spread the Korean culture into a
wider community. Members of the organization are committed to contribute their efforts into
supporting the Asian and Korean community through volunteer works and social and educational
events.


While ethnicity is not the primary criterion of colleges and universities when making admissions
decisions, it sure does boost a candidate’s application, especially when s/he can demonstrate how actively s/he participates in and contributes to an ethnic student group.

Sunday, April 24, 2016

When is the Best Time to Take the SAT?

When to take it?


Many aspiring college students ask this question as if wanting to delay taking their SATs the furthest
possible time. Some even wonder if they can wait until their senior year to worry about the SAT. To
answer their inquiry, no, waiting until senior year to take the SAT is a bad decision to make. Here are the reasons why.


The Earlier, the Better

The College Board, the organization that administers the SATs, offers flexible schedules for students to take the test. Depending on your preferred schedule, the SAT can be taken on January, March, May, June, October, November, or December. Admissions experts strongly recommend, however, that you – and all aspiring college students – take the SAT for the first time in the spring of your junior year. This way, you have enough time to prepare for you college application, work on other requirements, and make adjustments, if necessary.


Applying Early Action or Early Decision

Another advantage of taking the SAT early is to enable you to apply early action or early decision to your preferred college. If you take the test on October, it wouldn’t give you as much leeway as you need. What if your test scores are not outstanding? What if your performance is not that impressive? Keep in mind the possible outcomes that may happen, and realize that taking the test earlier can give you more flexibility when it comes to perfecting your college application.


Strategically Planning

Taking the test early also enables you to strategically plan where your test scores can be most likely
accepted. If you know your SAT results already, you can compare them to the average test scores of
admitted students in your college of choice. If, for example, your SAT scores did not reach the school’s requirement or are far from the medians of previously admitted students, you may opt to retake the test (since you still have ample time) or choose to apply to another college where you have a higher chance of getting admitted.


The SAT is one of the essential criteria that college admissions committee members look at and evaluate in an applicant. It is important that you give high importance to taking the test and aiming for an impressive score. To be able to achieve these, you must prepare early and plan accordingly.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Commonly Asked Questions in the College Interview

Be confident!


The college interview is an important part of the college application process at many US colleges and universities. Although it is rarely the deciding factor in whether an applicant will get admitted to or
rejected from a specific school, the college admissions interview is a great opportunity for candidates to showcase themselves, share information that are not available in their application file, discuss their expectations about the school and the program, and talk about their future career plans and goals.

Conducted by a faculty member, admissions committee member, an alumnus, or a current student in
the school, interviews give candidates a chance to meet with someone who represents the college. Most college interview questions are meant to help them and the interviewer find out if they are a good match to the school and the program.


Common Interview Questions

Below are some typical questions asked during college interviews that can help you prepare and think about your answers ahead of time.


  • Why are you considering this college?
  • What makes you think that this college would be a good match?
  • Where else are you applying and why?
  •  What do you hope to major in?
  • What do you expect to be doing ten years from now?
  •  How do you define “success?”
  • What have you liked or disliked about your school? 
  • How would you describe yourself to someone who did not know you?
  • What newspapers and magazines do you read?
  • What books not required for school have you read recently?
  • What television shows do you watch?
  • Tell us about your family.
  • How do you spend a typical afternoon after school? Evening? Weekend?
  • What extracurricular activities have you found most satisfying?
  • What are your strengths? Weaknesses? 
  • What has been your proudest achievement so far?
  • If you could talk with anyone living (or deceased) person, whom would it be and why?
  • What events have been crucial in your life?
  • What is the most important thing you’ve learned in high school?
  • What mark do you feel you’ve left on your school?
  • What do you want to get out of your college experience?
  • What makes you unique?
  • What could you contribute to our college community?
  • Talk about a significant challenge you have encountered.
  • Is there anything you’d like to tell us about your transcript?
  • What is your greatest passion?
  • How would your friends describe you?
  • If you had high school to do over again, what might you have done differently?
  • What are your goals for your senior year?



Other Pointers to Remember

Different schools have different interview questions and guidelines. You can be interview either by one school representative or a panel of interviewers.  There is no official set of interview questions, as well. All you can do is to anticipate what they could probably ask you, and how you will respond to their questions.

Feeling nervous is normal, but you have to contain your emotions during the interview. It is important that you be confident and show that you are well-prepared for the interview and are ready to take on
whatever is in store for you during the entirety of the college admissions process.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

How Participating in Sports Can Boost Your College Application

Sporty!
Getting into a good college or university in the US does not only require exceptional academic
knowledge. Aside from grades and test scores, admissions officers are now looking at how versatile and accomplished students are in terms of extracurricular activities, such as athletics and community
service.

An active participation in a particular kind of sports can help you boost your college application.
Whether you are a member of your high school’s basketball varsity team or a top player in your school’s tennis tournament, playing a school sport takes dedication and hard work – two qualities that college admissions counselors like to see in their applicants.

Sports are also a good way to develop a well‐rounded character out of an individual. They help establish skills that are based on teamwork and camaraderie. They also teach students how to set goals early on in their life and persevere through hardships that they may face along the way. If you are wondering which sports can actually give you a shot at getting in to the college that you like, here are some ideas that may help.

Tennis. While you don’t necessarily have to develop the skills of Roger Federer or Maria Sharapova,
being a good tennis player gives you a higher premium than many other sports. The sport teaches you a good sense of motivation, concentration, competitiveness, and even problem solving – all of which can be very useful when dealing with academic requirements.

Golf. Although golf is a popular sport, it takes a really talented athlete to perform outstandingly in this sport. This is why college admissions officers are always interested to learn more about an applicant who is into golf. In spite of its limited physical movements (compared to other high‐impact sports), golf helps the player develop a lot of mental skills such as awareness and concentration, balance, emotional control, self‐confidence, and decision‐making skill.

Squash. Interestingly, Ivy League and top liberal arts schools are allotting admissions spots for athletes whom they can recruit from the pool of squash players. Why squash? Simply because not everybody can play it or afford it; it’s as if a more upscale product that top colleges and universities in the US want to get a hold of.

Baseball and Basketball. Baseball and basketball are the two most popular sports in the US, so popular that almost all, if not all, colleges and universities in the country have their own baseball and basketball teams to support. This is why admissions committee gets interested with students who play baseball or basketball, wanting to know how these sports enthusiasts can be a good fit not only to the athletic requirements of the school, but to the academic challenges, as well

While exceptional athletic ability can be a great deal in the college admissions process, it will mean
little without the academic strength to back it up. Thus, make sure that you are the well‐rounded student that colleges look for – an academic achiever and an outstanding athlete in one.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

International Student: What You Need To Know When Applying for an Ivy League University

Uniting students from all over the world

Every year, upwards of 20,000 applicants apply to Ivy League schools. Their highly
selective process, however, results in a 6-12% admission rate.  During the admission
process, the Ivy League seeks diversity and aims to become a global learning institution.
What this means is that the student body of the Ivy League Schools is about 10-15%
international students.

To increase your chances of getting in, here are a few things that you should know before
applying as an international student:


Admission Process

International students who apply to Ivy League schools go through the same admission
process as American freshmen applicants. First-year students must have finished 12 to 13
years of primary and secondary education that would make them eligible to enter a
university. You should have strong academic records with high grades and test scores.

Though the application process is holistic, your scholastic record must show a strong GPA
on all subjects. Besides your school transcripts, letters of recommendation must be written


Required Standardized Tests

ALL standardized tests must be accomplished before the admission deadline. Ivy League
requires either SAT or ACT but there is no official cut off. However, the average ACT score
for the Ivy League is 29-35 while the average SAT score is 1980-2390.


English Language Proficiency

In addition to the required SAT or ACT, international students applying to the Ivy League
must also take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English
Language Testing System (IELTS) to gauge their proficiency in written and verbal English.
A minimum score of 100 on the TOEFL and 7 for IELTS is strongly recommended.
In addition to the TOEFL and IELTS, English language proficiency is also determined
through interviews. Though most Ivy League schools don’t require an interview, Harvard,
Columbia and Yale encourage international applicants to choose to interview. Not only will
it demonstrate your verbal communication skills, but it will also show the admissions
officers your dedication and interest.


Monday, March 28, 2016

Useful Tips for Writing a Winning College Admissions Essay

Write that essay!

In addition to high school grades and standardized test scores, a stellar college admissions essay is a
ticket into your top choice college.  The essay, being such a valuable piece of the puzzle, can be
daunting.

While there is no specific formula for writing a perfect essay, you must set your eyes on the main goal – to persuade the admissions committee of your worthiness. You want to prove to them that you are more than your standardized test scores or GPA.  You are a person, and by the end of the essay, they need to like you.

Summer is a great time to prepare and to start implementing the following tips:

Focus on the essay question. Most colleges provide questions so it’s important never to lose sight of
your subject matter. Stick to the topic and answer the questions straight to the point.
In your first draft, write freely. Write whatever comes to mind.  Writing involves an endless process of thinking, taking notes, and editing. This first step, however, will surely lead you to a well-written essay.


Write a strong and convincing introduction. Due to piles of college essays awaiting them, most
admissions officers have very limited time to go through an entire application. They may only read the first part of your essay. So, you need to capture their attention in the first paragraph of your essay,
maybe even the first sentence! You should include interesting details and pieces of information that will keep them engrossed in your writing.


Reveal your voice. The point of the admissions essay is for the admissions committee to get to know
you, personally. This essay gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself, show them what you are
made of, and what you can offer to their institution. Be creative in doing so, but also have a sense of
restriction not to overwrite.


Make time for revisions. As mentioned earlier, a successful essay involves the rigorous process of
writing and rewriting. Revisit your essay multiple times to see if you have further additions that will
improve your writing. Check your essay for typographical and grammatical errors, because sometimes these simple mistakes may ruin the totality of your final output.


Finally, have other people read and edit your essay. You may ask friends or family members to go over your written work, as they may have additional input that could contribute to the betterment of your essay. Do not fear criticism, as it will definitely help you produce a winning college admissions essay.