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.

College Interview: How to Approach

Ace your interview!

College interviews will not get you into a school. They are used as more of a vetting service
than to actually admit or reject students. For some schools, interviews are required, while at
other schools, they are optional. For international students, it’s absolutely crucial, that you
schedule an interview whenever possible. You need to show the admissions office that your
English is good enough to participate in the college classroom. Interviews are additional
opportunities for candidates to maximize the potential of their application.


Tell me something about yourself

Although it is easy to say that you are a good student, hard worker, or good at your
extracurricular activities, this is not what the interviewer is looking for. Instead, focus on some
traits that make you unique as an individual. Do you have any unique hobbies? Do you collect
volcanic rocks? Expound on this here. Remember that the aim is to show the interviewer that
you are different from all the other applicants.


Why do you want to attend this school?

Make sure that you have done your research about the school you wish to attend. This question
is aimed at making sure you are truly interested in the school and also to see if the school is a
good fit for you and vice versa. Highlight specific classes, professors, research opportunities,
student groups, cultural initiatives that speak to you. Exhibit how particular programs provided in
the school are in line with your academic, professional, and personal pursuits.


What can you contribute to the school?

This question is aimed at learning your true interests and seeing how you would function in the
school community. The interviewer wants to know how you can add diversity to the campus. If
you intend to be part of the student council or create a club that focuses on your interests, share
them here. Having goals for the school community provides the interviewer a clear picture of
how well you will enhance the college experience for your fellow students. Colleges want
students who will add value to the classroom, campus, and eventually, the alumni community.


What do you do in your spare time?

Answer this by enumerating your passions outside of the classroom. It isn’t necessarily meant to
be connected to your academic goals. Share that you love astronomy, that you work as a
lifeguard every summer, or that you work in your family’s shop every weekend. Any
extracurricular activity or hobby that deeply interests you is a perfect answer for this question.


Do you have any questions?

Always say yes. Asking questions shows your interest in the school and that you were paying
attention during the interview. If you have done your research properly, you will definitely have
questions for the interviewer. Ask about the level of engagement a freshman can expect in the
various research facilities they provide. Or ask about how the school interacts with the
community surrounding it. Questions that relate to your capacity in joining school functions will
leave a positive impression.

Leaving Great First Impressions: A Guide to Write a Good Application Essay

Are you ready for the next chapter in your life? If your answer is yes, then it’s time to go to college. In today’s society, one goes to college to achieve higher education. This higher education can lead to jobs with higher positions and better careers are a result. In the process of finding a good college, you need to take a couple of exams, pass a few tests and go through interviews. All these are intended for you to create a good first impression to your future teachers and fellow students alike. That’s why it is a must to prepare for it thoroughly. One such example is the making of an application essay.


The current Common Application was released last August 2013 and it sets new standards for future college applicants to admission. One of the most challenging elements was the essay section.

The making of an essay is important in applying for college. This is one way of toughening up your first impression. With colleges and universities demanding much expectation, you need to create a well-constructed application essay. A common application essay contains some insights on certain things. The creation of an essay depends on what topic is assigned to you. There are things to consider prior to making one.


Let us find out what they are and keep these following tips in mind:


First, you need to consider the length of the essay. The common app essay word limit can range from 250 to 650 words, depending on the requirements set. This is enough for the admissions committee to check whether you’re fit to enter the college or not. In terms of length, the common app length should be enough to understand what your standpoint is. You should not make essays too long to narrate your whole life story.


Next is organizing your input. You may have reached the required number of words, but if you don’t know how to organize your input, it will be hard for the reader to comprehend, thus leading to your possible rejection. One of the most common app formats being used nowadays is the block letter style where you don’t need to have your paragraphs indented. Instead, it will show up with isolated blocks of text with one line in between paragraphs.



Third, make sure your ideas or concepts are cohesive. Just because you have subdivided your essay into paragraphs, doesn’t mean you get to do it as you please. You need to make sure that one paragraph contains only one idea or concept before leaving a space for the next one. This prevents confusion.



Lastly, understand your topic. Making a great application essay depends on what are the questions or topics assigned to you so make sure that you understand the topic designated to you. Most common app questions are more of establishing your identity as a college student since it is the heart of an application essay.

Examples are:

•  What is it that made you, you? This signifies about what you’ve encountered through the years that made you into the person you are today. 

• What were the failures that you’ve encountered that has drastically changed you? This is the chance to show them what happened to you, how you faced and overcame it. Being introspective and honest is crucial as well.

•  What made you challenge an idea? This is very challenging as they say, but the thing that is, you questioned. Working against the status-quo is very difficult with everybody disagreeing to your beliefs. This is where you show them how hard it is.

•  What place has given you that much content? We all have places where we find solace and comfort. It depends on your preference. It may be a church, school, park, road, house, etc. You need to explain to the admission guys about the value it has given you. 

• What was the event that made you realize that you’re now a man, not a boy? It may be formal or informal, but you need to explain what significant event in your life has made you realize you’re growing up. It could be a Bar Mitzvah, Sweet Sixteen or basically anything. Make your admissions committee know more about you.

Now you’ve seen some tips on creating an essay for your college application. Save up
some money and go to college. You will never regret that decision for in college,

College Application Tips

Application tips for college

Applying to college can really be challenging and stressful. Just imagine the tons of requirements you need to gather, the long application forms you need to fill out, and the different essays you need to write for each of the different schools you are applying to. With the overwhelming college application process you need to undergo, do you think you can perfect all your college applications? Here are 3 effective tips on how you can make the best out of your college application.

1.       College application is more than just filling out application forms with personal information and statistics about yourself. More importantly, when preparing your college application, you need to strategically sew together the major components of your application – extracurricular activities, personal statement, supplementary essays, and resume – to create a picture of you that the admissions committee will appreciate. Through these components, you need to build an image that would grab the attention of the one evaluating you and convince him/her that you are a good fit to the school you are applying to.

2.       Preparation and diligence are keys to perfecting your college application. Take time to complete your application and carefully provide information. When you write essays, for example, write with your heart and make sure to review, edit, and refine your write up. Prepare for interviews and present yourself well. If you do not show diligence in your college application, other candidates can take your spot in your dream college. With more and more students applying for highly selective schools, setting yourself apart can be challenging, if not impossible. Thus, you have to work as hard as you can and prove that you deserve to be in your school of choice.

3.       Finally, do not work on your application just before the deadline. Several months before the application process begins, you need to be doing some preparations already like figuring out what SAT subjects you want to take, reviewing for your standardized tests, and gathering your application requirements. When you do this, you’ll have your requirements ready and you won’t have to cram when during your application.