Whether you are just beginning to think about college or a #classof2020 student suddenly realizing just how close you are to the finish line, it’s important to understand how to make the most of your college visits. Having worked with hundreds of families for the past six years, I have seen a few repeated mistakes I hope to help you avoid:

– Visiting too many dream schools

– Cramming too many schools into one trip

– Visiting all the UCs

– Visiting schools at the wrong time of year

– Taking a tour and nothing else

Now that we’ve got the what NOT to do out of the way, let me explain what you should focus on instead. First, an optimal college visit involves much more than looking at buildings while a seemingly overcaffeinated and zealous undergraduate recounts random factoids about the school. By all means, sign up for a tour, but that should be an appetizer to an otherwise hearty meal of faculty meetings, sitting in on a class, speaking with current students and even interviewing if you can!

Contacting the admission department ahead of your trip can be a helpful way to both demonstrate your interest in the school and learn about which of the aforementioned opportunities to connect with the school at a deeper level might be available to you. Reach out directly to faculty (hint: many have publicly available email addresses on their department’s website), and ask to meet face-to-face for a tour of the department in which you hope to study.

Many times, you are also able to sit in on an actual class and see the learning environment first-hand. This can also be a great way to learn about different majors if you are undecided. Does your cousin, friend, family friend or 3^rd cousin twice removed attend this school? If so, now is the time to connect on your favorite social media platform and ask to meet up for a quick coffee while you are on campus. Gathering the “behind-the-curtain”, real student experience perspective is invaluable.

Now, you may have begun to notice that most of the things I just mentioned are only possible while school is in session. That means the best time to visit is sometime during the school year either on a short break or a long weekend. It’s not always possible, but if you are able, try to make this happen so that you can connect with faculty and students on campus.

In terms of which schools to visit, try to prioritize any school that may be an early decision school. It’s hard to commit to a school sight unseen. Second, consider visiting a school or two that may be a low target or safety school for you—at least make sure your list of schools is not comprised entirely of dream schools. Familiarity breeds affinity: the schools you visit are schools you will likely feel more drawn to anyways. You don’t need to add more fuel to the “dream” fire unless you are strongly considering applying early.

Finally, consider which of your schools weigh demonstrated interest in the admission process so that you maximize the impact of your visit. The first goal of a college visit is always for you to gauge whether the school is a fit, but it is also helpful to sort out which schools you need to visit before you apply and which you can visit after decisions are released.

Happy Traveling!   

You know what they say – third time’s a charm!  

The Common Application has announced that the 2019-2020 application essay prompts will remain the same as they have been for the last two years. 

From Common App: “Based on extensive counselor feedback, the existing essay prompts provide great flexibility for applicants to tell their unique stories in their own voice. Retaining the essay prompts provides the added benefit of consistency for students, counselors, parents, and members during the admissions process.” 

This is great news for our class of 2020 students as you can start thinking about the prompts (see them below!) now, ahead of application writing this summer. 

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma – anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Some facts from the Common App: 

During the 2018-2019 application year, the most popular topic of choice was: “Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.” (24.1%).

The next most popular topics were: “Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.” (23.7%), followed by “The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?” (21.1%).

What are you going to write about? 

All the best, 

Team Insight 

With results from the early round of applications widely available, I have noticed many behaviors and perceptions regarding admissions getting altered. I have found some families to be unreasonable with their expectations, and others to be overwhelmingly grateful. Certainly, those attitudes correlate heavily with the decisions received. With many more decisions to get released over the next few months, let’s make some simple facts obvious:

– There are no guarantees for getting into Ivy League universities, or to any school, for that matter. Your parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents may have all attended a prestigious school. You have a perfect GPA, test scores and are close to finding the cure for diabetes. You have done everything right for the past 17 years to guarantee your spot at your family’s alma mater. Even then, nothing is guaranteed. I have been surprised by the number of parents shocked when their child is rejected at a top tier school; teens tend to be more realistic and take it in stride. Remember, just because your child did not get into one of those eight schools it does not mean that their future success will now be limited. They are still the same amazing kid you raised and that potential is still burning brightly.

–  Admissions will seem harder this year than they did last year, mostly because this time you are going through it. You will read a slate of articles about declining admissions rates and rising applicant pools. You will read in decision letters how “this was the most competitive class ever” and “it was incredibly difficult to make the decision.” You will compare yourself or your child to children in the past who were admitted and wonder what went wrong. You will complain that it is not fair. While the admissions pool is getting larger, students who are smart about their college lists will have plenty of options come springtime.

–  There are factors beyond your control that impact admissions decisions. In the past, I have written about the impact of athletics, legacy, and diversity in admissions (among several other factors) that affect how decisions are made. These factors are still at play. Behind the locked doors of admissions offices, real people are trying to find the balance between rewarding you for your accomplishments and efforts and building the best class for that college that year. These admissions officers do face the tough task of having to deny students not based on the quality of the applications, but on the fact that some students just did not fit this year. This is where the “injustice” of it all seems the most pronounced. This, by the way, has always been the case — we just have so much more information about who is getting in these days, mostly due to technology.

– You will get into college, assuming that you built a well-rounded list. I know it is scary to not get into or get deferred by the first college to which you applied. For many of you, this might be the first real rejection you have faced. While it is hard to believe now, in a few months you will look back and wonder why you were worried. If you need to make adjustments to your list, do so; there is still plenty of time. But other than that, just keep up your hard work.

–  Senioritis is not a real thing. It is a made-up reason to slack off during the second semester. There is no psychological or medical reason for this to happen. In fact, you must keep up your grades. You should keep up with your activities because they are important to you. You should keep challenging yourself because that is what life is about. You should still try to learn as much as you can now; you don’t have to wait to start college. This does not mean you shouldn’t have fun. And really, you should not be giving up on life experiences and fun throughout your life simply for the sake of getting into college. It is a balancing act that you will have to learn to master and there is no better time than now to practice.

Admissions are at once and paradoxically, overwhelmingly complicated and seemingly simple. But rather than focus on that conundrum, just focus on yourself and be confident. You got this! 

While it may seem too early to receive college acceptance letters, many students who applied to schools with rolling admissions have started to receive some decisions. In the past two weeks, I have gotten several emails from students notifying me that they got into X or Y colleges, but then quickly following up with something along the lines of, “It’s not my top choice, so I am not that thrilled about it.” Parents have sent me similar emails.

My immediate response: Celebrate every acceptance, every accomplishment.

There is no reason to apply to colleges that really don’t excite you — that is just a waste of your time, money and energy. Every school on your list should be one that you would love to attend regardless of how difficult are its admissions or how prestigious is its brand. The fact that the “thick envelope” or congratulatory email came early does not mean that it is a lesser school.

What it does imply is that you are a strong candidate who got their act together early enough to send in a compelling application. The school valued your academics and accomplishments and would love to have you in its freshman class.

Remember that the journey to May 1 can feel like an endless one. I hope that it is filled with more good news than with disappointment, and more acceptances than denials. But this first acceptance is huge. It means that you are going to college. Wasn’t that the goal from the beginning?

So don’t temper good news. But sit down and go through the rest of your college list and ask yourself if you are truly committed to the schools you have chosen. How likely are you to attend any one of those schools if given an acceptance? If you realize that your list has been padded to collect acceptance letters, rethink your strategy. And now that you have this one acceptance, ask yourself which schools you would choose instead of this one. It might help you narrow your list and save you some unnecessary work. If the fact that this school does not excite you much means that you want to add a couple of more schools, talk to your high school counselor and teachers to see if it would be possible to do so.

And parents, you have a responsibility here to encourage your child and celebrate every success. Do not talk down about any school on your child’s list. Sure, it might not be your favorite school and you might not be that keen on sending them to a specific school, but save those comments until all decisions have been received.

What if, in the worst case, this is the only school your child is accepted to? Your disparaging of it will affect their confidence. Be positive and encouraging and engaged. There is no need to jump up and down or throw a party, but a few words of congratulations can go so far.

Remember that this is an incredibly difficult time in a teen’s life. They are putting himself out there to be judged by faceless admissions officers who are going to determine where they spend the next four formative years of their life. Their strengths and weaknesses are going to be on private display and compared to their peers. Your child knows this. These acceptance letters are crucially important to them right now.

So whether you have a great interview, get amazing feedback on your personal statement, get an acceptance letter, or pull off a great grade on that midterm, celebrate, even silently, the accomplishment.

You’re deep in college essay writing, and the worst happens – you’re struck with writer’s block!

The dreaded “brain fog” can be hard to get through, especially if you’re on a tight deadline. Here are a few things you can do to help break out of the funk

Brainstorming

Jot down some ideas of what you might want to write about (topics, people, events – whatever “large” idea you have) on a piece of paper. Or, my personal favorite and if you have access to it, a great tool is a whiteboard!

Write the topic in big writing in the middle of the whiteboard, and around it, just write any words or phrases that come to mind. You will likely have done some kind of similar exercise when you were in elementary school, and it can be a wonderful way to get ideas out of your head and (literally!) out in front of you.

Do this for a few of your topic ideas and see which you found the easiest to write words and phrases around. Which looks like it might lend itself to a compelling essay? Take some time to see what you have come up with and what you like the best.

Free write

This is another great way to brainstorm. Pull out your laptop, notebook or whatever it is that you like writing on, and just start writing!

Don’t worry about if it’s on topic or not, don’t worry about grammar and spelling – just write. It may come together like a diary, a story, a play, a song – it doesn’t matter. Just keep writing.

When you’re done, leave it for a while. Come back to it, re-read it, and see what ideas stand out to you. You may even be able to begin editing together an essay from that free write entry!  

Talk your idea out with a friend, parent, sibling – or your Insight Counselor!

Talking to another person that you are comfortable sharing your essay ideas with is a great way to bounce around ideas and get creative feedback. You might find that by talking out your ideas, the essay starts to form in your head. The person listening to you may ask questions that help to lead you in a new direction or point out where a gap in your essay might be.

Talk to a few people and get some different perspectives. After each discussion, write down some quick notes in a notebook or even the notes app on your phone. This will help you come back to the suggestions if you’re not able to sit down and spend some time writing right after your discussion.

Try to work as far ahead as you can

One thing that can make writer’s block even harder is knowing you’re on a tight deadline. Try to work as far ahead as possible to allow yourself creative time to write the best essay you can! This also gives you the most chance to write something you’re proud of, leave it for a while, and come back to it with fresh eyes for those final edits.

Good luck with your essay writing and remember, no one can tell your story better than you can! Get writing!

Question: My son submitted his college applications early, but accidentally sent three before they were ready. Some answers are wrong and some don’t present him in the best light. What do you recommend we do to fix the situation? I’m concerned that calling the colleges will start him off with them on a bad note.

Answer: I am sure this is causing you extreme stress, so let’s first assess the situation. You and your son first will want to decide how minor or major the errors were. Think through these questions:

• Are there blatant mistruths on the applications?

• Are the errors minor grammatical ones?

• Did he omit relevant and important information?

• Can the errors be reversed by a school counselor or teacher’s letter of recommendation?

• Is it worth drawing attention to the errors?

• Will the errors damage his chance of admission?

If the errors are minor, it is best to leave the applications as they are. Admissions officers realize that simple errors happen and that the applicants are 17-year-olds. They don’t tend to judge these mishaps too harshly. Make sure your son makes the appropriate corrections for future applications.

If the errors are major, then he should take some steps to make corrections. Since he cannot submit two applications to the same school, he will need to contact the admissions office by sending an email or letter. In the letter, he should include his name, application ID or birthdate, state that there were errors on the application and indicate the corrections he would like to make. If an essay needs to be modified, attach a corrected essay. Request that this information is reviewed rather than the content originally submitted and give a brief and apologetic statement about what caused the errors to happen in the first place.

He should also talk to his school counselor and let him or her know what happened. The counselor, if willing, can also send in a letter or call the admissions office on his behalf. It would also be a great opportunity for the counselor to really play up your son’s strengths and explain that his haste in submitting the application was simply because he is so excited about the college. Admissions officers do value any information that counselors can provide, so reach out to him or her.

It is important that your son be the one to take charge and contact the admissions office, though you certainly should feel free to be in the background guiding him through. Mistakes do happen and many students are sometimes trigger-happy when it comes to applications. While admissions officers do try to always look at the newest information, there is always a possibility that the original information will be read. How much it will impact an admissions officer really depends on the admissions officer and the gravity of the errors. That is something you will not have the privilege of knowing. So the best thing is to send in the corrections and hope that the right information and the explanation will portray your son in the best light possible.

At the same time, do make sure he applies to additional colleges just in case. Rather than getting surprised down the road with bad news, get prepared now. And you never know, he might find some schools that are an even better fit for him.

Most importantly, after you have done what’s needed, it is important to relax. No good will come from stressing about these errors for the next several months. If he gets accepted, celebrate. If he does not get in, do not assume that the errors were the sole or specific reason why he was denied. And be sure not to mention these errors then — it will only make him feel worse. Rather, focus on the acceptances and the decision at hand, which is picking the best college for him.

All the best,

Team Insight 

Demonstrated Interest – what is it, and how do you use it! 

In short, Demonstrated interest is something colleges use to see if you are genuinely interested in enrolling in and attending their university. Consider how many colleges you yourself are applying to. Then, consider if everyone in your class at school is applying to roughly the same amount of colleges. Finally, consider the fact that UCLA received 113,000 applications for Fall 2018 Freshman Admission! That is a lot of students indicating to UCLA that their school is one they are at least interested in.

If you can do something, as small as it may seem, to help show an admissions reader that you really want to attend their college out of all that you are applying to – this is a good thing! 

Here are (just some!) of the ways you can demonstrate your interest: 

•  Join a college mailing list 

Seems obvious, right? Jump on the college website and scroll down to the bottom, 9 times out of 10 you will find a “Join our Mailing List” button right there. Enter in an email that you actually use and check! Consider using an email that is NOT your school email, as you want to make sure you have access to it after school ends. 

But wait! Don’t just leave it at that. Colleges will assign you a unique barcode or number that helps them track where, when and how you contact and interact with them. Receiving an email from them is great, but even better is opening the email and reading it! There may be a link inside the email to an article on the college website that sounds interesting to you – click that too. Not only does this add to your demonstrated interest profile, but you will also likely find that you’re learning more about the college through these interactions. Win-Win! 

• Attend a local information session  

If possible, attend a local information session hosted by the school you are interested in. Before you go, think of some questions you want to ask the representative from the school. When you’re there, introduce yourself and ask those questions! This is another win-win because while you’re getting some great info from the rep, they’re learning a little more about you and what you’re interested in. 

Bonus points – see if you can get a business card or email for the rep. Send them a brief emailing thanking them for their time and for answering your questions. Don’t forget to send your thank you email from the same email address you used to join the mailing list! Keep in contact with them organically (AKA, don’t spam them!). 

• Go on a college tour 

This is another great way to really learn a lot about the school while also showing to their admissions team how much you want to be there. Sign up for the official tour and most importantly, attend it! We have heard from a college in the past that they saw a student signed up for an official tour and then didn’t attend. This was unfortunately seen as a negative against that student. Of course, if something happens and you can no longer make it to the tour, make sure you call the office running the tour to cancel and then send a follow-up email. 

Check out our blog on how to make the most of college visits for our tops tips! 

• Follow the college on their social media accounts

This one is the easiest and probably the one you are already doing! Don’t forget about social media sites like LinkedIn and YouTube. Colleges post very interesting content across these platforms. Also, keep in mind the age-old rule “If you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, don’t type it online”. There are many examples of students writing things in the comments section of a college post or mentioning a college online and saying something not-so-great. Don’t let yourself make a silly mistake like that! 

• If you can, interview

Not all colleges will offer an interview during their admissions process, but if the college you are interested in does, then 100% take this opportunity! If you are nervous about interviewing, remember that practice can be a very helpful way to get more comfortable. Check out our blog from Insight Counselor Amy Brennen on how to answer some of the most common interview questions! 

There are many more ways that you can let a college know “Hey, I really want to be here in the Fall!” so our best piece of advice is to stay involved. Keep up with what the college is doing, especially in the departments you are interested in. To make it manageable, allocate maybe 20 or so minutes a week to check in on the college social media pages, website and emails. 

All the best,

Team Insight 

What are the most important things you should think about when writing your college applications?

It may be a little intimidating to hear, but some schools these days are spending as few as 8 minutes on each application. That’s 8 minutes to convey all the hard work and energy you’ve put into the last NEARLY 4 YEARS of your life. So here are 3 tips that I give my students to help them stand out:

– The most important thing is to BE YOU, be AUTHENTIC. The surest way to write cliché essays and have a “cookie cutter” application that doesn’t stand out is to write what you THINK they want to hear. Focus on the events and experiences in your life that shaped your values and shaped your vision for your future. And please, spend the necessary time to dig deep and come up with unique essays and short answers.

– Don’t worry about listing every activity you’ve ever done. In fact, ONLY activities you did in high school should be on your application. Focus on depth over breadth. Make sure your activity resume highlights the most important things you’ve accomplished and the impact you’ve made in your school and your community. Lead with your strongest activities, don’t let them get buried farther down on the page.

– If you need to explain extenuating circumstances in your life, DO. Some students are afraid that talking about an illness or a family tragedy will convey weakness. Without that information, colleges can’t compare the apples to the oranges, and adversity often makes us stronger and teaches us important life lessons. On many applications, there is an “additional information” section intended exactly for this purpose.

So with that, the three quick ways you can stand out on your application: 

Be brave. Be original and start early!

You got this! 

Q: So many of my friends have started their college essays, but I seem to have a block and don’t know where to begin. Help!

A: Ah — the elusive college essay. It can cause even the most confident student to feel doubt.

The intent of the essay is not to induce undue stress or test your inner Twain. It is an opportunity for you to tell colleges more about the thing you know most about — you! This is the place where you can talk about what makes you unique, what your passions are, and what you hope to accomplish. If you start early (and it is still early) and really put thought into these pieces of the application, you can truly make your applications stand out.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. The essay is about you and the content and voice should reflect a 17-year-old. Don’t try to pull in complex “SAT” words or pull up Thesaurus.com to improve the essay in a way that does not show you natural writing style. The voice you hear when you write is the voice the admissions officer should hear when they read your essay.

2. The essay is an opportunity to give more depth about specific activities and experiences. Go beyond the obvious of what was done and include what you gained from the experiences.

3. Remember that the essay is not a letter of recommendation for someone else. While it is easy to write about others more easily than writing about yourself, the essay needs to focus on what you have learned or experienced.

4. If you are uncomfortable sharing your writing with someone you trust (not necessarily just your parents), think about how comfortable you are having an admission officer read it. Talk to someone if you are unsure about the appropriateness of your topic.

5. Don’t write an essay that someone successfully wrote a previous year. An idea can be unique only once.

6. Have fun writing the essay — yes, fun! Colleges want real people on campus, and the essay should reveal your whole persona, not just your academic one.

7. The essay should complement the application. Remember that the essay is just one element of the application and must mesh well with the other pieces.

8. Make sure the essay flows well and scrub out grammar mistakes. Writing that is filled with errors is hard to read and takes away from the message you are trying to convey.

9. Do not share your essay with friends no matter how tempting it might be. Even the most well-intentioned person can pull ideas and style unconsciously. But do share your essays with a couple of people that objectively know you well and can tell you if your essay reflects you.

Start by brainstorming ideas and thinking about what you want to tell a college that is not already relevant elsewhere in the application. Starting early will allow you to experiment with different topics and find just the right words to share something important.

It is important to take pen to paper now. What eventually comes out will hopefully be a deeper insight into you — the very thing that admissions officers seek when they sit down to read the much-agonized-over personal statement.

A new academic year is upon us. Soon-to-be college students around the country, and the world are packing, ready to embark on new adventures. And while this is an exciting time in their lives, they can certainly benefit from the advice of people who have been there and done that. Over the past weeks, I have been collecting nuggets of wisdom from those around me. These advice givers range from fresh college grads close to the experience to seasoned professionals who have the advantage of perspective.

– Be prepared to be humbled. In college, you are going to meet some of the smartest young people in the world. They will be accomplished across multiple areas of life. This is a good thing. If you walk in thinking you will be the smartest person on campus, you are going to disappointed and may even retreat. Rather, take advantage of the opportunity to hang out with such a fantastic group of people. You will learn more from the people you meet than the books you read in class.

– The money you spend comes from somewhere. Whether you are on financial aid or have a trust fund, the money being spent to send you to college has value. Assume that you will have to pay back every penny. So spend wisely. Don’t take on credit card debt, and certainly don’t do it just so you can have more fun in school. Get a job if you need to cover your expenses. Assume that everyone around you has a trust fund. Don’t spend like them just because you can. College debt is a real thing and can limit your opportunities later in life.

–  Learn for the purpose of learning. No matter what you want to do in your career, expand beyond just the required courses. Explore new ideas and classes because you can. College is the place where you can study algorithms, Freud, derivatives, and classics all in one day. Content knowledge becomes obsolete quickly. But learning how to think and problem-solve and create — those are skills that never become dated.

– Don’t graduate early. You might be eager to get out into the real world and start making some money. Even if you go to grad school, there is nothing like your college experience. Absorb every ounce of it that you can. Take additional courses, perhaps even a minor in something that excites you. Study abroad. Get out of your comfort zone. Never again will you get to live in another country under the safety net of a university. While college is expensive, the opportunities are at your fingertips.

– Get to know your professors and alums. Their long list of accomplishments might make them a bit intimidating, but chances are they ventured into academia because they enjoy connecting with students. Treat them like real people Take them to lunch. Ask them for advice. Respect them always. It gets harder to network across hierarchies later in life, so learning this skill now will benefit you. Alums are often excited to talk to current students — sometimes more than talking to other alums. And you never know how their words of wisdom can change your perspective.

–  Don’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable. Don’t join a group because everyone else is joining. Don’t feel pressure to do anything that violates your beliefs or values. Don’t make friends with annoying people. The people you meet in college might become your lifelong friends, perhaps even your life partner. Spend meaningful time with people who matter. Never again will you be surrounded by so many people your age with a shared experience. Savor it. Avoid the drama of spending time with people who want to turn you into something you are not.

–  Some academic basics: Go to class. Every class. Do your work on time, even if it is work that does not get turned in. Read ahead of the class. Get help when you need it. Go to office hours and ask appropriate questions. Sit in the front row even if your friends are in the back. Your top priority is to do well in school. It will open up more opportunities for you down the road. Your grades matter to future employers and/or graduate schools.

– Look for a summer job or internship in the fall. I know it can be scary to have to think about next summer when summer just passed, but it is important. Waiting too long will limit your opportunities. Find out when the recruiting happens on campus and get prepared early. Build your resume. Talk to career services. Talk to alums who work in the organizations you care about.

– Call your parents. They miss you. You may soon realize that they actually know you better than anyone else in this world and can give you the best advice.

College is an exciting time, but it should not just be flitted away. Walk in armed with your goals and your priorities. You will have a more meaningful four years if you do.