Insights on Preparing for Alumni Interviews

By Brittany MaschalFeb 11, 2019

Alumni interview season is coming to an end, so I wanted to get a post up for high school juniors looking to get a sense of what’s in store for 2019.

For many students, college admissions interviews are fear-inducing. And though there is some decent prep material online, you can go right to the source for clarity on what the process entails. There really should be no reason to fear your alumni interview because many schools have their protocols and the guidance/instructions they give your interviewer available for you to review online—including possible interview questions.

Knowing the questions you might be asked is one thing but thoroughly preparing is another completely. You do not need to spend hours preparing answers to hundreds of questions to thoroughly prepare for alumni or any other college admissions interview. Canned responses sound unnatural and can be a give away that you were nervous (understandable given the hype around these things) and as a result, over-prepared. In my experience, taking the less stressful approach bodes well for students: they do not waste hours preparing, which can detract from other important tasks (homework, community engagement, Spotify) and because they have not overprepared, they will more naturally which tends to win over an interviewer.

Remember, so much of a college admissions interview (and this entire process!) is about likeability—rehashing your resume word-for-word does not make you likable, but being able to hold a conversation and do so with ease does! Getting to the point of doing so with ease is the hardest part for high school students (who have not interviewed all that much, typically), but over-preparing won’t help. Resist the urge.

Below, I’ve compiled a few of the alumni interview links for some popular, selective schools. Take some time to read over the information provided, but do not obsess over it.

You can find a general list of potential interview questions in one of my older posts, but contact us if you want individualized help preparing for your college interviews—alumni or otherwise—or want access to additional materials. We’ve helped hundreds of students ace their interviews and gain acceptance to their first-choice colleges and univesities—don’t miss an opportunity to shine in person!

 

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New: UT Appeals Portal Now Open

By Brittany MaschalFeb 06, 2019

UT recently changed their Appeals Policy. They have opened the Appeals Portal now rather than waiting until March 1. Here’s how to appeal a UT Austin decision:

Appealing an Admission Decision

UT Austin carefully and thoughtfully considers all of the information applicants provide at the point of application. UT Austin’s application review process involves the careful reading and consideration of each application. UT Austin makes final admissions decisions about an incoming class only after considering all applicants, the needs of UT Austin and its academic programs, and limitations on class size. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that the university would reverse its original admissions decision.

An applicant for admission should submit an appeal only if there is new, significant and/or compelling information that was not previously provided at the point of application; disagreement with an applicant’s admissions decision, alone, is not a valid reason for submitting an appeal.

Submitting a Decision Appeal

Submit your appeal online along with the following:

  1. One short answer (500 words or fewer) to the following prompt:“Describe the new information (not already included in your original admissions application) that should be considered by the appeals committee, and why.”This new, significant and/or compelling information can be related to the applicant’s academic performance; extracurricular activities; or a description of the extenuating circumstances, which information was not provided at the original point of application.
  2. Any relevant supplemental information (optional):
    • One letter of recommendation from a teacher, school official, or community member who can speak to the nature of the appeal, which should include compelling background.
    • Updated transcript, if applicable.

Review and Final Decisions

  1. The Office of Admissions Appeals Committee, made up of a group of Admissions staff, reviews admissions decision appeals to determine if the new, significant, and/or compelling information provided by the applicant warrants a different admissions decision. The committee meets after all admissions decisions are delivered for an application cycle.
  2. For each appeal, the committee makes one of the following recommendations to the Executive Director of Admissions:
    • Admission to the requested college/school and major;
    • Admission to an alternative college/school or major; or
    • Denial of applicant’s appeal (original decision denying admissions stands).
  3. The Executive Director of Admissions may accept or reject the committee’s recommendation, or ask the committee for additional information or analysis. The Executive Director of Admissions’ decision is final.
  4. Notice of the outcome of the appeal is delivered through MyStatus.

Source: https://admissions.utexas.edu/apply/decisions/appeals

 

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Does it Really Matter Where You Go to College?

By Brittany MaschalFeb 05, 2019

William Stixrud is the co-author of The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives, with Ned Johnson. Below is an article of his in Time. As we gear up for the 2019-2020 admissions season (yes, it is that time of year!), I suggest both students and parents give it a read.
Why?
Because this process is increasingly seen as something that it is not. There are many “shared delusions”: a one-way ticket to greatness, a better life, a magical four years you can only experience at college X, and so on. And it may lead some people to those things, but more often than not, it is not where you go that matters it is what you do when you get there, how you take in, make meaning out of, and navigate those four years. As Stixrud notes: “We become successful by working hard at something that engages us, and by pulling ourselves up when we stumble.”
I would love to know what you think. I love this topic, so feel free to email me your thoughts!
—-
When my daughter Jora was in high school, she went to a talk I gave on the adolescent brain, during which I pointed out that high school grades don’t predict success very well. On the way home she said, “Great talk, Dad, but I bet you don’t really believe that bit about grades.” I assured her that I did. To prove it, I offered to pay her $100 if she got a ‘C’ on her next report card — in any subject.
We’ve all heard the familiar anxiety-inducing nostrums: That a screw-up in high school will follow you for the rest of your life. That if you don’t get into Harvard or Yale, you’ll never reach the c-suite. That the path to success is narrow and you’d better not take one false step. I have come to think of this unfounded belief system as what we psychologists call a “shared delusion.”

So why don’t we tell our kids the truth about success? We could start with the fact that only a third of adults hold degrees from four-year colleges. Or that you’ll do equally well regarding income, job satisfaction, and life satisfaction whether you go to an elite private college or a less-selective state university. Or that there are there are many occupations through which Americans make a living, many of which do not require a college degree.

I am not against being a good student, and there are clear advantages to doing well in school. But you don’t need to be a top student or go to a highly selective college to have a successful and fulfilling life. The path to success is not nearly so narrow as we think. We’ve all heard the stories of the college dropout who went on to found a wildly successful company. I myself was a C+ student in high school who flunked out of graduate school. At one point I went for 20 weeks without turning in a single assignment. (I often tell the underachievers I see in my practice: “Top that!”) Long story short, I managed to do pretty well in life, and I credit my failure in graduate school with leading me to a career more in line with my skill set.

The problem with the stories we’re telling our kids is that they foster fear and competition. This false paradigm affects high-achieving kids, for whom a rigid view of the path to success creates unnecessary anxiety, and low-achieving kids, many of whom conclude at a young age that they will never be successful, and adopt a “why try at all?” attitude. Many of these young people engage in one of the most debilitating forms of self-talk, telling themselves either, “I have to, but I can’t,” or “I have to, but I hate it.”

Why do we encourage our children to embrace this delusional view of what it takes to be successful?

I’ve asked various school administrators why they don’t just tell kids the truth about college — that where you go makes very little difference later in life.

They’ll shrug and say, “Even if we did, no one would believe it.” One confided to me, “We would get angry calls and letters from parents who believe that, if their children understood the truth, they would not work hard in school and would have second-class lives.”

Many adults worry that if their kids knew that grades in school aren’t highly predictive of success in life, they’d lose their motivation to apply themselves and aim high. In fact, the opposite is true. In my 32 years of working with kids as a psychologist, I’ve seen that simply telling kids the truth — giving them an accurate model of reality, including the advantages of being a good student — increases their flexibility and drive. It motivates kids with high aspirations to shift their emphasis from achieving for its own sake to educating themselves so that they can make an important contribution. An accurate model of reality also encourages less-motivated students to think more broadly about their options and energizes them to pursue education and self-development even if they aren’t top achievers.

Children are much more energized when they envision a future that is in line with their own values than when they dutifully do whatever they believe they have to do to live up to their parents’ or teachers’ or college admissions boards’ expectations. We don’t inspire our kids through fear. We inspire them by helping them to focus on getting better at something, rather than being the best, and by encouraging them to immerse themselves in something they love.

So if you want your kids to succeed in life, don’t perpetuate a fear-based understanding of success. Start with the assumption that your children want their lives to work. Then tell them the truth: That we become successful by working hard at something that engages us, and by pulling ourselves up when we stumble.

Like the author, I was not a perfect student in high school (although I did not flunk out of college or graduate school). However, I similarly credit my “failure” in high school, and not getting into my “dream” college, with leading me to a school and eventually a career most in line with my skills and vision. I am incredibly thankful for the unwavering support of my parents along the way, especially during high school when I was a rebellious and often not very pleasant to be around teen.

PS – Adam Grant wrote about grades recently, too. Check out What Straight-A Students Get Wrong. Another fantastic read.

 

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4 ‘Must Follow’ College Admissions Office Blogs

By Brittany MaschalFeb 04, 2019

I read a lot about college admissions and what I love reading most are the blogs run by actual college admissions offices. Here’s why:

  • They provide insightful from-the-source information that you often can’t get elsewhere
  • They tend to tell it like it is; not a lot of BS
  • Many posts provide much-needed perspective, and some are even inspiring, not fear-inducing
  • Surprisingly many are funny and give a sense of the school’s character (or at least the admissions office’s)

They also provide insights into the culture of each of these schools. Although college is a business at its core, I believe the writers of these blogs are educators at heart, and their writings are not at all marketing efforts. By reading them, you will get not only pertinent application information but also a glimpse into the types of people that attend these schools. A school’s culture or vibe is a factor that I feel strongly should be evaluated in all students college searches.

So here they are in no particular order:

  • Rick Clark and the rest of the Georgia Tech team: http://pwp.gatech.edu/admission-blog/
  • Dean J’s Notes from Peabody: http://uvaapplication.blogspot.com/
  • Jeff Schiffman, Tulane admissions: http://tuadmissionjeff.blogspot.com/
  • The entire team at MIT: https://mitadmissions.org/blogs/

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do—happy reading!

 

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February Action Plan – By Grade

By Brittany MaschalFeb 01, 2019

 

Recommendation of the Month:

Take an early college tour via CampusReel. Visiting campus in person is great, but you won’t be able to tour all of the schools on your initial list. Plus, formal campus tours can be a bit limiting! CampusReel is one of my favorite ways to get a real insider look at colleges.

 

Seniors:

• Once your applications have been submitted, be sure to track the status of each app online to ensure all of your application materials were received. Follow up with your school counselor ASAP if a college is missing your transcript or a letter of recommendation. Check your junk email folder regularly (daily), so you do not miss correspondence from colleges.
•  Interviews! Sign up for interviews for all of your RD schools as soon as possible (where available/and if still open), if you have not done so already.
• For RD schools, consider writing interest letters to go out early this month—no later. If you have defer letters that need to go out, get those out ASAP, too.

 

Juniors:

• Keep prepping for standardized tests (ACT, SAT, SAT Subject tests) and working hard in all of your classes; your grades this year are very important.
• Do you know what major(s) you will mark on your application? Do you have a clearly defined “story” for your college apps? This is a critical part of your application that should be determined now.
• Continue working on your resume. Some summer programs, internships, and interviewers may ask for this, so it’s useful to have it handy.
• Next summer is a wonderful opportunity to do something really meaningful, perhaps even fun, that will help you tell your story for college! Get those plans in place now.
• Meet with your school counselor about your preliminary college list and go over your goals and plans for college visits.
• Speaking of college visits: Are you going to sit in on a class? Do you want to meet with someone in your intended department of interest (major, minor, etc.), or a current student? Not all schools offer formal pathways to these opportunities, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make them happen; this all falls under what I call ‘extended research/outreach’ and it can be highly beneficial. **After visits, even if you only attend a general info session and take a tour, please send your regional rep and any admission representatives you met a follow-up/thank you email** This opens a line of communication with someone at the school, and demonstrates interest. I also recommend keeping a document with any notes and observations from your visits. These notes will come in handy when writing supplemental essays and/or when writing a deferral letter, or letters of interest.
• Some colleges open up their on-campus interviews this spring. If you plan to interview on an upcoming visit, please prepare. You should always prepare for interviews, even if a school states they are not evaluative.
• Start to think about your senior year schedule. Do you know what you will be taking? Your senior classes should be the most challenging of your four years.

 

Sophomores:

• An impressive academic record is the most important admissions factor at most colleges. Work on creating smart study habits this year.
• Will you be taking SAT Subject Tests this spring or starting your SAT or ACT prep this spring/summer? Begin to decide on a testing schedule and plan for prep now.
• Do you know what major(s) you will mark on your application? Do you have a clearly defined “story” for your college apps as it pertains to your academic interest(s)? This is a critical part of your application that you can and should be determining now.
• Many 2019 summer program applications are now open. Please begin thinking about your plans for summer 2019 and work on applications if needed.
• Start to think about next year’s course schedule. Do you know what you will be taking? Your classes next year should be more challenging than this year.
• Work on your resume!

 

Freshmen:

• An impressive academic record is the most important admissions factor at most colleges. How are your classes going? Think ahead to next year’s course schedule, and work on creating smart study habits this year.
• Many 2019 summer program applications will open soon. Please begin thinking about your plans for summer 2019 now so you can get ahead of deadlines and work on applications if needed.
• Now is the time to build your story for college! Have you gotten more involved with any of your extracurricular activities? Have you thought about what you might want to major in? Think about ideas for new and different activities or how to get more involved in your favorite activity (academic and non-academic); exploration now will help you begin determining what you might want to study in college. A great place to start exploring your academic interests is Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org.
• One way that your “story” is conveyed in your app is through your resume. Keep working on yours this month.

 

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A Leadership Program for High School Girls Who Want to Make a Difference

By Brittany MaschalJan 31, 2019

https://youtu.be/uw4MnF6ZJfM

Through mentorship, grants, and leadership training, HERlead inspires young women to begin their journey as the next generation of leaders.

The 2019 HERlead Application is NOW OPEN!

The HERlead Fellowship is a groundbreaking partnership between Vital Voices Global Partnership (“Vital Voices”), the preeminent non-governmental organization whose mission is to search the world for women leaders with a daring vision, then partner with them to make that vision a reality through grants, skill-building training, network expansion, mentorship and guidance – accelerating change on a global scale, and the Ann Taylor, LOFT, and Lou & Grey retail brands, which are operated by AnnTaylor Retail, Inc. (“ANN”), and indirect subsidiary of ascena retail group, inc (“ascena”).

The HERlead Fellowship is designed to equip young women with the leadership skills they need to effect global progress, invest in their communities – to date, more than 246 social impact projects received funding through HERlead Fellowship Grants – and continue their journeys as the next generation of leaders.  Here’s how it works:

WHAT IT IS:
A fellowship to provide leadership training to young women, empowering them to become the next generation of global trailblazers.

WHY PARTICIPATE:
Learn from inspiring women leaders from around the world and participate in Vital Voices’ signature leadership model training program. Attend the HERlead Leadership Forum and become eligible to win a HERlead Grant to put your ideas into action.

WHO SHOULD APPLY:
Girls in the 10th or 11th grade at a high school in the United States, Puerto Rico or Canada.

DATES & DEADLINES:
The HERlead Fellowship Application will open in January, and close Friday, March 8th. The 2019 Leadership Forum will take place June 24-27, 2019 in New York City.

DETAILS:
We are searching the country for young women leaders who are committed to reshaping the world and making positive and sustainable change. We will select 30 applicants to be the 2019 Fellows. If you are selected, you will join an elite group of rising stars, where you will be given the skills, tools, and training needed to realize your full leadership potential.

AS A HERLEAD FELLOW, YOU WILL:
• Participate in the HERlead Leadership Forum, a four-day leadership training program in New York City, from June 24-27, 2019.
• Obtain skills and networks to take on leadership roles in your schools and companies.
• Be mentored by global women leaders who are part of the Vital Voices Global Leadership Network, as well as AnnTaylor Retail Inc. Representatives.

For more information, an Overview of the Program, a Sample Application, Grant Information and HERlead Social Media Tips, see the HERlead TOOL KIT.

After completing the leadership training program, you will return to your community and have the opportunity to use what you learned at the Forum to create a project that will effect change. You are also eligible to receive a HERlead Grant that will further help you turn your ideas into action.

To be considered, you must demonstrate a strong commitment to leadership and potential for creating innovative solutions to problems in your community. You must have a proven track record in your academic work and interest in extracurricular activities. Are you up for the challenge? For questions about the application, please see APPLICATION FAQS.

Want information on amazing extracurricular, leadership and other opportunities for high school students—or suggestions for your student specifically? Contact us!

 

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5 Action Items for High School Juniors

By Brittany MaschalJan 29, 2019

We’ve seen too many students wait until the summer after 11th grade to try to develop and implement the strategies needed to tackle the college application process successfully and with ease. Often, there is just not enough time to do the pre-work that results in the most effective essays, outreach, and positive admissions outcomes.

The best time to start prepping to apply? Now. Seriously!

Juniors, right now you can:

  • Develop relationships with admissions officers and regional reps (the people that make key decisions on your application) as well as current students and faculty (ask us why these connections are so important)
  • Create a testing plan that has you ready for apps due on 11/1 and not taking tests last minute
  • Make the best of campus visits and leverage contacts at colleges on these visits
  • Craft a preliminary college list that maximizes the 5+ application plans colleges now use
  • Open up a Common Application account to get familiar with the system

We hate seeing the second half of junior year go to waste. Email us to discuss what you can do now to always stay a step—or three—ahead of the game.

 

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Class of 2023 Early Decision and Early Action Statistics

By Brittany MaschalJan 28, 2019

Most early action and early decision schools have released decisions for the class of 2023—exciting! Next up, be on the lookout for early decisions II releases (usually on or around February 15).

College Kickstart frequently updates their early action and early decision statistics. Head over to their site for this year’s numbers for the following schools:

Barnard, Boston College, Boston University, Bowdoin, Brown, Class of 2023, Colgate, Colorado College, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Davidson, Duke, Emory, Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Hamilton, Harvard, Harvey Mudd, Johns Hopkins, Middlebury, MIT, Northwestern, Notre Dame, NYU, Oxford at Emory, Pitzer, Pomona, Princeton, Restrictive Early Action, Rice, Scripps, Single Choice Early Action, Smith, Trinity, Tufts, Tulane, University of Georgia, University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, Villanova, Wesleyan, Williams, Yale

 

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Three Terms I Agree We Should Stop Using In College Admissions

By Brittany MaschalJan 26, 2019

Brennan Barnard recently wrote about Six Terms to Stop Using in College Admissions, and I could not agree more. However, there are three I want to say a bit more about here: fit, well-rounded, and passion. All three of these are garbage as they are commonly understood and used!

Barnard writes:

“Fit” is one of the most overused terms in college admission, and while the intentions are admirable, it can be misleading. By emphasizing “fit”, educators try to move students and families away from a focus on selectivity, rankings or the notion that admission to college is a prize to be won. However, it can often be misunderstood as suggesting that there will be one school that fits perfectly like a glove, and it can be intimidating to students when this type of fit eludes them.

“Fit” is not applied in the same way across its uses in college admissions. There is no single definition or explanation fo it is is used. From my experience, one applicant might be deemed a better “fit” by admissions because of the high school they attend, or if they have “legacy,” or that they meet some other type of institutional need. Many students and families do not realize that fit goes beyond the numbers and also includes factors that you have no control over. You can look at different factors and deem yourself a perfect “fit” as far as your test scores, GPA, and even as far as how what you’ve taken part in throughout high school demonstrates your understanding of the mission and values of the school you are applying to. But you will never be able to gauge exactly how admissions are using “fit” as they evaluate your application because it varies from student-to-student.

If applicant A and applicant B are held equal across data points, but the school you are applying to needs a flute player, and A plays the flute, A might be deemed a better fit and admitted over B. If applicant A and applicant B are not held equal across data points (let’s say A is a less stellar student all around), but the school you are applying to needs a flute player, and A plays the flute, A might be deemed a better fit and admitted over B. This second scenario touches Barnard’s point: you never really know exactly what “fit” is at any given point in time, and some students miss out on possibly being a fit at certain schools because they deem themselves not a fit based on a few data points alone. “Fit” is a garbage term on many levels and is one that can be confusing.

On being well-rounded, he notes:

“Well-rounded” is another term that is misused in college admission. The perception is that colleges and universities are looking for applicants who have a bit of everything. Assumedly, students should have a balance of excellent grades and test scores with a perfect spread of activities and involvement in a wide range of areas. These “wonder children” should be able to sing, dance, play soccer while holding their fiddle and volunteer using multiple languages, right? Wrong says Heath Einstein, dean of admission at Texas Christian University. He explains that “colleges do not seek well-rounded people; we want angular individuals who create a well-rounded class.” So, let’s allow the overscheduling and pressure of resume building in the name of well-roundedness to pass with 2018.

Well-rounded has not been something a student should strive for in a long time—even in the time of “holistic” admissions (another garbage and misleading term). But let’s be more specific: well-rounded student is the term that needs to go. Colleges want students who beyond the grades and test scores they look for are more narrow, not broad. We tend to see specialists win over generalists. Like Einstein says above, colleges seek out well-rounded classes—this is true. But they do not seek out well-rounded students. Well-rounded classes are made up of individuals with areas of expertise, unique value-adds, not a bunch of people who are just “good” at the laundry list of things on their resumes.

Lastly, on one of those most overused terms out there:

“Passion” is a word that makes high school students cringe. When they hear college admission offices talk about finding or demonstrating passion, they are often paralyzed by the perception that they must know what they will do with their life, or that they need to have identified their one big thing. The pressure to know and achieve is stifling and we need to think about involvement or engagement in different terms.  Courtney Skerritt, director of college counseling at The Hockaday School agrees, saying, “I’m reading ‘Enough as She Is’ by Rachel Simmons and she does an amazing job outlining what is wrong with using the word ‘passion’ with teenagers and how, instead, we should have conversations about ‘purpose’”. Skerritt adds, “Simmons’ work struck me, as this conversation has been happening with girls at Hockaday for over 100 years and with focus through our Institute for Social Impact. Students are craving an engagement in their future, but in ways that don’t make them feel like they have to figure it all out today.”

Most high school students are not passionate about anything (or anything that a college would find appealing). What a loaded and silly word as it pertains to college. Full-disclosure: in the past, I used it because I thought that was the goal, but I have known for a while now that I was wrong. Colleges want to see students who have developed interests. That is it. They do not have to be full-blown passions or life’s work. I mean, let’s be real, most adults don’t even have passions. I also know that beyond it being an inaccurate representation of what colleges seek in applicants it can be hurtful to throw around so lightly.

Students should aim to get out into the world and explore their interests whether they turn into a passion one day or not. That is what makes an interesting applicant: a student who has the motivation and curiosity to get out into the world and learn about what they like even if that means they eventually learn they do not like it so much. Now, bonus points if by around grade 10-11 you have found something you enjoy and you can narrow your focus to explore it more deeply, but if not, just keep exploring 1 or 2 things and don’t worry about being a well-rounded applicant.

 

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Boston College Switching from Early Action to Early Decision (I and II Plans)

By Brittany MaschalJan 25, 2019

Boston College will introduce an Early Decision program for undergraduate admission this year, in an effort to meet the growing preference of today’s high school students and enroll more “best fit” applicants for whom Boston College is a first choice, the University announced today.

The decision will result in a shift from BC’s non-binding Early Action policy to a binding Early Decision program that will include two opportunities for students to apply early to Boston College. For high-achieving high school students who view Boston College as their top choice, Early Decision I will offer a November 1 application deadline with a decision notification by December 15. Early Decision II will feature a January 1 application deadline with a decision notification by February 15.  Students who prefer to apply Regular Decision will continue to have a January 1 deadline with a notification of April 1.

 

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