Video: Common Application Rollover
Juniors, you can start filling out your CA now, and roll it over later this summer once it has been updated for your application period. Check out the CA’s how-to video, and get started filling it out today!
Michael Bloomberg on How to Succeed in Business (and Life?)
This is a fun, honest read. Particularly relevant to this blog is the first section, Choosing a College, in which he says:
Nobody remembers where you went to school. The first job they may ask, by the third job they won’t remember to. People put too much emphasis on that. It’s much more important that you go to a place where you fit in and which has decent academics. People say they can’t afford a college? My parents took out a mortgage, I had a job every summer working in a faculty parking lot. Then I got lucky, Sputnik was launched and the government created national defense loans.
Given the article’s emphasis on education, Bloomberg even goes on to comment on the MBA, and that it matters, but….:
The part that’s most important in an education is how to deal with people. There’s no job I know that you do by yourself, and I learned as much from the two guys I worked for at Salomon Brothers, Billy Salomon and John Gutfreund, as I’d learned at Harvard. In the end, it’s people skills that you need. Whether you remember that Columbus arrived in 1492 or not — a lot of the facts you memorize are immaterial.
Read the full article online!
Using the Modern Love Podcast to Teach Narrative Writing
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, but applicable all year ’round, here is an idea from Kinana Qaddour for using the popular Times podcast to encourage narrative writing.
Modern Love is a series of weekly reader-submitted essays that explore the joys and tribulations of love. Each week, an actor also reads one of the essays in a podcast. Though the stories are often about romantic love, they also take on love of family, friends, and even pets. This teacher finds their themes universal and the range of essays engaging models to help her students find their own voices.
In my work, I have found that most students have little or no experience writing personal narratives, which they need to write for the personal statement/Common Application essay requirement when applying to college. Naturally, I love this idea—so give it a read and share with a teacher who may find it useful!
How Praise Became a Consolation Prize
If you haven’t read Carol Dweck’s Mindset, then I suggest adding it to your to-read list. In it, Dweck explains why it’s not just our abilities and talents that bring us success–but our approach them with a fixed or growth mindset. She makes clear why praising intelligence and ability doesn’t foster self-esteem or even lead to accomplishments. In reality, too much praise works against us. A growth mindset, however, can foster resilience in students—something I have witnessed a lack of in many high schoolers today.
With the right mindset, we can motivate our kids and help them to raise their grades, as well as reach our own goals–personal and professional.
Anyway, I came across a great interview recently (via Adam Grant’s email list) with Dweck in The Atlantic. Grab the book and give the interview a read!
New Common App Prompts Announced!
Announcement:
We are pleased to share the 2017-2018 Common Application essay prompts with you. The changes you see below reflect the feedback of 108 Common App member colleges and more than 5,000 other Common App constituents, as well as consultation with our advisory committees and Board of Directors. Students represented the single largest share of constituent survey respondents (59%), followed by school counselors (23%), and teachers (11%).
We were gratified to learn that 91% of members and 90% of constituents agree or strongly agree that the current prompts are effective. In addition, the narrative comments we received helped us see areas for improvement in three of the prompts. Working in close consultation with the counselors and admission officers on our advisory committees, we revised these prompts in a way that we believe will help students see expanded opportunities for expressing themselves. Those revisions appear in italics. You will also notice two new prompts. The first asks students to share examples of their intellectual curiosity. The second is a return to inviting students to submit an essay on a topic of their choice, reframed to help students understand that they are welcome to draw inspiration from multiple sources, not just their own creativity.
The word limit on the essay will remain at 650.
The goal of these revisions is to help all applicants, regardless of background or access to counseling, see themselves and their stories within the prompts. They are designed to invite unencumbered discussions of character and community, identity, and aspiration. To this end, we will be creating new educational resources to help students both understand and approach the opportunities the essay presents for them.
2017-2018 Common Application Essay Prompts
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. [No change]
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? [Revised]
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? [Revised]
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. [No change]
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. [Revised]
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? [New]
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. [New]
How to Guarantee an Awesome College Tour
Checking out colleges in person is an important part of the application process for many students. Check out the “pro tips” in this Reader’s Digest article by Erica Lambert (which I am featured in!) to get the most out of every campus visit.
Some key takeaways:
- The best time to start visiting colleges is in the fall of junior year, and then again in the spring, and the remaining visits can take place at the end of the summer before senior year and into early fall (September and October). Visit when school is in session!
- If you vacation, vacation where you can visit colleges. This is a huge time-saver.
- Take the full tour offered by Admissions, including visiting residence halls, classrooms, and labs. And if the college offers you lunch in a dining center—take it! Don’t try to cut this part of the visit short. Let students immerse themselves in the true campus experience.
- Do your homework. Read and research about the schools you are visiting before you go.
- A few weeks before you arrive, reach out to the people you want to meet with and be flexible about setting up meetings.You might also reach out to student groups with whom you share an interest. Lastly, visit the advising center of your chosen major or college and speak to an advisor, and consider meeting with a professor in the department who has office hours on the day of your visit.
- Talk to students on campus; go to the library, dining hall, etc.—see it all!
- Visit and stay overnight with a friend if you have one on campus. It can be particularly important for getting a sense of the school’s social scene and vibe outside of academics.
- Go beyond campus and explore the surrounding city, town or neighborhood.
Make college admissions sane (and fair) again
Great article in The Atlantic. Although I am trying to do the same in my work with students and families, in the grand scheme, this is a lot easier said than done. In a perfect world, the tide would change, but I do not see this happening until colleges alter how they evaluate applications and, accordingly, re-evaluate who they admit and why. Until this happens, I doubt we will see any huge shifts in how parents, and students, approach the college process. Give it a read!!!
Planning Your Testing Calendar in 2017
Great post by the team at Applerouth! All juniors (and sophomores who want to get ahead) should give it a read!
It’s the start of a new year, and with the new year, new questions that need answering, especially those related to finances. If you are a junior who will meet with your college counselor in the next few weeks to begin the college admissions journey, you will want the SAT or ACT tests to be on your radar this spring. If you have already taken an SAT or ACT at least once and are wondering if you should try again, or if you have yet to sit the official test, helpful information awaits.
In 2017, the SAT will be offered this semester on January 21st, March 11th, May 6th, and June 3rd. This is the last year for the January SAT date and the first year for an August SAT administered this summer on August 26th. The ACT will be offered on February 11th, April 8th, and June 10th.
In determining which test(s) you should take, there are a few considerations to make in order to ensure that you position yourself to get your highest score. Most importantly, you will want to prepare adequately. Take a practice test at the College Board or ACT website, evaluate the scores you receive, and begin preparing for the content, strategies, and timing pressures that you will encounter on the test. Ideally, you will devote at least a month of daily practice, with a few timed practice tests, to give your first test a solid performance.
Not only is preparation essential, but you will also need to consider your own schedule. Do you have an important robotics competition that would prevent you from taking the February ACT? What are your spring break plans? Is finals week sufficiently stressful to preclude you from taking the June SAT? Look at your academic and extracurricular calendars, and discuss a potential date with your family to see if there are any conflicts.
Finally, if you are planning on taking the SAT, you might be considering taking an SAT Subject Test or two to submit to colleges. Those tests take place on the same day as the SAT and, while you may take up to three SAT Subject Tests on any one test day, you cannot take both the SAT and a Subject Test. Typically, students will take SAT Subject Tests around May or June in order to coincide with AP Exams, since both tests are content-heavy. If you were planning on taking the SAT as well, you will want to consider how to organize your calendar to accommodate both tests.
Maybe you took the SAT or ACT this past year and are wondering if or when you should take the test again. Taking the SAT or ACT test is an investment of time and energy, not to mention money. Is it worth spending another Saturday morning in a high school classroom, working on math problems and reading passages? In most cases, an extra test is worth the extra effort when accompanied by a few necessary steps.
In order for a student to do her best on any number of SAT or ACT tests, preparation is paramount, no matter how many times you have taken the test previously. A student may take the test a dozen times, but you will likely get the same score if you have not devoted considerable time to understanding the test format, building mastery with the content, and practicing the testing strategies.
Often, when you take the test the first time, you might feel considerable anxiety. Once you make it out of the testing center and realize that an SAT or ACT test is totally doable, you might perform better on the second test, simply because much of the burden of anxiety has lifted. You know what the proctor will say; you know how to pace yourself for each section; you can manage the various demands placed on you. Sometimes, it may take an additional test for a student to overcome the effects of those stressors.
Of course, it might be that you don’t need to take the test an additional time. You adequately prepared, felt that you performed your best on each of the test dates, and have the scores that put you in a competitive position with your colleges. In that case, you can focus your attention on other aspects of your application – boosting your GPA, contributing more to extracurriculars, arranging those teacher recommendations – or taking a well-deserved break.
Each student’s history of test preparation and test performance will differ; however, there are abundant opportunities this spring either to prepare for and take the test for the first time, or to shoot for one final test to achieve your highest result.
Read the full article here!
Is the Cover Letter Dead?
Repost from Grammarly:
The cover letter was once a valuable tool for all job seekers hoping to get by the HR gatekeeper. However, the rise of innovative tech, social media, millennials, and good old-fashioned networking is killing the cover letter.
The only thing missing from the decline of the cover letter is a time of death. In fact, chances are your cover letter won’t even be read, according to Fortune. Nearly 90 percent of hiring managers admit to never reading cover letters.
Interestingly, most job posts require a cover letter despite the unlikeliness of it getting more than a quick glance. Studies have found, however, that cover letters still get read if submitted with a resume.
The cover letter is as out of fashion as Hammer pants and Beanie Babies. Unless a cover letter is explicitly required, it is a waste of time and effort. Here’s why.
Your Social Media Accounts Are the New Cover Letter
It may not come as a surprise, but your social media presence is very accessible. Recruiters know this, and they will check out your profiles and activity. Social media is, in effect, the new cover letter, and at times the new resume.
This can be an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on your digital footprint. When recruiters want to know something about potential candidates, they simply Google them or check their Twitter accounts. Your Facebook photos are far more compelling and revealing about who you are compared to a thoughtfully scripted cover letter.
Old-Fashioned Networking Is Another Cover Letter Killer
Your cover letter may include all the traditional pleasantries, but there is always a more effective way to put your best foot forward. Networking is often far more effective than a cover letter.
In fact, 70 to 80 percent of jobs are never posted online, Matt Youngquist, president of Career Horizons, told NPR. This makes the cover letter a time-consuming effort with little return. Networking is possibly the best and fastest way to land the job you want.
Freelancers Have Saturated the Job Market
Companies large and small, including fresh startups, have all gone the route of the freelancer. Often, a cover letter is not part of the equation when hiring for contract positions.
An estimated 34 percent of the American workforce is composed of freelancers, according to a study conducted by the Freelancers Union. And this is expected to rise to 50 percent by 2020.
The wide range and availability of freelancers has made the cover letter irrelevant. Why bring in new employees on a salary when a freelancer will do the work on a project basis? Freelancers are often more economical for companies as well.
Professional Online Platforms = Recruiter’s Dream
If a recruiter needs to fill a position fast, why take the time reading endless cover letters? All the information they need is on a potential candidate’s professional online profile such as LinkedIn. In fact, nearly 93 percent of recruiters use LinkedIn to fill their company’s talent pool.
Professional online platforms like LinkedIn are not only killing the cover letter, but they are also putting the resume to rest as well. Many companies even permit potential candidates to apply for a job with their LinkedIn profile.
Don’t toss your cover letter just yet. There is still a place for it in your job hunt as it takes its last fleeting breaths of life. Though the cover letter is nearly dead, it is still required for the many jobs still posted online. However, focusing on your professional digital footprint more than your cover letter may prove to be time better spent.
How to Articulate Your Career Vision in the MBA Application
Great article my colleague at Fortuna Admissions, Nonie Mackie, on how to tackle your career vision for your MBA application! This is a MUST read; far too many applicants/pre-applicants dismiss (or are unaware of) the importance of having a solid career vision. Your vision will guide your app, so take the time to get it right!
How to Articulate Your Career Vision in the MBA Application
Developing and articulating a career vision is an essential element of your MBA application. It’s about conveying a clear picture of where you have come from, where you are going, and why an MBA is critical for getting there. B-schools want students who will get the utmost value from their program by achieving great things in the future.
First, big plans signal big things. Your ability to articulate a logical and inspiring career vision underscores your commitment to the journey, even if the destination changes along the way. And admissions officers are fully aware that your plans may change. After all, an MBA should be a transformative experience; it will open your mind to new possibilities and opportunities.
Think of this as a two-fold approach: A compelling career vision for an MBA speaks to what it will bring you, and also what you will bring to it. This means making a strong case that the MBA is imperative for you to achieve your dreams. It also includes demonstrating what your presence will contribute to the student body, the alumni community, and the world. It’s an opportunity to share the insights and connections you bring, as well as the ideas that you can contribute and share.
Making your career vision logical and persuasive is about the process as much as the product. Consider these top tips for developing and executing a powerful career vision, drawn from our team of former senior MBA admissions and careers staff at Fortuna Admissions:
DEVELOPING YOUR VISION: Setting the strategy with good process
TIP 1: TAKE TIME TO BE INTROSPECTIVE.
- Why do you want an MBA? What do your long-term goals encompass on a personal and professional level? It’s this kind of introspection that not only helps make the story much clearer to the admissions team, but can also help you clarify in your own mind why this next part of your life is important. Take the time to reflect on your strengths, values, goals and career interests. In the end, your particular motivation and future ambitions become the lens and filter for clarifying a powerful vision for the future and the roadmap for achieving it. Many candidates remark that enhanced self-awareness and insight, gained from their deep engagement with the admissions process itself, is an invaluable and unexpected side benefit of working on their applications.
TIP 2: FORECAST THE FUTURE.
- Take time to do your research into the type of jobs that you’d like to undertake post-MBA. For example, in which functional areas do you want to work? In which sectors, and which companies appeal to you? Which are your dream companies? Create a list of your top 10 and be as specific as possible. Imagine yourself in one of these companies in the future. Why are you passionate about working at L’Oreal? What is it about the brand, the products, the company, the career opportunities that it may have on offer for you post-MBA? Through your research you may find that some companies value an MBA more than others, and some companies in certain sectors (e.g. hospitality, travel, consumer goods) may value more practical experience and working up through the company hierarchy. This part of the process allows you to be certain that an MBA is really going to add value to your career goals.
- If you are career changer, it’s really important to show that you’ve thought about some of the challenges you may face, for example, if you want to work in China but don’t yet speak Mandarin. Have you considered doing a language course to show your commitment to the geography and culture? If you are moving from investment banking to luxury goods, can you demonstrate that you’ve thoroughly researched the sector, along with influential companies and brands? Have you demonstrated this desire e.g. by working with a luxury goods start-up on a pro bono basis and helping with its finances in your spare time? Have you joined local business groups focused on the area that you wish to enter?
TIP 3: WEIGH UP YOUR OPTIONS.
- It’s fine to have a Plan A and a Plan B, in fact it can be advantageous. It shows that you have thought about your options and narrowed down your choices, that you are methodical and realistic in your approach as well as open to the opportunities that may shape you during your program. Very few people achieve their ideal job straight out of business school. Your career journey may be a series of steps that will lead you to your final goal. It’s good to be aware of this and factor it into your career strategy. Well thought-out steps in your career path are far better than radical and unplanned jumps that may end up costing you time and advancements in your career.
TIP 4: DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
- MBA programs may appear similar at a glance, but each one has a particular identity and culture, not to mention a distinct approach to management development. Conduct online research, talk to current students and alumni, and, if possible, visit the campus. A visit to your top schools, offers a direct sense of personality and cultural fit, as well as a feeling of the community vibe. Sitting in on a class at your target school will really give you an insight into the classroom setting, a feel for the pedagogical approach, the caliber of the professors, and a taster of all the new and exciting things that you will learn. First hand experience is invaluable; nothing else will give you a stronger sense of what the school is about or what you can get out of the program academically, personally and professionally. As you compare programs, ask yourself: Can I see myself thriving there? How can each school help me achieve my career goals?
- If you are in contact with alumni, ask them about their experiences of working with the school’s careers team. What opportunities did the school provide to help support their career strategy, information gathering and networking endeavors? What on-campus recruitment events were organized? Which companies regularly came on campus? Was there the opportunity to take part in career treks? It will be advantageous to have a good gauge on the career services offering at your chosen b-schools.
ARTICULATING YOUR VISION: Making the case with a great product
TIP 5: CRAFT A VIABLE, INSPIRING VISION.
- You need to show that there’s a logical flow to your plan—that the MBA will enhance your CV and enable you to take a next step. Create a path that makes sense to admissions committee members, given your academic and professional background, highlighting the transferable skills that you will bring with you to the next steps in your career. How can you best achieve your goals given what you will learn in business school, entering the job market, and progressing in your field? You need to demonstrate, either as a career enhancer or a career switcher, that this path is viable. And importantly, that now is the right time. Consider mapping out your internship plans. If you are a career changer then this could be an invaluable opportunity for you to get a head start on building your network and gaining a deeper understanding about a new sector or functional area.
TIP 6: CONVEY WHY THIS PROGRAM IS FOR YOU.
- Imagine the school’s perspective: They want to recruit candidates who love the school, who really understand what makes it special, and can explain why it’s an ideal fit for them. If you don’t know the school intimately, you won’t be able to speak to this well. Too many candidates offer vague generalities or insignificant comments because they have only superficial knowledge of the institution. This is where your research pays off. Demonstrate that you have taken the pulse of the school, understand its culture, and that it’s an environment in which you will thrive. If you are in contact with alumni, you can reference these discussions in your application. What is it about their MBA and b-school experience that really inspired you, or cemented your ambitions to take this step?
- You also need to show that you understand what the school cares about, and that this is aligned with your own values and plans. For example, you can talk about the clubs on offer, and speak about which ones appeal to you and why. If you’re keen to join e.g. the Haas Manbassadors club at Berkeley, what it is that you can contribute? Do you have a track record in advancing gender equity, and would you be willing to take on a leadership role?
TIP 7: CONVEY WHAT YOU BRING TO THIS PROGRAM.
- Now that you’re clear what the school will bring to you, describe what you will bring to it. Be clear about your contribution to the community. After all, admissions has the luxury of creating their own community each year, and they want to understand what you are bringing as a member of that environment that will enhance the overall experience—for others as well as for yourself. When a school emphasizes its culture of innovation, for example, it is offering you the chance to explain why the school is a great fit for you because of a shared passion. Commitment, engagement and passion are adjectives that you would want to bring to bear in this context; it’s how you will leave your mark on this particular institution that really matters.
TIP 8: BE AUTHENTIC.
- Authenticity is essential. If you pretend to be something you are not, admissions officers will sense it and trust you less. Candidates who present an image of what they think a school is looking for can come across as phony. Don’t fake it—business schools want to understand what is special about you.
- Some essay questions give you the opportunity to convey what it is that makes you tick as an individual, what has influenced you, who has motivated and inspired you. Sharing your experiences, your past, challenging times in your life, and times when you have faced fear demonstrate that you are humble, honest, courageous, able to learn from mistakes and not afraid to fail. Prove to the adcom that you are self-aware, honest and have a great sense of what a stint at business school will mean for both you and the community you would enter.
TIP 9: BELIEVE AND DEFEND IT.
- The scope of the career planning you’re invited to share in writing will vary—with some schools it can be very brief indeed. Yet all schools will ask you to present and defend your career vision at the interview stage, and interviewers will quickly get a feel for whether yours is carefully thought through, or whether it seems to have been plucked out of thin air for the purposes of the admissions process. There is no point having a brilliant career plan on paper if you’re unable to bring it to life with passion and conviction in a conversation about your future. Be ready to share your career vision with positivity and confidence, showing that embarking on an MBA is instrumental to opening the door to career opportunities and leadership skills, which, in turn, will allow you achieve personal fulfillment and professional success.
Remember, schools aren’t measuring you against one particular profile or ideal candidate. Admissions committee members want to get to know you, and will be better poised to champion your candidacy in their discussions if you give them substance and depth to go on. Imagine someone representing you during a decision meeting; how they’ll talk about your candidacy depends on what you share. That means doing the groundwork for a career vision that allows your true self, and your potential, to shine through in your MBA application.
Read it here on Poets and Quants.