Have you ever played the board game, Risk®? I never won, nor fully understood the game. But, I did recognize that a well-thought out strategy was important to winning. Much like Risk, strategy is an important component of the college search and application process. A college contact strategy is a vital plan to ensure that a college knows who you are beyond your college application and knows that you are serious about attending their institution.
Most college admissions offices have software that tracks your contact with them. So, each time you place your college contact strategy into action, you should remember to inform the admissions department whom you spoke with, when and where—and be ready to explain why the meeting was so important to you—in order for your meeting to be tracked by the college. But remember, you can’t get tracked unless you have a strategy in place:
Your College Contact Strategy Strategy
Find local events. Meet with your high school counselor and find out about local college fairs. College fairs allow you to converse with college admissions representatives, sign up for more information about a school, ask questions, and acquire valuable contact information from college representatives. Alumni functions are another excellent way to interact with colleges and give yourself an edge. When you meet representatives from these schools, make sure to request their business cards so you’ll remember whom you met.
Sign up for a campus visit. Contact your prospective college and arrange a campus visit and interview. Meeting with college admissions in person allows them to place a face with your name and get to know you beyond what they see on your application.
Contact student representatives. Many college websites host a “get to know us” section on their admissions pages; don’t be afraid to use this feature to contact student representatives. These representatives are pools of information willing to answer any questions.
Strategic tips to stand out
Be well mannered and prepared. It goes without saying to be polite to whomever you encounter. Being well mannered also includes being timely. Allow plenty of time to contact a college. Contact them within business hours. This generally applies to emails as well. Well mannered extends to proofreading your emails and having a mental checklist of what to say on the phone. And always send a thank-you note to any college representative you’ve spoken with.
Be proactive and purposeful. While simply contacting a school to show your interest is not a bad approach, there is room for you to push the envelope. Are you contacting a school that corresponds with a strong academic interest or extracurricular activity? If so, then let the college know. There is no harm in alerting a college that your interests align with theirs. This will help colleges recognize you above other applicants.
Don’t underestimate the power of reaching out to colleges you are interested in. Demonstrating your interest may be the difference between selecting you over another applicant, or acceptance over waitlist.
I am 5’9”. Not obscenely tall, but I’ve got some substantial height. During my college orientation week, a stoic woman approached me, and without smiling, said, “You’re tall. I need you.” She handed me a flier, turned and walked away. Confused, I skimmed the flier and realized it was for crew tryouts. Growing up in Nebraska, a land-locked state, I was slightly bemused. But I figured, why the heck not. So I joined the team, and I immediately became enamored with the sport and my team.
Earlier this week, I got together with my old crew team during spring break training, but this time as a supportive alum. Over lunch, I asked the team how college sports added to their overall college experience. Here’s what they said:
The Freshman 15
Yes, you hear about it and you’re probably already worrying about it. Participation in college sports can be the preventive remedy to the infamous freshman 15. Sophomore Sarah remarked, “I was relatively concerned about the freshman 15. It always sounded so daunting. But once I joined the crew team, the term the freshman 15 never crossed my mind again.” You are exercising on a regular basis, plus you must eat right and get regular sleep to keep up with your training, which all together, are vital components to combat the freshman 15.
Time Management
Senior varsity rower Amanda asserted, “With college sports, you have three schedules that govern your time: academic, athletic, and social.” I will not lie to you, being on a college team is time consuming and at times stressful. You are balancing several schedules. But by having pre-determined plans, you minimize procrastination, merely because you do not have extra time. As another put it, “during the off season, I procrastinate all the time. However, when we are training, my work is completed on-time, every single time, without fail.”
Friendships
College is all about making friends and meeting interesting people. Upon joining a college athletic team, you are immediately welcomed into a circle of friends. Cleo, 21, a college junior, elaborated, “I cannot imagine college without my team. They challenge me on a daily basis, and they push me to be my best on and off the water.” Having a built-in support and motivational system is also a definite plus of being a team member.
New Experience
Aside from a diploma, the one thing of value that I walked away from college with was the experience. As you will find out, college is all about new experiences. Cleo said it best with, “Why not join a sport team. What’s the downside?”
So, are you ready to play a sport in college?
I applied to a fair number of colleges; nine, I think. I was fortunate enough to get into all of them which was gratifying, but left me with some tough decisions.
First, I weeded-out the colleges I knew I didn’t really want to attend; I had considered them “safety” schools from the get-go. Then there was the school that my boyfriend was going to, but my parents put the kibosh on that one. A couple of my other choices offered me small academic scholarships, which put them in the forefront.
Ultimately I got into my original first-choice school. But, since I had submitted my application for that school, another college rose to the top of my list. I had to decide if I would go to my original choice or to the other school. I opted for the other.
It was a tough decision to make, one that I really had to focus and think about. I used the fail-proof method of making a list of pros and cons about each school. What it came down to was that my original, first choice was in a more rural setting, about two hours from my home, and everyone on campus seemed so similar to everyone I had grown up with (after all, one benefit of college is meeting new and different people). The other school (that I ultimately chose) was in an urban setting, a little farther away, and had greater diversity. I ended up choosing that school because I wanted to be challenged in college. I wanted to live farther from home and experience life in another city and with students of different backgrounds. But honestly, I’m sure I would have fared well at either school.
That’s the thing, if you have done your research on the schools you are applying to, then you can feel confident that your top choices are your top choices for a reason. So, if you get into more than one of them, congratulations! Don’t stress about the decision. Whichever school you choose will end up being the right school for you.
“Congratulations, you won!” Ever seen that on an envelope in your mail or in the subject line of an email? Usually they are just advertisements promising something too good to be true, but would you believe some colleges use this same advertising technique?
As soon as you take the SAT or even the PSAT*, colleges will start sending you information. You’ll receive emails, brochures, even applications. Some of the information might be generic, but some of it might be personalized just for you. It’s easy to read a letter with your name on it inviting you to visit the school or some other personalized offer and think that the school is holding a spot for you. But don’t be fooled!
Most schools want as many applicants as possible and they use various forms of marketing to gain those applicants. The more applications a school receives the more selective they may appear. Let’s say the college knows it’s going to accept 1,000 students and receives 1,200 applications. That gives the school an acceptance rate of over 80%, which basically screams “apply here, you WILL get in!” No university wants to send that message, so they strive to increase their number of applicants to decrease the admissions ratio and up their appearance of selectivity.
Be wise when looking at any information from a college. Information packets, invitations to visit, applications with your name on them, even promises from faculty members are not guarantees of admission. That goes for letters of interest from coaches, athletic scouts, and activity directors, too.
Remember, the only guarantee of college admission is an official letter of admittance from the Office of Admissions.
*By the way, if you want to cut down on the unsolicited college information overload, the next time you register for the PSAT, SAT, or ACT, make sure to correctly mark the box that opts you out of the mailings!
One of the best things about college life is getting caught up in school spirit.
And right now school spirit is rampant and brackets are everywhere – it’s March Madness! The great thing about the NCAA tournament is that nearly every school, big or small, with a Division-1 basketball team participates. There are always the upsets and the little known teams that make it farther than expected. There’s the heartache of the seniors who lose in the Final Four and the triumph of the young team that beat all odds. It’s a competitive tournament wrought with spirit, drama, and talent.
College sports, more so than professional sports, have heart. The arena is packed with students. Pride and electricity fill the air. There’s really nothing else like it. In my junior year, my college team, University of Maryland, made it to the Final Four and suffered a devastating loss to our rivals I will never forget the friends who decided to randomly drive to the tournament in Minneapolis and try to get tickets. Everyone on campus was watching that game that night. After the devastating loss, no one knew what to do with themselves so we all gathered outside to commiserate. The sense of community was unreal as we all shared the disappointment. The next year we made it to the Final Four again and went on to the championship game. That game played in stereo in my off-campus apartment complex, as everyone was watching. With each bad call or amazing shot, the collective groans and cheers were heard across the parking lot. It was amazing; our team won! We were the National Champions! We all rushed to campus. The main roads were shut down and students flooded the streets, giving the celebration the feel of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. We were all so proud of OUR school and OUR team. It’s definitely a feeling I will never forget.
It really makes the tournament so much more fun to watch when your team is in it!
Who are you rooting for this year?
Welcome to college admissions limbo, aka, the wait list. You aren’t quite accepted, but you aren’t quite denied either, ergo, limbo. First, it is important to understand what a waitlist is. Colleges employ waitlists to protect themselves against the uncertainty of accepted students. When students who have been accepted opt not to enroll, the college examines their waitlist for the next student to be admitted.
So what should you do if you are waitlisted?
First, you need to decide if you really want to stay on the waitlist. That is, would you be content with attending another school that you have been accepted to? If you are satisfied attending elsewhere, don’t bother with the waitlist. You are potentially taking someone else’s spot that you don’t want anyway (and increasing the anxiety level of another soon-to-be freshman elsewhere).
However, if you decide to hang in limbo, here’s what you do:
• Be positive. Yes, being waitlisted can be upsetting, but on the bright side you weren’t flat-out rejected. Plus, the school’s admissions office actively decided to place you on the waitlist, which means they see something they like. There is still a chance of being accepted.
• Be realistic. It is important to be realistic about your chances of (ultimately) being accepted. Unfortunately, these numbers are quite low, coming in at less than 30%. Acceptance rates for those on a waitlist at more selective schools are even lower. While this may feel harsh, it is important to remember that this is why you applied to numerous schools—to have options.
• Be proactive. Find out about your chances for admission. Typically, the letter that informs you about your waitlist status also provides information about your odds. It may list the total number of students on the waitlist, your rank, etc. If this information is not available, it is acceptable to contact the college admissions office and acquire this information. You can be frank and ask the school about the criteria for gaining admission.
• Demonstrate interest. If you elect to stay on the waitlist, return the form indicating your interest and follow the directions in the letter. Inform the admissions office that their college is your top choice and that you will attend if you are admitted. Demonstrate your interest with zest and creativity. However, do err on the side of caution, as desperation is an unattractive quality (in relationships AND college waitlists). A very fine line exists between commendable determination and creepy stalker tendencies. Help your cause by following the school’s instructions, and (if allowable based on the instructions) send in ONE letter updating your achievements or a letter of recommendation from someone that depicts you in a new light. Or, request another admissions interview. However, remain cognizant that being “too pushy” can harm your odds. If you feel like you’ve been hounding the admissions office, chances are that you have.
• Most importantly, have a back-up plan. Colleges who have waitlisted you will not decide their admission choices until after that May 1st decision deadline—and it could be as late as August before you know if you are accepted (if accepted at all). As such, it’s crucial to have a back-up plan in case you are not admitted. Look at the colleges that have accepted you. Pick a college that you like and send a deposit and commitment by May 1st. This ensures that you have somewhere to attend in the fall and that you’ll be moving out of Mom and Dad’s house (phew!).
(A word to the wise; if you are accepted off the waitlist (congratulations!), you will forfeit your deposit at the school you originally enrolled in. It is also important to know that financial aid packages and housing options may not be the same as if you had been admitted earlier. These are pros and cons you may want to consider.)
Finally, being waitlisted by your number one school may be a blessing in disguise. You can now closely examine your other options or even consider taking a gap year, working or traveling. Regardless, don’t lose heart; college is truly what you make of it, no matter where you find yourself in the fall.
Get the video camera out; it’s time to apply for college! Nope, that’s not a typo; your eyes do not deceive you. Several colleges this year are allowing students to supplement their applications with a short YouTube video. The video below, from a Tufts University applicant, actually went viral. (And as of this post, the video has been viewed 102,261 times!)
So what does that mean for you? If your school offers the option, I say take it! Why not? Edit your skateboarding footage into a masterpiece, share a day in your life, introduce your friends who volunteer with you, show off your cooking skills. In my opinion, this is an opportunity to bring the admissions officer into your world and show why you are a stand out.
But don’t get so excited about your video that you forget its purpose: to supplement your application package. Your grades, test scores, and the traditional essay are all still just as important as they always were. The video will just kick your application up a notch, and that’s always a good thing!
Have you seen—or better yet, created—an awesome video for college admissions? Share it with us here on this blog.
I distinctly remember the entire month of April 2005. That was the month when I received all of my college acceptance and rejection letters. Afternoons were spent watching the mailbox, hoping and praying for thick packets, and dreading slim envelopes (Side note: these slim envelopes may be deceiving. Sometimes colleges send out brief congratulatory notes, so don’t be alarmed if your child receives a thin envelope). I was the first of three children in my family to attend college, meaning that my parents were relatively unprepared for the emotional roller coaster ride that their 18-year-old daughter was about to drag them on. Faced with mixed emotions and a general terror about the next four years of my life, I turned to my parents, who unfortunately had no idea how to respond to my constantly changing emotions.
No parent wants to see his or her child in pain, or feeling upset and rejected. Unfortunately, during college admission season, this may very well happen. While it may seem like the end of the world for your child, there are some things that you can do to help ease their pain. (Something to note: As luck would have it, my younger sister is knee-deep in college acceptances and rejections right now. As her older—and very loving, I might add—sister, I like to think that I have some knowledge that will help reassure and console her.) So take a deep breath, read along, and know that everything WILL be okay; Scouts’ Honor.
First things first; be realistic about your child’s rejection. Remind your child that while this may seem like the end of the world, it is far from it. It is natural for your child (and for you) to feel upset and disheartened. Allow your child time to “grieve.” Encourage them to find things to cheer them up and not dwell on their rejection letter. Hanging out with friends (even better if they are in similar situations), watching a movie, exercising, and other relaxing activities are all ways to help your child chill out. If your child is still feeling down, encourage them to get all their negative feelings out. Keeping a blog or a journal, or talking to someone, is a good way to vent frustrations and disappointments. However, do not push your child to talk about it. Give them time.
Put the rejection in context. This is a very competitive year for college admissions. This year saw the largest number of college applications, which means that your child had to compete with more candidates than average from past years.
On that note, remind your child not to take the decision personally. Your child may be fully qualified, but may not be a fit for what the college is looking for. Admissions offices strive to create a diverse community, and your child’s number one choice may have already accepted other students with similar credentials.
Now that the number one college is out of the picture, it’s important to stay positive and give other schools a fair chance. If possible, take your child to visit the other college campuses where they were accepted. Thinking about the other schools and moving your child along in the college decision process will help heal their wound. It is quintessential to remember, and may seem harsh, that the decision to reject your student cannot be changed. There is no point wasting time and energy contemplating the what-ifs. Refrain from thinking of the remaining colleges as second-rate. The way you refer to these colleges and the language you use to describe the remaining colleges is very important. Be careful not to speak negatively of these colleges; your child values your opinion.
Overall, remain positive and encouraging. As I’ve noted before, fate—whether you believe in it or not—is a definite variable in the college acceptance process. Your child will end up at the school that is the best fit for them. So emphasize the good choices they have, accentuate the positive, and remind them that it will all work out.
Your own rules, a full-size fridge, a dishwasher (if you are lucky), convenient parking (if you are really lucky), and a shower you don’t have to wear shoes in. Those are just some of the perks that come with living off-campus. But life off-campus isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.
Don’t get me wrong, living off-campus can be a very freeing experience. It’s kind of your trial into the real world of adulthood, a world where dining halls aren’t simply a few steps away. But with that freedom comes responsibility. Responsibility for paying your rent and utilities, making regular trips to the grocery store, buying or borrowing furniture and kitchen utensils, and spending money on comforts you take for granted… like toilet paper. I didn’t mind the responsibility. In fact, I enjoyed having my own space to do what I wanted, when I wanted.
I moved off-campus my junior year. I have to admit, when I think of my “college experience,” I think of my time in the dorms. The problem with living off-campus is that you aren’t as plugged in to all of the campus happenings. You are less likely to return to campus in the evening for an interesting lecture, sports event, or late night dining hall binge. Not to mention, what do you do with yourself when you have hours between classes? I was always a big fan of napping in a friend’s dorm room, although I suppose I could have gone to the library and studied.
Campus becomes a place where you take classes and run into friends, but it is no longer your home. When you live on-campus, playing Frisbee® on the quad is like playing in your backyard, but once you move off-campus, it becomes Frisbee in front of the library at school. But then there are off-campus perks of non-bunked beds, sharing a whole apartment or house—rather than just a room—with a roommate, and of course, living by your own rules. To me, living in a dorm is a rite of passage, something everyone in college should experience for at least two years before you move out and have to grow up
Solve for x. College Experience = Academics + x. (Alright, there are many possible x’s, but for the sake of argument, go along with just one x). Yes, fueling your hunger for higher learning is a valid reason to attend college. But you’d be lying to yourself if the overall college experience was not an appealing reason to attend. Living on-campus is arguably an essential x factor in the collegiate experience.
The benefits of living on-campus are three-fold.
1. First, living on-campus gives you easy access to the school and the school’s resources. Oops, forgot to pick up a book from the library? Just run back over to the library and grab it. You don’t have to worry about driving to and from campus, finding parking, and all the responsibility that comes with a car. And living on-campus is a great time saver. Trust me. I love to sleep. And luckily for me, since I lived on campus, I could literally roll out of bed five minutes before class and still being able to arrive on time. This may seem like a silly reason, but maximizing sleep in college is a very coveted technique.
2. Second, living on-campus creates an instant community and an increased social life. It allows you to live and work at the center of a busy campus. You are in-the-know on campus activities, concerts, gatherings, etc., and have more opportunities to meet and interact with people (aside from your roommate). Incredible friendships are created at college and living on-campus provides the opportunity to create those friendships.
3. Finally, college is a period of transition and change, both of which are not always easy. Living on your own off-campus can be overwhelming. There are numerous bills (rent, utilities, insurance, food bills, etc.) and you have to deal with a landlord. Living on-campus is a good transition into adulthood and gives you a foot in the door to truly being on your own. And by living on-campus, you have access to amenities that you may not have off-campus. Game rooms, lounges, a quiet study space and gyms are just some of the amenities found in dormitories that are at your disposal. Some of my fondest memories from college are of me and my friends drinking obscene amounts of coffee in our dorm’s lounge studying for midterms.
Living on-campus was truly the x factor for me. I lived on-campus for 3.5 years (I spent one semester abroad in Italy). Granted, I attended a small, liberal arts school, but I cannot fathom my college experience without living on-campus. I was always engaged in college activities, I was on top of my academics, I frequented the library, spent warm afternoons studying on the green (the large lawn located in the center of campus), excelled academically because I was close to resources and teachers’ assistants, never missed a Sunday brunch, and I always had friends to help and comfort me; all of which created a wonderful college experience for me.
(So what’s the deal with off-campus living? Stay tuned for Natalie’s post on off-campus living.)
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